The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a cut inside a replacement metal gate trench to mitigate n-p proximity effects and methods of manufacture. The structure described herein includes: a first device; a second device, adjacent to the first device; a dielectric material, of the first device and the second device, including a cut within a trench between the first device and the second device; and a common gate electrode shared with the first device and the second device, the common gate electrode provided over the dielectric material and contacting underlying material within the cut.

Integrated circuits include many different devices, e.g., NFETs, PFETs, etc. integrated into a single chip or die. These integrated circuits can include, e.g., CMOS inverters, SRAM devices, etc. In CMOS inverters as in SRAM shared-gate devices, the NFETs and PFETs share a common gate-dielectric material, in addition to a common gate electrode. The workfunction metals, though, for a PFET and NFET may be different.
As the N-P boundary moves towards one or the other device, Vt dramatically increases at ground-rule proximities. For example, at about 30 nm distance of N-P boundary from the gate edges, the N-P local layout effect can account for approximately 30 mV of Vt increase (vs. isolated devices). This increase can be attributed to oxygen diffusion from the PFET side of the gate stack to the NFET side of the gate stack. The oxygen diffusion has a pathway with the common gate-dielectric material between the adjacent devices. That is, the common gate-dielectric material between the adjacent devices will act as a conduit for the oxygen transport from the PFET to the NFET.

Cut inside replacement metal gate trench to mitigate N-P proximity effect


A method for predicting the SEU susceptibility of a standard-cell D-latch using an alpha-particle sensitive SRAM, SPICE critical charge simulation results, and alpha-particle interaction physics. A technique utilizing test structures to quickly and inexpensively characterize the SEU sensitivity of standard cell latches intended for use in a space environment. This bench-level approach utilizes alpha particles to induce upsets in a low LET sensitive 4-k bit test SRAM. This SRAM consists of cells that employ an offset voltage to adjust their upset sensitivity and an enlarged sensitive drain junction to enhance the cell's upset rate.

The trend in electronic components has lead to the development of integrated circuits (ICs) that have higher operating frequencies and require less power per gate. This has been achieved in part by a reduction in the feature sizes that make up the transistors and wires that comprise the ICs. As a consequence, the amount of charge that is required to store a bit of information is about one-tenth of a pico-coulomb (pC), or about 600,000 electrons. Because the amount of charge is so small, cosmic rays can deposit enough charge in an IC to cause a single-event upset (SEU) and alter the state of the memory bit.
The importance of cosmic rays on the performance of integrated circuits in a space environment is evident in the upset rates of various satellites and spacecraft. For example, the Tracking and Data Relay satellite experiences a single event upset per day, which must be corrected from the ground. Such adverse experiences have caused a re-design of spacecraft, such as the Galileo spacecraft. The characterization of digital ICs to heavy ion induced upsets is essential for qualifying their use in critical systems to be used on spacecraft. This characterization usually requires evaluations at an ion source, such as a cyclotron. Such evaluations are time consuming, expensive and error prone. In recent years, laser pulses have been proposed as substitutes for the heavy ion sources. However, the laser simulations are limited by metal layers that frequently block the laser pulses from SEU-sensitive nodes and by the complexity of the ion-photon calibrations. The solution to the single event upset problem continues to be important, as the complexity of spacecraft grows, the size of integrated circuits decrease and as space systems are designed with circuits fabricated at non-radiation hardened foundries.
Thus it would be highly desireable to have a method for bench-level characterization of an IC such as a CMOS standard-cell D-latch, without requiring the use of large and expensive heavy ion sources.

Method for characterizing the upset response of CMOS circuits using alpha-particle sensitive test circuits


A backlight assembly for an LCD device having a light guide plate that includes at least two thin layers and a plurality of optical sheets sequentially stacked over the rear surface of the liquid crystal panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display ("LCD") device and, in particular, to a backlight assembly having an improved light guide plate and a manufacturing method therefore.
2. Description of the Related Art
An LCD device has a structure in which liquid crystal cells are arranged between two transparent substrates in the form of a matrix, and a backlight assembly for providing light to the LCD panel.
A conventional backlight assembly includes a plurality of lamps, lamp housing for protecting the lamps, a light guide plate for guiding the light emitted from the lamps to the LCD panel, a reflection sheet arranged behind the light guide plate, and a plurality of optical sheets stacked on the light guide plate. Typically, the thickness of the backlight assembly occupies 50% to 95% of the total thickness of the LCD device of which the thickness of the light guide plate occupies 50% to 80%. Accordingly, the larger the thickness of the light guide plate becomes, the more difficult it is to manufacture a thin LCD device. Moreover, the dot and prism patterns for improving light efficiency formed on the rear surface of the light guide plate use a printing process that requires considerable manufacturing time, which results in a decrease in productivity.

Liquid crystal display device having improved light guide plate


In a method of confidentially outputting a delivery waybill, a seller receives an order information including a customer's personal information and transmits the order information to a product provider after removing the personal information. The product provider generates a delivery information and transmits it with a delivery waybill print request to a confidential delivery waybill server. The confidential delivery waybill server generates a combined delivery waybill information by combining the delivery information and logistics information and transmits it with the delivery waybill print request to the confidential delivery waybill agent of the seller. The confidential delivery waybill agent generates a delivery waybill by combining the combined delivery waybill information and the personal information of the customer and transmits the delivery waybill to a printer of the product provider. Finally, the product provider prints the delivery waybill including the personal information of the customer on a document.

In the online shopping market, customers order products from online sellers such as home shopping and internet shopping, etc. and the online sellers request delivery companies to deliver the ordered products to the customers. On this process, the risk that order information or personal information of the customers will be leaked by the delivery companies, or providers (or manufacturer) of the products other than the online sellers is increased.
Further, responsibilities of a provider which takes charge of a delivery business as well as online sellers have been further increased by reinforcement of a personal information protection related law for protecting the personal information such as the human information of the customer.
In order to solve such a problem, techniques, by which the delivery business can be processed without storing the personal information of the customers in a processing system possessed by the delivery companies and the multiple providers related to the delivery business have been came up.
As an example, in FIG. 1A, when a customer 10 orders products from respective internet shopping malls 11 and 12, the internet shopping malls 11 and 12 store the personal information of the customer only in their own system for confidentially outputting the delivery waybill. And then, a cooperative company 13 which cooperates with internet shopping malls 11 and 12 in the delivery business, confidentially outputs a delivery waybill of the customer by accessing each system of the internet shopping malls 11 and 12. As another example, in FIG. 1B, when a customer 20 orders products from respective internet shopping malls 21 and 22, the internet shopping malls 21 and 22 store the personal information of the customer in a separated hub system 30 which can be shared with the internet shopping malls 21 and 22 for a confidentially outputting delivery waybill. And then, a cooperative company 23 which cooperates with internet shopping malls 21 and 22 in the delivery business, confidentially outputs a delivery waybill of the customer by accessing the hub system 30.
However, according to the first scheme, since the providers which take charge of the delivery business universally transact with the multiple Internet shopping malls, and the like, it may be inconvenient for the providers to take charge of the delivery business individually access the multiple Internet shopping malls, and the like to confidentially output the delivery waybill.
In addition, according to the second scheme, since the human information of the customer for confidentially outputting the delivery waybill needs to be provided to the hub system in the Internet shopping mall, and the like, there is a risk that the personal information provided by the shopping mall, and the like will leak due to hacking of the hub system, and the like.
As a result, a scheme is required, which the providers which take charge of the delivery business can more conveniently use while keeping a transaction relationship with multiple Internet shopping malls and prevents the human information of the customer from being provided to an independent hub system to prevent mass personal information from being leaked in the Internet shopping malls, and the like.

Method of confidentially outputting delivery waybill, server system therefor and agent system therefor


A signal transmission method includes: performing hierarchical modulation on service data that needs to be sent, so as to obtain a hierarchically modulated signal; determining energy per resource element (EPRE) of a modulated signal of each layer of the service data according to power configuration information; and sending the hierarchically modulated signal to user equipment UE according to the determined EPRE of the modulated signal of each layer. According to the signal transmission method and apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present invention, the system spectrum utilization efficiency and the system throughput can be greatly improved.

An MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) is used to provide a multimedia broadcast service and a multimedia multicast service for user equipment (UE) in a cell. The multimedia broadcast service may broadcast multimedia video information to all UEs, and the multimedia multicast service may send some paid multimedia video information to a group of subscribed UEs for watching.
In an LTE (Long Term Evolution) system, when an MBMS mode is used to transmit a physical multicast channel (PMCH), a network side device needs to modulate, according to a preset modulation scheme, a PMCH that needs to be transmitted, so as to obtain a modulated signal, and sends the modulated signal according to preset transmit power. After receiving the modulated signal, UE needs to decode, according to configuration information such as the preset transmit power, the received modulated signal.
Because a channel environment quality between cell edge UE and a base station is relatively poor (a signal-to-noise ratio is relatively low), a low-order modulation scheme, for example, Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), needs to be used when service data is transmitted to the cell edge UE, so as to ensure robustness of service transmission. Because a channel environment quality between cell center UE and the base station is relatively high (the signal-to-noise ratio is relatively high), a high-order modulation scheme, for example, 16 QAM or 64 QAM, may be used when service data is transmitted to the cell center UE, so as to increase a bit rate of signal transmission. In the LTE system, when MBMS data is broadcast to all UEs in the cell, only a low-order modulation scheme can be selected, so as to ensure that the cell center UE and the cell edge UE can both receive the MBMS data. As a result, an overall system throughput is reduced, which results in relatively low system spectrum utilization efficiency.

Signal transmission method and apparatus


An image forming apparatus for developing an image with developer includes a development part, a transfer part, and a fuser the medium. The developer is configured with a plurality of particles, an average circularity degree of the developer is ranged within 0.955 to 0.970, and a peeling rate (%) of the external additive by a following equation is 30.6% or less,peeling rate (%)=[1−(X/Y)]×100  (1)                wherein X is an amount (weight %) of the external additive included in the developer after ultrasonic waves are applied, and Y is an amount (weight %) of the external additive included in the developer before the ultrasonic waves are applied.

An electrographic image forming apparatus is widely used. Compared to an image forming apparatus of other systems, such as an inkjet system, a high quality image can be obtained in a short time.
In an image forming apparatus, an image is formed on a surface of a medium such as paper. In the image forming step, after an electrostatic latent image is adhered to a surface of a photosensitive drum, developer is adhered to the electrostatic latent image. Since the developer adhered to the electrostatic latent image is transferred to the surface of the medium and then heated and pressured, it is fused to the medium.
Developer includes an external additive as well as a coloring agent. The external additive functions to suppress agglomeration of developers.
Since a configuration of developer affects quality of an image, various considerations have been made relating to the configuration of the developer. Specifically, to improve the transferability, etc., of the developer, in cases where an external additive is fused to a mother particle, the average circularity degree of the mother particle is optimized (For example, see Patent Document 1).

Method for forming developer composed with mother particles containing external additive


A rendering procedure determines that a voting process should be employed during non-geometric rendering when a wide range needs to be searched. During the voting process, a candidate point is initially identified along with a plurality of neighbors. The neighbors' real depth estimates and the deviations of their respective real depth estimates from the candidate point and votes for the real depth estimates are obtained. The minimum deviation among the deviations is identified. Other real depth estimate deviations are compared with the minimum deviation to identify if they lie in a predetermined deviation range. Based on the comparison of the other real depth estimate deviations with the minimum deviation the point to render the pixel is selected.

The improvements in the hardware and software used on computers lead to rapid developments in the presentation of information. Visual, audio and haptic information can each be presented using its own appropriate hardware and associated software. Visual rendering is enabled by the developments in the field of computer graphics. Rendering can be based on geometric and non-geometric methods. Geometric surface rendering is based on the use of polygons, implicit and parametric surfaces and constructive solid geometry. Non-geometric (non-surface) rendering of objects includes the volumetric method and methods based on particle description. One technique used for non-geometric rendering is the ray-tracing method. In the ray-tracing technique, an image is generated by tracing the path of light through the pixels in an image plane. As the light rays are subject to laws of optics, they are altered due to reflections from surfaces that make up the virtual objects as well as transmissions through semi-transparent surfaces.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Rendering via ray-depth field intersection


Methods and apparatus for control bit detection. In an exemplary embodiment, a method includes receiving an LLR sequence (l) that includes P control bits and calculating a sum of LLR squares parameter (L) associated with the LLR sequence. The method also includes generating a value (Vp) for each of the 2P combination of the control bits. Each Vp value is based on a parameter sequence and the LLR sequence. The method also includes determining a smallest value of Vp, and outputting a determination that a control bit combination was received if the smallest value of Vp is less than a threshold value (THD) multiplied by the parameter L.

There is a rapidly growing trend toward mobile and remote data access over high-speed communication networks, such as provided by 3G or 4G cellular services. For example, using these services, users now rely on their smartphones for texting, access to email, banking, and social media, and for sending and receiving pictures and video.
Typically, wireless network performance depends in part on the quality of the transmission channel. For example, if the channel conditions are good, the network may perform with higher speed and capacity than when the channel conditions are poor. To obtain the best network performance, wireless networks may rely on user devices (e.g., user equipment "UE") to report control information back to the network. The control information includes parameters indicating the channel conditions and/or transmission parameters. One way user devices report control information back to the network is through a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). The network receives the control information over this shared channel and uses the received parameters to adjust data transmissions for optimum performance based on the network conditions indicated by the received parameters.
One use of the control information is to provide acknowledgement information that is transmitted from a UE to the network server through the PUSCH. For example, after a user device receives a transmission from a network server, it generates control bits representing an acknowledgement (ACK) that indicates whether or not the transmission was properly received. These control bits are transmitted back to the network server through the PUSCH so that the server can determine from the received ACK whether the transmission was properly received and initiate a retransmission if necessary.
Thus, the use of control bit information can enhance the operation of the communication network to provide fast and efficient network services. In one case, the control bit information is encoded in transmissions from the UE. When the control bit information is received at the network server it needs to be decoded to be utilized. Unfortunately, conventional detection algorithm may not receive and decode the control bit information properly. For example, in the case of control bit information used to transmit packet acknowledgement, if a packet is successfully received, the UE will respond by sending control bits representing an ACK back to the transmitting server. If a packet is not successfully received, the UE will send control bits representing a NACK back to the transmitting server. A missed detection occurs when the server does not detect an ACK sent by a UE. A false alarm occurs when the server detects an ACK even though the UE did not send one. Unfortunately, conventional control bit detection has proven to be less than optimal in properly detecting the reception of the control bit transmissions, which results in reduce network performance.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a detection mechanism that efficiently detects with high probability the reception of control bit information transmitted from a UE.


A mobile apparatus is provided that is able to equip any object of value, such as a watch or piece of jewelery, and protect it. The present mobile apparatus includes: an electronic module able to execute a mobile application, a display screen connected to the electronic module and arranged to display information relative to the mobile application, and a fastening support whereof the shapes and dimensions are arranged so that the mobile apparatus can successively equip any object of value, and to be able to fasten, removably and by superposition, at least one display screen to an object of value when object of value is attached around part of a human body. In addition, the mobile apparatus covers at least part of a surface of the object of value designed to be easily visible by the person when the object is worn.

The invention relates to the field of mobile electronic devices and, more precisely, to the field of mobile devices intended to be worn by a human being. It relates to such a mobile device intended to equip an item of value worn around a part of the body of a person, for example a watch. This mobile device, apart from its technical information and communication functions, also makes it possible to protect an item of value against the risks of damage, depending on the whereabouts and change in activity of the wearer. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a watch and a mobile device equipping the watch, and an assembly comprising a mobile device and an interactive platform. It also relates to an interactive protective casing and a docking station for the interactive protective casing.
On the one hand, the 16th century saw the birth of the luxury watch industry, with a tradition of making mechanical watches that has been handed down for more than 400 years. On the other hand, the miniaturization of electronic circuits and the increase in capacity of portable power sources have led to the introduction of numerous electronic devices. In particular, at the end of the 1960s, the first watches incorporating a quartz oscillator appeared. A few years later, the analogue display with hands was replaced by a digital display. Since then, two main development routes have been followed by designers of watches, with some pursuing the production of essentially mechanical watches, and others being committed to the production of purely electronic watches. These two routes have developed in parallel, never or almost never overlapping.
Mechanical watches, or watches with a mechanical movement, have undergone a considerable number of developments, in particular in the creation of new complexities, but these developments are almost exclusively based on purely mechanical techniques, without the use of any electronic circuit apart from optionally the quartz oscillator and its power supply. In any case, the designers of mechanical watches have sought to retain the maximum amount of mechanical movement for measuring and displaying time, while keeping to an absolute minimum the introduction of electronic circuits for performing associated functions. For this reason, mechanical watches are often referred to by the expression "traditionally made watches".
Furthermore, the cost of mechanical watches has remained relatively unchanged in comparison with that of electronic watches, which has fallen sharply. Thus, mechanical watches have gradually come to be regarded as luxury items, with prices ranging from several thousand euros to several million euros. Production runs of mechanical watches are limited to approximately three million per annum and globally amount to approximately one hundred million units.
Moreover, electronic watches have developed greatly since the introduction of the digital display. The watch case has gradually incorporated new functions, as the calculation capacities of integrated circuits have increased and their power consumption has reduced. Certain watches have for example incorporated a calculator function, a satellite positioning system, or also a player of digital music files. Nowadays, watches incorporate functions that are even more sophisticated, and above all more numerous, most often being based on a hardware and software architecture identical or similar to that of a mobile device. By mobile device or apparatus, is meant a computer device suitable for being carried and used when a user is on the move. In particular, the mobile device must comprise autonomous power supply means. It may in particular be a portable computer, a "personal digital assistant" or also a "smart phone". In reality, electronic watches nowadays correspond to mobile devices in the general form of a watch. They are thus called "smart watches". However, their aesthetic appearance and technical elegance is radically changed, and the functionalities offered make the time display of secondary importance.
Unlike mechanical watches, electronic watches, even expensive ones, are not considered luxury items, but are aimed at customers who are enthusiastic about new information and communication technologies.
Consequently, mechanical watches and electronic watches belong to two fields that are not only different from one another, but also completely isolated from, or even opposed to one another. If it seems impossible to envisage a synergy between mechanical watches and electronic watches, the fact remains that each type of watch has limitations as regards the expectations of some customers. On the one hand, current electronic watches suffer rejection by the wearers of mechanical watches, the latter being attached to the craftsmanship and aesthetic value of these watches. On the other hand, mechanical watches fulfil none of the functions accessible to smart watches. A user cannot therefore have access to the features of both these types of watches simultaneously, except by wearing two different watches. However, it has in practice proved inconvenient to multiply the elements worn by a person, in particular on a wrist strap.

Mobile apparatus able to equip and protect a watch and watch equipped with such a mobile apparatus


The present invention is directed to a method for increasing lean body weight in a mammal or for the treatment or prophylaxis of abnormal weight loss such as cachexia in a mammal through the administration of a composition containing glutathione.

There has been for many years a demand for safe and effective methods by which people who wish to appear more physically attractive by gaining lean body mass can increase their bodyweight. Likewise, there is a need for a safe and effective prophylaxis and treatment of pathological weight loss which often accompanies disease or illness and which presents a genuine danger to health.
Though many methods of increasing weight exist which involve bodybuilding regimens (such as repetitive lifting of weights), they are of limited value when the individual is either insufficiently motivated or physically unable due to debilitating illness to adhere to such an exercise regimen. Through carefully controlled diets it is possible to effect healthy weight gain, however many people find it difficult to adhere to such regimens, and those suffering from cachexia (abnormal weight loss) may be unable to ingest such diets easily. Therefore there exists a need for a safe, effective and convenient method for increasing bodyweight.
Glutathione is a tripeptide best known for its antioxidant properties. For the avoidance of doubt the substance referred to herein above as glutathione is the compound: EQU -L-glutamyl-cysteinylglycine (oxidized or reduced form)
and having the chemical formula: ##STR1## (in the case of the reduced form).
Glutathione is relatively inexpensive and is readily available. It commonly exists as a water-soluble whitish powder which can be encapsulated, tableted, or dissolved in liquid to make an oral or aerosol dosage form. The physical and chemical characteristics of glutathione have been described in the Merck Index, 11th Ed., page 703.
Its uses as a food preservative, in cosmetics, as an antidote to the poisoning effect of heavy metals, in cancer chemotherapy, as an antiviral and anti-inflammatory, to treat hepatic disorders and necrosis, to treat pulmonary dysfunction and sickle cell disease, to prevent and treat restenosis following angioplasty, to lower plasma lipoprotein levels, and to treat ischemic heart disease have been previously disclosed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,146,165, 4,229,468, 4,689,347, 4,758,551, 4,762,705, 4,871,528, and 4,927,850, 5,108,754, 5,204,114, 5,272,166, 5,238,683, 5,326,757.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,978 describes the use of glutathione to reduce bodyweight, but gives no examples of this. The authors have found that, unexpectedly, treatment with glutathione produced the opposite effect, namely causing an increase in bodyweight.
The use of glutathione as one component of a multicomponent nutritional formulation to treat patients suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (henceforth referred to as AIDS) and AIDS-related complex is disclosed in WO #92/21368. In one example from WO #92/21368 two out of three patients treated with the multicomponent nutritional formulation showed increased bodyweight after treatment. The authors have discovered that the use of glutathione alone can effect an increase in bodyweight, without the need for the additional components of the composition described in WO #92/21368.


A method is provided for processing an organic oil in steps, including the following: A) providing a raw oil; B) degumming the raw oil by adding water or acid to the raw oil and forming at least two phases, an aqueous phase and an oil phase, and separating the aqueous phase enriched in phospholipid from the oil phase; C) adding sodium hydrogencarbonate and/or sodium acetate to the oil phase from step B, and removing alkaline-earth compounds and/or phospholipids and/or stearyl glycosides, in solution or suspension in an aqueous phase, from the oil phase.

An organic oil contains lipid constituents and various other concomitants, with the latter lowering the quality of products of value that are obtained from the oil, and possibly limiting the use thereof.
In accordance with the prior art, with the aim of technical refining, oils are subjected usually to a process known as degumming, in order to transfer hydratable compounds into a water phase, thus allowing the dissolved or aggregated compounds to be removed by methods for phase separation. By means of these methods, the major fraction of hydratable phospholipids, and a fraction of non-hydratable phospholipids, are removed.
This is followed by removal of remaining phospholipids and of free fatty acids as concomitants from the oil fraction. This removal may involve subjecting the free fatty acids to hydrolysis, for example. In the vegetable oil there may typically be magnesium salts and/or calcium salts and/or chelates such as chlorophyll, for example, in solution in the vegetable oil. These compounds, however, are difficult to separate from the free fatty acids, and therefore, following the removal of the free fatty acids, dissolved or undissolved alkaline earth metal salts may be present as concomitants in the free fatty acids fraction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for the stepwise processing of an organic oil in order to attain a low fraction of dissolved and/or undissolved alkaline earth metal compounds and/or phospholipids and/or sterylglycosides.
This object is achieved in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.
A method according to the invention relates to the stepwise processing of an oil. This stepwise processing may preferably be integrated into an established refining operation for producing an edible oil or a fuel for internal-combustion engines, as a step sequence.
The stepwise processing comprises the following steps:
A Providing a Raw Oil
The raw oil may be obtained, for example, through from plants by pressing or extraction methods. However, diverse alternative provision variants are contemplated. The raw oil here need not necessarily have been obtained directly from living entities, but may also, as in the case of frying oil, have already been used for its intended purpose one or more times.
B Degumming the Raw Oil by Adding Water and/or Acid to the Raw Oil and Forming at Least Two Phases, an Aqueous Phase and an Oil Phase, and Separating the Phospholipid-Enriched Aqueous Phase from the Oil Phase
Degumming per se is a conventional method step. A distinction is made between aqueous degumming and the more rarely employed acid degumming. The latter is preferred in the case of the methods of the invention. In one preferred variant embodiment, the addition of acid may comprise the addition of a dilute acid or, likewise preferably, the addition of a concentrated acid in conjunction with a subsequent addition of water. In this operation, primarily hydratable gums, such as hydratable phosphoglycerides, for example, such as phophatidylinositols and phosphatidylcholines, are separated from the oil phase and transferred into the aqueous phase. They can be removed centrifugally.
C Adding Sodium Hydrogencarbonate or Sodium Acetate to the Oil Phase, and Removing Alkaline Earth Metal Compounds and/or Phospholipids and/or Sterylglycerides, in Solution in an Aqueous Phase, from the Oil Phase
The addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate results in removal of alkaline earth metal compounds and/or iron compounds, thus including chlorophyll, other magnesium complexes or else calcium complexes or iron complexes, for example. The removal of iron ions or iron compounds in particular makes the oil phase less susceptible to oxidation. In some cases the alkaline earth metal compounds may take the form of phospholipids. It is particularly noteworthy that as a result of the addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate, there is also removal of non-hydratable phospholipids, preferably non-hydratable phosphoglycerides, such as phosphatidylethanolamines, for example, and even of phosphatidic acid and salts thereof, especially the alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts thereof. This is surprising since phosphatidic acid and salts of phosphatidic acid, which are usually present in the solution in an oil fraction, are very difficult to remove from the oil phase. The fact that this can now be accomplished in such a way that the free fatty acids remain predominantly in the oil phase and can be removed as a separate fraction. Removal may be accomplished preferably by phase separation of an aqueous phase and an oil phase in a centrifugal field.
The addition of sodium acetate results in removal of sterylglycosides. This class of substance can be detected by means of thin-layer chromatography (TLC). It has emerged here that the sterylglycoside-enriched aqueous phase contains only very small fractions of other organic constituents, such as phospholipids or free fatty acids, for example.
The product after step C is an organic oil which, relative to the degummed oil fraction in step B, has a lower fraction of one or more oil concomitants (sterylglycosides, alkaline earth metal compounds and/or phospholipids) which can usually be obtained only in a form poorly separated from the free fatty acids from an organic oil. The amount of free fatty acid relative to the oil fraction from step B is surprisingly almost unchanged after step C.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims, the description, the figures, and the examples.
The free fatty acids can advantageously now be obtained by hydrolysis in a form separated from the sterylglycosides and also, as and when required, separated from the phospholipids and/or other alkaline earth metal compounds. This hydrolysis takes place in a further optional step
D Adding an Alkaline Agent to the Oil Fraction in Step C and with Removal of the Hydrolyzed Fatty Acids from the Aforesaid Oil Phase.
The removal may take place preferably as already occurred in step C, by phase separation of an aqueous phase and an oil phase in a centrifugal field.
In a further step, there may be further refining of the oil phase in step C or D as well. This is accomplished by the optional step of
E Bleaching and/or Deodorizing the Oil Phase.
Since beforehand in step C even difficult-to-remove phospholipids have been removed to a large extent from the oil phase, and since optionally even free fatty acids have been removed from the phospholipid phase, the bleaching operation can be significantly more effective. Bleaching can be accomplished particularly effectively by means of bleaching earth, for example.
Deodorizing may likewise be configured effectively. As is known, deodorizing may be accomplished mechanically by means, for example, of steam distillation in a so-called deodorizer.
Elucidated in more detail below are further advantageous embodiments of individual method steps:
It is advantageous for degumming to take place by addition of an acid selected from one or more of the following acids: citric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, oxalic acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid and/or phosphoric acid. Among the aforementioned acids, particular suitability for the removal of gums has been shown by the organic acids.
Particularly for the class of the phosphoglycerides, as a subclass of the phospholipids, one of the views expressed in the case of triglycerides is that, starting from the (R′CH2)—(R″CH)—(R′″CH2) scaffold structure, the respective long-chain substitutes R′, R″, and R″′ converge at elevated temperatures, meaning that hydration and hence the transition to a water phase and the removal of these substances are made more difficult. At the same time, however, there is also an increase in the viscosity of the oils in question.
It has emerged that the degumming of an oil according to step B and also the addition of sodium acetate and/or sodium hydrogencarbonate according to step C are possible at a temperature of more than 65° C. in spite of the aforesaid difficulties, with the degumming at a temperature in the range of 66-95° C. constituting a particularly good compromise between the two aforementioned effects.
Customarily, moreover, the expectation with the addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate in the form of an aqueous solution is that it would lead to more effective separation of the concomitants present in the oil phase, since the solution already contains hydrated cations and anions. It has emerged, however, that even the addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate and/or sodium acetate in the form of powder or in the form of suspension to the oil phase in step C added, and optionally a subsequent addition of one, compared to a solution, leads to a comparably good and selective outcome in the deposition of concomitants from the oil phase. At the same time, however, substantially less of a water phase requiring work-up is produced. The addition of water takes place advantageously before or after the addition of the powder.
Particularly good outcomes have been achieved on addition of more than 0.1 wt % of sodium hydrogencarbonate and/or sodium acetate, based on the total weight of the oil phase in step C.
It has emerged, moreover, that on addition of at least 1.0 wt % of water, based on the total weight of the oil phase in step C, very good removal of concomitants is achieved.
The addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate according to step C may be repeated until the haze of the water phase and/or an alkaline earth metal ion content found in the oil phase and/or a phosphorus content found in the oil phase falls below a specified setpoint value. A specific result of making the addition in the form of a powder or suspension, and adding comparatively little water, is that no extensive water phase requiring work-up is produced. As a result, step C can be carried out repeatedly without the processing becoming uneconomic because of solvents obtained. At the same time, the multiple addition achieves quantitatively improved removal of concomitants.
Following the addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate in step C, it is possible with preference to remove an aqueous phase containing a free fatty acid fraction corresponding to removal of less than 1% age point of free fatty acids from the oil phase. The reporting of percentage points is based on the decrease in the total amount of free fatty acids in the oil phase. It has emerged that on addition of sodium hydrogen, irrespective of the total amount of free fatty acids in the oil, it is possible to transfer consistently less than 1 percentage point into the water phase, whereas, for example, phospholipids, chlorophyll or other alkaline earth metal compounds are transferred in large portions into the aqueous phase.
In one preferred version, after the addition of sodium hydrogencarbonate in step C, an aqueous phase can be removed which comprises a fraction of free fatty acids corresponding to removal of less than 0.2% age points of free fatty acids from the oil phase.
This comparatively high degree of purity is achievable, but can also be smaller through reduced metering, according to the interest of the user.
Through the addition of sodium acetate in step C, it is possible with preference to achieve removal of an aqueous phase in which organic constituents are present, in solution or suspension, which contain more than 30 wt %, preferably more than 50 wt %, of sterylglycosides.
Following step C, it is possible with preference, in a step D, to perform hydrolysis of free fatty acids with addition of an alkaline agent to the oil phase from step C, thereby making it possible for these hydrolyzed fatty acids to be removed from the oil phase. The hydrolyzed fatty acids here may be transferred, as a relatively pure fraction from the oil phase, into an aqueous phase, which is formed by addition of water before, during or after the addition of the alkaline agent.
The hydrolyzed fatty acid may have preferably less than 3 wt %, preferably less than 1 wt %, of organic impurities. These soaps may be subsequently cleaved back to free fatty acids under pressure or with addition of acid. This reaction is commonly known as soap cleaving. In view of the relatively high purity of the soap fraction, the water phase obtained in the soap cleaving is not very contaminated. Contaminated soap fractions, on the other hand, would make soap cleaving more difficult.
Following step C or D, the oil phase from step C or D can be bleached and/or deodorized. This removes unwanted colorants and removes unwanted odorants and flavors from the oil phase. These are usually concluding steps in the refining of an oil for production of edible oils or fuels.
The added alkaline agent in step D may preferably be an inorganic alkali metal hydroxide solution, preferably a sodium hydroxide solution. The addition of this comparatively inexpensive agent is sufficient, following removal of sterylglycosides and/or phospholipids and/or alkaline earth metal compounds, to give an oil phase which is predominantly free from concomitants.
Provided in accordance with the invention, furthermore, is an apparatus configured to perform a method according to the invention.

Method and device for processing an organic oil in steps


An information processing apparatus including a plurality of nodes. The each of the nodes comprises a processor, a storage device, and a storing unit that stores therein multiple pointer sets in each of which a write pointer indicating an address used when data received from another node is stored in the storage device is associated with a read pointer indicating an address used when the data is read from the storage device. The each of the nodes comprises a notifying unit that notifies a node corresponding to a transmission source of the data of a pointer identifier that indicates a pointer set. The each of the nodes comprises a retaining unit that retains the received data in the storage device in accordance with an address indicated by a write pointer in a pointer set indicated by the pointer identifier.

There is a known conventionally technology called inter process communication (IPC) used to transmit and receive data used by multiple pieces of software when each piece of the software performs a process in liaison with the multiple pieces of software. A technology for performing the inter process communication using a queue is known as an example technology of inter process communication.
In the following, an example of a technology for performing inter process communication using a queue will be described with reference to FIGS. 40 to 43. FIG. 40 is a schematic diagram illustrating the concept of inter process communication performed by conventional software. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 40, each of user processes A to C stores data, which is to be transmitted to a user process D, in a queue in a First In First Out (FIFO) system that is implemented by software. Furthermore, the user process D obtains the data stored in the queue in the FIFO system in the order it arrives.
In the following, a process performed when the user processes A to C transmit messages A to C, respectively, to the user process D by using a queue will be described with reference to FIG. 41. FIG. 41 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process performed as inter process communication using the conventional software. In the example illustrated in FIG. 41, a memory stores therein a base address of a storage area that is used as a queue, a read pointer that indicates a read address of the data, and a write pointer that indicates a write address of the data. In the example described below, it is assumed that each of the initial values of the read pointer and the write pointer is "0x0120".
For example, the user process A refers to the write pointer and stores a 32-byte message A from the address "0x0120" indicated by the write pointer. Then, the user process A adds "0x0020" to "0x0120", which is the value of the write pointer, and updates it to "0x0140". When the user process A updates the write pointer, the user process A issues an atomic instruction, such as a compare-and-swap (CAS) instruction or a fetch-and-add (FAD) instruction, or performs an exclusive access control in which, for example, an exclusive lock of the write pointer is obtained.
Subsequently, similarly to the user process A, the user process B refers to the write pointer; stores the 32-byte message B from the address "0x0140" indicated by the write pointer; and updates the value of the write pointer from "0x0140" to "0x0160". Furthermore, similarly, the user process C stores the message C in the address "0x0160" indicated by the write pointer and updates the value of the write pointer from "0x0160" to "0x0180".
In contrast, the user process D determines, asynchronously to the user processes A to C, whether a value of the read pointer matches a value of the write pointer. If both of the values do not match, the user process D determines that a new message is stored in the queue. If the user process D determines that a new message is stored in the queue, the user process D reads the message from the address indicated by the read pointer.
For example, because the value of the read pointer is "0x0120" and the value of the write pointer is "0x0160", the user process D reads the message A from "0x0120" and updates the value of the read pointer from "0x0120" to "0x0140". By repeating this process until the values of the read pointer and the write pointer match, the user process D reads each of the messages A to C stored in the queue.
Furthermore, a technology for a multi node system in which multiple CPUs perform different processes is known. An information processing system is known as an example of such a multi node system, which includes multiple central processing units (CPUs) that cache data with each CPU simultaneously performing different processes. Furthermore, a technology for a shared memory system is also known in which each CPU executes an independent OS and a part of memory area is shared between the CPUs. With this configuration, performance can be improved, and furthermore, because each OS individually operates in each node, an error can be prevented; therefore, it is possible to improve availability of the system.
FIG. 42 is a schematic diagram illustrating the concept of a multi node system using a shared memory. As illustrated in FIG. 42, the information processing system includes multiple nodes #0 to #3 that include CPUs #0 to #3, respectively. Each of the nodes #0 to #3 includes a local memory, hypervisor (HPV) software, an operating system (OS), and a device driver and simultaneously performs different user processes A to D, respectively. The HPV software is software that manages a virtual machine operated by each of the nodes #0 to #3. The information processing system described above implements a queue by storing the write pointer and the read pointer in a shared memory that is shared by each of the nodes #0 to #3 and performs the inter process communication between the user processes A to D.
In the following, an example of a process performed by each of the CPUs #0 to #3 when the user processes A to C transmit messages A to C, respectively, to the user process D will be described with reference to FIG. 43. FIG. 43 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process in which a write pointer is cached by each node. For example, the CPU #0 that executes the user process A caches the write pointer in a shared memory and stores therein the message A from the address "0x0120" indicated by the write pointer (in (1) of FIG. 43). Furthermore, the CPU #0 updates the value of the cached write pointer to "0x0140" (in (2) of FIG. 43) and stores information indicating that the cache line of the write pointer is in an updated state (i.e., modify).
Subsequently, because the cache line of the write pointer is in the updated state, a CPU #1 that executes the user process B caches, from the CPU #0, the write pointer that is updated by the CPU #0 (in (3) of FIG. 43). Then, if the CPU #1 stores the message B from the address "0x0140" indicated by the cached write pointer, the CPU #1 updates the value of the write pointer to "0x0160" (in (4) of FIG. 43). Similarly, a CPU #2 that executes the user process C caches, from the CPU #1, the write pointer that is updated by the CPU #1 (in (5) of FIG. 43) and stores the message C from the address "0x0160" indicated by the cached write pointer. Then, the CPU #2 updates the value of the write pointer to "0x0180" (in (6) of FIG. 43).
At this point, a CPU #3 that executes the user process D caches the read pointer from the shared memory (in (7) of FIG. 43). Furthermore, because the cache line of the write pointer is in the updated state, the CPU #3 caches, from the CPU #2, the write pointer that is updated by the CPU #2 (in (8) FIG. 43). Because the value of the read pointer "0x0120" does not match the value of the write pointer "0x0160", the CPU #3 reads the message from the address indicated by the read pointer and updates the value of the read pointer. Thereafter, the CPU #3 reads a message and updates the read pointer until the values of the read pointer and the write pointer match and then obtains the messages A to C transmitted by the user processes A to C, respectively.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2703417    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-216592    Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 07-200506
However, in the technology for storing a read pointer and a write pointer in a shared memory, a node at the data transmission side caches the write pointer and updates the value of the cached write pointer. Accordingly, if a failure occurs in the node that caches the write pointer, because another node does not obtain the latest value of the write pointer, data transmission is not performed. Accordingly, there is a problem in that a failure is propagated to the other nodes.
In the following, a description will be given of a problem, with reference to FIG. 44, in which a failure is propagated to another node when the failure has occurred in a node in which a write pointer is being cached. FIG. 44 is a schematic diagram illustrating the flow in which a failure is propagated to another node when the failure has occurred in a node.
For example, the CPU #0 caches the write pointer in the shared memory, stores the message A, and updates the value of the cached write pointer to "0x0140". Subsequently, if the CPU #1 caches, from the CPU #0, the write pointer that is updated by the CPU #0, the CPU #1 stores the message B from the address "0x0140" indicated by the cached write pointer and updates the value of the write pointer to "0x0160".
In this state, it is assumed that an error has occurred in the node #1 and assumed that the CPU #1 stops abnormally. In order to transmit a message, the CPU #2 attempts to cache the write pointer that has been updated by the CPU #1; however, because the CPU #1 has stopped, the CPU #2 does not cache the write pointer as illustrated in (A) of FIG. 44. Accordingly, the CPU #2 stops abnormally without continuing the process.
Furthermore, the CPU #3 attempts to cache the write pointer in order to determine whether a new message is transmitted. However, because the CPU #1 has stopped, the CPU #3 does not cache the write pointer from the CPU #1 and thus stops abnormally, as illustrated in (B) of FIG. 44. Furthermore, if the CPU #3 stops abnormally, because the process specified by the message A is not performed, the CPU #0 may possibly stop abnormally due to, for example, a time-out.

Information processing apparatus, arithmetic device, and information transferring method


Method and apparatus for estimating an apparent viscosity of a non-Newtonian fluid. The results may be used for selecting equipment for pumping systems.

Apparent viscosity has been accepted increasingly by design engineers in sizing pumps and other components of fluid flow systems, such as grease lubrication systems. In general, the apparent viscosity of a fluid is defined as shear stress over shear rate. For non-Newtonian fluids, such as grease, the apparent viscosity changes at different shear rates. The standard method for measuring grease apparent viscosity is defined by ASTM D-1092. Using this method, the apparent viscosity of a non-Newtonian fluid can be measured at different shear rates. However, this method has several drawbacks. The test involves expensive equipment and takes time and effort to run. Further, a separate test must be run for each selected shear rate. Also, the test is not useful at shear rates less than 10 sec−1.

System and method for estimating apparent viscosity of a non-newtonian fluid


Methods, systems and apparatus for facilitating access by a user to a resource of an on-line service via a data communications network, the resource being accessible via an entry page of the service. A method includes checking whether a user condition, prestored in the network, is satisfied, the user condition being associated with the user and relating to the resource. If the condition is not satisfied, the entry page is sent to the user via the network. If the condition is satisfied, the entry page is modified by adding an indication relating to the resource. The modified entry page in then sent to the user advantageously, the method also includes transmitting to the user a notification message in response to, and indicative of, the condition being satisfied.

Service organizations such as financial institutions and airlines are increasingly providing information relating to services to existing and potential customers via public access wide area data communications networks such as the so-called World Wide Web (WWW) or Internet. Typically, such information is stored in a server computer system operated by or for the corresponding service organization. The server computer system typically comprises a single server computer, or a cluster of server computers interconnected via a local area network, coupled to the network via a gateway. The information is typically stored in the server computer system in a markup language such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format or Wireless Markup Language (WML) format, or stored in a database and dynamically rendered in such markup languages.
In HTML format, the information is typically stored in the form of a plurality of pages. A Universal Resource Locator (URL) is associated with each page. A particular page of information can be accessed by entering the corresponding URL into HTML browser software executing on a device connected to the network. The browser retrieves from the server system the page corresponding to the URL entered into the browser. The page is transmitted from the server system to the user device via the network. The browser then displays the retrieved page on the device. Each page may contain one or more hypertext links to other pages of information. The browser can be instructed to retrieve one of these other pages by selecting the corresponding links. Hypertext links permit the information to be arranged into a hierarchical structure comprising an entry point or home page and plurality of subsidiary pages accessible from the home page via one or a series of hypertext links. The hierarchical structure is also referred to as a domain or web site.
HTML is conventionally employed to communicate service information over wired network connections. However, as data processing power in portable communications devices such as mobile telephones increases, there is a growing demand for communication of similar information over wireless network connections. In response to the growing demand for such wireless communications, a new wireless communications protocol known as the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) was devised by the WAP Forum.
WML is a mark up language employed in WAP communications systems for communicating information to WAP compliant mobile user devices. A WAP compliant user device comprises WAP browser displaying WML format information received from a WAP server. Many mobile telephones now include WAP browsers. The WML format information is displayed on such user access devices in the form of a deck of cards, where each card represents one screen full of information. It is for performance issues that WML cards are batched into a deck of cards before being transmitted over WAP's Wireless Session Protocol (WSP). WML cards can be generally regarded as analogous to HTML pages. It is now common for WWW server computer systems to include a transcoder for converting a HTML pages into WML format for transmission to a wireless mobile user devices. By way of an alternative to transcoding HTML content into WML, WWW servers can also be used to store WML content or to dynamically generate WML mark-up language from data stored in some data repository such as a file system or a database."
Increasingly, service organizations are extending the content of their web sites to provide on-line services to users. Such on-line services typically offer a range of resources to a user. For example, many airlines now provide users with on-line resources to book flights, check seat availability, and make purchases through a frequent flyer program. Likewise, many banks and financial institutions now provide users with on-line resources to perform financial transactions, and trade stocks and shares. A user typically registers with such a service organization to gain access to its on-line services. Upon registration, each user is issued a personal identification code such as a personal identification number or password by the service organization. A login panel accessible from the home page of the service organization then provides the user with access to the on-line resources on entry of the corresponding personal identification code. Some service organizations are now providing registered customers with so-called "web portals" through which users may record preferences relating to services on offer.
Many on-line resources are accessible only be navigating from a home page or login panel through a series of unwanted intermediate pages, all interconnected by a path of hypertext links. This frequently makes such resources difficult to find on a web site. Also, whilst the intermediate pages may provide the service organization with an opportunity to provide additional information to its users as they navigate through the web site to the desired on-line resource, it is time-consuming for the customers, particularly if they are seeking to access the resource at a time when the network is congested and therefore sluggish in performing data transmissions. It would therefore be desirable to provide direct access to such resources in the event that specific conditions are met, thereby avoiding time consuming navigation through intermediate pages of information.

Facilitating access to a resource of an on-line service

International Business Machines Corporation


The accuracy of eye gaze trackers is used in the presence of ambient light, such as sunlight, is improved. The intensity of sunlight and its constituent wavelengths of light, such as infrared radiation, do not vary rapidly. During the inter-frame interval of video cameras (typically 1/30th of a second), the level of ambient infrared radiation can be considered nearly constant. In a first embodiment, the modulation of the IR illuminator is synchronized with each frame of the camera such that the illuminator alternates between on and off with each subsequent frame. If one considers a sequence of such frames, then the image captured in the first frame contains both the illuminator signal and the ambient radiation information. The image captured in the second frame contains only the ambient radiation information. By subtracting the second frame from the first frame, a new image is formed that contains only the information from the illuminator signal. The resulting image can then be used by the conventional eye tracker system to compute the direction of eye gaze even in the presence of an ambient IR source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to eye gaze trackers and, more particularly, to techniques for improving accuracy degraded by ambient light noise while maintaining safe IR levels output by the illuminator.
2. Description of the Related Art
The purpose of eye gaze trackers, also called eye trackers, is to determine where an individual is looking. The primary use of the technology is as an input device for human-computer interaction. In such a capacity, eye trackers enable the computer to determine where on the computer screen the individual is looking. Since software controls the content of the display, it can correlate eye gaze information with the semantics of the program. This enables many different applications. For example, eye trackers can be used by disabled persons as the primary input device, replacing both the mouse and the keyboard. Eye trackers have been used for various types of research, such as determining how people evaluate and comprehend text and other visually represented information. Eye trackers can also be used to train individuals who must interact with computer screens in certain ways, such as air traffic controllers, nuclear energy plant operators, security personnel, etc.
The most effective and common eye tracking technology exploits the "bright-eye" effect. The bright-eye effect is familiar to most people as the glowing red pupils observed in photographs of people taken with a flash that is mounted near the camera lens. In the case of eye trackers, the eye is illuminated with infrared light, which is not visible to the human eye. An infrared (IR) camera can easily detect the infrared light re-emitted by the retina. It can also detect the even brighter primary reflection of the infrared illuminator off of the front surface of the eye. The relative position of the primary reflection to the large circle caused by the light re-emitted by the retina (the bright-eye effect) can be used to determine the direction of gaze. This information, combined with the relative positions of the camera, the eyes, and the computer display, can be used to compute where on the computer screen the user is looking.
Eye trackers based on the bright-eye effect are highly effective and further improvements in accuracy are unwarranted. This is because the angular errors are presently smaller than the angle of foveation. Within the angle of foveation, it is not possible to determine where someone is looking because all imagery falls on the high resolution part of the retina, called the fovea, and eye movement is unnecessary for visual interpretation.
However, despite the effectiveness of infrared bright-eye based eye tracking technology, the industry is highly motivated to abandon it and develop alternative approaches. This is deemed necessary because the infrared-based technology is not usable in environments with ambient sunlight, such as sunlit rooms, many public spaces, and the outdoors. To avoid raising concerns about potential eye damage, the amount of infrared radiation emitted by the illuminators is set to considerably less than that present in normal sunlight. This makes it difficult to identify the location of the bright eye and the primary reflection of the illuminator due to ambient IR reflections. This, in turn, diminishes the ability to compute the direction of eye gaze.

Method for increasing the signal-to-noise in IR-based eye gaze trackers


An electronic control device reduces, after a time at which constant speed traveling control is terminated (specific control termination time) not by an accelerating operation or braking operation but by, for example, an operation of a control switch, the vehicle driving force to a force corresponding to the amount of accelerating operation at the specific control termination time. Also, the electronic control device changes the vehicle braking force to a force corresponding to the amount of braking operation at the specific control termination time by controlling the braking hydraulic pressures with a hydraulic pressure circuit so that the value of a vehicle propulsive force, which takes a positive value when acting in the same direction as the driving force (and takes a negative value when acting in the opposite direction of the driving force) and which has a magnitude equal to a value resulting from subtracting the magnitude of the braking force from the magnitude of the driving force, is equal to or smaller than the value of the vehicle propulsive force at the specific control termination time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that controls the vehicle driving force and vehicle braking force to be applied to a vehicle to maintain the vehicle body speed (vehicle speed) at a target vehicle speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been previously proposed vehicle control devices (also referred to as constant speed traveling control devices or automatic traveling control devices) for controlling the vehicle driving force and vehicle braking force to be applied to a vehicle to maintain the vehicle speed at a relatively low target vehicle speed of, for example, about several kilometers per hour to a dozen kilometers per hour (at as low a target vehicle speed as the creep speed) (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-90679 (JP-A-2004-90679), for example). Such control is also referred to as "constant speed traveling control." Since such a control device changes not only the vehicle driving force but also the vehicle braking force to control the vehicle speed, the control device can control the vehicle speed quickly and accurately as compared to the case in which only the vehicle driving force is changed. As a result, the control device can make the vehicle speed accurately equal to the target vehicle speed even when the vehicle is traveling on a steep grade (uphill or downhill grade).
The control device of the related art changes the vehicle driving force toward a vehicle driving force corresponding to the amount of accelerating operation (for example, the accelerator displacement) and changes the vehicle braking force toward a vehicle braking force corresponding to the amount of braking operation (for example, brake pedal depression amount) after the constant speed traveling control is terminated. Such a control device may have a switch for constant speed traveling control, and may be configured to perform the constant speed traveling control when the switch for constant speed traveling control is on and terminate the constant speed traveling control when the switch for constant speed traveling control is turned off. Thus, the control device constituted as described above reduces the vehicle driving force toward "0" at a predetermined driving force reduction rate and reduces the vehicle braking force toward "0" at a predetermined braking force reduction rate when the switch is operated and termination conditions of the constant speed traveling control are satisfied while neither an accelerating operation nor a braking operation is performed.
However, when the control device reduces the vehicle driving force and the vehicle braking force toward "0," the control device does not associate the vehicle driving force and the vehicle braking force with each other. In other words, the driving force reduction rate of the vehicle driving force and the braking force reduction rate of the vehicle braking force are independent of and different from each other. Therefore, the control device may cause the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate while the vehicle driving force and the vehicle braking force are decreasing toward "0" after the termination of constant speed traveling control as described below and, consequently, give the driver discomfort.
For example, when the switch is operated and termination conditions of the constant speed traveling control are satisfied during constant speed traveling control, and when the vehicle braking force decreases more quickly than the vehicle driving force, the vehicle driving force becomes excessive relative to the vehicle braking force. As a result, since the vehicle accelerates even when the vehicle is traveling on an uphill grade, the driver may feel discomfort. Also, when the switch is operated and the termination conditions of the constant speed traveling control are satisfied during constant speed traveling control, and when the vehicle driving force decreases more quickly than the vehicle braking force, the vehicle braking force becomes excessive relative to the vehicle driving force. As a result, since the vehicle decelerates even when the vehicle is traveling on a downhill grade, the driver may feel discomfort. Such a situation occurs not only after constant speed traveling control is terminated by an operation of the switch for constant speed traveling control but also after constant speed traveling control is terminated because some part of the control device is determined not to be working properly, for example.


An air conditioner apparatus wherein the range of fluctuation of the difference between the room temperature and the desired preset temperature is divided into a plurality of zones, a variable capacity compressor being driven at frequencies respectively corresponding to these zones, and a heater is provided in an internal unit when a drying operation mode is selected and the room temperature is in a zone lower than the desired preset temperatures. The apparatus is further equipped with a switch that shifts the frequencies corresponding to the zones in the drying operation mode in the direction of an increasing dehumidification capacity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an air conditioner apparatus that dehumidifies by controlling current to a heater provided in an internal unit in a range in which the room temperature is lower than its set value.
2. Description of the Related Art
In most modern air conditioners, usually the range of fluctuation of the difference between the room temperature and the set temperature value is divided into a plurality of zones. Thus, the compressor used for refrigerant circulation is driven at a frequency corresponding to the respective zone. In this case, usually the compressor is stopped in the zone in which the room temperature is lower than the set value. However, compressor improvements have expanded the low end of the range of speeds in which the compressor operation is possible. Recently, air conditioners have appeared in which the compressor is operated at low speed even in the zone in which the room temperature is lower than the set value.
There are also air conditioners in which a heater is provided in the internal unit of the air conditioner. Thus, comfort is increased by controlling current to this heater in the initial period of the heating operation mode, or in the zone in which room temperature is lower than the set value in the drying operation mode.
For example, this type of air conditioner is found in Japanese Utility Model Disclosure (Kokai) No. 54-125152. In this conventional air conditioner, the room temperature is controlled by an ON/OFF operation of an electric heater in the drying operation mode. Furthermore, the compressor operating frequency in the zone in which the room temperature is lower than the set value is determined by the occupant of the room.
In this connection, in the case of a typical domestic air conditioner intended for a room with a floor area of about 10 square meters (.apprxeq.110 ft.sup.2), assuming that the occupant of the room is alone, the compressor operating frequency is selected to be 12 Hz. In this case, even if the room is occupied by three people, the compressor continues to operate with the same frequency so long as the room temperature does not exceed the set value, so that even if the humidity is felt to be high, it is not possible to alter the dehumidifying capacity.

Dehumidifier air conditioner apparatus with increased compressor speed and reheat


Second insulating films of gate insulating films each are composed of a high-permittivity dielectric film having a relative dielectric constant of 8 or more and at least one of the high-permittivity dielectric films constituting the second insulating films is doped with at least one kind of impurity metal ions. The valence number of the impurity metal ions differs by 1 from that of metal ions constituting the high-permittivity dielectric films. Due to this doping, at least one of the density and polarity of charged defects in the high-permittivity dielectric films differs between the second insulating films. The threshold voltage of each MISFET is controlled independently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and especially to a technique for independently controlling the threshold voltages of a plurality of MIS (metal insulator semiconductor) field-effect transistors (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cMISFETsxe2x80x9d) comprised in a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional semiconductor device 1P. The semiconductor device 1P is a basic CMOS (complementary MOS) device comprising both an n-channel MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) field-effect transistor (hereinafter referred to as an xe2x80x9cnMOSFETxe2x80x9d) 10P and a p-channel MOSFET (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cpMOSFETxe2x80x9d) 30P. Such a semiconductor device 1P is disclosed for example in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-61437 (1994), FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 9, a semiconductor substrate 2P is divided into active regions by an isolation oxide film 3P. A p-well 11P for the nMOSFET 10P is formed in one of the active regions of the semiconductor substrate 2P, whereas an n-well 31P for the pMOSFET 30P is formed in another active region adjacent to the above one.
In the surface of the p-well 11P, a pair of n-type impurity layers 12P and 13P are formed with a channel region sandwiched in between. A gate insulating film 14P composed of a silicon oxide film such as a thermal oxide film is formed on the channel region in the p-well 11P and a gate electrode 15P is formed on the gate insulating film 14P.
Similarly, in the surface of the n-well 31P, a pair of p-type impurity layers 32P and 33P are formed with a channel region sandwiched in between. A gate insulating film 34P composed of a silicon oxide film such as a thermal oxide film is formed on the channel region in the n-well 31P and a gate electrode 35P is formed on the gate insulating film 34P.
For low resistance, the gate electrodes 15P and 35P are doped with impurities such as phosphorus or boron by ion implantation or the like.
An interlayer insulation film 4P is formed over the whole surface of the semiconductor substrate 2P to cover the gate electrodes 15P and 35P. The interlayer insulation film 4P has formed therein contact holes which connect the impurity layers 12P, 13P, 32P, and 33P to wires 17P, 18P, 37P, and 38P, respectively.
For example when the gate electrodes 15P and 35P are doped with phosphorus, due to (the presence or absence of) the work function difference between the gate electrodes 15P, 35P and their opposing channel regions, the following operating discrepancy arises between the nMOSFET 10P and the pMOSFET 30P.
In the nMOSFET 10P, since the gate electrode 15P is formed on the p-well 11P, a positive work function difference xcex94"PHgr"ƒ with respect to the p-well 11P (or the substrate 2P) arises between the gate electrode 15P and the p-well 11P. Accordingly, the energy band in the vicinity of the channel bends downwardly when the potential of the gate electrode 15P is equal to the substrate potential. From this, an inversion layer can be formed by slightly applying a positive potential to the gate electrode 15P.
In the pMOSFET 30P, on the other hand, since the gate electrode 35P is formed on the n-well 31P, no work function difference with respect to the substrate 2P arises between the phosphorus-doped n-type gate electrode 35P and the n-well 31P. Thus, the energy band in the vicinity of the channel is almost flat when the potential of the gate electrode 35P is equal to the substrate potential. From this, for formation of an inversion layer in the pMOSFET 30P, the gate electrode 35P must be set at a fairly high negative potential. That is, the threshold voltage (hereinafter also referred to as a xe2x80x9cthreshold valuexe2x80x9d) is increased.
When both the gate electrodes 15P and 35P are doped with the same type of impurity, the threshold voltages of the nMOSFET 10P and the pMOSFET 30P are determined by the work function differences between the gate electrodes 15P, 35P and their opposing channel regions. That is, the conventional semiconductor device 1P has difficulty in controlling the threshold values of the nMOSFET 10P and the p-MOSFET 30P to the proper values.
As a measure to resolve such a problem, there is a method for independently controlling the threshold values of the MOSFETs 10P and 30P by doping the gate electrode 15P of the nMOSFET 10P with phosphorus and doping the gate electrode 35P of the pMOSFET 30P with boron.
The boron implanted in the gate electrode 35P will, however, diffuse (penetrate) into the channel region in a subsequent thermal treatment process and therefore it may cause problems such as an unintentional threshold-voltage increase. In next-generation MOSFETs, since a thin silicon oxide film of about 2 nm or less is used for the gate insulating film 34P, the above boron penetration is more likely to occur and thus changes in MOSFET characteristics are taken as an important issue.
Other examples of the methods for independently controlling the threshold values of the MOSFETs 10P and 30P include adjustment of the amount of dopant in the channel region and doping of the channel region with a counter impurity. However, such methods cause a considerable change in the impurity concentration of the channel region, resulting in characteristic deterioration such as an increase in channel leakage. Therefore, it is difficult to accomplish a dramatic threshold voltage shift, and the like.
In a system LSI, for specifications reasons, MOSFETs for logic circuit, MOSFETs for memory cell, and MOSFETs for I/O circuit often have different threshold voltages. In such a case, also, the aforementioned difficulty in controlling the threshold voltages becomes an issue.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first MISFET including a first gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a second MISFET including a second gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first gate insulating film includes, at least in part, a first dielectric film containing first metal ions and having a relative dielectric constant of 8 or more, the second gate insulating film includes, at least in part, a second dielectric film containing second metal ions and having a relative dielectric constant of 8 or more, first doping is performed on the first dielectric film using at least one kind of first impurity metal ions whose valence number differs by 1 from that of the first metal ions, and/or second doping is performed on the second dielectric film using at least one kind of second impurity metal ions whose valence number differs by 1 from that of the second metal ions, and wherein due to the first and/or second doping, at least one of the density and polarity of charged defects differs between the first dielectric film and the second dielectric film.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of the first aspect, the first dielectric film and the second dielectric film are made of the same material.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of the second aspect, the first MISFET includes an n-channel MISFET, the second MISFET includes a p-channel MISFET, the at least one kind of first impurity metal ions includes third metal ions having a valence number greater than the first metal ions, the at least one kind of second impurity metal ions includes fourth metal ions having a valence number greater than the second metal ions, and when the first doping and the second doping are both performed, a concentration of the third metal ions is set to be not less than that of the fourth metal ions.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of either the second or the third aspect, the first MISFET includes an n-channel MISFET, the second MISFET includes a p-channel MISFET, the at least one kind of first impurity metal ions includes fifth metal ions having a valence number smaller than the first metal ions, the at least one kind of second impurity metal ions includes sixth metal ions having a valence number smaller than the second metal ions, and when the first doping and the second doping are both performed, a concentration of the fifth metal ions is set to be not more than that of the sixth metal ions.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of the second aspect, the first and second MISFETs include MISFETs of the same channel type, the at least one kind of first impurity metal ions includes third metal ions having a valence number greater than the first metal ions, the at least one kind of second impurity metal ions includes fourth metal ions having a valence number greater than the second metal ions, and when the first doping and the second doping are both performed, a concentration of the third metal ions is set to be not less than that of the fourth metal ions.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of either of the second through fifth aspects, the first and second MISFETs include MISFETs of the same channel type, the at least one kind of first impurity metal ions includes fifth metal ions having a valence number smaller than the first metal ions, the at least one kind of second impurity metal ions includes sixth metal ions having a valence number smaller than the second metal ions, and when the first doping and the second doping are both performed, a concentration of the fifth metal ions is set to be not more than that of the sixth metal ions.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of either of the first through sixth aspects, materials of the first and second dielectric films each include at least one of Al2O3, Y2O3, and La2O3, and the at least one kind of first impurity ions and the at least one kind of second impurity ions each include at least one of bivalent ions including Ba, Sr, Mg and Ca ions, and quadrivalent ions including Ti, Zr, Hf, Si, and Pr ions.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of either of the first through sixth aspects, materials of the first and second dielectric films each include at least one of TiO2, ZrO2, HfO2, and PrO2, and the at least one kind of first impurity metal ions and the at least one kind of second impurity metal ions each include at least one of trivalent ions including Al, Y and La ions, and quinquevalent ions including Ta and Nb ions.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor device of either of the first through eighth aspects, a dopant concentration of the at least one kind of first and/or second impurity metal ions is in the range of 0.1 atomic % to 10 atomic %.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device of either of the first through ninth aspects, the method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing the semiconductor substrate; and (b) forming the first and second dielectric films, wherein the step (b) includes the step of: (b-1) performing first and/or second doping by using at least one of a MOCVD and an ion implantation methods.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the tenth aspect, the first and/or second doping is performed by the MOCVD method, and an organic metal used as a supply source of the at least one kind of first impurity metal ions and/or the at least one kind of second impurity metal ions contains a common organic ligand with an organic metal used as a supply source of the first and/or second metal ions.
A twelfth aspect of the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first MISFET including a first gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a second MISFET including a second gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first gate insulating film includes, at least in part, a first dielectric film containing predetermined metal ions and having a relative dielectric constant of 8 or more, the second gate insulating film includes, at least in part, a second dielectric film, doping is performed on the first dielectric film using at least one kind of impurity metal ions whose valence number differs by 1 from that of the predetermined metal ions, and wherein a threshold voltage difference between the first MISFET and the second MISFET is accomplished by controlling at least one of the density and polarity of charged defects caused by the doping in the first dielectric film.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the density and/or polarity of charged defects due to doping differs between the first and second dielectric films, the first and second dielectric films can be in different charged states. Thus, even if the gate electrodes of the first and second MISFETs are made of the same material, it is possible to independently control the state of the energy band of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the first gate insulating film and the same in the vicinity of the second insulating film. Accordingly, the threshold voltages of the first and second MISFETs can be controlled independently. At this time, in the semiconductor device, boron penetration in the gate electrodes (of polycrystalline silicon) and channel leakage due to doping of the channel regions of the MISFETs are suppressed, as compared with those in conventional semiconductor devices. Therefore, as compared with conventional semiconductor devices, the semiconductor device can control the threshold voltage of the first MISFET over a wider voltage range with greater accuracy (while inhibiting unintentional threshold voltage shifts).
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the semiconductor device can be manufacture more simply than would be possible if the first and second dielectric films are made of different materials.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the n-channel and p-channel MISFETs constitute a CMOS, for example, consistency can be achieved between the threshold values of both the MISFETs. In addition, the threshold voltage of the n-channel MISFET can be reduced.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the n-channel and p-channel MISFETs constitute a CMOS, for example, consistency can be achieved between the threshold values of both the MISFETs. In addition, the threshold voltage of the p-channel MISFET can be reduced.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the first and second MISFETs of the same channel type can have different threshold voltages. This enables the provision of a semiconductor device which comprises, for example, both MISFETs for logic circuit having a low threshold voltage and MISFETs for I/O circuit having a high threshold voltage.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the first and second MISFETs of the same channel type can have different threshold voltages. This enables the provision of a semiconductor device which comprises, for example, both MISFETs for logic circuit having a low threshold voltage and MISFETs for I/O circuit having a high threshold voltage.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device can be provided which is capable of independently controlling the threshold voltages of the first and second MISFETs.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device can be provided which is capable of independently controlling the threshold voltages of the first and second MISFETs.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, charged defects can be generated which can considerably vary the threshold voltages of the MISFETs.
According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, a good-quality, impurity-doped first and/or dielectric film can be formed.
According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, a side reaction between the ligands of the organic metals can be inhibited, which allows film formation with a high degree of reproducibility.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, a difference in threshold voltage can be produced between the first and second MISFETs by controlling at least one of the density and polarity of charged defects due to doping of the first dielectric film. At this time, the threshold voltage difference between the first and second MISFETs can be easily produced by controlling the density and/or polarity of charged defects in the first dielectric film. Also, in the semiconductor device, boron penetration in the gate electrodes (of polycrystalline silicon) and channel leakage due to doping of the channel regions of the MISFETs are suppressed, as compared with those in conventional semiconductor devices. Therefore, as compared with conventional semiconductor devices, the semiconductor device can control the threshold voltage of the first MISFET over a wider voltage range with greater accuracy (while inhibiting unintentional threshold voltage shifts).
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device which comprises a plurality of MISFETs each having an independently controlled threshold voltage.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof