Provided is a light emitting module that capable of adjusting the wavelength of light generated under operating conditions. The light emitting module is provided with a semiconductor light emitting device 16, first and second photodetectors 20, and an etalon 18. The semiconductor light emitting device 16 has a first end face 16b and a second end face 16a, and an active layer between the first end face 16b and the second end face 16a. Each of the photodetectors 20a, 20b is located so as to receive transmitted light from the first end face 16b of the semiconductor light emitting device. The etalon 18 has a portion of a first thickness d1 located between the first end face 16b and the photodetector 20a, and a portion of a second thickness d2 located between the first end face 16b and the photodetector 20b. The first thickness d1 of the etalon 18 is different from the second thickness d2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting module.
2. Related Background Art
In 1.55 xcexcm-band WDM systems, the wavelength spacing between adjacent channels is stipulated as 0.8 nm. This requires that the absolute accuracy of each channel wavelength should be controlled within the precision of xc2x10.1 nm or higher. DFB semiconductor lasers and DBR semiconductor lasers may be utilized for 1.55 xcexcm-band WDM systems.
These semiconductor lasers provide a sharp oscillation spectrum, but their oscillation wavelength is determined by a diffraction grating fabricated in a laser chip at the manufacturing stage of semiconductor laser. It was not easy to yield a desired oscillation wavelength stably and accurately, because characteristics of the diffraction grating were affected by manufacturing process factors.
For implementation of it, there is the following attempt. A semiconductor laser chip is assembled to obtain a light emitting module. During operation of the module, output light from the light module is branched and this branch light is monitored by a large-scale apparatus like an optical spectrum analyzer. According to the monitor information, temperature or injection current of the semiconductor laser chip is adjusted.
However, in the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems, it is not easy to realize a light emitting module applicable to the WDM systems because a plurality of wavelengths are used to transmit data in 16 channels or 32 channels.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a light emitting module that permits easy adjustment of the wavelength of light generated in the light emitting module, without using any large-scale system like the optical spectrum analyzer.
In order to realize the light emitting module capable of attaining this object, the inventors conducted a variety of studies, e.g., on the light emitting modules incorporating the semiconductor laser. In order to adjust the oscillation wavelength of the light emitting module while operating the light emitting module, it is necessary to monitor the wavelength. For extracting oscillating light, an optical branching device, such as an optical coupler, needs to be coupled to output of the light emitting module. However, if the device having this function is used, the scale of the WDM systems will be large.
According to these studies, it became apparent that there were technical problems as follows. (1) There is a need for use of optical coupling means for obtaining monitor light to monitor light from the semiconductor light emitting element such as the semiconductor laser. (2) There is a need for use of separating means for separating the light from the coupling means into wavelength components. (3) There is a need for use of converting means for converting the light components from the separating means into electric signals.
In view of these problems, the inventors accomplished the present invention in structure as follows.
A light emitting module of the present invention comprises a semiconductor light emitting device, a photodetection device, an etalon device, and collimating means. The semiconductor light emitting device has first and second end faces. The photodetection device has first and second photodetectors optically coupled to the first end face of the semiconductor light emitting device. The etalon device has a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness. The first portion of the first thickness is provided so as to be located between the first end face of the semiconductor light emitting device and the first photodetector. The second portion of the second thickness is provided so as to be located between the first end face of the semiconductor light emitting device and the second photodetector. The first thickness of the etalon device is different from the second thickness of the etalon device. The collimating means functions to provide substantially collimated light for the etalon device that receives the light from the semiconductor light emitting device.
In the etalon device, the thickness of the portion located between the first end face of the semiconductor light emitting device and the first photodetector is different from that of the portion located between the first end face of the semiconductor light emitting device and the second photodetector. Light of different wavelength components passes through portions of the different thicknesses corresponding to the wavelength components in the etalon device. Therefore, if the wavelength components of light from the semiconductor light emitting device is changed, intensities of light passing through the particular portions of the etalon device varies in response to the change. This variation is converted into electric signals by the first photodetector and the second photodetector. Changes of these electric signals indicate the change of wavelengths in the light generated in the semiconductor light emitting device.
A difference signal between these electric signals represents a direction of the change of wavelengths in the light. By controlling the semiconductor light emitting device portion so as to keep this difference signal constant, it becomes feasible to keep the wavelength constant in the light generated in the semiconductor light emitting device.
The features according to the present invention as described below can be combined with the above-stated invention. The features according to the present invention as described below can be also combined with each other to enables the module to obtain actions and effects of the respective features and also obtain actions and effects achieved by the combination.
In the light emitting module, the etalon device has first and second surfaces. The first surface is arranged so as to be opposed to the second surface. The first and second surfaces are positioned so that an interval between them in the first portion is the first thickness. The etalon device has third and fourth surfaces. The third surface is provided so as to be opposed to the fourth surface. The third and fourth surfaces are located so that an interval between them in the second portion is the aforementioned second thickness. This configuration can provided the etalon device having the first and second thicknesses.
In the light emitting module of the present invention, the etalon device has a light receiving surface and a light outgoing surface. The light receiving surface is arranged so as to receive the light from the first end face of the semiconductor light emitting device, and the light outgoing surface is arranged so as to face the light receiving surface. The light receiving surface includes first and third faces. The light outgoing surface includes second and fourth faces. In the light emitting module of the present invention, the light receiving surface is inclined to the light outgoing surface. Because of this inclination, the distance between the light receiving surface and the light outgoing surface increases in a direction directed from the first portion to the second portion of the etalon device.
The etalon device has the light receiving surface and the light outgoing surface, the distance of which is changed in the first direction. When the etalon device is moved relative to the first and second photodetectors in the first direction, the transmission spectra achieved by the first and second portions of the etalon device is changed. This change results in changing the wavelength components of light received through the etalon device by the first and second photodetectors. The center wavelength of light generated in the semiconductor light emitting device can be adjusted by making use of this change. The transmitting peak wavelengths of the etalon device, which is utilized for adjusting the center wavelength of the light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device, can also be adjusted by rotating the etalon device. In the light emitting module, the etalon device is arranged as inclined relative to the semiconductor light emitting device in a direction perpendicular to a second direction, which is defined as a direction directed from the first portion to the second portion of the etalon device. This can reduce the amount of light reflected by the etalon device back to the semiconductor light emitting device.
In the light emitting module, each of the first and second photodetectors can be a photodiode element. In the light emitting module of the present invention, the first and second photodetectors can be attached to the etalon device. The light-emitting module of the present invention can further comprise an aperture device. The aperture device has one or more apertures located between each of the first and second photodetectors and the semiconductor light emitting device. The aperture device defines a position(s) on the etalon device at which the light should be transmitted. This determines wavelength regions of light received by the first and second photodetectors. The aperture device can reduce optical reflection from the first and second photodetectors to the semiconductor light emitting device.
In the light emitting module, the collimating means includes an optical lens. The collimating means can include an optical lens, such as convex lenses or concave lenses, but it is not limited to these examples. The collimating means includes an optical circuit. The optical circuit has an optical branching waveguide and an optical waveguide for guiding the light from the semiconductor light emitting device to predetermined positions on the etalon device.
The light emitting module further comprises means for reducing optical returning from at least either one of the first and second photodetectors and the etalon device through the optical lens to the semiconductor light emitting device. In the light emitting module of the present invention, the lens has a size determined so as to reduce the optical returning from at least either one of the first and second photodetectors and the etalon device to the semiconductor light emitting device. The size means at least either one of a height and a width of the lens. The lens has a cut face extending in a direction of the optical axis of the lens. When the optical lens has the cut surface, the height of this optical lens can be set low. In the light emitting module of the present invention, the lens has a shielding portion provided so as to reduce the optical returning from at least either one of the first and second photodetectors and the etalon device to the semiconductor light emitting device. This can decrease the amount of light which is incident on the semiconductor light emitting device through the optical lens and is reflected by the etalon device and the first and second photodetectors.
In the light emitting module, the etalon device preferably receives incident light in a range of an angle not more than 85xc2x0 and/or in a range of an angle not less than 95xc2x0 where the angle is formed with respect to an axis extending perpendicularly to a direction in which the first and second photodetectors is arrayed.
The light emitting module further comprises wavelength adjusting means for changing a wavelength of light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device in response to signals from the first and second photodetectors. This wavelength adjusting means can adjust the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting device according to the electric signals from the first and second photodetectors, and thereby change the wavelength of light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device. For examples, the wavelength adjusting means includes a thermoelectric cooler capable of adjusting the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting device and an optical waveguide having electrodes capable of changing the refractive index of a wave guide by an applied electric field.
In the light emitting module, the wavelength adjusting means can comprise a control circuit and temperature changing means. The control circuit can generate a control signal for adjusting, in response to the electric signals from the first and second photodetectors, the wavelength of light generated in the semiconductor light emitting device. The temperature changing means can adjust the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting device according to the control signal. The control circuit can be arranged inside or outside the light emitting module as required.
The following configuration can be applied to the light emitting module. The etalon device can provide light including a first wavelength component in a predetermined oscillation spectrum of light received from the semiconductor light emitting device, and provide light including a second wavelength component different from the first wavelength. The first and second photodetectors can provide first and second electric signals corresponding to the light of the first and second wavelengths, respectively. The temperature changing means can adjust the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting device in response to a difference signal generated from the first electric signal and the second electric signal. A driving circuit can adjust a driving current for controlling the optical output of the semiconductor light emitting device, in response to a sum signal generated from the first electric signal and the second electric signal. The center wavelength of light generated in the light emitting device is preferably located between the first wavelength and the second wavelength.
The light emitting module comprises the semiconductor light emitting device, the etalon device, and the first and second photodetectors and may further comprise a control circuit and a temperature controller. The etalon device acts as a wavelength filter whose transmission spectral characteristics differ according to transmission positions thereof. Accordingly, the intensities of light transmitted according to the transmission spectra at the respective transmitting received by the etalon, from the semiconductor light emitting device. The control circuit can generate a difference signal between electric signals from the first and second photodetectors and can also generate a sum signal thereof. The temperature controller changes the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting device, in response to the difference signal from the control circuit.
In the light emitting module, the predetermined thickness d of the etalon device should be determined as follows:
d=c/(2xc2x7nxc2x7kxc2x7xcex4xcexdWDM),
where
k=1xe2x88x92(dxcexd/dT)etalon/(dxcexd/dT)LD,
(dxcexd/dT)etalon: change rate of light frequency against temperature, wherein the light interferes at the position of the thickness d of the etalon device,
(dxcexd/dT)LD: change rate of light frequency against temperature, wherein the light is generated in the semiconductor light emitting device,
xcex4xcexdWDM: wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) frequency spacing.
When the oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor light emitting device is changed by changing the temperature of the semiconductor light emitting device, this etalon device allows the oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor light emitting device to change by the spacing between oscillation wavelengths of light which the semiconductor light emitting device is capable of generate.
The features according to the present invention as described below are applied to the etalon device in which the light receiving surface is inclined relative to the light outgoing surface so that the interval between the light receiving surface and the light outgoing surface increases in the direction from the first portion to the second portion of the etalon device.
In the light emitting module, the interval between the first photodetector and the second photodetector is determined as follows: an absolute value of a slope at a zero point of a difference spectrum is not less than 200 (%/nm). The difference spectrum is defined by a difference between a first transmission spectrum in the first portion of the etalon device and a second transmission spectrum in the second portion thereof.
In the light emitting module, the reflectivity of each of the light receiving surface and the light outgoing surface is in a range of not less than 30% nor more than 60%. The distance L (mm) between the first photodetector and the second photodetector satisfies the following relations where the reflectivity of the etalon device is R(%):
xe2x88x920.01xc3x97R+0.6xe2x89xa6Lxe2x89xa6xe2x88x920.01xc3x97R+0.8, and 0.2xe2x89xa6L.
In the region specified by these relations, the difference spectrum characteristics demonstrate excellent linearity. The wavelengths of the light transmitted by the etalon device are selected by changing the spacing between the photodetectors. This selection permits change in the profile of the difference spectrum. This change optically enhances detection sensitivity of wavelength shift in the semiconductor light emitting device.
In the light emitting module, each of the first photodetector and the second photodetector has a first width and a second width and is formed so that the first width is smaller than the second width. The first width is defined as a length in a direction in which the light receiving surface of the etalon device is inclined relative to the light outgoing surface thereof. The second width is defined as a length in a direction perpendicular to the foregoing direction, and. This configuration improves monochromaticity of received light.
In the light emitting module, the semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor laser device having first and second end faces. This configuration provides a semiconductor laser module.


