A power converter and method are presented. The power converter may have a pass device, a replica device, a feedback circuit, and a regulation circuit. The pass device may be coupled on a first electrical path between an input terminal of the power converter and an output terminal of the power converter. The replica device may be coupled on a second electrical path between the input terminal and the output terminal, wherein a coupling node is arranged on the second electrical path between the replica device and the output terminal. The feedback circuit may generate, based on a reference voltage and an output voltage at the output terminal, a control signal for controlling both the pass device and the replica device. The regulation circuit may reduce a voltage difference between a coupling voltage at the coupling node and the output voltage at the output terminal of the power converter.

A low-dropout or LDO regulator is a DC linear voltage regulator capable of regulating the output voltage even when the input voltage is very close to the output voltage. The LDO linear regulator may reduce power consumption by providing a very low voltage drop across the linear regulator. As shown in FIG. 1, a LDO regulator 1 conventionally includes an error amplifier 13 which compares a voltage reference to a sample of an output voltage. The output of the amplifier 13 is coupled via a driver circuit 15 to a control terminal of a pass device 11 which serves to "pass" current from the unregulated input terminal of the LDO regulator 1 to the regulated output terminal of the voltage regulator 1. The feedback control loop formed by the amplifier 13, the driver circuit 15 and pass device 11 implements a negative feedback and forces the control terminal of the pass device 11 to a dynamic voltage value that maintains a regulated voltage at the output terminal of the voltage regulator 1.
One problem in LDO regulators is caused by the external wiring at the input of the LDO regulator 1. As depicted in FIG. 1, said external wiring is modelled by a parasitic resistor RSUP 17 and by the parasitic inductor LSUP 18. In particular the latter parasitic inductor LSUP 18 may cause undesirable oscillations in combination e.g. with the gate-source capacitance of the pass device 11. These oscillations may disturb operation of the feedback control loop, especially when the input voltage is close to the target output voltage. In this situation, a difference between the currents through a replica device 10 and the pass device 11 may reduce stability of the feedback control loop.
In order to counteract the described stability problems, a decoupling capacitor CDECOUP 14 is implemented between the input of the LDO regulator 1 and a reference potential (such as e.g. ground). If the size of said decoupling capacitor CDECOUP 14 is large enough and/or if the negative feedback generated by the feedback control loop is strong enough, the regulation function of LDO regulator 1 remains unaffected by said negative influences of the external wiring.

Feedback scheme for stable LDO regulator operation


A paper-making machine for making a paper web from a fiber suspension includes a headbox having a plurality of walls defining a chamber, and an inlet connected to at least one of the walls and disposed in fluid communication with the chamber. The inlet is configured to receive the fiber suspension. The headbox also has a discharge nozzle disposed in fluid communication with the chamber. The discharge nozzle defines an outlet from which the fiber suspension is discharged. The headbox also includes a sonic transducer, associated with the discharge nozzle, for transmitting sonic energy into the fiber suspension within the discharge nozzle and thereby substantially deflocculating the fiber suspension within the discharge nozzle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to paper-making machines, and, more particularly, to an ultrasonic deflocculating device for use in paper-making machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
A paper-making machine is used for making a fiber web, such as a paper web, from a fiber suspension. The fiber suspension is typically in the form of fibers, such as wood fibers, which are suspended in water. The fiber suspension is introduced into a headbox, such as a valley (TM) or a hydraulic headbox, at the wet end of the machine. The headbox discharges the fiber suspension from an outlet of a discharge nozzle which causes the exiting fiber suspension to have a particular cross-sectional profile. The fiber suspension is transferred onto a forming fabric on the wet end of the machine as it leaves the headbox.
It is necessary to treat the fiber suspension which is introduced into the headbox such that the fiber web produced as the end product is of a particular quality with minimal defects. Fox example, the fiber suspension may be cleaned and bleached prior to introduction into the headbox. Another factor associated with the fiber suspension which tends to affect the quality of the fiber web is the tendency of the fibers within the fiber suspension to clump together, which may also ultimately result in clumps of fibers within the produced fiber web. Such clumping is believed to be a result of hydro entanglement of the fibers during which the fibers spin together and become tangled. The clumped fibers are not solid particles, but rather are tangled fibers. The tendency of the fibers within the fiber suspension to clump together is known as "flocculation" of the fiber suspension.
It is known to place a mechanical device within the headbox for the purpose of agitating the fiber suspension and thereby deflocculating the fiber suspension. For example, one or more rotatable rolls may be placed within the headbox. Such rolls, known as distributor rolls, typically are in the form of hollow rolls with a plurality of perforations at the periphery thereof. Rotation of the distributor rolls agitates the fiber suspension and deflocculates the fiber suspension within the headbox.
Further, it is known to place a vertical partition within a headbox for the purpose of deflocculating the fiber suspension. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,765 (Graf), assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a vertical partition with a cross-sectional profile which provides effective deflocculation of the fiber suspension within the headbox within a range of flow rates of the fiber suspension.
With the use of the above-mentioned mechanical deflocculation devices, flow disturbances such as so-called "eddy currents", or "eddies", or microcurrents, occur within the fiber suspension at the walls of the headbox. Eddies are caused by adhesion between the walls and the fiber suspension, and may be detrimental to paper quality.
Another problem with the above-mentioned deflocculation devices is that reflocculation occurs in the fiber suspension before it exits the discharge nozzle of the headbox. Known deflocculation devices as described above are placed either within the inlet portion or the main chamber of the headbox. However, reflocculation can occur after deflocculation within a fraction of a second after the fiber suspension flows out of the effective range of the deflocculation device. The fiber suspension flows through the headbox at a rate which is slow enough to allow the fiber suspension to reflocculate before leaving the headbox. Known deflocculation devices may therefore not totally prevent the formation of "flocs" in the paper web.
It is also known to place an ultrasonic device within an explosion block associated with an inlet of a headbox. The ultrasonic device, in conjunction with the explosion block, functions to suspend solid particles such as clays, fillers, fines, colors, pigments, and/or mercury within a fiber suspension in a paper-making machine. The ultrasonic device and explosion block conjunctively break up the solid matter into very fine particles which may be then adequately suspended within the fiber suspension. Such an ultrasonic device is not used for deflocculation of the fiber suspension, and in fact would not even inherently work for effective deflocculation of the fiber suspension. That is, reflocculation of the fiber suspension would quickly occur within the headbox since such an ultrasonic device is placed at the inlet to the headbox, as indicated above with respect to mechanical deflocculation devices.
What is needed in the art is a device which deflocculates the fiber suspension immediately prior to discharge from the headbox such that reflocculation does not occur, and which does not obstruct the flow of the fiber suspension through the discharge nozzle or create eddies.

Ultrasonic device for deflocculating fiber suspension in a paper-making machine headbox nozzle

