An electrolyte for a lithium battery, the electrolyte including a compound represented by Formula 1; a nonaqueous organic solvent; and a lithium salt.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an electrolyte for a lithium battery, and a lithium battery including the electrolyte.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, lithium batteries have drawn significant attention as power sources for small portable electronic devices. Lithium batteries using an organic electrolyte have greater energy density and a discharge voltage about twice that of batteries using an aqueous alkali electrolyte.
In lithium batteries, lithium-transition metal oxides, such as LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiNi1−xCoxO2 (where 0<x<1), which have a structure that allows intercalation of lithium ions, are mainly used as cathode active materials. Various forms of carbonaceous materials, such as artificial graphite, natural graphite, and hard carbon, which allow intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions, have been used as anode active materials.
As lithium batteries are increasingly used in high-temperature environments, there has been an increasing need to improve the stability of the lithium batteries. A common way to improve the safety of lithium batteries is by using a flame-resistant electrolyte. However, the use of the flame-resistant electrolyte may lower the output power and lifetime of the lithium battery while increasing its operating time. Therefore, there remains a need for an improved electrolyte.

Electrolyte for lithium battery and lithium battery including the same

Abstract: wherein, in Formula 1, X, Ya, Z, R1, and R2 are as defined.


A material mixture is separated into components of different flowability using a perforated drum mounted in a housing and supported by a detachable mounted portion. The drum is partially wrapped by a presser belt with is pressed against the drum by an adjustable pressure roller. The housing is formed as a parallelepiped-shaped shaft with a dividing wall to separate the drive section from the service section. The presser belt is guided to form an angle of 20.degree. to 30.degree. with respect to the drum and the drum is driven to have a peripheral speed of two to six percent higher than that of the presser roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a machine for separating a material mixture into components of different flowability, comprising a housing which includes a frame portion to be covered by a rear wall, a floor portion and a top cover, and an add-on or extension portion to be releasably attached to the base or frame portion leaving a space; a rotatable drum with a perforated outer surface arranged in said housing; an endless presser belt arranged to partially wrap said drum and move in the same sense as said drum; adjustable pressing means including at least a roller for pressing said presser belt against said drum; means for driving the perforated drum and/or the presser belt, preferably in the form of a chain drive; and a pull-in zone and a delivery zone formed by the presser belt and the circumferential surface of the drum.
2. Prior Art
Machines of this kind are commonly employed in the food industry and are used, for example, for mincing meat while at the same time removing collagenous tissue or tendons, for producing fish forcemeat which is free of skin and bones, for making fruit or vegetable juices and/or pulp, for recovering the contents of packaging, and for many other purposes. They are also increasingly used in the recycling industry.
They function so that the product being processed is fed into the pull-in zone and is there drawn in between the perforated drum and presser belt. The flowable components are then extruded through the perforations in the drum into its interior under the influence of the belt pressure while the less flowable components remain on the outer surface of the drum and are finally removed, preferably by scraping with a scraping device, at a delivery zone.
The presser belt is normally guided by means of a pressure roller, a tension roller and/or a deflection roller. As a rule, the pressure roller also serves as the driving roller for the presser belt. The presser belt is guided between front and rear walls which house the rollers as well as the perforated drum. The open end of the perforated drum extends through the front wall and is borne there by support rollers, which hold the drum above a bearing surface, provided specifically for this purpose.
The basic arrangement and functional parts of such a separating machine having a perforated drum are shown for example in the reference DE 4328627 while the structural principle of such a machine is shown in EP 0394625.
The use of such a separator machine especially in the food industry imposes high requirements in many respects. The hygiene requirements are inter alia of particular import. The apparatus of this kind must therefore allow easy and thorough cleaning, which requires not only a compact construction but also and especially rapid and easy access to the functional parts which are necessary in practically all fields of application. The presser belt, or rather its attrition is also critical, since the rubbed-off parts will inevitably land in the product and impair the quality thereof. Furthermore, problems will always occur when the product to be processed contains large lumps, since it is difficult to distribute the product uniformly over the pressing area surface which easily leads to leaks and poor processing results.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is the primary object of the invention to suggest a machine which, when either taken as a whole or by combination of several of its structural components overcomes the prior art deficiencies. It is a particular object of the invention to improve the arrangement and operation of at least part of the different machine component parts mentioned above by suggesting a machine which by virtue of a coaction of those component parts operates substantially more effectively. It is a further object of the invention to thus improve the manageability of such machine or at least its essential functional component parts.

Machine for separating a material mixture

Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH & Co KG


A material handling system includes a conveyor, an actuation unit, and a chute. The chute is mechanically coupled to the conveyor at a defined angle with respect to a surface of the conveyor. The chute includes an inlet defining a first end and a second end, where the first end of the inlet is mechanically coupled to the surface of the conveyor. Further, the chute includes at least one tube configured to be rotated by the actuation unit at a defined rotational speed. The chute also includes an outlet mechanically coupled to the at least one tube. In this aspect, the defined angle and the defined rotational speed is based on at least one of: physical characteristic of an item to be passed through the chute, a rate of inflow of the item through the inlet, and a rate of outflow of the item through the outlet.

Generally, in material handling environments like, but not limited to, distribution centers, warehouses, inventories, or shipping centers, a material handling system, can convey, handle, sort, and organize various type of items (e.g. cartons, cases, containers, shipment boxes, totes, packages, and/or the like) at high speeds. Typically, in the material handling environments, items are conveyed on conveyors and are often collected into one or more chutes that are positioned alongside conveyors of the material handling system. Depending on a configuration of the material handling system, the items may travel through the material handling environment in an unregulated manner or may be repositioned, reoriented, and/or consolidated into a single stream of items as the items move on the conveyors and/or further collected into the chutes. For example, in some cases, items are sorted by sortation conveyor of the material handling system and upon sortation are collected into respective chutes.

Collecting items via a chute in a material handling environment


A liquid dispensing device including a dispense head configured to be placed and secured onto a bottle of liquid in a manner which enables the liquid to be dispensed. The dispense head includes a stopper having gas inlets and a liquid intake tube. A gas intake and a dispense spout are also mounted on the dispense head. A valve assembly allows pressurized gas to be introduced into the dispense head and into the bottle of liquid such that selective channeling of gas or liquid can be controlled to flow through the dispense spout thus enabling either liquid to pour through the spout or gas to clear the spout. A system utilizing this dispense head and a method of dispensing liquid using this head are possible with this device.

Dispensing of liquids for human consumption requires some protection from liquid contamination. This is especially important for wine and other beverages in which subtle tastes are to be noted.
In addition, dispensing liquids, such as fine wines, requires some care in retail establishments to make sure that the pour is accurate, and does not shortchange either the customer or the restaurant, bar, or other establishment.
It is an object to provide devices and methods that address these and other concerns.

Method for liquid dispensing using a dispense head


A method of building compound extensible Asynchronous JavaScript And eXtensible Markup Language (AJAX) applications. A server-side web component utility searches an extension registry for Jazz web User Interface (UI) components and generates cached strings of JavaScript code based on the Jazz web UI components. When a browser accesses a Jazz web UI home page, the web component utility uses script tags to download the cached strings of JavaScript code. The web component utility executes the cached strings of JavaScript code and registers multiple available Jazz web UI components with an AJAX package management system. The web component utility serializes a subset of the extension registry that includes multiple extension points declared within the available Jazz web UI components. The Jazz web browser-based functionality downloads the extension registry subset data, parses the data, and makes the data available through one or more JavaScript Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

The present invention relates in general to data processing systems and in particular to composite web applications. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and system for building compound extensible Asynchronous JavaScript And eXtensible Markup Language (AJAX) applications.
Composite applications enable multiple independent groups to contribute components of an application. The multiple independently developed and/or contributed components are executable within the same runtime context. However, conventional methods of implementing composite web applications (e.g., IBM's WebSphere Portal, Eclipse, and Microsoft's .NET) do not address the relatively new domain of rich web applications, such as Asynchronous JavaScript And eXtensible Markup Language (AJAX). AJAX is a development technique for creating interactive web applications that makes web pages feel more responsive by exchanging small amounts of data between a web page and a web server and making page user interface updates incrementally, without having to reload the entire page.
Java is an object-oriented programming language, which utilizes high-level syntax derived from C and C++, but includes a simpler object model with fewer low-level facilities. Java programs are typically compiled into "bytecode", which can either be interpreted at run time or compiled into native machine code for execution. Java programs utilize configurable security features to enable selective restriction of network and/or file access operations. AJAX utilizes a client side script language, such as JavaScript, along with eXtensible Markup Language (XML) to enable the creation of the initial conditions for the evolution of dynamic, intuitive, complex, and data-centric user interfaces in web pages. AJAX thus increases the speed, interactivity, and ease-of-use of web pages.

