A system and method of managing messages in a telecommunications network comprises: transmitting the first SMS message to a wireless device, the first SMS message including a first acknowledgement request and a content processing request; determining whether a first acknowledgement has been received from the wireless device in response to the first acknowledgement request within a first predetermined time period; in response to a determination that the first acknowledgement has not been received within the first predetermined time period: transmitting a second SMS message to the wireless device, the second SMS message including a second acknowledgement request and a content non-processing request; determining whether a second acknowledgement has been received from the wireless device in response to the second acknowledgement request; and in response to a determination that the second acknowledgement has been received within a second predetermined time period, retransmitting the first SMS message to the wireless device.

The Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a standardized framework for providing IP telephone and multimedia services over a telecommunications network. The services provided over such a network include Short Message Service (SMS) communication, which allow end users to exchange text messages with one another through the network infrastructure. A typical SMS communication begins when one user equipment (UE) initiates a Short Message Mobile Originated (SM MO) to transfer a text message to the network, and ends when the network transfers a corresponding Short Message Mobile Terminated (SM MT) to another UE which has been specified as the recipient.
The operations which occur between the SM MO and the SM MT depend on the radio access technology (RAT) of the network. RATs can include, for example, 3G RATs such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), etc.; 4G RATs such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE), etc.; and 5G RATs such as new radio (NR). In many RATs, the network transmits a paging request to the MT UE to determine whether the MT UE is established and available. The network then awaits a response before transferring the SM MT to the MT UE. In IMS, however, it is always assumed that the MT UE is established and available. Therefore, the network immediately attempts to transfer the SM MT to the MT UE. In either case, the network awaits an acknowledgement from the MT UE in order to determine that the text message has been successfully received.


A transistor having a gate dielectric layer of partial thickness difference and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The method includes forming a gate dielectric layer having a main portion with a relatively thin thickness formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a sidewall portion with a relatively thick thickness formed on both sides of the main portion. A first gate is formed overlapping the main portion of the gate dielectric layer, and forming a second gate layer covering the sidewall portion of the gate dielectric layer and covering the first gate. The second gate layer is etched, thereby forming second gates patterned with a spacer shape on sidewalls of the first gate. The exposed sidewall portion of the gate dielectric layer is selectively etched using the second gates as a mask, thereby forming a pattern of the gate dielectric layer to be aligned with the second gates. A source/drain is formed in a portion of the semiconductor substrate exposed by the second gates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a field effect transistor having a gate dielectric layer of partial thickness difference and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent rapid development of semiconductor technology has been achieved based on the scaling down of field effect-transistors. The scaling down of devices results in the increase of integration degree and improvement of device performance, but also results in undesirable problems due to the scaling down of devices, such as the increase of short channel effects, and the increase of a leakage current, for example, gate leakage current, a drain leakage current, and the like. For these reasons, many efforts have been made on studies to solve the problems involved with the scaling down of devices.
As one method to solve the problems due to the scaling down of devices, there have been proposed a transistor having a gate dielectric layer of partial thickness difference or a notched gate transistor. The notched gate transistor reduces a Miller capacitance interfering with high speed operation of devices, reduces a leakage current from source/drain to a gate, and provides a pocket ion implantation profile successfully so as to improve a short channel effect.
The effects of the notched gate transistor as above result from its structural characteristics, in which a dielectric layer on a channel has a relatively thin thickness, and a dielectric layer on source/drain generating a leakage current has a relatively thick thickness, thereby providing advantages by the scaling down of devices. A method of forming the notched gate transistor requires performing a partial etch process for a gate material. However, the etch process may cause many problems in connection with the scaling down of devices. Therefore, it is required to develop methods of forming a field effect transistor having a gate dielectric layer of partial thickness difference more effectively.
FIGS. 1 through 3 are schematic sectional views illustrating a method of fabricating a conventional transistor having a notched gate.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional transistor having a notched gate is formed by processes including forming a relatively thin gate dielectric layer 20 on a semiconductor substrate 10, and forming a relatively thin first gate layer 31 and a relatively thick second gate layer 35 on the gate dielectric layer 20.
Referring to FIG. 2, the second and first gate layers 35, 31, and the gate dielectric layer 20 are patterned such that the first gate layer 31 is recessed from the sidewalls of the second gate layer 35 and the gate dielectric layer 20, thereby forming a notch or groove shape. Referring to FIG. 3, an insulating layer 40 is formed to fill the notch portion, and spacer-etched, thereby forming a spacer shape. The second gate layer 35 is disposed on an insulating layer portion 41 filling the notch.
Specifically, only the gate dielectric-layer 20 having a relatively thin thickness is disposed between the gates 31, 35 and a channel. Between a portion of the gate 35 on a source 51 and a drain 55, and the semiconductor substrate 10, there is disposed a dielectric layer having a relatively thick thickness, that is, the insulating layer portion 41 filling the notch and the gate dielectric layer 20.
The method of fabricating the notched gate transistor includes an operation of partially removing a portion of a gate material, that is, an etch process forming a notch, and the etch process requires precise control for process conditions. However, the precise control for the etch process as above will be presumably difficult to accomplish with the scaling down of devices further developed. Therefore, the approaches used to control the etch process will presumably limit the accomplishment of the scaling down of devices.
Furthermore, a possibility that damage to the lower dielectric layer 20 and the upper second gate layer 35, for example, occurrence of lifting and the like, will be increased in the existing methods of partially removing a gate. Further, difficulties of the occurrence of voids and the like during the process while filling the relevant removed portion, that is, notch portion, will be generated. Therefore, it is required to develop methods of more effectively fabricating the field effect transistor having a gate dielectric layer of partial thickness difference.

Transistor having gate dielectric layer of partial thickness difference and method of fabricating the same


An herb grinding and rolling apparatus configured to provide availability of all of the elements required to facilitate the grinding of herbs and dispensing into a paper for subsequent rolling and smoking. The present invention includes a body wherein the body is formed from a first section, a second section and a third section. The three sections are foldably coupled so as to move the body between a folded position and an unfolded position. The first section includes an herb grinding compartment having an interior volume and an herb grinding plate. The second section and third section are configured to receive, retain and dispense sheets of paper suitable for use in rolling ground herbs. The paper includes perforation seams at one end thereof to produce a desired shape for an end of a rolled paper. The herb grinding compartment includes a funnel formation in the sidewall thereof.

Smoking has been part of human cultures for thousands of years. There are many types of materials that are grown, harvested and produced for smoking consumption such as but not limited to tobacco and various herbs. Smokers will typically utilize various devices to smoke the smoking material which can include but is not limited to pipes, cigarettes, and bongs. It is also very popular to roll cigarettes or similar shaped smoking elements especially when users are smoking items such as but not limited to natural herbs. Natural herbs are often ground to a finer consistency and then rolled in a paper element wherein the completed product can facilitate the smoking of the natural herb in a convenient manner.
One issue with preparing your own smoking implement is the accessibility to all of the desired tools that facilitate the preparation of a well made smoking implement. Typically the tools required can include but are not limited to grinders, funnels, rolling papers and paper holders. All of the aforementioned elements can be carried but when a user is not at their place of residence availability to all of the desired elements can be limited. Additionally, having to carry all of the desired elements to produce a finished smokeable product can be cumbersome and is often not performed due to the inconvenience.
It is intended within the scope of the present invention to provide an apparatus that provides all of the elements needed to create a smokeable product wherein the present invention is a single assembly that includes desired necessary elements.

Herb grinder and rolling paper apparatus


A solid detergent composition useful for machine dishwashing is described. The product contains a first layer having an oxygen bleach system, a buffering system, a builder, and an enzyme. The first layer dissolves to deliver a pH of about 8.5 to about 11 in the wash water. A second layer includes an effective amount of an acidity agent and a continuous medium having a melting point in the range of from about 35.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C. The material may be a paraffin wax, a natural wax, a polyvinyl ether, fatty acids and mixtures thereof. The second layer dissolves in wash water to deliver a pH of from about 6.5 to about 9. The release order of the functional ingredients allows for a high level of peracid species generation in the initial wash stages followed by optimum bleaching throughout the wash.

