A commercial production of synthetic fuel from fiber system for reducing synthetic fuels and other usable by-products from fibrous plant material. The process includes providing wind or solar generated energy to a water electrolysis unit; providing water to said water electrolysis unit; cleaving said water within said water electrolysis unit into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas; supplying said hydrogen gas and said oxygen gas to a hydrogen turbine; providing heat from said hydrogen turbine to a syngas reactor; providing a ground fibrous plant material within said syngas reactor; heating said ground fibrous plant material within said syngas reactor to produce a syngas; separating hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide from said syngas; inserting said hydrogen, said carbon monoxide, and said carbon dioxide into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor; producing ethanol and methanol within said Fischer-Tropsch reactor; and collecting said mixture of ethanol and methanol produced by said inserting said hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide into said Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to commercial fuel production and more specifically it relates to a commercial production of synthetic fuel from fiber system for producing synthetic fuels and other usable by-products from fibrous plant material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Commercial fuel synthesis systems have been in use for years. Typically, other systems provide synthesis for waste materials such as plants to be converted into useful gases for energy. Additionally, previous systems have provided for conversion of products such as corn or other useful items into liquid fuels. However, these previous systems did not show the conversion of what are generally considered waste products to be converted into useful products including but not limited to synthetic fuels, fertilizer, and useful gases with little or no emissions being produced from that system. Additionally, the present invention uses renewable power sources as an energy source as opposed to the non-renewable energy sources often used in previous systems.
While these compositions may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for producing synthetic fuels and other usable by-products from plant material. However, these previous systems did not show the conversion of what are generally considered waste products to be converted into useful products including but not limited to synthetic fuels, fertilizer, and useful gases with little or no emissions being produced from that system.
In these respects, the Commercial Production of Synthetic Fuel From Fiber System according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional methods of use and compositions of the prior art, and in so doing provides a composition and a method of using the composition primarily developed for the purpose of producing synthetic fuels and other usable by-products from plant material.

Commercial production of synthetic fuel from fiber system


The present invention pertains to an apparatus for providing service to entities. The apparatus comprises a server for providing the service. The apparatus also comprises a plurality of entities which require the service of the server. The entities are connected with the server. Additionally, the apparatus comprises a scheduler for scheduling when each of the entities receives the service of the server. The scheduler is connected with the server and the entities. There is a time stamp mechanism for providing a longer-format time stamp to a requesting entity of the plurality of entities whenever the requesting entity requests service from the server. The time stamp mechanism is connected to the scheduler and the server. Moreover, the apparatus comprises means for compressing the longer-format time stamp into a corresponding shorter-format window-based time stamp and storing the shorter-format window based time stamp. The scheduler schedules service by the server of the requesting entity based on the shorter-format window-based time stamp stored in the memory. The present invention pertains to a method for providing service to entities. An apparatus for manipulating a time stamp. A method for manipulating a time stamp.

A scheduler such as a priority queue is typically used for the cases where the operation order of a number of elements is sorted based on their time stamps in the packet-switching networks. Elements can be any kind of entities such as virtual path connections and virtual channel connections in a broadband network. Each time the element with the smallest/earliest time stamp is scheduled to obtain the control of some kinds of crucial resources such as transmission line in the packet-switching networks.
The binary time stamp has to be long enough such that any two time stamps in the system are comparable, i.e., the precision should cover the possible time stamp overflow in the worst case. In many packet-switching networks, this would require 32-bit binary representation. Regular floating-point representation cannot be used for the time stamp due to the precision lost. Considering that there are tens of thousands of elements in the networks, the internal and external storage to store the time stamps is extremely costly.
The system in the packet-switching networks usually maintains a global virtual clock as the scheduling reference. Each element has a time interval/rate to specify the bandwidth it requests. As an example, by ATM Forum definition, the rate/time interval is represented as a floating-point consisting of 10-bit mantissa and 5-bit exponent. The time stamp for element i is increased as follows: ##EQU1## where j is a positive integer and i is a positive integer.
The scheduler usually tries to schedule the elements on time according to their time stamps. Too early or too late might not guarantee Quality of Services and cause other system problems such as buffer overflow. A good service discipline can guarantee an element will be served no later and no earlier than a given upper bound depending on the applications.
The purpose of the present invention is to use a window-based number to encode the time stamp. The proposed compressed number should not cause any precision lost and the encoding/decoding mechanism should be straightforward and easy to implement. The window-based time stamp can dramatically reduce the amount of storage. The present invention could work as the coprocessor and preprocessor of any kinds of scheduler which can guarantee the service delay bound on the elements.

Method and apparatus for encoding and/or decoding a time stamp


Floatable chair devices, apparatus, systems and methods of using the chair having buoyant material in the headrest as well as the arm rests to provide for a stable floatation platform that would suspend the user to “lounge” or relax or engage in various exercises. The chair can be adjusted by moveable and extendable outrigger floats and/or a head rest, Parallel sideway extending gripping handles can provide the ability to maintain control of the chair and prevent the user from drifting out of the chair during various rigorous exercises. The seat can incorporate unique features to hold the user in place to facilitate the various exercise and prevent “drift” out of the chair yet not secure the individual to the seat in a way that would prevent rapid separation from the device in case of capsize or a compromised position that could increase the risk of drowning. The chair can be easily maneuvered around a swimming pool by kicking with the legs or propelled forward or backward by arm movements. The chair can include a molded back and torso section to the seat to optimize range of motion of the upper extremities and in the lower seat portion of the chair range of motion of the lower extremities. Additional resistance elements, such as but not limited to weighted bands and elongated resistance bands can be used. Methods of doing exercises in one's legs, arms, stomach, and the like, can be used.

Swimming exercises are generally limited to swimmers practicing different types of swimming such as the crawl, the backstroke, and the like. Here, the swimmer must have some knowledge of how to swim as well be able constantly move from place to place within a pool.
Popular swimming exercise and training equipment includes, floats such as floatation boards and/or fins that generally limit a swimmer to practice their kicking. Additionally, the use of hand paddles is known which attach to a swimmer to allow them to practice their hand strokes, and the like.
Other types of well known floats have included raft type floats. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,384,857 to Hoy, Jr.; 5,088,723 to Simmons; and 5,779,513 to Burton et al. However, such rafts are not useable for practicing exercises other than some kicking and paddling with their hands, and do not allow the exerciser to be in a supported seated position.
Floating chair type devices have also been well known. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,555,589 to Farina; 2,803,839 to Mosley; 3,117,327 to Mathew; 5,052,965 to Klapp et al.; and 5,964,628 to Scanlon et al. The stability of these devices is generally limited to the person sitting in a non-moving position so that the chair will not capsize. A user is not able to do much more than some kicking, and the like, as any form of exercise.
Attempts have been made of the years to create some exercise floats. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,102,280 to Williams; 5,314,395 to Ciolino; and 6,837,765 to Lauziere. However, these devices are generally limited to seat type devices where the user may be able to do sit-ups, and/or paddle with their hands, and the like. However, these devices are not too stable to be easily used over time, and are prone to capsizing
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.


A common voltage generation circuit includes a common voltage adjusting circuit adjusting a level of a common voltage in response to a compensation signal and providing the adjusted common voltage to a liquid crystal panel, and a common voltage compensating circuit including a resistor producing potential differences between the adjusted common voltage and each of the positive and negative polarity data voltages, a first voltage detector detecting a potential difference between the adjusted common voltage and the negative polarity data voltage, a second voltage detector detecting a potential difference between the adjusted common voltage and the positive polarity data voltage, and a voltage comparator comparing output signals of the first and second voltage detectors and feeding the compensation signal back to the common voltage adjusting circuit.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a common voltage generation circuit and a liquid crystal display circuit comprising the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is a type of flat panel display for displaying images using liquid crystals. In general, LCDs feature low power consumption, slim, lightweight design, with low driving voltage.
A conventional LCD includes a color fitter display panel having reference electrodes and color filters, a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate having TFTs and pixel electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the color filter display substrate and the TFT substrate. An LCD displays images by applying electric potentials to the pixel electrodes and the reference electrodes to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal layer to control the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules and the quantity of light transmitted is controlled.
In conventional LCDs, in order to reduce or prevent deterioration of a liquid crystal layer, polarity inversion of a liquid crystal voltage is periodically performed within each frame, which is called a frame inversion driving method. The liquid crystal voltage is determined by a data voltage applied to a data driver and a common voltage corresponding to the data voltage.
In recent years, several attempts have been made to improve the display quality of LCD devices. In polarity inversion, a positive-polarity voltage and a negative-polarity voltage, for a gray scale, are applied alternately to each pixel. Polarity inversion, however, necessitates different common voltages for the respective liquid crystal panels, due to various reasons, such as parasitic capacitance generated during fabrication of a thin film transistor, characteristics of the thin film transistor, voltage uniformity in common voltage generating electrodes, or a structural difference between each of the circuit components.
A flicker phenomenon occurs due to a data voltage distortion, that is, the positive-polarity data voltage and the negative-polarity data voltage being asymmetric with respect to the common voltage. To minimize the occurrence of the flicker phenomenon a common voltage generation circuit may employ a digital variable resistor to enable an inspector to adjust a flickering level directly at an inspection stage. The time for adjusting the flickering level may vary depending on the inspector's skill. In addition, since the flickering level is observed with the naked eyes, quantitative control of the flickering level is less than satisfactory. Further, measurement errors may be introduced due to an inspector's physical fatigue or other ambient conditions.

Common voltage generation circuit and liquid crystal display comprising the same


An armature of a linear motor includes a plurality of cooling pipe storage holes formed along a longitudinal direction of a core, and a plurality of cooling pipes stored vertically in the cooling pipe storage holes and having a meander shape. The cooling pipes vertically adjacent to each other are arranged such that inlets and outlets of the cooling pipes are alternately connected in parallel to a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet in order to allow a refrigerant to flow in the reverse direction.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a linear motor that causes a linear motion to an object to be driven using electromagnetic force, and more particularly to a linear motor having a cooling structure.
2. Description of Related Arts
In general, a linear motor includes a field unit having a plurality of permanent magnets which are arranged such that the adjacent polarities are different from each other, and an armature which has a coil arranged opposite to the permanent magnets and which is capable of sliding in a longitudinal direction of the field unit.
In the linear motor, current flows through the coil of the armature so as to cross magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnets of the field unit, whereby driving force is generated on the coil in the longitudinal direction by electromagnetic induction to move the armature.
Since the coil generates heat during the operation of the linear motor, it is necessary to prevent the heat of the coil from being transferred to an object to be driven, such as a processing apparatus arranged on a movable stage. In view of this, a variety of cooling structures for cooling the armature of the linear motor have been developed.
As a technique with respect to cooling an armature of a linear motor, there has been disclosed a linear motor having a cooling passage folded successively in the moving direction of the armature in an intermediate plate which is provided between an armature mounting plate and a table, and in the armature mounting plate (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-304932; hereafter, Patent Document 1). A refrigerant flowing into the cooling passage flows from the intermediate plate and is discharged from the armature mounting plate.
Also, the applicant of the present application has proposed an armature for a linear motor, which is provided with a cooling pipe arranged in a plurality of slots of a core so as to sandwich a coil (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-35698; hereafter, Patent Document 2).
Meanwhile, the linear motor according to Patent Document 1 cools the inside of the slot by the cooling passage formed in the intermediate plate and in the armature mounting plate, whereby cooling efficiency is high.
However, since this linear motor according to Patent Document 1 has a large number of components forming the cooling structure, the production cost is increased, and it is difficult to realize high assembling precision.
In the linear motor according to Patent Document 2, two cooling pipes are arranged in the slot so as to sandwich the coil, whereby cooling efficiency is very high.
However, in the armature for the linear motor according to Patent Document 2, the cooling pipe is long, so the pressure loss of the refrigerant is large. Also, since the cooling pipe is present on the surface opposite to a magnet, it is difficult for a magnetic field of the coil to reach the permanent magnet, whereby the maximum thrust force is decreased. In addition, the cooling pipe in the slot has to be electrically insulated, whereby production cost is increased.
The present invention is made in view of the above circumstances and aims to provide a linear motor that is capable of reducing a pressure loss of a refrigerant, achieving efficient cooling by making a temperature distribution uniform, and increasing maximum thrust force by reducing a magnetic resistance.


A generator control unit for fast field discharge of a field coil is disclosed. The generator control unit comprises a control domain for detecting an excessive generator output voltage, a buck regulator with a feedback pin fed from the control domain, and an over-voltage protection switch connected in a field coil return path which is bypassed by a voltage limiting device. The control domain receives a point of regulation voltage feedback and upon detection of an over-voltage, emits a disable signal to cause the buck switch shut off along with the over-voltage protection switch. Thus dual breaking points are created at two ends of the field coil to dissipate the field charge quickly through the voltage limiting device. When the buck switch experiences a shorting failure, the over-voltage protection switch provides a second breaking point to allow the field discharge through the voltage limiting device, thereby controlling the field discharge with directly controlled over-voltage protection switch.

The present invention generally relates to generator over-voltage protective circuits and, more specifically, to generator control unit circuits having a directly controlled switch for fast field discharge.
There are various known control circuits for dissipating the field energy of a field winding of a generator in an over-voltage condition. FIG. 3 shows a circuit 100 of known prior art for discharging the field current. A fast field discharge circuit 102 includes an additional switch 104 in series with a fly-wheeling diode 106. The additional switch 104 is normally kept closed and is opened upon detection of an over-voltage. An RC snubber is also used across the switch 104 to protect it from excessive inductive kick. An isolation switch 108 is used to address the effect of a shorting failure of main buck switch 110. Both the isolation switch 108 and the additional switch 104 of the fast field discharge circuit 102 are floating and require expensive isolated gate drivers with respective floating power supplies.
Referring to FIG. 4, U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,585 describes a control circuit 150 having an excitation winding L of an alternator connected in series with a controlled electronic switch 152, and an electronic regulator 154 connected to the electronic switch 152 for controlling the opening of electronic switch 152 when an output voltage of the generator exceeds a predetermined value. A regulator circuit 154 is fed by an output of the generator output and has an input IN connected to the intermediate terminal of a voltage divider consisting of two resistors R1 and R2 which are connected between the terminals 156 and 158. The control unit 150 further comprising a protective device connected in parallel to the excitation winding L and comprising a semiconductor circuit 160. An electronic switch 162 operated by an additional output US of the regulator 154 is in parallel with the semiconductor circuit 160 so that it is closed during the normal operation of the generator and opens when an over-voltage occurs on the generator output. The circuit is provided with more than one electronic power switch which increases the number of components constituting the control device, leading to complexity of the circuit and cost increase.
Referring to FIG. 5, U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,562 relates to a circuit configuration 200 for discharge of field energy. The circuit 200 includes a generator G with a field winding 202 characterized by its inductor L and its ohmic resistor R. The energy quenching of field winding 202 is controlled by a power transistor T which in normal operation, is operated with timed pulses from a clock control 204. The field winding 202 and power transistor T are connected in series to a battery voltage Ubatt and a power switch S in series with a diode D1 form a free-running circuit of the field winding 202. The circuit configuration 200 further includes a diode D2 and a zener diode DZ that are arranged between field winding 202 and power transistor T in such a way that, when the power switch S is opened, current can flow from field winding 202 via diode D2 and zener diode DZ to the control connection of power transistor T. When the battery is not completely cut off or a connection failure occurs anywhere in a power feeding cable, comparatively small surges of voltage are repeatedly applied to the power zener diode DZ irregularly within a short period. In this case, a large amount of heat accumulates due to the repetitive generation of heat, even though in comparatively small amounts. Therefore thermal damage becomes larger in this case than in the case where large surge of voltage generated when a rated load is cut off or disconnected. Moreover, the increased complexity of the circuit is undesirable.
As can be seen, there is a need for a simple and reliable control circuit having inexpensive power regulators that can quickly dissipate the field energy without causing any damage to equipment supplied by the generator. Such a control circuit would be safe and dissipate the field energy without generating considerable heat stress in the system. Further, such a needed circuit would associate a directly controlled regulator for convenience and would operate on the buck regulator shorting failure conditions.

Generator control unit with fast field discharge


A restricted area (60) is created based on positional information of a manned vehicle (20) traveling one of outward/return lanes (51, 52), and a detour course (72) is created based on information of the restricted area (60). Information on the detour course (72) is provided to the unmanned vehicles (10, 11) and the manned vehicle (20). Based on the positional information of the unmanned vehicles (10, 11) which proceed towards each other from the opposite directions with the restricted area (60) therebetween, the unmanned vehicle (11) on the lane (52) which is the opposite side of the restricted area (60) is blocked at a block position (61B) and at the same time a travel permission command for permitting traveling the detour course (72) is issued to the unmanned vehicle (10) traveling the lane (51) on the restricted area side so that the unmanned vehicle (10) travels the detour course (72).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to travel control device and method for vehicles for causing unmanned vehicles, which are equipped with travel control means for moving the vehicles along a directed traveling course according to the data of the traveling course, to proceed towards each other from the opposite directions on a traveling road having adjacent outward/return traffic lanes.
2. Description of the Related Art
When conveying the earth and sand deposited in a quarry, mine, or other large work area, in order to avoid accidents caused by fatigue of a worker, to achieve downsizing of manpower, and to improve the productivity by extending the work hours, there is introduced an unmanned vehicle travel system for activating unmanned vehicles instead of manned vehicles such as off-road dump trucks. The unmanned vehicle travel system is constructed such that, in order to manage the operation of plural unmanned dump trucks, monitor stations are set up as ground-based stations and the plural unmanned dump tracks are integrally managed and monitored by means of these monitor stations.
However, it is practically impossible to make all vehicles traveling in the work area unmanned. Specifically, besides the unmanned dump trucks, it is necessary to allow manned vehicles such as a grader, road sprinkler, wheel loader, excavator, trailer, courtesy car for operator, measurement vehicle, and other manned vehicle to travel in the work area.
In the work area, as shown in FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram showing an example of a road in a mine, inbound/outbound traffic lanes Ra, Rb which are adjacent to each other are provided on a traveling road R which connects a loading area A to a dumping area B, and, on the basis of data of the traveling course whish is set previously for each lane Ra, Rb (course data) and data related to travel of the vehicle which is obtained using a position measuring system such as a GPS (travel data: vehicle position, speed and the like), each vehicle T1, T2 is autonomously guided to travel, whereby the vehicles T1, T2 proceed towards each other from the opposite directions on the inbound/outbound traffic lanes Ra, Rb respectively.
Supposing, for example, that a manned motor grader T3 carries out a road construction on one side of the inbound/outbound traffic lanes, e.g. the traffic lane Ra, the road construction is performed at low speed or in a state in which the motor grader T3 is stopped, and thus impedes high-speed running of the vehicle T1 traveling behind on the same traffic lane Ra, thereby causing a reduction in the conveyance efficiency and work efficiency.
If the vehicles T1, T2, which proceed towards each other from the opposite directions, are both manned vehicles, the on-board operators can directly communicate with each other so that the vehicle T1 can pass the grader T3 and travel along a detour course Ca through the lane Rb which is opposite in relation to the vehicle T1, whereby the high-speed traveling can be continued without causing interference between the vehicles.
Furthermore, even if the vehicle T1, which tries to pass the grader T3 through the detour course Ca, is a manned vehicle and the opposing vehicle T2 is unmanned, the operator of the manned vehicle T1 can travel the detour course Ca with awareness about movement of the vehicle T2 on the opposite side, thus the high-speed traveling can be continued without causing interference between the vehicles.
Moreover, the operator of the manned vehicle T1 carefully observes movement of the grader T3 that the manned vehicle T1 tries to pass, and obtains permission to pass the grader T3, from the grader T3 via a wireless machine or the like according to need. Therefore, the manned vehicle T1 can pass the grader T3 without causing interference with the grader T3, while preventing a surprising behavior of the grader T3 (when, for example, the grader T3 strays onto the opposite lane Rb to make a turn).
However, in the case in which the vehicle T1, which tries to pass the grader T3 through the detour course Ca, is an unmanned vehicle (in the case in which the vehicle T2 on the opposite side is an unmanned or manned vehicle), the unmanned vehicle T1 itself does not have the ability to travel the opposite side along the detour course Ca while carefully observing movement of the vehicle T2 on the opposite side, or the ability to obtain permission to pass from the operator. Therefore, it is impossible for the vehicles to continue high-speed traveling without causing interference between the vehicles, unless some sort of control is added thereto. Further, the unmanned vehicle T1 itself does not have the ability to pass the grader T3 along the detour course Ca while carefully observing movement of the grader T3 that the unmanned vehicle T1 tries to pass. Therefore, interference with the grader T3 may be caused because of a surprising behavior of the grader T3 (when, for example, the grader T3 strays onto the opposite lane Rb to make a turn) while passing the grader T3, unless some sort of control is added to the vehicle T1.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-339029 describes the invention which is designed to prevent the occurrence of interference between vehicles, wherein a circle, whose radius is the distance in which a vehicle moves from a current position thereof at the maximum speed, is obtained for each vehicle as an existable area, on the basis of the current position of each vehicle and the maximum speed of each vehicle, and, when interference is caused between the existable areas, it is determined that the corresponding vehicles could interfere with each other, whereby one of the vehicles is decelerated or stopped.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H9-231500 describes the invention which is designed to prevent the occurrence of interference between an unmanned vehicle and manned vehicle that approach each other when traveling in the same direction, in the case in which the both vehicles fleet in the same direction, wherein when the distance between the manned vehicle and the unmanned vehicle behind narrows to a predetermined distance or less, the unmanned vehicle behind is decelerated or stopped.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-242520 describes the invention which is designed to prevent the occurrence of interference between a vehicle and an obstacle on a traveling road, wherein a video camera or other obstacle sensor is installed in the vehicle, and when an obstacle is detected on the traveling road by the obstacle sensor, a detour course is created on the basis of information detected by the obstacle sensor, so that the vehicle is allowed to travel along the detour course to skirt the obstacle.
According to the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-339029, since one of the vehicles is decelerated or stopped when the vehicles come close to each other, the occurrence of interference between the vehicles can be prevented securely.
However, when the above invention is applied to a circumstance where the vehicle T1 is caused to travel along the detour course Ca and pass the grader T3 as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle T1 comes close to the grader T3 as the vehicle T1 passes the grader T3, and thus the T1 is decelerated or stopped. Consequently, passing the grader T3 cannot be achieved. Moreover, in the above invention, coordination between the vehicles that proceed towards each other from the opposite directions is not taken in consideration at all. For this reason, there may be generated a situation in which the vehicle T1, which is in the middle of traveling the opposite lane Rb along the detour course Ca, comes close to the vehicle T2 traveling the same lane Rb in the opposite direction. In this case, the vehicle T1 is decelerated or stopped because the vehicle T1 comes close to the vehicle T2, thus even if the occurrence of interference between the both vehicles proceeding towards each other from the opposite directions can be prevented, passing the grader T3 cannot be achieved.
The invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H9-231500 is based on only the case in which plural vehicles fleet in the same travel direction, and does not assume the case in which plural vehicles proceed towards each other from the opposite directions. Therefore, when the above invention is applied to a circumstance where the vehicle T1 is caused to travel along the detour course Ca and pass the grader T3 as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle T1 is decelerated or stopped at the point of time when the vehicle T1 comes close to the grader T3 to a predetermined distance in order to pass the grader T3, thus passing the grader T3 cannot be achieved.
The invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-242520 is based on only the case of avoiding an obstacle placed on a traveling road, and the vehicles proceeding towards each other from the opposite directions are not taken into consideration at all. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 1, even if the vehicle T1 can be caused to travel along the detour course Ca and pass the grader T3, the vehicle T1 may interfere with the vehicle T2 which travels on the opposite side. Moreover, in the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-242520, the detour course Ca is created based on the information detected by the obstacle sensor, and a future behavior of the grader T3 which is the obstacle is not taken into consideration at all. Therefore, because of a surprising behavior of the grader T3, the vehicle T1 may interfere with the grader T3 while passing the grader T3 (when, for example the grader T3 strays onto the opposite lane Rb to make a turn). Also, the present invention cannot cope with a circumstance where there is a place which is slippery because of rain or where there is an object which should be avoided but could not be detected by the obstacle sensor.
Furthermore, the traveling road R such as a mine is an unpaved road, and a road surface thereof has windrow formed by a road maintenance work performed by the grader T3, or other obstacles that obstruct travel of the vehicle T1. Therefore, in some cases, there occurs a problem in which the vehicle T1 runs on to the windrow when passing the grader T3.
As described above, in any of the conventional technologies described above, although the occurrence of interference between vehicles can be prevented, passing a vehicle at high speed cannot be achieved, or although passing a vehicle at high speed can be achieved, the occurrence of interference between vehicles cannot be prevented, thus the conventional technologies could not satisfy such cases.

Travel control device and method for vehicles


A method for automatically adjusting the position of an implement of a lift assembly of a work vehicle includes determining a tilt transition boom angle for the lift assembly, determining a closed-loop control signal associated with controlling movement of the implement based at least in part on the tilt transition boom angle, generating a valve command signal based at least in part on the closed-loop control signal, and controlling an operation of at least one valve associated with the implement based at least in part on the valve command signal to maintain the implement at a target implement angle as a boom of the lift assembly is being moved across a boom travel range.

Work vehicles having lift assemblies, such as skid steer loaders, telescopic handlers, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, forklifts, compact track loaders and the like, are a mainstay of construction work and industry. For example, skid steer loaders typically include a lift assembly having a pair of loader arms pivotally coupled to the vehicle's chassis that can be raised and lowered at the operator's command. In addition, the lift assembly includes an implement attached to the ends of the loader arms, thereby allowing the implement to be moved relative to the ground as the loader arms are raised and lowered. For example, a bucket is often coupled to the loader arms, which allows the skid steer loader to be used to carry supplies or particulate matter, such as gravel, sand, or dirt, around a worksite.
When using a work vehicle to perform a material moving operation or any other suitable operation, it is often desirable to maintain the vehicle's bucket or other implement at a constant angular position relative to the vehicle's driving surface (or relative to any other suitable reference point or location) as the loader arms are being raised and/or lowered. To achieve such control, conventional work vehicles typically rely on the operator manually adjusting the position of the implement as the loader arms are being moved. Unfortunately, this task is often quite challenging for the operator and can lead to materials being inadvertently dumped from the implement. To solve this problem, control systems have been disclosed that attempt to provide a control algorithm for automatically maintaining a constant angular implement position as the vehicle's loader arms are being moved. However, such previously disclosed automatic control systems still suffer from many drawbacks, including poor system responsiveness and imprecise implement position control. In particular, previously disclosed control systems have been unable to properly accommodate the non-linearity of the operational dynamics of the lift assembly as the loader arms are being moved, thereby providing less than desirable results. This particularly true for work vehicles that include a Z-bar linkage between the tilt cylinder and the implement for adjusting the position of the implement.
Accordingly, an improved system and method for automatically adjusting the position of an implement of a work vehicle so as to maintain the implement at a desired angular orientation relative to a given reference point would be welcomed in the technology.

Work vehicle with improved bi-directional self-leveling functionality and related systems and methods


A pad removal method includes affixing a first end of a pad guide to a first edge location of a pad. The pad removal method further includes affixing a second end of the pad guide to a second edge location of the pad. The pad removal method further includes moving the first end from a first position, a first distance from the second edge location, to a second position, a second distance from the second edge location, wherein the first distance is greater than a diameter of the pad, and the second distance is less than the diameter of the pad.

Integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing often includes chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processing operations in which chemical slurries and polish heads are applied to IC wafers. To facilitate control of movement and pressure during such operations, a wafer is typically supported by a CMP pad bonded to a platen. After a CMP pad reaches its useful lifetime, it is separated from the platen and replaced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


A method for processing a semiconductor topography which includes removing metal oxide layers from the bottom of contact openings is provided. In some embodiments, the method may include etching openings within a dielectric layer to expose conductive and silicon surfaces within the semiconductor topography is provided. In such cases, the method further includes exposing the semiconductor topography to an etch process adapted to remove metal oxide material from the conductive surfaces without substantially removing material from the silicon surfaces. In some cases, the etch chemistry used for the etch process may include sulfuric acid. In addition or alternatively, the etch chemistry may include hydrogen peroxide. In any case, the etch chemistry may be distinct from chemistries used to remove residual matter generated from the etch process used to form the openings within the dielectric and/or the removal of the masking layer used to pattern the openings.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor processing and, more particularly, to methods for processing a semiconductor topography having openings etched within a dielectric layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are given as background information only.
In the fabrication of microelectronic devices, numerous conductive structures, such as gate electrodes, contacts, vias and interconnects, may be formed in or above a semiconductor substrate isolated from one another by dielectric layers. At various stages in the fabrication of microelectronic devices, it may be necessary to form openings in the dielectric layers to allow for contact to underlying regions or layers. Generally, an opening through a dielectric layer exposing a diffusion region of a semiconductor substrate or an opening through a dielectric layer between a gate electrode and a first metal layer is called a "contact opening" or a "contact hole." An opening in other dielectric layers such as an opening through an interlevel dielectric layer is referred to as a "via opening." For purposes of this disclosure, however, "contact opening" may be used to refer to a contact opening and/or a via opening interchangeably. As such, a contact opening, as used herein, may expose a diffusion region such as, a source or drain, or may expose metallization such as, a local interconnect layer or gate structure.
After a contact opening has been formed within a dielectric layer, the opening may be cleaned. The cleaning process may remove small amounts of debris and residual material formed on sidewalls and/or the bottom surface of the contact opening during the formation of the contact opening and/or the removal of an overlying photoresist mask used to pattern the opening. Such a cleaning process, however, is not typically sufficient to remove metal oxide layers formed upon exposed conductive structures. In some cases, the deposition of a dielectric layer over metallization may oxidize an upper portion of the metallization, forming a metal oxide layer. Such a metal oxide layer may undesirably increase the contact resistance of the metallization. In particular, the resulting surface of the metallization may have a contact resistance of approximately 2000 ohms. Consequently, it may be advantageous to remove or prevent the formation of metal oxide layers within contact openings. Although etch chemistries for removing metal oxide materials exist, conventional metal oxide layer removal chemistries are typically apt to etch silicon materials as well. As such, in embodiments in which a plurality of contact openings are formed across a semiconductor topography with exposed silicon and metallization surfaces, an etch chemistry used to remove metal oxide may undesirably etch the exposed portions of silicon as well. Such an affinity to silicon may cause gouges within a semiconductor substrate or field-oxide regions of the semiconductor topography. In some cases, the gouges may undesirably affect the functionality of the device formed therefrom.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop a method for removing metal oxide materials within contact openings. In particular, it would be beneficial to develop a method with a substantially higher etch selectivity to metal oxide than silicon materials. Such a method may advantageously offer a semiconductor topography with conductive structures having reduced contact resistances and silicon surfaces which have not been gouged.

Methods for cleaning contact openings to reduce contact resistance


A process for forming a first bipolar transistor having a single polysilicon structure and a second bipolar transistor having a single polysilicon structure and being of a conducting type opposite to that of the first bipolar transistor on the same substrate. In the process of fabricating a semiconductor device in which a first bipolar transistor having a single polysilicon structure, a second bipolar transistor having a single polysilicon structure and being of a conducting type opposite to that of the first bipolar transistor, and a third bipolar transistor having a double polysilicon structure are provided on the same semiconductor substrate, a base contact portion of the first bipolar transistor and an emitter of the second bipolar transistor are formed in the same step, and an emitter of the first bipolar transistor and base contact portions of the second and third bipolar transistors are formed in the same step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a process of fabricating a semiconductor device, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a process of fabricating a semiconductor device in which bipolar transistors having different conducting types are formed in the same substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor device which includes a bipolar transistor circuit, high speed operation of the circuit is achieved by forming the circuit of an NPN bipolar transistor (hereinafter, referred to as the Tr) of a double polysilicon structure capable of making a gap between an emitter and a base contact portion more narrow. The function of such a semiconductor device including the high speed NPN Tr of a double polysilicon structure can be increased by forming a complementary circuit in which a PNP Tr is formed together with the NPN Tr in the same semiconductor substrate. In this case, the PNP Tr is formed of a single polysilicon structure capable of being formed in a reduced number of steps. In the Tr having such a single polysilicon structure, it is possible to ensure the breakdown voltage between the emitter and base by increasing the gap between the emitter and a base contact portion, by making an impurity distribution in the emitter deep, and reducing the concentration of an impurity in a junction between the emitter and the base.
In the manufacturing process sequence for the above referenced semiconductor device, emitters, bases and collectors of the NPN Tr and PNP Tr are formed in individual steps. Incidentally, in the semiconductor device formed of the above complementary circuit, it is necessary to make shallower and higher the profile of the impurity in the base and to make the concentration of an impurity in the emitter higher, for increasing the cut-off frequency of the above NPN Tr. The result is that in such an NPN Tr, the breakdown voltage between the emitter and base becomes lower. However, to satisfy the recent diversified applications of semiconductor devices, there has been a strong demand for a complementary circuit including the above-described NPN Tr and the PNP Tr added with an NPN Tr having a high breakdown voltage.
In order to provide a semiconductor device having the above described complementary circuit, it is necessary to form an NPN Tr of a single polysilicon structure separately from the above NPN Tr of a double polysilicon structure on the semiconductor substrate. That is, in such a semiconductor device, a NPN Tr and a PNP Tr, each having a single polysilicon structure, are disposed together with a high speed NPN Tr on the same semiconductor substrate.
In the case of forming an NPN Tr and a PNP Tr each having a single polysilicon structure on the same semiconductor substrate or in the case where a Tr of a double polysilicon structure are formed together with the above Trs on the same semiconductor substrate, diffusion layers of the Trs are formed in individual steps, with the result that the processing sequence is complicated, leading to the increased cost.

Process of fabricating semiconductor device


To address privacy issues with “always on” cameras of an AR headset, the cameras can be muted and content displayed by the headset adjusted to provide a user with a visual indication that the cameras are deactivated. The headset includes a display element configured to display content to a user and an eye tracking system that includes a camera configured to track eye motion of the user. In response to the headset receiving a camera muting event from the user or the external environment, the headset deactivates the camera and adjusts the content displayed on the display element to provide the user with a visual indication that the camera is deactivated. In one embodiment, the visual indication is an adjustment of the display from a default RGB color mode to “monochrome” or other predefined color map.

Artificial reality (AR) headsets (e.g., virtual reality and augmented reality) often include several cameras that continuously capture images of an environment around the headset for use in displaying content to users. Example headset camera use-cases include depth estimation, user eye tracking, image classification, and so forth. The "always on" nature of these cameras presents privacy issues when, for example, AR headsets are used in public contexts. To address these issues, AR headsets may allow users to mute the cameras to deactivate continuous image capture.


An actuator assembly for a magnetic disk drive having a structure capable of easily removing the imbalance of the actuator assembly. The actuator assembly includes a shaft fixed to a base of the disk drive, a bearing having an inner race fixed to the shaft, a sleeve fixed to an outer race of the bearing, and an actuator arm unit fixed to the sleeve. The sleeve has a side wall formed with a hole opening in a direction of canceling the imbalance of the actuator assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an actuator assembly for a magnetic disk drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, size reduction and capacity enlargement have been desired in a magnetic disk drive as a kind of external storage for a computer. In association with the size reduction of the magnetic disk drive, an actuator capable of positioning a head with high precision is necessary.
In a magnetic disk drive for a computer, a flying magnetic head is usually used to avoid damage to the head and a magnetic disk due to contact with each other. That is, while the magnetic disk is being rotated at a high speed, a head flying force generated by an air flow due to high-speed rotation of the disk balances a force of a spring for pressing the head on the disk, so that the head is kept at a microscopic flying height from the disk to perform read/write of data on the disk.
In this type of magnetic disk drive, the distance between the head and the disk has a large influence on the data read/write performance of the head. Accordingly, an actuator capable of positioning the head with high precision is required. An example of means for positioning the actuator with high precision is such that bearings for supporting the actuator are constructed as a unit to rotatably support the actuator by the use of such a bearing unit.
The bearing unit is press-fitted within a substantially cylindrical bore formed in an actuator block. The bore has a sectional shape as formed by cutting away a part from a complete round. The bearing unit is in plural-point contact with the inner wall surface of the actuator block defining the bore by screws retracting the bearing unit. This structure prevents distortion of the actuator due to a difference in the coefficient of linear expansion between the actuator and the bearing unit.
In paying attention to a rotational direction of the actuator about the axis of rotation thereof, it is important to consider how to reduce the torque generated in the actuator due to the application of external acceleration, in order to improve the performances of shock resistance and vibration resistance. If the center of rotation of the actuator is not aligned with the center of gravity of the actuator, torque is generated in the actuator upon application of external acceleration. This torque is proportional to the amount of misalignment of the center of gravity, and causes offtrack of the head during the operation of the disk drive. Further, misalignment of the center of gravity operates as a force of canceling a parked state of the actuator in the inoperative condition of the disk drive.
Further, in paying attention to a vertical direction of the actuator, it is important to consider how to suppress vibrations in the seek operation, so as to improve the seek performance. If the rotational force created by the voice coil motor (VCM), which rotates the actuator assembly about a rotational axis, is not aligned with the center of gravity of the actuator, the vibrations generated in the actuator in the seek operation become larger. As a result, there is a problem of increased access time.
For these reasons, it is necessary to reduce the imbalance of the actuator in both the rotational direction and the vertical direction thereof, in order to improve the performance of the magnetic disk drive. If the imbalance of the actuator remains, the performances of shock resistance and vibration resistance are reduced, and settling time is increased because of residual vibrations in the seek operation.
Conventionally, a balancer is added to the actuator to cancel the imbalance of the actuator. However, the addition of the balancer to the actuator causes an increase in inertia of the actuator, resulting in a deterioration in acceleration performance of the actuator. Furthermore, the size reduction of the disk drive makes it difficult to ensure a space for mounting the balancer.

Disk drive actuator assembly with rotational imbalance compensation


Performing a write operation or a read operation in a memory system may include compressing data of a first size unit, generating a plurality of types of Error Checking and Correction (ECC) information based on the compressed data, combining the compressed data and the plurality of types of ECC information in units of a second size, and writing the information combined in units of the second size into a memory device.

1. Field
The present general inventive concept relates to a memory system and a method of controlling the memory system, and more particularly, to a method of performing a write operation or a read operation in a memory system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Memory devices are used to store data and are classified into volatile memory devices and nonvolatile memory devices. Characteristics of such a memory device may vary according to a usage environment, a usage count, or an elapse of a usage time. Thus, a technique of improving the error correction performance even while using the same error checking and correction (ECC) algorithm in memory systems including a memory device is required.

Method of performing write operation or read operation in memory system and system thereof


A tool positioning pad has a base pad, at least one securing member and at least one holder member. The base pad is provided with a plurality of positioning holes, the securing member includes at least one connecting rod acceptable within the plurality of positioning holes. The tool positioning pad comprises the securing member and the holder member capable of providing adjustable holding space. When a hand tool is placed on the base pad, the holder member and the securing member together clamping the hand tool on the base pad.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool positioning pad, and in particular to a tool positioning pad, a tool positioning pad capable of storing different sizes hand tool.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many typical tool boxes provide a tool display board, which can display and secure different tools.
For example, a conventional tool board is capable of storing a plurality of screw driver bits and handles or sockets, but not other hand tools.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a tool positioning pad for various hand tools to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A method of measuring the shape of a glass sheet is provided. The method includes positioning the glass sheet in contact with a fluid and measuring the distance between a sensor and a surface of the glass sheet at a plurality of locations on the surface thereof. The method may further include deconvolving the shape of the glass sheet into at least one simple shape element, such as cylindrical or spherical, and may further include varying the temperature profile of an array of heaters in a glass manufacturing process based on the at least one shape element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for measuring the shape of an article, and more particularly a method for measuring the shape of a glass sheet.
2. Technical Background
Thin sheets of glass are finding use in an increasing array of manufactured articles, and in particular electronic articles including both desktop and laptop computers, cell phones and televisions. Television displays, especially, are undergoing a transformation from historically old cathode ray tubes (CRTs) to plasma and liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Additionally, consumer demand is pressing manufacturers of such non-CRT displays to offer increasingly larger display sizes.
The need to produce larger and larger sheets of display glass while adhering to already stringent requirements pertaining to such parameters as surface quality are pushing the limits of existing methods of manufacturing glass sheet. It is known, for example, that residual stress which may exist within a large glass sheet will cause a smaller sheet which may be cut from the larger sheet to assume a shape different than the parent glass as those pre-existing stresses are relieved and/or redistributed.
Glass sheet may be formed by a variety of methods, including the well-known float process, wherein a glass melt is floated on a bath of liquid metal, typically tin. Another popular method of manufacturing glass sheets is known as the fusion draw method (FDM), wherein a molten glass is fed into a trough. The molten glass overflows both sides of the trough in a controlled manner, and the separate glass flows are re-united at the apex of the trough. Accordingly, the exposed surface of the glass sheet is pristine and the glass sheet may be drawn from the apparatus in a ribbon. A fusion process for forming glass sheet is explained more fully in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,696 and 3,682,609 (Dockerty), the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
When forming thin glass sheet by a continuous ribbon forming method such as the overflow downdraw, or fusion process, shape can be imparted on the sheet product. Sheet shape can manifest itself in many forms, including bow, sag, "s-warp", etc. Ultimately, the sheet shape can become a problem for downstream customers for several reasons: edges of the glass that are not in a plane can become a source of breakage due to impact; severely shaped glass may not vacuum chuck down in the various tools used to manufacture LCDs thereby leading to throughput slowdown or may generate high stress levels in the glass substrate leading to breakage. Even moderately shaped glass may not lay down on various chucking devices, thus leading to non-uniformities in the deposited thin films which make up the electronic portions of the display. In order to make a low stress and/or low warp product it is required that sheet shape be fundamentally understood and reduced to minimal levels.
A non-planar sheet shape can be caused by a number of processing factors, including bending and vibration of the drawn glass ribbon within the elastic temperature range which is transmitted upward into the visco-elastic region, and "frozen-in" thermal stress effects. Such movement may result from cutting of the ribbon into a separate pane or sheet. Shape may also result from frozen-in stresses, such as can occur when a non-flat, across-the-draw temperature gradient occurs in the sheet as it passes through the visco-elastic temperature range. Because in many cases the drawn glass ribbon is exceptionally thin (such as glass used in display devices) much of the frozen-in stress may be compensated for by shape formation. That is, the ribbon deforms to relieve the stress. This form of shape is transient in nature, and may be substantially relieved or redistributed upon cutting of the ribbon into individual sheets, or later re-cutting of the sheet into still smaller portions.
While sheet shape has been examined to some extent, precise sheet shape measurement methods are required to better analyze the contour of the sheets, in order to best control the formation of shape. In addition, while current mechanical feeler gauge methods can analyze sheet shape to some degree, it is difficult to eliminate gravity-based sag effects from the measurement.

Process and apparatus for measuring the shape of an article


An apparatus including processing circuitry and an application interface traversing method are described. The processing circuitry selects a target interface from a plurality of interfaces of an application to be tested. The target interface is associated with at least one of a control element, a sub-interface, and a parent interface. The processing circuitry obtains a first control list for the target interface. The first control list indicates whether the at least one of the control element, the sub-interface, and the parent interface has been traversed. The processing circuitry determines, based on the first control list, whether the target interface is associated with a non-traversed interface corresponding to one of the at least one of the control element, the sub-interface, and the parent interface. When the target interface is determined to be associated with the non-traversed interface, the processing circuitry selects the non-traversed interface to update the first control list.

Before application software is officially published, each interface of the application needs to be traversed, to check correctness of interface display in different languages.
In a related technical solution, generally, each interface of a tested application is traversed in a manual manner. Because of a large quantity of language types and a large quantity of interfaces of a tested application, an interface traversing process is excessively complex. In addition, in the interface traversing process, a user needs to manually view and test all application interfaces, and each interface may be associated with a plurality of sub-interfaces. Therefore, the user cannot ensure that each traversed interface is a new interface and no non-traversed interface is caused by omission. It can be learned that the manual operation manner easily causes a problem that in an interface traversing process, an interface is omitted, the workload is high, and the efficiency is low.

Apparatus and application interface traversing method

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


An exposure controller for use in a photographing apparatus including a flash, includes a diaphragm having a changeable opening to adjust the amount of light reaching a photosensitive medium from a lens optical system, a diaphragm control unit for changing the opening of the diaphragm during the time when a shutter is being opened, and a flash control unit for firing the flash at a predetermined time during the time when the shutter is being opened. This exposure controller enables photography having apodization effect.

This invention relates to an exposure controller for a camera capable of obtaining a special picture effect by changing an opening area of a diaphragm while a film is being exposed, i.e., a shutter is open.
Generally, a camera is provided with a diaphragm for restricting the amount of light reaching a film after passing a lens optical system and a shutter for causing the film to be exposed by opening for a set exposure time in order to properly expose the film. The opening area of the diaphragm and the shutter speed are factors largely influencing how pictures will turn out and are closely related to an occurrence of blurredness and a camera shake.
A lens shutter is a shutter which is provided in the lens optical system and in which the same blades are generally used as aperture blades and shutter blades, i.e., acts as a diaphragm and as a shutter. Thus, the opening area and the shutter speed cannot be set independently of each other. Therefore, the opening area and the shutter speed are determined based on a light measurement value according to the specification of the camera.
On the other hand, in a single-lens reflex camera in which a lens is exchangeable, the diaphragm and the shutter are generally separate elements, and a focal plane shutter is provided as a shutter immediately before a film. In such a single-lens reflex camera, the opening area of the diaphragm and the shutter speed are manually or automatically set such that the film is suitably exposed according to the brightness of an object. During the photographing, the diaphragm is actuated to a specified aperture value and then the shutter is actuated with the opening area fixed.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-316726 discloses a camera system which includes a lens shutter and a focal plane shutter, and has a lens shutter mode for actuating the lens shutter as a program shutter and a focal plane shutter mode for controlling the aperture by the lens shutter and controlling the exposure time by the focal plane shutter.
According to this camera system, the aperture value changes over time in the case that a program exposure is made by the lens shutter. Thus, a moving direction of a moving body is recognizable based on the blurredness of an image resulting from an aperture effect.
There is also a commercially available camera which can obtain an effect approximate to an effect obtained when an apodization filter is used by actuating the lens shutter in accordance with a triangular exposure curve for opening the lens shutter at a relatively low speed and closing it at a high speed (hereinafter, "apodization effect") (see pp. 66 to 71, May, 1971 issue of "Shashin Kogyo (Photographic Industry)" published by the Photographic Industry Publishing Company). The apodization filter is constructed such that transmittance is reduced along a direction perpendicular to an optical axis away from the center of the optical axis. If a picture is taken using this apodization filter, there can be obtained an effect that an out-of-focus image is made softly blurry as a whole, thereby being turned into an image which renders a satisfactory blurry effect.
However, the apodization effect cannot be obtained in the conventional single-lens reflex camera since the aperture value is held at a specified value without being changed during the exposure.
Further, in the camera system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 1-316726 and the camera which operates in accordance with the triangular exposure curve, a sufficient apodization effect or a desired apodization effect suited to a photographer's purpose cannot be obtained since the lens shutter opens at a specified speed as time elapses.


A method and arrangements for transmitting, receiving and displaying graphic images. The graphic images include dynamic icons (dynacons), i.e. graphic subpictures comprising two or more motion phases. By alternately displaying said motion phases, an attractive motion is created. They enhance the appearance of graphic images considerably. This is especially useful in the transmission of an electronic television program guide, e.g. to indicate the type of television programs to come.

The invention relates to a method of transmitting graphic images, comprising the step of transmitting data defining pixels of a displayable subpicture, and the step of transmitting data invoking said subpicture for display on a receiver. The invention also relates to a television receiver and a display device for receiving and displaying said graphic images.
A method of transmitting graphic images is generally known as teletext. Herein, images are transmitted in the form of pages, each page comprising a plurality of character codes defining the alphanumeric and graphical characters of said page. Pixel patterns defining the commonly used characters are stored in a read-only memory section of the receiver. The known arrangements render it possible for characters, or series of characters, to xe2x80x9cflashxe2x80x9d, i.e. to be concealed and revealed at a predetermined frequency. This allows a dynamic effect to be added to a page.
More sophisticated teletext systems (level 3) provide a feature usually referred to as xe2x80x9cDynamically Redefinable Character Setsxe2x80x9d. This feature allows a page editor to define the pixel pattern of characters at the transmitter end, and to download said patterns to the receiver for storage in a random access memory prior to the transmission of the page.
It is an object of the invention to further improve the appearance of an image on screen.
According to the invention, the method is characterized in that the step of transmitting pixel defining data includes the transmission of pixel defining data for at least two motion phases of said subpicture to be displayed cyclically. The transmission step may include the transmission of a time code representing a time interval between displaying the successive motion phases of said subpicture. The graphic image can thus be enhanced with dynamic icons (xe2x80x9cdynaconsxe2x80x9d).

Transmission of pixel data defining two motion phases of a graphic image


A system and method for identifying wireless communication assets is provided. Embodiments may include providing, on a graphical user interface (GUI), an interactive map in a first window of the GUI. Embodiments may also include defining, on the GUI, a user-defined search area on the interactive map. In some embodiments, the user-defined search area defined on the interactive map may define at least a portion of a geographic region. Embodiments may further include identifying, on the GUI, one or more wireless communication assets and a location of each of the one or more wireless communication assets within the user-defined search area on the interactive map. In some embodiments, each wireless communication asset may be capable of supporting at least one wireless communication device and the locations of each wireless communication asset on the interactive map may relate to a physical location of each wireless communication asset.

As the resources of the Internet become more necessary for personal, social, and commercial interests, the ability to access the Internet at higher speeds regardless of a user's location becomes increasingly important. Access to the Internet is generally limited only by the deployment of wireless network infrastructure such as cellular radio access nodes.
Typically, wireless network deployment requires the construction of larger cellular radio access nodes called macrocells. However, macrocells may require the purchase or lease of significant real estate and identifying potential locations for macrocells may be difficult. With the availability of "small cells" such as microcells, picocells, femtocells, etc., the deployment of greater numbers of small cells may increase the deployment of wireless network infrastructure. However, it may be difficult to identify suitable structures capable of supporting small cells (e.g., wireless communication assets) and/or the availability of these wireless communication assets for small cells.

System and method for identifying wireless communication assets


A vehicle features a bumper which runs transverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and which is attached to the vehicle by at least one deforming element. The deforming element is essentially in the form of a tube-shaped length of section of light weight metal having its longitudinal axis lying in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is divided into longitudinal chambers by inner struts.

The invention relates to a vehicle having a bumper which runs transverse to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is attached to the vehicle by at least one deforming element that is essentially in the form of a tube-shaped length of section of light-weight metal having its longitudinal axis lying in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
A large number of devices for securing bumpers to a vehicle is known. It is also known to attach bumpers to vehicles via deforming elements on the longitudinal members of the vehicle frame, this in order to increase the capacity to absorb the energy of deformation entering the bumper during collision.
A known deforming element comprises an upset steel pipe which is attached to the bumper via attachment plates on the longitudinal member of the vehicle frame. This deforming element is characterized by practically uniform force of deformation throughout the deformation process. This desirable characteristic is obtained, however, only provided the direction of the force of deformation coincides with the longitudinal axis of the tube. Even when the deviation from that condition is only relatively small, the upsetting action does not take place and, instead, the tube is bent to the side without the desired absorption of energy. On collision with a soft obstacle, the pipe penetrates the obstacle and is not able therefore to exercise its full capacity for absorbing the incoming energy. A further disadvantage of the upset tube is its high cost of manufacture.
Efforts have already been made to employ hollow aluminum sections as deforming elements. However, relatively coarse folds forming during compression markedly reduce the capacity to absorb the incoming energy. Attempts have also been made to achieve better folding behavior by controlling the manner of folding; by this means however it has been possible to achieve only insignificant improvement.

Vehicle with bumper and deforming element


A plasma based deposition process to deposit thin film on the inner surfaces of the shaped objects such as plastic or metallic object like bottles, hollow tubes etc. at room temperature has been developed. In present invention uniform hydrogenated amorphous carbon (also called Diamond-Like Carbon, DLC) films on inner surfaces of plastic bottles is successfully deposited. Applications of such product include entire food and drug industries. There is a huge demand of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN)) bottles, meant for the storage of potable water, carbonated soft drinks, wines, medicines etc. However, the higher cost prohibits their wide, spread use. The cheaper alternative is to use plastic bottles inside coated with chemically inert material such as Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) will be commercially viable. Inventor process can be scaled up for mass production. This process can also be used for coating on inner surface of metallic cane or tube with a carbide forming interlayer (like hydrogenated amorphous silicon) to get the DLC films with better adhesion to inner surface of metals.

It is well known that diamond-like carbon (DLC) films offer a wide range of exceptional physical, mechanical, tribological, electrical, optical and biomedical properties that make them commercially attractive for numerous industrial applications. Certain DLC films are extremely hard, chemically inert and also tribologically they show some of the lowest known friction and wear coefficients. Their optical and electrical properties are extraordinary and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of a given application. Because of their excellent chemical inertness, these films are resistant to corrosive and/or oxidative attacks in acidic and saline media. Main constituent of DLC is carbon (and also hydrogen, varies from few atomic percent to 60 percent) and because of its inertness property, it is also a biocompatible material. The combination of such a wide range of outstanding properties in one material is rather uncommon, so DLC can be very useful in meeting the multifunctional applications. These films are now used in numerous industrial applications, including razor blades, magnetic hard discs, critical engine parts, mechanical face seals, scratch-resistant glasses, invasive and implantable medical devices and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). However, high residual stress (up to 10 GPa), low adhesion strength (especially with the metallic substrates) and low thermal stability of DLC films are major hindrance to limit their practical applications. However, these problems of DLC have been solved to an extent involving; compositional modification, multilayer architecture, interface modification etc. [A. A Voevodin, S. D. Walck, J. S. Zabinski, Wear, 203-204, 516, (1997); H. Dimigen and C. P. Klages, Surf. Coat. Technol., 49(1-3), 543, (1993); M. Gioti, S. Logothetidis and C. Charitidis, Appl. Phys. Lett., 73(2), 184, (1998); A.L. Baia Neto, R. A. Santo, F. L. Freire Jr., S. S. Camargo Jr., R. Carius, F. Finger, W. Beyer, Thin Solid Films 293(1-2), 206,(1997); J. C. Damasceno, S. S. Camargo Jr., F. L. Freire Jr., R. Carius, Surf. Coat. Technol. 133-134, 247, 2000)]
In a separate study some members of inventors have also suggested some possible ways to solve the problem of stresses in DLC films [Sushil Kumar, P. N. Dixit, D. Sarangi and R. Bhattacharyya, J. Appl. Phys. 85, 3866(1999); Sushil Kumar, D. Sarangi, P. N. Dixit, O. S. Panwar & R. Bhattacharyya, Thin Solid Films 346, 130 (1999)].
There are several excellent review articles written on DLC and other carbon based materials, which also emphasis that stress and adhesion are major limitation of DLC for realization of industrial applications [A. Grill, Surf. Coat. Technol. 94,  507(1997);H.C. Tsai and D. B. Bigy, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 5, 3287(1987); A. Erdemir, O. L. Eryilmaz and G. Fenske, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 18, 1987(2000); J. Robertson Mater. Sci. Eng. 37, 129(2002)].
Most DLC films are structurally amorphous and the deposition methods and carbon sources used, the structural chemistry of the resultant films may also differ substantially, and such differences may, in turn, lead to large variations in their properties. DLC films are primarily made of sp2- and sp3-bonded carbon atoms that are extracted from carbon-containing sources, such as solid carbon targets, liquid or gaseous forms of hydrocarbons [J. Robertson, Mater. Sci. Eng. 37, 129(2002)]. The relative amount of sp2 versus sp3-bonded carbon atoms (essentially depends on energy of carbon ions while film formation) varies from one DLC films to another. Films with a high proportion of sp2-bonded carbon atoms tend to be relatively soft and behave more like graphite during tribological tests, while films with more sp3-bonded carbons are more like diamond, and hence they are hard and provide impressive tribological properties [J. P. Sullivan, T. A. Friedmann and K. Hjort, MRS Bull. 26,  309(2001)], are called tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C, hydrogen free DLC). The atomic percent of hydrogen in these hydrogen free DLC is very low, normally less than one atomic percent. If the films are derived from a hydrocarbon source (using gaseous source, such as acetylene/methane or liquid source such as benzene/cyclohexane) then large amounts of hydrogen may also be present within their structures, such group of diamond-like carbon coatings is called hydrogenated amorphous carbon, a-C:H (H-DLC). The hydrogen content in these films is primarily independent variable that can differ considerably depending on the deposition method, hydrogen source gas and the deposition parameters used, which determines the structure and hence the properties of H-DLC. Incorporation of hydrogen in these films deposited by PECVD or sputtering, is generally required in order to obtain "diamond like" properties (reasonably hard, wide optical gap and high electrical resistivity) and to stablize the diamond structure by passivating dangling bonds by maintaining the sp3 hybridization configuration [C. Donnet and A. Grill, Surf. Coat. Technol. 94-95, 456 (1997); H. C. Tsai and D. B. Bogy, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 5, 3287 (1987); J. C. Angus and F. Jansen, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 6, 1778 (1988)]. The hydrogen content critically determines film structure at the atomic level and therefore, the physical properties of the films.
Compared with hydrogen-free DLC's (like ta-C), hydrogenated DLC's (like a-C:H) films are relatively soft but exhibit some of the lowest friction and wear coefficients. In particular, amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H, DLC) films have been extensively studied and have found a large number of applications [J. Robertson, Mat. Sci. Eng.R, 37(4-6), (2002), 129]. In general, ta-C films are more wear-resistant compared to the a-C:H films due to the higher hardness of ta-C. The wear of counterparts sliding against the ta-C coating is higher compared to the a-C:H coating due to higher surface roughness combined with the higher hardness of the ta-C coating. However, by doping the ta-C coating with hydrogen, the coefficient of friction reduced as the hydrogen content of the coating is increased. Friction properties of a-C:H and ta-C coating can be related to the friction properties of graphite, which verifies the importance of graphite formation and the availability of hydrogen for low friction properties of the a-C:H and ta-C coating. Thus, hydrogen is very important for obtaining diamond like properties.
In addition to H free DLC (a-C or to-C) and H-DLC (a-C:H), there exist several more DLC's consisting of different kinds of alloying elements, discrete compound phases in a nanocomposite and superlattice or nano-layered coating architectures. These DLC films are realized to combat residual stresses and adhesion strength of pure DLC. In particular, doping of DLC with certain metals, metalloids and gaseous species (such as Ti, B, S, Si, Cr, Ni, Ta, Cu, F, W and N) has become popular for various applications. The presence or absence of certain elemental species, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, silicon, tungsten, titanium and fluorine, in the microstructure of DLC can play significant role in deciding their properties.
There are several techniques (mainly PVD & CVD based) used to deposit DLC based hard and protective coatings on the outer surfaces of components. For irregular surfaces ion beam method is preferred or the components itself used as cathode. However, coating on inner surfaces remains a challenge and limited information is available in the literature. A hollow cathode plasma immersion ion processing method has been developed for the deposition of Si-DLC as hard and protective coating on the internal surface of stainless steel pipe [Boardman et al. US Patent Application, Pub. No. US2006/0011468 A1]. In another work, small hollow tube has been coated with Si-DLC [K. Nakanishi et al., Surface and Coating Technology, 2005; Yukimura et al. Surface and Coating Technology, 169-170, 4115(2003)].
Deposition of H free DLC on inner surface of cylindrical shaped hollows objects like bottle or tube seems to be complex. Carbon targets are used for the deposition of H-free DLC, as in any of the techniques like pulsed laser deposition (PLD), sputtering and vacuum arc. This makes the process very complex to create the plasma inside a bottle or tube. However, for this kind process, material has to be inserted inside the tube and then sputtering or arcing has to be made inside the tube [H. Wesemeyer, H. Veltrop, U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,466; W. F. Hensaw, J. R. White, A. Niiler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,712].
In addition, deposition of DLC on plastic surface has technological importance. Recently, the deposition of DLC on polymeric substrates has attracted considerable attention for various applications, like for plastic optics [A. Kimura, H. Kodama, T. Suzuki, J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A 21 (2003) 515.], for food packaging [Y. B. Guo, F. C. N. Hong, Diamond Relat. Mater. 12 (2003) 946.], for biomedical products [Y. Ohgoe, K. K. Hirakuri, K. Tsuchimoto, G. Friedbacher, O. Miyashita, Surf. Coat. Technol. 184 (2004) 263.] etc. Different polymeric substrates, such as Polycarbonate (PC), Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have already been coated with amorphous carbon films leading to a significant improvement of their chemical and mechanical surface properties [X. T. Zhou, S. T. Lee, I. Bello, A. C. Cheung, D. S. Chiu, Y. W. Lam, C. S. Lee, K. M. Leung, X. M. He, Surf Coat. Technol. 123 (2000) 273; N. K. Cuong, M. Tahara, N. Yamauchi, T. Sone, Surf Coat. Technol. 174-175 (2003) 1024; T. Tanaka, M. Yoshida, M. Shinohara, T. Takagi, J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A 20 (2002) 625]. ta-C, a-C:H, silicon doped tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C:Si:H) and silicon doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H:Si) produced by PECVD and FCVA (Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc) techniques on PET and polycarbonate (PC) substrates have been investigated as gas barrier coating [G. A. Abbas, S. S. Roy, P. Papakonstantinous and J. A. McLaughlin, Carbon43, 303(2005)]. It has been observed that there is an improvement of oxygen barrier of PET film with DLC coating by plasma source ion implantation [M. Yoshida, T. Tanaka, S. Watanabe, M. Shinohara, J. W. Lee and T. Takagi, Surface and Coating Technology 174-175, 1033(2003)]. Two dimensional modeling and diagnostics of plasma for DLC deposition on PET has also been investigated [E. Amanatides, P. Gkotsis, C. Syndrevelis and D. Mataras, Diamond & Related Materials 15, 904(2006)]. Plasma Enhanced CVD has a definitive advantage for the growth of these films, because it permits the deposition on these sensitive polymer substrates even at room temperature [J. Robertson, Mater. Sci. Eng., R Rep. 37 (2002) 129]. DLC growth by plasma CVD technique is capable of a uniform deposition over large area on flexible substrates like plastic sheets. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a useful plastic that can be blown into containers and bottles. PET has more flexibility in size and shape of packaging than metal cans. However, metal cans are easier to transport and handle than glass. Glass is breakable, heavy, and does not provide good portability. However, PET has a finite gas permeability that can limit the shelf life of some food and drink products. The addition of a gas-impermeable coating onto the inside wall of a standard PET bottle has long been considered as a way to improve the packaging for beer, fruit juice, and carbonated soft drinks, where the permeation of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water needs to be suppressed. As these problems can be solved by using suitable coating on inner surface of plastic containers (like PET bottles); however, there are some essential specifications of coating required to solve the above mentioned problems. In this direction efforts have already been made as described in subsequent paragraphs.
There is an important invention which describes usages of pet containers for food and drinks containing recycled resin and having DLC coating deposited on inner surface (H. Kenichi and K. Tsuyoshi, US Patent Application 20030087030). In an another invention by other workers, describes about the amorphous carbon coating with polymer tendency on bottle or flask like container (D. David, R Jean-Micl, C. Patrick, B. Aima, B. Nasser and O. Fabrice, US Patent Application 20020179603). There is a joint patent by M/s Mitsubishi Shoji Plastics Corporation, M/s Hokkai Can Co., Ltd. and M/s Kirin Brewery Company Limited (M. Shigeki et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,166,336,  JP1999000139211, JP1999000299806 and JP2000000048386) that describes about an apparatus for producing DLC film-coated plastic containers. In our invention outer electrode consists of a single electrode, however, in the said joined patent, in the apparatus, the outer electrode consists of three parts. The outer electrode unit comprises of a bottom electrode disposed along the bottom of the plastic container, and a body electrode disposed along the body of the plastic container, and the upper edge of the bottom electrode is positioned below the center between the top and the bottom of the plastic container. There are few more patents filed by same group about plastic containers coated with diamond-like carbon film (JP2001232714A2 and JP2007070734A2).
There is another patent which discusses about production of device for DLC film-coating on plastic container and production method thereof (H. Kenichi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,924,001, WO2000JP0009202, WO02051707A1, CN1479683A). They have also talked about plastic container for liquid medicine (EP1258234B1, WO0162202A1) and plastic container for liquid containing volatile organic substance (WO0162605A1,JP2000000048387). They have also obtained patent for plastic container for dry solid food (WO0162624A1, JP2000000048389). In another patent, H. Kenichi et al. (WO0132513A1) describes about the nitrogen-free DLC film coated plastic container, and method and apparatus for manufacturing the same. Further, in the same area a patent by H. Kenichi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,752, JP2000000048388) describes about plastic container for liquid medicine and method of storing and recovering liquid medicine. Another patent (CN1207173C, JP2000000048387) describes about plastic container for liquid with diamond-like carbon film formed on inner surface. K. Ryota et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,418, JP1996000215557) describes about the method of forming a DLC film over the inner surface of guide bush.
In another patent (S. Osamu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,217, JP1996000266878) a method of forming DLC films over inner surface of cylindrical member is described. This particular patent relates to a method of forming a two-layer intermediate film over the inner surface of a cylinder, such as a bushing, with a DLC film being formed on the intermediate film with a uniform thickness by using an auxiliary electrode, which enhanced abrasion resistance of the inner surface.
In another patent (S. Eihaku U.S. Pat. No. 629,422, JP 1997000034508,  JP1997000061338) a method and apparatus for producing plastic container having carbon film coating is described.
In another patent (N. Kazufumi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,931, JP1994000189223, EP0773166B1) which describes about the plastic container coated with carbon film. This particular patent is about a plastic container having diamond like carbon film formed on the inner surface of the container made of plastic material. The thickness of the diamond like carbon film is within a range from 0.05 to 5 micron. The container coated with the diamond like carbon film can be used for a returnable bottle for beverage.
There is a European patent (N. Ikenaga EP1229068A1, JP2001000029176) which describes about method and apparatus for modifying the inner surface of containers made of polymeric compound. In this patent, DC high voltage pulses are applied from a high voltage power source to an electrode to implant ions into the interior side surface of the PET container so that the surface itself is modified into DLC.
In another patent (M. Akio, JP2007126746A2) describes about diamond-like carbon thin film as gas barrier formed on the surface plastic bottle.
A suitable coating must have sufficient hardness, relatively enough density; coating should be deposited at a high growth rate to make a viable industrial process, but without exerting a large heat load, which would soften the PET substrate (like in microwave process or high energy ions bombardment in ion assisted process); be biocompatible and food contact safe; and be optically tailorable (transparent or as required transparency; as some medicine/drugs need to be kept in brown/dark colored bottles). DLC, in principle, satisfies all these requirements. In addition, the optical bandgap can be varied over a wide range, so that it is possible to form an optically semitransparent coating on colored PET bottles, such as amber or green beer bottles, or brown/dark colored bottles, such as those used for medicine/drug bottles or a transparent coating for transparent bottles, such as those used for carbonated soft drinks or water. Ideally, ta-C would be the best material, but arc and PLD systems are not suited to coat the interior of plastic bottles. However, plasma system is ideal for this type of coating. Plasma enhanced CVD has a definitive advantage for the growth of these films, because it permits the deposition on these sensitive polymer substrates even at room temperature [J. Robertson, Mater. Sci. Eng., R Rep. 37 (2002) 129]. Thus, a-C:H is being used for this purpose by many groups [N. Boutroy, Y. Pernel, J. M. Rius, F Auger, H. J. von Bardeleben, J. L. Cantin, F. Abel, A. Zeinert, C. Casiraghi, A. C. Ferrari and J. Robertson, Diamond Relat. Mater. (2006) 15, 921 ; G. A. Abbas, S. S. Roy, P. Papakonstantinous and J. A. McLaughlin, Carbon 43, 303 (2005); M. Yoshida, T. Tanaka, S. Watanabe, M. Shinohara, J. W. Lee and T. Takagi, Surface and Coating Technology 174-175, 1033 (2003); S. Yamamoto, H. Kodama, T. Hasebe, A. Shirakura and T. Suzuki, Diamond Relat. Mater. (2005) 14, 1112]. Silicon oxide coating has also been used as gas barrier for improvement of transparent plastic films [T. Krug, Society of Vacuum Coaters, Proc. Of 33rd Annual Tech. Conf. 1990, P.163; T. Krug, R. Ludwig, G. Steiniger, Society of Vacuum Coaters, 36th Annual Tech. Conf. Proc. 1993, p. 302]. An interfacial layer between PET and silicon dioxide has also been used to overcome intrinsic brittleness of silicon dioxide which enabled the production of commercial level silica coated PET bottles [Toyo Seikan Kaisha, JP2003328131A2]. Toyo Seikan Kaisha Ltd., Toppan Printing Co. Ltd., and SIG Corpoplast GmbH Co. have developed silicon dioxide coating on inside of bottles using PECVD technique. The Coca-Cola Company has tried to coat these coating on outside of bottles [Coca-Cola Company, Patent No. WO0008226A2]. Microwave plasma system is in use in market to deposit a-C:H on inner surface of PET bottles [N. Boutroy, Y. Pernel, J. M. Rius, F Auger, H. J. von Bardeleben, J. L. Cantin, F. Abel, A. Zeinert, C. Casiraghi, A. C. Ferrari and J. Robertson, Diamond Relat. Mater. (2006) 15, 921]. M/s Sidel Inc. has developed DLC coating technology which they called as 'Actis' i.e. amorphous carbon treatment on internal surface [Sidel WO9949991A1]. Sidel process is basically a microwave-assisted process which excites the gas into plasma to deposit DLC layer on the inside of bottle. However, microwave systems and related components are not cost effective and one has to be careful about overheating of the plastic bottles.
A modified plasma based ion implantation (PBII) technique has also been used to deposit DLC coating on inner walls of PET bottles [M. Ikeyam, S. Miyagawa, Y. Miyagawa, Y. Hayakawa and T. Miyajima, Surface & Coating Technology 201,  8112(2007); M. Ikeyam, S. Miyagawa, S. Nakao, J. Choi and T. Miyajima, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 257, 741 (2007)]. However, they have used high voltage pulse power for the generation of plasma which could impose some restriction to process. Very high power is used to get sufficient ion energy for the deposition of DLC films as in their process surface of bottle is in contact with ground potential and it is not a ion assisted process.
Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd. and Samco International, Inc. together have developed the first commercialized system for gas barrier DLC coating for PET bottles [Kirin Brewery, JP08053116A2; Kirin Brewery, Samco International JP2788412; A. Shirakura, M. Nakaya, Y. Koga, H. Kodama, T. Hasbe and T. Suzuki, Thin Solid Films 494, 84(2006)]. Since then many machine manufactures have made extensive efforts for the commercialization of DLC as gas barrier coating for PET bottles [E. Shimamura, K. Nagashima, A. Shirakura, Proceedings of 10th IAPRI Conference, Melbourne, 1997, p.251; The Coca-Cola Company WO0008226A2; Sidel WO9949991A1]. Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd. has got manufactured a commercial DLC coating machine by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inc. having a capacity of 18000 bottles per hours [A. Shirakura, M. Nakaya, Y. Koga, H. Kodama, T. Hasebe and T. Suzuki, Thin Solid Films 494, 84 (2006)]. It is revealed from the description of machine that separate chamber has been used for accommodating bottles during mass production.
Drawback of the Prior Art
                1. There is limited scope for scale up for coating on inner surface of large number of bottles with proper Rf shielding, otherwise there is possibility of plasma discharge outside the plastic bottle during the deposition of DLC.        2. There is damage of inner surface of bottles due to ion bombardment on inner surface of bottle        3. High residual stress, low adhesion strength and low thermal stability of DLC films are major hindrances to limit the practical applications of the DLC coated bottle.
To overcome all the aforementioned barriers there is a need to develop a more efficient process and apparatus for the deposition of DLC coating on inner surface of a shaped object.
Objects of the Present Invention
The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved process to deposit diamond like carbon film as protective coating on inner surface of a shaped object such as plastic or metallic bottles, which obviates at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for DLC coating on inner walls shaped object.
Yet another object is to provide a cost effective process and apparatus for DLC coating on inner walls of plastic bottles suitable for mass production.

Process to deposit diamond like carbon as surface of a shaped object

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research