The invention provides a system and method for providing additional insurance to a fully-qualified insured party to increase a total benefit amount of insurance. More particularly, the invention provides a computer system and method for providing additional life insurance to increase a total benefit of life insurance to a fully-qualified insured party based upon an underwriting and medical evaluation performed to assess the eligibility of the insured party for an existing or underlying primary life insurance plan. Additional life insurance according to the invention may be obtained through the internet by remote computers and internet access devices well known in the art.

Prior art methods providing insurance for a variety of risks and liabilities often demonstrate the prescript: high benefit limits command high insurance premiums. Consumers often select insurance benefit limits based upon the amount of coverage consumers can afford rather than the amount of coverage consumers require to adequately cover their exposure to particular liabilities and risks. Insurance premiums generally include the benefit expenses incurred by insurance providers and administrative costs to issue insurance coverage. However, a substantial portion of insurance premiums includes the underwriting costs associated with assessing eligibility of consumers, as well as marketing costs to sell insurance to consumers.
Consumers who wish to obtain additional insurance to increase the limits of existing insurance, or to increase the total benefit of insurance, from a new provider would be subject to new and additional underwriting and a new medical evaluation, which is inconvenient to consumers and often causes great concern in consumers with respect to passing another medical evaluation. Consumers who seek additional insurance from their present insurance providers would be required to pay a current market premium. Consumers usually cannot take advantage of the previous underwriting process and, in cases of life insurance, the previous medical evaluation performed to assess their eligibility. Insurance providers generally do not offer additional insurance to their insured parties for reduced premiums, although further underwriting may not be required. Insurance providers may offer additional insurance coverage for reduced premiums only to a highly select base of insured parties who have previously purchased fully-underwritten insurance coverage within a specified period of time. Such offers typically provide only limited coverage based upon the amount of insurance in force and are available for a limited time only.
In addition, insurance providers typically do not rely upon the underwriting of other insurance providers to issue new insurance coverage. For example, insurance providers have offered to convert another insurance provider's term life insurance coverage to whole or permanent life insurance. To avoid anti-selection in such cases, insurance providers require termination of the term life insurance to avoid the total immediate amount of coverage to be increased as a result of such a transaction.
Consumers who wish to obtain additional insurance to increase their benefit limits must undergo new and additional underwriting, a new medical evaluation, and pay current market premiums for additional insurance. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a system and method providing additional insurance which is easily-obtainable and affordable to an insured in order for the insured to increase a total benefit of insurance.

System and method for providing additional insurance


A central locking system of a motor vehicle is provided with communication between the transmitter of the remote actuation unit and the receiver of the central locking system in a frequency-hopping spread spectrum mode where M channels are used of a total of N channels of the spread spectrum frequency band chosen, for example, an I/S/M band of 433 MHz to 435 MHz. Switching is effected from one channel to another channel of the N channels in accordance with a timing pattern in which the timing interval I.sub.zs is greater than the duration .DELTA.t of the communication protocol.

In a motor vehicle system with a remote control unit, the latter has a transmitter which functions as a key and is provided with a coding device. The receiver on the vehicle and connected with the door locks has a complementary decoder and communication between the two units can operate by high-frequency modulation so that commands are transmitted in a so-called communication protocol, are received in that protocol and converted to door-lock operations.
The transmitter and receiver operate in a given frequency band. Each communication protocol can comprise, inter alia, a starting bit, a fixed code portion which can coordinate the transmitter of the key with the receiver of the vehicle and a changeable code portion. The communication protocol is thus comprised of bits which can be "ones" and "zeros", "high" and "low" levels or signals which can be interpreted as "yes" and "no".
In the case of frequency modulation the signal frequency may be bits representing .DELTA.f plus a carrier frequency or the carrier frequency minus .DELTA.f. .DELTA.f can be, for example, 2.5 kHz. To ensure that no information is lost, the band width must be sufficiently large and one can operate, for example, at a frequency between 433 and 435 MHz, for example, the so-called Industrial/ Scientific/Medical band or ISM band.
Central locking units of the described type can be constructed as described in DE 42 27 887 C1 and DE 42 38 858 C1. The systems of these patents have been found to be effective in practice and reference may also be had to commonly-owned copending application Ser. No. 08/098,481 filed Jul. 28, 1993.
These systems have been successful but when such systems are provided in vehicles which may be parked close enough together that their locking systems may be operated by transmitters held by their owners, there is nevertheless a problem.
This problem arises because of the close proximity of the frequencies with which communication is effected between the respective transmitters and receivers.
Furthermore, because other systems than vehicle transmitter keys are used in a given band, interference may be even more common.
There are, of course, places where communications are more secure as in the case, for example, for the military and it is known, for example, to use a spread-band technique where secret communication is desired (see for example "electronik industrie 2, 1996", pages 33 to 38). In this case, the useable frequency band is subdivided into a number of N frequency bands which are referred to as channels. A channel encompasses the carrier frequency and the frequency modulation for that carrier frequency of .+-..DELTA.f. The transmitter and receiver are synchronized to the same carrier frequency and the timing pattern switches channels, i.e. hops the channel, synchronously in the transmitter and receiver.
The spread spectrum communication technique is used not only because of the ability to transmit signals which cannot be readily intercepted, but also in cases in which communication is to be carried out in both a long distance and a close communication mode and where a variety of different signals are used. Commercially the spread spectrum technique can be used for cellular mobile communications, for cordless telephones, for global positioning systems using satellites and for so-called Personal Communication services.

Motor vehicle with a central locking unit and a remote control for its operation


A microstrip line includes a signal strip conductor and a ground conductor. A coplanar line includes two regions. A first region includes a signal strip conductor which is connected to the signal strip conductor of the microstrip line via a wire or the like and a ground strip conductor which continues to the ground conductor. A second region is formed with a ground strip conductor formed above the ground strip conductor via a through hole. A transmission mode changes itself in the microstrip line, the first region of the coplanar line, and the second region of the coplanar line in the sequence as described. This enables converting the transmission mode efficiently from the microstrip line to the coplanar line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high frequency circuit board which includes a microstrip line and a coplanar line. Further, the present invention relates to a high frequency circuit board which enables transmission of signals with little loss and reflection to semiconductor device by carrying out conversion of a transmission mode from the microstrip line to the coplanar line efficiently and with low loss.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a high frequency circuit board using a conversion of a transmission mode from a microstrip line to a coplanar line as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. S64-5102, No. 2001-94012, and No. 2001-102820.
In the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. S64-5102, the configuration as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 is disclosed as a conventional example. A representative method of an imaginary grounding is shown in FIG. 9. Conversion of a transmission mode between the microstrip line and the coplanar line is realized by making a connecting point between the coplanar line and the microstrip line the imaginary ground using an open stub with λ/4 (λ: the wavelength of high frequency signal). FIG. 10 shows another example of conversion, in which conversion of a transmission mode between the microstrip line and the coplanar line is realized by connecting a ground line end portion of the coplanar line on the front side of the circuit board and a circuit board ground conductor on the reverse side of the circuit board using a through hole on the side closer to the coplanar line circuit board.
In the case where a semiconductor device is mounted on a circuit board formed with the coplanar line, combination of the methods as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 is conceivable. Specifically, in a connecting region of the microstrip line, a ground line with one end thereof open is arranged on both sides of the line. Next, the other end of the ground line is connected to the ground line of the semiconductor device with a gold wire. Next, an imaginary ground can be realized by making the distance between the connecting point and the open end of the ground line as λ/4 or 3λ/4. As a result of this, mode conversion is enabled. Similarly, imaginary grounding can also be realized at the connecting point by grounding an open end 72 of the ground line to the ground surface on the reverse side, and making the distance between an end point 70 thereof and a connecting point 71 as above mentioned λ/2, as shown in FIG. 11. Accordingly, conversion for both modes is enabled. As described above, the configuration shown in FIG. 11 can be readily imagined from FIG. 9 and FIG. 10.
In the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-94012, an example of conversion of a transmission mode from the microstrip line to the coplanar line using a fan-shaped ground pattern of the imaginary ground is indicated. The third embodiment and FIG. 9 in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-102820 indicate conversion of a transmission mode between the coplanar line and the microstrip line. In addition, the first embodiment and FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D thereof provide a way of preventing increase in preventing in increase reflection due to impedance fluctuation caused by the gold wire. Specifically, an inductor made of a line with a large width and a capacitor made of a line with a small width are formed at the connecting portion, and these elements and an inductor made of gold wire configure a filter. It is described that this enables matching impedance between the lines to be connected.
The conversion methods of the transmission mode in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-94012 and in the third embodiment of Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-102820 as shown in FIG. 9 are to form a slit which makes the width of the ground line smaller, and to realize the imaginary ground at the position of the slit. In addition, ingenuity is used for facilitating favorable impedance matching and conversion by configuring a capacitor such that the slit has a larger width in some regions of a signal line so as to decrease the gap from the ground line. However, since the gap between the signal line of the coplanar line and the ground line is only approx. 20 μm even at the narrowest portion, it is very difficult to create it in the case where an organic substrate is used. On the other hand, if the gap at this portion increases, the transmission mode for the coplanar line will not be dominant. Specifically, in the case where an organic substrate is used to decrease the manufacturing cost, the gap which can be created increases. As a result of this, according to the conversion method as described in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-94012 and Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-102820, conversion of a transmission mode cannot be performed efficiently, and it is difficult to connect the wire to the line of the semiconductor while the transmission mode for the coplanar line remains unchanged.
In addition, in the configuration shown in FIG. 11 as above described which is conceivable from the conventional example described in the Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. S64-5102, conversion of a transmission mode from the microstrip line to the coplanar line occurs rapidly, and thereby increasing a loss. Furthermore, since the necessary distance from the short-circuit end 70 with respect to the ground surface on the reverse side to the line of the semiconductor device as well as to the connecting point 71 of the wire is λ/2, the line will become longer.

High frequency circuit board converting a transmission mode of high frequency signals


When an execution program is to be compiled, based on information for the inlining of a function in this program, data concerning a lock set is generated for a lock for a resource due to the inlined function. Further, based on the lock data, the data concerning a lock count set upon the execution of code for the target program is added to this program. Then, when an exception has occurred during the execution of the program, the data concerning the lock count is employed to obtain the lock count at the time of execution of the code whereat the exception occurred, and the lock count set at the time of execution of an exception handler for this exception. After the locks for the resource have been released in a number equivalent to a difference between the two lock counts, the process for this exception is initiated.

For several programming languages, an inlining method is employed as an optimization method. Inlining is a method whereby the description of a program is changed by embedding, in a calling source, the contents of the definition of a function, so that a process can be performed without function calls being required. As a result, since with this method no overhead is required for function calls, execution speed is increased.
In addition, for several programming languages a system is provided wherein, by declaring a specific area, an exception handler relevant to that area is used to process an exception occurring in that area during the execution of a program. In the Java™ programming language, which is one of the programming languages employing this system, this declaration is called a "try", and an area that is declared is called a try area or a try block. In the following explanation, in accordance with the Java™ programming languages, the declaration and the area are referred to as a try and a try area.
A programming language that enables the use of descriptions for multiple synchronous threads is essential when writing a system program for the construction of a complicated and reliable network including a sewer, or servers, and clients. An example programming language that satisfies this need is the Java™ programming language.
In the Java™ programming language, two critical sections called a synchronized method and a synchronized block can be described. Upon the occurrence of an exception, an execution system always unlocks these critical sections.
Further, the Java™ programming language is one of the programming languages that include a system forte implementation of the previously mentioned miming and try.
During the optimization process performed by a compiler (hereinafter referred to as a Java™ compiler) while compiling a program written in the Java™ programming language, when inlining is employed for a synchronized method, not only is it possible to acquire certain general effects, such as reduced costs accruing from the elimination of call functions, the transmission of constants and the transmission of class information, but also to remove redundant synchronization procedures.
However, to perform inlining, the number of resource locks, which is a use limit imposed in order to ensure exclusive resource use during a predetermined process, is increased and exceeds the number that is established by the language specifications. Therefore, an exception handling using a try is complicated for a program wherein inlining has been used for the synchronized method.
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a conventional exception handling for a Java™ program wherein inlining is used for a synchronized method (hereinafter referred to simply as a method).
In the example in FIG. 8, for inlining, method A calls method B, and then method B calls method C. Method C is inlined in the try area for method B, and methods B and C lock an object at their entrances using the synchronized method.
In this example, assume that an exception E occurs in the inlined method C, and is caught by an exception handler in a try area T for the method B.
In this case, since the exception is processed outside the method C, the exception handler must unlock method C while maintaining the lock on method B. Therefore, the exception handler must be aware that the locks on methods B and C are set when an exception E is thrown, and the lock on method B is set when the exception handler for the try area T is executed. That is, data is required concerning the lock set upon the occurrence of an exception and the lock set upon the execution of the exception handler.
A Java™ compiler can include information (hereinafter referred to as inline information) for a correlation of a code area and an inlined method. The inline information indicates a called method to which the code originally belonged. Therefore, in the example in FIG. 8, while referring to the address whereat the exception is generated, the exception handler obtains the inline information "method A→method B→method C (this order shows that these methods are originally called; hereinafter, in the inline information "method" is eliminated)." Further referring to the address whereat the exception E is caught the inline information "A→B" is obtained. By comparing the inline information, the lock performed by method C is specified and released.
A conventional Java™ compiler prepares, as the above described inline information, a table of address intervals and inline information, or a table of addresses for relevant exception commands (an exception occurrence probable command, an exception handler head command and a method calling command) and the inline information. When an exception has occurred, an exception handler employs an address whereat the exception occurred and an address whereat the exception is caught to find a table corresponding to these addresses, and searches the table for desired inline information.
[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
However, in order to obtain the inline information, the conventional Java™ compiling method requires two processes: a process for searching a table based on the address, and a process for searching for the inline information based on the obtained table. Therefore, the time required for these processes greatly affects the operating cost of the entire exception handling, and can not be ignored.
Further, according to the method used to obtain the inline information using the above table, there is a case wherein the locked state obtained from the inline information does not match the actual locked state. For example, for a case wherein a redundant lock is deleted by the optimization, even if the inline information indicates the inlined synchronized method, a lock due to the synchronized method is not always present.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a compiling method and a method for performing an exception handling that will reduce the operating costs required for the acquisition of data concerning a lock needed for an exception handling, and to reduce the affect on the operating cost required for the exception handling. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for the necessary release of a lock when an exception has occurred and for performing an exception handling.

Compiling method with exception handling

International Business Machines Corporation


There is disclosed a method of extracting information about the mass of a substance from a complex mass spectrum containing peaks arising from polyvalent ions. These polyvalent ions possess electric charges which are integral multiples of the elementary electric charge. Ions including these polyvalent ions are detected, and a mass spectrum is obtained. On the mass spectrum, ion intensity I is represented as a function of a variable x corresponding to mass-to-charge ratio. The mass spectrum, given by I(x), is transformed into a mass spectrum I(t) of a variable t, using the relation t=1/(x-H), where H is a unit mass of ions added to the polyvalent ions. Peaks appear on the mass spectrum I(t). Among these peaks, at least a given number of peaks appear at regular intervals. The spacing between these regularly spaced peaks is found.

FIG. 6 schematically shows the structure of the prior art mass spectrometer. This instrument has an ion source 23 producing ions. These ions are mass-analyzed by an electric field 24 and a magnetic field 25. The ions then pass through a slit 26 and reach a secondary electron multiplier 27, where they are detected. The output signal from the multiplier 27 is supplied via both an amplifier 17 and an A/D converter (ADC) 19 to a controller 22 incorporating a computer, where the signal is stored. The controller 22 controls a power supply 11 via a D/A converter (DAC) 12, the power supply 11 developing an accelerating voltage for the ion source 23 and an electric field voltage. The controller 22 also controls a magnetic field power supply 20 via a D/A converter (DAC) 21.
Where a mass analysis is made by magnetic field scanning, the controller 22 sends a scanning signal to the magnetic field power supply 20 via the DAC 21 while maintaining the accelerating voltage and the electric field voltage constant.
The controller 22 also controls a secondary electron multiplier power supply 15 via a D/A converter (DAC) 16. The controller sets the gain of the amplifier 17 via a gain controller 18. Furthermore, the controller reads the magnetic field strength from the output signal from a magnetic field strength detector circuit 13 via an A/D converter (ADC) 14. The magnetic field scanning is controlled according to the magnetic field strength read in this way.
As is well known in the art, in the mass spectrometer constructed as described above, the mass-to-charge ratio m/z, the magnetic field strength B in the magnetic field 25, and the ion-accelerating voltage V given by the ion source 23 generally satisfy the relation EQU m/z=K(B.sup.2 /V) (1)
where K is a constant. Accordingly, if the magnetic field is scanned at a fixed value of the accelerating voltage V, then we have EQU m/z=K.sub.1 B.sup.2 ( 2)
where K.sub.1 is a constant. Also, since the relation EQU B=K.sub.2 t (3)
holds (where t is time and K.sub.2 is a constant), we have EQU m/z=K.sub.3 t.sup.2 ( 4)
where K.sub.3 is a constant. It is common practice to determine the masses of the substances under investigation by creating a table of reference peaks (i.e., masses) and positions at which they appear (or magnetic field strengths or emergence times) and performing calculations, based on this table. In this case, therefore, the operator usually measures the mass numbers of individual peaks during the preparation of the table and enters the measured mass numbers into the controller 22.
In the above-described mass spectrometer, the peaks appearing on a mass spectrum obtained by the conventional ionization technique are mostly derived from ions having the elementary electric charge. However, on a mass spectrum obtained by electrospray ionization techniques which have become widespread in recent years, there exist many peaks derived from ions having electric charges that are integral multiples of the elementary electric charge. Ions of this kind are hereinafter referred to as polyvalent ions. The integers are hereinafter referred to as valence numbers.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a mass spectrum of polyvalent ions. The horizontal axis of the mass spectrum is usually expressed in m/z (i.e., ion mass m divided by ion valence number). On this axis, polyvalent ions having valence number n derived from a substance having mass m appear at positions given by EQU x=(m+nH)/n=m/n+H (5)
where H is the mass of hydrogen, for example. In the case of electrospray technique, n hydrogen ions are attached to molecules with mass m, thus resulting in the aforementioned polyvalent ions. In this way, on a mass spectrum of polyvalent ions, many peaks attributed to ions having the same mass but different valence numbers arise, thus complicating the spectrum.


A production control apparatus of a production system provided with a storing means for storing in advance a production system model comprised of workpiece information regarding workpieces and program information regarding a plurality of work programs of robots and a plurality of machining programs of machine tools, an updating means for updating the production system model based on run status signals showing run statuses of the robots and machines tools and workpiece signals from the detectors, and an instructing means for selecting one work program and one machining program based on the updated production system model and instructing running of the selected work program and work program to the robot and machine tool. Due to this, by calling up a work program of the robot etc. in accordance with the state of the production system, it is possible to change the program and restore the system from error.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a production system provided with an industrial robot and machine tool and a production control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a production system comprised of an industrial robot (hereinafter referred to as a "robot") and a machine tool, the system behavior is defined by the cooperative operations of the robot and machine tool. This "cooperation", for example, means the robot sets a not yet machined workpiece in the machine tool, then the machine tool machines it, the machine tool finishes machining, then the robot takes out the finished machined workpiece. In addition to such simple cooperation, the cooperative operations include parallel operations where the time during which the machine tool is machining is utilized for the robot to transport the workpiece to be next machined.
To realize this cooperation, the robot and the machine tool can communicate in some form or another. The robot and machine tool may be made to directly communicate or the robot and machine tool may be connected to PLCs and be connected to each other through the PLCs.
In both cases, to realize cooperation between the robot and machine tool, a production control apparatus for obtaining a grasp of this cooperation is necessary. In the simplest mode, the robot performs the role of the production control apparatus. In this case, the robot sets a workpiece at the machine tool, then the robot instructs the machining to the machine tool, waits until the machining program ends at the machine tool, then takes out the workpiece. Further, when the machine tool performs the role of the production control apparatus, the machine tool instructs the robot to take out the machined workpiece and set an unmachined workpiece and starts machining after the robot work ends.
However, when the robot performs the role of the production control apparatus, the work program of the robot includes work on the robot itself and instructions to the machine tool, so the work program of the robot becomes complicated and changing it becomes difficult. In the same way as when the machine tool acts as the production control apparatus, the work program of the robot becomes simple, but the machining program of the machine tool becomes more complicated by that extent.
Therefore, to realize complicated behavior, it is preferable to provide an independent production control apparatus and make that production control apparatus issue instructions to the robot and machine tool. Due to this, both the work program of the robot and the machining program of the machine tool become simple.
Even in a production system comprised of one robot and one machine tool, the robot and machine tool can operate simultaneously, so it is difficult to realize the behavior of the robot and machine tool by a single program.
In a general production system comprised of a plurality of robots and a plurality of machine tools, it becomes more difficult to describe their behaviors. This is because in a production system where a plurality of robots and a plurality of machine tools can simultaneously operate, the number of states of the production system as a whole is expressed by the combination of the number of states of the individual robots and the number of states of the individual machine tools, so the number of states of the production system as a whole becomes enormous.
To solve this problem, in Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2006-343828, each work program of the robot is divided into certain units and a suitable work program is started up in accordance with the situation of the production system. With this method, a certain unit of the work program is linked with conditions for startup of this work program, so there is no need to obtain a grasp of the total number of states of the production system as a whole. Therefore, it becomes easy to newly add a work program to an existing production system or to change the work program.
However, with the system of Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2006-343828 linking a program and conditions under which that program can be run, it is not enough to enable a grasp of the states of the robot and machine tool forming the production system. In this case, it is necessary to obtain a grasp of not only the states of the robot and machine tool, but also the states of the jig and robot hand holding the workpiece. Further, particularly importantly, it is necessary to obtain a grasp of how a workpiece flows in the production system.
The importance of obtaining a grasp of the flow of a workpiece when an error occurs in the production system will be explained. For example, in a production system comprised of two robots, assume an operation where a robot 1a carries a workpiece from a table A to a table B and a robot 2a carries a workpiece from a table B to a table C. If the robot 1a correctly conveys the workpiece from the table A to the table B, the workpiece should be present on the table B.
However, after the conveyance by the robot 1a, the workpiece may end up falling off the table B due to some sort of reason. In such a case, the robot 2a naturally cannot carry this workpiece, so this state becomes an error.
However, in a production system not obtaining a grasp of the flow of the workpiece, information of whether a workpiece should be present on the table B is not obtained from the start, so even if the workpiece falls from the table B, this will not be recognized and the robot 2a will move to obtain a nonexistent workpieces from the table B.
Even if providing the table B with some sort of sensor, if linked with a program whereby the robot 2a moves to pick up a workpiece when there is a workpiece at the table B, the robot 2a will never operate to pick up a nonexisting workpiece. However, in this case, there is no workpiece on the table B, so the production system will end up stopping operation there. At this time, despite the production system being in the error state, the two robots are both operating normally. That is, if just obtaining a grasp of the states of the robots, it is not possible to determine if an error has occurred in the production system.
Further, when error occurs due to such a workpiece not being present at the expected location, in a production system which cannot obtain a grasp of the flow of the workpiece, the means for clearing that error are not clarified. In the above-mentioned example, it is clear that the workpiece dropping off the table B is the cause of the error. Further, there are the following options for this cause: placing the workpiece back on the table B, removing the workpiece, or returning the workpiece to the table A.
The option of placing the workpiece back on the table B may appear to be the best, but depending on how the workpiece is placed on the table B, it may be impossible for the robot 2a to grasp the workpiece. Further, in the case of the options of removing the workpiece or returning the workpiece to the table A, in a production system unable to obtain a grasp of the flow of the workpiece, it is not possible to determine by what party other than the robot the workpiece is moved, therefore it is unclear if the production system will operate normally after that.

Production system provided with a production control apparatus


The working width of a carding machine for short staple fiber carding is reduced. As a result, the precision of the working elements and the complete arrangement is increased. The productivity of the carding machine is thus also increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the carding of textile fibers, in particular short staple fibers with a maximum length of about 60 mm., and is concerned with the task of providing a new and improved construction of an ultra-high performance carding machine or card in order to render possible a high performance carding method.
2. Discussion of the Background and Material Information
The modern card comprises a so-called carding cylinder or two carding cylinders of larger dimensions. Each of these carding cylinders operate in conjunction with a flat, in order to carry out the actual carding work or operation. In order to render possible the flow of the fiber material, the carding cylinder, or the pair of carding cylinders, operate together with a feeding system (feed roller and licker-in or licker-in roller) and a doffing system. The feeding system normally processes fibers in the form of a fiber bat or wadding. The doffing system is normally layed-out for the formation of a sliver. Each working or operating element (carding cylinder, licker-in, doffer, flat) is provided with so-called card clothing which undertakes the actual processing of the fibers. A working or operating gap is located between the carding cylinder and its clothing (the clothing may be in the form of a working element or an element with a covering function).
The feeding system is to be designed for feeding the carding cylinder as uniformly as possible with the fibers to be processed which are distributed over the entire working width of the working element, that is, over the entire working width provided with clothing for processing of the fibers. The doffing system is layed-out over this entire width for the collection of the fibers to be processed in as uniform manner as possible.
The carding cylinder constitutes the heart or core of the carding machine and exerts a substantial influence upon all the functions.


A floor structure of a railcar includes: a pair of side sills extending in a railcar longitudinal direction; cross beams extending in a railcar width direction and coupling the pair of side sills; a supporting member, which is arranged on upper surfaces of the cross beams, in which bottom surface portions and convex portions projecting upward from the bottom surface portions are alternately, continuously formed in the railcar width direction, and which extends in the railcar longitudinal direction; receiving members located at positions corresponding to the cross beams, arranged on an upper surface of the supporting member, and extending in the railcar width direction; and a floor panel arranged on upper surfaces of the receiving members. The receiving members include: a floor plate contact portion that contacts the floor panel; and leg portions, extending from the floor plate contact portion to the bottom surface portion of the supporting member.

Conventionally known as a floor structure of a railcar is a structure (hereinafter referred to as a "sub-floor structure") in which: a floor pan having a concave cross section is arranged between cross beams of an underframe; and a heat insulating material or the like is provided inside the floor pan. Further, proposed is a floor structure (for example, PTL 1) in which: a corrugated plate and a floor receiver are arranged in the underframe; and a heat and sound insulating material is provided between the corrugated plate and the floor plate.
According to the floor structure of PTL 1, since the corrugated plate is arranged at a position lower than upper surfaces of the cross beams and higher than a lower surface of the underframe, a buckling strength of the floor structure can be improved, and the upper surface of the floor can be lowered.

Floor structure of railcar and railcar including same


A nanoengineered membrane for controlling material transport (e.g., molecular transport) is disclosed. The membrane includes a substrate, a cover defining a material transport channel between the substrate and the cover, and a plurality of fibers positioned in the channel and connected to and extending away from a surface of the substrate. The fibers are aligned perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and have a width of 100 nanometers or less. The diffusion limits for material transport are controlled by the separation of the fibers. In one embodiment, chemical derivatization of carbon fibers may be undertaken to further affect the diffusion limits or affect selective permeability or facilitated transport. For example, a coating can be applied to at least a portion of the fibers. In another embodiment, individually addressable carbon nanofibers can be integrated with the membrane to provide an electrical driving force for material transport.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the use of nanofibers as membranes for controlling molecular transport. These devices provide nanoscale control of molecular transport by mimicking biological cellular membranes. Semi-permeable membranes can be created from the directed self-assembly of nanofibers, allowing for the passage of molecules smaller than the wall-to-wall spacing of the nanofibers. The diffusion limits can be controlled by the separation of the fibers, both laterally and along the direction of transport. Chemical potential gradients can be engineered and used to direct transport. These membranes can involve chemical derivatization of the fibers to further affect the diffusion limits or affect selective permeability or facilitated transport. Additionally, individually addressable nanofiber electrodes can be integrated with the membrane to provide an electrical driving force for transport and an electronic interface to the fluid for control and detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Much of current nanotechnology is deriving its inspiration from natural systems. The approach of integrating nanoscale functionalities (i.e., sensing, signal processing and actuation) can be considered within the context of a biological cell. A cell interacts with its environment by "sensing" chemical signatures. This chemical information is processed by affecting the chemical networks within the cell that may result in some sort of actuation, such as production of another chemical. Biological cells are typically a few microns in diameter (bacterial cells) with membranes on the order of a few nanometers thick—dimensions that are within the range of typical nanomaterials and micromachining techniques. These dimensional characteristics of cells are fairly well conserved and are undoubtedly critical for cell function. For example, short distances (nm-μm) enable intra- and inter-cellular communication by a simple transport mechanism such as diffusion. Even large proteins can diffuse across distances of a few microns in only a few tenths of a second. Also, the small fluid volume of a cell allows for only a few thousand molecules to result in a significant concentration difference. Reducing the scale of artificial systems to these dimensions will be critical for their effective implementation as well as for interfacing to biological systems. To mimic the properties of biological cells, details at the nanometer scale must be combined with structures that are microns or millimeters in extent. Therefore, a significant challenge and opportunity exists in the construction of components with engineered features on multiple length scales that scale six orders of magnitude (nm. to mm.).
Cells possess many features that are worthy of emulation. Amazingly, cell function can be extremely diverse yet utilize a common set of building blocks. Cells can operate under a wide range of environmental conditions with efficiencies unmatched by artificial creations. Further, cells can be highly specialized, carry out tens of thousands of chemical reactions in parallel, and communicate with other cells.
Artificial creations can have greatly increased functionality with the synthesis of even simple cell-like structures. The use of a cellular structure is a universal feature throughout nature. The variations and functions of naturally occurring cells indicate that applications of cellular mimics may be limitless. However, just as creating structures on the scale of natural systems presents great opportunities, it also presents significant challenges. The most significant challenge in mimicking cell structures is fabricating appropriate membrane structures that contain molecular-scale pores. A fluid, lipid bilayer membrane envelopes natural cells. It serves as both a container and a controller of the chemical reactions inside the cell. Reagents are exchanged with the neighboring environment through the creation of chemical potential gradients, or actively transported using enzymatic systems. This sort of molecular transport is distinct from bulk fluidic-based transport. Membrane transport is molecule specific and is accomplished either passively, based on chemical potential gradients, or actively using energy transduction schemes. For mimicking cellular structures, the incorporation of semi-permeable barriers, or membranes, is a necessity. These membranes must be able to selectively control the transport of molecular species, requiring engineering on the nanometer scale.
There are many material approaches to mimicking membranes (Fendler, "Polymerized Surfactant Vesicles; Novel Membrane Mimetic Systems", Science, 223, 888-894, 1994). One approach to the construction of synthetic membranes involves the classical techniques of forming lipid vesicles. Mechanical agitation, or sonication, of phospholipids forms discrete vesicles, or liposomes. Such liposomes are typically small, however other techniques can produce liposomes with diameters on the order of 100 microns (Oku et al., "Preparation of giant liposomes," Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 692, 384-388, 1982). Planar supported bilayers can also be constructed from phospholipids (McConnell et al., "Supported planar membranes in studies of cell-cell recognition in the immune system", Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 864, 95-106, 1986). Micropatterning of these planar supported bilayers has been accomplished using lithographically patterned grids (Groves et al., "Micropatterning fluid lipid bilayers on solid supports," Science, 275, 651-653, 1997; and Cremer et al., "Writing and erasing barriers to lateral mobility into fluid phospholipid bilayers," Langmuir, 15, 3893-3896, 1999). This method can confine membrane components to specific grid elements but does not result in fluid filled cells of practical utility as the planar supported membranes rest on only a 10-20 Å thick aqueous layer. These artificial membranes, composed of naturally occurring membrane components, have been useful in understanding the physical and biological properties of cell membranes (e.g. permeability, molecular events in signal transduction). The use of liposomes, or polymeric vesicles, has also been considered for the creation of synthetic cells such as those suitable for targeted drug delivery (Fendler, "Polymerized Surfactant Vesicles; Novel Membrane Mimetic Systems", Science, 223, 888-894, 1994; and Hammer and Discher, "Synthetic Cells—Self-Assembling Polymer Membranes and Bioadhesive Colloids", Annu. Rev. Mater. Res., 31, 387-404, 2001). The construction of vesicles with integrated functionalities may be possible with such systems. However, the design of discrete, joined cells with specific pore structures is not obvious with this approach. The seemingly beneficial structure that is both fluid and self-assembling also allows for free diffusion and reshaping of the membrane. Additionally, the long-term stability of such structures may preclude their use in practical applications.
Other membrane structures have been constructed from rigid polymeric films or metals containing nanopores (Martin, "Nanomaterials: A membrane-based synthetic approach," Science, 266, 1961-1966, 1994). Polyester, polycarbonate, or aluminum can be etched to create pore diameters as small as a few nanometers. Extremely small pores can also be created in glass by the repeated drawing and bundling of glass capillaries containing an etchable core. Tonucci and co-workers have prepared nanochannel glass templates useful for creating porous membranes of various metals (Pearson and Tonucci, "Nanochannel glass replica membranes," Science, 270, 68-70, 1995). The pore diameters of these structures can be as small as a few tens of nanometers. Silicon substrates can also be used as nanoporous substrates. For example, block copolymer lithography has been used to prepare pores on the order of 20 nanometers at a pitch of 40 nanometers in silicon nitride-coated silicon wafers (Park et al., "Block copolymer lithography: Periodic arrays of ˜1011 holes in 1 square centimeter," Science, 276, 1401-1404, 1997). Nanopores have also been created in silicon by selective etching of carefully engineered oxide layers. Pores as small as 18 nanometers have been prepared for the construction of a silicon "biocapsule" useful for immunoisolation (Desai et al., "Microfabricated immunoisolating biocapsules," Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 57 (1), 118-120, 1998). However, as with the lipid bilayers discussed above, these structures are planar in format and do not lend themselves to the design of discrete, fluidly joined cells. Additionally, membranes based on these materials are typically thick (˜100 μm) relative to biological membranes. This can considerably limit the rate at which material can transfer across a membrane potentially limiting chemical transfer rates compared to natural cell membranes.
An alternate approach to creating sieving structures is to create obstacles that are perpendicular to the direction of transport. For example, micromachined posts have been used as synthetic gel media in the electrophoretic separation of biomolecules (Volkmuth and Austin, "DNA electrophoresis in microlithographic arrays," Nature, 358, 600-602, 1992). These posts have been constructed, using electron beam lithography, with features as small as 100 nm and with a monolithic fluid enclosure (Turner et al., "Monolithic nanofluid sieving structures for DNA manipulation," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 16(6), 3835-3840, 1998). In this approach to molecular sieving, the distance between the outer edges of the obstacles creates the "pore". The planned construction of these structures enables explicit definition of the separation capabilities, promising to be a superior alternative to the randomly arranged pores of polymer gels. In general, the limitations of conventional micromachining techniques prevent constructing such structures with molecular dimensions. Silicon etching techniques have been extended to the construction of nanopillars, however the aspect ratio of such pillars places great restriction on the height (Lewis and Ahmed, "Silicon nanopillars formed with gold colloidal particle masking," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B., 16(6), 2938-2941, 1998).
The arrangement of carbon nanotubes (Iijima, "Helical Microtubules of Graphitic Carbon," Nature, 354(6348) 56-58, 1991) may provide an alternative approach to creating membrane structures. However, the self-assembly of these products into higher order structures will require improved technical advances. Template-based methods have been described that allow the ordering of nanoscale objects (Martin, "Nanomaterials: A membrane-based synthetic approach," Science, 266, 1961-1966, 1994). For example, arrays of nanowires and nanorods have been described (Cao et al., "Well-aligned boron nanowire arrays", 13(22), 1701-1704, 2001; Zhang et al., "Synthesis of ordered single crystal silicon nanowire arrays," Adv. Mater., 13(16), 1238-1241, 2001; and Huang et al., "Room-temperature ultraviolet nanowire nanolasers," Science, 292, 1897-1899, 2001). However, these techniques only allow for a limited control of nanowire position and morphology on a larger scale.
It has been recently demonstrated by the inventors of the present application that catalytically controlled growth provides a powerful method for directed self-assembly of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers into microscale and larger structures. (See Merkulov et al., "Shaping carbon nanostructures by controlling the synthesis process", Appl. Phys. Lett., 79(8), 1178-1180, 2001; Merkulov et al., "Sharpening of carbon nanocone tips during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor growth", Chem. Phys. Letts., 350(5-6), 381-385, 2001; Merkulov et al., "Alignment mechanism of carbon nanofibers produced by plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition," Appl. Phys. Lett., 79(18), 2970-2972, 2001; Merkulov et al., "Patterned growth of individual and multiple vertically aligned carbon nanofibers," Appl. Phys. Lett., 76, 3555-3557, 2000; Merkulov et al., "Shaping carbon nanostructures by controlling the synthesis process", Appl. Phys. Left., 79(8), 1178-1180, 2000; Guillorn et al., "Individually addressable vertically aligned carbon nanofiber-based electrochemical probes, J. Appl. Phys., 91(6), 3824-3828, 2002; Guillorn et al., "Operation of a gated field emitter using an individual carbon nanofiber cathode," Appl. Phys. Lett., 79(21), 3506-3508, 2001; Guillorn et al., "Microfabricated field emission devices using carbon nanofibers as cathode elements," J. Vac. Sci. Tech. B., 19(6), 2598-2601, 2001; and Guillorn et al., "Fabrication of Gated Cathode Structures Using an In-Situ Grown Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofiber as a Field Emission Element," J. Vac. Sci. Tech. B, 19, 573, 2001.) This "bottom-up" approach to construction allows control over the physical features of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers, and in combination with some "top-down" fabrication techniques (e.g. e-beam lithography) provides a powerful tool for the realization of complex microscale devices with functional nanoscale features. The ability to create fibers perpendicular to the substrate surface, with dimensions on the nanometer scale, provides the controlled synthesis and directed assembly required to realize membrane structures capable of controlling molecular transport. (See Zhang et al., "Controlled Particle Transport Across Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofiber Barriers," Applied Physics Letter, vol. 81, No. 1, 2002.)

Nanoengineered membranes for controlled transport


A golf flagstick assembly includes a ferrule, a first flagstick portion, a second flagstick portion and a connector fitting. The first flagstick portion has a first cross-sectional dimension. The second flagstick portion is separate from the first flagstick portion and has a second cross-sectional dimension. The second flagstick portion is oriented such that an end of the second flagstick portion is disposed toward an end of the first flagstick portion. The connector fitting extends between and operatively connect the first and second flagstick portions. The connector fitting has a fitting cross-sectional dimension that is less than the first cross-sectional dimension of the first flagstick portion and less than the second cross-sectional dimension of the second flagstick portion. Connector fittings and methods of assembly are also included.

The subject matter of the present disclosure broadly relates to the art of sports equipment and, more particularly, to flagstick assemblies used in connection with the playing of golf. Components for adapting existing flagsticks as well as methods of assembly and modification are also included.
Traditionally, the rules of golf have dictated that an associated golf ball played while on a putting green cannot contact a flagstick located within the target hole without the player incurring a penalty. As a result, the flagstick is typically removed from the target hole prior to or during the act of putting an associated golf ball from a starting position on the green.
Recently, in an effort to increase pace of play or for other reasons, one or more of the bodies governing the rules of golf have decided to alter this longstanding rule and allow an associated golf ball to be putted into the target hole without penalty while the flagstick remains therein. A debate currently exists as to whether an associated golf ball entering a target hole with the flagstick therein will provide an advantage or a disadvantage to the player. That is, there is conflicting evidence as to whether an associated golf ball contacting a flagstick that is within the target hole will increase or decrease the likelihood of the associated golf ball falling into the target hole. In any case, and whether such a rule change may create an advantage or disadvantage for the players, it has been observed that in many cases only a small amount of clearance exists for a putted golf ball to enter a target hole while the flagstick remains therein.
Notwithstanding the ongoing usage of existing flagstick constructions in connection with the playing of golf, the foregoing and/or other disadvantages exist that remain to be addressed. Accordingly, it is believed desirable to develop constructions, components and methods that overcome the foregoing and/or other problems and/or disadvantages of known designs, and/or otherwise advance the art of golf flagsticks.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Golf flagstick assemblies as well as components therefor and methods of construction


A motorized furniture according to embodiments of the present invention includes a control unit. The control unit transitions to a first falling asleep operation at second time where the elapse of time since first time, where the sleep of a user of the motorized furniture is detected, is equal to or larger than a first time threshold. The control unit performs a second falling asleep operation when a variation of a signal corresponding to a biological signal of the user in a first period during the first falling asleep operation is smaller than the variation in a first prior period, which exists prior to the first period, during the first falling asleep operation or when the absolute value of a difference between the variation in the first period and the variation in the first prior period is smaller than a first variation threshold. In the second falling asleep operation, the control unit performs at least one of: an operation of decreasing the inclination of a section of the motorized furniture; an operation of decreasing the gap between the height of a head part of a mattress of the motorized furniture and the height of a waist part of the mattress; and an operation of decreasing the difference between the pressure in the head part and the pressure in the waist part. The embodiments provide a motorized furniture capable of offering more comfortable sleep.

For example, there is a motorized furniture (such as a motorized bed or motorized chair) capable of changing its height and backrest inclination. For example, there is proposed technique of helping a user fall asleep by performing a back dropping motion when it is judged that the user falls into a sleeping state. Meanwhile, there is proposed technique of establishing an airway by dropping a headrest when snoring or apnea occurs. There is a demand for providing the user with more comfortable sleep.


According to one aspect, a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based cyber security education system is provided. A training component, a knowledge component, and a collaborative component are interfaced to a distance learning component to form a STEM-based cyber security education system interface on an educational content server. The educational content server is coupled to a content database configured to access STEM-based cyber security educational content associated with one or more of: the training component, the knowledge component, and the collaborative component. Asynchronous delivery of the STEM-based cyber security educational content is provided to an end user computer in response to a user request. An interactive session is established between one or more experts and the end user computer to provide synchronous delivery of STEM-based cyber security materials.

The present disclosure relates generally to cyber security systems and, more particularly, to a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based cyber security education system.
Cyber security is perhaps the top national security imperative for the United States. Cyber space is assuming its place as the fifth operational domain besides air, land, sea, and space. In order to support cyber operations upon which both kinetic and non-kinetic battle spaces are dependent, a sufficient talent pool should be developed. Likewise, the future growth of commercial and civilian enterprise is also dependent upon the availability of a highly trained cyber-savvy workforce. The path to growing the needed workforce lies in STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) cyber security education. The key to security and well-being of a nation lies in its people, more so than firewalls or software. Although it is desirable to attain STEM educated citizens of all disciplines, it is equally if not more desirable to develop talent in the area of cyber security.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics based cyber security education system


An operation to acquire a strip with less thickness even if arcuate worn steps are formed on side weirs is disclosed. During an operation of a twin-roll casting machine with arcuate worn steps developing on side weirs due to rotational sliding contact of chilled rolls, the thickness of a steel strip from a nip is reduced, and the center-to-center distance between the rolls is increased with the side weirs in contact with ends of the rolls being displaced upward. This prevents interference of outer peripheries of the rolls with boundary surfaces adjacent to the arcuate worn steps of the side weirs.

Known as one of techniques for directly producing a strip from molten metal is twin roll continuous casting where molten metal is supplied to between a pair of horizontally juxtaposed rolls to deliver a solidified metal strip.
FIGS. 1-3 show an example of a twin-roll casting machine with a pair of chilled rolls 1 horizontally juxtaposed and a pair of side weirs 2 associated with the rolls 1.
The chilled rolls 1 are constructed such that cooling water passes through insides of the rolls and a nip G between the rolls is increased/decreased depending on thickness of a steel strip 3 to be produced.
Rotational directions and velocities of the rolls 1 are set such that outer peripheries of the respective rolls 1 are moved from above toward the nip G at constant velocity.
One and the other of the side weirs 2 surface-contact one and the other ends of the respective rolls 1, respectively.
Arranged between the paired side weirs 2 is a melt supplying nozzle 4 so as to be positioned just above the nip G. Molten steel is poured from a ladle (not shown) to the nozzle 4 to supply the molten steel in a space defined by the rolls 1 and side weirs 2. Thus, a melt pool 5 is provided.
Specifically, the above-mentioned melt pool 5 is formed and the chilled rolls 1 are rotated with the cooling water passing through and cooling the rolls 1, so that molten steel is solidified on outer peripheries of the rolls 1 and steel strip 3 is delivered downward from the nip G.
In this case, forces are applied to bearing boxes (not shown) for rotary support of necks of the respective rolls in directions toward each other so as to make the steel strip 3 to have a targeted thickness value.
The side weirs 2 are pushed by pressing actuators such as hydraulic cylinders against ends of the rolls 1 to prevent leaking of the molten steel (see, for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2).                [Patent Literature 1] JP 2000-190053A        [Patent Literature 2] JP 2004-050252A

Operating method for twin-roll casting machine, and side weir supporting device


The present invention relates to a wafer alignment method. The wafer alignment method includes the steps of forming first bonding pads and first wafer alignment marks of a convex shape on predetermined regions of a first semiconductor substrate in which a first device is formed, forming second bonding pads on predetermined regions of a second semiconductor substrate in which a second device is formed so that they correspond to the first bonding pads, and forming second wafer alignment marks of a hall shape on the predetermined regions of the second semiconductor substrate so that they correspond to the wafer alignment marks of the convex shape, disposing a rear surface of the second semiconductor substrate upwardly, so that the first bonding pads of the first semiconductor substrate and the second bonding pads of the second semiconductor substrate correspond to each other, polishing the rear surface of the second semiconductor substrate to form holes of the second wafer alignment marks through which X-rays to be projected later penetrate, aligning the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate so that the X-rays projected from the X-ray projector penetrate the second wafer alignment marks of the second semiconductor substrate and then reach the wafer alignment marks of the first semiconductor substrate through a X-ray sensing device, which has an X-ray projector and an X-ray detector and is adjacent to the rear surface of the second semiconductor substrate, and performing a thermal process on the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate, which are aligned, to electrically connect the first bonding pads and the second bonding pads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices, and more specifically, to a wafer alignment method.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Recently, semiconductor devices used for embedded memory in the field of system ICs or SOC (System On Chip) have memory devices, such as DRAM, SRAM, flash memory and EEPROM, and logic elements for field applications formed on a semiconductor substrate. There is a need for manufacturing technology of semiconductor devices, wherein different elements are formed in two or more semiconductor substrates and the substrates are then stacked.
FIGS. 1a to 1c are cross-sectional views for explaining a conventional wafer alignment method.
Referring to FIG. 1a, an interlayer insulating film 12 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 10 having a memory device formed in. While a final metal line is formed on the interlayer insulating film 12, bonding pads 14 of the memory device, which are to be bonded to a semiconductor substrate 20 having a logic element formed in, are formed. A first protection film 16 is formed on the bonding pads 14 and is then selectively etched to expose predetermined portions of the bonding pads 14 of the memory device.
Referring to FIG. 1b, an interlayer insulating film 22 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 20 having the logic element formed in. While a final metal line is formed on the interlayer insulating film 22, bonding pads 24 of a logic element, which are to be bonded to the semiconductor substrate 10 having the memory device formed in, are formed. A second protection film 26 is formed on the bonding pads 24, and is then selectively etched to open the bonding pads 24 of the logic element.
Referring to FIG. 1c, in order to connect the semiconductor substrate 10 of the memory device and the semiconductor substrate 20 of the logic element, the semiconductor substrate 10 of the memory device and the semiconductor substrate 20 of the logic element are stacked so that the bonding pads 14 formed in the semiconductor substrate of the memory device and the bonding pads 24 formed in the semiconductor substrate of the logic element are in contact with each other in a state where a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate 20 of the logic element is oriented upwardly.
Thereafter, the semiconductor substrate 10 of the memory device and the semiconductor substrate 20 of the logic element, which are stacked together, are annealed to electrically connect the bonding pads 14 formed in the semiconductor substrate of the memory device and the bonding pads 24 formed in the semiconductor substrate of the logic element.
If the semiconductor substrates respectively provided in the memory device and the logic element are stacked, however, a misalignment phenomenon frequently occurs. This makes difficult electrical connection of the semiconductor substrate in which the memory device is provided and the semiconductor substrate in which the logic element is provided.


A method for manufacturing metal powder includes: melting at least a portion of a metal starting material in a reaction vessel by utilizing plasma so as to form molten metal; evaporating the molten metal so as to produce a metal vapor; and transferring the metal vapor from the reaction vessel to a cooling tube together with a carrier gas supplied into the reaction vessel so as to cool the metal vapor, and condensing the metal vapor in the cooling tube, thereby producing metal powder. The method further includes supplying an oxygen gas into the reaction vessel.

In manufacturing electronic components such as electronic circuits, circuit boards, resistors, capacitors and IC packages, conductive metal powder is used to form conductor films and electrodes. The characteristics and properties/conditions required for this kind of metal powder include low impurity, fine powder having an average particle diameter of about 0.01 to 10 μm, uniformity in particle shape and particle diameter, little cohesion, excellent dispersibility in paste and excellent crystallinity.
Recently, conductor films and electrodes have been thinner and finer-pitch as electronic components and circuit boards have reduced in size, so that finer spherical metal powder having high crystallinity has been demanded.
As one of methods for manufacturing such fine metal powder, there are known plasma techniques of, after melting and evaporating a metal starting material in a reaction vessel by utilizing plasma, transferring the metal vapor from the reaction vessel to a cooling tube together with a carrier gas so as to cool the metal vapor, and condensing the metal vapor in the cooling tube, thereby obtaining metal powder. (Refer to Patent Literatures 1 to 3.)
These plasma techniques condense the metal vapor in a gas phase, thereby being capable of manufacturing fine spherical metal powder having low impurity and high crystallinity.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a device used in a plasma technique. This is a transferred DC arc plasma device 101 using DC arc, as with Patent Literature 1. The device 101 melts a metal starting material at a crucible part 109 of a reaction vessel 102 so as to form molten metal 108; evaporates the molten metal 108; and transfers the produced metal vapor to a cooling tube 103 by a carrier gas, and cools and condenses the metal vapor in the cooling tube 103, thereby producing metal particles.
The carrier gas is a mixture of a plasma gas and a dilute gas, which is supplied as needed, and usually an inert gas or a reducing gas is used therefor. Examples thereof include argon, helium, nitrogen, ammonia, methane, and a mixture of any of these. A plasma torch 104, an anode 105, a cathode 106, plasma 107 and a dilute gas supply unit 110 shown in FIG. 2 are respectively the same as a plasma torch 4, an anode 5, a cathode 6, plasma 7 and a dilute gas supply unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 described below.
In the case where metal powder is manufactured by a plasma technique, not only for a base metal which is easily oxidized but also for a precious metal which is hardly oxidized, an oxygen gas is not usually used as a carrier gas. This is because problems arise thereby. For example, by introduction of oxygen into a reaction vessel, an oxide film is produced on the surface of molten metal and consequently manufacturing efficiency decreases, or a heat insulating material of the reaction vessel, such as graphite, is burned; and by presence of a large amount of oxygen in the reaction vessel, plasma properties change and become unstable, and consequently the manufacturing efficiency worsens and also plasma cannot ignite in the end. There is also a problem that, in DC plasma, an electrode metal is oxidized and deteriorates.
For these reasons, for example, even in the case where an oxide coating is to be formed on the surface of metal powder in order to improve oxidation resistance and prevent sintering, oxidation has needed to be carried out not by introducing an oxidized gas into a reaction vessel but, as described in Patent Literature 2 and so forth, by blowing an oxidized gas after producing metal powder by transferring a metal vapor to a cooling tube and condensing the metal vapor, for example.


A plurality of differential amplifier circuits are supplied with respective potentials of a plurality of paired bit lines and subjects the potentials of the bit line pairs to the differential amplification. The plurality of differential amplifier circuits are connected to paired data lines. The paired data lines are connected at one end to a first clamping circuit for clamping the potential of the paired data lines. The first clamping circuit is connected to a common load circuit acting as a common load for the plurality of differential amplifier circuits. The paired data lines are connected at the other end to a second clamping circuit for reducing the amplitude of a voltage between the paired data lines.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sense amplifier circuit, and more particularly to a current detecting type sense amplifier circuit for amplifying data read out from a memory cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a current detecting type sense amplifier is used as a sense amplifier circuit for bipolar memories or Bi.multidot.CMOS (bipolar.multidot.complementary MOS) memories. This type of sense amplifier circuit is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-34294, for example. In such a sense amplifier circuit as is disclosed in the above Patent Publication, since the amplitude of a voltage occurring between paired data lines at the time of readout of stored data from a memory cell is relatively small, a readout current can be transmitted to a load section without substantially driving a parasitic capacitor of the data line pair. Therefore, it becomes possible to suppress the delay in data transfer caused by the charging and discharging operations of the parasitic capacitor of the data line pair.
However, with an increase in the memory capacity in recent years, the data line is formed thinner and longer so that the parasitic resistance of the data line may tend to become larger. As the parasitic resistance of the data line increases, the amplitude of a voltage occurring between paired data lines at the time of readout of stored data becomes larger, causing a relatively large delay in the data line section.
In order to solve the above problem, various types of sense amplifiers have been proposed to improve the delay characteristic in the data line section. One of them is proposed by the inventor of this invention and disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 3-52194. In a sense amplifier circuit disclosed in the above Patent Disclosure, the data line pair is formed in a hierarchical structure (the data line pair is divided into first- and second level data line pairs and a readout current transmission circuit is formed between the first- and second-level data line pairs) to reduce the length of the data line on each level. With the above structure, since the length of the first-level data line pair can be reduced and the parasitic resistance and parasitic capacitance can be reduced, the delay in the data line can be significantly reduced. Further, since the wiring length of the second-level data line can be reduced by adequately arranging the second-level data line, the wiring resistance thereof can be reduced. In addition, since the collector capacitor of a bipolar transistor used in the readout current transmission circuit is simply provided for each transmission circuit, the data line capacitor can be made relatively small. As a result, since the delay in the second-level data line section can be reduced, the total delay in the entire data line can be significantly improved. Further, it is only required to activate only one of a plurality of emitter-coupled differential pairs connected to a plurality of first-level data line pairs even though the data line pairs are formed in the hierarchical structure, the current consumption in the differential amplifier may be made substantially the same as that in the prior art.
However, in the circuit system disclosed in the above Patent Disclosure, since two reference potentials are required and bipolar circuits of three stages are series-connected, the power source voltage margin may be deteriorated by an amount corresponding to the base-emitter voltage (forward voltage Vf of a diode) of a bipolar transistor used in the readout current transmission circuit in comparison with the conventional circuit system. Particularly, in a Bi.multidot.CMOS memory or the like using a circuit of miniaturized CMOS structure, the power source voltage tends to be lowered, but in this case, the sense amplifier circuit of a type disclosed in the above Patent Disclosure cannot be used.
A sense amplifier disclosed in IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS. VOL. 25, NO. 5, OCTOBER 1990 pp 1057 to 1062 is known as another means for solving the above problem. The sense amplifier circuit disclosed in the above article has a feature that a resistor is connected between the paired data lines of the conventional current detecting type sense amplifier circuit and a by-pass current is supplied to the resistor to equalize the paired data lines. With this feature, a difference between currents flowing in the paired data lines is reduced and the delay in the data line section becomes small. That is, the amplitude of a voltage between the paired data lines can be reduced by increasing the conductance of the resistor connected between the paired data lines, thereby increasing the by-pass current flowing in the resistor. However, at this time, a problem that the output amplitude of the sense amplifier becomes small occurs. In order to solve this problem, the resistance of a load resistor of a common load circuit may be increased. In this case, however, if the conductance of the resistor connected between the paired data lines is increased and the resistance of the load resistor of the common load circuit is increased, then a new problem that the bipolar transistor of the common load circuit is saturated occurs. This is because the total sum of the readout currents transmitted to the common load circuit is equal to the total current (the sum of the complementary currents) always flowing in the sense amplifier circuit. Therefore, it is impossible to excessively increase the conductance of the resistor connected between the paired data lines and the delay time in the data line section may not be significantly reduced.

Sense amplifier circuit for reducing transmission delay in data line


A transmitter for a mobile communication system based on an OFDM scheme and a method for controlling the same. The transmitter can implement a characteristic of a multiple access scheme based on an OFDM scheme, a characteristic of a CDMA scheme, and a characteristic of a frequency hopping scheme which has very strong resistance to the frequency selective fading. An apparatus for transmitting information bit sequences from a BS (Base Station) transmitter to different users, includes a plurality of channelizers for dividing a single frame of information bit sequences to be transmitted to individual users into a plurality of times according to a given time interval, simultaneously transmitting the information bit sequences to the individual users within the plurality of division times, dividing the information bit sequences, spreading the divided information bit sequences using different Walsh codes, converting the spread information bit sequences into a single sequence associated with the individual users, and outputting the single sequence; and a frequency hopper for dividing the single sequence, distributing the spread information bit sequences over a plurality of bandwidths capable of mapping-processing the spread information bit sequences with sub-carrier frequencies, and preventing each of the bandwidths from overlapping with time-frequency cells given by the given time interval.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission apparatus and method for use in a mobile communication system based on an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) scheme, and more particularly to a transmission apparatus and method for supporting a multiple access scheme on the basis of the OFDM scheme.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, mobile communication systems have developed from mobile systems for providing a user with voice signals to a wireless packet communication system for providing the user with high-speed and high-quality wireless data packets, such that anyone can use a variety of data services and multimedia services. The third-generation mobile communication system is classified into an asynchronous 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), and a synchronous 3GPP2, each of which are being standardized for implementing high-speed and high-quality wireless packet communication services. For example, an HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) standardization is in progress in the 3GPP, and a 1xEV-DV (1xEvolution Data and Voice) standardization is in progress in the 3GPP2. The 1xEV-DV standardization for the downlink is "IS-2000 Release C". Presently, the standardization of the uplink is in progress, and the uplink is being standardized under the title "IS-2000 Release D". The aforementioned standardizations are needed for users or subscribers to receive high-speed (more than 2Mbps) and high-quality wireless data packet transmission service in the third-generation mobile communication systems. A fourth-generation mobile communication system is needed for users or subscribers to receive higher-speed and higher-quality multimedia communication services.
Technical solutions for providing high-speed and high-quality wireless data packet services require improved software capable of developing more diverse and abundant contents and improved hardware capable of developing wireless access technology, which can provide users with excellent services and has high spectrum efficiency.
The aforementioned improved hardware, from among the technical solutions, will firstly be described.
The high-speed and high-quality data service available in wireless communication is generally deteriorated by channel environments. Channel environments for wireless communication are frequently changed by a variety of factors, for example, white noise, variation in reception signal power, shadowing, movement of a Subscriber Station (SS), a Doppler effect caused by a frequent change in speed, and interference caused by other users or a multi-path signal. Therefore, in order to provide the aforementioned high-speed wireless data packet service, technology improvements over the second-generation or third-generation mobile communication systems, and which improves adaptive capacity for channel variation, is required. Although a high-speed power control scheme for use in the conventional system enhances adaptive capacity for such channel variation, the 3GPP and the 3GPP2 which are currently processing a high-speed data packet transmission system standard commonly utilize an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) scheme and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) scheme.
The AMC scheme changes a modulation scheme and a code rate of a channel encoder according to a variation in the downlink channel. In this case, downlink channel quality information can generally be obtained by measuring a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of a signal using the SS functioning as a terminal receiver. The SS transmits the channel quality information to a BS (Base Station) through an uplink. The BS predicts the downlink channel conditions on the basis of the downlink channel quality information, and prescribes an appropriate modulation scheme and a code rate for a channel encoder on the basis of the predicted downlink channel condition. Therefore, an Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) system adapts a high-order modulation scheme and a high code rate to an SS (Subscriber Station) having an excellent channel. However, the AMC system adapts a low-order modulation scheme and a low code rate to an SS having a relatively inferior channel. Typically, the SS having the excellent channel may be positioned in the vicinity of the BS, and an SS having the relatively inferior channel may be positioned at a cell boundary. The aforementioned AMC scheme can largely reduce an interference signal as compared to a conventional scheme dependent on a high-speed power control, resulting in the improvement of system performance.
If an unexpected error occurs in an initial transmission data packet, the HARQ scheme requires retransmission of the data packet to compensate for the erroneous packet. In this case, a predetermined link control scheme is adapted to the compensation process of the erroneous packet, and is considered to be equal to the HARQ scheme. The HARQ scheme is called a Chase Combining (CC) scheme, and is classified into a Full Incremental Redundancy (FIR) scheme and a Partial Incremental Redundancy (PIR) scheme. The CC scheme transmits all of the packets during a retransmission operation in the same manner as in an initial transmission process. In this case, a reception end combines the retransmission packet with the initial transmission packet to increase reliability of a coded bit received in a decoder, such that the reception end can obtain an overall system performance gain. In this case, if two equal packets are combined with each other, an effect similar to that of an iterative coding occurs, and a performance gain of about 3 dB can be attained on average.
The FIR scheme retransmits a packet composed of only redundant bits generated from a channel encoder, instead of retransmitting the same packet, such that the FIR scheme can improve a coding gain of a decoder included in the reception end. That is, the decoder uses both initial transmission information and new redundant bits during a decoding process, resulting in an increased coding rate. As a result, the decoder's performance can also be improved. It is well known in coding theory that a performance gain obtained by a low coding rate is greater than a performance gain obtained by an iterative coding rate. Therefore, when considering only the performance gain, the FIR scheme provides better performance than that of the CC scheme.
The PIR scheme transmits a data packet which is composed of a combination of information bits and new information bits during a retransmission time. The PIR scheme combines the information bits with the initial transmission information bits during a decoding process, such that it can obtain an effect similar to that of the CC scheme. Also, the PIR scheme performs the decoding process using the redundant bits, such that it can obtain effects similar to those of the FIR scheme. The PIR scheme has a coding rate greater than that of the FIR scheme, such that it's the PIR scheme performance is considered to be intermediate between individual performances of the FIR and CC schemes. However, the HARQ scheme must consider a variety of factors related to performance and system complexity (e.g., a buffer size and a signaling, etc.), such that it is difficult to determine either one of the factors.
Provided that the AMC scheme and the HARQ scheme use independent techniques capable of improving the adaptive capacity for a channel variation or are combined with each other, system performance can be greatly improved. In other words, if a modulation scheme suitable for the downlink channel conditions and a coding rate of the channel encoder are determined by the AMC scheme, a data packet corresponding to the determined information is transmitted.
However, although the aforementioned two schemes are used, the principal problem encountered in radio communication, i.e., the lack of radio resources, is incapable of being solved. In more detail, multiple access—based technology having a superior spectrum efficiency must be developed to maximize subscriber capacity and to enable high-speed data transmission requisite for a multimedia service. In conclusion, a new multiple access scheme having superior spectrum efficiency must be developed to provide the high-speed and high-quality packet data service.

Transmission apparatus and method for use in mobile communication system based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing scheme


A check valve comprises valve flaps formed by subjecting a front sheet and a rear sheet of synthetic resin, one of which is laid on top of the other, to heat sealing thereby sealing the same by thermal adhesion at the right and left sides thereof and at a plurality of curved heat sealings which are coupled to one another in such a way as to approximately form T-shapes at the junctions thereof so that the valve flaps have arabesque outlines. As a result, the lower parts of the heat sealings serve as fluid returning segments so as to improve the check valve in fluid sealing performance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a check valve for fluid containers, shock absorbing containers and so on (referred to fluid containers hereinafter), and more particularly to a check valve which is formed by subjecting opposing and walls of a flattened cylindrical body composed of a synthetic resin film or sheet to heat sealing to form a pair of heat sealed portions each comprising curved heat seals, the pair of heat sealed portions being arranged approximately symmetrically relative to a central axis of the flattened cylindrical body. The check valve prevents a fluid in a fluid container from leaking or flowing out of the containers and enables the fluid to be poured not only into the fluid container but also out of the container in a short time and with ease when the check valve is attached to a free side edge or opening of the fluid container. The fluid container is composed of a synthetic resin sheet or film which is made independently from the check valve. The container may contain a liquid and/or a gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various check valves for synthetic resin film containers having a function of automatically closing a fluid inlet and outlet portion thereof have been proposed. These conventional check valves comprise a simple combination of linear heat sealed portions which form valve flaps therebetween and which are not provided with fluid returning segments. As a result, these check valves have a drawback of not being tight contact with each other this, fluid sealing performance is degraded. In addition, as the size of the valve flaps are increased, the less time is required to pour fluid into or out of the container, thus improving the efficiency of a fluid inlet and outlet passage of the check valve. However, as the size of the valve flaps increases, their sealing performance is remarkably lowered, which deteriorates the reliability and safety of the check valve. Moreover, when the sheet or film forming the fluid container is made of polyethylene etc. and the contained fluid is a gas such as air etc., the gas in the container is dispersed therefrom and the internal pressure of the container lowers due to the comparatively high permeability of the polyethylene etc. as time elapses, so that the sealing performance between the valve flaps deteriorates.
The leakage of fluid which has been poured into the container and contained therein is a serious phenomenon and is the major drawback of the prior art viewed in terms of reliability, safety, accuracy, etc. in the storage, transportation and supply thereof.
As mentioned above, the leakage of fluid which has been poured into and is contained in the container through the check valve is caused by the defective or deteriorated sealing performance of the valve flaps.
The foregoing deteriorated sealing performance of or between the valve flaps originates intrinsically from the process of heat sealing two or more thermoplastic resin films or sheets together to form a check valve. If the check valve is constructed simply of two opposing sheets of a rectangular film having two heat sealed edge portions extending longitudinally on opposite sides thereof, the valve flaps are deemed to be the sheets themselves. Each of the valve flaps (sheets) comprises a central portion and two peripheral portions each disposed between a heat sealed edge portion and a respective end of the central portion. The peripheral portions each terminate at coalescence points of both valve flaps (the point where the valve flaps and the respective heat sealed edge portion are joined).
It is generally believed that both valve flaps are forced into intimate and tight contact against each other over the full width thereof when pressed together by the internal pressure exerted by the fluid contained in the container. However, a close inspection of the two valve flaps shows the formation of fine or narrow gaps between the peripheral portions. The fluid contents in the container leaks out through the fine gaps in the peripheral portions while the central portions remain sealed due to the internal fluid pressure.
The reason for the formation of the fine gaps in the peripheral portions is considered to be the inhomogeneity of the valve flaps thus sealed under pressure. The central portion is uniform in every respect, but the peripheral portions are somewhat different from the central portion in some respects; viz. (1) a cantilever structure, (2) physical or mechanical properties especially as to behavior of elastic deformation due to thermal history induced by heat sealing and (3) elongation to some extent induced by the force of flowing fluid which has spread both flaps apart at the time of charging or discharging the container. In the case where linear seals are included in the check valve, in addition to heat sealing the edge portions, the linear seals are also heat sealed in order to define and to form them, therefore the conditions or circumstances mentioned above are similarly applicable.
Accordingly, if the check valve includes linear or polygonal heat sealed portions, the valve flaps are defined therebetween and comprise central portions which are separated from each other at maximum when the fluid is poured into or out of the container, and peripheral portions which are disposed on both sides of the central portions and which defined by and adjacent to the linear or polygonal heat sealed portions. Since the peripheral portions of the valve flaps are defined and formed by such a linear or polygonal lines, fine gaps are inevitably formed between the front and rear valve flaps at the peripheral portions, particularly at the corners where the polygonal lines make a turn. These fine gaps extending toward the outside make no more than a temporary resistance to the flow of the fluid thus making matters worse.
The fluid does not leak out through the central portion of the check valve where the valve flaps closely contact each other (due to fluid pressure) when the fluid is contained in the container. The fluid leaks out, however, as a result of a capillary action, i.e., a slit effect in the case of liquid, through the peripheral portions of the check valve which have the fine structural gaps therein, and as a result of a pressure gradient in the case of gas caused by the fact that the pressures in the gaps are higher than that outside the check valve (the atmosphere) though it is lower than that inside the check valve.
It is an object of the present invention to completely eliminate fluid leakage through a check valve.

Check valve for fluid containers and a method of manufacturing the same