A system for providing service mediation comprising a service enablement platform between a service network and a telephony application external to the service enablement platform, the service enablement platform comprising an adaptor providing an interface between the external telephony application and the service enablement platform, the adaptor exposing functionality of the external telephony application to one or more functional units of the service enablement platform.

Traditionally, telephony applications have been built within isolated, vertical platforms—i.e., self-contained boxes, each performing a fixed set of functions. Vertical applications are generally external to a service provider's (e.g., cellular network operator's) platform.
Typically, each vertical application identifies and hosts a single telephony service function. An example of such a function is a Class 5 feature server, which is typically used to provide basic dialing functionality to the cell phone subscribers of the network. A Class 5 feature server is usually embodied in a single vertical application. Another example of a stand-alone, external application is a voice mail server. Each service provider's platform can be serviced by a plurality of vertical applications, each defining an isolated service for the telephone network. Such applications are usually specifically designed by each particular vendor, hence providing little opportunity for enhancements and addition of functions. Generally, custom modifications to traditional telephony applications required a substantial financial investment, as well as time to implement, test, and deploy. Therefore, technological and market developments could not be easily accommodated.
More recently, however, service providers have recognized that differentiated services drive markets more so than price competition models. Accordingly, they have offered groups of services, sometimes closely bundled, in order to attract new subscribers. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, traditional telephony applications do not typically provide custom functions, and do not lend themselves to integration. Attempts have been made in the past to provide open application environments that facilitate the development of new applications for providing custom services. However, such open application environments frequently require that service providers write their custom applications entirely. This has proven to require more investment than the service provider could justify.
One current attempt to mitigate the shortcomings is a system called a Service Capability Interaction Manager (SCIM), and it is defined through the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) consortium effort. SCIM systems include a layer between the underlying Internet Protocol (IP) service network and the vertical applications, and that layer provides for multiplexing the subscriber session among multiple vertical applications. A problem with this solution is that it is very bottom-up because it arises from a network-centric view of telephony. A typical SCIM system uses only the underlying IP mechanisms to make decisions regarding steering the subscriber among the vertical applications hosted by the service provider's platform. It is usually a very rigid way of predicting what the subscriber is going to do. In other words, SCIM does not provide a way to define a new service operation; rather, it inserts an additional piece of intelligence between a subscriber and the vertical applications to steer the subscriber to services based on its signaling.
Another recent trend is to move away from individual vertical applications and go to a more open and top-down way of defining applications through a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Instead of being underneath at the network layer discovering what a subscriber is accessing, an SOA system sequences a subscriber through a pre-described set of operations across multiple vertical applications. SCIM systems typically do not fit within an SOA framework.

System and method for providing service mediation and orchestration for external telephony applications


A teaching data generator includes a storage device. An arithmetic device includes a first window display section to cause a display device to display a first window displaying first images respectively corresponding to some pieces of work unit job data stored in the storage device and included in teaching data. The first images are arranged in an execution order of pieces of work respectively corresponding to the some pieces of the work unit job data. A first job editing section performs an editing operation including replacing the some pieces of the work unit job data with other pieces of the work unit job data stored in the storage device, and changing the execution order. A teaching data generation section generates the teaching data based on a display content of the first window changed in accordance with the editing operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a teaching data generator, a robot system, and a method for generating teaching data.
2. Discussion of the Background
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-91304 discloses teaching data generators are known to generate or edit teaching data that specifies motions of robots.

Teaching data generator, robot system, and method for generating teaching data


When monitoring a large number of information sources such as pages on the World Wide Web, a user may not have time to normally look at each source at regular intervals. A background process will connect to each source maintained in a database and calculate an estimate of how much the source has changed since the last time a user viewed it. The amount of change is graphically displayed to the user as part of an icon or file listing. The user can thus determine whether the amount of new material justifies connecting to the source.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computer systems and particularly to the display of how much a file has changed between one time when a user viewed the file and a subsequent time.
2. Description of Related Art
Users are faced with increasing information overload, especially when using the worldwide web portion of the internet (WWW) which has hundreds of thousands of web sites and millions of web pages. Users often wish to monitor an information source, such as a web page, for changing information but do not have time to manually look at the source at regular intervals.
The Netscape Navigator.TM. has a feature called "What's New" that works on a user-defined set of bookmarks. The feature connects to all of the web pages included in the user's bookmark list and checks each one to determine whether its modification date is more recent than the last time the user saw the page. This method does not allow a user to estimate how "much" the page has changed. In fact, any change, no matter how minimal (e.g., correcting a typo), is treated the same, and the modification date may actually have changed without "any" changes in the document (e.g., if a comment was changed or if the file was overwritten for some reason).

Estimating the degree of change of web pages


The technical solutions provide a method for presentation by a terminal device, and a terminal device, so as to reduce a memory burden of the terminal device, improve efficiency and an interaction capability, and facilitate use for a user. Specifically, a method for presentation by a terminal device is provided, where the method includes: when the mobile terminal is in a locked state, display, on the touch screen, the first interface, the first interface including an interface of a first application program (FAP), an interface of a second application program (SAP) and a first content determined by the mobile terminal based on a habit of using the mobile terminal by a user of the mobile terminal, the interface of the SAP occupying a second area on the touch screen, and the second area being part of the whole display area of the touch screen.

As technologies advance, terminal devices become increasingly popular. When using a terminal device, a user often prevents misoperations by locking a screen. In current screen locking technologies, a relationship between a lock screen interface and a home interface is usually a hierarchical relationship (as shown in FIG. 12). The user generally needs to unlock by performing an operation (for example, sliding on or tapping some positions on the screen), so that the lock screen interface disappears, and the home interface is displayed. In this case, functions of the terminal device are activated, and multiple operations of the user can be responded to. After the terminal device enters an unlocked state, the lock screen interface cannot be presented, unless the terminal device is switched to a screen-locked state again. Such a method for preventing misoperations imposes a burden on both the terminal device and the user. First, a lock screen interface useless to most interactions needs to be added for the terminal device, which increases a memory burden of the terminal device and lowers use efficiency and an interaction capability of the terminal device. Second, the user cannot see content on the lock screen interface after the terminal device is unlocked, and needs to lock the terminal device again to view the content on the lock screen interface, which lowers operation efficiency of the user and brings much inconvenience to the user.

Method for presentation by terminal device, and terminal device


Disclosed is a fuel injection amount compensating method that may include measuring a real pressure of a combustion chamber, calculating a real pressure level of the combustion chamber based on the real pressure, calculating a real combustion noise index based on the real pressure level of the combustion chamber, calculating a target combustion noise index based on a driving condition, calculating a difference between the real combustion noise index and the target combustion noise index, and increasing or reducing a pilot injection amount of a fuel injector in accordance with the difference. Also disclosed is a fuel injection amount compensating system.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection amount compensating method of precisely compensating an amount of fuel injected by an injector to reduce vibration and noise mainly generated by a combustion process.
2. Description of Related Art
In generation, it is known that a diesel engine has larger vibration and noise than a gasoline vehicle. In order to reduce the vibration/noise, pilot injection is introduced.
In the pilot injection, before an injector performs main injection for combustion, a predetermined amount of fuel is previously injected at a predetermined point in time so that temperature of a combustion chamber is raised and a mixture of fuel and air is improved. The pilot injection is performed at least once and may be multiply performed in accordance with a driving condition.
Through the pilot injection, ignition delay is reduced and a rate of rise of combustion pressure is reduced. As the rate of rise of the combustion pressure is reduced, combustion noise is reduced.
On the other hand, as an operation period of an injector that injects fuel is increased, a pilot injection amount is reduced or increased by various causes. In general, the pilot injection amount is reduced.
As the pilot injection amount is reduced, the rate of rise of the combustion pressure of the combustion chamber is increased and vibration and noise are increased.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Fuel injection amount compensating method


A portable clean air isolation enclosure which includes a collapsible enclosure, that has a top mounted inflatable plenum chamber, connected to a source of filtered air, and with peripheral curtains sealed at the bottom to the floor, to provide a positive or negative pressured sterile or dust free environment, which enclosure can be moved through normal doorways, set up and operated by one person.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an isolation enclosure of the portable, collapsible type, which can operate in a positive or negative pressure mode while maintaining low particle counts throughout the enclosure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While clean air enclosures have been available for some time, the need for an enclosure that would be suitable for patient isolation in a hospital setting has become more acute. The cost of constructing and maintaining an isolation room in a hospital is high and it is often difficult to convert an existing room to an isolation room configuration. Therefore, it has been difficult to justify setting aside a number of rooms which are constructed as isolation rooms.
As of late the rise in communicable diseases such as tuberculous and HIV has greatly increased the need for a portable, easily assembled clean air enclosure which can convert an otherwise ordinary hospital room into an isolation area.
While a clean air Enclosure should isolate the rest of the room and personnel from the patient, it should also provide the patient with a pathogen or virus free environment. This environment is required, where for example, the patient has had a bone marrow transplant and must be protected. A typical enclosure which provides a clean environment is shown in the U.S. Patent to Michael H. Pelosi, Jr. et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,676 but this enclosure is not suitable for certain present requirements, since it is not large enough to house a hospital bed, nor is there visibility throughout 360.degree. of the enclosure, nor is it capable of being set up and placed in operation by one person.
What are designated by others as portable clean rooms are available, but they require long set up times of at least four hours, require a number of persons for assembly, and are bulky and difficult to transport. It is desirable to have a clean air isolator that can be readily transported, and set up by one person, in minimum time, at isolated locations, and without separate sources of clean air.
The apparatus of the invention provides a clean air isolation enclosure with both positive and negative pressure modes, that can be transported and set up by one person, with multiple advantages not available with other structures.