Building compound extensible AJAX applications

International Business Machines Corporation


An artificial decorated and lighted Christmas tree (10) which is concentrically collapsible into a shallow open-topped box for storage. When displayed, the artificial tree (10) is preferably hung from a ceiling or other overhead support. The skeleton of the tree consists of a flat disk (15), a member (16) projecting upwardly from the center of the disk (15) from which the artificial tree (10) is suspended, a cylindrical crown (24) of garland supported on the disk, (15), at least three rigid wire loops (20, 30, 40) having different diameters, and at least three flexible cords (18A, 18B, 18C, 18D, 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 32A, 32B, 32C, 32D) affixed to equally spaced apart edge segments of the disk (15) and to equally spaced apart segments of each one of the rigid wire loops (20, 30, 40). The skeleton of the tree is completely hidden from view by an elongated garland (26) of artificial conifer needles which may include traditional Christmas ornaments and electric lights which is wound successively around each one of the spaced apart rigid wire loops (20, 30, 40) to completely cover and hide the disk (15) and all the flexible cords (18A, 18B, 18C, 18D, 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 32A, 32B, 32C, 32D) and rigid wire loops (20, 30, 40) thereby creating an artificial conical Christmas tree (10).

Artificial Christmas trees have been on the market for many years and a number of patents have been granted for artificial trees which can be collapsed into a shallow container for storage in minimal space until the next Christmas season.
Several suggestions have been made for a collapsible artificial tree which, when displayed, is hung from the ceiling or a beam. See, for example, Erickson U.S. Pat. No. 2,731,752; Westlund U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,867; and McCrory U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,541. However, I am not aware of any public offering of a collapsible artificial Christmas tree, particularly a truly conical evergreen conifer tree whose needles fully cover and hide the supporting skeleton of the artificial tree.
Therefore, a need exists for an artificial conical Christmas tree which, at the end of a Christmas season, can be readily collapsed and stored with all its decorations and lights in a shallow box until next Christmas.


A liquid crystal projector which prevents deterioration of the aluminum grid inorganic polarizing plate due to dust in the cooling air for cooling the liquid crystal panel module. A shade member along the surface of the inorganic polarizing plate prevents the surface from being directly hit by the cooling wind and thus prevents dust from attaching to the surface of the plate.

A liquid crystal projector for projecting and displaying an image requires a cooling mechanism to prevent the temperature of internal liquid crystal panels and components such as polarizing plates located in proximity to the liquid crystal panels from rising beyond a predetermined range within which performance is guaranteed. As a cooling method, air cooling is generally used. A built-in fan takes in air from outside the liquid crystal projector and blows the air as cooling air to the liquid crystal panels and polarizing plates from underneath.
Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling mechanism using a sirocco fan for a projection type liquid crystal display device.

Liquid crystal projector having shade member preventing deterioration of polarizing plate


A frame structure of an electronic apparatus for containing a plurality of power supply units is disclosed. The frame structure includes a main frame, a tray, and at least one elastic element. The tray includes at least one fixing portion and is connected pivotally to the main frame to be in a first position or a second position. One end of each elastic element is fixed to the main frame, and the other end of each elastic element includes a fastening structure. When the tray is in the first position, each fixed portion is between the main frame and each elastic element. When the power supply units are placed into the main frame, each elastic element is pushed by the power supply units, and each fastening structure passes through the fixing portion and the main frame, for fixing the tray in the first position.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a frame structure of an electronic apparatus; more particularly, it relates to a frame structure of an electronic apparatus for containing a plurality of power supply units.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the large computing apparatus, such as the server, the data volume which needs to be stored and processed is larger, so that more electronic components needed to supply power are disposed in the large computing apparatus. Therefore, the large computing apparatus must have a plurality of power supply units to supply enough electricity for use requirements. Due to the space in the server is limited, the plurality of power supply units are stacked in the server to save the space. In this design, the power supply unit stacked on the upper position needs to use an additional converter board to converse the power. However, the converter board usually is extended over the locating range of the power supply unit, so that the assembly of the motherboard of the server may be interfered by the converter board. For example, during an assembly process of the server, the motherboard must be assembled first, and then the power supply units and the converter board can be assembled. If the motherboard gets problem of the assembly or using, the user must remove the whole power supply unit and the converter board, and he or she can continuously change or repair for the motherboard. It is more inconvenience for the assembly or repairing of the server.
Therefore, it is worthy to research to improve the locating of the power supply units, so that the assembly of the motherboard in the server is not interfered by the power supply units and the space of the server can be saved.

Electronic apparatus and frame structure thereof


The invention is directed to aqueous coating compositions with improved rheology performance, comprising A) at least one water-dilutable binder,                optionally, at least one cross-linking agent B), at least one sagging control agent C) obtainable by reacting a polyisocyanate with an amine, water and optionally usual coating additives, pigments and/or organic solvents,        wherein the sagging control agent is obtained by reacting in an aqueous phase in presence of a water-dilutable binder C1) at least one polyisocyanate with C2) at least one amine having at least one primary amino group and at least one hydroxyl group.

The invention relates to aqueous coating compositions with improved rheological performance for automotive and industrial coatings based on water-dilutable binders and a reaction product of a polyisocyanate and an amine as sagging control agent (SCA). The invention also relates to a process for preparing aqueous coating compositions containing those SCAs.


The automatic analyzer includes a light source 4a to perform measurement, a spectrophotometer 4, a reagent disk 9 to store a reagent bottle 10 in which the reagent is stored, a carriage device to carry the reagent bottle 10 to the reagent disk 9, a reagent preparation unit to perform preparatory operations required before the regent bottle 10 is used, and a control unit 21 to schedule the preparatory operations by the reagent preparation unit and the carriage operation by the carriage device such that the reagent bottle 10 is carried to the reagent disk 9 immediately after an operation accompanied with analysis by the light source 4a and the spectrophotometer 4 is suspended or ends.

An automatic analyzer in which two reagent containers each are placed in a row in a replenishment reagent storage that is a second reagent storage means for replenishment over a reagent disk, a plurality of reagent containers can be mounted in the replenishment reagent storage, rails are arranged above the replenishment reagent storage, and rails, a reagent retention means movable in three axial directions, and a reagent cap opening means are installed at the rails is described in Patent Literature 1 as an example of an automatic analyzer that: reduces burdens on an operator caused by operations such as reagent registration, reagent replacement, etc.; does not cause shortage of a reagent during analysis; and minimizes analysis suspensions.
As an example of an automatic analyzer that can eliminate manual operations of extracting and retracting a reagent container from and into a reagent storage and reduce the burdens of an operator, an automatic analyzer having a carriage device is described in Patent Literature 2. The carriage device includes: a gripping and carrying unit having a gripping device to grip a reagent container and an elevating member that supports the gripping device so as to be movable in a predetermined direction and is movable vertically; a transfer unit having a container support to support a plurality of reagent containers and a guide to guide the transfer of the container support between the vicinity of a reagent storage and a disposal position; and a carriage control unit to control the operations of the gripping and carrying unit and the transfer unit. The carriage device carries the reagent container between the reagent storage and the disposal position by the gripping and carrying unit and the transfer unit, and extracts and retracts the reagent container from and into the reagent storage.


A glass composition and method of preparation utilizes a mixture consisting of phosphorus oxide within the range of about 40 to 49 molar percent, lead oxide within the range of about 10 to 25 molar percent, iron oxide within the range of about 10 to 17 molar percent and an alkali oxide within the range of about 23 to 30 molar percent. The glass resulting from the melting and subsequent solidifying of the mixture possesses a high degree of durability and a coefficient of thermal expansion as high as that of any of a number of metals. Such features render this glass highly desirable in glass-to-metal seal applications.

This invention relates generally to glass composition and relates, more particularly, to a glass composition suitable for use in glass-to-metal seal applications.
In many seal applications, such as the construction of an electrical feedthrough involving glass-to-metal contact, the glass-to-metal seal must be vacuum-tight to maintain an effective separation between ambient and high vacuum conditions. However, the effectiveness of the seal could be jeopardized if the glass does not possess a high degree of chemical durability and a coefficient of thermal expansion which is high enough to match that of the metal with which the glass is used.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved glass composition for use in glass-to-metal seal applications which possesses both a high degree of chemical durability and a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion, a method of making the glass, and a method for forming a glass-to-metal seal.

Alkali-lead-iron phosphate glass and associated method


A dual string packer may be provided with a crossover module located such that fluid communication may be provided from any tubular bore to the internal shifting chamber without completely disassembling the dual string packer. The crossover module may be attached to the through tubing mandrels at or near the bottom or lower end of the dual string packer.

