The invention relates to motor-driven pumps (1) with turbine, driven by a fluid at high pressure, and more specially intended for the pumping of liquids and of laden liquids. The motor-driven pump (1) according to the invention comprises a rotating sleeve (15) mounted in line between two fixed rings (13, 14). To the internal surface of the sleeve (15) are secured pumping members (31, 32) such as helical vanes. The outer surface of the sleeve (15) forms the rotor of a turbine into which a pressurised fluid is injected radially in a centripetal manner, from a distribution volute (8).

Motor-driven pumps with rotary pump and turbine drive are already known. These motor-driven pumps are distinguished not only by the types of pumps used and by the model of the turbine, but also by the mutual arrangement of the turbine and of the pump, and ipso facto, by the mechanical transmission of the movement between these two constituent parts of the motor-driven pump.
Motor-driven pumps are known, in particular, in which the turbine and the pump are disposed in line, that is to say that the axis of the pump and the axis of the turbine are placed in the extension of one another. In such motor-driven pumps, at least one of the two (inlet and outlet) pipes of the pump is disposed perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the axis of the pump, whereas the second pipe is disposed either perpendicularly or obliquely relative to the axis of the pump, or in line with the axis of the pump (on the side of the pump located opposite the turbine).
Application DE-A-3,008,334 describes a tangential turbine driving a pump the rotary body of which is formed by the hollow shaft of the turbine; the machine described in Application DE-A-3,008,334 operates with steam; the machine described is bulky and adapted solely to a static use.
Document CH-465,413 describes a single-axis pump intended for a fixed installation in an atomic power station. The pump is actuated by a peripheral turbine. The pump rotor is of the type with central hub, supported by bearings which encroach on the available cross-section, without possible mixing between the motive fluid and the pumped fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,113,213 describes cylindrical pumps formed by a small rotary pump and by a concentric turbine. These pumps are intended to operate in wells in order to extract water or oil therefrom. These pumps, mounted in series, are placed in a chamber and sunk under the layer to be pumped. Each pump is provided at its base with vents. When a pressurised fluid is injected into the chamber, it rises through the vents, setting the turbine in rotation and thus actuating the pump. The motive fluid subsequently mixes completely with the pumped liquid in order to rise to the surface.
For some applications, the motor-driven pumps known at the present time all have serious disadvantages; this is especially true of submerged motor-driven pumps used for dredging operations.
In suction dredgers, the boom is equipped with a suction pipe intended for conveying the dredged materials (mud, and/or sand) into the wells of the dredger or into delivery pipes.
Suction can be carried out by a motor-driven pump mounted on board the dredger. However, such a system is suitable only for relatively small dredging depths.
For dredging at greater depth, it is usually necessary to employ a submerged motor-driven pump mounted as low as possible on the suction pipe.
Such a submerged motor-driven pump thus works under pressure, and therefore its suction performance is improved. However, the use for such applications of the motor-driven pumps known at present presents very serious technical problems due in particular to the high weight and large bulk of these motor-driven pumps and of the elbowed pipes connected thereto. Thus, a submerged motor-driven dredging pump which can be connected to pipes of a diameter of 650 mm currently represents a weight of the order of 25 tons, a length of 6 m and a lateral dimension of 3 m (including the elbowed pipes and the frame necessary in order to absorb the stresses generated during manoeuvring and operation). The manoeuvring of a dredging head equipped with such a motor-driven pump of known type requires the use of heavy and costly handling machinery, and a great deal of skill.
Another problem arises because of the (mechanically speaking) difficult environment in which these motor-driven pumps have to be used, namely generally aggressive water, such as seawater, laden with salt and with particles of varied granulometry.
In order to protect the delicate parts of these motor-driven pumps, sealing devices of extremely high performance are generally employed, particularly in order to protect the rolling bearings and the elements of the turbine, thereby proportionately increasing the weight and bulk and also presenting problems of cost, of ease of maintenance and of heat dissipation.
The same inventor's Patent EP-0,033,640 describes a motor-driven pump with turbine actuated by a pressurised fluid more particularly adapted to dredging operations in which the pump and the turbine are disposed in a concentric manner, the motive fluid and the pumped liquid passing through the motor-driven pump in an axial direction. A motor-driven pump, in accordance with EP-0,330,640, despite its qualities, does not yet solve all the problems. In comparison with its power, it is still fairly voluminous and extended in length, which implies a high cost (in weight of metal), and the use of relatively costly handling machinery; it necessitates a high volume of motive fluid and therefore feed pipes of large diameter, entailing a substantial extra weight. Its size still renders it sensitive to the stresses generated during manoeuvring and in service. Furthermore, disassembly of the various members still requires a non-negligible time whereas, precisely, in the working conditions to which it is subjected, these disassemblies are relatively frequent. Lastly, the range of regulation of such a motor-driven pump is, in practice, fairly narrow, which does not make it possible to adapt in an optimal manner to all circumstances arising in service (increasing the load, fitting pumping members of a different kind).
The motor-driven pump according to the invention, which will be described below, can be used in particular as a submerged motor-driven pump and is in particular highly advantageous as a submerged motor-driven pump for dredging and for working marine sediments at great depth. However, the application of the motor-driven pump according to the invention is by no means limited to these particular examples, and it can also be used advantageously as a non-submerged motor-driven pump for pumping various liquids or liquids laden with solids (for example, suspensions of ores and/or coal in water).
An endeavour has been made to construct a motor-driven pump having, for an equal suction power, greater compactness in length and a weight reduced in comparison with what was known in the state of the art.
Another object of the invention is to obtain a very strongly built motor-driven pump, self supporting by virtue of its structure per se, and resisting axial stresses and torsion and flexion alike.
Another object of the invention is to produce a motor-driven pump which permits easy control of the turbine speed and, thereby, of the flow rate and of the pressure of the pumped liquid.
The invention also has as its subject a motor-driven pump of lesser production cost, for equal power, than what is known in the state of the art.
Another object of the invention is to produce such a motor-driven pump which can be used advantageously for the pumping of liquids heavily laden with solids and consequently being suitable as motor-driven pumps for dredging or for working sea bed sediments.
In addition, the invention has the object of providing such a motor-driven pump in which the energy losses are reduced in a substantial manner.
Another object of the invention is to construct a motor-driven pump the bearings of which are protected in an effective manner with regard to their conditions of use.
Lastly, another subject of the invention is a motor-driven pump of low maintenance cost the members of which can easily be replaced.


A magnetoresistive head having a split coil structure including multiple, similar coil layers separated by an insulator and joined at their ends to define parallel electrical paths. The coil passes through a magnetic yoke having an open end and a closed end and is electrically insulated from the yoke. The parallel electrical paths of the separate coil layers can each be modeled as a resistor in series with an inductor, each of the paths also being in parallel with a capacitor. The split coil has a much faster current rise time than a comparable single layer coil or than multiple coils connected in series. Since the coil current provides the magneto-motive force for imparting a signal on a passing recording medium, the decreased current rise time corresponds to an increased data recording rate.

This invention relates generally to magnetic disk data storage systems, and more particularly to magnetic write transducers and methods of making same.
Magnetic disk drives are used to store and retrieve data for digital electronic apparatuses such as computers. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a magnetic disk data storage system 10 of the prior art includes a sealed enclosure 12, a disk drive motor 14, a magnetic disk 16, supported for rotation by a drive spindle S1 of motor 14, an actuator 18 and an arm 20 attached to an actuator spindle S2 of actuator 18. A suspension 22 is coupled at one end to the arm 20, and at its other end to a read/write head or transducer 24. The transducer 24 (which will be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 2A) typically includes an inductive write element with a sensor read element. As the motor 14 rotates the magnetic disk 16, as indicated by the arrow R, an air bearing is formed under the transducer 24 causing it to lift slightly off of the surface of the magnetic disk 16, or, as its is termed in the art, to xe2x80x9cflyxe2x80x9d above the magnetic disk 16. Alternatively, some transducers, known as xe2x80x9ccontact heads,xe2x80x9d ride on the disk surface. Various magnetic xe2x80x9ctracksxe2x80x9d of information can be written to and/or read from the magnetic disk 16 as the actuator 18 causes the transducer 24 to pivot in a short arc as indicated by the arrows P. The design and manufacture of magnetic disk data storage systems is well known to those skilled in the art.
FIG. 2A depicts a magnetic read/write head 24 including a substrate 25 above which a read element 26 and a write element 28 are disposed. Edges of the read element 26 and write element 28 also define an air bearing surface ABS, in a plane 29, which can be aligned to face the surface of the magnetic disk 16 (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). The read element 26 includes a first shield 30, an intermediate layer 32, which functions as a second shield, and a read sensor 34 that is located within a dielectric medium 35 between the first shield 30 and the second shield 32. The most common type of read sensor 34 used in the read/write head 24 is the magnetoresistive (AMR or GMR) sensor, which is used to detect magnetic field signals from a magnetic medium through changing resistance in the read sensor.
The write element 28 is typically an inductive write element which includes the intermediate layer 32, which functions as a first pole, and a second pole 38 disposed above the first pole 32. The first pole 32 and the second pole 38 are attached to each other by a backgap portion 40, with these three elements collectively forming a yoke 41. The combination of a first pole tip portion 43 and a second pole tip portion 45 near the ABS are sometimes referred to as the yoke tip portion 46. A write gap 36 is formed between the first and second poles 32 and 38 in the yoke tip portion 46. The write gap 36 is filled with a non-magnetic, electrically insulating material that forms a write gap material layer 37. This non-magnetic material can be either integral with (as is shown here) or separate from a first insulation layer 47 that lies below the second pole 38 and extends from the yoke tip portion 46 to the backgap portion 40.
Also included in write element 28 is a conductive coil 48, formed of multiple winds 49 which each have a wind height Hw. The coil 48 can be characterized by a dimension sometimes referred to as the wind pitch P, which is the distance from one coil wind front edge to the next coil wind front edge, as shown in FIG. 2A. As is shown, the wind pitch P is defined by the sum of the wind thickness Tw and the separation between adjacent winds Sw. The conductive coil 48 is positioned within a coil insulation layer 50 that lies above the first insulation layer 47. The first insulation layer 47 thereby electrically insulates the winds 49 from each other and from the second pole 38.
The configuration of the conductive coil 48 can be better understood with reference to a plan view of the read/write head 24 shown in FIG. 2B taken along line 2Bxe2x80x942B of FIG. 2A. Because the conductive coil extends beyond the first and second poles, insulation may be needed beneath, as well as above, the conductive coil to electrically insulate the conductive coil from other structures. For example, as shown in FIG. 2C, a view taken along line 2Cxe2x80x942C of FIG. 2A, a buildup insulation layer 52 can be formed adjacent the first pole, and under the conductive coil layer 48. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, these elements operate to magnetically write data on a magnetic medium such as a magnetic disk 16 (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). With reference to FIG. 3, the coil defines an electrical circuit which can be modeled as a head resistance Rh in series with a head inductance Lh, both of which are in parallel with a head capacitance Ch.
More specifically, an inductive write head such as that shown in FIGS. 2A-2C operates by passing a writing current through the conductive coil layer 48. Because of the magnetic properties of the yoke 41, a magnetic flux is induced in the first and second poles 32 and 38 by write currents passed through the coil layer 48. The write gap 36 allows the magnetic flux to fringe out from the yoke 41 (thus forming a fringing gap field) and to cross a magnetic recording medium that is placed near the ABS. A critical parameter of a magnetic write element is a trackwidth of the write element, which defines track density. For example, a narrower trackwidth can result in a higher magnetic recording density. The trackwidth is defined by the geometries in the yoke tip portion 46 (see FIG. 2A) at the ABS. These geometries can be better understood with reference to FIG. 2C. As can be seen from this view, the first and second poles 32 and 38 can have different widths W1 and W2 respectively in the yoke tip portion 46 (see FIG. 2A). In the shown configuration, the trackwidth of the write element 28 is defined by the width W2 of the second pole 38. Thus, accurate definition of the trackwidth is critical during the fabrication of the write element.
However, the control of trackwidth, and coil pitch can be limited by typical fabrication processes, an example of which is shown in the process diagram of FIG. 4A. The method 54 includes an operation 56 of providing a first pole. This operation can include, for example, forming a plating dam, plating and then removing the dam. In an operation 58, a write gap material layer is formed over the first pole. In particular, the write gap material layer is formed over an upper surface of the first pole. Also, in operation 58, a via is formed through the write gap material layer to the first pole in the backgap portion 40 (see FIG. 2A). In the instance herein described, the write gap material layer extends above the first pole in the area between the yoke tip portion and the backgap portion, although in other cases the write gap material layer may not be above this area. A buildup insulation layer is typically formed by depositing (e.g., spinning) and patterning photoresistive material and then hard baking the remaining photoresistive material. Such processes often result in the height of the buildup insulation layer being non-uniform.
In an operation 62 the first coil layer is formed above the write gap material layer and the buildup insulation layer. This can include first depositing a seed layer above the first pole. Typically, photoresistive material can then be deposited and patterned. With the patterned photoresistive material, conductive material can be plated. With removal of the photoresistive material, the remaining conductive material thereby forms the first coil layer.
Unfortunately, when there is a difference in height between the write gap material layer and the buildup insulation layer, the patterning of the photoresistive material for the first coil layer can be complicated. In particular, it can be difficult to pattern the various heights to have consistent geometries. More specifically, winds of the resulting first coil layer can be wider at lower levels than at higher levels, such as between the first and second poles. Thus, for a given pitch, such greater width at the lower levels can result in smaller distances between winds. This can, in turn, result in electrical conduction between winds which can be detrimental to write performance. To avoid such electrical shorting, the minimum wind pitch can be set to a desired value that will result in adequate yield of non-shorting conductive coil layers. Because the coil winds are more narrow between the first and second poles, the resulting pitch there is typically greater than, and limited by this minimum. For example, typical wind pitches between the first and second poles may be limited to no less than about 3 microns. For a given number of winds and wind thickness, this in turn limits the minimum yoke length, and thereby limits the data transfer rate and data density as described above. For example, a pitch of about 3 microns maybe adequate for recording densities on the order of about 2 Gb/sq.in., however, these typical pitches can be inadequate for larger recording densities, such as about 10 Gb/sq.in.
In operation 64, the method 54 further includes forming a coil insulation layer above the first coil layer that was formed in operation 62. In an operation 66 a second pole is formed above the coil insulation layer of operation 64.
Still another parameter of the write element performance is the stack height SH, the distance between the top surface of the first pole 32 and the top of the second pole 38, as shown in FIG. 2A. Of course this height is affected by the thickness of the first insulation layer 47, the thickness of the coil layer 48 and any other coil layers that might be included, and the height of the coil insulation layer 50 and any other coil insulation layers that might be included. The stack height can be an indicator of the apex angle xcex1, which partially characterizes the topology over which the second pole must be formed near the yoke tip portion. Typically, the reliability of the write element decreases as the apex angle increases. This is due, at least in part, to the corresponding increased difficulty, particularly in the yoke tip portion 46, of forming the second pole 38 over the higher topography of the stack. For example, the definition of the second pole width W2, shown in FIG. 2C, including photoresist deposition and etching, can be decreasingly reliable and precise with increasing topography. When demand for higher density writing capabilities drives yoke tip portions to have smaller widths W, this aspect of fabrication becomes increasingly problematic.
Also, with higher topography, when the second pole is formed, for example by sputtering or plating, the material properties of the second pole in the sloped region, adjacent the second pole tip region 45, can be undesirable. Thus, this decreased reliability results in undesirable lower production yield. A device with a lower apex angle is, therefore, desirable.
Magnetic recording density is equal to track density times linear density. Increasing linear density results in high data transfer rate. One may expect 1000 megabits per second will be required in year 2000. To support higher data rate applications, the second pole can otherwise be formed by lamination, which can be more time consuming than without lamination. In order to obtain faster recording speeds, and therefore higher data transfer rates, it may be desirable to have a shorter yoke length YL because this can shorten the flux rise time. The relationship can be seen in the graph of yoke length YL versus flux rise time shown in FIG. 4B. This relationship can be more fully understood with reference to xe2x80x9cUltrafast Laser Diagnostics and Modeling for High-speed Recording Headsxe2x80x9d, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. 35 No. 2, 623 (1999) by Zhupei Shi, W. K. Hiebert and M. R. Freeman, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Another important parameter in the write element is the number of winds 49 in the coil layer 48, which determines the magnetic motive force (MMF) of a write element. With increasing number of winds 49 between the first and second poles 32, 38, the fringing field is stronger and, thus, the write performance increases. However, the number of winds is limited by the yoke length YL, shown in FIG. 2A, and the wind pitch P between adjacent winds 49.
As will be appreciated from the above, the design of a write element having the ability to provide increased data rate capabilities is limited by many factors. For example it is desirable to minimize yoke length as well as stack height. However, a write head must also provide sufficient magneto-motive force, which is limited by current flow and the number of winds in the yoke. The number of winds can not be increased without increasing yoke length or stack height and the amount of current is limited by the amount of heat generation which can be tolerated within the head, as heat generation can effect the read characteristics of the head by causing thermal stresses which will be interpreted by the read sensor as magnetic signals.
Therefore, there remains a need for a fundamentally different approach to increase data rate capability in a write element in light of the other aforementioned design parameters and manufacturing limitations. The desired head would be capable of increasing data recording rate while recording with sufficient magneto-motive force data density on a passing magnetic disk and. Preferably, such a write element would have a low stack height and short yoke length as well as a small track width. Such a write element should also lend itself to cost effective manufacturing techniques.
The present invention provides a magnetic write element providing increased data rate recording performance while maintaining sufficient magneto-motive force and data density. The write element includes a magnetic yoke having an open end and a closed end and an open interior there between. A split coil is also provided, which has a portion of its winds passing through the open interior of the yoke. The split coil is electrically insulated from the yoke. The coil is split so that it defines first and second coil layers separated by a thin dielectric coil separation layer. The first and second coil layers are joined at their inner and outer ends to define parallel electrical circuits.
More particularly, the present invention is embodied in a combination read/write head having a read element and a write element, both of which are built upon a ceramic substrate. The read element includes a first shield disposed upon the substrate and a second shield disposed above the first shield. A first layer of dielectric material, sandwiched between the first and second shields contains a read sensor for detecting a magnetic signal from a recording medium passing thereby. The first layer of dielectric material extends beyond the edges of the shields filling the space from the substrate to the upper surface of the second shield.
The write element includes a first pole and a second pole joined together to form the magnetic yoke. The second shield provides a portion of the first pole of the write element. The first pole also includes a pedestal at the write gap, the open end of the yoke. The second shield is constructed of a magnetic material such as Ni80Fe20, and the pedestals can either be constructed of the same material at the shield or can be constructed of a material having a higher saturation moment.
A layer of dielectric material covers the first shield having an upper surface which is flush with the upper surfaces of the pedestals. The split coil is formed on top of this second dielectric layer and has contact pads at its inner and outer ends. The split coil can preferably be constructed of copper and its first and second coil layers are essentially identical and located one over the other. The first and second coil layers are separated by a very thin insulating layer which is preferably constructed of Al2O3. The first and second coil layer each share in common the inner and outer contact pads, thereby forming a parallel electrical circuit to which voltage can be applied at the contact pads.
A coil insulation layer covers the coil and is formed so that it does not cover either of the pedestals or the contact pads. A thin layer of non-magnetic, electrically insulating write gap material covers the coil insulation layer and also covers the pedestal at the open end of the yoke. The write gap material does not cover the back gap area or the coil contact pads. The second pole sits atop the write gap material above the first pole and contacts the first pole in the back gap area at the closed end to complete the yoke. The second pole is constructed of a magnetic material with a high magnetization such as Ni45Fe55.
The first and second coil layers define a parallel electrical circuit which can be modeled as two electrical paths each having a resistor in series with an inductor, both parallel paths being in parallel with a capacitor. The two inductive paths have the advantageous property of an increased current rise time as compared with a single inductive path, while still maintaining the same magneto-motive force. Furthermore, a split coil can achieve this while having essentially the same height as a single coil. In this way the write element of the present invention provides greatly increased data rate while maintaining other critical design parameters.
Other embodiments are also possible. For example, the write gap material could be disposed between the coil and the first pole or between the coil and the coil insulation layer. Also, the first pole could be constructed without any pedestals. In another embodiment, the split coil could be constructed with three or more coil layers, depending upon design requirements.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following descriptions of the invention and a study of the several figures of the drawings.

Magnetic write head having a splitcoil structure


A traffic flow control system that includes a display device, an image acquisition module, an user interactive device, and a server having a processor. The processor is configured to obtain, by a data aggregation module, at least one of a first, second, third, fourth set of data, compute, by a computation module, a travel score for a travel direction of an intersection by weighing each of the first, second, third, and the fourth set of data with respect to one another, determine whether the travel score is a highest travel score of the intersection, and, if the travel score is the highest travel score of the intersection, enable traffic flow in the travel direction using the display device.

Commuters in big cities in the United States, e.g., Washington, District of Columbia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Miami, Dallas, Detroit, San Diego, Phoenix, etc., spend an average of 50 hours a year waiting in traffic. In one study, the cost of all this wasted time and fuel is estimated to be more than $100 billion a year. In other big cities around the world, e.g., Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Brussels, Antwerp, Milan, London, Paris, Rotterdam, etc., the average can be much higher. A context-based traffic flow control system and method thereof can advantageously help minimize travel time and decrease traffic congestion.

Image processing based traffic flow control system and method


A photodiode array includes a plurality of photodiodes arranged in a single semiconductor laminate including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and an absorption layer overlying the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer. The photodiode array also includes a functional portion among the photodiodes in a predetermined proportion. The functional portion acts as a monitor light receiving portion and/or a charge sweep portion. Each of the photodiodes and functional portion has a second conductivity-type region reaching the absorption layer from the surface of the semiconductor laminate and an electrode in ohmic contact with the second conductivity-type region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photodiode arrays and image pickup devices. More specifically, the invention relates to a photodiode array and an image pickup device that have a light-receiving sensitivity in a wavelength region extending to the near infrared region at the long-wavelength side.
2. Description of the Related Art
Group III-V compound semiconductors have received attention as compound semiconductors having band gap energy suitable for wavelengths in the near infrared region or in a region of still longer wavelengths, and have been being researched and developed. For example, Marshall J. Cohen and Gregory H. Olsen disclose a night-vision camera receiving natural light from space ("Near-IR imaging cameras operate at room temperature", LASER FOCUS WORLD, June 1993, pp. 109-113). The night-vision camera includes a photodiode array including photodiodes arranged on an InP substrate. The photodiode includes an InGaAs absorption layer lattice-matching with InP. The use of such a photodiode array allows images to be picked up with natural light, but not artificial lighting, even during the night or in rain.
If bright light enters the field of view of the night-vision camera when it forms an image with a relatively low-intensity incident light, however, halation occurs and images are not formed until carriers are removed from photodiode. When, for example, the brightness varies largely during image pickup of a motion picture, the night-vision camera easily comes into a state where it cannot form images. It is undesirable that a state where images cannot be formed arises in an image pickup device (sensor) for the near infrared region, from which various applications are expected. This problem should be overcome.
In addition, it is difficult that the night-vision camera forms a smooth motion picture. The silicon IC (Integrated Circuit) in which the driving circuit of the night-vision camera is to be formed limits the capacity to be provided and accordingly it takes a long time to sweep out the accumulated carriers. Hence, the frequency of the output of image forming signals is limited, and smooth motion pictures cannot be formed.

Photodiode array and image pickup device using the same


This invention relates to the use of IL-10, alone or in combination with IL-2 and/or .alpha.-IFN, to treat neoplastic disorders by stimulating cytolytic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with IL-10 alone.

Immunologic approaches to cancer therapy are based on the notion that cancer cells have somehow evaded the body's defenses against aberrant or foreign cells and molecules, and that these defenses might be therapeutically stimulated to kill or inhibit the growth of the cancer cells, e.g., as discussed by Klein (Immunology, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1982, pp. 623-648). The recent observation that immune effectors can directly or indirectly inhibit tumor growth has led to renewed interest in this approach to cancer therapy Heberman, Concepts Immunopath. 1:96 (1985) (natural killer cells resist tumor growth); Rosenberg et al., Ann. Rev. Immunol. 4:681 (1988) (use of IL-2-activated killer cells to treat cancer); Ralf et al., J. Exp. Med. 167:712 (1988) (tumoricidal activity of macrophages stimulated by lymphokines); Tepper et al., Cell 57:503 (1989) (IL-4 has tumoricidal activity); M. Cohen, "Lymphokines and Tumor Immunity", pp. 237-253, in S. Cohen, ed., Lymphokines and the Immune Response (CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1990)!.
Immune responsiveness to neoplasms is regulated by a variety of cell types and involves the actions of T-cell and monocyte-derived cytokines. One immunologic approach that has shown clinical promise has been so-called "adoptive immunotherapy" using IL-2-activated killer cells Rosenberg, supra; Rosenberg, Sci. Am., pp. 62-69 (May 1990)!. Although IL-2 alone or in combination with more traditional chemotherapeutic agents appears to be effective in treating certain malignancies (e.g., renal cell carcinoma), unfortunate toxic side effects such as vascular bed leakage and edema associated with administration of effective dosages of IL-2 have led some to suggest that the risks may outweigh the benefits Cotran et al., J. Immunol. 139:1882 (1987); Edwards et al., Cancer Res. 52:3425 (1992)!.
Human vascular endothelial cells appear to be particularly sensitive to IL-2 toxicity, as evidenced by increased vascular permeability (i.e. vascular leak syndrome) and edema. One of the factors contributing to this pathology may be augmented adhesion of IL-2-activated T cells and neutrophils to endothelial monolayers, as has previously been noted in vitro Edwards et al., supra; Damle et al., 138:1779 (1987)!.
An alternative therapeutic approach to the immunologic treatment of neoplastic disease is the adoptive transfer of immune cells. Adoptive immunotherapy is defined as the transfer to a tumor-bearing host of active immunologic reagents, such as cells with anti-tumor activity that can mediate, either directly or indirectly, anti-tumor effects. Adoptive immunotherapy represents an attractive approach to the therapy of neoplastic disease. It should be noted that because active immunologic reagents are being transferred to the host, complete host immunocompetence is not required. Thus, the immunosuppression generally associated with the tumor-bearing state does not represent a major problem to this therapeutic alternative. Since host immunocompetence is not required, and in fact may be beneficial to the effects of the adoptive transfer of immune cells, adoptive immunotherapy can easily be combined with other therapies such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Also, in contrast to other therapies, immunosuppression is unlikely to result from this treatment.
Patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy tend to be immunocompromised and will generally have a depleted supply of effector peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) available for activation. A therapy that shows efficacy at low effector cell:target cell ratios would thus be particularly advantageous for such patients.
Immune responsiveness to neoplasms is regulated by a variety of cell types and involves the actions of T-cell and monocyte-derived cytokines. Adoptive immunotherapy using recombinant human cytokines has involved administration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated extra-corporeally Phillips et al., J. Clin. Oncol. 5:1933:(1987); Perussia, Curr. Opin. Immunol. 3:49:(1991)! followed by administration of IL-2 Rosenberg et al., J. Immunol. 138:1779 (1985)!. The extra-corporeal treatment of the PBMCs produces activated lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and activated natural killer (NK) cells having cytolytic activity for various tumor cells.
Recombinant human IL-5 Nagasawa et al., Cell. Immunol. 133:317 (1991)!, IL-7 Stotter and Lotze, Arch. Surgery 126:1525 (1991)! and IL-12 Gately et al., J. Immunol. 147:874 (1991)! have been reported to stimulate cytolytic activity in human PBMCs. Interleukin-10 (IL-10), originally described in mice as a cytokine synthesis inhibitory factor secreted by specific helper T-cell subsets, appears to modulate the differentiation of murine cytotoxic T-cells Chen and Zlotnik, J. Immunol 147:528 (1991)!. It has also been found that human PBMCs incubated with supernatants recovered from COS cells transfected with the human IL-10 cDNA lysed tumor cell targets in vitro. The T cells responding to IL-10 with increased cytolytic potential were identified to be of a CD56+ phenotype, indicative of NK cells.
In some circumstances, IL-4 can adversely affect the generation of LAK activity by IL-2 Nagler et al., J. Immunol. 141:2349 (1988)!. For example, if human PBMCs are cultured in the presence of both IL-2 and IL-4, the lysis of LAK-sensitive targets is greatly reduced Spits et al., J: Immunol. 141:29 (1988)!. If the PBMCs are pre-cultured in medium supplemented with IL-2 for 3 days before adding IL-4, however, augmented cytolytic activity results Spits et al., supra!. Moreover, the blockade of IL-2-driven cytotoxicity by IL-4 can be abated when alpha-interferon (.alpha.-IFN) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-.alpha.) is included in the initial incubation mixture Swisher et al., Cell. Immunol. 128:450 (1990)!.
Kedar et al., Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 35:63 (1992)! have recently indicated that sequential administration of IL-2 and .alpha.-IFN is an effective immunotherapeutic regimen for treatment of MCA-105 sarcomas and M109 carcinomas in murine tumor models. The primary finding from this study was that sequential administration of cytokines appeared to have greater efficacy than concomitant administration of both cytokines.
The feasibility and efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy as a treatment modality for various diseases, particularly for the treatment of neoplastic disease (cancer) in humans, have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,915 to Rosenberg. As already noted above, however, there is a need for methods for carrying out such treatments that are not as toxic as those employing IL-2 alone. There is also a need for a therapy that is effective at low effector cell:target cell ratios.