Improved pliable print rollers for high speed drink can printing machines increase the pliable roller life five- to ten-fold at comparable ink thickness and machine speed. The improved performance results from the selection of materials utilized including a combination of elastomers, and in some case an essentially oil-free composition, and an associated manufacturing process not previously utilized to create pliable print rollers for high speed drink can printing machines. In particular a particular embodiment, the composition includes a combination of elastomers (e.g., 75% polyisoprene and 25% polybutadiene), a filler (e.g., silica), a curing agent (e.g., peroxided), and other additives (e.g., pigment, antioxidant, antiozonant) with little or no oil added as a softener. An illustrative composition including 150 parts by weight contains 100 parts elastomer, 35 parts filler, 4 parts curing agent, and 11 parts other additives (i.e., zero parts oil softener).

Modern industrial printing machines, such as those used to print drink cans, often operate at high speeds in the range of 1,800 to 2,000 cans per minute. Drink can customers desire clear, sharp images and a high degree of consistency in image quality to support demanding advertising standards. The desire for crisp images often requires sharp, laser engraved images on the printing plates that create the images transferred onto the cans. There are a number of pliable and steel rollers in the ink train that transfer ink from a fountain and apply the cans. Certain pliable rollers known as the form rollers, which apply the ink directly to the engraved printing plates, are subject to the most intense wear and tear from coming into direct contact with the sharp edges of the print plates. The form rollers must also maintain a precise pressure to apply the desired thickness of ink to the printing plates while rotating at sufficient speed to support the high speed printing process.
The form rollers therefore tend to breakdown quickly requiring frequent replacement. In a conventional printing machine, the form rollers often require replacement every six to eight hours making them the most frequently replaced component in the assembly line dictating the machine duty cycle. The ink train may also include a number of other pliable rollers typically referred to as the ductor and transfer rollers. Although not subject to the same level of wear and tear as the form rollers, these other pliable print rollers also require regular maintenance and replacement on a regular basis. Replacing the print rollers requires shutting down the assembly line, which reduces the overall output and efficiency of the printing machine.
Holding other variables constant, harder pliable rollers generally last longer. But increasing the hardness of the pliable rollers presents a trade off in that harder rollers require higher pressure to apply the desired ink coating thickness, which increase energy usage, heat generation, and wear and tear on the rollers. The form rollers, in particular, are required to apply an ink coating having a desired thickness to the printing plates carried on the plate cylinder, which is typically measured as the width of the line laid down by a non-rotating form roller at a given pressure. For example, the line thickness standard may be 3/16 inch [0.476 cm], and a form roller with a 55 shore durometer hardness may require six lbs [2.7 kg] per inch [2.54 cm] of roller length (e.g., 30 lbs [13.6 kg] pressing a five inch [12.7 cm] roller against the plate cylinder) to apply a standard line width of 3/16 inch [0.476 cm]. On the other hand, a harder roller with a 65 shore durometer hardness may require eight lbs [3.6 kg] per inch [2.54 cm] of roller length (e.g., 40 lbs [18.1 kg] pressing a five inch [12.7 cm] roller against the plate cylinder) to apply the same standard line width of 3/16 inch [0.476 cm].
While harder rollers are generally expected to be more durable, they also require higher roller pressure to print the desired line width which, in turn, increases heat generation within the roller and wear and tear on the roller. As a result, harder rollers are not necessarily more durable in practice. Moreover, using harder rollers increases machine drag and energy consumption. Harder rollers may also experience lower surface resiliency causing them to perform poorly at higher pressures and machine speeds. As a result, the tradeoff balance conventionally adopted by the industry utilizes relatively firm form rollers (e.g., 60-65 shore durometer) that print crisp images at reasonably obtainable roller pressures (e.g., 35-40 lbs [15.9 to 18.1 kg] on a five inch [12.7 cm] roller) but require relatively frequent replacement (e.g., every six to eight hours). Having to shut down the printing machine to change out the form rollers every six to eight hours limits the continuous run duty cycle and is considered to be a major limitation in high speed drink can printing.
As a result, there is significant need for improved pliable print rollers with improved durability while still meeting the print quality, roll pressures, and line speeds demanded by modern industrial printing processes.


The invention relates to an overvoltage protection apparatus having a semiconductor substrate, a first doping region in order to provide a protection diode, and a second doping region in order to provide a protection resistance, with the second doping region being immediately adjacent to the first doping region.

Electrostatic discharges (ESD) can result in very high voltages which can destroy electrical equipment and, in particular, its components. An ESD protection apparatus or an ESD protection circuit is therefore required, which offers protection against such overvoltage spikes.
An electrical discharge (charging) may, for example, be caused by direct contact (for example, by being touched by a person or machine), or may be induced by another electrostatic field (for example, lightning strike).
FIG. 1 shows a simplified equivalent circuit for a typical ESD protection apparatus and protection circuit. As shown in FIG. 1, an ESD protection apparatus such as this comprises two ESD protection diodes D1 and D2, which ensure the actual ESD immunity at the input IN and output OUT, with a resistance R for the low-pass filter being connected in parallel for this purpose. The capacitive effect of the ESD protection diodes D1 and D2 together with the resistance R forms an RC low-pass filter. This makes it possible, for example, to filter out undesirably high frequencies, thus advantageously making it possible to reduce interference noise.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, a GND diode D3 can optionally be connected to the first and/or second ESD protection diodes D1 and D2 and can be connected to the ground output GND, thus making it possible to deliberately reduce parasitic capacitances of the protection diodes D1 and D2 resulting from the capacitive series circuit.
ESD protection apparatuses such as these, therefore allow protection in the event of inadvertent contact (for example, charge transfer) with a person, inadvertent contact with machines during a production process, or inadvertent autonomous discharge in the event of contact with a person or machine, during which process the component may itself be electrostatically charged.
As shown in FIG. 1, the ESD protection diodes D1 and D2 are reverse-biased in a range from about −0.6V (diffusion voltage) to about +9V (breakdown voltage), for example, when using silicon semiconductor technology. Since the voltage is between these two values during normal operation of the electrical equipment and of the associated components to be protected, no current flows via the ESD protection diodes D1 and D2 in the normal situation. However, if, for example, a considerably higher voltage than the operating voltage is applied to the input IN of the ESD protection apparatus (for example, lightning or electrostatic discharge), then the ESD protection diodes D1 and D2 changeover to the breakdown region. To be more precise, a current now flows away mainly via the diodes because of their low internal resistance thus protecting, for example, not only the components or electrical devices which are connected to the output OUT but also those connected to the input IN against the ESD pulse, and the damage resulting from it. In this case, the ESD immunity of the ESD protection apparatus itself, that is to say, of the ESD protection diodes D1 and D2 contained in it, is the critical factor for the ESD immunity of the overall circuit.
Furthermore, the performance features of an ESD protection apparatus often directly contradict one another. For example, on the one hand the ESD immunity, that is to say, the resistance to overvoltages, furthermore the crosstalk response between individual channels of a circuit and, finally, the (overall) line capacitance may be mentioned as significant performance features of an ESD protection apparatus, which influence one another and are unfortunately mutually contradictory. If, in consequence, the areas of the ESD protection diodes are increased, then the ESD immunity admittedly increases, but the overall line capacitance also increases at the same time.
The GND diode D3 introduced for this purpose in FIG. 1 can admittedly lead to a reduction in the total capacitance, but in turn lead to greater crosstalk between the individual channels of the ESD protection apparatus.
FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively show a plan view and a sectional view of a conventional ESD protection circuit, as may be provided as an integrated semiconductor circuit. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional ESD protection circuit has four channels, each having two ESD protection diodes D11 and D21, D12 and D22, D13 and D23, as well as D14 and D24. Furthermore, each channel has a resistance R11, R22, R33 and R44, which are each connected via interconnects 60 to the ESD protection diodes and are in the form of a diffusion resistance in a semiconductor substrate 10 as shown in FIG. 3.
Furthermore, two GND diodes D31 and D33 are formed in the semiconductor substrate and connect the rear-face connections of the ESD protection diodes, and the semiconductor substrate, to the ground output GND (or to ground potential +0.6V diffusion voltage).
FIG. 3 shows a section view of a channel of the ESD protection circuit illustrated in FIG. 2, with identical reference symbols denoting identical or corresponding elements.
As shown in FIG. 3, n-doped, for example, doping regions 20 and 30 are formed in a p-doped silicon semiconductor substrate 10 in order to provide ESD protection diodes D11 and D21. Furthermore, an n-doped doping region 40 is formed in the semiconductor substrate 10 in order to provide the associated ESD protection resistance R11. The first ESD protection diode D11 is in this case connected to the input IN and also to one connection of the protection resistance R11 via an interconnect 60. In addition, the further connection of the protection resistance R11 is connected via a further interconnect to the second ESD protection diode D21 and to the output OUT. The semiconductor substrate 10 may also be connected to the GND pad, via the GND diode D31, at a point (which is not illustrated) in the semiconductor substrate.
In the event of an ESD load (for example, a lightning strike or overvoltage), for example, at the input IN, the current is actually intended to be dissipated via the ESD protection diode D11 into the semiconductor substrate 10 in order to protect an appliance or component connected to the output OUT. However, as can easily be seen from FIG. 3, the current will not only flow away via the ESD protection diode D11 into the semiconductor substrate 10, but will also flow via the interconnect 60 to the resistance R11, where it will likewise flow away into the semiconductor substrate 10 via a parasitic diode DR (Diode Resistor) that is created in the input area of the resistance R11. One reason for this is that the path resistance of the interconnect 60 is normally less than the internal resistance of the diode. In consequence, a portion of the current flows via the interconnect 60, thus reaching the additional parasitic diode DR at the input-side pn-junction of the protection resistance R11. At the output end of the diffusion resistance R11, the current and the power in the event of ESD will have already been greatly reduced, so that the ESD immunity at the output pn junction is no longer critical.
In consequence, the pn junction of the parasitic diode DR will in fact be destroyed by lower ESD voltages than in the case of a dedicated ESD protection diode D11, although the incoming portion of the current is only a portion of the total current which flows via the protection circuit. The reason for the destruction at this point is that the parasitic diode DR adjacent to the diffusion resistance R11 does not represent a specially designed ESD diode (layout design), but is created inadvertently by the input pn junction between the n-doped region 40 of the diffusion resistance R11 and the p semiconductor substrate 10. In consequence, this pn junction breaks down at a much lower load than would be the case with the ESD protection diode D11.
This problem, which is essentially the result of the fact that the protection resistance R11 is in the form of an integrated semiconductor resistance (or diffusion resistance) in the semiconductor substrate, and a pn junction therefore acts as a diode which in turn represents a weakness, has normally been solved by means of a protection resistance (outside the semiconductor substrate) which is independent of the semiconductor substrate and is in the form of a poly-resistance which, for example, is formed above the semiconductor substrate, separated from the semiconductor substrate by a field oxide. However, this solution requires a plurality of additional masks, thus in turn involving increased costs.
There is therefore a requirement to provide an overvoltage protection apparatus and an associated protection circuit with better characteristics and lower cost.

Overvoltage protection apparatus and an associated protection circuit


An optical recording medium in which deposition of impurities or damage to a surface of the medium illuminated by the light for signal recording and/or reproduction is to be prevented from occurring. An amine salt compound of perfluoropolyether having terminal carboxylic groups, represented by the chemical formulas (1) and/or (2):Rf—COO−N+HR1R2R3  (formula 1)R1R2R3N+H−CO—Rf—COO−N+HR1R2R3  (formula 2)where Rf denotes a perfluoropolyether group and R1, R2 and R3 denote hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group, is held on the surface side illuminated by light.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical recording medium having a recording portion for signal recording, formed on one of the major surfaces of a support and a light transmitting layer formed on the recording portion. The light is illuminated from the side of the light transmitting layer to record and/or reproduce information signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical recording medium on one surface of which recording and/or reproduction for four hours is possible in accordance with the NTSC (National Television System Committee) has so far been proposed. In this manner, the optical recording medium has the function as a new recording medium which takes the place of a video tape cassette used in the current VTR (video tape recorder).
On the other hand, a demand is raised to make the shape or the size of an optical recording medium equivalent to those of a CD (Compact Disc) to render the recording medium more friendly to the user accustomed to the ease in handling and usability of the CD. On the other hand, a demand is raised to constitute the optical recording medium as a disc-shaped recording medium similar to a CD to exploit random-accessibility and fast accessing proper to the disc configuration to provide a recording medium which is small-sized and easy to operate, capable of instantaneous recording and/or reproduction and which has diversified functions such as tricky play or prompt editing.
The optical recording medium is required to exhibit diversified capabilities and properties, for use as the next-generation recording medium, and hence is in need of e.g., a recording capacity of not less than 8 GB.
However, the recording capacity of a conventional optical recording medium is not larger than 8 GB. As a conventional optical recording medium, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) has already been proposed. In DVD, the recording wavelength λ is 0.65 μm, the numerical aperture NA is 0.6 and the recording capacity is 4.7 GB.
If, with equivalent signal formats, such as the ECC (error correction code) or the modulation system, to those of the DVD, the recording capacity of an optical recording medium is to be not less than 8 GB, the relationship:4.7×(0.65/0.60×λ)2≧8needs to be met. By solving this formula, NA/λ≧1.20. Therefore, if, in an optical recording medium, the recording capacity is to be not less than 8 GB, the numerical aperture NA needs to be of a larger value, or the recording wavelength λ needs to be smaller.
If, in an optical recording medium, the numerical aperture NA is of a larger value, the allowance of the angle with which the disc surface deviates from the optical axis of the optical pickup (tilt angle) is diminished. Thus, in above-described optical recording medium in which the aberration due to the thickness of the disc surface tends to be affected by the tilt angle, the light transmitting layer through which is transmitted the illuminating light needs to be reduced to achieve stabilized signal recording and/or reproduction. In the optical recording medium, thickness variations in the light transmitting layer need to be smaller than a pre-set value, for the same reason.
The optical recording medium has a merit that, if the light transmitting layer is reduced in thickness, a higher recording density is achieved. It has, however, a drawback that it tends to be affected significantly by scratches or dust and dirt on the disc surface to render signal recording and/or reproduction difficult. That is, if, in an optical recording medium, recording and/or reproduction is to be performed using an optical system of high recording density employing an objective lens of high numerical aperture, it is necessary to reduce the working distance, that is the distance between the objective lens and the recording and/or reproducing surface of the disc, in comparison with that of a conventional optical recording medium. At this time, the optical recording medium tends to be damaged due to the increased probability of collision between the disc surface and the objective lens. In such case, the amount of dust and dirt affixed to the disc surface of the optical recording medium is increased due to electrification of the disc surface. The result is the increased rate of the recording and/or reproducing errors due to scratches or the dust and dirt on the disc surface.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided is a hydro-regeneration catalyst system, comprising:                (a) a first graded bed comprising a guard bed material; and        (b) a second graded bed, fluidly connected to the first graded bed, comprising a noble metal catalyst on a support having mesopores and macropores; wherein the noble metal catalyst has an average pore diameter of 20 to 1,000 nm (0.02 to 1 μm), a total pore volume of greater than 0.80 cc/g, and a macropore volume of 0.10 to 0.50 cc/g. Also provided is a guard bed system, comprising:        (a) a first guard bed comprising a first adsorbent having 10 μm or larger pores with an average pore diameter of 100 to 1,000 μm; and        (b) a second guard bed fluidly connected to the first guard bed, comprising a second adsorbent material having mesopores and macropores with a second average pore diameter of 20 to 1,000 nm.

Acidic ionic liquids are attractive as catalysts in many refinery and petrochemical process applications where the ionic liquid catalyst is easily mixed with the reactants in a reactor, followed by separation of the catalyst and hydrocarbon product in a settler. Ionic liquid catalysts are particularly useful for hydrocarbon conversion processes such as alkylation, olefin oligomerization, isomerization and disproportionation.
Conjunct polymers are by-products of the hydrocarbon reaction using ionic liquids, and they form a complex with the Lewis acid portion of the ionic liquid catalyst. The ionic liquid catalyst loses its effectiveness over time as the amount of conjunct polymer increases. The ionic liquid catalyst must then either be replaced or regenerated. Because ionic liquids are typically fairly expensive, processes for regenerating the ionic liquid catalysts are needed.
Ionic liquid catalyst can be regenerated by reacting with hydrogen gas in the presence of a solid hydrogenation catalyst under hydrogenation conditions ("hydro-regeneration"). Under hydro-regeneration process conditions, the conjunct polymers are liberated from the ionic liquid catalyst and cracked down to lighter molecules which are extracted downstream by solvent extraction and the regenerated ionic liquid catalyst recovers its activity.
Over the course of the hydro-regeneration process, the regeneration reactor occasionally suffers from pressure build-up primarily due to the formation of by-products that may ultimately result in undesirable process shut-down. Unwanted by-products may include corrosion product metals, gummy oligomers, cokes, and hydrolyzed solids formed as a consequence of trace water or polar hydrocarbons in the feed. It is believed that the pressure build-up is due to localized accumulation of these by-products on the external surface of the solid hydrogenation catalyst bed; this in turn creates higher flow resistance to the ionic liquid catalyst. Localized plugging of the solid hydrogenation catalyst may result in early termination of the regeneration process and a shortened catalyst life. There exists a need to extend hydro-regeneration catalyst life and improve reliability of the process.