In the course of producing oil and gas wells typically a well packer along with completion and production equipment are run into cased wellbore. Upon reaching a predetermined depth the packer is set to the casing. A well packer may accommodate several tubular strings passing through the packer although two production tubular strings passing through a single packer is the most common due to wellbore diameter restrictions.
In many instances it may be desirable to be able to produce many different formation zones independently such as in multi-lateral wellbores or when the various formation zones have differing mechanical or chemical properties. In some instances each zone may require a separate production tubular or a separate control line. When multiple control lines or production tubulars are required to pass through a packer an at least dual zone packer may be required.
The purpose of a dual zone packer is to seal the wellbore against fluid or gas flow at the location of the packer while allowing the production tubulars or control lines to pass through. The packer is provided with slips having camming surfaces which, when activated, cooperate with complimentary opposed wedging surfaces to radially extend to and grip the wellbore casing. The packer also has an annular resilient seal, usually an elastomer, that is typically radially expanded to seal against the casing. Both the resilient seal and the camming surfaces that extend the slips are usually activated by a longitudinal compression of the packer. The longitudinal compression may be effected by mechanical or hydraulic means. When a dual zone packer is run into the wellbore it is usually retained in the unset position, typically by a shear pin or a c-ring.
Conventional dual string packers incorporate at least a pair of tubular mandrels on which a packing seal element and slip assembly are mounted. Typically the dual bore packer is prepared for setting by closing one of the mandrels to fluid flow. The fluid flow may be closed by using a ball, plug, dart, or any other device that may form a seal to block the particular tubular.
The resilient packer and the slip assembly are typically radially extended by a hydraulic piston that applies longitudinal compressive force in response to hydraulic pressure in the blocked mandrel. Setting forces are applied to the annular seal elements and the anchor by a setting cylinder mounted to the packer mandrel.
In certain instances it may be necessary to release the dual string packer in order to remove it from the wellbore. In order to facilitate easy removal of the packer from the wellbore certain features must be incorporated into the dual string packer as it is constructed. Typically the packer is constructed so that tension may be applied from the surface through one of the tubular mandrels to a shear assembly in the body of the packer. The tubular mandrel used to release the tension in the tool is typically referred to as the long side of the dual string packer. When enough tension is applied to the shear assembly from the surface to overcome the shear assembly's internal resistance and shears the relevant portions of the assembly the longitudinal compression applied to radially extend the slips and the resilient seal is released. The slips and the resilient seal no longer lock and seal the dual string packer to the casing and the dual string packer may be removed to the surface.
It is sometimes necessary to use one particular bore and at other times it is necessary to use the other bore as the source of hydraulic pressure to set the slips and the resilient seal. However, because only the long side of the dual string packer can be used to remove the dual string packer from the well and because each mandrel bore may have different requirements due to equipment and other requirements of the well, the operator is not usually able to easily reverse the orientation of the dual string packer prior to its deployment. It is usually necessary to reconfigure the internal portions of the dual string packer.
Typically, one of the tubing mandrels has a port built into it so that a flow path is created by the particular mandrel and the internal shifting chamber, while the other tubing mandrel has the necessary shear pins and other components to release the slips and seals when necessary. Since the through tubing mandrels pass through and are attached to the internal components of the dual string packer, a complete top to bottom rebuild of the dual string packer, usually on the rig floor, is called for in order to reconfigure the internal portions of the dual string packer. Such a rebuild takes valuable rig time and leads to possible contamination and potential failure of the tool when the dual string packer is deployed downhole.

Selective set module for multi string packers


An enzymatic sensor configured to determine the concentration of levodopa present in a sample according to a current or a resonant frequency produced in response to levodopa interactions with L-amino acid decarboxylase present in the sensor. A processor associated with the sensor determines levodopa concentration and produces dose recommendation or output according to levodopa concentration.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter implicated in a number of key functions in the brain, but most notably in regulating movement. Dopamine is produced in the body by decarboxylation of levodopa (L-Dopa) which is itself synthesized from the amino acid L-tyrosine by the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. L-Dopa is a precursor to a number of other neurotransmitters, most notably epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Dopamine is unable to cross the blood brain barrier, but L-Dopa is able to cross the barrier and therefore it can be effective to treat diseases of dopamine deficiency such as Parkinson's disease and dopamine-responsive dystonia. L-Dopa enters the central nervous system (CNS) and is then converted to dopamine, raising dopamine levels in the CNS and activating postsynaptic dopaminergic receptors. In this way, administration of L-Dopa can compensate for a decrease in endogenous dopamine.
Several pharmaceutical versions of L-Dopa exist, and it may administered orally or liquid versions may be administered by a duodenal pump. Gastrointestinal uptake of L-Dopa is highly variable and may be inhibited by many dietary options, most significantly fats and proteins. Proteins especially directly compete with the L-Dopa for uptake sites, and can reduce the effective amount of L-Dopa taken up from a given dose. Increasing dosage to account for limited uptake carries its own problems. If a patient's diet on a particular day permits exceptionally high uptake, such dosage excursions can increase associated risks. High L-Dopa peaks in the brain are especially detrimental as they have been associated with disruptive or disabling motor and behavioral complications in Parkinson's patients.
Pharmaceutical L-Dopa that is taken up creates a systemic rise in L-Dopa throughout the body. This results in increased dopamine throughout the entire CNS, not just in therapeutic target areas. L-Dopa administered orally or infused outside of the CNS is converted into dopamine in the peripheral nervous system as well, producing further side effects. Side effects can include hypotension, arrhythmias, nausea, gastrointestinal bleeding, disturbed respiration, hair loss, disorientation and confusion, extreme emotional states (particularly anxiety), vivid dreams or insomnia, auditory or visual hallucinations, effects on learning (evidence indicates it may improve working memory, but simultaneously impairs other complex functions), somnolence and narcolepsy, and a condition similar to stimulant psychosis.
For some patients, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the basal ganglia can supplement L-Dopa treatment. By implanting leads in either the subthalamic nucleus or the globus pallidus internus, dopaminergic receptors may be directly stimulating, lowering a patient's dopamine needs. DBS is associated with a reduced need for pharmaceutical L-Dopa, but DBS may not fully substitute for L-Dopa treatment.
L-Dopa may be administered with a dopamine decarboxylase inhibitor, e.g., carbidopa, to limit metabolism of L-Dopa in the peripheral nervous system. Dopamine promoters can help limit the effective dose of L-Dopa needed but do not address CNS off-target effects and further require their own dosage tuning in parallel with the dose tuning for L-Dopa.
Thus, clinical management of side effects relies on carefully controlling, or "tight tuning," dosage, but dose control is hindered by the lack of input regarding current body L-Dopa levels outside of observed or experienced effects and side effects. Patient management also presents burdens for providing appropriate dosage, as some patients may not take appropriate quantities of medications (or may split pills to spread out and time doses). Thus, there is a need in the art for a means of controlling L-Dopa dosing based on body L-Dopa levels.