The invention provides improved machine vision methods for determining a calibration relationship among the imaging reference frames of multiple cameras (or other image acquisition devices) that acquire images of a common moveable object. The calibration relationship includes parameters for transforming positional coordinates among the camera's respective imaging reference frames. The method includes placing on the common object, stage, or belt a plurality of fiducials, e.g., calibration marks, that are at known positions relative to each other with respect to a frame of reference referred to as the "alignment reference frame"; aligning an axis of the alignment reference frame with an axis of the object's reference frame of motion, i.e., the reference frame in which the object, frame or belt moves; placing a respective fiducial in the field of view of each camera; determining a calibration relationship among the imaging reference frames of the respective image acquisition devices as a function of (i) the known relative locations of the fiducials (vis-a-vis the alignment reference frame), (ii) the fiducial calibrating positions determined for each camera (vis-a-vis that camera's acquisition reference frame), and (iii) the object calibrating positions determined for each respective image acquisition device (vis-a-vis the motion reference frame).

The invention pertains to machine vision and, more particularly, to methods for calibrating the imaging reference frame of a camera (or other image acquisition device) to that of a moveable object imaged by the camera.
Machine vision is the automated analysis of images to determine characteristics of objects shown in them. It is often employed in automated manufacturing lines, where images of components are analyzed to determine placement and alignment during assembly. Machine vision is also used for quality assurance. For example, in the semiconductor device industry, images of chips are analyzed to insure that leads, solder paste and other components do not overrun designated boundaries.
In many machine vision applications, it is essential to correlate physical coordinates in the "real world" with pixel coordinates in an image. For example, a camera image of a circuit board being assembled on a motion stage--a motorized platform that can be positioned by rotation and by movement along the x- and y-axes--may reveal that a chip or other component is misplaced by several pixels. In order to properly reposition the stage, the precise relationship between coordinates in the image and those of the stage must be known.
That relationship is known as the calibration relationship. It includes the angular orientation of the reference frame of the image vis-a-vis the reference frame of motion of the stage; the ratio of a unit of height (i.e., pixel height) in the image reference frame to a unit of motion along the y-axis of the stage; the ratio of a unit of width (i.e., pixel width) in the image reference frame to a unit of motion along the x-axis of the stage; and the location of a point in the image reference frame (e.g., the center of the camera field of view) vis-a-vis a point in the motion reference frame (e.g., the center of rotation of the stage).
The prior art suggests the use of calibration plates to determine the relationship between the imaging and motion reference frames. The surfaces of these plates are typically machined or etched with precisely spaced markings such as checkerboards, "bulls-eyes," or other such patterns. When camera images of the plate and stage are analyzed, the known spacings between markings on the plate are compared with those that appear in the images, thus, enabling calculation of the calibration relationship.
It is important to fabricate calibration plates carefully, because any imperfections in the marking pattern can lead to inaccurate calibrations. Unfortunately, even a precisely machined calibration plate may not be sufficiently accurate for use in calibrating highly magnified images. Small deviations falling well within tight machine tolerances may adversely affect the calibration relationship. This problem is further exacerbated in machine vision systems that use multiple cameras to image a single object. Such systems are used, for example, in semiconductor chip manufacture, where two or more high-resolution cameras are used to simultaneously inspect multiple regions on the chip surface. In addition to the difficulties associated with calibrating the reference frame of a single camera to the real world reference frame of the chip surface (or motion stage) are those associated with calibrating the reference frames of the cameras to one another.
An object of this invention is to provide improved machine vision systems and, particularly, improved machine visions methods and apparatus for calibrating the imaging reference frames to multiple cameras that generate images of a common object.
Another object of the invention is to provide machine vision methods and apparatus for calibrating the imaging reference frames to multiple cameras that generate images of objects on a common motion stage or conveyor, or that otherwise move with one another.
A still more particular object of the invention is to provide such methods and apparatus as are capable of providing accurate calibrations without the use of expensive calibration plates.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such methods and apparatus as can be implemented on conventional digital data processors or other conventional machine vision analysis equipment.
Yet still another object of the invention is to provide such methods and apparatus that can rapidly determine calibration relationships quickly and without undue consumption of resources.

Machine vision methods using feedback to determine calibration locations of multiple cameras that image a common object


A system and method is disclosed for controlling call placement rates for telephone systems providing call pacing system in which outbound calls are automatically paced so that as attendants become available a valid call is completed to be handled by the available attendant. The system takes advantage of a system which statistically monitors the average call completion time, the average agent in-use time, the average time to answer and the probability of a valid answer. Call placing overlap is controllable in conjunction with the monitored statistical parameters to achieve operation around any desired system operating parameter. The system is controlled by a plurality of precisely defined operational tasks operating in a hierarchical manner.

Recently, a new development in telecommunications has taken place. Systems have been developed, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,599,493 and 4,797,911 which automatically dial a number and then connect a live operator when the called party answers the call. For efficiency, because there are always a certain number of unanswered or busy calling connections, and because some of the numbers called are, in fact, machines, it stands to reason that an automated call placing (ACP) system can improve efficiency by attempting more calls than there are agents. To make this effective, the system should begin the call placement routine before a live operator is actually available. However, this procedure opens the possibility of an answer occurring with no available operator.
On the one hand, for the sake of economy, a system manager would like to have all of the agents busy all of the time. On the other hand, it is important in many applications to minimize the amount of time a called party is placed on hold. It is the nature of ACP systems that these two goals are mutually exclusive, that is to say: You can have 100 percent agent utilization but at the cost of lengthy customer hold time, or have no customer hold time at the cost of low agent utilization (long agent idle time). The purpose of a pacing algorithm is to allow the system operator to control one or the other of these parameters. By setting the pacing level, a system operator can make the trade-off between these parameters.
Other parameters around which systems can be controlled are the number of customers waiting for an agent; the number of disconnects on hold by answered customers; operator idle time, or perhaps the amount of time that a customer must wait on hold. None of the existing operating system set points are appropriate in all situations.
Accordingly, automated call pacing systems require a system and method of allowing the system operator to control the trade-off between attendant efficiency and customer waiting time.
One difficulty with such a system is that the statistics of the telephone network and the call receiving public are not static, i.e., the probability of an answer can change from time to time. This is compounded in that the size of the operator pool itself may change, as well as the time an operator is engaged on a particular calling connection. Therefore, this makes the above requirement even more difficult to achieve.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for an automated call pacing system which takes into account a myriad of diverse operating conditions and allows the user to set the balance between customer hold times and operator efficiency.
A further need exists in the art for such a system which will hold the selected operating point even while other system independent variables, such as the number of operators, probability of answer and agent task time change.

System and method for controlling call placement rate for telephone communication systems


The present invention relates to a process for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane with the aid of continuous countercurrent chromatography, which is also described as SMB chromatography (SMB=simulated moving bed).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo-[4.3.0]nonane with the aid of continuous countercurrent chromatography, in particular, SMB chromatography (SMB=simulated moving bed). In a further aspect, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of (1S,6R)-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane using the aforementioned process, which furthermore includes a racemization step.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The enantiomers of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane (DOPP) are valuable intermediates for the preparation of quinolone- and naphthyridone-carboxylic acid derivatives which, inter alia, have gained great industrial importance as an active constituent of antibacterial agents and food additives (EP-A 550 903).
(1S,6R)-8-Benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane of the formula (Ia)
is, for example, a valuable intermediate for the preparation of (S,S)-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane (IIa),
into which it can be converted by reduction of the carbonyl groups and debenzylation in a manner known per se (EP-A 350 733). (S,S)-2,8-Diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane is, for its part, used for the preparation of the antibiotic moxifloxacin (INN, 1-cyclo-propyl-7-([S,S]-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-8-yl)-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-8-methoxy-4-oxo-3-quinolonecarboxylic acid, (III)) (EP-A 350 733): (III)
The enantiomer (1R,6S)-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane (Ib)
is in turn a valuable intermediate for the preparation of (R,R)-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane (IIb),
which can likewise be used for the preparation of very active antibacterial agents (e.g. Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), 1996, Abstr. No. F-001).
Processes for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane are known in principle.
Thus, for example, EP-A 550 903 discloses a process for the resolution of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane using tartaric acid (Example A, Method IV and Example B, Method II a)). The processes described there require, for the preparation of the (1S,6R)-enantiomer, repeated recrystallization of the diastereomeric D-(−)-tartaric acid salts or reaction with L-(+)-tartaric acid and subsequent reaction of the released mother liquor with D-(−)-tartaric acid and recrystallization. The enantiomeric excesses obtained are, at 93.8% ee for the (1R,6S) enantiomer and 96.6% ee for the (1S,6R) enantiomer, inadequate with respect to the large number of operations and the large amount of chiral auxiliary reagants and thus only of limited suitability for industrial use.
EP-A 1 192 153 discloses a process for the resolution of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane, which, inter alia, employs (−)-2,3:4,6-di-O-iso-propylidene-2-keto-L-gulonic acid and camphorsulphonic acid as chiral auxiliary reagents. However, here too, the amount of chiral auxiliary reagent needed and the large number of working steps restricts industrial use.
There was therefore the need for an efficient process for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane, in which the separated enantiomers can be prepared on an industrial scale and in high absolute and optical purity.

Process for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane


An electrical connector utilizing two elongated terminals each having dual contact blades extending laterally from an elongated support section forming a U-shaped cross section. A recess for each terminal is defined by the respective dual contact blades and support sections The first blade of the dual blades for the first terminal mates within the recess of the second terminal and the first blade of the dual blades for the second terminal mates within the recess of the first terminal. A laterally bisected S-shaped insert device engages electrically between the blades of the terminals. The insert device comprises a first and a second member each having a series of inward bent ribs for engaging the adjacent blades. The ribs extend in the same direction as the mating movement of the opposing terminal. An arrangement of tangs and prongs of each member hold and lock the insert device within the recesses by engaging the leading and trailing edges of the blades of each terminal.

This invention relates generally to an electrical connector, and more particularly to a dual bladed terminal electrical connector for high power connectors of the type used in automotive vehicle batteries, power electronics, alternators, electric motors and the like.
High power electrical connectors are often made in-part by a machining process because the electrical contacts are made of a solid brass rod. Stamping, however, is the preferred manufacturing process because the electrical connectors can be made at reduced cost and higher volume. Rudoy et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,884, incorporated herein by reference, discloses one such high power connector utilizing one elongated male terminal with dual blades extending axially and another S-shaped terminal, wherein the terminals mate from an axial direction. To improve electrical contact for high power applications, U-shaped inserts directly engage between the mating surfaces of the two terminals. The inserts have a series of twisted ribs having edges that resiliently engage the terminals.
The terminals in the Rudoy ""884 reference can only be mated from one direction, thereby limiting versatility. More generally, present stamped terminals are expensive and difficult to manufacture often requiring special tools to assemble. What is needed is a terminal connector which lends itself to normal processing methods, can be made at a lower tooling cost, has a limited number of differing parts, and permits more convenient or multi-directional mating of the terminal parts with one another.
A high power electrical connector utilizing two elongated terminals each having dual contact blades extending laterally from an elongated support section forming a U-shaped cross section. A recess for each terminal is defined by the respective dual contact blades and support sections The first blade of the dual blades for the first terminal mates within the recess of the second terminal and the first blade of the dual blades for the second terminal mates within the recess of the first terminal. A laterally bisected S-shaped insert device engages electrically between the blades of the terminals. The insert device comprises a first and a second member each having a series of inward bent ribs acting as depressable leaf springs for engaging the adjacent blades. The ribs extend in the same direction as the mating movement of the opposing terminal. An arrangement of tangs and prongs of each member hold and lock the insert device within the recesses by engaging the leading and trailing edges of the blades of each terminal.
An advantage of the present invention is a high current, high power, electrical connector manufactured by a stamping process at high volume and low tooling cost.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is a versatile design providing consistent product performance with a reduction of differing parts.
Still further, an advantage of the present invention is a connector which does not require tools to assemble prior to mating.