The share of machine dishwashing tablets in certain markets has grown significantly in recent years primarily because they are perceived to be more convenient than alternative product forms such as powders. However, the product form and method of delivery of tablets can limit both the type of functional ingredients incorporated and the level of functionality from these ingredients.
A complication unique to tablets derives from the method of introduction into the machine. Thus, some tablets are designed to be placed directly into the machine itself, such as in a basket hanging from the upper rack, where they come into contact with a water spray as soon as the machine starts, while others are delivered via the dispenser and are only released during the main wash cycle. Clearly, the release and performance of functional ingredients will differ depending on how the tablet is delivered.
Each type of delivery has potential weaknesses. Thus, for tablets that come into immediate contact with the water spray, some of the functional ingredients can be released into the pre-wash where, if the temperature is too low the ingredients will be lost without delivering a significant benefit. For both types of tablets, complete dissolution may not occur during the main wash cycle. If part of the tablet is still available for dissolution in the rinse, serious spotting and filming problems can occur. These potential negatives are specific to the tablet form. Liquids or powders are introduced into the wash via the dispensing cup and so there are no losses during the pre-wash and the rapid rate of dissolution of these products ensures no carry over of undissolved product into the rinse. Current tablet technology is not consistently successful in meeting the performance standards of other product forms by ensuring that all the functional ingredients are delivered during the appropriate part of wash cycle.
Prior art attempts to optimize the performance of tablet technology have primarily been directed towards modification of the dissolution profile of tablets. This is deemed especially important for those tablets that are placed in the machine such that they come into contact with a water spray at the very beginning of the wash process. A number of patents suggest technology to minimize dissolution in the pre-wash to allow the maximum amount of functional ingredients to operate in the main wash. In particular, a 2-layer tablet for machine dishwashing is described in EP 224128. Both layers contain metasilicate and triphosphate but by modifying the degree of hydration one layer is cold water soluble while the other layer dissolves rapidly at increasing temperatures.
Similarly, EP 224135 describes a combination of a cold water-soluble melt or tablet with a cold water-resistant melt or tablet that is soluble at increasing water temperatures. The cold water-soluble melt composition consists of a mixture of metasilicate monohydrate, pentahydrate and anhydrous metasilicate and the cold water-resistant tablet layer consists of metasilicate nonahydrate and triphosphate. EP 224136 describes similar compositions in the form of multi-layer fused blocks in which the layers have different dissolution rates. One layer consists of metasilicates having different degrees of hydration and another layer consists predominantly of sodium metasilicates and anhydrous sodium tripolyphosphate.
Phosphate-free tablets containing a combination of metasilicates, a low foaming surfactant, sodium acrylate, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, a bleaching agent and water are described in WO 9115568. These tablets are claimed to be 10-40% soluble in the cold water pre-rinse leaving 60-90% for the main wash.
WO 9300419 describes production of phosphate- and metasilicate-free tablets. Anhydrous sodium carbonate and optionally other builders are mixed with acrylate and water sufficient for partial hydration of the anhydrous carbonate. The remaining components are added and the whole compressed into a tablet. The advantage is that the tablets only partially dissolve during the pre-wash stage so that greater than 50% is available for the main wash. Similar technology is described in DE 4112075.
A broad solubility profile for tablets is described in EP 26470. The tablets contain preferred ratios of anhydrous and hydrated metasilicates and anhydrous triphosphate, active chlorine compounds and a tabletting aid consisting of a mixture of sodium acetate and spray-dried sodium zeolite. Good solubility in warm water makes at least 65% of the tablet available for the cleaning stage of the wash.
DE 4229650 describes a tablet with rapid dissolution. Anhydrous sodium tripolyphosphate is partially hydrated to tripolyphosphate hexahydrate and the partial hydrate is mixed with powdered water-free silicate, sprayed with water or aqueous silicate, granulated and mixed with optional cleaning components. Tabletting auxiliaries sodium metasilicate pentahydrate and/or nanohydrate comprising of about 8-12% of the total granulate mix are included.
Thus, in terms of optimizing the performance of machine dishwashing tablets, the prior art primarily deals with traditional high pH formulations systems and suggested routes to improving the performance of tablets rely on modifying solubility profiles in a fairly coarse manner.
Regarding inclusion of acidity to enhance anti-scaling benefits, it is known that an acid source can be used in machine dishwashing compositions to remove scale which results from the use of hard water. For example, vinegar is utilized to remove hardness scale and many current dishwashing machine cleaning products use an acid source to remove scale buildup. Many rinse aids for dishwashing also contain citric acid.
The use of a detergent composition with a pH of less than 9.5 for enhanced filming performance is disclosed in WO 95/12653, However, these systems do not deliver the benefits of higher pH washing along with the benefits of low pH for good filming. At the pH where filming is perceivably diminished in the wash, poor performance is obtained from both protease and many bleach systems. WO 95/12654 deals with a similar system with a limitation on the ratio of calcium complexing component to carbonate source of at least 0.8. However, the problem of achieving good anti-scaling benefits, which are optimum at low pH, and good cleaning performance, which is optimum at a significantly higher pH, is unresolved.
WO 95/12657 describes this issue and discusses the application of delaying release of an acid source for improved spotting and filming for use in machine dishwashing powder compositions. However, methods of delaying release of acidity, claiming both use of poorly soluble coatings and of modifying the physical characteristics of the acid to control its solubility and rate of release are not specifically addressed. In addition, there is no reference to use in tablets.
Thus, one object of the present invention is to utilize the unique characteristics of the tablet form to deliver both good bleaching from a oxygen bleach source, with or without a bleach catalyst, and good enzymatic protein soil removal along with good anti-scaling results by virtue of controlled release of a source of acidity. The specific release parameters for the source of acidity are primarily defined by the wash temperature.
Another object of the present invention is to provide tablets which are aesthetically pleasing and which are more consumer friendly by virtue of the virtual absence of fines on the tablet surface than tablets conventionally known in the art.

Machine dishwashing tablets containing an oxygen bleach system


A method of assessing the shear fatigue property of a metallic material that undergoes a rolling contact includes a testing step for determining the relation between the shear stress amplitude of a rolling contact metallic material and the number of loading by means of an ultrasonic torsional fatigue test, and a shear fatigue strength determining step for determining the shear fatigue strength τlim within the ultra long life regime from the relation between the shear stress amplitude and the number of loadings, which relation has been determined during the test step, in accordance with a predetermined standard. It is a completely reversed torsional fatigue test, in which torsional vibrations, respective torsions in the positive rotational direction and reversed rotational direction of which are symmetrical relative to each other, are applied to a test piece.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of assessing the shear fatigue property of a rolling contact metal material and a method of and an apparatus for estimating the fatigue limit maximum contact pressure and, more specifically, to a method of and an apparatus for quickly assessing the shear fatigue property of a high strength metal material for rolling bearings such as, for example, a bearing steel.
2. Description of Related Art
For the assessment of the shear fatigue property, such testing machines as hydraulic servo type torsional fatigue testing machine and Schenk type torsional fatigue testing machine have been utilized, but the load frequency is limited to about 10 Hz at maximum in the case of the hydraulic servo type torsional fatigue testing machine and about 30 Hz at maximum in the case of the Schenk type torsional fatigue testing machine. Accordingly, where the fatigue limit is desired to be determined, assessment of the shear fatigue property to the ultra long life regime requires a substantial amount of time. High carbon chromium bearing steel, identified by JIS-SUJ2 according to the Japanese Industrial Standards, is currently most often used for a high strength metal material for rolling bearings and it is of a kind which is, after having been heated under the reducing atmosphere at a temperature (about 850° C.) higher than the AI transformation point, quenched and is then tempered at a relatively low temperature (about 180° C.) with its hardness being about 750 HV.
In the case of the rolling bearing, the subsurface-originating flaking failure that occur, when the lifetime is expired, under a favorable lubricating condition is considered attributable to the occurrence of and subsequent extension cracking resulting from repetition of orthogonal shear stresses (completely reversed stress) that exhibits the highest amplitude within the subsurface. In the case of the tension and compression fatigue test (axial load fatigue test, rotating bending fatigue test), it is institutive to deem the fatigue strength of 107 times as a fatigue limit. In contrast thereto, in the case of the rolling bearing, no subsurface-originating flaking failure occurs under the number of loadings of about 107 times even though a fairly high load is applied, if such rolling bearing is used under a good lubricating condition. While the torsional fatigue test is available as a test for inducing a fatigue fracture with shear stresses, the load frequency employed in the hydraulic servo type torsional fatigue test is 10 Hz at most and at least three years is required to reach the number of, for example, 109 loadings. For this reason, it is really impossible to determine the shear fatigue property up until the ultra long life regime.
Instead thereof, in view of the notion that the non-metallic inclusion, which appears to constitute a source of stress concentration as it is necessarily contained in steel and is structurally discontinuous, tends to constitute source of the subsurface-originating flaking failure, a technique of estimating the maximum size of the non-metallic inclusion, contained in an arbitrary volume, by means of an extreme value statistic analysis has been devised, and the method, in which the maximum size of the non-metallic inclusion is used as the quality index of the steel. In this respect, see the patent documents 1 to 4 listed below.

Assessment of shear fatigue property of rolling contact metal material and estimation of fatigue limit maximum contact pressure using same assessment


In a process for the production of hollow bodies from thermoplastic material by blow molding, an additional body is disposed inside the hollow body by being carried on a holding means which is joined to the inside surface of the wall of the hollow body. The additional body is disposed on the holding means at a spacing from the inside surface of the wall of the hollow body while that surface is subjected to a treatment with a treatment medium, so that the treatment medium has adequate access to the wall of the hollow body in the region of the additional body. After termination of the treatment the additional body is then moved on the holding means into a final position in which it is disposed at least closely adjacent to or in contact with the inside surface of the wall of the hollow body.

It is a well-known procedure for hollow bodies to be produced from thermoplastic material by blow molding, wherein a preform which is for example of a tubular configuration is formed and expanded within a blow molding mold by an increased internal pressure therein, until it bears against the wall of the blow molding mold. Some situations however involve the need for an additional body to be disposed in the interior of the hollow body which is produced by that blow molding procedure, for example typical situations of use in that respect being motor vehicle tanks which, if they are made from plastic material, are predominantly produced by an extrusion blow molding procedure. The additional body may be a surge cup or pot which is disposed in the lower region of the tank and which is intended in particular to ensure that sufficient fuel is always available in the region of the intake opening leading to the fuel pump, irrespective of forces acting on the fuel in the tank, for example when the vehicle in which the tank is fitted is negotiating a bend, thus being subjected to centrifugal forces.
In the majority of procedures for disposing an additional body in the interior of a hollow body produced by blow molding, upon extrusion of the preform, the latter is passed over the additional body which is supported by a carrier element, whereupon, upon closure of the blow molding mold which is generally in two parts around the preform, the additional body is enclosed within the preform which, at that time, has generally already been subjected to preliminary expansion. Such preforms are predominantly of a tubular configuration, so that reference may be specifically made hereinafter to tubular preforms, although it will be appreciated that the teaching of the present invention can also be readily applied to preforms of different configurations.
After the preform has been expanded into the configuration of the hollow body to be produced therefrom, the additional body is joined to the internal surface of the wall of the hollow body. That is generally effected by the additional body being welded or heat-sealed to the wall of the hollow body. The additional body at least partly comprises a material which is weldable to the material forming the hollow body. Such a welded joint can be made for example when the hollow body and the additional body at the join locations comprise polyolefins, for example polyethylene. For that purpose, at the moment of producing the join between the additional body and the wall of the hollow body, those components must still be hot and plastic, that is to say in a condition which permits a welded join to be produced therebetween.
As indicated above, a typical additional body which is to be fitted into a hollow body is a surge cup or pot provided in the interior of a motor vehicle fuel tank and intended to ensure that fuel is retained in the region of the intake opening leading to the fuel pump, thereby to ensure that fuel is always available to the pump. In such a situation, the intake opening for the fuel line leading to the fuel pump is generally disposed in the surge pot which in substance comprises a bottom portion and wall regions which extend therefrom generally perpendicularly to the bottom portion but which are provided with openings for the fuel to pass therethrough, into the surge pot. The surge pot is generally open at its side remote from the bottom portion. Surge pots of that kind are generally known and will therefore not be described in greater detail at this point.
As the walls of fuel tanks which comprise a polyolefin such as more particularly polyethylene are permeable at any event in relation to those hydrocarbons which are contained in liquid fuels, the usual practice is for the wall of the fuel tanks to be exposed to a reactive gas, prior to use of the tank. The reactive gas used in that situation is generally a fluorine-bearing gas mixture which is blown into the hollow body and which results in reaction of the internal surface layer of the wall consisting of polyethylene or the like, with the result that that surface layer and therewith the wall generally becomes almost impermeable in relation to hydrocarbons, or at any event is of such a low degree of permeability that the hydrocarbons which still pass through the wall of the tank are insignificant in quantitative terms.
Hitherto the procedure for the production of a hollow body with an additional body mounted therein is generally such that, after the preform expansion operation, the additional body is firstly joined to the wall of the hollow body, whereupon the treatment with fluorine or another treatment for reducing the level of permeability in relation to hydrocarbons is then carried out. That means that the region of the inside surface of the wall at which the additional body is mounted is shielded from the reaction medium by the additional body, so that that region which is shielded during the treatment with the reaction medium experiences no or only slight reaction of the surface layer of the wall of the hollow body and the degree of permeability of that region therefore remains at least substantially unchanged. That disadvantageous effect could possibly be at least reduced in some areas, that is to say where the additional body does not bear against the wall of the hollow body, by arranging for the reaction medium to act for a longer period of time. That however would result in the treatment time being increased, giving rise to a correspondingly lower level of productivity.
Such a procedure suffers from disadvantages in particular when using a conventional surge pot or cup in a motor vehicle fuel tank, as the cup or pot is generally provided with a bottom portion of large area, which boars directly against the inside surface of the wall of the hollow body and thus covers a correspondingly large region thereof and causes that region to remain untreated by the reaction medium. Admittedly, that untreated region of the wall of the hollow body does not necessarily result in its being permeable in relation to hydrocarbons, which would make it impossible for the hollow body to be used as a tank, especially as the presence of the bottom portion of the surge cup or pot in that region means that the total wall configuration at that location, being constituted by the wall of the hollow body plus the bottom portion of the surge cup or pot, is thicker than in the remainder of the tank. However, the absence of surface treatment in that region means that in use of the tank, in the course of time, hydrocarbons from the fuel contained in the tank can penetrate into that region of the wall of the tank. The result of that inter alia is that the regions of the wall of the tank through which the hydrocarbons pass may experience a certain degree of deformation, for example due to swelling thereof. The degree of such deformation does not need to be very great but at any event it gives rise to the occurrence of stresses in the wall, which are undesirable and which can also result in deformation of wall regions of the tank; such deformation can also produce an effect right up to the additional body, causing a change in the position thereof in the tank, so that operational components in the additional body may under some circumstances be affected in a manner such as to impair proper functioning thereof. It will be appreciated that the above-mentioned hydrocarbons may also penetrate into the bottom and wall regions of a surge pot or cup which comprises for example polyethylene, and may also cause swelling at those locations. That however is of no significance in relation to the surge cup or pot as it is not subjected to high mechanical loadings and in addition is arranged within the tank. Admittedly the reaction medium for treating the internal surface of the tank also acts on the surge pot or cup--or any other additional body disposed within a hollow body--, although without producing the effects on the surfaces of the additional body, which occur at the internal surface of the hollow body. That is in substance to be attributed to the consideration that the additional body is at a substantially lower temperature than the wall of the hollow body, which is still hot and plastic. The temperature of the surfaces to be treated in the above-described manner represents an essential requirement in regard to achieving the desired effect.

Process for the production of hollow bodies of thermoplastic material and hollow bodies produced by that process


A display system that achieves a gamma characteristic different than 1, such as a gamma characteristic of 2 for example. The gamma characteristic may be selectable and it may be selectable via timing characteristics rather than by varying the intensity of the light source. Defective memory registers are also compensated for by selecting them to store bits of relatively lower significance.

Some types of electronic displays require that input image data, when supplied by a standard video signal, be reformatted, re-ordered, or re-sequenced prior to display. Examples is include sequential-color displays and displays, like plasma displays, that use certain kinds of digital gray scale. The reformatting or conversion allows the display to operate in the simplest way while maintaining compatibility with legacy video standards. However, the data reformatting or conversion results in a need to pass a great deal of data to the display in a very short period of time if video image quality is to be maintained. The image data may typically have been stored in a frame buffer external to the display. Passing such large amounts of data to the display has numerous practical disadvantages. High data rates necessitate display electronic interconnection with high I/O pin counts that in turn increase display system production cost. Further, high data rates result in undesirably high display power dissipation. It would be desirable therefore to be able to display high-quality video images, even on displays that best operate on input image data in an order different than that of current video standards, without having to pass large amounts of data at high rates through the conversion or reformatting system and on to the display. These concerns about display system power consumption, interconnect size, bandwidth, and cost are heightened in many applications that use microdisplays, since the very nature of the application often stresses portability, compactness, and battery life. A "microdisplay" is a display that is magnified for viewing (whether by projection of an image larger than the microdisplay onto a more or less distant screen, or by the production of virtual image viewed with the display near to the eye), particularly when implemented on an integrated-circuit backplane utilizing semiconductor substrates or thin films.
To date, most "digital" displays (displays that vary some variation of a temporal characteristic of a digital signal driving or controlling a pixel's optical modulation or light-emitting means to achieve variation of the gray shade displayed by that pixel) have either had a very minimum amount of data storage at each pixel (for example 1 or 2 bits), or, if they utilized more storage per pixel, have still relied on data processing external to the pixel to such a degree that high bandwidth, high-power-consumption data transfer to and across the microdisplay was still required. On the other hand, many inventors and engineers have described more sophisticated hypothetical microdisplay architectures that have not yet found commercial application that rely on in-pixel circuitry so complex that the resulting pixel would be so large that a high-resolution microdisplay could be made only with a silicon backplane of prohibitive cost.
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) has found only limited use to store image data in microdisplays. One reason for this is that DRAM registers only retain their data for a short, finite time. The amount of time varies from register to register or cell to cell due to inevitable variations in the silicon fabrication process. Cells that are unable to retain the data therein beyond some specified retention time may be considered to be defective. Because a DRAM memory requires periodic refresh and because it will typically have a significant, non-zero number of defective cells, such a memory architecture has heretofore been considered undesirable for storing of image data to be displayed.
Another difference between most digital displays and their historical antecedents is their gamma characteristic, which is the exponent of a power-law relationship between display brightness and input image value. Cathode ray tube (CRT) displays typically have a characteristic with a gamma value of 2 or a bit more. Digital displays, on the other hand, to date have typically been characterized by values of gamma (γ) essentially equal to 1. Providing a display with gamma values close to those of historical displays is important for a number of reasons. First, standard video cameras continue to have gamma values around 0.45, ensuring compatibility with the installed base of video displays. Second, legacy image and video recordings, whether analog or digital, require displays with γ≈2 for proper replay. Third, in the case of digital or quantized video signals and image representations, it turns out that a gamma characteristic with γ≈2 better matches the characteristics of human perception than does a gamma characteristic with γ≈1. It is desirable for the brightness steps in a display that result from numerically adjacent input data to have a constant perceptual spacing. Unfortunately, for displays having γ≈1, the perceived brightness steps are small at the high-brightness end of the grayscale but large at the low-brightness end, which produces perceptible and objectionable contouring of brightness gradients in the dark parts of displayed scenes. For displays having γ≈2, the perceived brightness steps are much closer to equal across the gray scale, and the contouring is greatly reduced. In some commercial digital displays this undesirable characteristic has been compensated for with extra bits of data. For example, standard eight-bit input image data can be mapped to the 10-bit values of a γ≈1 gray scale that are closest to the originally desired output value. Two to four extra bits of gray-scale data per color to make 10-12 bits/color is generally thought to provide an image on a display having a gamma characteristic of 1 that is roughly equivalent to an 8-bit/color image displayed on a display with a gamma characteristic of 2. However, the use of extra bits increases the amount of data storage registers needed to make a frame buffer, and it increases the needed bandwidth to transport the image data onto the microdisplay.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.


The present disclosure relates to an O-succinyl homoserine transferase mutant, a polynucleotide encoding the same, a microorganism including the mutant, and a method of producing O-succinyl homoserine using the microorganism.

O-succinyl homoserine acts as a precursor of methionine, one of the essential amino acids of human body. Methionine has been used as a synthetic raw material for medical solutions and medical supplies as well as feed and food additives.
Methionine is produced by chemical or biological synthesis. Meanwhile, a two-step process of producing L-methionine by an enzyme conversion reaction from an L-methionine precursor produced by fermentation has been reported (International Publication No. WO/2008/013432).
In the two-step process, O-succinyl homoserine and O-acetyl homoserine are used as methionine precursors, and it is important to produce O-succinyl homoserine with a high yield for economical mass production of methionine.
MetA gene is a gene encoding homoserine O-succinyl transferase (MetA), as an enzyme involved in the synthesis of O-succinyl homoserine, by binding a succinyl group of succinyl-coA to homoserine. The MetA gene is one of the most important genes in development of O-succinyl homoserine-producing strains.
Strains in which O-succinyl homoserine is accumulated may be prepared by deleting metB gene that encodes cystathionine gamma synthase in a methionine biosynthesis pathway. However, O-succinyl homoserine-producing strains have a requirement for L-methionine. For this reason, the activity of homoserine O-succinyl transferase is weakened due to feedback inhibition by methionine added to a culture medium, and finally O-succinyl homoserine cannot be obtained at a high concentration.
Therefore, many of previous patents have been focused on how to free the feedback inhibition of metA from its feedback regulation system. However, homoserine O-succinyl transferase encoded by the metA gene has a low stability even as a wild-type protein, and stability thereof may further deteriorate by introducing a variation to free feedback. There is a need to remove feedback inhibition of the metA gene and improve enzymatic stability to develop stains having high O-succinyl homoserine-producing capability.
Most microorganisms in nature use O-succinyl homoserine or O-acetyl homoserine as an intermediate for biosynthesis of methionine. In general, MetA produces O-succinyl homoserine, and homoserine O-acetyltransferase (MetX) produces O-acetyl homoserine. In addition, unlike MetA, MetX is not affected by feedback inhibition and has a high enzymatic stability.

O-succinyl homoserine transferase mutant and method for producing O-succinyl homoserine using same


A system and method for limiting a speed of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes an ECU in communication with and configured to control the engine. The ECU has a plurality of pins, a jumper plug connected to the plurality of pins, and a cap selected from a group of caps, each of which is configured to create a different limit circuit when installed on the jumper plug. The ECU is configured to limit the speed of the vehicle to a predetermined speed when the limit circuit is detected by the ECU based on the detected cap. The ECU, jumper plug, and cap are covered by a cover secured to the frame of the vehicle by fasteners that require a tool to remove.

Vehicles of the type typically described as all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, may be required to be equipped with a system and method for limiting throttle travel or other systems and methods for limiting the maximum speed of the vehicle to either 20 mph (32 km/h) and 30 mph (48 km/h) when tested. The vehicle may further be required to prevent adjustment or removal of the speed limiting system and method without the use of tools or other specialized devices.
In order to limit speed of the vehicle, an electronic control unit ("ECU") may be programmed to limit the throttle of the vehicle, or the ECU may be programmed to limit a governor on the engine using methods well known to those skilled in the art. However, the problem posed by the requirements recited is how to change the programming of the ECU to provide varying limits that requires the use of tools or specialized devices to remove the limits or make changes.


A method and apparatus for providing a rectified voltage to a flyback switch-mode supply circuit with power factor correction is disclosed and claimed. The invention comprises a rectifying bridge and a charge path for charging a capacitor from the rectified voltage obtained from the output of the bridge. The degree of power factor correction is achieved by selecting a time at which either the rectifying bridge output or the capacitor provides a voltage to the supply circuit. The input to the supply circuit is a primary winding having n1 turns between an upper and intermediate tap, and n2 turns between an intermediate and lower tap. The capacitor is connected to the upper tap via a diode, a first rectifying bridge output is connected to the intermediate tap via a diode, and a second rectifying bridge output is connected to the lower tap via a controllable switch. When the rectified voltage is greater than a threshold voltage related to the peak rectified voltage by the ratio n2/(n1+n2), the rectifying bridge outputs provide the voltage to the supply circuit. When the rectified voltage is lower than this threshold voltage, the capacitor provides the voltage to the supply circuit. In this manner, the timing of sources providing voltage to the supply circuit and hence the degree of power factor correction is determined by the ratio of the primary winding turns n1 and n2.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to flyback switch-mode supplies and more particularly to such power supplies provided with a power factor correction system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Switch-mode power supplies with a power factor correction are known. An example is disclosed in the publication of the RCA laboratories, MRZ-339, March 1992, entitled "Single Converter High Power Factor SWITCH-MODE POWER SUPPLY" by M. Megeid.
The attached FIG. 1 reproduces the main elements of FIG. 2A of this document.
Terminals A and B of the mains network are connected to a full wave rectifying bridge BR, having positive and negative output terminals X and Y connected to a primary winding W1 in series with a switch S1 of a switch-mode flyback supply source. This switch-mode supply source comprises a secondary winding W2 coupled to winding W1 and to a rectifier so that no current may flow in winding W2 when winding W1 is conductive and that a current is transferred only when the conduction in winding W1 is terminated. The secondary circuit of this switch-mode supply source conventionally comprises a diode D in series with a storing capacitor C. A load L is parallel-connected with capacitor C.
Between terminals X and Y is arranged a storage capacitor C1. The cited document provides a specific arrangement to improve the power factor, that is for the mains network to provide a current during a time that is longer than the time necessary for charging the capacitor. This arrangement comprises, between terminals X and Y, the serial connection of capacitor C1, a diode D1 and a switch S2. Diode D1 is biased for inhibiting the charging of capacitor C1 by the rectified voltage present between terminals X and Y. The charging of capacitor C1 is due to the connection of this capacitor C1 across an auxiliary winding W3 in series with diode D2. Diode D2 is biased so that capacitor C1 may be charged. According to a feature of this circuit, winding W3 is coupled with winding W1 in the flyback mode, that is, it operates with winding W1, not as a voltage transformer, but for conducting an alternating current.
An advantage of this circuit, as explained in the above article, is that any desired value of the voltage across capacitor C1 can be selected.
However, this circuit has two major drawbacks.
A first drawback is that, due to the flyback connection of winding W3 with respect to winding W1, like winding W2 with respect to winding W1, the voltage across capacitor C1 is linked to the regulated voltage determined by switch S1. Therefore, this voltage does not follow the mains voltage.
A second drawback is that, due to the flyback connection of winding W3 with respect to winding W1, it is necessary to provide a switch S2 connected as shown. This switch S2 has the drawbacks of being costly and of needing a control circuit.
Another drawback of this circuit is that the power available on winding W3 results from the energy provided by winding W1. Therefore, while switch S1 is closed, the current in the switch is more important than the current that is normally necessary for the switch-mode supply, whereby it is necessary to oversize switch S1 and therefore increase its cost.

Switch-mode supply with power factor correction


A liquid crystal composition includes at least one of a monofunctional compound represented by Formula (1) defined herein and a monofunctional compound represented by Formula (2) defined herein, and at least one of a difunctional compound represented by Formula (3) defined herein and a multifunctional compound represented by Formula (4) defined herein.

Liquid crystal displays have been gradually developed from those having small-sized liquid crystal panels (for example, clocks, watches, calculators, and the like) to those having large-sized liquid crystal panels (for example, liquid crystal televisions, commercial billboards, and the like). With the increasing demand for enlarging the size of the liquid crystal panels, various liquid crystal display modes have been developed, which include a twisted nematic (TN) mode, a super-twisted nematic (STN) mode, a vertical alignment (VA) mode using a thin film transistor (TFT), an in-plane switching (IPS) mode, and the like.
The liquid crystal compositions having a negative value of the dielectric anisotropy (Δε) are usually used for the VA mode liquid crystal displays, which are primarily used for liquid crystal televisions. In order to satisfy properties such as a low driving voltage, a fast response speed, a wide operating temperature range, and the like, the liquid crystal compositions are usually required to have a high absolute value of dielectric anisotropy (Δε), a low viscosity, and a high clearing point (Tni). In addition, the value of the optical anisotropy (Δn) of the liquid crystal compositions is required to be adjusted according to a product value of the optical anisotropy (Δn) and a cell gap (d) along with the cell gap. When the liquid crystal displays are used for the liquid crystal televisions, a fast response speed of the liquid crystal compositions used in the liquid crystal displays is achieved by reducing a rotational viscosity (γ1) of the liquid crystal compositions.
A polymer sustained alignment (PSA) mode liquid crystal display component, which includes a polymer stabilized (PS) mode display component, has been developed. The process for preparing the PSA mode liquid crystal display component involves adding a minor amount of a polymerizable compound into a liquid crystal composition, introducing the liquid crystal composition added with the polymerizable compound into a liquid crystal cell, applying a voltage between electrodes and irradiating active energy rays to the liquid crystal composition so as to subject the polymerizable compound to polymerization. The PSA liquid crystal display component can provide proper pretilt angles in the divided pixels such that a contrast ratio can be increased by enhancing light transmittance, and a response speed can be increased by uniformizing the pretilt angles.
The PSA liquid crystal display component still includes vertical alignment films respectively provided to the substrates. In order to simplify the process, reduce the cost, and increase the yield for the PSA liquid crystal display component, the step of omitting the formation of the vertical alignment films (i.e., to prepare a liquid crystal display component without an alignment film) has been proposed. Although the liquid crystal display component without an alignment film may have an enhanced light transmittance, an increased contrast ratio, and a fast response speed, an uneven display problem may still occur. Therefore, there is a need for further research on the liquid crystal compound and the polymerizable compound used for a liquid crystal composition.
In the liquid crystal display component without an alignment film, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules will be controlled by the polymerizable compound after polymerization. In order to fulfill the requirement of providing the liquid crystal molecules with uniform and stable alignment, the polymerizable compound is required to have a good stability after polymerization.
Therefore, it is still desirable to develop a polymerizable compound and a liquid crystal composition including the polymerizable compound for the liquid crystal display component without an alignment film, in order to meet the application requirement of the liquid crystal display.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display including the same (II)


The photosensitive resin composition comprising:                (A) a resin containing (A1) a repeating unit having at least two groups represented by the specific general formula; and        (B) a compound capable of generating an acid by the action with one of an actinic ray and a radiation.

In integrated circuits, the degree of integration increases more and more. In the manufacture of semiconductor substrates of ULSIs, etc., it has become necessary to undergo processing of hyperfine patterns having a line width of quarter microns or less. As means for making patterns fine, it is known to shorten the wavelength of an exposure light source to be used for the formation of resist patterns.
For example, in the manufacture of semiconductor elements having a degree of integration of up to 64 Mbits, i-rays (365 nm) of a high-pressure mercury vapor lamp have been used as a light source up to date. As a positive-working resist corresponding to this light source, many compositions containing a novolak resin and a naphthoquinone diazide compound as a photosensitive material have been developed, and sufficient results have been produced in fabrication of line widths of about 0.3 μm or more. Further, in the manufacture of semiconductor elements having a degree of integration of 256 Mbits or more, KrF excimer laser beams (248 nm) have been employed as the exposure light source in place of the i-rays.
In addition, for the purpose of manufacturing semiconductor elements having a degree of integration of 1 Gbits or more, in recent years, the use of ArF excimer laser beams (193 nm) and the use of F2 excimer laser beams (157 nm) for the formation of patterns of 0.1 μm or less, both of which are a light source of shorter wavelengths, are being investigated.
Adaptive to shortening of the wavelengths of these light sources, the constitutional components of the resist materials and their chemical structures largely change.
As resist compositions for exposure by KrF excimer laser beams, there have been developed so-called chemically amplified resists that are a composition comprising a combination of, as a major component, a resin having poly(hydroxystyrene) having low absorption in a region of 248 nm as a basic skeleton and being protected by an acid-decomposable group and a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with far ultraviolet rays (photo acid generator).
Further, as resist compositions for exposure by ArF excimer laser beams (193 nm), there have been developed chemically amplified resists using an acid-decomposable resin in which an alicyclic structure not having absorption at 193 nm is introduced into a main chain or side chains of the polymer.
It has become clear that as to F2 excimer layer beams (157 nm), the foregoing alicyclic type resins have large absorption in a region of 157 nm and are insufficient for obtaining the desired patterns of 0.1 μm or less. On the other hand, Proc. SPIE., Vol. 3678, p.13 (1999) reports that resins having a fluorine atom (perfluoro structure) introduced thereinto have sufficient transparency at 157 nm. Structures of effective fluorocarbon resins are proposed in, for example, Proc. SPIE., Vol. 3999, p. 330 (2000), ibid., p. 357 (2000) and ibid., p. 365 (2000), and WO 00/17712, and resist compositions containing a fluorine-containing resin are being investigated.
However, these resins were not satisfactory in transparency at 157 nm and various other properties such as sensitivity and resolving power. Further, these resins involved a problem such that the coating properties are poor.


A microcathode which integrates both an electron emitter, or cathode, and an extractor electrode. The electron emitter is attached to the back side of a thin film microstructure on a first surface of a substrate. Electrons are emitted from the electron emitter and into a via extending through the substrate. An electron beam is formed which is pulled through the via and out of the microcathode by an extractor electrode on a second surface of the substrate. The extractor electrode modulates the electron beam current, defines the beam profile, and accelerates the electrons toward an anode located outside of the microcathode. Microcathode of this invention are particularly suitable as electron emitting devices useful for various types of electron beam utilizing equipment such as flat cathode ray tube displays, microelectronic vacuum tube amplifiers, electron beam exposure devices and the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cathode devices. More specifically, the invention relates to thermionic microcathodes having integrated extractor electrodes. According to the invention, a cathode emits electrons into a via through a substrate such that the electrons pass through the entire substrate, then through an aperture in an extractor electrode, and towards an anode. The microcathode device of the invention is particularly suitable for use with various types of electron beam equipment such as flat cathode ray tube displays, microelectronic vacuum tube amplifiers, and other such electron beam exposure devices and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the field of electron beam emitting devices to place a cathode at a negative potential relative to an anode. Typically, with cathode ray tubes or the like, electron emission is achieved by heating the cathode to a sufficiently high temperature that electrons have enough thermal energy to be emitted from the cathode. The potential difference between the cathode and the anode accelerates the emitted electrons from the cathode towards the anode in the form of an electron beam. This technology has been used in various devices, such as cathode ray tube displays, electron microscopes and the like.
One major technical challenge in the field of electron emissions relates to the tendency of emitted electron beams to disperse at an angle on the order of 30 degrees. Such a dispersion spreads the beam over a relatively wide area, resulting in a image display of poor resolution. Many focusing schemes have been proposed to reduce the dispersion of electrons as they traverse the space between the emitting cathode and collecting anodes. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,282 which discloses the use of a negatively biased control electrode which causes electrons to converge toward the axis of the beam. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,244 which discloses a passive dielectric electron beam deflector.
Cathode devices using separate extractor electrodes to provide beam focusing are known in the art. However, when the cathode is smaller than about 1 mm in size, use of a separate extractor electrode presents difficulties in assembly and precise alignment with the cathode. These difficulties result in increased production costs and compromised performance. It would be desirable to devise a more economical microcathode device which integrates both a cathode and an extractor electrode, and which provides simplified fabrication and self-alignment of the cathode and extractor. A smaller device size also provides benefits of lower cathode heater power, lower cost, and application to devices requiring very small cathodes.
The use of extractor electrodes is described in C. A. Spindt, xe2x80x9cA Thin-Film Field-Emission Cathodexe2x80x9d, J. Appl. Physics, Vol. 39, pp. 3504-3505, 1968; P. R. Schwoebel and C. A. Spindt, xe2x80x9cField-Emitter Array Performance Enhancement Using Hydrogen Glow Dischargesxe2x80x9d, Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 63, pp. 33-35, 1993. Spindt and Schwoebel describe a field emitter microcathode having an aperture grid fabricated from patterned thin films. However, these references greatly differ in arrangement from the present invention, and do not include thermionic cathodes.
Thermionic microcathodes are described in C. C. Perng, D. A. Crewe, A. D. Feinerman, xe2x80x9cMicromachined Thermionic Emittersxe2x80x9d, J. Micromech. Microeng., Vol. 2, pp. 25-30, 1992. Perng et al describes a micromachined narrow tungsten wire which acts as a thermionic microcathode. However, unlike the present invention, Perng et al do not describe the use of an integrated extractor or grid electrode. Furthermore, Perng et al. teach the use of tungsten, which requires much higher temperatures for thermionic electron emission than the materials of the present invention.
The present invention provides a thermionic microcathode which integrates both an electron emitter, or cathode, and an extractor electrode. The electron emitter comprises a low work function material and is attached to the back side of a thin film microstructure which has been formed on a first surface of a substrate. An electron beam is emitted from the electron emitter and into a via which extends through the substrate. The electron beam is pulled through the via and out of the microcathode by an extractor electrode on a second surface of the substrate. The extractor electrode defines the beam profile. By applying a variable voltage to the extractor, it can also modulate the electron beam current and provide a portion of the electric field needed to accelerate the electrons toward the anode located outside of the microcathode. An important advantage of the invention is that it can be fabricated at lower cost than conventional techniques in which the extractor and cathode are fabricated separately and subsequently assembled. Furthermore, the monolithic fabrication of the extractor and cathode on a single substrate allows self-alignment of these components. The invention results in significant cost savings while also enabling the fabrication of smaller and less complicated devices.
The invention provides a microcathode comprising a planar substrate having first and second opposite surfaces; a substrate via through the substrate which extends through the second surface of the substrate and a distance through the substrate toward the first surface; an electron emitter at a bottom of the via having an electrical connection through the bottom of the via; an extractor electrode at the second surface of the substrate which spans a portion of the via, which extractor electrode has at least one aperture adjacent to the via and opposite to the electron emitter, which extractor electrode is capable of controlling electrons emitted by the electron emitter through the aperture.
The invention further provides a microcathode comprising a planar substrate having first and second opposite surfaces; a plurality of substrate vias through the substrate which extend through the second surface of the substrate and a distance through the substrate toward the first surface; a plurality of electron emitters, one at a bottom of each via, having an electrical connection through the bottom of each via; and an extractor electrode at the second surface of the substrate which spans a portion of each via, which extractor electrode has an aperture adjacent to each via and opposite to each electron emitter, which extractor electrode is capable of controlling electrons emitted by each electron emitter through its corresponding aperture.
The invention still further provides an array of adjacent microcathodes, each microcathode comprising a planar substrate having first and second opposite surfaces; a substrate via through the substrate which extends through the second surface of the substrate and a distance through the substrate toward the first surface; an electron emitter at a bottom of the via having an electrical connection through the bottom of the via; an extractor electrode at the second surface of the substrate which spans a portion of the via, which extractor electrode has at least one aperture adjacent to the via and opposite to the electron emitter, which extractor electrode is capable of controlling electrons emitted by the electron emitter through the aperture.
The invention still further provides a microcathode comprising:
a) a substrate having first and second opposite surfaces;
b) an optional sacrificial material layer on the first surface of the substrate;
c) a thin film microstructure on the first surface of the substrate or on the sacrificial material layer, if present, which thin film microstructure has a back side facing the direction of the substrate and a front side facing away from the substrate;
d) a substrate via through the substrate which via extends through the first and second surfaces of the substrate and the sacrificial material layer, if present, such that the back side of the microstructure faces the substrate via;
e) an electron emitter on the back side of the thin film microstructure such that the electron emitter faces the substrate via;
f) an extractor electrode on the second surface of the substrate and spanning the substrate via, which extractor electrode has at least one aperture adjacent to the substrate via and opposite to the electron emitter, which extractor electrode is capable of controlling electrons emitted by the electron emitter through the aperture.
The invention still further provides a microcathode comprising:
a) a substrate having first and second opposite surfaces;
b) a sacrificial material layer on the first surface of the substrate;
c) a thin film microstructure on the sacrificial material layer, which microstructure has a back side facing the sacrificial material layer on the substrate and an opposite front side facing away from the substrate;
d) a substrate via through the substrate, which via extends through the first and second surfaces of the substrate and through the sacrificial material layer such that the back side of the microstructure faces the substrate via;
e) an electron emitter on the back side of the thin film microstructure facing the substrate via; and
f) an extractor electrode on the second surface of the substrate, which extractor electrode has at least one aperture adjacent to the substrate via and opposite to the electron emitter, which extractor electrode is capable of controlling electrons emitted by the electron emitter through the aperture;
wherein the microstructure comprises:
i) an insulator layer on the sacrificial material layer;
ii) an optional electron emitter contact layer on the insulator layer and in contact with the electron emitter;
iii) a heater filament layer on the insulator layer or on the electron emitter contact layer, if present;
iv) an optional additional insulator layer on the heater filament layer; and
v) at least two conductive contact pads electrically connected to the heater filament layer.
The invention still further provides a method for forming a microcathode which comprises:
a) providing a substrate having first and second opposite surfaces;
b) forming a sacrificial material layer on the first surface of the substrate;
c) forming a thin film microstructure on the sacrificial material layer, which microstructure has a back side facing the sacrificial material layer on the substrate and a front side facing away from the substrate;
d) forming a substrate via through the substrate which via extends through the first and second surfaces of the substrate and through the sacrificial material layer such that the back side of the microstructure faces the substrate via;
e) forming an electron emitter on the back side of the thin film microstructure facing the substrate via; and
f) forming an extractor electrode on the second surface of the substrate, which extractor electrode has at least one aperture adjacent to the substrate via and opposite to the electron emitter, which extractor electrode is capable of controlling electrons emitted by the electron emitter through the aperture;
wherein the microstructure comprises:
i) an insulator layer on the sacrificial material layer;
ii) an optional electron emitter contact layer on the insulator layer and in contact with the electron emitter;
iii) a heater filament layer on the insulator layer or on the electron emitter contact layer, if present;
iv) an optional additional insulator layer on the heater filament layer; and
v) at least two conductive contact pads electrically connected to the heater filament layer.
The invention still further provides a method for emitting electrons from a microcathode toward an anode which comprises:
I) providing a microcathode which comprises:
a) a substrate having first and second opposite surfaces;
b) a sacrificial material layer on the first surface of the substrate;
c) a thin film microstructure on the sacrificial material layer, which microstructure has a back side facing the sacrificial material layer on the substrate and an opposite front side facing away from the substrate;
d) a substrate via through the substrate, which via extends through the first and second surfaces of the substrate and through the sacrificial material layer such that the back side of the microstructure faces the substrate via;
e) an electron emitter on the back side of the thin film microstructure facing the substrate via; and
f) an extractor electrode on the second surface of the substrate, which extractor electrode has at least one aperture adjacent to the substrate via and opposite to the electron emitter, which extractor electrode is capable of controlling electrons emitted by the electron emitter through the aperture;
wherein the microstructure comprises:
i) an insulator layer on the sacrificial material layer;
ii) an optional electron emitter contact layer on the insulator layer and in contact with the electron emitter;
iii) a heater filament layer on the insulator layer or on the electron emitter contact layer, if present;
iv) an optional additional insulator layer on the heater filament layer; and
v) at least two conductive contact pads electrically connected to the heater filament layer; and
II) heating the heater filament layer and causing a flow of electrons from the electron emitter through the aperture in the extractor electrode toward an anode and controlling the flow of electrons through the aperture by the extractor electrode.
The invention still further provides a cathode which comprises a support, a metallic electron emitter on the support, which emitter has a layer of a low work function composition, of from about 0 to about 3 electron volts, on the emitter; and which emitter is electrically connected to a voltage source; a heater which is substantially uniformly positioned around and separated from the emitter and which heater is electrically connected to a voltage source.


A system includes a computing device to obtain encoded content data corresponding to at least one participant of a virtual reality environment. A memory device stores at least one texture corresponding to the at least one participant. A single decoder decodes the encoded content data into decoded content buffers for the at least one texture of one participant of the virtual reality environment. A processor determines whether the at least one texture is located in a pre-determined region of the virtual reality environment displayed to a program user. In response to the at least one texture being located in the pre-determined region, the processor updates the at least one texture with the decoded content buffers.

In a shared 3-dimensional ("3D") environment, there is a need for a virtual presence. For example, a decoded content stream of data such as audio or video may be acquired and then mapped onto multiple locations within a virtual reality computer program. These multiple locations can include 3D textures that may or may not be visible on the user's display screen simultaneously. For example, in a video-conference type of 3D environment, multiple different rooms may be utilized. In current systems, there can be a virtual presence of N participants in M number of rooms or groups. In these systems, however, a separate decoder/reader is utilized for each instance of a virtual participant. Accordingly, N×M decoders are utilized to decode/read all of the video for each separate instance of the virtual participants.
Use of this many decoders, however, is very taxing on the processing power utilized for generating the 3D environment. As a result, system performance slows and the virtual reality program may exhibit delays in displaying various aspects of the virtual environment. It is also inefficient to use a separate decoder for each different instance of the virtual participants. Specifically, the use of separate decoders to decode video for a participant of the virtual reality program is wasteful when the participant is not shown on the user's display screen, i.e., when that video/audio is not going to be presented to the user. That is, in the event that the user lacks a virtual presence in any of the rooms, processing bandwidth is wasted by decoding video/audio for instances of the virtual participants present in those rooms. Furthermore, in the event that video/audio for a single participant is to be presented in multiple rooms, it is wasteful to utilize two separate decoders to effectively decode the same content twice, i.e., one separate time for each instance.

Method for mapping a single decoded content stream to multiple textures in a virtual environment


A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a switching control circuit having a first transistor and a second transistor coupled to an FET, and turning on and off the FET by turning on and off each of the first transistor and the second transistor, the FET attaining an OFF state when the first transistor is in an ON state and the second transistor is in an OFF state; a bias circuit supplying the FET with a bias voltage for turning off the FET when the first transistor and the second transistor are in an OFF state; and a protection control circuit turning off the FET by turning on the first transistor and turning off the second transistor when an abnormality is detected, and turning off the first transistor and the second transistor after a lapse of a predetermined time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit and a power supply, and in particular to a semiconductor integrated circuit driving an external FET and a power supply incorporating the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
FET driving circuits for driving an external FET (Field Effect Transistor) have been developed. For example, a driving circuit controlling switching of a transistor is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2000-201475, 2004-088245, and 2003-235251 (Patent Documents 1-3).
Such a conventional driving circuit as described above is provided with a switching control circuit switching an external FET between an ON state and an OFF state. As the switching control circuit, for example, a circuit formed by combining an N-channel MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor with a P-channel MOS transistor is employed.
When an FET driving IC (Integrated Circuit) in which FET driving circuits are integrated has an abnormality such as a short circuit of an external terminal, there may be a case where control is performed to turn off an external FET by turning on one of the N-channel MOS transistor and the P-channel MOS transistor in the switching control circuit and turning off the other thereof, in order to prevent a large current from flowing into the external FET and breaking down the external FET or a circuit at the next stage of the external FET.
However, when a short circuit occurs between a ground potential, a power supply potential, or the like and an external terminal to which an output of the switching control circuit is connected, although the external FET can be turned off, a large current may flow into the MOS transistor in an ON state in the switching control circuit, and break down the MOS transistor.
To solve such a problem, there can be conceived a structure that turns off both of the N-channel MOS transistor and the P-channel MOS transistor in the switching control circuit when an abnormality occurs, and includes a pull-down resistor or a pull-up resistor supplying a gate of the external FET with a bias voltage turning off the external FET. In such a structure, however, due to a parasitic capacitance of the external FET and the pull-up resistor or the pull-down resistor generally having a value of several tens of kilo-ohms, a longer time is required to cause transition of a potential at the gate of the external FET from a potential corresponding to the ON state to a potential corresponding to the OFF state, which may break down the external FET or the circuit at the next stage of the external FET.

Semiconductor integrated circuit driving external FET and power supply incorporating the same


A winding circuit for use with different input signals includes a first main winding, a second main winding, and an auxiliary branch having an auxiliary winding permanently and serially connected to a capacitor. The windings and auxiliary branch are alternatively configurable in one of a first configuration or a second configuration for use with respective first and second input voltages. When in the first configuration, the first main winding, the second main winding, and the auxiliary branch are connected in parallel. The input voltage signal then may be applied across the first main winding. When in the second configuration, the first and second main windings are serially connected, and the auxiliary branch is connected in parallel with one of the first and second main windings. The input voltage signal then may be applied across the first main winding and the second main winding. The winding circuit includes a switch connected to the main windings to alternatively switch between the first configuration and the second configuration.

Alternating current motors ("AC motors") typically are designed (i.e., "rated") for use with specified input voltage signals. For example, AC motors built for use in the United States ("United States motors") typically are designed for use with a 115 volt AC signal. In a similar manner, AC motors built for use in many parts of Europe typically are designed for use with a 230 volt AC signal.
Voltage convertors may be used with AC motors to convert an input voltage signal from a non-rated form into a rated form. For example, a United States motor may be used in parts of Europe if a power converter converts the input voltage signal received by each motor winding from 230 volts AC into 115 volts AC. In addition to increasing product costs, however, use of a voltage converter is inconvenient and inefficient.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a motor that is rated for use with two or more input voltage signals.


The techniques of the disclosure are directed to reducing power consumption in a device through adaptive backlight level (ABL) scaling. The techniques may utilize a temporal approach in implementing the ABL scaling to adjust the backlight level of a display for a current video frame in a sequence of video frames presented on the display. The techniques may include receiving an initial backlight level adjustment for the current video frame and determining whether to adjust the backlight level adjustment for the current video frame based on a historical trend. The techniques may also determine the historical trend of backlight level adjustments between the current video frame and one or more preceding video frames in the sequence.

For a wide variety of devices that include a display, power consumption often is affected by certain display characteristics, such as brightness or backlight level. Devices that include a display may include, but are not limited to digital televisions, wireless communication devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop or desktop computers, tablet computers, mobile computing devices, digital cameras, video cameras, digital media players, video gaming devices, cellular or satellite radio telephones, smartphones, navigation devices, and the like. Many such devices use backlight displays, which may also be referred to as transmissive displays.
Backlight displays, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), include a light source (i.e., a backlight) that illuminates optical elements of the respective displays. The optical elements of the display may receive input signals, for example, from a processor, video circuit, and/or a display driver. The input signals define the images that are to be displayed by the display. The backlight level may be adjusted to reduce power consumption caused by the backlight display.
Some displays, such as active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) displays, do not include a backlight. Instead, an AMOLED display includes individually addressable LEDs that can be selectively driven to emit light. In an AMOLED display, overall brightness of the LEDs may be adjusted to reduce power consumption by the display. However, maintaining acceptable visual quality of the displayed images while changing the backlight or brightness level can be challenging for a variety of reasons.

Temporal control of illumination scaling in a display device


The effectiveness of a communication system for broadcasting curtailment messages to comfort system thermostats is enhanced by conducting an initial test broadcast for the purposes of compiling a list of those users that did not receive the test broadcast. This list is then used in combination with a later broadcast of a curtailment message to also send the curtailment message to those individuals on the list by a more robust communication system to ensure that a greater number of users will receive the broadcast message.