Levodopa sensor for tight tuning of dosage


Disclosed is a pixel structure of a liquid crystal display including: a first substrate with red, green and blue color filters; a second substrate comprising; a TFT; a data bus line carrying a data signal that is applied to the TFT to drive unit pixels; and a gate bus line in which a bump-shaped groove is formed at a region where the gate bus line crosses and overlaps the data bus line to prevent the data bus line from opening and through which a gate signal is applied: wherein current is selectively supplied to the pixel electrode of the unit pixel region defined by the gate bus line and the data bus line so that an electric field is generated between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD), and more particularly, to a pixel structure of a liquid crystal display that prevents data bus lines and drain electrodes overlapping gate bus lines and gate electrodes respectively on an array substrate from opening.
2. Description of the Related Art
As modern society becomes a more information-oriented society, LCDs become more and more important to display information. The cathode ray tube (CRT) that has been most widely used in the past has many advantages, e.g., in performance and price, but it also has a lot of disadvantages, e.g. in miniaturization and portability.
While, an LCD may be more expensive than CRT or other displays, it has advantages such as miniaturization, low weight, a slim profile, and low power consumption to become an attractive substitute for the CRT display.
The LCD includes an array substrate on which thin film transistors are arranged, a color filter substrate on which red, green, blue color filter layers are formed and which is attached with the array substrate, and liquid crystal interposed therebetween.
The array substrate and the color filter substrate are formed by patterning and etching various layers by using a photolithography process. The array substrate may be fabricated as described below.
First, a metal layer is deposited on a transparent glass substrate and etched to form a gate bus line and a gate electrode (first masking step). After that, a gate insulating film, an amorphous silicon film and a doped amorphous silicon film are each coated on the glass substrate and etched to form a channel layer (second masking step). Next, a source/drain metal film is deposited on the glass substrate by which the channel layer is formed, and etched to form source/drain electrodes and a data bus line (third masking step). Afterwards, a passivation film for protecting the previously formed elements is deposited on the glass substrate and a contact hole is formed in the passivation film (fourth masking step). Thereafter, an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) transparent metal film is deposited on the substrate on which the passivation film is formed, and etched to form a pixel electrode (fifth masking step).
In general, five to eight masking processes are used in manufacturing an array substrate. Then, because increasing the number of masking steps causes the manufacturing cost to increase, recent research has lead to a reduction in the number of the masking steps in the LCD manufacturing process, so that a process in which a channel layer and source/drain electrodes are formed simultaneously results in four masking steps, and this process is now widely being employed.
To successfully perform the four masking step process described above, a photo resist film is patterned in half tone and etched using a half tone mask to simultaneously form a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an active layer region. In another method, when patterning a photo resist film, the photo resist film is exposed using a mask with a slit pattern having a resolution less than a normal resolution.
In four or five masking processes, a gate bus line and a data bus line formed on the array substrate are perpendicularly crossed and overlap each other. Here, a predetermined stepped portion is generated at the overlapped region due to the overlapped gate bus line.
Because this stepped portion may cause the data bus line and the source and drain electrodes to open in manufacturing the array substrate, pixel structures generated by various methods to prevent such an opening are being studied.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the structure of an array substrate of an LCD according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of gate bus lines 1a and 1b and a plurality of data bus lines 3a and 3b cross substantially perpendicularly with each other to form a unit pixel region.
Thin film transistors (TFTs) which are a switching element are formed and arranged where the gate bus lines 1a and 1b and the data bus lines 3a and 3b intersect. Pixel electrodes 9a and 9b made of transparent ITO are arranged on unit pixel regions.
The gate bus lines 1a and 1b and the data bus lines 3a and 3b are arranged to overlap each other. A gate insulating film and an active layer 7 are interposed between the two lines. The data bus line 3a, a source electrode 6a, and a drain electrode 6b are arranged on the active layer 7.
The active layer 7 is formed of amorphous silicon layer and n+ amorphous silicon layer. In the TFT formation, the active layer 7 is formed as a channel layer and an ohmic contact layer.
A passivation film is formed on the data bus line 3a, the source electrode 6a and the drain electrode 6b so that the passivation film protects the elements formed on the array substrate. To connect the pixel electrodes 9a and 9b with the drain electrode 6b, contact holes are formed in the passivation film. Drain electrodes 6b are respectively connected to the pixel electrodes 9a and 9b through the contact holes.
The array substrate shown in FIG. 1 has a structure in which the active layer 7 is exposed by a predetermined width on both sides of the data bus lines 3a and 3b. The structure is formed by the four masking step process in which the source/drain electrodes and the channel layer are formed simultaneously.
Because the gate bus lines 1a and 1b and a gate electrode 5 arranged on the array substrate overlap the data bus lines 3a and 3b and the drain electrode 6b with the active layer 7 interposed therebetween, a stepped portion is formed at the boundary portion of the overlapped area.
This stepped portion of the overlap area may cause the data bus lines 3a and 3b to open or the drain electrode 6b to open. To prevent such an opening, a predetermined groove is formed on the gate bus lines 1a and 1b at a boundary area where the gate bus lines 1a and 1b overlap the data bus lines 3a and 3b.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the cross region (A) of the data bus line and the gate bus line shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, a TFT is arranged on the area at which the data bus line 3a and the gate bus line 1a cross each other. The gate bus line 1a to which a driving signal is applied and the gate electrode 5 of the TFT are integrally formed and arranged.
The gate insulating film 4 (see FIG. 3) and an active layer 7 are formed on the gate electrode 5. The source electrode 6a and the drain electrode 6b overlap a predetermined portion of the gate electrode 5 on the active layer 7.
When the drain electrode 6b overlaps the gate electrode 5 and is contacted with the pixel electrode 9a, a stepped portion is formed due to the gate electrode 5 positioned at the lower portion of the drain electrode 6b.
Likewise, a stepped portion is formed in the region where the gate bus line 1a and the data bus line 3a intersect with the gate insulating film 4 and the active layer 7 interposed therebetween.
As shown in the drawing, the reason why a groove 8 is formed in the region where the gate bus line 1a overlaps the data bus line 3a is to minimize the stepped portion of the gate bus line and thereby to prevent the data bus line 3a from opening. In other words, by forming a groove 8 in the gate bus line 1a, when a metal film is deposited to form the data bus line 3a overlapping the gate bus line 1a, the groove formed on the gate bus line 1a reduces the size of the stepped portion so that the metal film is deposited smoothly. However, in the pixel structure of the liquid crystal display, although the groove 8 is formed in the gate bus line, the data bus line may be opened due the stepped portion in the area where the data bus line 3a overlaps the gate bus line 1a.
In addition, because the array substrate formed in the four masking step process has a lower active layer whose width is wider than the width of the source electrode 6a, the drain electrode 6b, and the data bus line 3a, penetration of etchant and pattern defects are caused, and thus the drain electrode 6b and data bus line 3a may be opened.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B–B′ of FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 3, a gate bus line 1a is formed on a transparent insulating substrate 10. A gate insulating film 4 and an active layer 7 are sequentially deposited on the gate bus line 1a.
The data bus line 3a is arranged along the active layer 7. The data bus line 3a has a predetermined stepped portion due to the gate bus line 1a, a stacked gate insulating film 4, and the active layer 7.
The cross-sectional structure is also formed in a region where the drain electrode and the gate electrode of the TFT overlap each other.
Although not shown clearly in the drawing, in the four masking step process as shown in FIG. 1, the width of the active layer interposed below the data bus line is wider than the width of the data bus line, so that the etchant may penetrate the data bus line along the active layer to thereby cause the data bus line to open.
To prevent the data bus line from opening, a predetermined groove is formed in the gate bus line, but in spite of the existence of the groove in the gate bus line, the stepped portion is still formed in the data bus line to cause the data bus line to open.

Pixel structure of liquid crystal display


Integrated circuit devices are fabricated by fabricating a conductive line on an insulating layer on an integrated circuit substrate. The conductive line includes a bottom adjacent the insulating layer, a top remote from the insulating layer and first and second sidewalls therebetween. An insulating spacer is formed to extend along the first and second sidewalls and to also extend along at least a portion of the bottom between the conductive line and the insulating layer. By providing an insulating spacer beneath at least a portion of the conductive line, insulation reliability may be improved even as the spacer may become narrower and/or the contact area may be enlarged.

Integrated circuit devices are widely used in consumer and commercial applications. As integrated circuit devices become more highly integrated, the reliability of insulation between conductive line interconnections may impact the reliability of the devices. An example of a conductive line is a bit line in an integrated circuit memory device.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an integrated circuit memory device with a bit line in a conventional capacitor over bit line (COB) structure. FIGS. 2A to 2E are cross-sectional views of the device for illustrating a method for manufacturing the device shown in FIG. 1, wherein the cross-sectional views are taken along a line II-II in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3A to 3E are cross-sectional views of the device for illustrating the method for manufacturing the device shown in FIG. 1, wherein the cross-sectional views are taken along a line III-III in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device, taken along a line IV-IV in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 3A, there is provided an integrated circuit substrate such as a semiconductor substrate 100 having an active region 101 and a field region. A shallow trench isolation (STI) film 105 is formed in the field region of the substrate 100 by a known STI method.
A gate 110, a first interlayer insulation layer 120 and a contact pad 130 are formed on the substrate 100. The contact pads 130 are connected to impurity regions (not shown) of a predetermined conductivity type formed in the active regions 101 through contacts 125, respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, the gate 110 comprises a gate oxide layer 111, a gate electrode material layer 113, a gate capping layer 115 stacked in order, and a sidewall spacer 127.
A second interlayer insulation layer 140 is formed on the first interlayer insulation layer 120 and then etched to form a contact hole 145 exposing corresponding ones of contact pads 130 which are to be connected to a conductive line such as a bit line in the following process.
A barrier metal layer 151 and a metal layer 155 for a bit line contact pad are sequentially formed on the substrate 100 including the bit line contact hole 145 and then etched using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to form a bit line contact pad 150 comprised of the barrier metal layer 151 and the metal layer 155 in the bit line contact hole 145.
Referring to FIG. 2B and FIG. 3B, a barrier metal layer 161, a conductive material layer 163 for a bit line and a bit line capping layer 165 are formed on the second interlayer insulation layer 140 and then patterned to form a bit line 160. The bit line 160 includes the barrier metal layer 161, the conductive material layer 163 and the bit line capping layer 165 and is connected to the bit line contact pad 150 through the bit line contact hole 145.
Referring to FIG. 2C and FIG. 3C, an insulation layer such as a nitride layer is formed on the bit line 160 and the second interlayer insulation layer 140, and etched back to form a bit line spacer 170. In more detail, the capping layer 165 is formed on the upper layer of the bit line 160 and the bit line spacer 170 is formed at a sidewall of the bit line 160. Accordingly, the bit line 160 is surrounded by the insulation material on its upper surface and sidewalls to provide isolation.
Referring to FIG. 2D and FIG. 3D, a third interlayer insulation layer 180 is formed on the second interlayer insulation layer 140 and the bit line 160. Then the second and third interlayer insulation layers 140 and 180 are etched to form a storage node contact hole 185 exposing corresponding one of contact pads 130 which is to be connected to a storage node of a capacitor in the following process.
Referring to FIG. 2E and FIG. 3E, a polysilicon layer is formed on the third interlayer insulation layer 180 to be filled with the storage node contact hole 185, and then etched using a known CMP process for a node separation to form a storage node contact pad 190. The storage node contact pad 190 is connected to the exposed one of the contact pads 130 via the storage node contact hole 185. Next, a capacitor (not shown) is formed to connect to the storage node 190 by a conventional capacitor formation process, thereby fabricating the device.
As described above, the bit line is insulated from the storage node contact pad by forming the bit line spacer on the sidewall thereof. However, the width of the bit line spacer may become narrower as the devices become more highly integrated. Accordingly, it may be difficult to provide electrical insulation reliability between the bit line and the adjacent storage node contact pad.
Furthermore, it may be desired to reduce contact resistance of the storage node contact pad in order to provide high performance devices. To decrease the contact resistance, the contact area of the storage node contact pad may be enlarged. However, if the contact area is increased, the insulation reliability may be lowered. Accordingly, it may be difficult to decrease the contact resistance of the storage node contact pad without deteriorating the insulation reliability.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Integrated circuits including spacers that extend beneath a conductive line


Provided is a cylindrical vibrator for sex toy. The vibrator has two halves coupled together by snapping. The vibrator comprises a top cavity for receiving a sliding switch, a plurality of compartments wherein any two adjacent compartments are communicated through an groove, an conductive, flexible interconnection fastened on an inner wall and comprising an upper recess having its mouth urged against an inclined portion on a bottom of the switch in a non-operating position, one or more cells coupled in series, and a motor electrically coupled to both the interconnection and the cell. Sliding the switch from the non-operating position to an operating position will press the recess to contact a negative terminal of the below cell for forming a circuit to energize the motor.

Currently, vibration type sex toys are popular. This is because it can increase sexual feelings or desires in intercourse. Conventionally, such vibration type sex toys are provided with vibrators operated by batteries. However, current leakage is often caused because the power construction of such sex toys tends to be turned on accidentally. Thus, continuing improvements in the exploitation of drive of vibration type sex toy are constantly being sought.


A quartz glass substrate for polysilicon thin film transistor liquid crystal display, in which a halogen content is not more than 10 ppm; an OH content is not more than 100 ppm; a total content of a heavy metal element and an alkali metal element is not more than 1 ppm; and an annealing point is not less than 1,150.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quartz glass substrate for polysilicon thin film transistor liquid crystal display.
2. Discussion of Background
Quartz glass has the most excellent heat resistance among transparent glass materials. Further, the quartz glass has an extremely small thermal expansion coefficient, and it is excellent in dimensional stability. Furthermore, the quartz glass is excellent in chemical durability. Therefore, in these days it is used as substrate material for polysilicon thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to simply as "TFT") liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to simply as "LCD"), particularly for small-size polysilicon TFT LCD which is used for viewfinder of video camera. Processes for producing polysilicon TFT can be generally classified into three large groups by level of manufacturing temperature: (1) high temperature process (the maximum process temperature: about 1,000.degree. C.), (2) medium temperature process (the maximum process temperature: about 700.degree. C.) and (3) low temperature process (the maximum process temperature: about 500.degree. C.).
Generally speaking, with respect to large area TFT such as television and display, developments in the direction of lowering the process temperature are widely proceeding from the viewpoint of manufacturing cost. On the other hand, with respect to small-size polysilicon TFT for viewfinder of video camera, etc., if a high temperature process is applied, a conventional LSI manufacturing line can be utilized without big modification, whereby highly reliable process technology developed in manufacturing LSI can be effectively used and a high quality TFT can be produced with a high yield. Thus, a high temperature process is dominant.
A problem here is heat resistance of glass used as substrate. From this viewpoint, quartz glass is usually used as substrate. As practical evaluation method for heat resistance, there is a method wherein deformation degree of a shape in actual use is measured and evaluated. (For example, a substrate having a predetermined thickness, width and length is placed on a jig having a predetermined span and subjected to heat history of a predetermined temperature and time, whereby deformation in warp is measured.) Although this method is simple, it is difficult to make quantitative evaluation as properties of material. On the other hand, as a method for evaluating heat resistance as properties of materials, there is a method wherein evaluation is made in accordance with temperature dependency of viscosity of a material. Since viscosity deformation is dominant with respect to heat resistance of quartz glass at least 1,000.degree. C., this evaluation method is appropriate as evaluation method for properties of materials. Further, so far as quartz glass is concerned, a slope of temperature dependency of viscosity is considered to be substantially constant within a range of from 1,000 to 1,200.degree. C. Thus, a temperature at which a viscosity is a certain value, for example, a temperature at which the viscosity is 10.sup.13 poise (annealing point), can be applied as index. As specific measurement method, a conventional method of beam bending method can be applied.
Heat resistance of quartz glass is considerably different depending on kinds and manufacturing processes. Among quartz glass, so-called fused quartz glass having an annealing point of about from 1,170.degree. to 1,220.degree. C., is the most excellent in heat resistance.
Whereas, a substrate comprising synthetic quartz glass is far excellent in quality, for example, in view of bubbles and foreign substances contained in the glass, while an annealing point of synthetic quartz glass is generally about from 1,050.degree. C. to 1,120.degree. C., which is lower by about from 100.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. than fused quartz glass. Accordingly, there have been problems in a substrate comprising synthetic quartz glass when used for polysilicon TFT because of lower heat resistance. Further, it has been known that quartz glass usually has structural defects by which absorption in a wavelength of from 230 to 300 nm occurs with irradiation of ultraviolet under vacuum such as plasma etching applied in TFT manufacturing step. Among these structural defects, there is a case wherein fluorescent emission is observed, whereby such a practical problem arises that color tone is injured when such glass is used for color liquid crystal display elements.
When quartz glass is used for such optical use, optical homogeneity is required. As factors controlling this optical homogeneity (which is usually indicated by variation of refractive index .DELTA.n), 1 thermal distortion and 2 change of composition exist. Thermal distortion can be removed by annealing glass sufficiently. However, if an element which causes to change refractive index, is contained in glass, it is difficult to obtain high homogeneity because of the element. For example, G. Hetherington et al. (Physics and Chemistry of Glasses 3 (1962) No. 4, p129) have reported that OH contained in quartz glass gives the quartz glass a variation of about 1.times.10.sup.-6 /10 ppmOH. Likewise, it is reported that Cl contained in quartz glass gives the quartz glass a variation about 1.times.10.sup.-6 /10 ppmCl (Susa et al. (Journal of non-crystalline solid 79 (1986) p165-176)). Accordingly, to attain such homogeneity that a variation of refractive index is not more than 5.times.10.sup.-6, it is readily considered that variation range of the OH and Cl contents is reduced and the OH and Cl contents are uniformly distributed throughout the quartz glass. However, for quartz glass which is produced by a process wherein a glass-forming raw material is subjected to flame hydrolysis to form a porous glass product, followed by vitrification, or quartz glass which is produced by a process wherein a glass-forming raw material is subjected to heat hydrolysis and quartz glass is directly deposited on a substrate, it is difficult to uniform the distribution of OH throughout the quartz glass due to influence of e.g. temperature distribution when produced.
A method which is considered next is to reduce an absolute amount of OH contained in quartz glass. It is known that an amount of OH in quartz glass produced by a process wherein a porous quartz glass product is subjected to vitrification, is reduced by treating the porous glass product with a halogen compound such as Cl.sub.2, CCl.sub.4, NH.sub.4 F or HF, as means for producing optical fibers having a low transmission loss. However, the glass produced by the process has a halogen element distributed therein, which brings about a variation of refractive index.
Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 102139/1990 discloses a method to improve homogeneity with a downwardly convex distribution of the OH concentration in the quartz glass. According to this method, in order to form the downwardly convex OH distribution in the quartz glass, it is required to precisely control thermal treatment conditions. Further, the method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 102139/1990 can not be substantially applied to quartz glass produced by way of a porous quartz glass product by a vapor phase reaction, because an upwardly convex OH distribution is formed in the quartz glass.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide a polysilicon TFT LCD quartz glass substrate excellent in heat resistance and suitable for manufacture of polysilicon TFT LCD which is used for viewfinder, etc. It is another object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide a polysilicon TFT LCD quartz glass substrate which is substantially absent from fluorescent emission.

Quartz glass substrate for polysilicon thin film transistor liquid crystal display


A self-powered, personally wearable air purifier includes a sequence of packed bed filter media packets having filter media therein of specifically targeted types that will absorb those ambient air pollutants that have been identified as being particularly dangerous to human health. A HEPA filter is included for the removal of particulate matter that will have adhered thereto many of such pollutants. Media types can be selected to meet different environmental circumstances, including normal highway or city center air, or terrorist attacks of chemical, biological or “dirty bomb” types as on a battlefield or similar environments. Shoulder straps and a chest strap are provided for wearing the apparatus on a user's back, or other means such as a shoulder pouch can also be employed. Emergency substitution of filter media using thermal insulation from the clothing of the user is available upon depletion of the normal media material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of air purification, more specifically to the removal from ambient air of pollutants that have been identified as being particularly dangerous to human health, and more especially to wearable air purification apparatus that can be used by individuals and are self-powered. More specifically, the invention relates to that area of the field pertaining to actively forcing ambient air through an air purifying apparatus, wherein the apparatus is self-powered by including batteries therein, but can also be connected to external sources of power such as a motor vehicle battery. The purified air so provided is then to be directed to a face mask or the like for breathing, or beneath an airtight outer clothing layer for body protection.
2. Description of Related Art

Self-powered, wearable personal air purifier


A phase shifting mask includes an opaque layer having three adjacent apertures which comprise a predetermined pattern, and at least two phase shifters each having a different shift amount. At least two of the apertures are covered with the phase shifters so that a phase difference between each two adjacent apertures is approximately 120.degree. (1/3.lambda.). Therefore, light intensity at a medial area between each two adjacent aperture is decreased in comparison with independent lights passing through the apertures.

Recently, photolithography technology widely adopted in an exposure apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device such as VLSI. The exposure apparatus is provided with a mask having many apertures composing a predetermined pattern, a projection lens positioned under the mask, and a wafer positioned under the projection lens.
In the exposure apparatus, when coherent illumination is transmitted through the mask and the projection lens, the predetermined pattern is printed on a surface of the wafer to be scale-downed. According to the exposure apparatus, however, there is a problem in that resolution of the printed pattern is decreased because of interference effect, if the mask has several adjacent apertures.
Accordingly, a phase shifting mask using a phase shifter is proposed to solve the above problem.
A conventional phase shifting mask is provided with two adjacent apertures in which one of the apertures is covered with a phase shifter of 180.degree. (1/2.lambda.) and the other is not covered with anything as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 50811 of 1987. According to the conventional phase shifting mask, a phase difference between the two adjacent apertures is 180.degree. (1/2.lambda.), so that contrast on a wafer is high. In the same manner, when three adjacent apertures are formed on the mask, a first aperture is covered with a phase shifter of 90.degree. (1/4.lambda.), a second aperture is covered with a phase shifter of 180.degree. (1/2.lambda.) and a third aperture is not covered with anything. According to the phase shifting mask, contrast on a wafer is generally high. However, contrast at medial areas between the first and second apertures and the first and third apertures is not sufficiently high, because each phase difference between them is 90.degree. (1/4.lambda.).
A phase shifting mask in which a plurality of small apertures covered with predetermined phase shifters, respectively, are formed around a main aperture is described in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 67514 of 1987. Further, a phase shifting mask in which a plurality of apertures are covered with phase shifters each having different shift amount is described on pages 491 and 492 of a preliminary report of "the 51 st applied physics institute lecture conference" of the autumn season, 1990 entitled "Fine Pattern Fabrication with Multistage Phase Shifter" and "A study of phase shifting mask construction applied for positive resist process" (JSAP Catalog Number: AP 901125-02). However, the phase shifting masks have a different object from the present invention.
Finally, it is noted that, a phase shifting mask in which a phase shifter having fine structure smaller than resolving power of the optical system is used as shading means instead of an opaque layer such as chromium is described on page 490 of the above preliminary report entitled "Transparent phase shift mask" (JSAP Catalog Number: AP 901125-02).


Systems and methods for implementing message dispatch for an object-oriented program are provided. Receiver type information is collected at a site of a method that dispatches messages to receiver objects. The receiver type information is saved for subsequent execution of the program. By saving the receiver type information, the program may be more efficient as it is not necessary to collect the receiver type information again. Additionally, inlining information may be saved with the receiver type information.

The present invention relates to increasing the execution speed of object-oriented programs. More specifically, the invention relates to utilizing information collected during execution of an object-oriented program for subsequent executions.
The fundamental idea behind object-oriented languages is the combination of both data and the methods (or functions) that operate on that data into a single unit, which is called an object. An object's functions typically provide the only way to access the data that is encapsulated by the object. The data is accessed by sending a message to the object instructing the object to invoke the method specified by the message.
Efficient message dispatch is of paramount importance in object-oriented languages. This is because message dispatch is a very frequent operation in object-oriented programs and is performed at runtime; therefore, it should be as fast as possible. Message dispatch, however, is far from being a trivial operation. Unlike procedural programming languages (e.g., the C programming language) that can determine a function's address before runtime, object-oriented languages must determine the method that handles a message that has been dispatched to a receiver object at runtime, and it may involve an extensive search.
In order to better understand the complexities of message dispatch, FIG. 1 shows a class hierarchy including methods of each class. A class hierarchy 1 includes at its root a parent class A 3 that defines two virtual functions foo( ) and bar( ). Virtual functions are functions that may be defined in a parent class and redefined in the children classes. Class B 5 and class C 7 inherit the data and methods of the parent class A. As shown, class B does not redefine either of the virtual functions foo and bar. However, class C redefines the virtual function foo. When an object of class C is requested to invoke the method foo, the method invoked will be the method defined by the class C, not the parent class A. Classes D 9 and E 11 also redefine the method foo.
As it is generally impossible to determine the class of an object statically, the search for the correct method is performed at runtime, during message dispatch. There are many known techniques for implementing method dispatch. For example, FIG. 2 shows an inline cache. Assume a method 51 was originally as follows:
main( )
{
. . .
x.foo( );
. . .
}
Thus, the method main includes a statement x.foo( ) in order to invoke the method foo of object x.
During runtime, the system would have to determine to which class object x belongs before the method to handle the method could be invoked. With an inline cache, the first time the system determines the class to which object x belongs, a direct call to the class's method is written into the computer code.
Assuming that object x is a member of class A, the call x.foo( ) is changed to a direct call A::foo( ). The arrow specifies a method foo for class A 53. Since the object x may not be of class A every time, a prolog 55 verifies that the object x is of the correct class, which is represented as the expression x=A meaning that it is determined if the class of object x is equal to class A. The class of an object may be determined from a value stored in the object. If the object is of the correct class, a jump is performed to method code 57 that handles the message.
Returning to prolog 55, if the object is not of class A, a method lookup routine is called in order to determine the correct method. Once the correct method is found, the system updates the message dispatch (or call) site with a direct call to that method. Additionally, the system updates the prolog to specify the new class. As an example, assume that the first time that the system encountered x.foo ( ), object x was of class A and the data structures were modified as shown in FIG. 2.
Once the data structures are modified as shown, subsequent calls to x.foo( ) will be substantially more efficient if object x is of class A. However, if object x subsequently is of class B, prolog 55 calls a method lookup routine to find the method and let's assume it determines that object x is now of class B. Referring again to FIG. 1, it is seen that the method foo for class B is the same method foo as defined in class A (ie., class B did not redefine the virtual function foo). Accordingly, the message dispatch in method 51 will be changed to B::foo ( ) and the condition in prolog 55 will be changed to x=B.
An inline cache may be an efficient way of implementing message dispatch if the object at a call site bar remains the same class. However, if the object is of multiple classes, the system is continually calling the method lookup routine and patching the call site and prolog. Thus, the system may be actually less efficient.
Another technique for implementing message dispatch is the use of a polymorphic inline cache as shown in FIG. 3. As before, a method 101 originally included a method dispatch x.foo( ). With a polymorphic inline cache, a stub 103 is generated such that it is able to perform the message dispatch for different receiver types. The original message dispatch is overwritten with a call to the polymorphic inline cache stub 103. Each time a new receiver type is encountered, a statement is added to the stub. As shown, three different receiver types have been encountered thus far. If the receiver type has been encountered, a call is made to the method to handle the message for that receiver type. Otherwise, the method lookup routine is called to determine the appropriate method to handle the message. Typically, a new statement will be added to stub 103 in order to handle each new receiver type.
The polymorphic inline cache is more flexible than the inline cache as it is able to handle multiple receiver types. However, a drawback of the polymorphic inline cache is that as more receiver types are encountered, the stub continues to grow and it becomes less and less efficient at performing message dispatch. For example, the system may need to plow through multiple if statements before finding the right method to handle the message.
FIG. 4 shows another message dispatch technique called hashing. In hashing, the original message dispatch in a method 151, x.foo( ), is overwritten with a call to a hash function 153. The hash function hashes the receiver type and the message in order to form a hash key, which is typically an index into a hash table 155. The hash table includes an index 157, receiver types 159, messages 161, and methods 163. Once the hash function hashes to a row in hash table 155, the receiver type and message are retrieved from columns 159 and 161 of the hash table. If the receiver type and message at the call site match the receiver type and message in the row of the hash table, the method specified in column 163 of hash table 155 is invoked. Otherwise, a method lookup routine is called in order to find the correct method. Typically, the new method is then added to the hash table.
Although hashing is the most flexible message dispatch technique we have described thus far, it is more computationally and storage intensive than the other techniques. Another drawback of the message dispatch techniques we have described is that none of the techniques are site specific. In other words, none of the message dispatch techniques provide the flexibility of handling message dispatches at different call sites in a different manner. Other method dispatch techniques are described in "Message Dispatch on Pipelined Processors," by K. Driesen et al., ECOOP, 1995, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
None of the message dispatch techniques described above allow for the receiver type information that is collected to be utilized during a subsequent execution of the program. Additionally, it would be desirable if inlining information was available during subsequent program executions. Accordingly, there is a need for techniques that allow for collected receiver type and/or inlining information to be utilized in later runs of the program.

Inline database for receiver types in object-oriented systems


A noise limiter of a semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a diode-connected N channel MOS transistor between a bus line and a line of a potential lower than the power supply potential by a threshold voltage, and a diode-connected P channel MOS transistor between a line of a potential higher than the ground potential by a threshold voltage and the bus line. The potential of the bus line is limited between the level of the power supply potential and the ground potential, so that the noise level of the bus line is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly to a semiconductor device with a signal transfer line.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a main part of a conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device.
Referring to FIG. 11, the semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a bus 30, a transmission side circuit 31 connected to one end of bus 30, and a reception side circuit 32 connected to the other end of bus 30. Bus 30 includes N (N is an integer of at least 2) bus lines L1-LN.
Signals VO1-VON output from transmission side circuit 31 are transferred to reception side circuit 32 via bus lines L1-LN, respectively. Reception side circuit 32 responds to signals VO1-VON to carry out a predetermined operation.
FIG. 12 shows the semiconductor integrated circuit device of FIG. 11 in more detail. In FIG. 12, only the four adjacent bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2 out of the N bus lines L1-LN and components corresponding thereto are depicted.
Referring to FIG. 12, four drivers 33 are provided corresponding to four bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2, respectively, at reception side circuit 31. The four drivers 33 are rendered active in response to a driver control signal/E attaining an activation level of xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d to provide signals VOnxe2x88x921xcx9cVOn+2 having levels identical to those of internal signals VInxe2x88x921xcx9cVIn+2 to one ends of bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2.
Each of bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2 has a line resistance R and a inter-line capacitance C of values determined by the line length, line width, and the like. Signals VOnxe2x88x921xcx9cVOn+2 applied to one ends of bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2 are transmitted to the other ends of bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2.
Four receivers 34 are provided corresponding to four bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2 at reception side circuit 32. The four receivers 34 detect whether the potentials at the other ends of bus lines Lnxe2x88x921xcx9cLn+2 are higher or lower than the reference potential, and reproduces signals VInxe2x88x921xcx9cVIn+2 according to the detected result. Reception side circuit 32 carries out a predetermined operation according to the reproduced signals VInxe2x88x921xcx9cVIn+2.
In such a semiconductor integrated circuit device, the occupation ratio of inter-line capacitance C as to the capacitance of the wiring is increasing according to the microminiaturization of the process. For example, in the 0.15 xcexcm process, inter-line capacitance C corresponds to 90% of the capacitance of the wiling, whereas the remaining 10% corresponds to the line-substrate capacitance, fringe capacitance, and the like. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, coupling noise by interline capacitance C has become problematic.
For example, when signal VIn is driven from an L level to an H level or from an H level to an L level under the state where signal VIn+1 is held at an H level or an L level in FIG. 12, the level of signal VOn+1 will be altered by the coupling noise.
More specifically, in the case where signal VIn is driven from an L level to an H level when signal VOn+1 is at an H level as shown in FIG. 13, signal VOn+1 rises in a pulsive manner (this noise is referred to as xe2x80x9ccoupling noise 1xe2x80x9d hereinafter). In the case where signal VIn is driven to an L level from an H level when signal VOn+1 is at an L level, signal VOn+1 is reduced in a pulsive manner (this noise is referred to as xe2x80x9ccoupling noise 2xe2x80x9d).
In the case where signal VIn is pulled down to an L level from an H level when signal VOn+1 is at an H level, signal VOn+1 is reduced in a pulsive manner (this noise is referred to as xe2x80x9ccoupling noise 3xe2x80x9d hereinafter). In the case where signal VIn is pulled up to an H level from an L level when signal VOn+1 is at an L level, signal VOn+1 rises in a pulsive manner (this noise is referred to as xe2x80x9ccoupling noise 4xe2x80x9d hereinafter).
Coupling noises 1 and 2 among the above-described noises will delay the level change of signal VOn+1 when signal VOn+1 is altered in opposite phase to signal VOn, whereby the operating speed of the semiconductor integrated circuit is reduced. Also, coupling noises 3 and 4 cause receiver 34 to operate erroneously when signal VOn+1 attains a large noise that exceeds the reference potential of receiver 34.
These problems have been dealt by setting the line intervals of bus lines L1-LN as wide as possible. However, bus lines L1-LN cannot enjoy the advantages of process microminiaturization with this measure. In microprocessors, memories, and the like, the amount of data to be processed at one time is increasing from 32 bits to 64 bits, and further to 128 bits corresponding to the requirement of high speed processing. As a result, the number N of bus lines L1-LN is also increasing. Therefore, increasing the interval of bus lines L1-LN is not preferable since the layout area will be increased.
In view of the foregoing, a main object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device of small layout area and low noise level.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device includes a driver having an output node connected to one end of a signal transfer line, driving the output node to a first potential in response to a first signal and to a second potential differing from the first potential in response to a second signal, and a noise limiter with a first diode element having a first electrode receiving a third potential corresponding to the first potential shifted in level towards the second potential side by a threshold voltage, and a second electrode connected to the signal transfer line, and rendered conductive in response to the potential of the signal transfer line exceeding the first potential. When coupling noise 1 or 2 is generated at the signal transfer line so that the potential of the signal transfer line exceeds the first potential, the first diode is rendered conductive to restore the potential of the signal transfer line to the first potential. Therefore, the level of coupling noise 1 or 2 can be reduced. Also, only a small layout area is required since the interval of the signal transfer lines does not have to be increased.
Preferably, the noise limiter includes a second diode element having a first electrode receiving a fourth potential corresponding to the second potential shifted in level towards the first potential side by a threshold voltage, and a second electrode connected to the signal transfer line, rendered conductive in response to the potential of the signal transfer line exceeding the second potential. When coupling noise 2 or 1 is generated at the signal transfer line so that the potential of the signal transfer line exceeds the second potential, the second diode element is rendered conductive to restore the potential of the signal transfer line to the second potential. Therefore, coupling noise 2 or 1 can be reduced.
The semiconductor device preferably includes a receiver having an input node connected to the other end of the signal transfer line to receive first and second signals by detecting the potential of the input node. The noise limiter is connected to the signal transfer line at a connection node closer to the input node of the receiver than the output node of the driver. Since coupling noises 1 and 2 become larger as approaching the receiver, coupling noises 1 and 2 can be reduced effectively by connecting the noise limiter with the signal transmission line at an output point closer to the input node of the receiver than the output node of the driver.
The noise limiter is preferably provided in the proximity of the input node of the receiver. Since coupling noises 1 and 2 attain the maximum level in the proximity of the receiver, coupling noises 1 and 2 can be reduced effectively by providing the noise limiter in the proximity of the input node of the receiver.
The signal transfer line is preferably divided into a plurality of sub signal transfer lines. The semiconductor device further includes a signal transfer circuit provided between each of the plurality of sub signal transfer lines, having an input node connected to a sub signal transfer line located at an upstream side and an output node connected to a sub signal transfer line located at a downstream side to output a potential of a level identical to that of the input potential. The noise limiter is provided corresponding to each signal transfer circuit, and located in the proximity of the input node of a corresponding signal transfer circuit. In this case, coupling noises 1 and 2 can be reduced effectively even if the length of the signal transfer line is great.
Preferably, the signal transfer line is provided in plurality parallel to each other. The driver and noise limiter are provided corresponding to each signal transfer line. The semiconductor device further includes a delay circuit provided corresponding to one signal transfer line of every two adjacent signal transfer lines, connected between the output node of a corresponding driver and one end of a corresponding signal transfer line to delay the potential change by a predetermined time. In this case, the drive timing of two adjacent signal transfer lines can be shifted to reduce the influence of coupling noises 1 and 2.
Preferably, the signal transfer line is provided in plurality parallel to each other. The driver and noise limiter are provided corresponding to each signal transfer line. The semiconductor device further includes a control circuit to render active a driver corresponding to one signal transfer line out of each adjacent two signal transfer lines, and then rendering a driver corresponding to the other signal transfer line at an elapse of a predetermined time. In this case, the drive timing of two adjacent signal transfer lines can be shifted to reduce the influence of coupling noises 1 and 2.
Preferably, the first potential is the power supply potential, and the second potential is the ground potential. In this case, the level of coupling noises 1 and 2 that increases or reduces the potential of the signal transfer line higher than the power supply potential or lower than the ground potential can be reduced.
Preferably, the first potential is a potential higher than the power supply potential by the threshold voltage of the diode element, and the second potential is a potential lower than the ground potential by the threshold voltage of the diode element. In this case, the influence of coupling noises 3 and 4 can be reduced since the amplitude voltage of the signal transfer line is increased. Therefore, the margin in detecting the signal level of the signal transfer line can be increased.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Semiconductor device with signal transfer line


A device for inspecting the inside of an underground pipe line which makes it possible to search for cavities on the outside of the underground pipe over the entire internal peripheral surface of the underground pipe, that is, not only upward of the underground pipe, but also toward both sides and downward thereof, to obtain detailed images of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe line without using a complex mechanism, and to display patterns of cracks and irregularities on the inner peripheral surface of the underground pipe by three-dimensional convergence images. The device comprises a pipe line internal self-propelled vehicle and an on-ground control unit, and the pipe line internal self-propelled vehicle is provided with a radar antenna, a camera equipped with a fisheye lens, a gyro, a laser sensor, and an infrared encoder.

Underground pipes that are buried in the ground and used for sewers and the like can cause environmental problems such as caving of roads or leakage of sewage due to cavities in the ground surrounding the underground pipe that occurred when the pipe was buried and cracks or fractures in the underground pipe that appeared thereafter. The state of the underground pipe lines has to be inspected to prevent such problems effectively. Devices designed to be employed for such an inspection have been suggested and used. A cavity inspection device using a pipe line internal self-propelled vehicle that is equipped with a radar is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-2969 as a device for examining cavities present in the ground around an underground pipe from inside the pipe line of the underground pipe. Further, a device for taking pictures of the inner peripheral surface of a pipe line, which used a pipe line internal self-propelled vehicle carrying a camera, has been used as a device for examining cracks or fractures in the underground pipe after it has been buried, the examination being conducted from inside the pipe line of the underground pipe.
However, in the aforementioned cavity inspection device, the radar search is conducted only upward of the underground pipe and search toward both sides and downward of the underground pipe is not an object. However, a search conducted only upward of the underground pipe is insufficient for preventing caving of roads, and a search toward both sides and downward of the underground pipe is also necessary. Furthermore, in the device for taking pictures of the inner peripheral surface of a pipe line, the camera is usually fixed in the forward direction or rotated along the inner peripheral surface. However, when the camera is fixed, a detailed image is difficult to obtain, and rotating the camera requires a complex mechanism. Further, devices designed to display cracks or pattern of irregularities on the inner peripheral surface of a pipe line with a three-dimensional convergence image have not been found.
In concrete underground sewers, hydrogen sulfide contained in sewage is converted into sulfuric acid by sulfur oxidizing bacteria, and this sulfuric acid reacts with cement components contained in the concrete and is converted into gypsum dehydrate, thereby causing concrete embrittlement. The embrittled portions have to be removed, for which purpose the concrete of the inner peripheral surface of the sewer has to be sampled and analyzed, this operation being costly and troublesome. Moreover, the analysis requires about 10 days.
Further, because the cavity inspection device using a pipe line internal self-propelled vehicle has a large size, inspection of underground pipes of small diameter, such as lateral sewers connected from the ground surface to the main sewer pipe, is difficult to conduct by employing such a large cavity inspection devices using a pipe line internal self-propelled vehicle.
With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for inspecting the inside of an underground pipe line that makes it possible to search for cavities on the outside of the underground pipe over the entire internal peripheral surface of the underground pipe, that is, not only upward of the underground pipe, but also toward both sides and downward thereof, to obtain detailed images of the inner peripheral surface of the pipe line, without using a complex mechanism, and to display patterns of cracks and irregularities on the inner peripheral surface of the underground pipe by three-dimensional convergence images. Another object is to provide a device for inspecting the inside of an underground pipe line that can easily judge the presence or absence of concrete deterioration inside underground sewers made from concrete and a method therefor. Yet another object is to provide a device for inspecting the inside of an underground pipe line that can be used for inspecting underground pipes of a small diameter, such as lateral sewers, which are connected from the ground surface to the main sewer pipe, and an inspection method using such device.

Device and method for inspecting inside of underground pipe line and method of inspecting concrete on inside of underground pipe line for deterioration


A surgical system includes a robotic device, a surgical tool mounted on the robotic device, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive image data of an anatomy, generate a virtual bone model based on the image data, identify a soft tissue attachment point on the virtual bone model, plan placement of an implant based on the soft tissue attachment point, generate a control object based on the placement of the implant, and control the robotic device to confine the surgical tool within the control object.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of systems and methods for computer-assisted and robotically-assisted surgical procedures, and more particularly to the field of computer-assisted and robotically-assisted surgical systems for joint reconstruction procedures such as total knee arthroplasty (TKA). TKA is widely used to treat knee osteoarthritis and other damage to a patient's knee joint by replacing portions of the knee anatomy with prosthetic components. In a total knee arthroplasty procedure, a patient's femur and tibia are typically modified to be joined to a prosthesis using a series of planar cuts to prepare the surfaces of the bones. Prosthetic implants are then joined to the bone to form an artificial joint.
Computer-assisted surgical systems facilitate planning and execution of TKA procedures to assist in the modification of bones and implant alignment on the bones. However, conventional computer-assisted surgical systems often do not address issues involving soft tissue, for example ligaments such as the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), or take soft tissue into account when creating a surgical plan. This may result in iatrogenic soft tissue damage, weakening of attachment points between bone and soft tissue, impingement of ligaments by implant components, and other complications.

Systems and methods for surgical planning using soft tissue attachment points


A proposed integrateable optical interleaver includes an input Y-branch coupler and at least two multi-section optical couplers. The multi-section optical couplers of the interleaver include at least three substantially similar optical couplers, adjacent ones of the optical couplers interconnected via at least one set of waveguides. The interleaver of the present invention comprises a highly compact and fabrication-robust form that is capable of being integrated onto a single planar lightwave circuit.

Optical couplers, optical switches, such as 1×2 optical switches, and optical power splitters are needed in many optical applications. For instance, one can combine arrays of 1×2 optical switches to make optical cross-connect switch fabrics. It is especially advantageous if these optical switches are integrated onto the same substrate, saving cost, size, and loss and as such may be embedded in integrated networks of optical interconnections. These optical switches should have low loss and maintain good characteristics in the presence of wavelength, polarization, and fabrication (WPF) changes. Similarly, optical power splitters should also have low loss and maintain good characteristics in the presence of wavelength, polarization, and fabrication (WPF) changes.
There are two main characteristics of 1×2 optical switches that are sensitive to WPF changes. The first characteristic is the switching extinction ratio for both outputs, i.e., when the light is switched to output port 1, how much light leaks into output port 2 and vice versa. The second characteristic is the bias point of the switch, i.e., when no electrical power is applied, how accurately is the switch in one of the switch states.
Typically, in electro-optic and polymer materials, the preferred 1×2 optical switch configuration is usually the "Y" switch configuration. This has an accurate power-off state, but often a poor extinction ratio. "Y" switches consume high electrical power when operated thermo-optically in silica waveguides, and so are limited to only materials like LiNb03, InP, and polymers.
The other main configuration choice for a 1×2 optical switch is the Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) switch configuration. This configuration consists of two couplers connected by two waveguides, one or both waveguides containing phase shifters. Changing the phase difference between the two waveguide arms by 180 causes the optical switch to alternate from one state to the other. The MZI switch typically has a significantly lower thermo-optic power consumption than the "Y" switch. Conventionally, MZI switches comprise either two multi-mode interference (MMI) couplers or two evanescent couplers. However, MMI couplers have significant loss, resulting in a 1×2 optical switch with typically 1.2 dB loss in silica waveguides. In addition, the power splitting ratio of the evanescent couplers is highly sensitive to WPF changes, and as such the switch extinction ratio for at least one of the ports is highly WPF sensitive.
There are also two main characteristics of optical splitters sensitive to WPF changes. The first is the splitting ratio of the optical splitter. The second is the loss of the optical splitter. Conventional optical splitters may implement evanescent couplers because of the low loss associated with these types of couplers. However the splitting ratio of conventional evanescent couplers is highly sensitive to WPF changes and the ratio cannot be readily electrically adjusted in non-electro-optic materials, such as silica waveguides.

Integrateable optical interleaver and de-interleaver


Simple microneedle devices for delivery of drugs across or into biological tissue are provided, which permit drug delivery at clinically relevant rates across or into skin or other tissue barriers, with minimal or no damage, pain, or irritation to the tissue. The devices include a substrate to which a plurality of hollow microneedles are attached or integrated, and at least one reservoir, containing the drug, selectably in communication with the microneedles, wherein the volume or amount of drug to be delivered can be selectively altered. The reservoir can be formed of a deformable, preferably elastic, material. The device typically includes a means, such as a plunger, for compressing the reservoir to drive the drug from the reservoir through the microneedles. In one embodiment, the reservoir is a syringe or pump connected to the substrate.

A common technique for delivering drugs across or into biological tissue is the use of a needle, such as those used with standard syringes or catheters, to transport drugs across (through) the skin. While effective for this purpose, needles generally cause pain; local damage to the skin at the site of insertion; bleeding, which increases the risk of disease transmission; and a wound sufficiently large to be a site of infection. Needle techniques also generally require administration by one trained in its use. The needle technique also is undesirable for long term, controlled continuous drug delivery.
An alternative delivery technique is the transdermal patch, which usually relies on diffusion of the drug across the skin. However, this method is not useful for many drugs, due to the poor permeability (i.e. effective barrier properties) of the skin. The rate of diffusion depends in part on the size and hydrophilicity of the drug molecules and the concentration gradient across the stratum corneum. Few drugs have the necessary physiochemical properties to be effectively delivered through the skin by passive diffusion. Iontophoresis, electroporation, ultrasound, and heat (so-called active systems) have been used in an attempt to improve the rate of delivery. While providing varying degrees of enhancement, these techniques are not suitable for all types of drugs, failing to provide the desired level of delivery. In some cases, they are also painful and inconvenient or impractical for continuous controlled drug delivery over a period of hours or days.
Attempts have been made to design alternative devices for active transfer of drugs, but there remains a need for better drug delivery devices, which make smaller incisions, deliver drug with greater efficiency (greater drug delivery per quantity applied) and less variability of drug administration, and/or are easier to use.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a microneedle device for relatively painless, controlled, safe, convenient transdermal delivery of a variety of drugs.