Some embodiments provide firewalls and methods for guarding against attacks by leveraging the Document Object Model (DOM). The firewall renders the DOM tree to produce a white-list rendering of the data which presents the non-executable elements of the data and, potentially, outputs of the executable elements of the data without the executable elements that could be used to carry a security threat. Some embodiments provide control over which nodes of the DOM tree are included in producing the white-list rendering. Specifically, a configuration file is specified to white-list various nodes from the DOM tree and the white-list rendering is produced by including the DOM tree nodes that are specified in the white-list of the configuration file while excluding those nodes that are not in the white-list. Some embodiments provide a hybrid firewall that executes a set of black-list rules over white-listed nodes of the DOM tree.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary Content Delivery Network (CDN) architecture. As shown, the CDN includes several different caching Points-of-Presence (PoPs) 110, traffic management servers 120, and an administrative server 130. The figure also illustrates the interactions that CDN customers, including content providers, have with the CDN and interactions that content consumers or end users have with the CDN.
Each PoP 110 may be representative of a server farm for a geographically proximate set of physically separate servers or a set of virtual servers that execute over partitioned sets of resources of one or more physically separate servers. The PoPs are distributed across different network edges of the Internet. The servers in each respective PoP cache and serve content on behalf of different content providers to end users, thus facilitating the "last mile" delivery of content. Hence, the PoP servers are referred to as "edge servers" or "caching servers". An edge server may cache the same content as other edge servers in the same PoP or may be configured to cache different content than the other edge servers in the same PoP.
The traffic management servers 120 route end users, and more specifically, end user issued requests for content to one or more edge servers that can optimally deliver the requested content back to the end users. In many cases, the optimal edge server is a server caching the requested content in a PoP that is geographically closest to the end user that issued the content request. Different CDN implementations utilize different traffic management schemes to achieve such routing to the optimal edge servers. For example, the traffic management scheme can be conducted according to Anycast routing. However, it should be apparent that other traffic management schemes, such as Domain Name System (DNS) routing, can alternatively be used and that the traffic management servers 120 can include different combinations of DNS servers, load balancers, and routers performing Anycast, DNS, or Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing as some examples.
The administrative server 130 may include a central server of the CDN or a distributed set of interoperating servers that perform the configuration control and reporting functionality of the CDN. Content providers register with the administrative server 130 in order to access services and functionality of the CDN. Accordingly, content providers are also referred to as customers of the CDN. Once registered, content providers can interface with the administrative server 130 to specify a configuration, upload content, and set security parameters. The administrative server 130 also aggregates statistics data from each server of the set of edge servers and processes the statistics to produce usage and performance reports for the customers. From these reports, the content provider can better understand the demand for its content, the performance provided by the CDN in delivering the content provider's content, and the need for capacity reallocation, among other uses.
CDNs, like any online entity, can be a target for cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks can have many incarnations. Some examples include masking and passing of virus-embedded code or content, Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks, account hacking attacks, cross-site scripting attacks, and SQL injection attacks.
The ramifications of a cyber-attack can be more severe if successful on the CDN as they can have trickle-down consequences. Specifically, any attack that is intended for one of the CDN content provider customers can degrade the CDN performance for other content provider customers. This is because an attack that is intended for one CDN content provider customer will usually find its way to the CDN's servers that deliver other customer content. Consequently, if the attack is successful, it will not only take down or degrade the performance of the intended content provider site, but sites of other content providers that rely on the same CDN resources under attack.
One common counter-measure to cyber-attacks is the firewall. Firewalls typically operate by way of a set of rules. These rules can be expressed as regular expressions or through other syntax. The function of the rules is to identify malicious data and the function of the firewall is to use the rules to prevent such malicious data from passing through the firewall thereby preventing the malicious data from affecting the systems that would execute or otherwise process the malicious data. The malicious data can be in the form of code, text, scripts, files, or multi-media content (e.g., audio, video, images) as some examples. Accordingly, a firewall typically operates to identify and restrict "black-listed" data.
However, rule-based black-list firewalls remain vulnerable, especially in their application towards a CDN. A rule has to be configured for each attack that is to be thwarted. New attacks are invented everyday and such new attacks will be successful until identified and a rule is configured to combat those new attacks. Accordingly, the attackers are typically one step ahead of the firewall. Also, attackers can modify their attacks to work-around firewall rules. For example, a firewall rule may be configured for a specific variant or permutation of a known attack. Once the attacker becomes aware of how the firewall operates, he can attack using a different variant or permutation of the attack that does not fall within the rule definition and is therefore not restricted by the firewall. In other words, unless a firewall rule is explicitly set to combat a particular attack, that particular attack will pass through the firewall undetected.
This cat-and-mouse dynamic is made worse for the CDN, because the CDN is responsible for the content of numerous content provider customers and must defend all such customers from attacks. In other words, the CDN is subject to a higher volume of attacks simply because it must defend a greater number of resources that are attack targets.
Another shortcoming of black-list firewalls is the sheer number of rules that are needed to account for all known types of malicious data. The list of rules is thus an ever growing list. Consequently, it is not uncommon for a firewall to be configured with hundreds, if not, thousands of rules. Each piece of data passing through the firewall is thus subject to each of the defined rules. For every new rule that is configured, additional processing overhead is added at the firewall with each unit of overhead degrading performance. This issue is again exacerbated for the CDN. A CDN firewall must be able to implement and process many different rule sets. Each rule set can be defined by a different content provider customer with each content provider customer rule set specifying hundreds or thousands of custom rules for attacks that the particular customer is at risk for. Accordingly, data passing through the CDN can be subject to all customer rule sets. Alternatively, data passing through the CDN can be subject to a specific customer's rule set that is selected from all customer rule sets, wherein selecting the specific customer's rule set involves inspecting the data to identify the customer to which it pertains and then retrieving that specific customer's rule set. Another alternative is to specify a default rule set for all CDN customers. However, such a rule set needs to be extensive and comprehensive, and, in many cases, can impose unnecessary overhead for various content provider customers. For example, the MODSecurity module is an open source web application firewall providing over 15,000 configurable rules.
Accordingly, there is a need for a scalable CDN firewall solution that combats some new threats without the need for a specific rule definition for those threats. There is also a need for a firewall solution that does not increase in overhead or complexity as new threats are identified and combated, but one that requires a constant amount of resources to operate and is therefore adapted for the large volume of data and attacks that a CDN experiences. In summary, there is a need to restrict malicious data via means other than configured black-lists.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

White-list firewall based on the document object model


An electromagnetic relay has a mobile contact point attached to a contact member, a fixed contact point, a contact point spring that applies a biasing force on the contact member towards the fixed contact point, a guide that carries the contact member and said contact point spring, a coil that generates a pulling force when excited to move the guide and a returning spring that provides a biasing force for causing the guide to return. A mechanism is provided such that a load is generated on the contact member by the motion of the guide towards the fixed function against the returning spring immediately before the mobile contact point contacts the fixed contact point. This mechanism applies a contact point spring load of the contact point spring and the load as a contact pressure to the contact member for contacting the mobile contact point with the fixed contact point.

This invention relates to an electromagnetic relay usable as a high-capacity power relay and in particular to such a relay having contact points with an improved contact mechanism.
As shown in FIGS. 23–26, a prior art electromagnetic relay is comprised of an operating part 101 and a contact point block 102, the operating part 101 having an electromagnetic block 105 with a coil 105A and an iron member 106 contained inside a case 104 such that an attractive force is generated at the magnetic pole part 107 of the iron core as the coil 105A is excited and the iron member 106 is oscillated to the left around its supporting point 106A.
The contact point block 102 is formed with a base 108, a guide 109, a terminal table 110 and a returning spring 111. As shown in FIG. 25A, the terminal table 110 is provided with a guide containing part 118 and contact point containing parts 120, each contact point containing part 120 containing a fixed contact point 121. The guide 109 is separable into an upper main body 109A and a lower main body 109B, as shown in FIG. 24. The upper main body 109A has an upward protrusion 112 at its left-hand end, and the lower main body 109B has a downward protrusion 113 at its right-hand end. A spring container 112A is formed at the base of the upward protrusion 112, and the downward protrusion 113 is formed with an indentation for engagement (not shown).
Four insertion parts 114 are formed longitudinally along the upper guide main body 109A. As shown in FIG. 25A, a spring container 114A is formed at an end part of each of the insertion parts 114 and mobile contact points 116 are affixed to both end parts on the left-hand surface (on the side facing the fixed contact points 121) of a contact member 115.
The spring container 114A of each insertion part 114 contains a contact point spring 117 which contacts a corresponding one of the contact members 115 such that each contact member 115 is pressed to the left-hand wall part of the insertion part 114 by the biasing force of the contact point spring 117, as shown by broken lines in FIG. 25B. Both end parts of the contact member 115 are inside the corresponding one of the contact point containing parts 120 and the mobile contact points 116 are opposite the fixed contact points 121.
The guide 109 is contained inside the guide containing part 118 with its upward protrusion 112 inserted into an opening (not shown) formed in the ceiling part of the guide containing part 118 and its downward protrusion 113 inserted into an insertion opening 108A provided through the base 108. The guide 109 is normally at its returned position as shown in FIG. 25A by the biasing force of the returning spring 111.
The electromagnetic relay is formed with this contact point block 102 connected to the operating part 101. In this condition, a protrusion 106B at the top of the iron member 106 is oscillatingly engaged in the aforementioned indentation formed in the downward protrusion 113 from the lower guide main body 109B.
When the coil 105A of the electromagnetic block 105 is not in an excited condition, the guide 109 is in the aforementioned returned position by the biasing force of the returning spring 111. As the coil 105A of the electromagnetic block 105 is excited, an attractive force is generated to magnetic pole part 107 of the iron core and the iron member 106 is caused to oscillate to the left around its supporting point 106A such that the guild 109 is shifted against the biasing force of the returning spring 111 and the mobile contact points 116 are caused to contact the fixed contact points 121.
As another example of prior art electromagnetic relay, Japanese Patent Publication Koho 5-342964 described a structure comprising an electromagnet part, a contact point table, an insulating plate and a case. A base is formed with the contact point table and the insulating plate, a guide being slidably inserted into a groove formed at the center of the base. A fixed terminal of contact point terminals is set inside each of a plurality of chambers provided at fixed intervals opposite on both sides of this groove, and mobile contact points of contact members protruding sideways at equal intervals from both sides of the groove and being biased by means of springs are disposed opposite the fixed terminals. As the coil of the electromagnet part is excited and a mobile iron member is rotated, the guide is moved against the biasing force of a returning spring and the mobile contact points are pressed against the fixed contact points.
With both of these prior art electromagnetic relays, the contacting mechanism gains a pressure by means of the guide 109, the contact member 115 and the contact point spring 117. With such a mechanism as shown in FIG. 25B, it is necessary to increase the load on the contact point spring 117 to obtain a contact point pressure by limiting the separation of the mobile contact points 116 at the time of contact point contact (bouncing and chattering) and the rise in temperature by the passage of the current. For this purpose, since the characteristic of a relay is as schematically shown by the graph of FIG. 26, it is necessary to increase the attractive force of the coil from A to B and this means an increase in the consumption of electric power. In order to limit the increase in the power consumption by the coil 105A, however, the load on the contact point spring 117 must be limited and this can cause problems related to the separation of the contact member 115 due to vibrations and generation of heat.


Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a radio frequency switch. Also disclosed are an antenna switch module and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a metal wiring insulating film bonded to a silicon substrate. In the semiconductor device, a crystal defect layer extends into the silicon substrate from a surface of the silicon substrate. Crystal defects are throughout the crystal defect layer. The semiconductor device and an integrated circuit are in the antenna switch module. The integrated circuit in the antenna switch module is mounted with the radio-frequency switch device and the silicon substrate. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device includes a step of forming crystal defects throughout a silicon substrate. Radiation or a diffusion is used to form the crystal defects. After the step of forming the crystal defects, the method includes a step of implanting ions into a surface of the silicon substrate to form a crystal defect layer.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device, a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device, and an antenna switch module, and more specifically to a semiconductor device having a radio-frequency switch device on an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate, a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device, and an antenna switch module.
In recent years, for antenna switch devices, FETs (Field-Effect Transistors) of compound semiconductors (for example, GaAs) that allow complicated switch circuits with reduced power consumption to be manufactured easily have been utilized.
However, such compound semiconductor FETs have been disadvantageous in that they may be expensive in themselves, and they may involve high manufacturing costs for a reason that it is necessary to incorporate peripheral circuits that are fabricated on a separate chip as a module, or for any other reason. It is to be noted that examples of the peripheral circuits may include a DC-DC converter, an IPD (Integrated Passive Device), and the like.
Consequently, in recent years, the development of antenna switch devices using an SOI substrate that enables mixed mounting with a DC-DC converter circuit that is a silicon-based device to be used as a peripheral circuit has been actively carried forward. The SOI substrate has an advantage of being capable of reducing any parasitic capacitance (depletion layer capacitance) that may be caused due to PN-junction, which ensures to achieve the high-performance antenna switch devices equivalent to compound-based semiconductors.
However, the SOI substrate has a disadvantage of deterioration in the electrical characteristics that may be caused due to self-heating of MOS transistors. This self-heating is typically a Joule heat resulting from channel resistances, being generated by a current flowing through a channel region when an FET is put in ON state.
In particular, MOS transistors that are fabricated on the SOI substrate are separated from silicon of a support substrate by means of a material (for example, silicon oxide) with the thermal conductivity lower than that of silicon by two orders of magnitude or more, and thus any heat arising at a channel region may be hard to be dissipated due to an effect of silicon oxide directly underneath channels, causing the heat dissipation characteristics to be further deteriorated. It is to be noted that the thermal conductivity of silicon is about 144 [W/(m·K)], while the thermal conductivity of silicon oxide is about 1.1 [W/(m·K)].
Examples of technologies for solutions to disadvantages as described above may include some technologies that are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H06-029376, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H05-343667, and the nonpatent document 1: A. Botula, et al., "A Thin-film SOI 180 nm CMOS RF Switch Technology", Silicon Monolithic Integrated Circuits in RF Systems, 2009.
An integrated circuit device that is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H06-029376 includes an n-type semiconductor layer to be bonded via a silicon oxide film on a semiconductor support substrate, wherein a backside contact trench that is formed in a manner of running through the silicon oxide film from the backside of the semiconductor support substrate to reach the semiconductor layer is formed at a semiconductor support substrate region on the underside of this semiconductor layer, and a metallic conductive member is embedded into this backside contact trench. Through this metallic conductive member, any heat arising on the semiconductor layer is dissipated.
However, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H06-029376, a large number of backside contact trenches may be necessary when a spacing area for switch devices that are formed on the semiconductor layer is large. Accordingly, such a technology is disadvantageous in that rewiring from the semiconductor support substrate side may be difficult for a portion of the backside contact trenches, which may make it difficult to reduce a size.
In the technology disclosed in the nonpatent document 1, radio-frequency switch elements (source region, drain region, gate oxide film, source electrode, gate electrode, and drain electrode) are formed on an SOI substrate where an insulating film and a semiconductor layer are formed in order of precedence on a semiconductor substrate, wherein trenches running through an area as far as the semiconductor substrate are formed at the periphery of the radio-frequency switch elements, and a crystal defect layer as a damage layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate in a manner of, for example, implanting argon onto a semiconductor substrate area at the bottom of the trenches using an ion implanting technique.
This crystal defect layer traps, that is, recombines any carriers arising within the semiconductor substrate when radio-frequency signals are applied, which prevents variation in the capacitance of the substrate to improve the harmonic distortion characteristics. Additionally, by forming an electrode running through the semiconductor substrate from the semiconductor layer, a potential of the substrate is fixed to further enhance the effectiveness of preventing variation in the capacitance of the substrate.
However, in the technology disclosed in the nonpatent document 1, a region (crystal defect layer as a damage layer) for trapping any carriers arising within the semiconductor substrate when radio-frequency signals are applied is not present directly beneath transistors, which makes it difficult to completely suppress variations of carriers.
Further, for a support substrate for the SOI substrate to be used for the radio-frequency switches, a substrate with quite high resistance values may be typically used, and thus there is a disadvantage that the intended effectiveness of an electrode running through the semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate for the purpose of fixing a substrate potential is reduced. In addition, there is also a disadvantage that manufacturing costs rise due to increased number of processes.
A method concerning improvements of deterioration in the electrical characteristics due to self-heating that is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H06-029376 as described above, which adopts the backside contact for heat dissipation, dissipates any heat by means of the metallic conductive member. Further, a method concerning improvements of the harmonic distortion characteristics that is disclosed in the nonpatent document 1, which adopts the crystal defect layer on one side of the semiconductor substrate, prevents variation in the substrate capacitance by trapping, that is, recombining any carriers that are generated by a radio-frequency field by means of the crystal defect layer to suppress generation of the harmonic distortion.
However, in recent years, as technologies for achieving higher-powered outputs have been advanced, and the field intensity has been increasingly raised, it may be insufficient in some cases to provide the crystal defect layer on only one side of the semiconductor substrate. In such a case, an electron beam irradiation method that allows crystal defects to be introduced uniformly over a whole surface of the substrate may be helpful, although this has posed a disadvantage that the device characteristics vary due to the influence of a hole trap which is formed in a silicon oxide film.
Examples of disadvantages that have been found in the past may include drop in threshold voltages of n-channel MOSFETs, rise in threshold voltages of p-channel MOSFETs, and rise in polysilicon resistances that is caused due to introduction of crystal defects.
A technology for a solution to the disadvantage as described above is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H05-343667.
A method of repeating electron beam irradiation and thermal treatment more than once that are applied to power device IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H05-343667. In this method, by changing the acceleration voltage and irradiation amount for the electron beam irradiation as well as temperature, time, and the like for the thermal treatment, it is possible to tailor a crystal defect layer and device characteristics to fit desired characteristics.

Semiconductor device, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and antenna switch module


A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell provided at an intersection of a word line and a bit line, a precharge circuit connected to the bit line, a column select circuit controlled in accordance with a write control signal, and a clamp circuit provided as a write circuit. The clamp circuit includes a transistor configured to control the potential of a selected bit line to a first potential (e.g., 0 V), and a variable capacitor configured to control the potential of the selected bit line to a second potential (e.g., a negative potential) which is lower than the first potential. The capacitance of the variable capacitor decreases when a power supply voltage is increased, whereby the amount of a decrease from the first potential to the second potential is reduced.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor memory devices, such as static random access memories (SRAMs) and the like, and more particularly to techniques of controlling voltages of bit lines.
In recent years, as semiconductor microfabrication technologies have been advanced to reduce the sizes of miniature structures, the reliability (resistance to electrical stress, thermal stress, and the like) of semiconductor elements have been degraded.
In general semiconductor memory devices, such as SRAMs, data is written to a memory cell by the potential of one of a pair of bit lines which have been precharged high transitioning from high to low.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-298586 describes a technique of improving a characteristic of write operation to a memory cell at a low power supply voltage by causing the potential of a bit line during data write operation to the memory cell to be smaller than 0 V.


There are contained first and second conductive plugs formed in first insulating layer, an island-like oxygen-barrier metal layer for covering the first conductive plug, an oxidation-preventing insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer to cover side surfaces of the oxygen-barrier metal layer, a capacitor having a lower electrode formed on the oxygen-barrier metal layer and the oxidation-preventing insulating layer, a dielectric layer formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the dielectric layer, a second insulating layer for covering the capacitor and the oxidation-preventing insulating layer, a third hole formed in respective layers from the second insulating layer to the oxidation-preventing insulating layer on the second conductive plug, and a third conductive plug formed in the third hole and connected to the second conductive plug.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, a semiconductor device having a capacitor and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ferroelectric capacitor of FeRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) that is mass-produced currently has the planar structure.
However, the capacitor having the stacked structure, a cell area of which can be reduced smaller, is needed in future in reply to the request for the higher integration. The stacked structure has the conductive plug, which is used to provide contact with the semiconductor substrate, directly under the lower electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor. As set forth in Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 2001-443476, for example, it is normal that tungsten or polysilicon is used as the material of such conductive plug.
While, the FeRAM and the logic device are hybrid-integrated in many products. For example, there are the semiconductor chip used in the security field that needs the authentication, the IC card that is utilized gradually in the local self-governing body, etc.
In the logic semiconductor device, it is common that the process using the tungsten plug is employed to connect the underlying conductive pattern and the overlying conductive pattern. It is of course that, as the spice parameter used to design the circuit, the resistance value of the tungsten plug is employed.
Therefore, if the significances to make efficient use of accumulated circuit design properties and to lower the development man-hour/cost are considered, it has the great merit to use the tungsten plug as the contact plug in the logic hybrid-integrated FeRAM like the prior art.
Next, steps of forming the memory cell having the stacked capacitor will be explained hereunder.
First, steps required until a structure shown in FIG. 1A is formed will be explained hereunder.
An element isolation insulating film 102 is formed around an element forming region of a silicon substrate 101, and then a well 103 is formed in the element forming region. Then, two MOS transistors 104 are formed in one well 103.
The MOS transistors 104 have gate electrodes 104b formed on the well 103 via a gate insulating film 104a, and impurity diffusion regions 104c, 104d formed in the well 103 on both sides of the gate electrodes 104b to serve as the source/drain. Also, insulating sidewalls 105 used to form high concentration impurity regions 104e in the impurity diffusion regions 104c, 104d are formed on both side surfaces of the gate electrodes 104b.
Then, a transistor protection insulating film 106 for covering the MOS transistors 104 is formed on the silicon substrate 101, and then a first interlayer insulating film 107 is formed on the transistor protection insulating film 106.
And, first contact holes 107a are formed in the first interlayer insulating film 107 on one impurity diffusion regions 104c of the MOS transistors 104, and then first contact plugs 108 are buried in the first contact holes 107a.
Then, a first metal film 109, a ferroelectric film 110, and a second metal film 111 are formed sequentially on the first contact plugs 108 and the first interlayer insulating film 107. As the ferroelectric film 110, for example, a PZT film is formed.
Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, capacitors 112 are formed by patterning the first metal film 109, the ferroelectric film 110, and the second metal film 111 by virtue of the photolithography method.
In the capacitor 112, a lower electrode 109a is formed of the first metal film 109, a dielectric film 110a is formed of the ferroelectric film 110, and an upper electrode 111a is formed of the second metal film 111. The capacitor is the stacked capacitor, and the lower electrodes 109a are connected to one impurity diffusion regions 104c of the MOS transistors 104 via the underlying first contact plugs 108 respectively.
Then, as shown in FIG. 1C, a capacitor protection film 113 is formed on the capacitors 112 and the first interlayer insulating film 107. Then, a second interlayer insulating film 114 is formed on the capacitor protection film 113. Then, a second contact hole 114a is formed on the other impurity diffusion region 104d of the MOS transistors 104 by patterning the second interlayer insulating film 114, the capacitor protection film 113, the first interlayer insulating film 107, and the transistor protection insulating film 106 by virtue of the photolithography method. Then, a second contact plug 115 is formed in the second contact hole 114a.
Next, steps required until a structure shown in FIG. 1D is formed will be explained hereunder.
Third contact holes 114b are formed on the upper electrodes 110a of the capacitors 112 by patterning the second interlayer insulating film 114 and the capacitor protection film 113. Then, a conductive film is formed on the second interlayer insulating film 114 and in the third contact holes 114b, and then this conductive film is patterned. Thus, wirings 116a connected to the upper electrodes 111a of the capacitors 112 respectively are formed and simultaneously a conductive pad 116b is formed on the second contact plug 115.
Then, a third interlayer insulating film 117 is formed on the wirings 116a, the conductive pad 116b, and the second interlayer insulating film 114. Then, a hole 117a is formed on the conductive pad 116b by patterning the third interlayer insulating film 117. Then, a fourth conductive plug 118 is formed in the hole 117a.
Then, a bit line 118 connected to the fourth conductive plug 118 is formed on the third interlayer insulating film 117.
As the ferroelectric film 110 of the ferroelectric capacitor 112, for example, the PZT film is formed. After the formation, this PZT film is annealed in the oxygen atmosphere to crystallize. After the later etching, the recovery annealing of the PZT film, etc. are carried out in the oxygen atmosphere.
Here, the situation in which the tungsten plugs are formed as the contact plug directly under the ferroelectric capacitors shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D will be considered.
As set forth in Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) Hei 10-303398, the tungsten plug is oxidized very quickly at a low temperature. Also, oxidation of the tungsten plug spreads throughout the plug once such oxidation occurs, so that the contact failure is caused easily and reduction in the yield of the FeRAM device is brought about.
Also, even if the polysilicon is employed as the material of the contact plug, such polysilicon is also oxidized though the oxidation is not so serious as the tungsten.
By the way, as explained above, in order to improve the performance of the ferroelectric capacitor, the annealing is required in various oxygen atmospheres.
Therefore, improvement in the performance of the ferroelectric capacitor and improvement in the performance of the contact plug were in the trade-off relationship.
In contrast, various trials were made to prevent the abnormal oxidation of the tungsten plug in the crystallization annealing of the ferroelectric film or in the recovery annealing of the ferroelectric capacitor. For example, in Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) Hei 10-303398, Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 2000-349255, Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 2001-44377, Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) Hei 10-150155, and Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 2000-349252, the structure in which the oxygen-barrier-metal layer is formed between the capacitor and the tungsten plug is set forth.
As described above, in the MOS transistor 104 constituting the memory cell, one impurity diffusion region 104c is connected to the ferroelectric capacitor 112 via the contact plug 108, and the other impurity diffusion region 104d is connected to the bit line 119 via another contact plug 115.
The reason why the contact plug 115 for bit-line connection is formed after the ferroelectric capacitor 112 is formed is to prevent the oxidation of the contact plug 115 in the crystallization annealing of the ferroelectric film 110 in the oxygen atmosphere or in the recovery annealing of the ferroelectric capacitor 112.
However, an aspect ratio of the contact plug 115 for bit-line connection is increased more and more with the further miniaturization in future. Therefore, technical subjects that are to be overcome newly such as the etching to form the contact hole 114a for bit-line connection, the filling of the glue layer in the contact hole 114a for bit-line connection, etc. are brought about.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


The present invention provides a human lung growth factor variant (LGFV) and polynucleotides which identify and encode LGFV. The invention also provides genetically engineered expression vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences encoding LGFV and a method for producing LGFV. The invention also provides for agonists, antibodies, or antagonists specifically binding LGFV, and their use, in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with expression of LGFV. Additionally, the invention provides for the use of antisense molecules to polynucleotides encoding LGFV for the treatment of diseases associated with the expression of LGFV. The invention also provides diagnostic assays which utilize the polynucleotide, or fragments or the complement thereof, and antibodies specifically binding LGFV.

Hepatoma derived growth factors (HDGF) have been cloned from man and mouse. When they bind to specific membrane receptors, they trigger intracellular signaling cascades. Some of these signaling events control the activities of transcription factors. The unregulated activity of transcription factors which govern cell proliferation may result in the growth and development of cancerous cells or in the release and differentiation of excess leukocytes.
Nakamura et al. (1994; J. Biol. Chem. 269:25143-49) described the human HDGF molecule as a monomeric, cytoplasmic peptide of 240 amino acids and approximately 25 kD which lacks a signal sequence and binds heparin. Northern analysis revealed that HDGF is expressed in several tumor derived cell lines and in heart, brain, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney and pancreas. Based on its homology to high mobility group proteins (HMGs), location in the cytoplasm, and association with cellular proliferation in both normal and tumor cells, Nakamura et al (supra) predict that HDGF is a transcription factor which shows growth stimulating activity.
Baxevanis and Landsman (1995; Nucleic Acids Res 23:1604-13) aligned 121 HMG basic domains and reported that they fall into two groups, the HMG1/2 proteins with DNA binding ability and non-canonical HMGs, some of which are known to function as transcription factors. HMG1/2 proteins bind and alter the structure of DNA, making the molecule more amenable to the enzymes which carry out transcription. Support for this role comes from the fact that the half life of HMG1/2 proteins directly parallels the S phase of the cell cycle (Morton, R. L. et al. (1996) Biochem. Biophys Res Commun. 222:268-373). Other studies have shown that some HMGs possess a calmodulin binding domain (Harley, V. R. et al. (1996) FEBS Lett 391:24-28) and others associate with either hormone receptors as they bind DNA (Onate, S. A. et al. (1994) Mol Cell Biol 14:3376-91) or T-cell receptors as they regulate lymphocyte gene expression. These proteins enhance gene expression in the cells and tissues in which they are present.
HMGs have also been studied to determine their role in transforming fibroblasts and hematopoietic cells, in Burkitt's lymphoma (Morton, et al. supra), and in gastrointestinal carcinomas.
The discovery of polynucleotides encoding a lung growth factor variant, and the variant itself, provides a means to investigate cell proliferation under normal and disease conditions. Such cytokines or growth factor-like molecules related to hepatoma growth factor satisfy a need in the art by providing new diagnostic or therapeutic compositions useful in diagnosing and treating infections; autoimmune disorders, vascular diseases and cancers.


This application describes a bioresorbable biocellulose suitable for medical and surgical applications. In particular, the invention describes periodate oxidized microbial cellulose that can be produced to have any mechanical and degradation profile, depending on the desired application of the oxidized cellulose.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to oxidized polysaccharide materials suitable for medical and surgical applications. In particular, the invention describes periodate oxidized microbial cellulose that is produced to have a specific mechanical and degradation profile, depending on the desired application of the oxidized cellulose.
The invention also relates to the use of the periodate oxidized microbial cellulose as a bioresorbable matrix for human tissue substitutes, closure reinforcement, suture buttressing, guided tissue regeneration, musculoskeletal applications, active agent delivery and tissue engineering scaffolds.
2. Background of the Invention
Oxidized cellulose has long been manufactured for use medically as haemostatic agents (e.g., SURGICEL™, Ethicon, Somerville, N.J. and Oxycell™, Becton-Dickinson, Morris Plains, N.J.) and as a barrier material to prevent adhesions following surgery (e.g., INTERCEED™, Ethicon, Somerville, N.J.). The key feature of oxidized cellulose is that it is absorbable when implanted in the body, whereas non-oxidized cellulose is not. The proposed mechanism of resorption of oxidized cellulose is by hydrolytic cleavage of the polymer into smaller oligosaccharides which are further metabolized and eliminated by the body. Complete absorption of such materials can be substantially achieved in two weeks to three months after implantation.
Most oxidized cellulose that is commercially available is plant-derived or synthetically regenerated to fabricate the resulting medical device. The material is first processed to the desired physical form and is then woven or knitted into a fabric prior to exposure to an oxidizing agent. Dinitrogen tetroxide is believed to be the only oxidizing agent currently being used to produce oxidized cellulose medical products. The use of other oxidation agents has been suggested, however, but to date, there have been no reports of commercially available oxidized cellulose medical devices created by other means besides the dinitrogen tetroxide oxidation process. Thus, the vast majority of clinical data on oxidized cellulose comprises non-microbial forms of cellulose oxidized by dinitrogen tetroxide.
Although other oxidation procedures have been developed to create bioresorbable cellulose, such processes do not describe using cellulose from microbial sources. For example, Kumar (U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,753) discloses sodium meta-periodate as an oxidizing agent for regenerated cellulose. Furthermore, Singh discloses the use of sodium meta-periodate for oxidation of cellulose, but only describes a powdered form of cellulose from a non-microbial source.
Combining Kumar and Singh, it is not evident that the use of microbial cellulose as a starting material for periodate oxidized cellulose would result in a mechanically functional material. In fact, Kumar specifically discourages the use of cellulose from microbial sources because of the lack of plasticity of microbial cellulose and the loss of the higher ordered structure of microbial cellulose during the solvent dissolving step. And it is not apparent from Singh that microbial cellulose would be suitable because of the crystalline and laminar structure of microbial cellulose. In fact, the current inventors were unexpectedly able to oxidize microbial cellulose and maintain mechanical strength while producing a biodegradable material.
In addition, neither Kumar nor Singh describe the use of supporting electrolytes during the periodate oxidation process or the utilization of differing drying techniques to confer different mechanical and degradation properties on the oxidized cellulose. Likewise, Jaschinski et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,635,755) describe a polysaccharide oxidation process with periodate in conjunction with TEMPO to create a material with oxidation occurring at all three alcoholic sites of the anhydroglucose repeat unit. Jaschinski et al., however, does not describe microbial cellulose as a suitable polysaccharide material and do not rely on the specific oxidative nature of periodate in conjunction with a supporting electrolyte.
Furthermore, Kim et al. describe periodate oxidation of plant cellulose obtained from marine alga. The oxidation process consists of the oxidation of cellulose microfibrils at a ratio of 10.7 mol NaIO4 for 1 mol of glucopyranose for the desired reaction time. Again there is no description of the use of a supporting electrolyte during the oxidation process or a specific drying technique. Kim concludes that it is very important to choose the proper starting material to control the oxidation process, thus demonstrating that not all cellulose reacts the same when oxidized with periodate.
Ring et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,588,400, 4,655,758, and 4,788,146), however, does disclose the use of microbial cellulose for topical medical applications but does not describe oxidizing such films to produce a bioresorbable oxidized microbial cellulose for use as implantable medical devices or tissue engineering matrices. And Hutchens et al. (U.S. Patent Application No. 20040096509) also describe microbial cellulose but do not teach a bioresorbable version of the cellulose.
There is a need in the art for oxidized microbial cellulose that can have a given mechanical and degradation profile to fit a number of medical and surgical applications. Indeed, the use of microbial cellulose allows the creation of oxidized cellulose films which are able to maintain a high degree of laminar structure and crystallinity as opposed to amorphous oxidized regenerated cellulose. The non-woven laminar structure of microbial cellulose allows the material to maintain mechanical strength and at the same time be rendered bioresorbable.

Oxidized microbial cellulose and use thereof


The invention relates to an organization model and the method of generation of the same and use of the same, wherein the model is provided to be used to assess the current performance of an organization, or part thereof, with regard to its objectives and to guide future decision making by projecting likely future outcomes of proposed changes to the organization, based on cause-effect reasoning which can include a probabilistic layer, said model being constructed in part using available domain knowledge. The model can be also be used to check the validity and success of historical decisions against the current situation, to guide model review and future decision making.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed towards the development of a method to allow improved and more accurate and effective representation of at least part of an organisation and, in particular, to provide a model which allows improved decision making to be implemented with respect to the organisation represented by the model. It should be appreciated that the term "organisation" is hereonin used to mean an undertaking of some form, which may be an endeavour, an initiative, programme, or a legal entity which is publically or privately owned.
2. Prior Art
Increasingly, and particularly with larger organisations, there is a need for the organisation to be able to deliver against its objectives, and, in order to do so the organisation needs to be able to continually plan, communicate and monitor its operations, performance, and achievement of outcomes. This, in turn, poses a need for confident, collaborative, continual, evidence-based decision making, to be performed throughout the organisation. The ability to make such decisions poses a need for effective understanding of the current situation as it evolves, including identification of critical and imperative aspects, the future options, and the implications of adopting each of those options within the organisation.
The need for effective decision making is particularly important in times of financial and economic constraints where the impact of an incorrect decision can be dramatic on the wellbeing of the organisation at the time of the decision being made and/or in the future. Thus, when the focus on effective use of resources is critical, the need to make the correct decisions, or at least to make decisions based on the most practical and accurate model of an organisation, is a high priority, at all levels of the organisation.
The need to manage decision making is known and is an important strategic discipline. In general, conventional decision management approaches are dominated by two diverse approaches, neither of which, in practice, is satisfactory. In the first case, the instinct of one or more persons, otherwise known as "gut feel" (or "military judgement" as it is called in the defence sector) is used which is based on the belief that senior personnel within the organisation are suitably equipped to take decisions based on their subject matter experience or domain knowledge. Absolute trust in this approach has been shown to be a dangerous strategy, particularly in fast-moving times, where unpredictable factors may be at play. At the opposite end of the decision making management approach is the reliance on historical data which issued to make predictions of future events and for the making of decisions computed from data stores using the identification of correlations and extrapolations. Trust in this purely analytical approach has similarly been shown to be dangerous due to the risk of "conditioning on the data", which enhances convenience but at the cost of accuracy: i.e. it is possible that important contributing factors are omitted from analysis simply because they are not reflected in the currently available data and that the reliability of using historical data in relation to future events which may be exposed to different parameters is shown to be poor.
Known systems which utilise enterprise architecture and modelling are described in patent documents WO0177872, US2004249645 which disclose the concept of enterprise modelling, but assume that the model is structural and is used for generation of software applications (in this case, relating to process control) rather than as a basis for the broad understanding of business and incorporation of performance aspects to provide decision support beyond software design. The use of performance modelling and optimisation is disclosed in patent documents US2007234277, US2008163164, and US2009138549, all of which address the modelling of performance measures for purposes of business decision making, but lack inclusion of enterprise architecture concept to give context and depth to performance considerations. Typically there is no ability to drill down through current performance to investigate contributing business process and associated services.
It is also known from WO2009094290 to include the concept of business modelling with integrated performance aspects, but this does not deal with the breadth of enterprise such that they do not address business process, and/or organisational accountabilities and therefore provide a more formal model to support more mathematical optimisation approach around objectives and constraints. The patent document US2009177625 addresses the concept of query mechanisms to extract complex data sets from information systems, but do not seek to align the results with a general enterprise business model. It is also known to provide systems to provide models of organisation without any dynamic input.
Other patents such as US20080130605 address specific aspects of rule formulation that are relevant to the method described herein, but such patents do not specify any wider method within which rules might be embodied. There are also systems, such as that disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/434,344, which describe a complete software framework for automated decision management. Such approaches focus on the underlying software architecture for decision execution, without addressing the question of how the decision space is formulated. The applicant's co-pending application US20110087614 discloses a system whereby a model of the organisation can be developed and the users of the model are able to access the model in a manner so as to obtain different viewpoints of the organisation via the model which make the model, and the results obtained from use of the same, more relevant to the user.
The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a system for allowing informed and reliable decision making to be achieved by means of reference to a model which provides a more accurate and realistic representation of the organisation in relation to which the decisions are to be made. A further aim is to provide a system by which the model can be generated, and continually pr periodically adapted, in a reliable manner to represent the organisation accurately.

Method and apparatus for model based decision making


Granular absorbent products with low amounts of paper fiber are described. The absorbent products are made from recycled paper and include less than about 10% of paper fibers having a length sufficient to be retained on a 100 mesh screen. A process for making such granular absorbent products is also provided. The granular absorbents are highly absorbent for water and oil even though they include only low amounts of paper fiber.

When paper such as ledger or magazine paper is recycled by first breaking the paper down into a pulp slurry containing its individual components, long cellulose fibers are recovered that are useful for making tissue or other paper products. The slurry also contains a significant amount of other materials including primarily kaolin clay and short cellulose fibers which are not useful for making tissue. In an effort to make use of the maximum amount of these other materials, various products have been developed. For example, such materials have been used to make various absorbent products including floor and other absorbents and cat litter.
Desirable characteristics for granular absorbent products include a high rate of absorption of liquids, a high bulk density, and a high resistance to attrition. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,751 (the '751 patent) discloses pellets that may be impregnated or coated with a variety of substances, including fertilizers, pesticides, odor reducing substances, and colorants to provide a variety of different absorbent products, including cat box filler, fertilizers, soil conditioners and floor absorbent. The '751 patent discloses the use of paper sludge in amounts between ten percent and fifty percent of the total mass of the agglomerated solids. However, the absorbency is less than ideal as seen in the examples which include pellets having 50% paper sludge and 50% clay fibers, a bulk density of 38 lbs/ft and only 78% absorbency (see Chart 2, sample 008).
Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,564 (the '564 patent) which is directed to non-clay agricultural granules. The '564 patent discloses an agricultural granule capable of carrying and releasing incorporated biocidal or nutritional agricultural chemicals. The granule is formed by the agitative agglomeration of a plant fiber slurry and resembles a clay granule in all respects except for its chemical inertness. The '564 patent states:
At 10% fiber and below granule formation is very poor and produces a quantity of fine powder residue having between 87-88.6% ash. Attrition rates also increase as fiber content decreases, and at less than 10% fiber, granules were often too friable to obtain accurate attrition data. Finally, the percentage of fines (granules of less than 60 Mesh) obtained remained fairly constant from 100% fiber down to 40% and then increased markedly. Fines contained about 89.1% or almost entirely filler.
(Column 6, line 61 through column 7, line 2).
Clay products, such as those described in the '751 patent, have the disadvantage of low absorbency when mixed with paper sludge, and relatively high attrition rates when the fiber content is low, as described in the '564 patent. When used as a floor absorbent, it is desirable that the granules retain their integrity after absorbing water or oil from the floor.


Method and apparatus for an ultra-drowsy circuit for use in lower power operational modes are described.

Techniques may be available to lower power operation in certain devices, particularly those devices using batteries as the power source. New modes of operation have been incorporated into some devices so as to reduce power usage when the device is not in full operation. For example, a device may be placed in a "sleep mode" when power is shut off to the device when not in operation. In another example, a device may be placed in a "drowsy mode," where the power supply is still on but the voltage is reduced so that the difference between a "1" voltage level and a "0" voltage level is smaller than it would be in normal operation. The circuits supporting such lower power operations, however, may still consume significant amounts of space and power. Reductions in circuit size may further decrease battery size, which may comprise a significant factor in the size and weight of the overall device. Consequently, there may be a need for improvements in power reduction techniques.


When dubbing information from a first recording medium to a second recording medium, control information including a start ID is recorded at appropriate timing. For example, when the fourth music selection recorded on a CD is reproduced for recording on a magnetic tape, the reproducing operation is started at a position (4, 00, 36) (represented by data TNC, INDEX, and FRAME) preceding the start position (4, 01, 46) of the fourth music. When a position (4, 00, 40) is detected, a record directing signal for directing the recording of the start ID is output to a digital magnetic tape recorder selection. This ensures the recording of the start ID prior to the recording on the magnetic tape of the start position of the fourth music selection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing apparatus for reproducing information from a first recording medium such as a compact disc (hereinafter abbreviated as CD), on which main information such as music information and control (subcode) information such as music number and time information are recorded, and for recording the main information on a second recording medium, such as a magnetic tape, along with subcode information such as a program start signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dubbing apparatus for recording (dubbing) information such as music signals prerecorded on a CD or the like onto a magnetic tape are disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Nos.JP-A 63-70973 (1988) and JP-A 1-251361 (1989). One such dubbing apparatus comprises, as shown in FIG. 1, a CD player section 31 and a digital magnetic tape recorder section 32 interconnected via a terminal 33.
In the CD player section 31, a signal detected by an optical pickup 34 is amplified by an RF amplifier, 35 and is fed to a signal processing circuit 36 to extract a digital signal such as an audio signal. In some apparatus, the digital signal from the signal processing circuit 36 is directly output from the CD player section 31, but in most apparatus, the digital signal is converted to an analog signal by a D/A converter 37 for output at the terminal 33 so that the signal can also be supplied to an audio output terminal (not shown).
In the digital magnetic tape recorder section 32, the analog signal transferred through the terminal 33 is converted by an A/D converter 38 into a digital signal which is then fed to a signal processing circuit 39 where such processing as modulation and the addition of subcode information, etc. is performed. The signal from the signal processing circuit 39 is amplified by an amplifier 40 for recording on a magnetic tape (not shown) by means of a magnetic head 41.
In the thus constructed dubbing apparatus, in order to record a start ID automatically, a level sensor 42 is used to detect the level of the analog audio signal supplied from the CD player section 31. For example, when the sound level lower than -6OdB continues, for example, for 3 seconds or more (this level somewhat varies from one apparatus to another but is set to practically optimum level), the level sensor 42 determines that it is an intermusic space, and when a signal is detected after that, the level sensor 42 determines that it is the beginning of music, and provides a detection signal to the signal processing circuit 39. The signal processing circuit 39 performs control so that the start ID is recorded on the magnetic tape in response to the detection signal supplied from the level sensor 42.
In the dubbing apparatus shown in FIG.2, the signal processing circuit 36 in the CD player section 31 is so configured that the CD subcode information is provided to a terminal 44. To this terminal 44 is connected a beginning-of-music detector 43 in the digital magnetic tape recorder section 32. Based on the subcode information, the beginning-of-music detector 43 detects the position where the music number changes or where the music playing time becomes zero, determines such detected position as the beginning of music, and provides a detection signal to the signal processing circuit 39. The signal processing circuit 39 performs control so that the start ID is recorded on the magnetic tape in response to the detection signal supplied from the beginning-of-music detector 43.
In the dubbing apparatus of FIG.1, a change in the audio signal level is detected during producing of a CD by the CD player section 31, and after determining the change as the beginning of music, the signal processing circuit 39 outputs a start ID control signal for recording of the start ID. Therefore, the signal processing circuit 39 must perform arithmetic processing between the time the change is detected and the time the start ID is recorded, which causes a delay in the timing of recording the start ID. In other words, the start ID is recorded at a position past the correct music beginning position, the resulting problem being that a dropout of sound occurs in the beginning of music when reproducing the music by using the start ID.
The dubbing apparatus of FIG.2 has a similar problem to that of the foregoing apparatus of FIG.1. It has the further problem that the subcode information recorded on the CD cannot be utilized effectively.

Recording/reproducing apparatus for recording starting identification information prior to a recording start position