Use of IL-10 to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cell cytolytic activity


A method of concentrating chemicals for semiconductor devices, which includes the steps of heating a sample container by using a high-energy light source, vaporizing the chemicals by injecting a high-temperature gas into the sample container through an injection opening in the sample container and discharging the vaporized chemicals by the pressure of the gas through a gas outlet formed on the sample container. An apparatus of concentrating chemicals for semiconductor devices includes a sample container having a sample-supply window, a gas-injection opening and a gas outlet. A high-energy light source heats the sample container and a gas-supply source supplies the gas through a gas-injection opening in the sample container. A gas-heating device located between the sample container and the gas-supply source heats the gas provided by the gas-supply source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of concentrating chemicals during semiconductor device manufacturing processes and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus of concentrating chemicals which are used during a pretreatment of a sample prior to analyzing the chemicals for a semiconductor device in a chemical analytical instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
A micro contaminant existing in constituent layers of a semiconductor device has a greater effect on the device characteristics as the size of the device is reduced due to the higher integration of a semiconductor device. Accordingly, the goal is to remove as many of the micro contaminants as possible throughout the fabrication process of a semiconductor device. A wet cleaning process is the most typical measure taken to reduce or eliminate contamination of a wafer.
Chemicals such as fluoric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide solution, etc. are chiefly used in a wet cleaning process, and those chemicals are required to have a high degree of purity so as to prevent a wafer from being recontaminated. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the micro contaminants in the chemicals. Contaminants may include such heavy metals as iron(Fe), aluminum(Al) and copper(Cu), etc. and ions of sodium(Na+), ammonium(NH.sub.4.sup.+), nitrate(NO.sub.3.sup.-) and chloride(Cl.sup.-), etc. To analyze these contaminants, analytical instruments such as a graphite reactor atomic absorption spectrometer (GFAAS), an induced coupled plasma mass spectroscope (ICP-MS) and ion chromatography (IC) are mainly used.
However, since the chemicals used in a wet cleaning process are highly pure, it is difficult to make a quantitative analysis with the usual analytical instruments due to the minimum limitations of detection.
Accordingly, to ensure an effective quantitative analysis of chemicals used for semiconductor device manufacturing, a chemical concentration method is applied to increase the relative concentrations of the micro contaminants in a matrix by vaporizing the chemicals with the contaminants and reducing the amounts of the matrix.
Well-known chemical concentration methods include isopiestic distillation, below-boiling-point distillation and vacuum distillation for attaining a highly pure acid.
Isopiestic distillation is a method of concentrating the chemicals of a sample on the basis of the difference in vapor pressures. Isopiestic distillation is applicable to the concentration of acids having a high vapor pressure, for example, hydrochloric acid, rather than acids having a low vapor pressure, for example, nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Accordingly, it is not suitable for the pretreatment of samples.
Below-boiling-point distillation is performed by a closed system comprising two heated and cooled bottles perpendicularly installed for sample-concentration. This distillation method is applicable to the concentration of fluoric acid having a low boiling point, but it is not suitable for sulfuric acid having a high boiling point.
Another below-boiling-point distillation method is disclosed in Edwin C. Kuehner et al., "Production and Analysis of Special High-Purity Acids Purified by Sub-Boiling Distillation", Journal of Analytical Chemistry, vol. 44, No. 12, p. 2050 (1972). While the method disclosed by Kuehner is suitable for a concentration of acids having a high boiling point such as sulfuric acid, it is not suitable for micro analysis because of the constructive problems of the instrument. In particular, it takes a long time to concentrate a sample and it is easy to contaminate a sample when provided to the analytical instrument.
Vacuum distillation can be used for acids having a high vapor pressure but is not applicable to micro analysis because the sample can be contaminated through the wall of a container when the container is heated.
In another method of concentrating chemicals, a quartz beaker containing a sample is placed in a Pyrex box through which nitrogen gas filtered by a HEPA filter flows. The box is heated by radiating infrared rays from above the box and setting a high-temperature plate below the box so as to concentrate the sample.
The above-described method reduces the contamination of a sample from the surrounding environment and it also reduces the danger of damaging an air cleaner by catching chemicals in a workroom. However, the method is problematic in that the sample may be lost through the wall of the beaker and the sample may be contaminated because the Pyrex or quartz beaker is directly heated.

Method and apparatus of concentrating chemicals for semiconductor device manufacturing


An integrated process separates salts from salty waters and electrolyzes the salts to produce chlorine products such as chlorine, hypochlorites, chlorates and/or caustic soda.

Water purification typically produces a first effluent of relatively "clean water" and a second effluent of "waste water" which includes unwanted contaminants.
For example, the softening of hard water by the removal of calcium and magnesium is required for both industrial and household use. Known water softening processes proceed either by way of ion-exchange, membrane softening or precipitation. In the ion-exchange processes, the calcium and magnesium ions are exchanged for sodium ions. Regeneration of the ion-exchange resin is achieved with a large excess of sodium chloride. This process creates a regeneration effluent being a relatively concentrated aqueous solution of sodium, calcium and magnesium chlorides. Consequently, by this method, considerable amounts of sodium, calcium and magnesium salts in solution must be disposed of.
Alternatively, it is possible to use weak acid resins which exchange hydrogen for calcium and magnesium ions, and to regenerate the spent resins with a mineral acid. While this method creates less waste water, it is more expensive and yields relatively acidic soft water which is corrosive.
Membrane softening concentrates the calcium, magnesium salts and salts of other divalent ions to produce waste waters which require costly disposal.
The precipitation process has traditionally been carried out by the "lime soda" process in which lime is added to hard water to convert water soluble calcium bicarbonate into water insoluble calcium carbonate. This results in waste water which is difficult to filter and requires use of cumbersome equipment.
It would be desirable if salty waters, e.g., salty irrigation drainage, could be processed to provide a recycle stream of clean water and a waste stream containing salts that can be processed by electrolysis for producing chlorine products and byproducts.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for electrolytic production of chlorine products and byproducts


A method of manufacturing the semiconductor device comprises elements described below;. (a) forming a wiring pattern on an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, PA1 (b) forming a reflow SiO.sub.2 film having a reflow shape by introducing SiH.sub.4 gas and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 gas into a reaction chamber which accommodates said semiconductor substrate and mutually reacting the SiH.sub.4 and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 gases in a temperature range of about -10.degree. C. to about +10.degree. C. in a vacuum of about 665 Pa or below, PA1 (c) plasma treating a surface of said reflow SiO.sub.2 film by introducing a gas including fluorine into said reaction chamber and discharging plasma in said reaction chamber, and PA1 (d) heat treating said semiconductor substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and its manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to a method for forming an interlayer insulating layer for a semiconductor device having a multiple wiring layer structure and its forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increase of the integrality of the semiconductor device, so-called multiple wiring layer structuring which forms wiring materials in the multiple layer form on a substrate is advancing, and a manufacturing process for such semiconductor devices having the above multiple wiring layer structure is becoming complicated and extended. In particular, the process for forming the multiple wiring layer occupies a large ratio in the production cost of the semiconductor device. To lower the cost of the semiconductor device, demands for reducing the multiple wiring layer process are increasing. And, to decrease the steps in the multiple wiring layer process, an insulating layer planarization technology is significant.
As one of the technologies for planarization of the surface of an interlayer insulating layer, an APL (Advanced Planarization Layer) process has been reported (Literature: Matsuura et al., IEEE Tech. Dig., pp 117, 1994).
In the APL process, to produce the interlayer insulating layer, SiH.sub.4 gas and an oxidizing agent H.sub.2 O.sub.2 (hydrogen peroxide solution) are reacted in a vacuum at a low temperature (e.g., approx. 0.degree. C.). And, as an intermediate product, Si(OH).sub.4 with a high flowing property is related to the reaction. As a result, a self-flowing (reflow) SiO.sub.2 film (hereinafter referred to as the reflow SiO.sub.2 film) which can be planarized on the lower wiring layer is formed.
This method can simultaneously achieve the embedding of the insulating film among wirings on the lower wiring layer and the planarization of the insulating film surface, and can complete the process up to the planarization by a single film forming, so that it can meet the demand for reducing the multiple wiring layer process.
Here, a conventional multiple wiring layer forming process will be described with reference to FIG. 1 (a) to FIG. 1 (c)
As shown in FIG. 1 (a), an element area (not shown) and others are formed on a semiconductor substrate 30, a lower insulation layer 31 is formed by an atmospheric pressure CVD method, and contact holes (not shown) are formed.
Then, a first wiring material (e.g., aluminum containing 1% of Si and 0.5% of Cu) for the lower wiring layer is deposited, and the wiring material is patterned by the photolithography method or the RIE (reactive ion etching) method to form a lower wiring layer 32.
And, a plasma CVD insulating film 33 is formed as a first interlayer insulating layer (base insulating film) on the lower wiring layer 32 by the ordinary plasma CVD method.
As shown in FIG. 1 (b), a reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 is formed by the above-described method to embed the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 among the mutual wirings of the lower wiring layer 32 and to planarize the surface. The reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 absorbs water in the process of forming the film because of its forming process and has water in it (water which was absorbed at the time of forming the film).
And, as shown in FIG. 1 (c), a second plasma CVD insulating film 35 is formed as a second interlayer insulating layer (passivating layer) on the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 by the ordinary plasma CVD method.
Then, the semiconductor substrate 30 is accommodated into a furnace anneal chamber and thermally treated (furnace anneal) at a high temperature of, e.g., 450.degree. C. in the atmosphere for approx. 30 minutes to discharge a water content from the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34.
Next, etching is performed to make contact holes or via holes in the interlayer insulating layer, a second wiring material (e.g., aluminum containing 1% of Si and 0.5% of Cu) for an upper wiring layer is deposited, and the upper wiring layer (not shown) is formed by patterning.
But, the above-described conventional reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 forming method continuously supplies SiH.sub.4 gas and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 during the deposition of the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34, and the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 formed by the above method has a high dielectric constant of approx. 4.5 to 4.7 (ordinary SiO.sub.2 film by thermal oxidation has a dielectric constant of approx. 3.9).
Thus, the interlayer insulating layer containing the above reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 has a large capacity (or, wiring capacity), and the following to the insulating film having a low dielectric constant required for high-speed MOS devices and high-speed logic circuits becomes difficult. Thus, there is a disadvantage that the application to a high-speed device becomes difficult.
When the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 is formed thick in order to decrease the capacity of the interlayer insulating layer containing the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34, the discharged amount of water from the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 increases by the thermal treatment such as furnace anneal. And, since the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 is suddenly shrunk, the reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 is cracked.
As a method to lower the above dielectric constant, it is effective to contain fluorine (F) into the reflow SiO.sub.2 film, but by the above-described conventional reflow SiO.sub.2 film 34 forming method using a low-temperature & low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, fluorine gas is hardly decomposed in the process of forming the reflow insulating film, so that it is difficult to include fluorine into the reflow insulating film.
Accordingly, it is necessary to devise a step of containing fluorine into the reflow insulating film. As an example, the applicant of this invention has proposed in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 7-12410 a manufacturing method that at the time of forming the reflow SiO.sub.2 film by the low-temperature & low-pressure CVD method, a fluorine-based gas in a radical state passed through a microwave waveguide is introduced into a reaction chamber to mutually react SiH.sub.4 gas, H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and fluorine-based gas. According to this manufacturing method, when the reflow SiO.sub.2 film is formed by the low-temperature & low-pressure CVD method, fluorine can be contained into the reflow SiO.sub.2 film in the process of forming the film, and it was confirmed that the dielectric constant of the reflow SiO.sub.2 film is lowered to 3.6 or below.
As described above, the reflow SiO.sub.2 film, which is obtained when the reflow insulating film forming technology is adopted for the interlayer insulating layer forming process in the conventional multiple wiring layer process, has a disadvantage that its dielectric constant is high.

Semiconductor device, method for manufacturing the same, apparatus for manufacturing the same


Reduced fat and calorie plastic shortenings are disclosed. The nondigestible portion of these compositions contain low levels of solids, yet still exhibit good passive oil loss control. These compositions also impart good organoleptic properties to foods prepared with them. These shortenings comprise specific solid polyol fatty acid polyesters, a liquid nondigestible oil, and, optionally, a hardstock, a digestible oil, an intermediate melting triglyceride, or other shortening ingredients.

In recent years considerable attention has been focused on the amount of triglyceride fat in the diet from the standpoint of health concerns about obesity and hypercholesterolemia. Numerous patents have been directed to providing materials which have the physical and gustatory characteristics of triglyceride fats, but which are absorbed to a low extent or not at all by the body. These materials are referred to variously as noncaloric fats, pseudofats, nondigestible fats and fat substitutes. Patents pertaining to such materials include U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,927, Fulcher, issued Apr. 15, 1986, (fatty esters of malonic acid); U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,715, Volpenhein, issued Apr. 15, 1986, (alpha acetylated triglycerides); and U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,548, Whyte, issued May 18, 1971, (triglycerides of alpha-branched chain carboxylic acids)
One particular type of compound which has achieved considerable attention as a nondigestible fat is sucrose polyester (i.e., sucrose in which at least four of the eight hydroxyl groups are esterified with a fatty acid). U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,186, Mattson, issued Aug. 17, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,213, Hollenbach et al. issued Jan. 11, 1983; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,782, Robbins et al. issued Jul. 24, 1984 describe the use of this material as a nondigestible fat in a variety of food compositions.
A problem associated with use of liquid nondigestible oils, i.e., those having a melting point below body temperature (about 37.degree. C.), is an undesired passive oil loss effect, (hereinafter "oil loss") which is manifested in leakage of the liquid nondigested fat through the gastrointestinal tract's anal sphincter. Regular ingestion of moderate to high levels of completely liquid forms of these polyol polyesters can produce this passive oil loss. U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,195, Jandacek, issued Jan. 25, 1977, discloses the combining of higher melting fatty materials such as solid triglycerides and solid sucrose polyesters with the liquid sucrose polyesters in order to control oil loss.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,300 (Jandacek et al.), issued Jan. 10, 1989 discloses the use of certain solid sucrose polyesters which have high oil binding capacity for liquid sucrose polyesters (SPE) and liquid triglycerides, when used at levels of about 10% to 25% in said oils. It is disclosed that because of their high oil binding capacity, these solid sucrose polyesters have outstanding utility as agents to control passive oil loss of liquid nondigestible sucrose polyesters, and they are also useful as non-caloric hardstocks to use with liquid digestible or nondigestible oils in the preparation of semi-solid fat products such as shortenings and margarines. The oil binding agents of the Jandacek et al. '300 patent are solid sucrose polyesters wherein the ester groups consist essentially of a mixture of short chain saturated fatty acid ester radicals (C.sub.2 -C.sub.10) and long chain saturated fatty acid radicals (C.sub.20 -C.sub.24) in a molar ratio of short chain to long chain of from about 3:5 to about 5:3, and wherein the degree of esterification is from about 7 to about 8. Jandacek et al. also disclose plastic shortening and other food compositions containing 10-25% of the solid SPE.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,195 (Jandacek), issued Jan. 25, 1977 describes a means of preventing the undesirable oil loss effect through the addition of oil-loss control agents. The oil-loss control agents include solid fatty acids (melting point 37.degree. C. or higher) and their triglyceride sources, and solid polyol fatty acid polyesters. Specifically C.sub.10 -C.sub.22 saturated fatty acid polyesters are said to be useful at levels of at least 10%, preferably at least 20%.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,490 (Baur et al.), issued Nov. 24, 1964 discloses sucrose (and other disaccharide) polyesters which are useful as additives at 0.001% to 0.5% level in triglyceride salad oils to prevent clouding in low-temperature storage of the oils. The degree of esterification is at least 3, i.e., no more than 5 of the 8 hydroxyl groups are unesterified. The ester groups are a combination of: (1) from 15-85% saturated C.sub.14-C.sub.22 fatty acids, and (2) the balance selected from saturated C.sub.2 -C.sub.12 or unsaturated C.sub.14 -C.sub.22 fatty acids. Arachidic (C.sub.20) and behenic (C.sub.22) acids are recited as specific examples of (1) and acetic (C.sub.2), caprylic (C.sub.8), and oleic (C.sub.18-1) acids are recited as specific examples of (2). At col. 2, lines 5-10, a sucrose ester having 2 oleic and 6 palmitic groups is disclosed, and it is stated that long chain saturated acids such as myristic, stearic, arachidic or behenic can be used in place of all or part of the palmitic.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,481 (Eckey et al.) issued Jun. 11, 1963 describes sucrose polyesters which are used at up to about 0.5% in shortenings to improve the physical aging characteristics of the shortening. The saccharides can be sucrose, lactose, maltose, etc. At least half of the hydroxyl groups are esterified with saturated C.sub.14-C.sub.22 acids. The remaining hydroxyl groups can be esterified with C.sub.2-C.sub.12 saturated acids and/or C.sub.14 -C.sub.22 unsaturated acids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,657 (Guffey et al.), issued Nov. 14, 1989 discloses plastic shortening made with Intermediate Melting Fraction (IMF) polyol polyesters in combination with triglyceride hardstock and triglyceride oils. The solid fat content profile and penetration of the disclosed shortenings are adjusted to provide improved textural qualities to the shortening. Examples of IMF materials with the following fatty acid contents are disclosed: (1) 11.5% C.sub.16, 54.2% C.sub.18, 17.9% C.sub.18:1, 14.2% C.sub.18:2, 1% C.sub.18:3, 0.5% C.sub.20, and 0.3% C.sub.22 ; and (2) 9.6% C.sub.16, 50.6% C.sub.18, 21.6% C.sub.18:1, 15.7% C.sub.18:2, 1% C.sub.18:3, 0.5% C.sub.20 and 0.3% C.sub.22.
While these references disclose shortenings and oil which provide oil loss control, none of the references recognizes that oil loss control and good organoleptic properties can be achieved when the nondigestible portion of a reduced calorie shortening/oil has low solids levels (i.e. less than 10%).
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide reduced calorie plastic shortenings which impart oil-loss leakage control, good textural properties, and also provide good organoleptic properties to foods prepared with them.
These and other objects of the invention will become evident from the disclosure herein.

Shortening compositions containing polyol fatty acid polyesters


Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, apparatus and computer program product for scheduling dedicated processing resources. The method comprises: in response to receiving a scheduling request for a plurality of dedicated processing resources, obtaining a topology of the plurality of dedicated processing resources, the topology being determined based on connection attributes related to connections among the plurality of dedicated processing resources; and determining, based on the topology, a target dedicated processing resource satisfying the scheduling request from the plurality of dedicated processing resources. In this manner, the performance and the resource utilization rate of scheduling the dedicated processing resources are improved.

In recent years, new technologies such as high-performance calculation, machine learning, deep learning and artificial intelligence have developed rapidly. In the current data center or cloud, in addition to resources such as central processing units (CPUs) and storage apparatuses that are provided for the workloads of these new technologies, dedicated processing resources, for instance, graphic processing units (GPUs) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), are also provided to meet the needs of these new technologies for dedicated processing. However, to better serve these new technologies, it is necessary to improve a technology for scheduling dedicated processing resources.

Method, apparatus and computer program product for scheduling dedicated processing resources


A handoff trial method by a mobile station that compares a pilot power strength of a base station providing communication service to the mobile station with a pilot power strength of a neighboring base station and attempts to handoff based on the comparing results. As a result of comparing, if the difference is larger than a pilot threshold to try handoff, the mobile station transmits a signal measurement message to the service base station for handoff to the neighboring base station. Also, if the mobile station communicated with a plurality of base stations tries to cut calls with the base stations, the mobile station measures pilot power strengths of the service base stations compares therebetween. As a result of the comparing, if the difference is smaller than a pilot threshold to cut call, the mobile station tries to cut call with the associated base station. The method has the effects that can reduce occurrence frequency of handoff, power consumption of the mobile station and signal processing loads of the service base station.

This invention relates to a handoff method of a cellular communication system, a personal communication system and a satellite communication system using a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, more particularly to a handoff trial method by a mobile station that compares a pilot power strength of a base station providing communication service to the mobile station with a pilot power strength of a neighboring base station and tries handoff based on the comparing results.
In a mobile communication system, service area of a mobile station may be changed according to moving of the mobile station. The service area, a cell may be classified according to a pilot offset and a pilot power strength to be outputted through a pilot channel, in which the pilot offset and the pilot power strength differentiate the pilot channel. Therefore whether a mobile station situated at a cell border region crossing two cell belongs to any one out of the two base station service area may be recognized by detecting a received pilot power strength having a pilot offset of the mobile station transmitted to associated base station. Also, even if the mobile station moves in inter-cell, as it is necessary to provide communication service to the mobile station without corruption, handoff that automatically changes over communication line in inter-cell moving of the mobile station to sequentially provide communication service must be performed.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a border diagram of handoff between two base stations in a general mobile communication system.
In the drawing, the reference number 10 designates a mobile station for receiving communication service while moving, the reference number 20 designates a base station for providing communication service to the mobile station 20, reference number 25 designates other base station neighboring the base station 20 and reference number 30 designates a border that is in the cell (right oval) of the base station 20 while the cell (left oval) of the base station 25 originates. In addition, the reference number 35 designates border that is in the cell (left oval) of the base station 25 while the cell (right oval) of the base station 20 originates and the reference number 40 designates border that the base station 20 has the same pilot power strength as the base station 25.
In FIG. 2 there is illustrated a flowchart for general method that the mobile station 10 tries handoff in situation of FIG. 1. Handoff procedure of the prior art of FIG. 2 will be explained in conjugation with the FIG. 1
First of all, when the mobile station 10 has been in the cell of the base station 20 that provides communication service to the mobile station 10 and is gradually moving to the border 30, the mobile station 10 measures and stores a pilot power strength (pilot_A) of the base station 20 and a pilot power strength (pilot_B) of the base station 25(ST1-ST2). Then the mobile station 10 compares the pilot_B with pilot threshold_0 that is an absolute value set itself to try handoff (ST3). With the result that, if the pilot_B is larger than the pilot threshold_0, the mobile station 10 transmits a signal measurement message having the pilot offset and power strength of the pilot_B to the service base station 20 to try handoff to the base station 25(ST4). The signal measurement message is transmitted in sequence to the base station 20 until the mobile station 10 moves in sequence to the cell region of the base station 25 and the handoff will have completed. Otherwise, if the pilot_B is smaller than the pilot threshold_0, flow returns to the ST1 in FIG. 2.
Meanwhile, when the mobile station 10 has been in the cell of the base station 25, which provides communication service to the mobile station 10, and is gradually moving to the border 35, the mobile station 10 measures and stores the pilot power strength of the base station 20. If the measured pilot power strength of the base station 20 is larger than a pilot threshold set to the mobile station 10 to try handoff, the mobile station 10 transmits a signal measurement message having the pilot power strength of the service base station 25 to try handoff to the base station 20. As described in the above, each handoff region of the base stations 20 and 25 is between the border 30 and border 35.
Accordingly, it is noted in the handoff method of the prior art that the pilot power strength of neighboring base station is only inspected without inspecting the pilot power strength of service base station. If the pilot power strength of neighboring base station is larger than the pilot threshold set to the mobile station to try handoff, the mobile station unconditionally sends the signal measurement message for handoff to the base station. Although handoff isn""t needed as the pilot power strength of the service base station is enough to provide communication service, handoff will be tried if the above condition is satisfied.
Therefore, the handoff trial method of the mobile station in the prior art have to send the signal measurement message to the service base station at broad inter-cell region such as region between the border 30 and border 35 in FIG. 1, which causing to increase power consumption to handoff. Further, as handoff region is broad, the prior art has the problem in that the base station has much loads to process the signal measurement message received from the mobile station and use many channels due to frequent handoff.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,704 discloses channel allocation method for reducing inter-cell hard handoffs in a CDMA system which divides a service area into a plurality of cells and allocates a channel to each cell. The ""704 patent comprises a first step of dividing a cell into a plurality of concentric circle regions, a second step for allocating a first channel not allocated to a neighboring cell, a third step of allocating a second channel allocated to the neighboring cell to the outermost concentric circle region of the cell and a forth step of allocating the first and second channels allocated by the second step and third step to a middle concentric circle region of the cell region. Also, the first and second region is selectively varied in order to reduce handoff.
The U.S. Patent shows a method that divides a service area into several cells by Round Trip Delay and allocates one channel to each cell, in which a cell is divided into 3 parts of an innermost concentric circle region, a middle concentric circle region and an outermost concentric circle region, channels of innermost and outermost regions being allocated to the middle concentric circle region, so as to reduce handoff by means of cell dividing method. The method, however, disadvantages in that has complex procedures such as dividing one cell into several regions and measuring RTD several times.
Again referring to FIG. 1, standing at the border 40 of forward handoff, the mobile station 10 receives same pilot power strengths from the base stations 20 and 25, but receives pilot power strength larger by a predetermined value from the base station 20 at the cell border 30. Thus, comparing the pilot power strength of service base station 20 with that of the neighboring base station 25, we could find where the mobile station 10 stands. This inventor pays attention to the above point to solve the prior art problem.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a handoff trial method by a mobile station which measures and stores a pilot power strength of a base station providing communication service to the mobile station, measures a pilot power strength of a neighboring base station and compares the stored pilot power strength of the service base station with the measured pilot power strength of the neighboring base station to try handoff according to the comparing result and to reduce occurrence frequency of handoff, and thereby to reduce power consumption of the mobile station and signal processing loads of the service base station.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the above object is achieved by a handoff trial method by a mobile station comprising the steps of: a first step of measuring and storing a pilot power strength (pilot_A) of a base station on service; a second step of measuring and storing a pilot power strength (pilot_B) of a neighboring base station; a third step of comparing the sum of the pilot_A and pilot threshold_1 set to the mobile station to try handoff with the pilot_B; a forth step of, if the pilot_B is larger than the sum of the pilot_A and pilot threshold_1 as a result of the comparing, storing associated pilot offsets out of the pilot_B at predetermined times and counting the stored times; a fifth step of identifying whether the counting times reaches at a predetermined times to detect a pilot signal suited for handoff condition; a sixth step of, if the counting times reaches at the predetermined times as a result of the identifying, identifying whether the stored pilot offsets are all the same; and a seventh step of, if the pilot offsets are all the same as a result of the identifying, sending a signal measurement message having the stored pilot offsets and associated pilot power strengths to the service base station and requesting handoff therefrom.
Other object of the present invention is to provide a handoff trial method by a mobile station which measures and stores pilot power strengths of more than two base stations providing communication service to the mobile station, measures pilot power strengths of neighboring base stations and compares the least pilot power strength out of the stored pilot power strengths with the measured pilot power strengths of the neighboring base stations to try handoff according to the comparing result and to reduce occurrence frequency of handoff, and thereby to reduce power consumption of the mobile station and signal processing loads of the service base stations
According to a second aspect of the invention, the above object is achieved by a handoff trial method by a mobile station comprising the steps of: a first step of measuring and storing pilot power strengths of a plurality of base stations on service; a second step of measuring and storing pilot power strengths (pilot_Bxe2x80x2) of neighboring base stations; a third step of selecting the least pilot power strength (pilot_C) out of the stored pilot power strengths and comparing the sum of the pilot_C and pilot threshold_2 set to the mobile station to try handoff with the pilot_Bxe2x80x2; a forth step of, if the pilot_Bxe2x80x2 is larger than the sum of the pilot_C and pilot threshold_2 as a result of the comparing, storing associated pilot offsets out of the pilot_Bxe2x80x2 at predetermined times and counting the stored times; a fifth step of identifying whether the counting times reaches at a predetermined times to detect a pilot signal suited for handoff condition; a sixth step of, if the counting times reaches at the predetermined times as a result of the identifying, identifying whether the stored pilot offsets are all the same; and a seventh step of, if the pilot offsets are all the same as a result of the identifying, sending a signal measurement message having the stored pilot offsets and associated pilot power strengths to the service base stations and requesting handoff therefrom.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a handoff trial method by a mobile station which measures and stores pilot power strengths of more than two base stations providing communication service to the mobile station and compares the stored pilot power strengths each other to try call-cut according to the comparing result and to reduce occurrence frequency of handoff, and thereby to reduce power consumption of the mobile station and signal processing loads of the service base stations
According to a third aspect of the invention, the above object is achieved by a handoff trial method by a mobile station comprising the steps of: a first step of measuring and storing pilot power strengths of a plurality of base stations on service; a second step of selecting the largest pilot power strength (pilot_D ) out of the stored pilot power strengths and comparing a value that subtracts pilot threshold_3 set to the mobile station to try handoff from the pilot_D with each remaining pilot power strength (pilot_E), except for the biggest pilot power strength; a third step of, if there is a pilot power strength smaller than the subtracted value as a result of the comparing, storing associated pilot offsets of the pilot power strength at predetermined times and counting the stored times; a forth step of identifying whether the counting times reaches at a predetermined times to detect a pilot signal suited for handoff condition; a fifth step of, if the counting times reaches at the predetermined times as a result of the identifying, identifying whether the stored pilot offsets are all the same; and a sixth step of, if the pilot offsets are all the same as a result of the identifying, sending a signal measurement message having the stored pilot offsets and associated pilot power strengths to the service base stations and requesting handoff for call-cut therefrom.

Handoff trial method by a mobile station


An n-channel open drain or a p-channel open drain buffer circuit is disclosed. When the input to the buffer circuit changes to a disable state, the circuit once drives the output to the other potential level and then switches the output to a high impedance state. The buffer circuit reduces the period of time necessary for the output thereof to rise (in the case of an n-channel open drain scheme) or to fall (in the case of a p-channel open drain scheme) while making most of the advantages of an open drain configuration.

The present invention relates to a buffer circuit and, more particularly, to an n-channel open drain or a p-channel open drain buffer circuit.
An open drain buffer circuit of the type described is extensively used today. A conventional n-channel open drain buffer circuit is implemented as an n-channel MOS transistor having a gate electrode connected to an input terminal, a drain electrode connected to an output terminal, and a source electrode connected to ground. On the other hand, a conventional p-channel open drain buffer circuit is constituted by a p-channel MOS transistor having a gate electrode connected to an input terminal, a drain electrode connected to an output terminal, and a source electrode connected to a power source. Such conventional open drain buffer circuits have problems left unsolved, as follows. Assume that a single signal line is shared by a plurality of devices on a time division basis, and that the devices are implemented by the conventional open drain buffer circuits. Then, the n-channel open drain buffer circuit would slow down the rise of the signal while the p-channel drain buffer circuit would slow down the fall of the signal.


A latching mechanism for an expandable CD book which expands with the insertion of CD disks includes a spring-loaded strap which is anchored at one end through a stretchable elastic web to one cover of the CD book and which is anchored to the other cover of the CD book through a snap arrangement. When the CD book is filled, the top and bottom covers of the CD book are more separated, which increased distance is accommodated through the extension of one end of the strap made possible by stretchable elastic webbing. When the strap is looped around the expanded book and is attached by the snap, the increased thickness of the book is taken into account by the extension of the strap, with the strap being secured tightly in place around the expanded book by virtue of the stretchable webbing which is anchored at one end to one cover of the book.

With the growth of the CD market, there exists a need for CD holders to accommodate numbers of CDs. CDs have been held in CD holders which exist in book form such that when the book is opened a number of envelopes are provided into which CDs may be inserted.
As the number of CDs increases in the book, the book expands such that the thickness of the book increases. It is desirable to have a locking mechanism which will hold the covers of the book together in a closed position for transport, whereas for use, the latching mechanism is to be released to allow the book to open up and lie flat, thus exposing the CDs carried in the envelopes within the book.

Latching mechanism for expandable CD carrying case