Regeneration of an ionic liquid catalyst by hydrogenation using a macroporous noble metal catalyst


The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device to execute a refresh operation in such a manner that an entry and an exit of a self refresh mode is carried out. The present invention uses only external clock signals without a clock enable signal or an auto refresh command and therefore it is possible to implement a simple circuit for the self refresh. A semiconductor memory device includes a self refresh enable signal generator for outputting an activated self refresh enable signal when positive and negative external clock signals are in phase and a de-activated self refresh enable signal when the positive and negative external clock signals are out of phase and a self refresh block for performing a self refresh operation in response to the activated self refresh enable signal.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device; and more particular, to a semiconductor memory device, such as a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), to execute a refresh operation in such a manner that an entry and an exit of a self refresh mode is carried out.
A DRAM cell is comprised of a switching transistor and a capacitor to store electric charges (data). The identification of the 'High' and 'Low' data is dependent upon a voltage applied to the capacitor, that is, dependent upon the presence or absence of the charges in the capacitor of the cell.
The data storage itself does not cause the power consumption mainly because the charges are stored in the capacitor. However, since a leakage current is caused in a PN junction of a MOS transistor, an initial amount of charges can disappear and this disappearance of the charges makes the data extinguished. To prevent this problem, before the data are extinguished, a recharge operation is performed in which the stored data is read out and the read-out data is restored.
The data maintenance is achieved by the above-mentioned recharge operation and this recharge operation is called a refresh operation. The refresh operation is typically carried out through a DRAM controller. The refresh is classified into two methods. The first method is an external refresh to issue a refresh command from the DRAM controller and the second method is a self refresh in which the DRAM controller issues only a refresh start signal and a refresh operation is continuously carried out itself until a refresh exit signal is issued.
FIG. 1 is a timing diagram illustrating an entry and an exit of a conventional self refresh mode. Referring to FIG. 1, the self refresh mode entry and exist of the conventional synchronization DRAM is recommended by JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) to execute the semiconductor standardization. When a clock enable signal CKE is in a low level and an auto refresh command (AREF: Auto REfresh) is inputted at a rising edge of the first external clock signal CLK after the logically low signal of the clock enable signal CKE ({circle around (1)}), the self refresh mode entry starts at the time of activating a self refresh enable signal (SREF_EN(Internal)) ({circle around (2)}). In the self refresh, restore operations associated with a specific group of cells are carried out using row address signals generated by a counter provided in the DRAM and other cell groups are restored by changing output signals of the counter for a predetermined period provided by an inner timer. When the external clock signal CLK is changed to a logic high level during this self refresh ({circle around (3)}) and a self refresh exit command (SREF: Self REfresh Exit) is inputted at a rising edge of the first external clock signal CLK after the logically high signal of the clock enable signal CKE, the self refresh enable signal (SREF_EN(Internal) is de-activated so that the self refresh mode is terminated ({circle around (4)}).
As illustrated above, the operation of the self refresh mode entry and exit is decided by the external clock signal (CLK) and the auto refresh command (AREF). In the meantime, the self refresh mode entry starts with the proper combination of the clock enable signal (CKE) and the auto refresh command (AREF) which are synchronized with the clock signal (CLK). However, if this combination has a problem such as an error or margin, an erroneous operation can be generated. Furthermore, there are many problems in circuit design, that is, there is a high probability of an error of the activation of the internal clock signal CLK after the clock enable signal CKE goes to a logic high level because the input of the external clock signal CLK is not valid while the self refresh operation is executed even though the self refresh mode is in the exit mode.

Semiconductor memory device performing self refresh operation


A method for manufacturing a highly-crystallized oxide powder, wherein an oxide powder is produced by ejecting a starting material powder containing at least one metal element and/or semimetal element, which will become a constituent component of the oxide, into a reaction vessel together with a carrier gas through a nozzle; and heating the starting material powder at a temperature higher than the decomposition temperature or reaction temperature thereof and not lower than (Tm/2)° C., where Tm° C. stands for a melting point of the oxide, in a state in which the starting material powder is dispersed in a gas phase at a concentration of not higher than 10 g/L. In the above method, the starting material powder may be mixed and dispersed in the carrier gas by using a dispersing machine prior to being ejected into the reaction vessel through a nozzle. The resultant oxide powder has a high crystallinity, a high dispersibility, and a uniform particle size, without introducing impurities thereinto, by a low-cost and simple production equipment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a highly-crystallized metal oxide powder, semimetal oxide powder, or double oxide powder comprising at least two metal elements and/or semimetal elements. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of an oxide powder with a high dispersibility and a high crystallinity that has a high purity and a uniform particle size, this powder being suitable for functional materials for electronics such as phosphor materials, dielectric materials, magnetic materials, conductive materials, semiconductive materials, superconductive materials, piezoelectric materials, magnetic recording materials, positive electrode materials for secondary batteries, and electromagnetic wave absorbing materials, catalyst materials, and starting materials for the manufacture thereof, or for industrial materials that can be used in a variety of other fields.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Powders of metal oxides, semimetal oxides and double oxides comprising at least two metal elements and/or semimetal elements (those powders will be collectively referred to hereinbelow as "oxide powders", unless stated otherwise) employed as functional materials are desired to have a high purity, to be compositionally homogeneous, and to have a high crystallinity in order to demonstrate fully their functions. In particular, in order to improve phosphor characteristics such as fluorescence intensity of phosphors, a highly-crystallized oxide powder is required, this powder containing a small amount of impurities, having no defects or lattice deformations on the surface of particles or inside thereof, being compositionally homogeneous, in particular, having a very small amount of activation elements uniformly distributed therein, and preferably consisting of a single phase.
When an oxide powder is molded and heat treated by a sintering process to manufacture a sintered body, property control of the oxide powder as a starting material is also important. For example, in order to obtain high-performance oxide cores or oxide permanent magnets with excellent magnetic properties and mechanical properties, the oxide powder used as a starting material is required to consist of fine particles, to have a uniform particle size and an isotropic shape, and to be a single crystal.
Furthermore, when an oxide powder is dispersed in a matrix such as a resin or the like and used in the form of a thick-film paste, ink, paint, sheet, powder compact, or other compositions and composite materials, it is important that in addition to the improvement of properties inherent to the oxide, the particle shape and size be uniform and agglomeration of particles be prevented in order to improve dispersibility, packing density, and processability. In particular, a fine monodisperse powder with a mean particle diameter of about 0.1–10 μm, a narrow particle size distribution, and no agglomeration is desired for thick-film pastes or inks.
Oxide powders have been manufactured in the past by a solid-phase reaction method, a gas-phase reaction method, a liquid-phase reaction method, and a spray pyrolysis method.
With the solid-phase reaction method, a mixture of starting material powders such as oxalates, carbonates, oxides, and the like is placed in a firing container such as a crucible or the like and heated at a high temperature for a long time to induce a solid-phase reaction, followed by grinding in a ball mill or the like. However, the oxide powder manufactured by this method has an irregular shape and consists of particle aggregates with a large particle size distribution. Moreover, a large amount of impurities are introduced from the crucible or in the grinding process. Further, when double oxides are manufactured, treatment is required to be conducted for a long time at a high temperature in order to improve compositional homogeneity. As a result, the production efficiency is poor. Furthermore, the particle surface was modified and a large number of defects were produced on the particle surface and inside thereof by chemical reactions and physical impacts during grinding. As a result, the crystallinity was decreased and physical properties inherent to oxides were degraded.
With the gas-phase method by which vapors of metals or metal compounds are reacted in a gas phase, fine oxide powders can be manufactured. However, not only the cost is high, but agglomeration easily occurs in the obtained powder and the particle diameter is difficult to control.
Examples of the liquid-phase reaction method include a liquid-phase precipitation method, a hydrothermal method, and a method based on hydrolysis of inorganic salts or alkoxides. Those methods produce fine oxide powders with a comparatively small surface modification and a high crystallinity. However, fine powders without agglomeration and with a high dispersibility are difficult to manufacture. Furthermore, high-purity starting materials are necessary and a long time is required for the reaction and separation operation, which results in a high production cost.
With the spray pyrolysis method, a solution obtained by dissolving or dispersing a metal compound in water or an organic solvent is sprayed to obtain fine liquid droplets and the droplets are heated under the conditions allowing a metal oxide to precipitate, thereby producing a metal oxide powder. With such a method, agglomeration-free fine monodisperse particles can be obtained and the amount of introduced impurities is small. Furthermore, because the starting materials are in the form of a solution, metal components can be mixed homogeneously at any ratio. For those reasons, this method is considered to be suitable for the manufacture of double oxide powders. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-152146 described the manufacture of a fine phosphor powder with excellent fluorescence properties by this method.
However, the spray pyrolysis method uses a large amount of water or an organic solvent such as an alcohol, acetone, an ether, and the like to obtain liquid droplets of the metal compounds used as a starting material. For this reason, a large quantity of energy is required to evaporate the solvent, energy loss during pyrolysis is increased, and the cost rises. Furthermore, the atmosphere control during pyrolysis is difficult because of solvent decomposition. In addition, the particle size distribution of the produced particles sometimes becomes wide because of merging and splitting of liquid particles in the reaction vessel. For those reasons, the reaction conditions such as the spraying rate, the concentration of liquid droplets in a carrier gas, the retention time in the reaction vessel, and the like are difficult to set and the productivity is poor. Moreover, this method is limited to those starting materials that can be used to obtain solutions or suspensions. Therefore, a limitation is placed on the compositional range and concentration of starting materials, and the types of oxide powders that can be manufactured are limited.

Method for manufacturing highly-crystallized oxide powder


A pressure sensing system and method includes a pressure sensor configured to include a pressure sensing diaphragm and a pressure port. A memory circuit incorporated can be incorporated into the pressure port. A high order polynomial component can also be provided. One or more excitation signals are then applicable to the pressure sensor such that a voltage output thereof is measured and recorded at a plurality of predefined temperatures and pressures in order to generate pressure sensor output data. Such output data is then automatically input to the high order polynomial component in order to generate a set of correction coefficients usable for improving the accuracy of the pressure sensor. The pressure sensing diaphragm is preferably based on an Advanced Thick Film (ATF) configuration.

Various sensors are known in the pressure sensing arts. Pressure transducers are well known in the art. One example of a pressure transducer is a device formed with a silicon substrate and an epitaxial layer, which is grown on the substrate. A portion of the substrate can then be removed, leaving a thin, flexible diaphragm portion. Sensing components can be located in the diaphragm portion to form a pressure transducer. In operation, at least one surface of the diaphragm can be exposed to a process pressure. The diaphragm deflects according to the magnitude of the pressure, and this deflection bends the attached sensing components. Bending of the diaphragm creates a change in the resistance value of the sensing components, which can be reflected as a change in the output voltage signal of a resistive bridge formed at least partially by the sensing components.
Some techniques for forming a composite diaphragm for a pressure transducer or similar device involve configuring a substrate layer having a first conductivity type, wherein the substrate layer includes a first surface. Positive implants can then be deposited in the first surface of the substrate layer, and an epitaxial layer grown on the first surface of the substrate layer so that the positive implants form positive diffusions in the epitaxial layer. An oxide pattern can be then formed on the epitaxial layer, and a top layer deposited over the epitaxial layer and oxide pattern. The substrate layer and positive diffusions of the epitaxial layer can then be etched to form the composite diaphragm. Such a composite diaphragm can therefore be provided for use in a pressure sensor or like device. The diaphragm comprises a first layer of silicon nitride and a second layer attached to the silicon nitride layer and comprising a pressure sensor pattern of silicon material.
Pressure transducers of the type which comprise a thin, relatively flexible diaphragm portion of suitable material, such as silicon or ceramic, on which either a selected resistive element or a capacitive plate is printed whereby exposure to a pressure source causes deflection of the diaphragm will cause a change in the resistive value of the resistive element or a change in the spacing of the capacitive plate with a mating capacitive plate and concomitantly a change in capacitance are therefore well known in the art.
One area where pressure sensors find critical usage is in the natural gas production and distribution industry. The ability to monitor natural gas line pressures over a wide temperature and pressure range is important in many residential, consumers, commercial and industrial settings. Safety remains a constant concern in any situation in which natural gas is distributed.
For some industrial applications such as, for example, the distribution of combustible process fluids (e.g., combustible gases), explosion proof or flame proof rated regulators, sensing devices, etc. are required. In the case of a regulator, combustible process fluids that accumulate in the regulator housing must be properly vented to ambient or atmosphere to achieve a flame proof or explosion proof rating. Generally, atmospheric venting is configured to prevent the dangerous accumulation of combustible process fluids within the regulator housing and to prevent a combustion process that initiates within the regulator housing from propagating to the greater process ambient surrounding the regulator. For example, one or more sintered metal flame arrestors (which are semi-porous and provide a sufficiently minimal flame path) may be used to provide the necessary atmospheric venting.
Based on the foregoing, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for improved pressure sensors, which can be adapted for use in monitoring hazardous fluids and gases, such as that present in a natural gas line. Not only is safety a factor, but cost is also a concern. A need exists for a highly accurate and low cost pressure sensor for such situations.

Pressure sensor with electronic datasheet


A method and the apparatus for obtaining a compressed gas product by means of cryogenic separation of air in a distillation column system which has a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column. All of the feed air is compressed in a main air compressor to a first pressure which is at least 4 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column. A first partial flow of the feed air compressed in the main air compressor is cooled to an intermediate temperature in a main heat exchanger and is expanded so as to perform work in a first air turbine. At least a first part of the first partial flow expanded so as to perform work is introduced into the distillation column system.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the variable obtaining of a compressed gas product by means of cryogenic separation of air.
Methods and apparatuses for the cryogenic separation of air are for example known from Hausen/Linde, Tieftemperaturtechnik [Cryogenics], 2nd Edition 1985, Chapter 4 (pages 281 to 337).
The distillation column system of such an installation can be designed as a two-column system (for example as a conventional Linde double column system), or also as a three- or multi-column system. In addition to the columns for nitrogen-oxygen-separation, it can have further apparatuses for obtaining high-purity products and/or other air components, in particular noble gases, for example argon production and/or krypton-xenon production.
The expression "condenser-evaporator" refers to a heat exchanger in which a first, condensing fluid flow enters into indirect heat exchange with a second, evaporating fluid flow. Each condenser-evaporator has a liquefaction space and an evaporation space, which consist of liquefaction passages and, respectively, evaporation passages. The condensation (liquefaction) of the first fluid flow takes place in the liquefaction space, the evaporation of the second fluid flow takes place in the evaporation space. The evaporation and liquefaction spaces are formed by groups of passages which are in a heat-exchanging inter-relationship. The evaporation space of a condenser-evaporator can be designed as a bath-type evaporator, a falling film evaporator or a forced flow evaporator.
In the process of the invention, a product flow pressurized in liquid form is evaporated against a heat transfer medium and is finally obtained as an internally compressed gas product. This method is also termed internal compression. It serves for obtaining a gaseous compressed product. In the case of a supercritical pressure, no phase change per se takes place; the product flow is then "pseudo-evaporated". The product flow can for example be an oxygen product from the low-pressure column of a two-column system or a nitrogen product from the high-pressure column of a two-column system, or respectively from the liquefaction space of a main condenser, via which the high-pressure column and the low-pressure column are in heat-exchanging connection.
Counter to the (pseudo-)evaporating product flow, a heat transfer medium at high pressure is liquefied (or, respectively, pseudo-liquefied if it is at a supercritical pressure). The heat transfer medium frequently consists of one part of the air, in the present case the "second partial flow" of the compressed feed air.
Internal compression methods are for example known from DE 830805, DE 901542 (=U.S. Pat. No. 2,712,738/U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,572), DE 952908, DE 1103363 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,544), DE 1112997 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,925), DE 1124529, DE 1117616 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,574), DE 1226616 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,206). DE 1229561 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,878), DE 1199293, DE 1187248 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,496), DE 1235347, DE 1258882 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,543), DE 1263037 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,531), DE 1501722 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,323), DE 1501723 (=U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,651), DE 253132 (=U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,631), DE 2646690, EP 93448 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,256), EP 384483 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,672), EP 505812 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,328), EP 716280 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,934), EP 842385 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,937), EP 758733 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,517), EP 895045 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,885), DE 19803437 A1, EP 949471 B1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,960 B1), EP 955509 A1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,022 B1), EP 1031804 A1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,755), DE 19909744 A1, EP 1067345 A1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,345), EP 1074805 A1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,337), DE 19954593 A1, EP 1134525 A1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,860), DE 10013073 A1, EP 1139046 A1, EP 1146301 A1, EP 1150082 A1, EP 1213552 A1, DE 10115258 A1, EP 1284404 A1 (=US 2003051504 A1), EP 1308680 A1 (=U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,129 B2), DE 10213212 A1, DE 10213211 A1, EP 1357342 A1 or DE 10238282 A1, DE 10302389 A1, DE 10334559 A1, DE 10334560 A1, DE 10332863 A1, EP 1544559 A1, EP 1585926 A1, DE 102005029274 A1, EP 1666824 A1, EP 1672301 A1, DE 102005028012 A1, WO 2007033838 A1, WO 2007104449 A1, EP 1845324 A1, DE 102006032731 A1, EP 1892490 A1, DE 102007014643 A1, EP 2015012 A2, EP 2015013 A2, EP 2026024 A1, WO 2009095188 A2 or DE 102008016355 A1.
The invention relates in particular to systems in which all of the feed air is compressed to a pressure which is much higher than the highest distillation pressure which prevails within the columns of the distillation column system (this is normally the high-pressure column pressure). Such systems are also termed HAP (high air pressure) processes. In that context, the "first pressure", that is to say the outlet pressure of the main air compressor (MAC), in which all of the air is compressed, is for example more than 4 bar, in particular 6 to 16 bar above the highest distillation pressure. In absolute terms, the "first pressure" is for example between 17 and 25 bar. In HAP-methods, the main air compressor is normally the only machine for compressing air which is driven by external energy. An "only machine" is understood here as a single-stage or multi-stage compressor whose stages are all connected to the same drive, wherein all stages are contained in the same casing or are connected to the same drive.
One alternative to such HAP methods are what are termed MAC-BAC methods, in which the air in the main air compressor is compressed to a relatively low total air pressure, for example to the operating pressure of the high-pressure column (plus pipe losses). One part of the air from the main air compressor is compressed to a higher pressure in an air post-compressor (or BAC—booster air compressor) driven by external energy. This air part at high pressure (often called throttle flow) provides the majority of the heat required in the main heat exchanger for the (pseudo-)evaporation of the internally compressed product. It is expanded downstream of the main air compressor in a throttle valve or in a liquid turbine (or DLE—dense liquid expander) to the pressure required in the distillation column system.
A method of the type mentioned in the introduction, with a first post-compressor (hot booster) and a second post-compressor (cold booster) connected in series is known from DE 102010055448 A1.
The invention is based on the object of further improving such a method with respect to energy efficiency.

Method and apparatus for obtaining a compressed gas product by cryogenic separation of air


Data packets of a data flow are identified for transmission in a radio communication system with a data flow and/or individual service indicator enabling them to be allocated to the corresponding data flow for reception. A sequence number for the data packets in each data flow is added upon transmission to the data packet in order to reestablish the original order of the data packets of a data flow; the advantage thereof being that the data flows of several services can use a common HARQ process, whereupon the memory used for reception according to said HARQ process can be reduced.

The invention relates to a method and a radio station for transmitting data packets in a radio communication system, in particular in a mobile radio system.
In radio communication systems, information (such as voice, image information or other data) is transmitted with the aid of electromagnetic waves over a radio interface between a sending and a receiving radio station (base station and mobile station). The electromagnetic waves are radiated using carrier frequencies lying in the frequency band provided for the respective system. Frequencies in the frequency band of approximately 2000 MHz are provided for future mobile radio systems employing CDMA or TD/CDMA transmission methods over the radio interface, for example the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) or other 3rd-generation systems. Frequency Division Multiplex Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiplex Access (TDMA), or a method known as Code Division Multiplex Access (CDMA) here serve to distinguish the signal sources.
As part of the standardization of the UMTS standard, methods are currently being specified which support efficient transmission of data packets. So-called hybrid ARQ (HARQ) methods are an important technology in this area. Hybrid ARQ methods derive their advantage from the fact that incorrectly received data packets are stored in a storage facility (buffer) in the receiving device so that they can be combined with succeeding, repeated and, where applicable, modified transmissions of the data packets. In contrast to known pure ARQ methods in which faulty data packets are rejected, this advantageously also makes it possible to benefit from faulty data packets to increase the quality of reception. The data packets which are saved in this receiver-side buffer must be able to be read out very quickly so that no unnecessary delays occur in the data transmission and analysis. Storage facilities with this attribute are usually very expensive.
The system of what is termed High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) which is currently specified for the UMTS also claims to be able to cater for different services with different Quality of Service (QoS) requirements simultaneously. These different QoS requirements of the data also necessitate a different form of processing of the respective data in the HARQ process. Furthermore it is necessary for the data packets of a service which arrive at the receiver to be reordered into the correct sequence. Typically, the receiver will not receive the data packets in the correct sequence since individual data packets can be disrupted during the transmission over the radio interface and have to be requested again via the ARQ mechanism, whereas other data packets originally transmitted at a later time are immediately received correctly.
In order to satisfy these requirements it is proposed to provide a separate HARQ process for each service. However, this disadvantageously leads to the size of the buffer required for the HARQ process having to be multiplied by the number of different services, which means that a large and expensive buffer or a plurality of buffers must be provided in readiness.

Transmission of data packets in a radiocommunication system using a common hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process


A flash removal system identifies and removes flash lighting from a video. The flash removal system identifies flash-exposed frames in the video based on a time stamp of the frame, an average luminance of the frame, or a user input. The flash removal system generates a replacement frame for each identified flash-exposed frame based on at least one frame of the video. The flash removal system replaces the flash-exposed frames with the replacement frames, generating a modified video having reduced flash lighting.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to video processing and, in particular, to removing flash lighting from video recordings.
2. Description of the Background Art
Modern cameras and cell phones have merged still photography and video capture capabilities. However, lighting for both videos and still-frame images remains a problem. Low-light still photography typically relies on a short burst of very high-intensity flash for illumination. Consumer-grade video recording, on the other hand, typically does not use flash or other external illumination, and just records low-light images. As a result, recording a low-light video while simultaneously trying to capture one or more still photographs poses a challenge: either have bursts of flash appearing in the video, potentially overexposing frames, or take the still photos in low light and have them be underexposed.

Avoiding flash-exposed frames during video recording


A score factor system that may generate a score factor user interface that displays summary credit information for a particular consumer in selected credit categories. The system constructs flippable score factor interfaces for such display that, when touched, may be reversed to display explanatory text on how the corresponding credit category affects their credit report.

This disclosure relates to the field of consumer credit information and particularly to the presentation of credit score and credit report information.
The credit report and credit score are an important indicator of a consumer's financial health. Consequently, monitoring their credit reports and having a high credit score is important to consumers for many reasons. A high credit score may qualify a consumer for various financial programs and/or allow a consumer to receive favorable rates is such programs, such as loan applications, rental applications, real estate mortgages, and so on. The credit report may allow a user to view the underlying data affecting their credit score. Thus, many consumers have a substantial interest in finding ways to improve their credit scores and understand their credit reports.
There is much information available to consumers as to how to improve credit scores. For example, sources provide advice to consumers to pay off loans, to establish certain numbers of credit accounts, to establish new loans, to raise or lower credit card limits, and so on. However, this advice is generic to all consumers and does not provide information specific to a particular consumer's situation. The question for many consumers then is "How is my particular credit data is affecting my credit score?".
To determine effective actions to take, it is often necessary to analyze a consumer's underlying credit information. However, paper credit reports are often confusing to consumers, and do not explain the effects of particular pieces of data contained within the credit report. Furthermore, consumers often do not know how their credit activities affect their credit score or how their credit score is calculated. This translates into consumers struggling to use and analyze their credit information in meaningful ways, or develop effective strategies to raise their credit score.


A device adapted for keeping in a wallet, a pocket, a bag, or a similar place, said device is designed as a credit card in size and preferably has a display surface intended for commercial use, where said device is made of a relative stiff material such as cardboard or plastic, and that said device in a corner area is provided with a flexible finger (46), which at an outer end (48) is provided with a slit or narrowing (50) for use in removing a tick or corresponding blood sucking insect, which has bitten on to and bored its snout down into the skin of a person or an animal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a device for keeping in a wallet, a pocket, a bag or a similar place.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Arrangements of that kind are known by way of example as small disposable packings, most often in the form of tear-open bags of plastic or metal film containing a folded wet tissue for cleaning hands and/or face. In connection with car wash in automatic facilities on service stations it is also known that corresponding tear-open bags of plastic or metal film containing prepared tissue for use in cleaning wax from the windshield for the car are handed out. In some cases, a number of cohering tear-up bags are handed out, which are intended to be separated by means of perforations, and which may contain tissues prepared with different cleaning agents and possibly a dry tissue for final wiping of the windshield of the car.

Device adapted for keeping in a wallet, a pocket, a bag, or a similar place


The present invention improves a productivity in growing an a-Si film in a thin film transistor and to obtain an excellent thin film transistor characteristic. More specifically, disclosed is a thin film transistor in which an amorphous silicon film 2, a gate insulating film 3 and a gate electrode are sequentially stacked on an insulating substrate 1. The amorphous silicon film 2 includes a low defect-density amorphous silicon layer 5 formed at a low deposition rate and a high deposition rate amorphous silicon layer 6 formed at a deposition rate higher than that of the low defect-density amorphous silicon layer 5. The low defect-density amorphous silicon layer 5 in the amorphous silicon film 2 is grown closer to the insulating substrate 1, and the high deposition rate amorphous silicon layer 6 is grown closer to the gate insulating film 3.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor used for an active matrix liquid crystal display, a liquid crystal display device using the thin film transistor, and a method of fabricating the thin film transistor.
2. Prior Art
A liquid display device employing an active matrix system, which uses a thin film transistor, comprises a TFT array substrate in which gate electrodes (Y-electrode) and data electrodes (X-electrode) are arranged in the form of a matrix and thin film transistors (TFT) are disposed at intersceting points of the matrix, and an opposite substrate located so as face the TFT array substrate with a space therebetween. By the thin film transistor, the liquid display device controls a voltage applied to a liquid crystal which is sealed between the TFT array substrate and the opposite substrate, and can performs a displaying utilizing an electro-optic effect of the liquid crystal.
Here, as a structure of the thin film transistor (TFT), a top gate type (positive stagger type) thin film transistor (TET) and a bottom gate type (reverse stagger type) thin film transistor have heretofore been known. In the top gate type thin film transistor, a light shield film is formed on an insulating substrate formed of glass and the like, and an insulating film formed of silicon oxide SiOx, silicon nitride SiNx and the like is formed on the light shield film. On the insulating film, source electrode and source electrodes formed of an ITO (indium tin oxide) film are formed so as to be apart from each other by a predetermined distance. An amorphous silicon film (a-Si film) is formed so as to cover the source and drain electrodes. A gate insulating film formed of SiOx, SiNx and the like is formed on the amorphous silicon film. A gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating film. On the other hand, in the bottom gate type thin film transistor, a gate electrode is formed by patterning a metal film deposited on an insulating substrate formed of glass and the like. A gate insulating film formed of SiNx and the like is formed on the gate electrode. An amorphous silicon film (a-Si film) is grown on the gate insulating film by a CVD method. Thereafter, an a-Si film doped with phosohorus (n+) is grown in a way that phosphine (PH3) is continuously supplied during the growth of the film, and then patterned. Moreover, a film for source and drain electrodes is formed on the a-Si film, and patterned. Thus, the source and drain electrodes are formed.
Here, since a growth rate of the amorphous silicon (a-Si) film is as slow as 500 Å/min in forming the thin film transistor (TFT), acquisition of a sufficient TFT characteristic with an a-Si film of a thickness which is as thin as possible is effective to increase a productivity and to minimize a capital investment.
As prior arts paying attention to the length of a manufacturing time in forming such a-Si film, there exist Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6(1994)-77483, No. Hei 7(1995)-45833, No. Hei 7(1995)-135319 and No. Hei 8(1996)-255917. In these gazettes, an a-Si film formed of a low deposition rate film, which takes a long film growth time for growing it, is grown in combination with an a-Si film formed of a high deposition rate film, which takes a short film growth time. More specifically, in the thin film transistors (TFT) taking a bottom gate type structure and a top gate type structure, a good a-Si film (fine a-Si film/low defect-density a-Si film) formed of a low deposition rate film is grown on so-called a channel interface side (gate insulating film side), and a bad a-Si film (coarse a-Si film/high defect-density a-Si film) is grown close to the source and drain electrode side that is a contact portion. According to these films, a tact time can be reduced to half, compared to a length of a general manufacturing time at the time when the a-Si film is formed at a single low deposition rate by a chemical vapor deposition method. In addition, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the a-Si film on the channel interface side which has an effect on electric characteristics and physical and mechanical characteristic, thus preventing deterioration of characteristics of the thin film transistor (TFT).
However, according to these background arts, although the film growth time can surely be shortened, the prior arts are nothing else more than preventing the deterioration of the TFT characteristic such as an electrical characteristic, and the prior arts do not aim at increasing the TFT characteristic. In other words, the object of these prior arts is to shorten: a working time for growing the film under a situation where the deterioration of the TFT characteristic is prevented, and disclose nothing than increasing no deposition rate of the a-Si film on the channel interface side in both of the bottom gate and top gate type TFTs.
As described above, it is required to obtain a sufficient TFT characteristic with an a-Si film of a thickness which is as thin as possible in fabricating the thin film transistor (TFT). On the other hand, in the top gate type TFT, when source and drain electrodes are formed by plasma doping technique, the a-Si film is grown on the SiOx film formed on the substrate. Accordingly, the a-Si film has a tendency to have a large defect-density due to a lattice mismatching of the a-Si film with the SiOx film. In order to acquire a sufficient ON characteristic of the thin film transistor (TFT), an a-Si film having a sufficiently thick thickness must be formed so that its film quality is further improved as a distance from the SiOx film becomes larger. In other words, as the thickness of the deposited a-Si film increases, a lower part of amorphous silicon is annealed in eventually H2 atmosphere and the film quality is improved as the dangling bond of amorphous silicon is terminated by H2. (as the thickness of the deposited a-Si film increases, an influence of lattice mismatching of the amorphous silicon with the silicon oxide on an upper part of the amorphous silicon is reduced, and so-called a hydrogen annealing effect further improving the film quality of the amorphous silicon as the deposition of the amorphous silicon is progressed is exhibited, thus tending to increase an ON current.)
FIG. 6 is a graph showing a dependency of the film thickness on the ON current in the conventional TFT structure. In FIG. 6, the axis of abscissa shows the film thickness of the a-Si film, and the axis of ordinates shows the ON current. In the case where the a-Si film formed at a high deposition rate is particularly used, the ON current increases approximately in proportion to the film thickness in a practical use as shown in FIG. 6, so that a thick thickness is required for the a-Si film to obtain a sufficient ON current to drive a liquid crystal device (LCD) including the thin film transistor.
This tendency is shown in the case where a low defect-density amorphous silicon formed at a low deposition rate is used.
However, as a result of investigations by the inventors, the inventors came to recognize the existence of the fact that the ON current decreases as the film thickness of the a-Si film becomes larger. Specifically, although the ON current tends generally to increase as the film thickness of the a-Si film becomes larger, on the contrary the ON current decreases as the film thickness of the a-Si film becomes larger depending on a position of the a-Si film formed and its state. The reason is that as the film thickness of the a-Si film becomes larger, a distance between the channel interface the upper part of the a-Si film in the case of the top gate type thin film transistor TFT) and the source/drain electrode becomes larger, thus increasing a parasitic capacitance. Furthermore, as another reason, the following reason is given. When the Debye length defined by the depth in which electric field has effect on the amorphous silicon is nearly equal to the thickness of the amorphous silicon, the current conduction is dominated by the contact conductance not by the channel conductance, so that the thickness of the a-Si film is almost proportional to the current (current crowding effect) For this reason, employment of a thin a-Si film is sometimes more advantageous to produce a large ON current.
As described above, since the advantage in the case where the thick a-Si film is employed and the advantage in the case where thin a-Si film is employed are in a trade-off relation, in order to produce the maximum ON current, it is necessary to select the optimum position for forming the a-Si film, as well as the optimum thickness of the a-Si film.
In order to solve the above-described problems, the object of the present invention is to increase productivity of a thin film transistor and to produce a high TFT characteristic, by forming a low defect-density a-Si film formed at a low deposition rate at a contact portion.

Thin film transistor, liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the thin film transistor


A double patterning method of forming a plurality of hole patterns having a small pitch using etch selectivities includes forming a patterning mask pattern defining a preliminary hole exposing an upper surface of a buffer mask layer, an inner spacer exposing the upper surface of the buffer mask layer on an inner wall of the preliminary hole, a buffer mask pattern having a first hole, and a core insulating pattern filling the preliminary hole and the first hole, an outer spacer to expose a first portion of the patterning mask pattern on the exposed portion of the outer side of the inner spacer, and an empty space exposing a first portion of the buffer mask pattern. A second portion of the patterning mask pattern and a second portion of the buffer mask pattern are exposed. A second hole is formed by removing the second portion of the buffer mask pattern.

1. Field
Example embodiments of inventive concepts relate to methods of forming hole patterns of semiconductor devices.
2. Description of Related Art
As the degree of integration of semiconductor devices increases, various double patterning technologies for forming hole patterns having a pitch or a diameter smaller than the minimum resolution of a photolithography process have been suggested.

Methods of forming hole patterns of semiconductor devices


Disclosed herein are methods and systems for encoding data in composite patterns such that the encoded data is perceptible in one or more infrared spectral ranges while significantly imperceptible in visible light spectral range by encoding the data in one or more first partial patterns and/or in one or more second partial patterns of the composite pattern where the first partial pattern(s) is painted using a first print material and the second partial pattern(s) is painted using a second. The first and second paint materials are characterized by reflecting substantially similar light in the visible light spectral range and significantly different light in the infrared spectral range(s) such that the first and second patterns are indistinguishable in the visible light spectral range while highly distinguishable in the infrared spectral range(s). further disclosed are methods and systems for decoding the composite patterns to decode and extract the encoded data.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to patterns perceptible in infrared spectral range, and, more specifically, but not exclusively, to patterns comprising multiple partial patterns highly indistinct in visible light spectral range while highly perceptible in infrared spectral range.
Encoding data in patterns, for example, text, symbols, icons and/or the like has been a way to convey data to human viewers, readers and/or the like from the time of ancient history.
The constant and rapid technological advance has seen the introduction of automated systems capable of decoding such encoded data for a plurality of applications ranging from gaming, social media and/or commerce applications, through automated and autonomous systems, vehicles and/or the like to medical, security, public order and military applications.

Data encoding in printed material using varying IR reflective materials


A data processing device includes a registering unit, a display unit, a settings-acquiring unit, and a virtual device renaming unit. The registering unit registers a plurality of communicable printers as a plurality of virtual devices. Each of the plurality of virtual devices has a plurality of functions. The display unit displays a plurality of virtual device names for the plurality of virtual devices. The settings-acquiring unit acquires a setting for at least one of the plurality of functions for each of the plurality of virtual device. The virtual device renaming unit changes at least one of the virtual device names for the plurality of the virtual devices to a device name representing the setting of a corresponding virtual device acquired by the settings-acquiring unit.

In recent years, personal computers and other data processing devices have been used in an environment allowing access to a plurality of printers. For example, a system that has a plurality of data processing devices connected to a plurality of printers via a network may be set up so that each of the plurality of data processing devices can access each of the printers. With this system, virtual devices corresponding to the printers are registered in the data processing device so that the user can specify which of the printers is the output destination.
Further, a plurality of virtual devices may be registered in a data processing device, even when the data processing device uses only a single printer as the output destination. For example, when a plurality of different print settings is used frequently, it is possible to register a plurality of virtual devices for a single printer such that each virtual device has different default settings. If the user wishes to use a variety of print settings for a single printer in this way, the user can perform printing with the desired print settings simply by selecting one of the plurality of virtual devices having the desired print settings as the default settings. Therefore, the user need not modify the printer settings for each print operation regarding whether to use the duplex print function, whether to use the color print function, and which of a plurality of paper cassettes to use, thereby eliminating the troublesome operations involved in modifying print settings.
However, if the number of virtual devices registered in a single data processing device becomes excessive under these circumstances, the user must search for a virtual device having a desired function from among the plurality of virtual devices when the user wishes to use the virtual device having the desired function. This can require the user to spend more time looking for the desired virtual device. Further, in order to determine whether the selected virtual device has the desired function, the user must confirm that the function is available after selecting the virtual device. Should the selected virtual device not possess the desired function, the user must select another virtual device and try again. In some cases the user may have to repeat the troublesome operations of selection several times.
To resolve this problem, technologies such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H07-152507 have been proposed for generating a plurality of functional device names by combining a printer name with a plurality of function names representing functions possessed by the printer and for displaying the generated functional device names. With this technology, the user can determine what functions the printer possesses simply by browsing through the displayed functional device names.

Data processing device for renaming virtual device


A method includes receiving image data corresponding to an image and determining object quality values based on a portion of the image data. The portion corresponds to an object represented in the image. The method also includes accessing object category metrics associated with an object category corresponding to the object. The method includes generating a notification indicating that the image data has been altered in response to a result of a comparison of the object quality values to the object category metrics. The result indicates alteration of the portion of the image data.

Conventional image quality detection mechanisms are either global (e.g., to assess the quality of an entire image or video) or local (e.g., to assess the quality of a portion of the image or video). When an image includes multiple objects, such as a first object (e.g., a chair) that is blurry and a second object (e.g., a person) that is clear, the conventional image quality detection mechanisms are unable to account for differences in image quality of the different objects.


An airbag assembly includes an airbag and a system provided in contact with at least a portion of the airbag that includes a first member and a second member. The second member at least partially overlaps the first member and is held in contact during initial deployment of the airbag with the first member by a frictional force between the first member and the second member. The system is configured to cause the airbag to inflate laterally with respect to a vehicle occupant until the frictional force is overcome by inflation of the airbag.

The present invention is related generally to airbags and airbag assemblies. More specifically, the present invention is related to airbag assemblies that include a mechanism for restricting or altering the direction of initial deployment of the airbag.
Inflatable airbags have become standard equipment in modern automobiles. Such airbags typically include a bag portion that inflates when a predetermined condition is met (e.g., an automobile impact). Such airbags may be mounted in a steering wheel, in a portion of a dashboard, or in various other locations within the vehicle.
Conventional airbags used in vehicles are configured to inflate or deploy in the direction of a vehicle occupant. One issue with airbags that deploy in this manner is that in certain situations the impact of the airbag on the vehicle occupants may be greater than is desired. For example, in a front-mount or a mid-mount airbag installation, the deployment door of the airbag module may be directly in front of the chest of a relatively young child. In the event that the child is not properly positioned within the vehicle (e.g., has slid forward on a seat), the impact of the airbag on the chest of the child may be greater than would be desirable.
It would be desirable to provide an improved system for altering the initial direction of inflation of an airbag. It would also be desirable to provide a system for reducing the amount of force transmitted to a vehicle passenger upon inflation of an airbag.


There is provided a multilayer ceramic substrate including a conductive via of a dual-layer structure capable of preventing loss in electrical conductivity and signal. The multilayer ceramic substrate includes: a plurality of dielectric layers; and a circuit pattern part formed on at least a portion of the dielectric layers, the circuit pattern part including at least one conductive via and conductive pattern, wherein the at least one conductive via comprises an outer peripheral portion and an inner peripheral portion, the outer peripheral portion formed along an inner wall of a via hole extending through the dielectric layers and formed of a first conductive material containing a metal, and the inner peripheral portion filled in the outer peripheral portion and formed of a second conductive material having a shrinkage initiation temperature higher than a shrinkage initiation temperature of the first conductive material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer ceramic substrate, and more particularly, to a multilayer ceramic substrate including a conductive via of a dual-layer structure capable of preventing loss in electrical conductivity and signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) is highlighted as a packaging material of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) in a radio frequency (mm wave) band of 30 GHz or more due to low dielectric loss and electrode loss. Also, a pure silver (Ag) paste is employed as an electrode material for wires to assure very low conductive loss. Moreover, a dielectric material has a loss coefficient of 0.2% for less which is at least 100 times lower than a printed circuit board (PCB), and thus exhibits superb characteristics in a radio frequency (mm wave) band.
However, a via connecting inter-layer wires should utilize an Ag electrode containing a great amount of glass in place of pure Ag to ensure matching of a sintering shrinkage ratio. Accordingly, this reduces electrical conductivity and attenuates an electrical signal to degrade characteristics of a final package.
In order to overcome this problem, studies have been vigorously conducted to match a sintering behavior of the Ag via electrode with LTCC chiefly by adding a minimum amount of predetermined additive to a pure metal. However, an effort to match the two materials without glass in a constrained sintering LTCC process has not been successful.
FIG. 1A is a graph illustrating a sintering shrinkage initiation period of pure Ag and LTCC according to the prior art. FIG. 1B is a horizontal cross-sectional view illustrating a via formed in a multilayer ceramic substrate according to the prior art. FIG. 1C is a graph illustrating a change in electrical conductivity of a via with respect to a higher content of glass in a via paste.
In a conventional manufacturing method of a multilayer ceramic substrate, a glass powder of 1 to 5 μm is mixed with an Ag powder of 2 to 3 μm to form a via paste for a constrained LTCC substrate and the via paste is filled in the via hole previously formed through metal mask printing. Several LTCC sheets each having the via filled are laminated into one and then sintered for 20 to 40 minutes at a temperature of 850-900° C. to produce a substrate.
Here, in a case where the paste for the via is formed of only pure Ag, as shown in FIG. 1A, there is a difference in a sintering shrinkage initiation period between an LTCC as indicated with A and Ag as indicated with B. Therefore, after sintering, as shown in C of FIG. 1B, voids or cracks occur on a wall of the via.
To prevent this, informing the via paste, a great amount of glass is added to the Ag powder to ensure matching of the sintering shrinkage initiation period with the LTCC. This via paste allows a via to be free from voids or cracks, after sintering.
However, as shown in FIG. 1C, an increased content of glass leads to poorer electrical conductivity than in a case where the via is formed by using pure Ag. That is, as for the via paste having glass added thereto, the via has electrical conductivity that is much lower than pure Ag via due to the glass with very low electrical conductivity. Accordingly, an increased amount of glass added to ensure matching of the sintering shrinkage initiation period with the LTCC results in lower electrical conductivity than in a case where pure Ag is employed.