Voith Sulzer Technology North America, Inc


A communication system that allows a soft handoff to be completed, even when the communications link between the active base station and the mobile station deteriorates before the mobile station has received the handoff direction message. The mobile station maintains a list of base stations that the mobile station is in communication with, referred to as an “Active Set”. In addition, the mobile station maintains another list of base stations that are proximate to the base stations in the active set. This list is referred to as the “Neighbor Set”. A memory within the mobile station includes information that would allow the mobile station to demodulate information transmitted from those base stations on the neighbor set. In accordance with the disclosed method and apparatus, the mobile station places a base station in the active set upon including the base station in a pilot strength measurement message (PSMM). The mobile station monitors transmissions from all of the base stations on the active set to receive a handoff direction message (HDM).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly to an improved method and system for handing off communications between cells or sectors of a wireless communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless cellular communications is becoming a convention method for people to communicate with one another. A conventional wireless cellular communication system in accordance with an industry standard commonly known as IS-95B, which is issued by the Telecommunications Industry Association and Electronics Industry Association (TIA/EIA) defines the way in which one type of wireless cellular communications are performed. In accordance with IS-95B, a mobile station (such as a wireless cellular mobile telephone) communicates with other mobile stations, a conventional telephone, or other such communication devices over a communications link that includes at least one cellular base station. The mobile station transmits a radio signal to the cellular base station. The cellular base station establishes a connection to a wired network that might include conventional telephone circuits (commonly known as the public switched telephone network (PSTN)).
A mobile station need only establish communication through one base station at a time in order to communicate with a device at the other end of the communications link (i.e., make a "call"). However, as a mobile station moves, the mobile station and the base station may lose the ability to communicate over the radio link. For example, if the mobile station moves outside the range of the base station or if an obstruction comes between the mobile station and the base station, the communications between the mobile and base stations will be interrupted. Therefore, the placement of base stations is planned such that there is an overlap between the coverage areas of each base station. This overlap ensures that a mobile station can contact at least one base station in every geographic point intended to be covered by the system. This is important because if the mobile loses contact with all base stations for any substantial amount of time, the call is "dropped". Once a call is dropped, the call must be reestablished by the mobile station redialing the call.
Due to the substantial overlap between base station coverage areas, a procedure known as "soft handoff" can be performed. Soft handoff is a process in which the mobile station receives identical signals from both a first and a second base station. A mobile station will preferably enter soft handoff (i.e., signals from a second base station will be received by the mobile station) whenever a second station becomes available. Soft handoff ensures that a call is not dropped as the mobile station moves out of the coverage area of a first base station and into the coverage area of a second base station.
One conventional method for performing a soft handoff is illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a mobile station 101, a first base station 103, a second base station 105, and a mobile switching center (MSC) 107. In addition, the time sequence of communications between each is illustrated as follows. Arrowheads that terminate on the vertical line 109 that descends from the mobile station 101, for example, represent signals received by the mobile station 101. Arrows that terminate without an arrow head (i.e., at originate) at the vertical line 109 represent signals that have been transmitted from the mobile station 101. Arrows that are closer to the top of the figure represent signals that are transmitted before signals represented by arrows closer to the bottom of the figure. In some instances, an arrow that is above another arrow may represent a signal that is transmitted continuously and thus may be transmitted concurrent with the signal represented by the lower arrow. For example, the traffic signal represented by arrow 111 may continue to be transmitted concurrent with the pilot strength measurement message (PSMM) that is represented by arrow 113.
As shown in FIG. 1, the traffic signal 111 is initially transmitted between the mobile station 101 and the base station 103. The traffic that is transmitted from the mobile station 101 to the base station 103 is then sent on to the MSC 107 by the base station 103. Likewise, traffic that originates at the MSC 107 is sent to the base station 103. This traffic is then transmitted from the base station 103 to the mobile station 101. When the mobile station 101 detects a pilot from the second base station 105 with sufficient power, the mobile station 101 transmits a PSMM to the first base station 103 indicating the pilot strength of all the pilots that are currently being received at a signal level that is above a predetermined threshold. In the case shown in FIG. 1, the PSMM indicates that the mobile station 101 is receiving pilot signals that are above the predetermined threshold from both the first base station 103 and the second base station 105. This PSMM is then transmitted from the first base station 103 to the MSC 107, as represented by arrow 115. The MSC 107 responds to the receipt of this PSMM by requesting the second base station 105 to allocate resources to establishing a communication link between the second base station 105 and the mobile station 101, as represented by the block 116. In addition, the MSC 107 generates a handoff direction message (HDM). The HDM is transmitted from MSC 107 to the first base station 103, represented by the arrow 117, after a time delay, represented by the arrow 119. The HDM message is then transmitted from the first base station 103 to the mobile station 101, represented by the arrow 121. The HDM indicates to the mobile station 101 that a request has been made for the second base station 105 to allocate resources to establishing a communications path between the second base station 105 and the mobile station 101.
The mobile station 101 responds to the HDM by adding the second base station 105 to the "Active Set" in the mobile station 101 and transmitting a handoff completion message (HDM) to both the first base station 103 and the second base station 105, represented by the arrows 123, 125. Both the first and second base stations 103, 105 transmit the HCM to the MSC 107, represented by the arrows 127, 129. The active set in the mobile station 101 indicates which base stations are actively in communication with the mobile station 101. Traffic will then be transmitted from the MSC 107 to the mobile station 101 through both the first and second base stations 103, 105.
This procedure works well in most cases. However, in some cases, the pilot transmitted from the second base station 105 is received by the mobile station shortly before the signals received from the first base station 103 can no longer be received by the mobile station 101. If the time delay between receipt of the PSMM 115 and the transmission of the HDM from the first base station 103 is such that the communication link between the mobile station 101 and the first base station 103 deteriorates before the HDM can be received from the first base station 103 by the mobile station 101, then the call will drop.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for robust handoff in wireless communication system


The present invention is a method of fabricating a semiconductor array. According to the present invention, a semiconductor layer having an upper surface is formed. A masking layer is then formed on the semiconductor layer. The masking layer is then patterned. The semiconductor layer is etched in alignment with the patterned masking layer to define memory array features. The gap between the features is filled with the dielectric material which is softer than the masking layer with respect to a planarization

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of vertically stacked field programmable non-volatile memories and more specifically to methods of fabricating memory arrays utilizing a hard mask.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Recently there has been an interest in fabricating memories having memory cells disposed at numerous levels above a substrate. Each level includes a plurality of spaced-apart first lines extending in one direction which are vertically separated from a plurality of parallel spaced-apart second lines extending perpendicular to the first line. Cells are disposed between the first lines and second lines at the intersections of these lines. These memories are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,835,396 and 6,034,882. Unfortunately, during the fabrication of the lines during the planarization of a gap fill dielectric between the lines, the lines can become eroded which detrimentally effects the reliability and performance of the fabricated memory array.
The present invention is a method of fabricating a semiconductor array. According to the present invention, a semiconductor layer having an upper surface is formed. A masking layer is then formed on the semiconductor layer. The masking layer is then patterned. The semiconductor layer is etched in alignment with the patterned masking layer to define memory array features. The gap between the features is filled with the dielectric material which is softer than the masking layer with respect to a planarization step. The dielectric material is then planarized with the masking layer acting as a polish stop.

Method of forming nonvolatile memory device utilizing a hard mask


A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting head that can eject a solution; a rotational body that has a circumferential surface which can accommodate the solution ejected from the ejecting head; a scraper that can come into sliding contact with the circumferential surface of the rotational body; and an accommodation container that accommodates the solution which is scraped off from the circumferential surface by the scraper. The accommodation container has a liquid storage section that stores a liquid which can dissolve a solute component of the solution.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid such as an ink.
2. Related Art
In the related art, there is an ink jet type printer that ejects a solution (for example, ink) containing a solute component (for example, pigment) on a medium (for example, sheet) to perform printing, as a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid.
In such a printer, a technology is known which ejects an ink toward a belt member to suppress the clogging of a nozzle from which the ink is ejected. A scraper scrapes off an ink attached onto the belt member and the scraped ink is accommodated in a waste container (for example, JP-A-2011-161690).
There is a problem that, when the waste container accommodates an ink solidified on the belt member or an ink accommodated in the waste container solidifies, the solidified ink is deposited in the waste container, such that the waste container cannot be used in spite of the fact that there is still empty gaps in the waste container.
Such a problem is not limited to a printer that is configured to accommodate an ink attached onto the belt member in the waste container, and the problem is generally common to a liquid ejecting apparatus equipped with an accommodation container that accommodates a solution with a possibility of the solute component solidifying.