This invention relates generally to wireless broadcast communications and, more particularly to a method of improving communications between a central control location and a plurality of remote devices.
The management of peak energy demand has long been an issue for utility companies. Load management has been extensively practiced for years with high usage, industrial and heavy commercial customers and more recently with small commercial and residential customers.
Without a central energy management system, the individual homes and businesses will generally set their thermostats at a fixed position that will assure them of a comfortable temperature in the spaces to be heated or cooled. However, it has been recognized that small changes in these temperature demands (i.e. on the order of 2 to 4°), will make very little difference to the individual user of the comfort system but will make a tremendous difference to the utility company during periods of high demand. That is, during periods of unusually high electric demand, the power company can send out a wireless broadcast signal to its user thermostats to adjust (i.e. set-back) the thermostat temperatures by a few degrees from the standard setting and then return it to the existing setting when the power emergency is over. In this way, the homeowner will be slightly inconvenienced, but the resulting reduction in energy usage could eliminate price spikes and help curb blackouts and brownouts.
The communication that is necessary between the utility company and the energy users is critical for the purposes of 1) ensuring that the set-back signals are received by the users and 2) to inform the utility if and when the set-back condition has occurred. One approach is that of sending individual messages to each and every device. While effective, this approach is much too time consuming, both in the sending of the set-back messages to the user and in receiving acknowledgment from the user.
Another approach is that of having each of the user devices being programmed to listen to a particular wireless broadcast channel assigned for that utility, and then broadcasting the set-back messages by way of a single transmission. The problem with broadcast messages is that, unlike an individual message addressed to a particular device, the broadcast message is simply sent out without any acknowledgment of receipt or any mechanism for retry. This makes the broadcast message less effective then the individual message because not all of the devices will "hear" the broadcast message even though they may be able to "hear" the individual message.
While it is possible to broadcast a set-back message and have the individual users acknowledge receipt by way of their two way communication capability, the ability to handle those acknowledgment responses is proportionately limited by the total number of installed devices. That is, since there is no way to simultaneously receive and record all of the various acknowledgment responses instantly, it is necessary to spread out or stagger those responses over a period of time proportionate to the number of installed devices in order for them to be received and recorded. This is due to bandwidth limitations of the underlying wireless communications (i.e. the number of simultaneous messages that can be handled by a transceiver). For example, with a user base numbering in the range of twenty-five thousand, the responses must necessarily be spread out over a period of two hours. While this substantially hinders the utility's ability to monitor the responses, the overall effectiveness of the broadcast message (i.e. the actual number of installed devices that "hear" the message) is the most critical measure of success for the utility. The larger the number of devices that "hear" the broadcast set-back message, the greater the reduction in energy demand.

Method for enhancing broadcast message communications


A rubber bearing, in which a liquid-filled working chamber is bounded by an expanding member and by a compensating wall that is capable of moving back and forth in the direction of the working chamber, wherein the compensating wall consists at least partially of a material that is capable of being moved by magnetic forces and extends relatively movably with one partial area into an air gap between mutually opposing electromagnets, which are capable of receiving an electric current. Each electromagnet has at least one coil capable of receiving a d.c. current and at least one coil capable of receiving an a.c. current. In the opposing electromagnets, current traverses either the direct current coils or the alternating coils in opposite directions.

The invention relates to rubber bearings, and, more particularly, to a rubber bearing in which a liquid-filled working chamber is bounded at least by a resilient expanding member and by a compensating wall that is capable of moving back and forth in the direction of the working chamber. The compensating wall consists at least partially of a material that is capable of being moved by magnetic forces. One partial area of the compensating wall extends into an air gap between mutually opposing magnetic coils, which are rigidly supported in coil braces and are capable of receiving electric currents.
The German Published Patent Application DE-OS 34 23 698 discloses a rubber bearing using a fluid chamber. This rubber bearing is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,170 to Fukushima, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present specification. Pulsating pressure fluctuations are generated in the fluid contained in the fluid chamber of that bearing by a vibrational element activated by magnetic coils. If movement of the vibrational element is modulated in relation to vibrations introduced from the outside, then transmission of vibrations is reduced.
In the bearing described in DE-OS 34 23 698 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,170, the magnetic coils must be alternately triggered to isolate vibrations, since the coils can generate only attractive forces. Further, the attractive forces on the vibrational element are proportional to the square of the coil current, requiring special equalization measures to achieve a sinusoidal response. Moreover, because the forces vary significantly with the gap width, the system reacts quite sensitively to mechanical tolerance errors. Additionally, no precautions have been taken to retain the compensating wall in a neutral position symmetrically between the magnetic coils.


The present invention is directed to a sensor network that includes a number of sensor units and a base unit. The base station operates in a network discovery mode (in which network topology information is collected) in a data polling mode (in which sensed information is collected from selected sensory units). Each of the sensor units can include a number of features, including an anemometer, a rain gauge, a compass, a GPS receiver, a barometric pressure sensor, an air temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a level, and a radiant temperature sensor.

Monitoring of environmental conditions is becoming an increasingly important activity. Pollutants, such as gas and/or liquid emissions, are being subjected to higher levels of scrutiny by state and federal agencies. Policing emissions often requires continual monitoring of the environment for unlawful emission levels. In the workplace, many businesses handle toxic materials and require devices to monitor carefully levels of toxic materials to avoid endangering employees. In the military, the command infrastructure requires knowledge of the environment in which soldiers are operating to provide sufficient rest periods and nutrition and hydration levels not only to avoid unduly fatiguing soldiers but also to realize as high as possible performance levels from military personnel. In the widening war on terror, it is important to monitor for trace elements from weapons manufacture, sometimes over a widely dispersed, remote geographical area. Such evidence permits preemptive military/police action to be undertaken to apprehend terrorists before a terror attack occurs. Additionally, terrorists are expected to use weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear weapons, "dirty" bombs, and chemical/biological weapons, in the coming years. It is desirable to implement a system to gather and analyze data in real time so that timely and well-targeted emergency response can be provided. The impacted area(s) and/or likely area(s) to be impacted can be determined using baseline data from a geographically dispersed sensor system (or Situational Awareness Monitor System) and existing atmospheric/plume models.
There are at least four desirable attributes of a Situational Awareness Monitor System or SAMS for event prediction and consequence management. First, it is desirable to permanently mount data acquisition units at key locations to collect real-time information for use in atmospheric/plume models to establish atmospheric baseline dispersion patterns. Second, it is desirable to incorporate a sensor suite capable of detecting pre-event indicators (such as elevated radiation levels) with the goal of prevention of a release. Third, it is desirable to have rapidly deployable units to augment the existing network on a much finer grid in the case of an event or release. Finally, the total cost of the SAMS should be relatively low to provide federal, state, and local authorities with limited finances the ability to acquire the SAMS as part of an emergency response plan.

Geographically distributed environmental sensor system


A method of manufacturing a FinFET device is provided, comprising: a. providing a substrate (100); b. forming a fin (200) on the substrate; c. forming an shallow trench isolation structure (300) on the substrate; d. forming an sacrificial gate stack on the isolation structure, wherein the sacrificial gate stack intersects the fin; e. forming source/drain doping regions by ion implantation into the fin; f. depositing an interlayer dielectric layer (400) on the substrate; g. removing the sacrificial gate stack to form a sacrificial gate vacancy; h. forming an doped region (201) under the sacrificial gate vacancy; i. etching the shallow trench isolation structure (300) under the sacrificial gate vacancy until the top surface of the shallow trench isolation structure (300) levels with the bottom surface of the source/drain doping regions; j. forming a new gate stack in the sacrificial gate vacancy. Some advantages of the current invention may be, harmful effects produced in the source/drain regions by the triangle fin structure are eliminated, the device performance is improved, and the complexity of the process is reduce.

With dimensional scaling of semiconductor device, some problems arises, for example, threshold voltage decreases with the reduction of channel length, current leakage increases, etc. In other word, short channel effects arise in semiconductor device. Fin field effect transistor, namely, FinFET is developed to face the challenge from semiconductor design and manufacturing.
A fin in a FinFET device is generally designed as a cuboid structure to optimize device performance, however, the fin of a cuboid structure is fragile with poor stress tolerance. A triangle fin is adopted in most semiconductor design, which increases difficulties in many process steps, such as fin etching and source/drain implantation etcetera. Specifically, in source/drain implantation, tilt ion implantation is employed to realize uniform doping profile in fin structure. However, the method is critically affected by fin height and space size between neighboring fins, which involves complex process steps and non-uniform doping profiles.
A novel source/drain doping method for FinFET is provided to resolve the foregoing problems, comprising: forming shallow trench isolation (STI) structures on a semiconductor base after fins formed, wherein the STI structures have a higher top surface than those fins, and then forming sacrificial gate stacks on the STI structures, forming source/drain regions below the gate stacks and just in both ends of the fins which is embedded in the STI structures, such that a similarly planar structure is formed. Therefore, vertical ion implantation can be employed in source/drain implantation in FinFET manufacturing. Using the method disclosed in the present invention, harmful effects produced in source/drain implantation by triangle fin structures can be effectively avoided, device performance can be optimized, and process complexity can be reduced.

INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES