A drive apparatus capable of driving a self light-emitting display unit in an linear scanning mode based on video signals, obtained by interlaced scanning, while maintaining a high image quality. Two different image processes are performed on pixel data obtained by sampling interlaced scanning originated video signal, yielding image-processed pixel data and interpolation pixel data. The self light-emitting display unit is driven in an linear scanning mode by treating the image-processed pixel data as pixel drive data associated with one of an odd line and an even line of the self light-emitting display unit and treating the interpolation pixel data as pixel drive data associated with the other one of the odd line and even line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive apparatus for a self light-emitting display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of allowing a plasma display panel as a self light-emitting display unit to present gradation display, there is known a method which divides the display period of one frame (field) into N sub-frames (sub-fields) to permit light emission only for the time corresponding to the weight on each bit position of N-bit display data (so-called sub-field method).
When pixel data consists of eight bits, for example, the display period of one frame is divided to eight sub-frames SF8, SF7, SF6, . . . , and SF1 in the order of a heavier weight to a lighter one. At this time, light emissions of 128 pulses, 64 pulses, 32 pulses, 16 pulses, 8 pulses, 4 pulses, 2 pulses and 1 pulse are carried out in the respective sub-frames SF8 to SF1. The light emissions in those eight sub-frames provide 256-gradation display.
This gradation display scheme however has such a problem that a more-like false outline which looks like a gradation-lost image is observed near the area on a flat image where the gradation level crosses the boundary of 2.sup.n gradation levels, such as 128 or 64, which significantly degrades the display quality.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-271325 has proposed a gradation display scheme of equally dividing a sub-frame with a heavy weight into a plurality of sub-frames, separating them so as to prepare a plurality of light emission patterns which have the equal light emission time (the equal number of light emissions) but different light emission orders of the sub-frames, and changing the light emission pattern from one to another pixel by pixel (pseudo outline compensation data conversion) to suppress a pseudo outline.
This gradation display scheme however suffers an increased number of sub-frames in one frame period. Further, if the number of bits of pixel data is increased to improve the image quality, the number of sub-frames in one frame period is increased more.
The increase in the number of sub-frames in one frame period increases the addressing period for lighting a plasma display panel for light emission. This relatively shortens the sustain period as the light emission period, reducing the maximum luminescent.
In this respect, a dithering process which reduces the number of bits (the number of sub-frames) of pixel data and effects pseudo intermediate tone display is performed.
The dithering process expresses a single intermediate display level based on plural pieces of pixel data adjacent to one another. In the case where 8-bit equivalent gradation display is demonstrated using the upper six bits of pixel data in 8-bit pixel data, for example, first, dither coefficients different pixel by pixel in each set of four pixels adjoining right and left and up and down are added to pixel data. Then, the upper six bits of the dither-coefficients added pixel data are extracted to be used as a drive signal for the display panel. This dithering process generates a combination of four different intermediate display levels with four pixels, thus ensuring four times the 6-bit gradation display levels or 8-bit equivalent intermediate tone display.
In the case where an image is displayed on a plasma display based on video signals obtained by interlaced scanning as done in the NTSC system or the high vision system or the like, to compensate a low luminescent of emitted light, pixel data corresponding to odd rows (even rows) of the screen is also assigned directly to even rows (odd rows) for interpolation to drive the display by sequential scanning (linear scanning).
When linear scanning is carried out in the above-described manner after performing the aforementioned pseudo outline compensation data conversion and dithering process, light is emitted from two pixels, arranged in the vertical direction, based on the same pixel data. This raises a problem that dithering-oriented noise, dot interference caused by the pseudo outline compensation and the like are likely to appear more prominently.

Drive apparatus for self light emitting display unit


A method and apparatus for classifying fingerprint image quality and a fingerprint image recognition system are provided. The method includes dividing a fingerprint image into a plurality of blocks, calculating and vectorizing quality classification parameters with respect to the respective blocks, obtaining quality classification values for the respective blocks by inputting the vectorized quality classification parameters into a trained quality classifier, and selecting a representative value of the quality classification values and determining the representative value as the quality of the fingerprint image. Since the quality of the fingerprint image can be accurately judged, reliability of the fingerprint image recognition system is increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for classifying fingerprint image quality and a fingerprint image recognition system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for classifying fingerprint image quality, by which fingerprint image quality is classified using a trained quality classifier and feature information of a fingerprint image, thereby providing a reliable fingerprint image recognition system, and the fingerprint image recognition system using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Biometrics is technology of identifying an individual based on the fact that the subject person's physiological or behavioral features different from other persons'. In particular, a fingerprint image recognition system using a fingerprint image is mainly used in the field of biometrics due to accuracy, convenience, a light, thin, simple and small input device, and low cost. Fingerprint image recognition systems have advantages of economical installation cost and reliable security and have been verified with a unique inherent feature of a person based on world wide application cases for several hundred of years. Fingerprint image recognition systems can be made compact and thus provide high mobility and space usability. In particular, since interest in security and private life protection increases with the development of networks, fingerprint image recognition systems are being developed as attractive technology in the field of biometrics. In fingerprint image recognition systems, stability is required particularly in a procedure for registering a user's fingerprint image and is closely related with the performance of a feature information extraction algorithm for the fingerprint image, which is usually influenced by quality information of the fingerprint image very much. Accordingly, a method of accurately classifying the quality information of the fingerprint image will be helpful to find a method of improving the feature information extraction algorithm for the fingerprint image. As a result, the method of improving the feature information extraction algorithm will increase the performance of a fingerprint image recognition system.
However, since only one preprocessing operation is used in most of conventional procedures for extracting feature information from a fingerprint image, fingerprint image quality cannot be accurately classified in conventional technology.