A direct type backlight module with a diffuser plate and its manufacturing method for application to an LCD TV is provided. The diffuser plate has a plurality of columnar lenticular lens surfaces for scattering incident light to increase its light uniformity and reducing the quantity of light dispersant in the diffuser plate in the range of from 30% to 50% to increase light transmission ratio. Through the use of vertical or horizontal lenticular lenses of at least one columnar lenticular lens surface the diffusion degree in every direction is adjusted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a direct type of backlight module with a diffuser plate and the manufacturing method thereof, which provides a diffuser plate having a plurality of columnar lenticular lens surfaces for scattering light to provide a uniform and stable panel of a backlight module.
2. Description of the Related Art
A backlight module, is also called a backlight plate, and provides the light for an LCD panel, the emitting light source for which must have the characteristics of high brightness and a long lifespan. The light sources currently used include Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp, Light Emitting Diode (LED), Electroluminescent panel (EL), of which the CCFL is the most widely used and is of two types, a direct type and a side type.
An LCD has been used in personal information products for close distance use; therefore, requiring a brightness in an approximate range of from 250 to 350 nits. In order to match the requirement for TV long distance viewing, a brightness requirement will be over 500 nits. Because liquid crystals are a self-luminescent material, a light source from a lamp is required. A product under 20″ adopts side light sources, and enhances light uniformity and efficiency by use of a diaphragm of a light guide plate and prism sheet, using 2 to 8 lamp tubes. Because the criteria of brightness and non-visual loss for an LCD TV are higher, a direct type light source becomes the mainstream for large monitor and large TV.
Moreover, the large LCD applications are mainly for notebook PCs and LCD Monitors, that require the characteristics of a backlight module that emphasizes lightweight, thin shape, and small volume. Relatively, while developing a backlight for an LCD TV, the required criteria was developing a brightness of at least over 450 cd/m2, broad viewing angle (current selling products achieving 170 degrees), fresh image contrast (current LCD TV have about 500:1; PDP of about 1000:1), and a suitable lifespan criteria (current product test value is about 60 thousand hours). Based on the above aforementioned criteria, the direct type backlight module has become the technology mainstream for large LCD TV applications. The primary concept of its design is to satisfy the requirement of higher brightness. The illumination module is that of a side light which was used for reducing weight and thickness of the illumination module, where light is scattered uniformly by a direct type light and transformed into a flat light source to enter into the liquid crystal panel. The product structure of a "direct type backlight module" is showing as FIG. 1, which is a structural diagram of a direct type backlight module of the prior art. The direct type backlight module 1′ comprises of a reflector 10′, a plurality of light sources 20′, and a diffuser 30′. Referring to FIG. 1A., which is a diagram illustrating light moving within the prior art diffuser plate, showing that when the light enters into the diffuser plate 30′ and contacts a plurality of light dispersant bodies 32′ within said diffuser plate 30′, the light is subject to non-directional scattering, and is even absorbed by light dispersant bodies 32′.
The characteristics of the technology of the direct type module is as follows:
1. Low Uniformity
The reason is that while using a direct type backlight module is to satisfy the requirement of high brightness, while the size of the module is consideration for relative sacrifice. Therefore, more lamp tubes are used and tend to cause a situation of light and dark stripes, and have a certain influence on uniformity.
2. Thick Module Thickness
Although more lamp tubes increase luminance, the thermal energy resulting from the lamp tubes are relatively high, which can easily cause a change in color under different color temperatures to high sensitivity liquid crystal molecules and color photo resist. Direct type backlight modules usually have a deepened thickness to adjust their depth to match the specification requirements corresponding to the number of lamp tubes and whole luminance.
3. High Light Efficiency
Direct type backlights avoid the side light which causes, in part, light loss and side smear light, and using an aluminum backing plate to reflect stray light to the output windows enhances the whole light energy efficiency.
4. Fewer Assembly Parts Category
It can be observed from FIG. 1 that there is no use of a light guide plate of the side backlight module. Because the function of a light guide plate in the side backlight module is to generate repetitive reflection of a side CCFL light source or LED point light sources by using a dot pattern structure on the light guide plate to derive a uniform light source, direct type light is injected from below, and only requires the diffuser to accomplish uniformity without a light guide plate being included. As for use of a prism sheet part, after increasing the number of lamp tubes and strengthening luminance, removal of the prism sheet can be considered to avoid viewing angle limitations after focusing the light and considering the specification requirements of viewing angle applied to large panels, especially for LCD TVs. On the whole, a direct type backlight module requires less assembly parts than a side type one, but the number of CCFLs is relatively larger.
The direct backlight module is an important device for uniform scattering of light that uses a diffuser plate to replace the light guide plate of a side type light source. The diffuser plate provides light scattering as its primary function, such as in a light box, and light signboard (even a light box used for X-ray examination in a hospital) all use a similar diffuser plate to scatter light uniformly. However, while the diffusion efficiency of early diffuser plates fit the requirement, the light transmission ratio and uniformity is still not enough to use for display applications, having the defect of insufficient brightness. Generally speaking, the transmission rate of the whole light area of these diffuser plates is in a range of from 30% to 50% and that already does not satisfy the requirements, of high brightness for a display. Japanese diffuser plate manufacturers have recently been devoted to solving these defects, by adding different categories of light dispersants and under strict controls of the process, the light transmission efficiency and uniformity have been successfully improved. Although transmission rate has increased in a range from 50% to 70%, the greater transmission rate requirement for LCDs has not satisfied consumers, besides, the cost of light dispersant material still remains high.
Therefore the direct type is the only choice for backlighting of an LCD TV because the characteristics of LCD TV require high uniformity and high efficiency of light diffusion effect to provide stable and uniform light for the liquid crystal panel. The required technology must emphasize high transmission rate and high diffusion of the diffuser plate nowadays.
Therefore, a direct type backlight module with a diffuser plate and its manufacturing method are proposed to solve the defects of low transmission rate and low diffusion caused from too much conventional light dispersant material.

Direct type backlight module of diffuser plate and its manufacturing method thereof


A method for simulating the statistical behavior of atmospheric, meteorological, or other geophysical time series having the following steps: (a) assembling an ensemble of observed data; (b) removing any evident cycles; (c) calculating the eigensystem and expansion coefficient according to the Loève theorem; (d) determining the distribution of said coefficients; (e) generating a larger set of coefficients based on the statistical distribution determined in step (d); and (f) using this larger distribution to create an ensemble of simulated atmospheric, meteorological, or other geophysical time series. The procedure can be used to develop a wide variety of climate statistics, including probabilities of severe events such as cold snaps or heat waves covering specific geographic regions and lasting for various periods of time. It can also be used to provide an evolving conditional estimate of the probabilities of extensive climate deviations persisting until the end of a month, season, or other period. The method is particularly useful for generating an extensive sample of simulated time histories to serve as the meteorological or geophysical input to a nonlinear computer model of an application or activity. In all of these applications, the invention provides information for assessing, managing, and mitigating risk arising from weather, climate, or other geophysical phenomena or processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of weather and climate simulation. In particular, the invention relates to improved methods for modeling and simulating the statistical characteristics of atmospheric, meteorological, or other geophysical time series, including the probability of rare events. The invention is useful to persons whose business, decisions, or activities are affected by statistical characteristics of the weather, climate, or other geophysical variables, including those related to the ocean and the land surface. Thus the invention provides information for assessing, managing, and mitigating risk arising from weather, climate, or other geophysical phenomena or processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The need for reliable simulation of weather variables is accelerating as attempts to manage weather and climate risk turn to analytical and computer models of the interactions between weather and weather sensitive activities in which large amounts of money are at stake. In contrast with the present technique, other schemes in use depend on the generation of random sequences (such as Brownian motion) or involve boot strapping techniques with parameters whose values are not defined or determined rigorously or unambiguously. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improved weather and climate simulation methods. This is the need addressed by the present invention.

Weather and climate variable prediction for management of weather and climate risk


A technique is disclosed that attempts to improve the evaluation of a network path's signal quality, as well as the selection of a network path for transmission purposes, without some of the costs and disadvantages of doing so in the prior art. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, a node with access to the packet network, such as a VoIP telephone endpoint, evaluates the quality of service that is associated with each of multiple network paths. The evaluation process is iterative, in which the number of candidate paths is successively reduced from one iteration of the technique to the next. The multiple paths that remain as candidates in any given iteration are evaluated concurrently and at an evaluation bit rate that i) is less than the full transmission rate of the real-time traffic (VoIP) packets to be sent and ii) varies as a function of the number of candidate paths remaining under consideration.

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a telecommunications network in the prior art, such as the Internet, which transports data packets from one node to another. Each endpoint, server, router, or other device that is capable of transmitting and/or receiving packets in the network is generically referred to as a "network node," or simply "node." A node that originates one or more packets, as part of a packet stream, is referred to as a "source node," and a node that acts as the terminus for a packet stream is referred to as a "destination node." For the purposes of this specification, a "network path" is defined as the physical transmission route between a pair of source and destination nodes in a network.
The service provided by a network path is characterized by its signal quality. An important aspect of signal quality is "quality of service," which, for the purposes of this specification, is defined as a function of one or more of the bandwidth, error rate, and latency from one node to another. For the purposes of this specification, the "bandwidth" from one node to another is defined as an indication of the amount of information per unit time that can be transported from the first node to the second. Typically, bandwidth is measured in bits or bytes per second. For the purposes of this specification, the "error rate" from one node to another is defined as an indication of the amount of information that is corrupted as it travels from the first node to the second. Typically, error rate is measured in bit errors per number of bits transmitted or in packets lost per number of packets transmitted. For the purposes of this specification, the "latency" from one node to another is defined as an indication of how much time is required to transport information from one node to another. Typically, latency is measured in seconds.
In the transmission of any packet stream, there is a source node and a destination node. The two nodes can be the same type of device, such as two Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephone clients, or can be different devices, such as a personal computer with a browser and a web server. Of course, the source node for one packet stream can be the destination node for another packet stream.
Some applications—for example, e-mail—are generally more tolerant of the quality of service provided by the network path, but some other applications—particularly VoIP telephony and streaming audio and video—are generally very sensitive. While some network paths provide quality-of-service guarantees, many others, including most of those through the Internet, do not. The result is that the provisioning of applications like telephony through the Internet can require transmitting some packets of a given packet stream across one network path and, as the quality of service changes, transmitting subsequent packets of the same stream across another network path, in order to maintain the required or preferred quality-of-service level. This requires evaluating the various possible network paths in a timely and efficient manner.
A technique exists of using what is referred to as a "relay node" to improve or maintain quality of service in a network that is without a quality-of-service guarantee. The relay node is positioned within the network between a source node and destination node, is addressable by the source node, and is able to relay traffic packets to the destination node. The relay node operates by forwarding certain packets received from a source node to the destination node that is specified by the source node. Relay nodes are discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/201892, filed on Aug. 11, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.
One of the persistent and difficult problems in this area involves finding new relay nodes to use, quickly and efficiently, such as when the quality of service in a given path has degraded or because of a user-initiated or a network administrator-initiated change. In a first technique of the prior art, a new relay node is selected randomly. This has the advantage of being quick and of not creating excess probing traffic in the network, which can itself degrade the quality of service (QoS) of other traffic-carrying channels. This solution is disadvantageous, however, in that the random selection of a new relay node does not always yield a path through the new node with better QoS than before.
In a second technique of the prior art, a comprehensive examination of a number of randomly-selected relay nodes is conducted, followed by the selection of a path through a relay node found to have an acceptable QoS. Examining the nodes serially is typically too slow to be useful, unless an acceptable node is found early in the search. But examining the nodes in parallel typically creates enough congestion to adversely affect the QoS of other traffic-carrying channels in the network.
The need exists, therefore, for an invention that improves the evaluation of the signal qualities that are associated with multiple network paths, as well as the selection of one of those paths to handle the transmission of packets.