Method and apparatus for classifying fingerprint image quality, and fingerprint image recognition system using the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A GPS apparatus measures each pseudo-range ri from respective one of received radio waves from n GPS satellites (200i) captured by a GPS receiver (18) and approximately calculates a clock error t and coordinates (x, y, z) of the GPS receiver as a solution of n simultaneous equations by performing a convergence calculation with respect to n functions having such variables as the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) of the GPS receiver. If a generation of a multi-path is detected, it approximately calculates the clock error t and the coordinates as a solution of n+1 simultaneous equations by performing a convergence calculation with respect to total n+1 functions obtained by adding one xcex1 fn+1 to the n functions, where xcex1 fn+1 is obtained by applying a weighting xcex1 to one function fn+1 having such variables as the clock error and the coordinates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a GPS (Global Positioning System) method of and a GPS apparatus for measuring or positioning a current position of a movable body on the basis of radio waves received from GPS satellites and to a navigation system including the GPS apparatus. The present invention also relates to a program storage device and a computer data signal embodiment in a carrier wave, which allow a computer to function as the GPS apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a GPS measurement has been broadly used in a navigation system of a movable body such as a vehicle, an airplane, a ship, or the like. Coordinates of the GPS satellites, which are the basis of the GPS measurement, are obtained by solving the Kepler""s equation with the system time included in the transmitted data of the received radio waves i.e., in the down links, at a plurality of monitor stations on the earth. Then, an orbit constant (position) of the satellite as obtained in this manner is transmitted as one portion of the transmitted data of the transmitted radio wave i.e., the up link, to the corresponding GPS satellite. As a result, each GPS satellite transmits its own position information included in the down link data.
In the case of 3D (3-dimensional) positioning measurement based on the radio waves received from the GPS satellites in this kind, it measures a pseudo-range r, which is a distance from a GPS receiver to each GPS satellite, on the basis of (i) the position information of each GPS satellite included in the radio wave received from each GPS satellite and (ii) a time length required for the received radio wave coming from each GPS satellite to the GPS receiver, basically as to four GPS satellites. This pseudo-range r is represented as a four-variable function of a clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) of the GPS receiver. Therefore, if the four pseudo-ranges r are measured depending on the radio waves received from the four GPS satellites, the four functions are obtained, so that the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) of the GPS receiver can be calculated by solving the four nonlinear simultaneous equations. Then, the above-calculated coordinates are regarded as the current position of a movable body on which the GPS receiver is mounted.
In fact, however, it often happens that the radio waves from five or more GPS satellites can be received at the same time, and thus, a positioning solution of five (or six or more) nonlinear simultaneous equations for four variables x, y, z and t are calculated by the least square method on the basis of the five or more pseudo-ranges r to increase a positioning accuracy.
By the way, one disadvantage of the GPS measurement is the generation of measurement error of the pseudo-range by a multi-path. More specifically, the radio wave from the GPS satellite may have other paths to go through to the GPS receiver after reflecting on the surface of a huge building or the like once or more times, in addition to the path to go direct to the GPS receiver, especially around the huge building such as a skyscraper, a high-rise building, or the like. This phenomenon, under which the radio waves are received at the same time through a plurality of radio wave paths from the one identical GPS satellite, is called as a xe2x80x9cmulti-pathxe2x80x9d. When the multi-path is generated, an error is generated in the time length required for the received radio waves coming to the GPS receiver, and on the basis of this error, an error is generated in the pseudo-range. Then, when the multi-path is generated, the pseudo-range based on a regular radio wave path and the pseudo-ranged based on an irregular radio wave path are irregularly and alternatively measured, so that the arrival time and the pseudo-range are changed or flickered at a short cycle. Thus, the accuracy of the GPS measurement deteriorates extremely.
Therefore, a device for detecting the generation of the multi-path is installed, and if the multi-path is generated, such a correction that the GPS satellite related to the generation of the multi-path is eliminated from an object of the GPS measurement is performed, for example. According to this detection and correction of the multi-path, when the generation of the multi-path is detected as for the one or more received radio waves, this or these are eliminated from the measurement object and it is performed the GPS measurement based on at least four received radio waves. Moreover, in the case that only three received radio waves are left as a result of eliminating the radio waves, in each of which the generation of the multi-path is detected ,from the measurement object because of a bad environment of receiving radio waves, such a technique that the GPS measurement is performed by switching the 3D positioning measurement to the 2D positioning measurement has been developed. More concretely, in the GPS 2D positioning measurement, the pseudo-range from each GPS satellite to the GPS receiver is measured by using (i) the time length required for the received radio wave to reach from each GPS satellite to the GPS receiver, and (ii) the position information of each GPS satellite, which is included in the radio wave received from each GPS satellite, basically about three GPS satellites under the assumption that their distances from the earth are rarely changed for a short time.
However, according to the present inventors"" research, the above-mentioned technique, which detects the generation of the multi-path and eliminates the error of the pseudo-range, is not essentially accurate on its detection. Thus, there is a problem that the radio wave received through the normal radio wave path may be often erroneously eliminated from the measurement object of the GPS measurement by misdetection of the multi-path and the accuracy of the GPS measurement further deteriorates.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a GPS method and a GPS apparatus, which can detect the generation of the multi-path and correct an error of the pseudo-range caused by the effect of the multi-path, as well as reduce the deterioration of the positioning accuracy even when the generation of the multi-path is erroneously detected, a navigation system including the GPS apparatus, a program storage device and a computer data signal embodiment in a carrier wave, which allow a computer to function as the GPS apparatus.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a GPS method provided with: a measurement process of measuring each pseudo-range ri (i=1, 2, . . . , n) from respective one of received radio waves from n GPS satellites (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 3) captured by a GPS receiver mounted on a movable body; a detection process of detecting a generation of a multi-path of the respective one of the received radio waves; a first calculation process of approximately calculating a clock error t and coordinates (x, y, z) of the GPS receiver as a solution of n simultaneous equations by performing a convergence calculation with respect to n functions fi (x, y, z, t) having such variables as the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z), each of the n functions fi (x, y, z, t) representing the pseudo-range ri; a second calculation process of approximately calculating the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) as a solution of n+1 simultaneous equations by performing a convergence calculation with respect to total n+1 functions obtained by adding one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), where the one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) is obtained by applying a weighting xcex1 (xcex1 is a real number which is equal to or greater than 1) to one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) having such variables as the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z), the one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) representing a pseudo-range rn+1 obtained when the center of the earth is regarded as one GPS satellite; an output process of outputting the coordinates (x, y, z) calculated in the first or second calculation process as current position data, which indicate a current position of the movable body; and a selection process of selecting the second calculation process when the generation of the multi-path is detected by the detection process.
According to the GPS method of the present invention, the measurement process measures each pseudo-range ri from the respective one of received radio waves from n GPS satellites captured by the GPS receiver. This measurement is basically performed by measuring a time length required for the arrival and by multiplying this by the velocity of light. Then, the detection process detects the generation of the multi-path on the received radio wave on the basis of whether or not the measurement result, which is supposed to be obtained experientially, experimentally, or theoretically when the multi-path is generated, is actually obtained; for example, such a result that the pseudo-range ri, as measured above, is unstable. Here, if the generation of the multi-path is not detected by the detection process, the first calculation process performs the convergence calculation, for example, that according to Newton method with respect to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), each of which represents the pseudo-range ri. Consequently, it approximately calculates the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) as a positioning solution of the n nonlinear simultaneous equations. As a result, it calculates the coordinates (x, y, z), which indicate the current position of the movable body, with a high accuracy under the condition that the multi-path is not generated.
On the other hand, if the detection process detects the generation of the multi-path, the selection process selects the second calculation process. Then, the second calculation process performs the convergence calculation, for example, that according to Newton method with respect to the total n+1 functions obtained by adding one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), each of which represents the pseudo-range ri. This one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) is obtained by applying a weighting xcex1 (xcex1 is a real number which is equal to or greater than 1) to one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) having such variables as the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z), which represents a pseudo-range rn+1 obtained when the center of the earth is regarded as one GPS satellite. Consequently, it approximately calculates the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) as a positioning solution of the n+1 nonlinear simultaneous equations. As a result, under the condition of the multi-path generation, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the condition that the earth is regarded as the GPS satellite, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. In the case that the generation of the multi-path is misdetected despite of non-generation of the multi-path in the detection process, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the condition that the earth is regarded as the GPS satellite, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. Then, the output process outputs the coordinates, which have the decreased dispersion or deviation arose from an error caused by the multi-path generation or by the misdetection of it, as the current position data, which indicate the current position of the movable body.
As described above, both when the multi-path is actually generated and when the generation of the multi-path is misdetected, it is possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the stable positioning solution without knowing which case is happening. Especially, considering such a reality that it is difficult to increase the accuracy in the detection of the multi-path generation, the present invention is extremely profitable in practice because it can obtain substantially the stable GPS measurement results despite of whether or not the detection of the multi-path generation is performed properly.
In one aspect of the GPS method, the n functions fi (x, y, z, t) are as follows: rixe2x80x2+(∂ri/∂x)xcex94x+(∂ri/∂y)xcex94y+(∂ri/∂z) xcex94z+(∂ri/∂t)xcex94t, where rixe2x80x2 is an approximate value of ri, the one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) is as follows: rn+1xe2x80x2+(∂rn+1/∂x)xcex94x+(∂rn+1/∂y)xcex94y+(∂rn+1/∂z)xcex94z+(∂rn+1/∂t)xcex94t, where rn+1xe2x80x2 is an approximate value of rn+1, and the convergence calculation is a calculation for converging a pseudo-range error xcex94ri=|rixe2x88x92rixe2x80x2| (i=1, 2, . . . , n) within a predetermined value in the n simultaneous equations in the first calculation process and a calculation for converging a pseudo-range error xcex94ri=|rixe2x88x92rixe2x80x2| (i=1, 2, . . . , n, n+1) within a predetermined value in the n+1 simultaneous equations in the second calculation process.
According to this aspect, it is possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution by performing the calculation of converging the pseudo-range error xcex94ri=|rixe2x88x92rixe2x80x2| within the predetermined value such as a very small value which is, for example, close to 0 relatively easily and quickly by using a computer or the like in the first and the second calculation processes.
The predetermined value used for this convergence calculation is set in correspondence to the desired positioning accuracy, and it generally approaches 0 with the positioning accuracy increased and generally departs from 0 with the positioning accuracy decreased. This kind of predetermined value is set in advance depending on the desired positioning accuracy experientially, experimentally, or theoretically.
In another aspect of the GPS method, the second calculation process uses a function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) which estimates the clock error t instead of the one function.
According to this aspect, if the detection process detects the generation of the multi-path, the second calculation process performs the convergence calculation, for example, that according to Newton method with respect to the total n+1 functions obtained by adding one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) which estimates the clock error t to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), each of which represents the pseudo-range ri, after applying the weighting xcex1, which is equal to or greater than 1, to the one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t). Consequently, it approximately calculates the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) as a positioning solution of the n+1 nonlinear simultaneous equations. As a result, under the condition of the multi-path generation, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the estimation of the clock error t, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. In the case that the generation of the multi-path is misdetected despite of non-generation of the multi-path in the detection process, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the estimation of the clock error t, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. Then, the output process outputs the coordinates, which have the decreased dispersion or deviation arose from an error caused by the multi-path generation or by the misdetection of it, as the current position data, which indicate the current position of the movable body.
As described above, both when the multi-path is actually generated and when the generation of the multi-path is misdetected, it is possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the stable positioning solution without knowing which case is happening.
Incidentally, it is also possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution by solving n+2 nonlinear simultaneous equations using the one function which estimates the clock error in addition to the one function obtained under the condition that the center of the earth is regarded as one GPS satellite, after applying the weighting xcex1 to at least one of the functions.
In another aspect of the GPS method, the first calculation process calculates a positioning solution (x, y, z, t) in converging xcex94R=Axc2x7xcex94X within a predetermined value when a pseudo-range error matrix of (n, 1) type is xcex94R=(xcex94r1, xcex94r2, . . . , xcex94rn) and a position error matrix of (4, 1) type is xcex94X=(xcex94x, xcex94y, xcex94z, xcex94t) and a partial differential term matrix of (n, 4) type is A, and the second calculation process calculates a solution (x, y, z, t) in converging xcex94R=Axc2x7xcex94X within a predetermined value when a pseudo-range error matrix of (n+1, 1), in which the weighting xcex1 is applied to the n+1th row, is xcex94R=(xcex94r1, xcex94r2, . . . , xcex94rn, xcex1xc2x7xcex94rn+1) and a position error matrix of (4, 1) type is xcex94X=(xcex94x, xcex94y, xcex94z, xcex94t) and a partial differential term matrix of (n+1, 4) type in which the weighting xcex1 is applied to the n+1th row is A
According to this aspect, it is possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution by performing the calculation of converging xcex94R=Axc2x7xcex94X within the predetermined value such as a very small value which is, for example, close to 0 relatively easily and quickly by a matrix operation by using a computer or the like in the first and the second calculation processes.
In another aspect of the GPS method, the detection process detects the generation of the multi-path depending on whether or not the pseudo-range ri measured by the measurement process is unstable.
According to this aspect, the generation of the multi-path is detected by the detection process depending on whether or not the pseudo-range ri measured by the measurement process is unstable. In other words, if the pseudo-range ri is not unstable according to a predetermined standard, the detection process regards the multi-path as the one without the generation, and if the pseudo-range ri is unstable according to the predetermined standard, the detection process regards the multi-path as the one with the generation.
In this aspect, the detection process may be constructed to detect the generation of the multi-path on the basis of variance of the pseudo-range ri measured by the measurement process.
By constituting in this manner, it is possible to detect the generation of the multi-path with relatively high accuracy and ease on the basis of the fact that the variance or dispersion of measurement values often varies between the captured GPS satellites when the multi-path is generated.
Incidentally, the first and the second calculation process may be performed by, for example, solving n (or nxe2x88x921 or less) nonlinear simultaneous equations about the received radio waves remained after excluding one or more functions fi (x, y, z, t) corresponding to the received radio wave or waves, in each of which the multi-path generation is detected, from the operation object of the first and the second calculation processes. In general, the positioning solution can not be obtained if the operation object of the first and the second calculation processes are less than four functions including (i) the function which estimates the clock error and (ii) the function which indicates the pseudo-range and which is obtained when the center of the earth is regarded as the GPS satellite, so that at least four functions are adopted as the operation objects of the first and the second calculation processes.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a GPS apparatus comprising: a measurement device for measuring each pseudo-range ri (i=1, 2, . . . , n) from respective one of received radio waves from n GPS satellites (n is a natural number equal to or greater than 3) captured by a GPS receiver mounted on a movable body; a detection device for detecting a generation of a multi-path in the respective one of the received radio waves; a first calculation device for approximately calculating a clock error t and coordinates (x, y, z) of the GPS receiver as a solution of n simultaneous equations by performing a convergence calculation with respect to n functions fi (x, y, z, t) having such variables as the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z), each of the n functions fi (x, y, z, t) representing the pseudo-range ri; a second calculation device for approximately calculating the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) as a solution of n+1 simultaneous equations by performing a convergence calculation with respect to total n+1 functions obtained by adding one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), where the one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) is obtained by applying a weighting xcex1 (xcex1 is a real number which is equal to or greater than 1) to one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) having such variables as the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z), the one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) representing a pseudo-range rn+1 obtained when the center of the earth is regarded as one GPS satellite; an output device for outputting the coordinates (x, y, z) calculated in the first or second calculation device as current position data, which indicate a current position of the movable body; and a selection device for selecting the second calculation device when the generation of the multi-path is detected by the detection device.
According to the GPS apparatus of the present invention, the measurement device measures each pseudo-range ri from the respective one of received radio waves from n GPS satellites captured by the GPS receiver. Here, if the generation of the multi-path is not detected by the detection device, the first calculation device performs the convergence calculation, for example, that according to Newton method with respect to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), each of which represents the pseudo-range ri. Consequently, it approximately calculates the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z) as a positioning solution of the n nonlinear simultaneous equations. As a result, it calculates the coordinates (x, y, z), which indicate the current position of the movable body, with a high accuracy under the condition that the multi-path is not generated.
On the other hand, if the detection device detects the generation of the multi-path, the selection device selects the second calculation process. Then, the second calculation device performs the convergence calculation, for example, that according to Newton method with respect to the total n+1 functions obtained by adding one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), each of which represents the pseudo-range ri. The one xcex1 fn+1 (x, y, z, t) is obtained by applying a weighting xcex1 (xcex1 is a real number which is equal to or greater than 1) to one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) having such variables as the clock error t and the coordinates (x, y, z), which represents a pseudo-range rn+1 obtained when the center of the earth is regarded as one GPS satellite. As a result, under the condition of the multi-path generation, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the condition that the earth is regarded as the GPS satellite, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. In the case that the generation of the multi-path is misdetected despite of non-generation of the multi-path in the detection device, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the condition that the earth is regarded as the GPS satellite, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. Then, the output device outputs the coordinates, which have the decreased dispersion or deviation arose from an error caused by the multi-path generation or by the misdetection of it, as the current position data, which indicate the current position of the movable body.
As described above, both when the multi-path is actually generated and when the generation of the multi-path is misdetected, it is possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the stable positioning solution without knowing which case is happening.
In one aspect of the GPS apparatus, the n functions fi (x, y, z, t) are as follows: rixe2x80x2+(∂ri/∂x)xcex94x+(∂ri/∂y)xcex94y+(∂ri/∂z) xcex94z+(∂ri /∂t) xcex94t, where rixe2x80x2 is an approximate value of ri, the one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) is as follows: rn+1xe2x80x2+(∂rn+1/∂x)xcex94x+(∂rn+1/∂y)xcex94y+(∂rn+1/∂z)xcex94z+(∂rn+1/∂t)xcex94t, where rn+1xe2x80x2 is an approximate value of rn+1, and the convergence calculation is a calculation for converging a pseudo-range error xcex94ri=|rixe2x88x92rixe2x80x2| (i=1, 2, . . . , n) within a predetermined value in the n simultaneous equations in the first calculation device and a calculation for converging a pseudo-range error xcex94ri=|rixe2x88x92rixe2x80x2| (i=1, 2, . . . , n, n+1) within a predetermined value in the n+1 simultaneous equations in the second calculation device.
According to this aspect, it is possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution by performing the calculation of converging the pseudo-range error xcex94ri=|rixe2x88x92rixe2x80x2| within the predetermined value such as a very small value which is, for example, close to 0 relatively easily and quickly by using a computer or the like in the first and the second calculation devices.
In another aspect of the GPS apparatus, the second calculation device uses a function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) which estimates the clock error t instead of the one function.
According to this aspect, if the detection device detects the generation of the multi-path, the second calculation device performs the convergence calculation, for example, that according to Newton method with respect to the total n+1 functions obtained by adding one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t) which estimates the clock error t to the n functions fi (x, y, z, t), each of which represents the pseudo-range ri, after applying the weighting xcex1, which is equal to or greater than 1, to the one function fn+1 (x, y, z, t). As a result, under the condition of the multi-path generation, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the estimation of the clock error t, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. In the case that the generation of the multi-path is misdetected despite of non-generation of the multi-path in the detection device, as the weighting xcex1 is applied to the terms associated with the pseudo-range rn+1 supposed to be stabilized in correspondence to the estimation of the clock error t, the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution are stabilized. Then, the output device outputs the coordinates, which have the decreased dispersion or deviation arose from an error caused by the multi-path generation or by the misdetection of it, as the current position data, which indicate the current position of the movable body.
In another aspect of the GPS apparatus, the first calculation device calculates a positioning solution (x, y, z, t) in converging xcex94R=Axc2x7xcex94X within a predetermined value when a pseudo-range error matrix of (n, 1) type is xcex94R=(xcex94r1, xcex94r2, . . . , xcex94rn), a position error matrix of (4, 1) type is xcex94X=(xcex94x, xcex94y, xcex94z, xcex94t), and a partial differential term matrix of (n, 4) type is A, and the second calculation device calculates a solution in converging xcex94R=Axc2x7xcex94X within a predetermined value when a pseudo-range error matrix of (n+1, 1) type in which the weighting xcex1 is applied to the n+1th row is xcex94R=(xcex94r1, xcex94r2, . . . , xcex94rn, xcex1xc2x7xcex94rn+1) and a position error matrix of (4, 1) type is xcex94X=(xcex94x, xcex94y, xcex94z, xcex94t) and a partial differential term matrix of (n+1, 4) type in which the weighting xcex1 is applied to the n+1th row is A.
According to this aspect, it is possible to calculate the coordinates (x, y, z) as the positioning solution by performing the calculation of converging xcex94R=Axc2x7xcex94X within the predetermined value such as a very small value which is, for example, close to 0 relatively easily and quickly by a matrix operation by using a computer or the like in the first and the second calculation devices.
In another aspect of the GPS apparatus, the detection device detects the generation of the multi-path depending on whether or not the pseudo-range ri measured by the measurement device is unstable.
According to this aspect, the generation of the multi-path is detected by the detection device depending on whether or not the pseudo-range ri measured by the measurement device is unstable. In other words, if the pseudo-range ri is not unstable according to a predetermined standard, the detection device regards the multi-path as the one without generation, and if the pseudo-range ri is unstable according to the predetermined standard, the detection device regards the multi-path as the one with generation.
In this aspect, the detection device detects the generation of the multi-path on the basis of a variance of the pseudo-range ri measured by the measurement device.
By constituting in this manner, it is possible to detect the generation of the multi-path with a relatively high accuracy and ease on the basis of the fact that the variance or dispersion of measurement values often varies between the captured GPS satellites when the multi-path is generated.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a navigation system provided with: the above-mentioned GPS apparatus of the present invention (including its various aspects); the GPS receiver; and a display device for displaying on map data the current position data outputted from the output device in a predetermined format.
According to the navigation system of the present invention, because it is provided with the above-mentioned GPS apparatus, even if the multi-path is not generated in practice, even if the generation of the multi-path is properly detected, and even if the generation of the multi-path is misdetected, it is possible to display the current position data on map data on the basis of the stable positioning results.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a program storage device readable by a computer. The program storage device stores a program of instructions to cause the computer to function as at least one portion of the above-described GPS apparatus of the present invention (including its various aspects).
According to the program storage device, such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), a ROM, a DVD (DVD Read Only Memory), a floppy disk or the like, of the present invention, the above described GPS apparatus of the present invention can be relatively easily realized as a computer reads and executes the program of instructions or as it executes the program after downloading the program through communication device. Moreover, the program of instructions can be sent from a central device with an application program required for the navigation or other data such as a map.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a series of instructions for a computer. The series of instructions causes the computer to function as at least one portion of the above-described GPS apparatus of the present invention (including its various aspects).
According to the computer data signal embodied in the carrier wave of the present invention, as the computer downloads the program in the computer data signal through a computer network or the like, and executes this program, it is possible to realize the above described GPS apparatus of the present invention.

GPS method and apparatus, navigation system, program storage device and computer data signal embodied in carrier wave


A thin film layer formed of a material having good wetting properties with respect to solder is laid on a joining surface of a second substrate, and at the same time, a thin film layer formed of Au is laid on a joining surface excluding concave grooves of a first substrate, and optical fibers are placed in the concave grooves of said first substrate, and then urged by the second substrate from the upper side thereof to cause the thin film layer on the first substrate to be plastically deformed and joined by a solder. The solder allows the optical fibers to be urged against the concave grooves of the first substrate, and at the same time, the thin film layer which is formed of Au and protruded to the concave groove side allows a change in the volume of the solder and a dislocation of the optical fibers to be prevented, and the optical fibers to be positioned fixedly at a high accuracy in the concave grooves.

The present invention relates to an optical fiber positioning member for fixedly positioning optical fibers by placing the optical fibers in concave grooves engraved in one substrate and by holding the optical fibers by the other substrate and a method of fixedly positioning the optical fibers by using the member, and more particularly to an optical fiber array for connecting the optical fibers with integrated optical parts such as optical waveguide ways, photodiodes, laser diodes and integrated optical elements, and to a ferrule, such as an optical connector and an optical splicer.
Heretofore, where a plurality of optical fibers are connected to integrated optical parts, such as optical waveguide ways, photodiodes, laser diodes and integrated optical elements, and where a singular or a plurality of optical fibers are connected to each other through an optical connector or an optical splicer, in order to reduce optical transmission loss between joining surfaces to a low value as possible, a plurality of the optical fibers linearly arranged have been required to have a very high positioning accuracy such that both a horizontal pitch accuracy and a vertical pitch accuracy have been required to be .+-.0.5 .mu.m or less each. The horizontal pitch accuracy means an average value of dislocated widths between optical fibers arranged horizontally; and the vertical pitch accuracy means an average value of vertically dislocated widths of the optical fibers with respect to a horizontal line as a reference.
Now, as shown in FIG. 8, where an optical waveguide way 30 is connected to a plurality of optical fibers 10, in order to arrange the optical fibers 10 to form a line at the above-mentioned positioning accuracy, there has been used an optical fiber positioning member 11 provided with a plurality of V-shaped grooves 3 on the surface thereof such that the respective optical fibers 10 have been placed on the V-shaped grooves 3 of the above-mentioned optical fiber positioning member 11, and then respective optical fibers 10 have been connected at a high accuracy to branched optical waveguide paths 31 of the optical waveguide way 30.
Also, the above-mentioned optical fiber positioning member 11, as shown in FIG. 6, has eight-core V-shaped grooves 3 engraved with a high accuracy in a joining surface 2a, and comprises a first substrate 2 provided with a concave cutout portion 4 at the rear end thereof and a flat plate-shaped second substrate 5 shorter than the above-mentioned first substrate 2, and there have been both the substrates 2, 5 formed of a plastic or a glass, or a ceramic etc. As a method of fixedly positioning respective optical fibers 10 in a ribon optical fiber 20 by using the optical fiber positioning member 11, there has been a method in which respective optical fibers 10 have been placed in the V-shaped grooves 3 of the first substrate 2, an epoxy-based or acryl-based adhesive 15 having thermoset properties or ultraviolet curing properties has been applied to the upper portion thereof, and then the second substrate 5 has been placed from the upper side thereof, and heat or light has been applied to the adhesive 15 to cure, whereby respective optical fibers 10 have been held between the first substrate 2 and the second substrate 5 so as to be positioned fixedly in the V-shaped grooves 3.
However, there has existed a problem that generally the adhesive 15, when cured, changes greatly in volume.
Therefore, in the above-mentioned optical fiber positioning member 11 in which respective optical fibers 10 are positioned fixedly in the V-shaped grooves 3 by the adhesive 15, as shown in FIG. 7, as the adhesive 15 is cured, the second substrate 5 can be dislocated laterally, and at the same time, the optical fibers 10 can be pulled to be separated from the side wall 3a of the V-shaped grooves 3, whereby respective optical fibers 10 can not be fixedly positioned in the V-shaped grooves 3.
Also,the adhesive 15 has changed largely in volume due to an environmental change, so that the respective optical fibers 10 can not be fixedly positioned with high accuracy in the V-shaped grooves 3 of the first substrate 2.
That is, there has been a problem that the adhesive 15 absorbs water content existing in the atmosphere to cause a change in volume, with the result that the optical fibers 10 are separated from the side wall 3a of the V-shaped grooves 3. Also, even when used at a high temperature, the adhesive 15 changes its volume, whereby the optical fibers 10 could not be fixedly positioned at a high accuracy in the V-shaped grooves 3.

Optical fiber positioning member and method of positioning fixed optical fibers by using the member


Herein is disclosed an apparatus and method for delivering a fluid to an individual in such a manner that sloshing of the fluid is substantially suppressed, even when the fluid has been only partially consumed. The apparatus includes a reservoir for containing the fluid and a valve in fluid communication with the reservoir. A biasing mechanism exerts a force upon the reservoir, causing it to contract and force fluid through the valve, when the valve is opened. The biasing mechanism and reservoir are housed within a body, according to some embodiments.

Hydration is an essential component of various forms of recreational activities ranging from running to bicycling to rollerblading, for example. Participants in these activities oftentimes carry along containers of liquids so that they can drink fluid as they become dehydrated. Unfortunately, when carried on the person of a runner, bicycler or rollerblader, for example, the fluid within the container tends to slosh as the individual moves about during the course of his physical exertion. Such sloshing action consists of the fluid splashing about the container, causing the center of mass of the combination of the container and the fluid within it to vary with the sloshing of the fluid—a result that is distracting to the participant.
One strategy for suppressing the aforementioned variation in the center of mass is to increase the mass of the container, itself, so that the mobile fluid mass within the container is relatively small in comparison to the mass of the container, itself. While this strategy does suppress variation in the center of mass of the container-fluid combination, it increases the weight of the article that must be carried by the athlete, a result inimical to the goal of athletic performance enhancement.
Another strategy for suppressing the aforementioned variation in the center of mass is to contain fluid in a plurality of containers, each of which is typically contained in pouches fastened to a belt worn about the athlete's waist. If an individual container is sufficiently small, the athlete can consume the entirety of the fluid within the container, thereby preventing the possibility of sloshing. However, even if the sloshing is suppressed, the fluid weight is, at various times, carried asymmetrically about the athlete's body. For example, if the fluid is initially carried in four individual containers, spaced at even ninety degree intervals about the athlete's waist, in the wake of a single bottle having been consumed, the fluid weight will be asymmetrically borne in the direction of the three remaining full bottles. This result tends to interfere with proper performance of athletic motion.
As can be seen from the foregoing, there exists a need for a scheme by which fluid may be contained and delivered to an individual, so as to address the aforementioned issues.

Method and apparatus for delivering fluid to an individual


A parallel control method for sequential process control flow. First, a parallel step including a plurality of independent sub-steps is generated in a sequential process control flow. One of the sub-steps is directed to execute at a time, and any sub-step gains the right to execute when the other sub-steps are in waiting state. It is assessed the parallel step is complete by whether all of the sub-steps are complete, and the sequential process control flow is controlled to a next step succeeding the parallel step if the parallel step is complete.

The present invention relates to process flow control, and particularly to a parallel control method for sequential process control flow of equipment automation.
The process control flow of equipment automation follows a series of pre-defined steps to process products, such as on lot-based wafers in a foundry, to ensure that wafers are processed in a correct sequence of steps or operations. The flow starts as FOUP (carrier) loaded on equipment and terminates as FOUP unloaded from equipment. Each pre-defined step performs specific operations on equipment, MES (Manufacturing Execution System) or other related servers. The basic steps include steps, such as "AskReadLotTag" to read the smart tag of FOUP, "LotVerfy" to verify the status of lots in FOUP with MES, "AskProceedWithCarrier" to ask equipment to dock FOUP, "OperationStart" and "OperationComplete" to track in and track out FOUP with MES, "AskStartProcess" to create jobs on equipment for wafer processing on lot-based, and some enhancement steps.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a sequential process control flow 100 in wafer fabrication. In the example, the sequential process control flow 100 has 12 steps including "AskReadLotTag", "LotVerfy", "EQPStatusCheck", "RMSCheck", "ECSCheck", "PMSCheck", "AskProceedWithCarrier", "ReportDockComplete", "ReportSlotMap", "AskWriteLotTag", "OperationStart", and "AskStartProcess", respectively. A step can be executed only when the previous one is completed normally or skippable. For example, the "AskStartProcess" step can be performed only when FOUP is tracked in with MES successfully. Thus, the process control flow of equipment automation is a sequential flow composed of several distinct steps according to the behavior of equipment and the process requirements.
The major advantage of such sequential flow is to guarantee wafers are processed by definite order of steps or operations without errors. Generally, when FOUP is processed by a step, it implies that the steps before it have all been completed normally. If an exception occurs in that step, such sequential flow can guarantee that the steps before it are all executed completely and determine a proper procedure to recover or resolve the issue after exception. For example, if an exception occurs in the "OperationComplete" step, it implies that FOUP is already tracked in MES and processed by equipment. Therefore, the exception handling procedure of this step is first undocking FOUP and keeping FOUP on load port and then sending an alarm to inform related personnel for subsequent handling. Besides, such sequential flow allows only one step or operation to execute in one time. This behavior can guarantee the execution of each step is in a controllable and traceable state. If exception occurs in a step, it can be handled immediately without waiting to ensure the safety of the wafer processing. For example, if at least two steps are executing in the same time by the technology of multi-thread, exceptions in a step is hard to be handled immediately because it doesn't have proper timing to synchronize all the status of the steps in executing at that moment. When all the steps finish execution, the process control flow might be out of control and lead to miss operation if exceptions are not recorded correctly. Such concerns can be solved easily in a sequential process control flow.
The major disadvantage of current process control flow, however is long processing time for the entire sequential process control flow, and the extended processing time for a FOUP on equipment when a new step or operation is added to the process control flow. For example, if a new APC (Advanced Process Control) step or operation which takes 10 seconds to complete is added into a current photo process control flow, photo equipment processing time is extended by exactly 10 seconds for a FOUP. Thus, a process control flow performance suffers when additional steps or operations are added.

Parallel control method for sequential process control flow

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A polymer composition comprising (i) a polymer (a) having a monomer unit containing a functional group A which becomes alkali-soluble by heating in the presence of an acid, (ii) a polymer (b) having a monomer unit containing a functional group B which also becomes alkali-soluble, but less easily than the functional group A, by heating in the presence of an acid, and if necessary in addition to (i) and (ii) or in place of (ii), (iii) a phenolic compound having a weight-average molecular weight of 300 to 15,000 gives together with an photoacid generator a resist material suitable for forming a pattern excellent in sensitivity, resolution, mask linearity and other properties.

The present invention relates to a resist material used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices and a polymer composition used for such a resist material. More particularly the invention pertains to a resist material used for forming a positive pattern by applying ultraviolet light, especially deep ultraviolet light with a wavelength not greater than 300 nm, KrF eximer laser beams or the like as exposure energy source, and a polymer composition used for such a resist material.
With a recent trend toward higher-density integration of semiconductor devices, necessity has been intensified for shortening of the wavelength of the energy source of exposure means used for fine working, particularly in the art of photolithography, and now use of deep ultraviolet light (300 nm or less in wavelength), KrF excimer laser beams (248.4 nm) and the like is seriously considered. However, there not has yet been available a resist material applicable to practical use with such short-wavelength exposure light.
As a resist material usable for pattern formation with KrF excimer laser beams or deep ultraviolet light as light source, there have been known the dissolution-inhibiting type resist materials composed of a polymer having high transmittance of light near 248.4 nm and a photosensitive compound having a diazodiketo group (JP-A 1-80944; JP-A 1-154048; JP-A 1-155338; JP-A 1-155339; JP-A 1-188852; Y.Tani et al: Proc. SPIE, 1086, 22 (1989), etc.). These dissolution-inhibiting type resist materials, however, are low in sensitivity and unapplicable to use with deep ultraviolet light or KrF excimer laser beams wherein use of a high-sensitivity resist material is required. Also, as means for reducing the energy required for exposure (high-sensitization), the chemically amplified type resist materials making use of an acid generated on exposure as medium have been proposed (Ito et al: Polym. Eng. Sci., 23, 1012 (1983)), and many reports have been published on this type of resist materials (U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,628 (1985) to H. Ito el al (=JP-A 2-27660); U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,101 (1986) to J. C. Crivello et al (=JP-A 62-115440) W. R. Brunsvolt et al: Proc. SPIE, 1086, 357 (1989); T. X. Neenan et al: Proc. SPIE, 1086, 2 (1989); R. G. Tarascon et al: SPE Regional Conference Technical Papers, Ellenville, N.Y., 1988, p. 11; JP-A 2-25850; Y. Jian et al: Polym. Mater. Sci. & Eng., 66, 41 (1992), etc.). These conventional chemically amplified type resist materials, however, had disadvantages in that they were liable to cause peeling of the film during development due to poor adhesion to the substrate especially when the polymer used for the resist material is a phenol ether type polymer such as poly(p-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene), poly(p-tert-butoxystyrene), poly(p-tert-butoxy-carbonyloxy-.alpha.-methylstyrene), poly(p-tert-butoxy-.alpha.-methylstyrene), poly(p-tert-butylisopropenylphenoxyacetate), poly(p-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene/sulfone), poly(p-tetrahydropyranyloxystyrene), poly{p-(1-methoxyethoxy)styrene}, poly{p-(1-phenoxyethoxy)styrene} or the like. They were also poor in heat resistance, and thus were unable to form a good pattern. Other problems of these resist materials included poor resolution due to poor light transmittance near 248.4 nm owing to the presence of benzoyl groups in the case of carboxylic acid-ester type polymers such as poly(p-tert-butylvinylbenzoate) and poly(p-tetrahydropyranylvinylbenzoate) and poor heat resistance and poor dry etch resistance in the case of polymers such as poly(tert-butyl methacrylate).
The resist materials comprising silicon-containing polymers have also been disclosed (JP-B-3-44290, etc.), but they involve difficulties in realizing their practical use because of problems such as low sensitivity and incapability of perfect removal by ashing due to inclusion of silicon in case of using, for instance, poly(p-trimethylsilyloxystyrene) or poly(p-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxystyrene).
Lately, as the chemically amplified type resist materials improved in these defects, there have been disclosed the resist materials using poly(p-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene) (JP-A 2-209977 and JP-A 3-206458), the resist materials using poly(p-tetrahydropyranyloxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene) (JP-A 2-19847, JP-A 2-161436 and JP-A 3-83063), and the resist materials using poly(p-tert-butoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene) [JP-A 2-62544 and JP-A 4-211258 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,660)]. The resist materials comprising these polymers, however, are incapable of offering a high resolution which is strongly required in this art in recent years, and also have their own problems in delay time (a problem of variation of pattern size with the lapse of time during the period from application of the resist to exposure to light, or from exposure to light to heat treatment (PEB), deterioration of pattern shape) which comes into question in practical use and a problem of substrate dependency (the problem that the pattern is formed or not formed depending on the kind of the material used as semiconductor substrate such as SiO.sub.2, Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, Ti.sub.3 N.sub.4, BPSG, polysilicon or the like).
Resist materials comprising a polymer (such as poly(p-1-methoxyethoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene) into which an acetal group or a ketal group has been introduced as protective group) and a photoacid generator such as a triphenylsulfonium salt derivative or a diphenyliodonium salt (JP-A 2-161436, JP-A 4-219757, JP-A 5-281745, JP-A 3-282550, etc.) have also been disclosed. These resist materials, however, involve the problem of scum (a problem caused by generated scum which may be transferred to the substrate during etching) and/or the problems of substrate dependency and delay time. JP-A 5-249682 discloses a resist material comprising a combination of a polymer such as poly(p-1-ethoxyethoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene), poly(p-1-methoxy-1-methylethoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene), poly(p-1-ethoxyethoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene/methyl methacrylate) or poly(p-1-ethoxyethoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene/fumaronitrile) and a photoacid generator such as a diazodisulfone compound. These materials have many excellent qualities such as high resolution and minimized delay time, but they still have the problems of substrate dependency and generation of scums. JP-A 6-194842 discloses a resist material comprising a combination of a polymer such as poly(p-1-ethoxyethoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene/p-tert-butoxystyrene) and a photoacid generator such as a diazodisulfone compound. This material, although excellent in such matters as resolution, mask linearity, heat resistance and delay time, is not free of the problems of substrate dependency and scum. EP-A 679,951 reports a resist material characterized by mixed use of two different polymers: poly(p-1-ethoxyethoxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene) and poly(p-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene/p-hydroxystyrene). This resist material, however, still involves the problems relating to the resolution and the delay time.
As described above, the chemically amplified type resist materials are remarkably improved in sensitivity as compared with the conventional resist materials, but they still involve the problems such as poor heat resistance of the polymer used therefor, insufficient adhesiveness to the substrate, unsatisfactory transmittance of light with a wavelength of around 248.4 nm, unsatisfactory resolution, pattern size variation or deterioration of pattern shape with the lapse of time, low storage stability, insufficient focus margin, poor mask linearity, footing (broader bottom shape of the pattern), generation of scum and high substrate dependency, resulting in preventing these materials from practical use. Thus, the development of a practical high-sensitivity resist material free of the problems mentioned above has been keenly desired.


A method of forming a substrate support comprises providing a body having a groove, inserting a heater element into the groove, disposing an insert into the groove, and inserting a cap into the groove. The heater element comprises a resistive element inside a sheath encased in a malleable cladding. The insert is disposed over the cladding, and the cap is substantially flush with an outer surface of the body.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a substrate support utilized in substrate processing and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays or flat panels are commonly used for active matrix displays such as computer and television monitors. Generally, flat panels comprise two glass plates having a layer of liquid crystal material sandwiched therebetween. At least one of the glass plates includes at least one conductive film disposed thereon that is coupled to a power supply. Power supplied to the conductive film from the power supply changes the orientation of the crystal material, creating a pattern such as text or graphics that can be seen on the display. One fabrication process frequently used to produce flat panels is plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD).
Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is generally employed to deposit thin films on a substrate such as a silicon or quartz wafer, large area glass or polymer workpiece, and the like. Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is generally accomplished by introducing a precursor gas into a vacuum chamber that contains the substrate. The precursor gas is typically directed through a distribution plate situated near the top of the chamber. The precursor gas in the chamber is energized (e.g., excited) into a plasma by applying RF power to the chamber from one or more RF sources coupled to the chamber. The excited gas reacts to form a layer of material on a surface of the substrate that is positioned on a temperature controlled substrate support. In applications where the substrate receives a layer of low temperature polysilicon, the substrate support may be heated in excess of 400 degrees Celsius. Volatile by-products produced during the reaction are pumped from the chamber through an exhaust system.
Generally, the substrate support utilized to process flat panel displays are large, most often exceeding 550 mm×650 mm. The substrate supports for high temperature use are typically forged or welded, encapsulating one or more heating elements and thermocouples in an aluminum body. The substrate supports typically operate at elevated temperatures (i.e., in excess of 350 degrees Celsius and approaching 500 degrees Celsius). Due to these high operating temperatures, the heating elements encapsulated in the substrate supports are susceptible to failure due to local hot spots that may form if the heat is not properly carried away and distributed throughout the substrate support.
Although substrate supports configured in this manner have demonstrated good processing performance, manufacturing such supports has proven difficult and expensive. Moreover, as the cost of materials and manufacturing the substrate support is great, failure of the substrate support is highly undesirable. Additionally, if the substrate support fails during processing, a substrate supported thereon may be damaged. As this may occur after a substantial number of processing steps have been preformed thereon, the resulting loss of the in-process substrate may be very expensive. Furthermore, replacing a damaged support in the process chamber creates a costly loss of substrate throughput while the process chamber is idled during replacement or repair of the substrate support. Moreover, as the size of the next generation substrate supports are increased to accommodate substrates in excess of 2 square meters at operating temperatures approaching 500 degrees Celsius, the aforementioned problems become increasingly more important to resolve.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved substrate support.

Method of fabricating a heated substrate support


Disclosed are a resource allocation method for demodulation reference signals and a base station. The resource allocation method for demodulation reference signals executed by the base station includes: determining an allocation method for a resource required for transmitting a plurality of demodulation reference signals and a parameter for generating the plurality of demodulation reference signals, the plurality of demodulation reference signals respectively corresponding to a plurality of user equipments, the allocation method being capable of supporting transmission of the plurality of demodulation reference signals on the same time domain resource, and the parameter being capable of making the demodulation reference signals sent with the same time frequency resource distinguished from each other; and transmitting information indicating the allocation method and information indicating the parameter to the plurality of user equipments.

As the next generation cellular network, 5G network is based on 5G NR (New Radio). A global 5G standard based on brand new air interface of OFDM aim to support various kinds of 5G apparatus, services, deployments and frequency bands. As compared to 4G communication, 5G communication is able to provide signal of broader coverage, and faster velocity for networking, and larger traffic density, and to penetrate into internet of things at the same time. In other words, it is internet of everything.
To guarantee so many connections and such high efficient and reliable transmission, a conventional uplink communication is obviously ineligible, and new key technique of 5G is needed to support, and a non-orthogonal multi-address technique (NOMA technique) is an importance key technique of 5G.
In a conventional transmission mode (pattern) of NR Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS), at a same time domain resource, a transmission of demodulation reference signal corresponding to up to twelve ports (that is, twelve user equipment (UE) can be supported. However, this is far from enough in NOMA.

Resource allocating method for demodulation reference signal and base station


A droplet actuator drive including a detection apparatus for sensing a property of a droplet on a droplet actuator; circuitry for controlling the detection apparatus electronically coupled to the detection apparatus; a droplet actuator cartridge connector arranged so that when a droplet actuator cartridge electronically is coupled thereto: the droplet actuator cartridge is aligned with the detection apparatus; and the detection apparatus can sense the property of the droplet on a droplet actuator; circuitry for controlling a droplet actuator coupled to the droplet actuator connector; and the droplet actuator circuitry may be coupled to a processor.

Droplet actuators are used to conduct a wide variety of droplet operations. A droplet actuator typically includes two plates separated by a gap. The plates include electrodes for conducting droplet operations. The space is typically filled with a filler fluid that is immiscible with the fluid that is to be manipulated on the droplet actuator. The formation and movement of droplets is controlled by electrodes for conducting a variety of droplet operations, such as droplet transport and droplet dispensing. Because there are multiple types of assays that require multiple types of droplet actuator instrumentation, there is a need for flexible droplet actuator instruments that are capable of performing multiple types of assays.


A system for calibrating a scan module of an automatic document feed (ADF) scanner. The system includes a rotatable frame disposed on a position opposite to an imaging surface of the ADF scanner. An image backer and a calibration surface portion formed along longitudinal portions of the frame extend substantially parallel to the imaging surface. The image backer and calibration surface portion have top surfaces of different reflectivity that respectively does not contact and contacts the imaging surface when the frame is rotated to position the image backer and the calibration surface portion in a field of view of the scan module. A drive mechanism coupled to the frame is controlled by a controller to rotate the frame and selectively position within the field of view of the image capture module the image backer during a scanning operation and the calibration surface portion during a calibration operation.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to a duplexing optical scanner having an automatic document feeder (ADF), and, in particular, to a system for calibrating a stationary image capture module in the ADF.
2. Description of the Related Art
An imaging apparatus, such as a copier, scanner, or a multi-function printing device may include a scanning mechanism that operates in an ADF mode and/or a manual mode. In the manual mode, a media sheet is placed on a flatbed for scanning while in the ADF mode, media sheets are sequentially fed for scanning. In some scanning mechanisms, a duplex automatic document feeder (DADF) is employed whereby two scan modules scan both sides of a media sheet as the media sheet is fed in the ADF.
For a DADF to properly scan images, the two scan modules need to be calibrated. Typically, one of these scanning modules is located in a flatbed scanner and scans one side of a media sheet, and the other is a stationary scanner located inside of the DADF and scans the opposite side of the media sheet. A calibration target used for calibrating the scan module within the flatbed scanner is disposed therein such that contamination of the calibration target with dust is prevented or at least reduced. During calibration a scan is made of white calibration target image and typically has a green hue because the green channel on the scan module, such as a CCD scan module, has the highest sensitivity. Also the light source, reflectors, mirrors, etc., can all contribute to the colors being out of balance resulting in white not appearing to be white. In such a situation the output signals of the three uncalibrated channels, red, blue and green with the CCD scan module looking at a white calibration target would be two or more distinct bands. Calibration will adjust the three color channels with the analog front end (AFE) gain and offset settings to balance the three colors and make the target appear white. The AFE gain setting acts as a multiplier on the signal while the AFE offset acts as an addition or subtraction to move the signal up or down. A dark calibration is also done where the light source is turned off to provide a black target. Largely because of thermal drift, the light source and electronics aging, this calibration is checked and updated every so often. After calibration and adjustment of the AFE gain and offset, the output signals of the three color channels will substantially overlap one another.
Another part of scan module calibration is called shading. While the AFE gain and offset settings act on the entire color channel, shading will act on individual pixels. Shading will take each pixel and adjust it to a target. The ideal end result would be a perfectly flat signal output. There are several phenomena shading attempts to compensate for: 1) in the same CCD color channel, there will be a pixel to pixel variation in light sensitivity; 2) the edges of a scan are darker due to the vignetting effect of the lens; 3) any contamination in the optical path can partially block the light from reaching a pixel; and, 4) variation in light output across the scan line. The light source is typically a string of LEDs, and each individual LED's light output will not perfectly match the others. Shading requires a perfect calibration target in order to work properly. Any dust or scratch on the calibration target will cause those pixels to be overcorrected and a vertical band will show up on the scan of a document. In the flatbed scanner this is easy to solve with a moving scan which can be used to filter defects on the calibration target. In the ADF the CCD scan module is stationary, so no compensation is available for any defect on the target.
A calibration target for calibrating the DADF scan module is more susceptible to contaminants because it is typically located along the media path of the ADF, and, thus exposed to contamination such as from media sheets being fed through the media path. For a calibration process to be robust against dust and contamination on the calibration target, a wide area of the calibration target may need to be scanned. Any contamination on the calibration target may then be removed with a filter or averaged with other scan lines of correct data. In the flatbed scanner, this can be accomplished because the flatbed scan module is designed to translate. That is, while the flatbed scanner calibration target is stationary, the flatbed scan module can be moved to scan multiple locations on the flatbed scanner calibration target. In the DADF, however, it is generally difficult to move the DADF scan module to scan multiple locations on the calibration target because of space constraints. In some existing DADFs, stationary calibration targets are used for calibrating the DADF scan module where it scans only one unique location on the calibration target. This calibration process is susceptible to contamination and debris.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system for calibrating a scan module in a DADF that is more robust to dust and contamination.

System for calibrating a stationary image capture module of an optical scanner


The present invention relates to a meter module to be installed in an instrument panel of a car and a structure for assembling the meter module and to provide a meter module wherein the designs of the meters and switches can easily be modified and the functions thereof can be changed in accordance with a model and grade of the motor vehicle for installing them in the instrument panel in an easier and preferable manner. The meter module consists of an independent meter display unit and cluster unit having a guide protrusion respectively, both guide protrusions can be inserted into the same introducing guides of a module accommodation portion. The meter display unit includes meters and electric circuits thereof and cluster unit includes control switches and control circuits for the meters and the like and the electrical connection between the meter module and the wire harness installed in the motor vehicle can be performed simultaneously with the insertion of the meter module into the module accommodation portion of the instrument panel of the motor vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a meter module, in which meters, control circuits and the like are assembled for mounting them in an instrument panel of a car, and a structure for assembling the meter module in a car body. The meter module is defined as an electric accessory unit which is acquired by integrally coupling switches and meters with electronic components for their control and with a flexible printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To set up an electric circuit for an instrument panel of a car, there has been employed means for the manual installation of a wire harness, which is prepared based on a necessary electric circuit, in the body of the car or in the instrument panel of an dashboard of the car, and for connecting connectors of the wire harness with switches and connectors of meters.
In consonance with the development of electronics and enhanced electric car controls, a number of switches and meters to be provided in the instrument panel in front of drivers seats in the car has been increased, and electric circuits have become more complicated. Wire harnesses to be employed in the car to form such electric circuits have grown so large and heavy that they can not easily be retained in limited spaces, and the work involved in their assembly tends to be complex and inefficient.
In order to simplify the electric circuits in the instrument panels, a meter module M shown in FIG. 7, for example, has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Hei 7-96774. The meter module M comprises a cluster module d and a finish panel e to be attached to the front face of the cluster module d. The cluster module d is constituted by collectively and integrally coupling together an instrument board a provided with meters, indicator lamps and their drivers, an electric connection box b containing a power source for vehicle-mounted electric accessories including the meters, indicator lamps and the like and a functional circuit for distributing input/output signals to the vehicle-mounted electric accessories and controlling the components therein, and a switch unit c containing switches for the electric accessories.
As seen in FIG. 8, the meter module M is mounted at a prearranged portion of an instrument panel f and is electrically connected to an installed wire harness g by coupling a connector h of the wire harness g with a connector i of the meter module M.
In such meter module M, however, it has been required to change the structures of the cluster module d and finish panel e in order to modify designs of the meters and the switches and to change the functions thereof in accordance with the grade of a car. Accordingly, there has been a problem such that it is required to prepare many different modules for every type of car, and this in turn has resulted in the increase of the load of manufacturing and storing these modules. Further, when accessories are mounted around the periphery and on the reverse side of the meter modules, it is difficult to employ this method for a multi-functional dashboard because of a limited space to store.

Meter module and structure for assembling the same


An apparatus and method for a fast recovery rectifier structure. Specifically, the structure includes a substrate of a first dopant. A first epitaxial layer lightly doped with the first dopant is coupled to the substrate. A first metallization layer is coupled to the first epitaxial layer. A plurality of trenches is recessed into the first epitaxial layer, each of which is coupled to the metallization layer. The device also includes a plurality of wells each doped with a second dopant type, wherein each well is formed beneath and adjacent to a corresponding trench. A plurality of oxide layers is formed on walls and a bottom of a corresponding trench. A plurality of channel regions doped with the first dopant is formed within the first epitaxial layer between two corresponding wells. Each of the plurality of channel regions is more highly doped with the first dopant than the first epitaxial layer.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of rectifiers. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a fast recovery rectifier structure.
2. Related Art
An important factor in the efficiency of a switching power supply is the performance of the diodes used in such circuits. More particularly, the reverse recovery of such diodes can reduce turn-on loss of the transistor switch in such power supplies. For example, a reverse recovery current transient appears as an additional component of current during the turn-on of the switch, with the result that the turn-on loss of the switch is significantly higher that it would otherwise be without such reverse recovery component. Consequently, reducing diode reverse recovery charge (Qrr) is important for improving the efficiency of switching power supplies.
Unfortunately, however, if the reverse recovery is too abrupt, then the current and voltage will experience undesirable oscillations. Such oscillations can result in, for example, low efficiency power supply operation, a deleteriously noisy output (e.g., power supply ripple and/or electromagnetic interference), and/or extremely high and possibly damaging voltage spikes.

Structure and method for a fast recovery rectifier structure


A semiconductor device capable of performing filter processing while suppressing an increase in processing time is provided. The semiconductor device includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller comprises a CPU, a memory and a CAN-controller. The memory stores software. The CPU executes the software stored in the memory. The CAN controller is configured to add label information to the message information. The CAN routing software stored in the memory implements a filtering function for performing a filter processing for determining whether or not to route the message information by using the label information.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and an information processing method.
Data is transmitted and received between in-vehicle devices such as ECUs (Electronic Control Unit) connected to in-vehicle networks. As a communication standard of the in-vehicle networks, for example, CAN (Controller Area Network) is known. As a standard for specifying the software structure of an in-vehicle device, for example, AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System Architecture) is available. In connection with this technique, Japanese unexamined Patent Application publication 2017-091214 and Japanese unexamined Patent Application publication 2017-105362 disclose an apparatus having a software structure in accordance with the AUTOSAR.

Semiconductor device and information processing method


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for distributed reassembly of large packets split into smaller packets. Larger packets are split into several smaller packets, which are marked with a sequence number, timestamp, or other ordering and reassembly indications, and sent through a system or network. These smaller packets are received at the destination location by multiple reassembly components, which distribute information as to received packets and coordinate the sending of packets from themselves so as to produce the reassembled larger packets. In one implementation, each of the multiple reassembly components maintains one or more data structures indicating packets stored locally and those packets stored anywhere or elsewhere within the multiple reassembly components. When all smaller packets comprising a larger packet are received by one of the distributed resequencing components, the reassembly components transmit their smaller packets in a coordinated fashion as to produce the original larger packet.

The communications industry is rapidly changing to adjust to emerging technologies and ever increasing customer demand. This customer demand for new applications and increased performance of existing applications is driving communications network and system providers to employ networks and systems having greater speed and capacity (e.g., greater bandwidth). In trying to achieve these goals, a common approach taken by many communications providers is to use packet switching technology.
Consumers and designers of these systems typically desire high reliability and increased performance at a reasonable price. A commonly used technique for helping to achieve these goals is for these systems to provide multiple paths between a source and a destination. Packets of information are then dynamically routed and distributed among these multiple paths. It is typically more cost-effective and technically feasible to provide multiple slower rate links or switching paths, than to provide a single higher rate path. Such designs also achieve other desired performance characteristics.
When packets from a single stream are sent through such a packet switching system, they may arrive out of order at their destinations, such as an output port of a packet switching system. In this situation, the packets must be re-ordered. Similarly, when a packet is decomposed into multiple packets which are sent to a destination, the packet must be reassembled. In some systems, one or both resequencing and/or reassembly of packets might be required. The increasing rates of traffic to be sent through a packet switching system and the corresponding number of packets which must be resequenced and/or reassembled is resulting in higher demands on the resequencing and reassembly processes. In other words, the resequencing and/or reassembly processes must be performed at corresponding higher rates. However, it is not always possible for traditional methods and mechanisms to operate at these higher rates. For example, a traditional resequencing and/or reassembly mechanism might be limited by the bandwidth of memory used in the resequencing and/or reassembly processes. New methods and apparatus are needed to resequence and/or reassemble packets, including, but not limited to those systems that can operate more efficiently and/or at fast operating rates.

Method and apparatus for distributed reassembly of subdivided packets using multiple reassembly components


The present invention relates to a Streptococcus thermophilus strain, wherein the strain is galactose-fermenting, wherein the strain carries a mutation in the DNA sequence of the glcK gene encoding a glucokinase protein, wherein the mutation inactivates the glucokinase protein or has a negative effect on expression of the gene, and wherein the strain carries a mutation in the promoter region of the GalK gene encoding a galactokinase protein.

Pure fermented milk products are recognized by a tart or sour taste as a result of the conversion of lactose to lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria during fermentation. They are, therefore, often sweetened by the addition of fruit, honey, sugar or artificial sweeteners to accommodate the customers' desire for a sweeter tasting product.
The food industry has an increasingly high demand for low-calorie sweet-tasting food products in order to help overcome the overweight and obesity problems that have become so prevalent in the last 20 years. Sweetness, usually regarded as a pleasurable sensation, is produced by the presence of sugars and a few other substances. The perception of sugars is very different. Using sucrose as a 100 reference, the sweetness of lactose is 16, of galactose 32 and of glucose 74 (Godshall (1988). Food Technology 42(11):71-78). Glucose is thus perceived more than 4 times sweeter than lactose while still having approximately the same level of calories.
Sugar in fermented food products is more often being replaced with sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose and saccharin which can provide the sweetness with a lower intake of calories. However, the use of artificial sweeteners may result in an off-taste and several studies indicating that the consumption of artificial sweeteners are connected with drawbacks, such as increasing hunger, allergies, cancer etc., have contributed to consumer's preference for fermented milk products which only contain natural sweeteners or, preferably, contain no added sweetener.
Thus, a special challenge lies in developing fermented milk products where the natural (inner) sweetness is high.
The acidity of fermented milk products depend in large part on the lactic acid bacteria present and the process parameters used for preparing the fermented milk product.
Fermentation of the disaccharide lactose is very much studied in lactic acid bacteria because it is the major carbon source in milk. In many species, lactose is cleaved by β-galactosidase into glucose and galactose after uptake. The glucose is phosphorylated by glucokinase to glucose-6-phosphate and fermented via the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway (glycolysis) by most lactic acid bacteria (FIG. 1).
Streptococcus thermophilus is one of the most widely used lactic acid bacteria for commercial thermophilic milk fermentation where the organism is normally used as part of a mixed starter culture, the other component being a Lactobacillus sp., e.g. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus for yoghurt or Lactobacillus helveticus for Swiss-type cheese.
The legal definition of yoghurt in many countries requires Streptococcus thermophilus alongside Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. Both species generate desirable amounts of acetaldehyde, an important flavor component in yoghurt.
Lactose and sucrose are fermented more readily by Streptococcus thermophilus than their component monosaccharides. In the presence of excess galactose only the glucose portion of the lactose molecule is fermented and galactose accumulates in fermented milk products when Streptococcus thermophilus is used. In yoghurt wherein high acid concentrations limit the fermentation, free galactose remains while the free galactose produced in the early stages of Swiss cheese manufacture is later fermented by Lactobacillus helveticus.
However, galactose fermenting strains of both Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus have been reported by several researchers (Hutkins et al. (1986) J. Dairy Sci. 69(1):1-8; Vaillancourt et al. (2002) J. Bacteriol. 184(3); 785-793) and in WO 2011/026863 (Chr. Hansen) is described a method for obtaining Streptococcus thermophilus strains which are galactose fermenting.
In order to meet the requirements of the food industry, it has become relevant to propose new strains, in particular Streptococcus thermophilus strains and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains, which provide more natural sweetness without extra calories directly into the fermented product (inner sweetness) by excretion of glucose.
Pool et al. (2006. Metabolic Engineering 8(5); 456-464) discloses Lactococcus lactis strain in which the glucose metabolism is completely disrupted by deletion of the genes coding for glucokinase, EII(man/glc) and the newly discovered glucose-PTS EII(cel). The construction method is genetic recombination for generation of all the mutations and the resulting strain is consequently a genetically modified organism (GMO) that at present can not be used in food products.
Thompson et al. (1985. J Bacteriol. 162(1); 217-223) studied the lactose metabolism in Streptococcus lactis (today renamed Lactococcus lactis). In this work 2-deoxyglucose was used to obtain a mutant in the mannose-PTS system. Subsequently, this mutant was mutagenized using UV mutagenesis followed by screening for glucose-negative colonies by replica plating. In this way a double mutant (mannose PTS and glucokinase) was isolated. This double mutant was used to study the mechanisms involved in the regulation of lactose fermentation by "starter" organisms. These mutants have several disadvantages compared to their parent strain which makes them unsuitable for inclusion in a commercial starter culture. The cell yield of the mutants was half that of the parent strain per mole of lactose fermented and the doubling time was significantly increased in the mutants when grown on lactose. Likewise, the yield of lactic acid was half that of the parent strain per mole of lactose fermented. The behavior of these strains in milk was not analyzed but it is anticipated that the rate of acidification would be significantly reduced.
In addition, Lactococcus lactis is generally not chosen for acetaldehyde production and does not contribute to the fulfillment of the requirements for the legal definition of yoghurt.
Chervaux et al. (2000. Appl. And Environ. Microbiol., 66, 5306-5311), studied the physiology of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains in a novel chemically defined medium and isolated 2-deoxyglucose-resistant mutants that were deficient in glucose fermentation. Several different phenotypes were observed and strain-specific effects were reported.
WO2013/160413 discloses Streptococcus thermophilus strains and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains with enhanced properties for natural sweetening of food products and for decreasing the lactose content of fermented milk, and method of screening and isolating such strains.
WO2015/193449 discloses a method of producing a fermented milk product with a very low concentration of lactose using a combination of lactase and lactic acid bacteria with a deficiency in glucose metabolism.
WO2015/193459 discloses a method of producing a fermented milk product with a reduced level of post-acidification using a mixture of four lactic acid bacteria strains with a deficiency in glucose metabolism.
WO2011/026863 discloses Streptococcus thermophilus strains with improved texturizing properties carrying mutations in the promoter region of the galactokinase (GALK) gene.
WO2011/092300 discloses Streptococcus thermophilus strains with improved texturizing properties selected on the basis of phage resistance. The improved texturizing properties arise from an increased production by the bacteria of exopolysaccharides (EPS).

Lactic acid bacteria for preparing fermented food products with increased natural sweetness and high texture


A hub assembly for a foldable tent includes a base and a plurality of slots formed on the base. Each slot is formed by a pair of side walls which are integrally formed on the base and includes a pivoting axis substantially normal between the corresponding pair of side walls. Poles are connected to opposing side walls of each corresponding slot for pivotal movement about the pivoting axis. In an open configuration of the tent inner ends of each of the poles engages the engaging surface of the base and is restricted from pivotal movement beyond the engaging surface, and in the closed configuration the inner ends of each pole is disengaged from the engaging surface of the base such that each pole is pivotable to a position substantially perpendicular to each corresponding engaging surface of the base.

The present invention relates to a foldable tent and more particularly to an improved hub assembly for foldable tents.
For novice campers, foldable tents are a popular alternative to conventional assemble-to-use tents. Foldable tents, which are commonly referred to as "instant tents," "one-touch tents" or "pop-up tents," are sold preassembled, making opening and closing of the tent easy and less time consuming. These tents are easily foldable because of the foldable and retractable nature of the poles, and the poles being pivotable within a central hub assembly.
Hub assemblies of foldable tents are known in the art and continue to develop and evolve. Recently, hub assemblies capable of functioning without additional supporting braces have been developed (i.e., a hub assembly with only a base and poles pivotally attached thereto) as described in the parent applications of the present application. However, several shortcomings were discovered through manufacture and use of those hub assemblies.
Hub assemblies are generally circular in shape and the slots formed on the hub assembly to house each pole are generally arranged radially such that each slot is spaced apart circumferentially. Because the hub assemblies are manufactured to a compact size, the space provided between adjacent slots is minimal. Therefore, when the hub assembly is manufactured with many poles (e.g., more than four poles), the hub assembly must be expanded radially outward to accommodate for additional slots, thus increasing manufacturing cost.
Hub assemblies in the prior art are also manufactured with fasteners for forming a pivoting axis for each pole. The fasteners, often metal screws, could be exposed through gaps formed between the poles and corresponding side walls, as well as portions of the screw which may protrude from either outer side of the side walls. Therefore, during factory assembly and/or opening and folding the tent by the user, the tent fabric could become damaged from contact with the metal screws. In addition, substantial manual labor is required to assemble each pole with the fasteners.
A need exists, therefore, for a hub assembly capable of housing many poles without significantly increasing the overall volume of the hub assembly. A need also exists for a hub assembly manufactured without hardware which could cause potential damage to other components of the tent. A further need exists for a hub assembly capable of easy assembly during the manufacturing process.