Evaluating feasible transmission paths in a packet network


In skiing ground facilities having a plurality of artificial snow manufacturing apparatuses of ice crushing type, this invention provides a system that is capable of precisely monitoring the respective artificial snow manufacturing apparatuses. This system comprises a monitoring apparatus, connected to the artificial snow manufacturing apparatus, for monitoring the operation state of each artificial snow manufacturing apparatus. This system has an outer monitoring apparatus, which is provided at an outer monitoring site positioned at a location away from the skiing ground, and is selectively connected to the monitoring apparatus provided at each skiing ground, whereby making it possible to monitor the operation state of each artificial manufacturing apparatus of each skiing ground.

The present invention relates to indoor skiing ground facilities having a ski slope indoors, and particularly to an indoor skiing ground having various kinds of lighting fixtures.
In recent years, attention has focused on an indoor skiing ground as facilities that enable skiers to enjoy skiing regardless of seasons. The indoor skiing ground provides an artificial ski slope in the interior of a house whose temperature and humidity are controlled at given values. According to such an indoor skiing ground, the skiing ground can be constructed at the cities with no mountains, and skiers can enjoy skiing regardless of seasons as mentioned above.
Generally, the indoor skiing ground has difficulties in that skiers can not have the same expansive feeling as given by the natural skiing ground. Namely, in the indoor skiing ground, the ski slope is surrounded with the weal and roof in order to maintain the environment of snow (temperature, humidity and the like) around the ski slope, and there is no denying the fact that such indoor ski ground causes skiers to have a fixed cooped-up feeling.
As means for solving such a drawback, the provision of a retractable roof can be proposed. However, in such a skiing ground, there is a case that a large amount of cost is required for the construction and management. In the case of the fine weather, the roof can be opened, but must be closed in the cloudy or rainy days. The management of the opening and closing the roof and that of the change in the indoor temperature and the quality of snow resulting from the opening and closing the roof increase the cost.
The present invention has been made with consideration given to the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide indoor skiing ground facilities that can implement a space where skiers can enjoy skiing more than the outdoor skiing ground.
Another object of the present invention is to provide indoor skiing ground facilities that enable skiers to have the same expansive feeling as given by the outdoor skiing ground by an inexpensive method.
In order to attain the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an indoor skiing ground comprising a ski slope with a predetermined inclination on which skiers go downhill;
a wall for surrounding the ski slope to cut off atmosphere on the ski slope from outer atmosphere; a plurality of spray nozzles, arranged at the inner side of the wall, for generating a plurality of screens of mist, each having a predetermined shape, at upper portions of the ski slope; and a plurality of projectors, arranged at the inner side of the wall, for projecting predetermined images on the screens of mist to be shown to the skiers.
According to the above structure, various images are projected on the screens of mist to produce a virtual space with many ideas to the skiing ground. This makes it possible to compensate for drawbacks of the indoor skiing ground in which the skiers cannot experience the same expansive feeling as given by the outdoor skiing ground, the change of weather, and so on, and to give more pleasant feelings to the skiers. Moreover, according to the above structure, since the images are projected on the screens of mist formed on the ski slope, it is possible to reduce occurrence of danger and give thrilling experience to the skiers appropriately.
According to one mode for carrying out this present invention, the plurality of spray nozzles may be continuously arranged along a predetermined direction to generate the curtain-like screens of mist. The spray nozzles are continuously arranged along a width direction of the ski slope to generate the curtain-like screens of mist extending along the width direction, and the spray nozzles are desirably arranged at given intervals in an inclination direction of the ski slope to form the curtain-like screens of mist in the inclination direction. In this case, the projectors are provided at given intervals along, the inclination direction of the ski slope to project the image on each of the plurality of screens of mist.
According to the above structure, since the images are projected on the curtain-like screens of mist formed, it is possible to show images with good viewability. This makes it possible to form the screens of mist at a plurality of positions and to project different images on the respective screens of mist.
According to the other mode for carrying out this present invention, the indoor skiing ground further comprises control means for selectively operating the plurality of spray nozzles and the plurality of the projectors wherein the control means controls the operation of the spray nozzles and the projectors in accordance with a control pattern prepared depending on a predetermined scene. At this time, the control means desirably operates the spray nozzles or the projectors, or both in synchronization with downhill speed of the skiers.
According to the above structure, the screens of mist can be concurrently generated at the different locations of the ski slope and they may be shifted and generated. Also, the decision of spray time makes it possible to minimize deterioration in the quality of snow caused by the spray. The operation of the spray nozzles or the projectors, or both is controlled in synchronization with downhill speed of the skiers, whereby making it possible to produce the scene where, for example, the skier chases the image of the helicopter.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an indoor skiing ground comprising a ski slope with a predetermined inclination on which skiers go downhill; and a wall for surrounding the ski slope to cut off atmosphere on the ski slope from outer atmosphere, wherein the inner surface of the wall that surrounds the ski slope is formed to have a semicircular shape extending from one side portion to the other side portion, and a landscape that imitates sky is painted on the inner surface.
According to the above structure, the semicircular wall that extends from one side portion to the other side portion makes it possible to prevent a shadow from being generated at the time of illuminating landscapes and to implement scenery with depth. This makes it possible to give the skiers virtual reality as if they were in the outdoor skiing ground though this is the low-cost method.
According to one mode for carrying out this invention, the indoor skiing ground further comprises illuminators for illuminating the landscape on the inner surface of the wall and illuminators for illuminating the surface of the ski slope, separately.
According to the above structure, the landscape can be more efficiently illuminated.
According to one mode for carrying out this present invention, the landscape painted on the inner surface of the wall includes objects painted with fluorescent paint, the illuminators for illuminating the landscape are provided such that normal light and near-ultraviolet light for emitting the objects painted with fluorescent paint are changeable.
According to the above structure, painting, e.g., stars with fluorescent paint, makes it possible to implement the scene of stars in the night sky.
According to the other mode for carrying out this present invention, the illuminators for illuminating the surface of the ski slope include illuminators for daytime, which are used together with normal light with which the landscape is illuminated at the time of representing daytime, and illuminators for night, which are used in a state in which the normal light is turned off or weakened at the time of representing night.
According to the above structure, the use of illuminators for night can give the skiers the virtual reality as if they were skiing downhill outdoors at night.

Indoor skiing ground facilities having lighting fixtures


A document management system determines that a plurality of versions to be managed is a version to be stored in a file server or in a document management apparatus, the version that is determined to be stored in the file server apparatus and the property information are registered in the file server apparatus, and the version that is determined to be stored in the document management server apparatus and the property information are registered in the document management server apparatus. Information about registration destination in the version registered in the file server is stored in the document management server apparatus. Such a configuration reduces the amount of use of a storage disk in the document management server apparatus to suppress the operation cost. Even if a management system is different, a document management system capable of managing data is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document management system capable of managing a plurality of files as the files to be brought together into versions of one document, a method for controlling the document management system, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a document management system using a database, in a case where a file to be registered is managed in the database, storage disk amount used by the database increases with operation.
The basic function of a document management system includes a function to register a plurality of files generated at an editing process of a file time-sequentially as versions to manage the files as one document (a version management function). In the version management function, generally speaking, the file format of the file registered at the time of registering a document is determined and only the file format registered first can be used when the version of the document is updated thereafter. However, there exists a system different in a management system such as a document management system having a function to update a plurality of document formats as a version.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-263350 discusses management of a version for each page of a file. More specifically, the earliest version of a page is stored in a base page area, the page subjected to a writing operation is duplicated to a version page area to perform operation and, on the other hand, the page yet to be updated refers to the page in the base page area.
In general, a disk used for the database of the document management system is expensive, so that the operation cost increases according as the amount of use of a disk for storage increases.
Furthermore, in a case where data is transferred between document management systems different in a management system, such a problem is caused that the document of all versions cannot be registered in a database depending on the specifications of a document management system to which data is transferred.

Document management system, method for controlling the same, and storage medium


The present invention is directed to a crossbow operable for shooting missiles. The crossbow comprises: (a) a left-side bowhead and a right-side bowhead; (b) a left-side bow limb and a right-side bow limb; (c) a cam wheel affixed to the anterior end and the posterior end of each of the left-side and right-side bowheads and the left-side and right-side bow limbs; (d) a left-side bowhead string and a right-side bowhead string; (e) a connecting string; (f) a retention base affixed to the connecting string; and (h) a tiller capable of cocking and firing the crossbow.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to multifunctional crossbow, which is suitable for shooting a variety of missiles, including arrows and balls.
2. Description of Related Art
The invention relates to a cross bow used by people engaged in hunting and target practice in general. Typically, the cross bow is in the form of a bow mounted on a stock in the general form of a rifle. The string of the bow is drawn back to a cocked position and is locked in that position under the control of the trigger until an arrow is fired. The cross bow allows the use of a relatively higher tension for the string as compared to an ordinary bow because both hands are available for cocking or a mechanical device can be used, and once the string is cocked, it remains cocked until it is discharged. An ordinary bow is drawn with a single hand and can only be maintained in a cocked position by physically holding the string in the cocked position.
Prior art cross bows are designed to fire a single arrow and then require recocking and reloading. That is, the cross bows are "single barrel" or single shot bows. It would be highly advantageous to have a "double barrel" cross bow so that two shots could be fired separately as needed. This is particularly beneficial for game hunting where the first shot misses or slightly wounds the game and the rapid firing of a second round is essential for hitting the game or minimizing the pain the game must endure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,521 describes a crossbow for shooting projectiles. The crossbow includes a frame with flexible bow arms and a bowstring connecting the arms, a trigger assembly for retaining the bowstring in a cocked position and releasing to propel the projectile, and a hollow barrel with interior rifling into which projectiles are loaded and through which they are expelled. A firing bolt is connected to the bowstring and located in the barrel to transfer force from the bowstring to the projectile. The barrel includes an elongated slot therealong. The firing bolt is slidably supported on rails on the exterior of the barrel. The firing bolt includes a driving member which extends through the slot to contact the projectile.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,631 describes a crossbow that includes an elongated frame coupled to a riser at a first end thereof. The riser supports a pair of flexible limbs, and a bowstring extends between the limbs. A movable bowstring release is used both to retract the bowstring into a drawn position, and to release the bowstring under the operation of a trigger assembly. The bowstring release is initially positioned near the bowstring at rest, and a bowstring hook is engaged therewith. A bowstring retractor includes a retractor rope secured to the bowstring release for retracting the bowstring. An upper housing is secured to the second end of the elongated frame, and supports a rope spool used to wind the retractor rope. The bowstring release is retracted into the upper housing proximate a trigger assembly for selectively releasing the bowstring when a user pulls the trigger.
Most crossbow products in the market only allow the user to shoot one type of projectile, either arrows or steel balls. They cannot be switched to different shooting modes. And while some crossbows may be switched between shooting modes, typically the conversion is cumbersome.
Thus, there exists a continuing need for a multifunctional crossbow which can be easily converted between arrow shooting mode and ball shooting mode, and which can be aimed efficiently and accurately in both modes. The present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A method and circuit for measuring direct and high duty factor current in a conductor (1) with minimal interference with the operation of a monitored circuit. Current flow in the conductor is magnetically sensed with a transformer T1 having a primary winding connected electrically in series with the conductor (1). The transformer T1 is driven into saturation during a first time interval and brought out of saturation during a second time interval. After the transformer T1 is brought out of saturation, an output signal is provided which is proportional to the flow of current in the conductor (1).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to current monitoring circuits and systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to analog circuits and systems for monitoring current in electrically isolated circuits.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many applications, there is a need to determine flow of current in a circuit or conductor. The conventional approach involves the insertion of a series resistor in the conductor. However, the use of a resistor is problematic, lossy and impractical in applications wherein an above-ground voltage is present on the current carrying conductor. More importantly, in some applications, the use of the resistor substantially interferes with the intended operation of the circuit. Hence, for these applications, there is a need for an indirect (or isolated) method for monitoring the current flow in the conductor.
One conventional isolated current monitoring scheme involves use of Hall effect devices. A Hall effect device is a device, which is magnetically coupled to the current carrying conductor. In order to accomplish the required magnetic coupling, the Hall effect device must be placed in series with the magnetic path which encircles the conductor. The Hall effect device has a typical thickness of 0.04 inch. Since the Hall device has magnetic properties similar to those of air, an "air" gap is effectively placed in the magnetic path. The low-permeability gap reduces the overall permeability of the magnetic circuit, to assure that saturation of the magnetic core is avoided. The inductor, thus formed, is effectively inserted in series with the current-carrying conductor of the current monitoring device. For some applications, this added inductance is a circuit parasite capable of storing energy. Most Hall effect devices are prone to relatively large drifts in output when subjected to temperature changes. Complex, and often troublesome, circuitry is frequently required to overcome this temperature drift problem.
Another approach involves the use of a transformer to indirectly sense current flow in the monitored circuit. The transformer provides a coil (typically a single-turn primary) to pick up energy in the magnetic field created by the flow of current through the monitored conductor or circuit.
Transformers are often used for this purpose inasmuch as: 1) the magnetic coupling thereof provides electrical isolation from the circuit being monitored, 2) when large currents are to be measured, the use of a single-turn primary and multi-turn secondary, reduces power loss from the circuit being monitored, and 3) proper choice of the transformer turns ratio provides improved signal-to-noise ratio for increased accuracy and trouble-free operation.
Despite these advantages, conventional transformer based current monitoring circuits cannot be utilized to measure current in DC (direct current) circuits or in those switched circuits that employ duty ratios substantially greater than 50%. This is due to the limitation that transformers fail to function when the magnetic cores thereof are saturated. Hence, conventional transformer based current monitoring circuits provide for a transformer core "reset" during a required OFF portion of every cycle to ensure that the transformer does not "walk" into saturation.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a current monitoring circuit that allows for the measurement of DC and high duty cycle currents without interfering with the operation thereof.

Isolated current monitoring circuit for measuring direct and high duty factor currents


This invention provides a class of quinazoline compounds, as represented by formula (I), and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts,

Binding of epidermal growth factor to epidermal growth factor receptor can activate the activity of tyrosine kinase, and in consequence may activate reactions that lead to cellular proliferation. Overexpression and overactivity of EGFR may cause uncontrollable cell division.
The epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK), the first discovered protein tyrosine kinase, is widely distributed in human tissue cell membranes and overexpresses in most of tumours (e.g. bladder cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, esophageal cancer and so on). There is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding site in EGFR intracellular region. Therefore, EGFR inhibitors may competitively bind to the ATP binding site, and thereby inhibit EGFR phosphorylation, block the downstream signal transduction and in turn inhibits the growth, differentiation and metastasis of tumour cells. Nowadays the targeted tumour therapy based on EGFR receptor as a target is one of active research areas in cancer treatment. In clinical studies it has also achieved remarkable results, in which the research of small molecular compounds based on quinazoline as a nucleus is most prominent.
Some quinazoline compounds, which bear a phenylamino substituent at the 4-position and substituents at the 6- and/or 7-position, are disclosed to have activity to inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase in Patent Application Publication Nos. WO96/33977, WO96/33978, WO96/33979, WO96/33980, WO96/33981, WO97/30034, WO97/30035, WO97/38994, WO98/13354, WO00/55141, WO00/56720, WO02/41882, WO03/82290, EP566226 and EP837063. All the above-mentioned documents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
4-(2,3-dihalophenylamino)quinazoline compounds substituted by heterocyclyloxy group or heterocycloalkoxy groups at 6-position are disclosed in Patent Application Publication No. WO03/082831. Said compounds are inhibitors of erbB, particularly EGFR tyrosine kinase. The above-mentioned document is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Small molecular drugs for anti-tumour based on EGFR acceptors and comprising quinazoline as a nucleus, for example, gefitinib (Iressa), erlotinib and lapatinib have been successively approved by FDA for clinical uses. In China Dr. Yinxiang Wang and Dr. Lieming Ding developed an EGFR acceptor inhibitor, icotinib (Conmana), based on erlotinib (Tarceva). The third-period clinical trial showed that icotinib (Conmana) has an efficacy equal to erlotinib and better safety, and its dosage and regimen of administration are more suitable for Chinese. Icotinib was approved to be used for treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer by the Chinese food and Drug Administration in June 2011.
The present invention is based on erlotinib and icotinib. A class of quinazoline compounds containing isoxazole heterocycles has been synthesized, wherein isoxazole heterocycle is introduced into the nucleus of quinazoline. The in vitro activity of inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) of this class of compounds has shown that said compounds have more strong activity of inhibiting EGFR-TK, and can be used as anti-tumour drugs or lead compounds.

Quinazoline derivative and application thereof

Abstract: wherein: each of R1 and R2 independently, is selected from H, C1-C6 alkoxy, halo-C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxy-C1-C6 alkoxy, C3-C8 cycloalkoxy, C3-C8 heterocycloalkoxy containing at least one of heteroatoms selected from N, O, S; Z is —NR4—, C(R5)2, S or —O—, wherein R4 is H or C1-C3 alkyl, R5 is the same or different, selected from H or C1-C3 alkyl; R3 is selected from H, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy or halo-C1-C6 alkyl; n is an integer from 0 to 5. This invention also provides methods of preparation and medical uses of the compounds of formula (I) and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts. These compounds have the activity of inhibiting EGFR-TK, and can be used as drugs for the treatment of protein tyrosine kinase related diseases such as tumors, cancers, etc.

FUJIAN INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH ON THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES


A foam rubber structure, with a base portion with a first rectangular cross-section, a first bevel portion with a first triangular cross-section superjacent the base portion, a first closure region at a first end of the foam rubber structure, and a second closure region at a second end of the foam rubber structure, a first portion of a hook and loop fastener attached to the first closure region, and a second portion of the hook and loop fastener attached to the second closure region, wherein the first closure region has a second rectangular cross-section that is different than the first rectangular cross-section, a second bevel portion with a second triangular cross-section different from the first triangular cross-section, the second closure region has a third rectangular cross-section different than the first rectangular cross-section, and a third bevel portion with a third triangular cross-section different from the first triangular cross-section and different from the second triangular cross-section.

Fit is an important aspect of fashion. While many items of clothing are designed for people having either thin or athletic forms, significant portions of the population have figures that do not correspond with the thin or athletic categories of clothing cuts and styles. For many people, off-the-shelf clothing often does not fit well. By way of example, a man having a gut and butt that do not correspond to the cut and fit of commonly-sized off-the-shelf pants may find it necessary to purchase pants with a fit profile that results in the waist of those pants slipping below the gut and consequently being held up only very loosely, or not at all. The combination of a person's non-thin or non-athletic shape coupled with commonly-sized off-the-shelf pants may result in those pants sliding down when the wearer is in the standing position thus creating a socially awkward and embarrassing moment. Additionally, the poor fit profile of this combination also adversely affects those wearers that tuck in their shirts. That is, the tails of a tucked-in shirt tend to ride up and over the waist of the aforementioned pants.
What is needed are methods and apparatus for providing a better match, i.e., a better fit profile, for the non-thin or non-athletic shaped wearer of commonly-sized off-the-shelf pants.

Methods and apparatus for adjusting the fit profile of clothing items


Disclosed herein is an apparatus for manufacturing a camera module, the apparatus including: a base jig holding a PCB from below; a bonding head picking up an image sensor and attaching the image sensor onto the PCB; and a housing bonding tool picking up a housing assembly and attaching the housing assembly onto the PCB so that the image sensor attached onto the PCB is received in the housing assembly, wherein the base jig is constituted in a structure where the base jig is tension-movable in a vertical direction (Z-axial direction), so that an upper surface of the PCB is an identical reference plane for attaching the image sensor and the housing assembly when the image sensor is picked up by the bonding head and attached onto the PCB.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a camera module, and more particularly to an apparatus for manufacturing a camera module, capable of solving the tilt problem that may be generated in a die attach (D/A) process by improving a structure of a base jig holding a PCB.
2. Description of the Related Art
A chip on board (COB) method is most frequently and widely used in manufacturing a camera module. This COB method is largely composed of a dicing (wafer sawing) process, a D/A (die attach) process, a W/B (wire bonding) process, and an H/A (housing attach) process, and the respective processes will be described as follows.                Dicing Process: Image sensors on a bare wafer are attached and fixed on a tape of a wafer ring, and a specific position of a pattern is moved in X and Y directions while a blade made of diamond particles is rotated at a high speed, to thereby separate the image sensors from each other.        D/A Process: An epoxy is applied on a PCB, and then the image sensors respectively separated in the dicing process are repeatedly attached onto predetermined positions of the PCB and cured while a specific position pattern formed on the PCB is image-recognized.        W/B process: The image sensors and the PCB are electrically connected by connecting between pads of the image sensors and patterns of the PCB with gold wires using a capillary.        H/A Process: The epoxy is applied at an edge of the PCB on which the image sensors are mounted, and then housing modules with lenses are repeatedly attached to predetermined positions and cured.
Meanwhile, in manufacturing a camera module through the above processes, high-pixel modules having even twelve mega pixels have been developed. Also, the number of pixels of the module is expected to continuously increase in the years ahead. The resolution problem is one of the problems caused by rapidly increasing the number of pixels.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the most idealistic resolution is obtained when the central optical axis of lenses 102 makes an angle of 90° with respect to a surface of an image sensor 104 receiving the light. However, as shown in FIG. 1B, when the optical axis of the lenses 102 does not make an angle of 90° with the image sensor 104 due to tilting of the image sensor 104, the resolution at a specific edge of an image may be degraded, resulting in degrading the resolution of the overall image. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, reference number 101 indicates a housing assembly, 103 indicates an infrared (IR) filter, and 105 indicates a PCB.
As such, the tilting of the image sensor 104 causing degradation of the resolution may be complexly generated during a package process, due to combination between the lenses 102 themselves, flatness of the PCB 105, the tilt in assembling an auto-focusing actuator, or the like.

Apparatus for manufacturing camera module


The present invention provides a rubber composition for a tire tread, in which processability, abrasion resistance, rolling resistance properties and wet grip performance are improved in a balanced manner. Specifically, the present invention provides a rubber composition for a tire tread comprising 5 to 150 parts by weight of silica having nitrogen-adsorbing specific surface area of 100 to 300 m2/g based on 100 parts of a rubber component containing 5 to 100% by weight of an epoxidized natural rubber, and 1 to 20 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent and 0.1 to 20 parts by weight of an anionic surfactant based on 100 parts by weight of the silica; and a rubber composition for a tire tread comprising 5 to 150 parts by weight of silica having nitrogen-adsorbing specific surface area of 100 to 300 m2/g and 1 to 10 parts by weight of a metal salt of stearic acid, based on 100 parts of a rubber component containing 5 to 100% by weight of an epoxidized natural rubber, and 1 to 20 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent based on 100 parts by weight of the silica.

The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire tread and a pneumatic tire using the rubber composition.
In recent years, concern is increasing regarding a rise in oil prices due to problems of supply and the exhaustion of oil resources. Also, from the viewpoint of environmental issues such as resource conservation and the tightening of regulations for the prevention of carbon dioxide exhaust, the use of natural resources is being reconsidered. The tire industry is not an exception and as an alternative material to synthetic rubber, natural rubber is attracting attention. Natural rubber has high mechanical strength and excellent abrasion resistance and therefore is frequently used for large tires such as truck and bus tires. However, because natural rubber only has methyl groups with a small molecular weight in the side chains and has a low glass transition temperature (Tg) of −60° C., there is the problem that gripping performance is poor. Also, because natural rubber is a natural resource, there is the problem that ozone resistance, heat-aging resistance and weatherability are poor.
In order to solve these problems, natural rubber derivatives such as cyclized natural rubber, chlorinated natural rubber and epoxidized natural rubber are used. For example, JP-A-6-220254, JP-A-7-90123, JP-A-7-149955 and JP-A-2001-233995 suggest the method of using epoxidized natural rubber as the tire material. Herein, epoxidized natural rubber refers to natural rubber in which the unsaturated double bonds thereof are epoxidized. Epoxidized natural rubber has higher glass transition temperature (Tg) than natural rubber and is superior in mechanical strength, abrasion resistance and gas permeability, as the molecular cohesive force increases due to the epoxy groups, which are polar groups. Particularly, in rubber compositions which contain silica, silanol groups of the silica surface and epoxy groups of the epoxidized natural rubber are known to interact and as a result, mechanical strength and abrasion resistance equivalent to those obtained by a compound in which carbon black is added can be obtained.
However, although epoxidized natural rubber has a large hysteresis loss and excellent wet grip performance, there is the problem that rolling resistance increases (rolling resistance properties decrease) even when containing silica. Furthermore, because interaction between silica and epoxidized natural rubber is strong, in a blend compound of epoxidized natural rubber and other diene rubber, silica tends to be present on the epoxidized natural rubber side and as a result, there is the problem that not only does processability decrease, but also, hardness increases and abrasion resistance and heat-aging resistance decrease.
JP-A-11-71479 describes the method of compounding a specific stearic acid derivative. By using a specific stearic acid derivative as a processing aid for rubber components such as natural rubber and isoprene rubber, the rubber is softened and dispersibility of silica and other compounding agents becomes favorable. As a result, processability and abrasion resistance are improved. However, epoxidized natural rubber is not used as the rubber component in this method and processability and abrasion resistance are insufficient.

Rubber composition for tire tread and pneumatic tire using the same


A gapped ground safety device is provided to protect workers on de-energized underground distribution cable from ground faults or accidental energization. The device comprises a combination precision gap and an MOV surge arrester.

When maintenance work is required on distribution cables, to protect the worker from accidental energization of the cable, the common industry practice is to ground the cable section at both terminals. However there are some drawbacks with such a safety procedure. First, some testing or maintenance procedures requires that the cable core be "floating" and do not permit the section of cable core in question to be grounded. Second, if a ground fault occurs, for example, at the substation, the rise in potential of the station ground will cause significant current to flow through the grounded cable sheath which, due to mutual coupling, induces voltage in the cable core. Simultaneously, the induced voltage in the core will force current to flow which is proportional to the closed circuit impedance formed by the cable core, terminal effective grounding impedances and the sheath conductor which is in parallel with the earth ground return. Therefore, any significant reduction of the terminal impedance by grounding an isolated cable core may cause dangerous current to flow through the worker. There is therefore a need for a safety device which protects a worker both from accidental energization and from ground fault when working on a distribution cable.

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority


A lead frame includes a die pad including a die pad main portion having a large thickness and a die pad peripheral portion having an intermediate thickness smaller than that of the die pad main portion, provided on at least one side of the die pad main portion, at least one support lead connected to the die pad, and at least two first inner leads having a small thickness smaller than that of the die pad peripheral portion, arranged such that end portions thereof are opposed to the die pad peripheral portion. The thick die pad provides good heat release properties, and reducing the thickness of the leads allows fine pitched leads to be produced. Such a lead frame can be manufactured easily by press stamping after belt-shaped regions having different thickness are formed by rolling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lead frame and a resin package using the lead frame. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a miniature photoelectron device on which a high output semiconductor laser is mounted, using the resin package.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photoelectron device including an optical semiconductor element is known, for example, from JP 6-203403A. This publication discloses the following photoelectron device. A lead frame including a die pad and inner leads whose end portions are arranged in the vicinity of the periphery of the die pad is produced, and then the lead frame is sealed with a resin to produce a resin package. This resin package is provided with an opening for exposing the die pad and the end portions of the inner leads. Then, an optical semiconductor element is mounted on the die pad in the opening, and the electrodes of the optical semiconductor element are connected by wiring to the corresponding end portions of the inner leads exposed in the periphery of the die pad. Finally, a transparent optical member is provided in the opening to seal the optical semiconductor element.
For use, such a photoelectron device is mounted on an optical pick-up device or the like that records and/or reproduces an optical recording medium such as an optical disk.
There is a tendency to pursue further miniaturization for optical disk devices, and therefore there is an increasing demand for a miniature photoelectron device. One approach to promote the miniaturization of the photoelectron device is to attain a finer pitch for inner leads constituting a lead frame.
In general, the pitch of arranged inner leads is restricted by the thickness thereof, and reducing the thickness of the inner leads is effective for the miniaturization of the pitch of the arranged inner leads. JP 5-326788A discloses a semiconductor device including fine pitched inner leads, produced by pressing the end portions of the inner leads of multiple pins to reduce the thickness. In this disclosure, the end portions of the inner leads of the lead frame produced by rolling are pressed so that the thickness thereof is reduced to ⅙ at the largest, and thus thinner inner leads can be obtained.
However, conventional photoelectron devices or semiconductor devices and methods for producing these devices have the following problems.
With the increasing capacity and further miniaturization of optical disk devices, high output is required for a semiconductor laser for an optical pick-up device, and miniaturization is required for a package on which the semiconductor laser is to be mounted. Heat generation increases when the output of the semiconductor laser is raised, and therefore good heat release properties are required. On the other hand, fine pitched inner leads are required for miniaturization. However, a resin package that achieves both good heat release properties and fine pitch has not been attained yet.
This is due to the following reason. When a die pad portion is thicker than a regular lead frame in order to ensure heat release properties, thin end portions of the inner leads, which are necessary for fine pitch, cannot be produced with high precision. In a photoelectron device including an optical semiconductor element, the optical characteristics are attained by providing an opening in a resin package to expose the die pad and the end portions of the fine pitched inner leads, and mounting an optical semiconductor element on the die pad in the opening. Therefore, when the thickness of the inner leads is reduced for fine pitch, the strength of the end portions of the thin inner leads exposed in the opening is degraded so that deformation or other problem is likely to occur. Even slight deformation of the end portions of the exposed inner leads may cause deterioration of the optical characteristics or peeling between the resin and the lead end portions.
Furthermore, for the photoelectron device for optical pick-up, miniaturization is desired, particularly in one direction of the package for convenience in its installation and arrangement. The conventional photoelectron devices are substantially rectangular in plan, and it is becoming difficult to attain further reduction of the size in the direction of the shorter side of the rectangle.
Therefore, with the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lead frame including fine pitched inner leads and a die pad having a thickness necessary for good heat release properties. Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention to provide a lead frame having good adhesion with a sealing resin. Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention to provide a lead frame that has such characteristics and is produced easily and inexpensively.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a resin package that achieves both miniaturization and heat release properties. Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention to provide a resin package having good adhesion between the resin and the die pad and the leads. Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention to provide a resin package that has such characteristics and is produced easily and inexpensively.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a miniature photoelectron device having good heat release properties that can be used with high output, has high performance and is produced inexpensively.
A first lead frame of the present invention includes a die pad including a die pad main portion having a large thickness and a die pad peripheral portion having an intermediate thickness smaller than that of the die pad main portion, provided on at least one side of the die pad main portion, at least one support lead connected to the die pad, and at least two first inner leads having a small thickness smaller than that of the die pad peripheral portion, arranged such that the end portions thereof are opposed to the die pad peripheral portion.
According to the first lead frame, in the case where the end portions of the thin first inner leads are opposed to at least one side of the thick die pad main portion, the die pad peripheral portion having an intermediate thickness is formed on the side of the die pad main portion to which the first inner leads are opposed. When the region having an intermediate thickness is provided between the thick region and the thin region having significantly different thicknesses, a drastic change in the thickness can be eliminated, and the regions can be formed at one time by rolling. As a result, the thickness of the die pad necessary for heat release properties and the reduction of the thickness of the end portions of the inner leads necessary for fine pitch can be achieved at the same time. Thereafter, miniature leads can be formed easily by press stamping. Therefore, the lead frame including the fine pitched inner leads and the die pad having good heat release properties can be obtained easily and inexpensively.
A second lead frame of the present invention includes a die pad including a die pad main portion having a large thickness, at least one support lead connected to the die pad, and at least three first inner leads having a small thickness smaller than that of the die pad main portion, arranged such that the end portions thereof are opposed to at least one side of the die pad. Each first inner lead has a narrow portion having a small width and a wide portion having a width larger than that of the narrow portion. The narrow portion is positioned on the die pad side, and the wide portion is positioned on the side opposite to the die pad. A connection point between the narrow portion and the wide portion of the central first inner lead of the at least three first inner leads is positioned farther from the die pad than connection points between the narrow portions and the wide portions of first inner leads adjacent to the central first inner lead. The gap between the central first inner lead and the adjacent first inner leads is smaller in the narrow portion than in the wide portion.
According to the second lead frame, with respect to the connection points between the narrow portions and the wide portions of the first inner leads, the inner lead positioned farther from the center has a connection point nearer the die pad. For this reason, the first inner lead positioned farther from the center has the longer wide portion. Therefore, the strength of the thin first inner leads can be kept high even in the vicinity of the end portions thereof Therefore, deformation can be suppressed during processing. The strength of the exposed end portions from the sealing resin can be improved, and deformation hardly occurs. Thus, peeling from the resin after resin-sealing can be suppressed. In addition, since the lead gap is smaller in the narrow portion, fine pitched first inner leads can be achieved as well. Furthermore, the thick die pad main portion allows good heat release properties.
A third lead frame of the present invention includes a belt-shaped thick region having a large thickness and a belt-shaped thin region having a thickness smaller than that of the thick region, these regions being in parallel with each other. A die pad is formed in the thick region, and leads are formed in the thin region, and the leads extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to that of the belt-shaped region.
According to the third lead frame, a die pad is formed in a belt-shaped thick region, so that the heat release properties are good. Leads are formed in a belt-shaped thin region, so that fine pitched leads can be attained. These belt-shaped regions having different thicknesses are in parallel with each other, and therefore can be obtained easily by rolling. In addition, since the leads extend in the direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the belt-shaped regions are formed, the thickness of the leads in the extending direction is uniform. Therefore, fine pitched leads can be produced easily and highly precisely. In addition, the processed leads hardly are deformed. Thus, a lead frame having fine pitched inner leads and good heat release properties can be obtained easily and inexpensively.
In another aspect of the present invention, a first resin package of the present invention includes a die pad including a die pad main portion having a large thickness and a die pad peripheral portion having an intermediate thickness smaller than that of the die pad main portion, provided on at least one side of the die pad main portion, at least one support lead connected to the die pad, at least two first inner leads having a small thickness smaller than that of the die pad peripheral portion, arranged such that the end portions thereof are opposed to the die pad peripheral portion, and a resin for sealing the die pad, the support lead and the first inner leads for integration while exposing a part of an upper surface and a part of a lower surface of the die pad and upper surfaces of the end portions of the first inner leads.
The first resin package is obtained by sealing the first lead frame with a resin, and this embodiment allows a resin package with good heat release properties including fine pitched inner leads to be manufactured easily and inexpensively.
A second resin package of the present invention includes a die pad including a die pad main portion having a large thickness, at least one support lead connected to the die pad, at least three first inner lead having a small thickness smaller than that of the die pad main portion, arranged such that the end portions thereof are opposed to at least one side of the die pad, a resin for sealing the die pad, the support lead and the first inner leads for integration while exposing a part of the upper surface and a part of the lower surface of the die pad and upper surfaces of the end portions of the first inner leads. Each first inner lead has a narrow portion having a small width and a wide portion having a width larger than that of the narrow portion. The narrow portion is positioned on the die pad side, and the wide portion is positioned on the side opposite to the die pad. A connection point between the narrow portion and the wide portion of the central first inner lead of the at least three first inner leads is positioned farther from the die pad than connection points between the narrow portions and the wide portions of first inner leads adjacent to the central first inner lead. The gap between the central first inner lead and the adjacent first inner leads is smaller in the narrow portion than in the wide portion.
The second resin package is obtained by sealing the second lead frame with a resin, and reduces peeling of the fine pitched first inner leads from the resin. Furthermore, the strength of the end portions exposed from the sealing resin can be improved. The thick die pad main portion allows good heat release properties.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a photoelectron device of the present invention includes the first or second resin package, a photoelectron element mounted on the upper surface of the die pad, and an optically transparent member for sealing the photoelectron element.
Since such a photoelectron device has fine pitched inner leads, it can be miniature, and since it has a thick die pad, the heat release properties can be good. Such a photoelectron device can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.

Lead frame which includes a die pad, a support lead, and inner leads

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A reflection sheet and backlight unit including the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the reflection sheet includes a bottom surface, a plurality of side surfaces, each extending from the bottom surface and having an edge opposing the bottom surface, and a first cutting line formed in at least a first one of the side surfaces from a boundary between the first side surface and the bottom surface toward the opposing edge of the first side surface. The reflection sheet also includes a cover surface extending from the opposing edge of the first side surface, wherein the cover surface comprises a protruding surface protruding toward the first cutting line.

Field
The described technology generally relates to a reflection sheet and a backlight unit including the same.
Description of the Related Technology
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are of great importance in information display technology. LCDs include two glass substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two glass substrates. LCDs change the alignment of the liquid crystals within the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the liquid crystals through electrodes formed on and under the glass substrates. Accordingly, light passing through the liquid crystal layer is attenuated based on the applied voltage and the LCD displays information as a result.
LCDs are not self-emissive and can only display images by controlling the transmittance of light emitted from a light source. Therefore, LCDs require a device for irradiating light to a display panel, that is, a backlight unit.
Backlight units utilize a reflection sheet in order to provide light emitted from a light source to the entire surface of a display panel with a substantially uniform luminance distribution. Reflection sheets reflect light emitted from the light source such that the reflected light is incident upon the display panel. In addition, reflection sheets reflect light that is reflected from an optical film located above the light sources. The use of the reflection sheet can minimize the number of light sources required in the backlight unit and can provide light with a substantially uniform luminance distribution to the display panel.

Reflection sheet and backlight unit including the same


An airbag module for a motor vehicle comprises an inflatable gas bag; a gas generator for inflating the gas bag; a valve for letting gas out of the gas bag; a moveable actuating element for the valve, which can be actuated in order to open the valve; and a trigger mechanism which is used to actuate the actuating element by producing pressure. The trigger mechanism releases a compressed gas in order to actuate the actuating element, the gas directly acting upon a pressure attach surface of the actuating element.

The invention relates to an airbag device for a motor vehicle.
An airbag device of this type comprises an inflatable gas bag; a gas generator for inflating the gas bag; a valve for letting gas out of the (at least partially inflated) gas bag; a moveable actuating element of the valve, which can be actuated in order to open the valve, so that gas can be let out of the gas bag; and a triggering mechanism for actuating the actuating element (to open the valve) by generating pressure.
The inflation of the gas bag by the associated gas generator takes place in the event of a crash in order to reduce the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant. Depending on certain parameters, such as, for example, the size of the vehicle occupant to be protected, the position of the vehicle occupant at the instant of an accident, the relative speed between the occupant and the vehicle as a consequence of an accident and the like, a reduction in the internal pressure of the gas bag compared with the pressure which can be achieved upon full inflation of the gas bag by mechanism of the associated gas generator may be advantageous in order to protect the particular vehicle occupant.
In order to reduce the internal pressure of the gas bag, controlled as a function of the abovementioned parameters, the use of valve arrangements is known, with which gas can be let out of the gas bag to be inflated in a direction away from the vehicle occupant to be protected and can be diverted into a region behind or under the particular airbag module. Contact of the particular vehicle occupant with the possibly hot gases discharging from the gas bag is to be avoided here. The valve arrangement can be opened even before the gas generator is activated, in order right at the beginning of the inflation of the gas bag to provide discharge openings through which gases emerging from the gas generator can flow. By this mechanism, the pressure generated in the gas bag by mechanism of the gas generator is reduced from the beginning. Control of the valve arrangement in such a manner may be particularly advantageous, for example, if it is recognized, by mechanism of a sensor provided for this purpose (for example a weight sensor on a vehicle seat), that the vehicle occupant to be protected is a particularly small, light person.
In the case of an airbag device of the type mentioned at the beginning, which is known from GB 230 64 09 A (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety), the actuating element is designed as a rotatably mounted disk which, for actuating purposes, is assigned a pyrotechnically triggerable piston/cylinder unit (in the form of a tappet guided in a cylinder). The piston/cylinder unit in this case is arranged in the plane of the actuating element formed by a rotatable disk and, upon triggering, causes such a rotational movement of the actuating element that through openings provided on the actuating element are brought into overlap with outflow openings of an assigned valve basic body in order to permit the discharging of gas from the gas bag. However, there is the problem here that the space available for the outflow openings is reduced by the space required for the piston/cylinder unit. This is disadvantageous in particular in the case of driver airbag modules, since the modules generally only have a small cross section in the plane perpendicular to the desired gas outlet direction.
The previously described effects also apply to the airbag arrangement known from US Patent Publication No. 2003/0025309A1 (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety), in which an actuating element, formed by an annular disk, of a valve of an airbag arrangement is likewise actuated by a piston/cylinder unit.