Apparatus for damping torsional vibrations, particularly in the power train of a motor vehicle, has first and second torque transmitting devices rotatable with and relative to each other about a common axis against the opposition of a damper having springs confined in an annular chamber of one of the two devices. The extent to which the two devices can turn relative to each other is determined, at least in part, by plastic inserts which are installed in the one device radially inwardly of the chamber and have anvils which abut each other upon completion of a preselected angular displacement of the two devices relative to each other from a neutral position.

This application claims the priority of commonly owned copending German patent application Serial No. 100 36 503.5 filed Jul. 27, 2000. The disclosure of the above-referenced German patent application, as well as that of each US and foreign patent and patent application identified in the specification of the present application, is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for damping vibrations between rotary driving and driven parts, such as between the output shaft of an engine or another prime mover and the input shaft of a change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle. As a rule, such apparatus comprise first and second rotary torque transmitting devices and a torque transmitting and stray movements (such as vibrations) suppressing (damping) unit between such devices.
Torsional vibration damping apparatus of the character to which the apparatus of the present invention pertain are disclosed, for example, in published German patent applications Serial Nos. 199 12 970 A1, 199 09 044 A1, 196 48 432 A1, 196 03 248 A1 and 41 17 584 A1. All such parts or groups of parts in the apparatus of the present invention which are adequately disclosed and illustrated in the above-enumerated and other published German patent applications as well as in US and foreign patents granted to the assignee of the present application and/or to others will be described only to the extent necessary to readily locate the relevant references for additional disclosure (if necessary).
Damping apparatus of the type to which the apparatus of the present invention pertain are also disclosed in commonly owned German patent application Serial No. 100 37 107.8, filed Jul. 27, 2000, and in the corresponding copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/915,817, filed Jul. 25, 2001 for xe2x80x9cAPPARATUS FOR DAMPING TORSIONAL VIBRATIONSxe2x80x9d.
A drawback of many presently known vibration damping apparatus is that they are not effective under any and all circumstances which arise in torque transmitting machines, assemblies or apparatus, as well as that they are in part too bulky, complex and expensive. Moreover, many (if not all) presently known torsional vibration damping apparatus are overly sensitive to the presence and influence of foreign matter, primarily or frequently because their sensitive constitutents are not adequately shielded against penetration of dust and/or other impurities and/or against uncontrolled escape of lubricant.
An object of our present invention is to enhance the simplicity and reliability as well as to reduce the initial and maintenance cost of torsional vibration damping apparatus, for example, of apparatus which can be put to use in the power trains of motor vehicles.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide torsional vibration damping apparatus which can be installed in existing power trains of motor vehicles or the like as superior substitutes for conventional apparatus of such character.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for reliably confining grease, oil or another suitable lubricant in the enclosure(s) for the torsional vibration damper or dampers of the above outlined apparatus.
An additional object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for shielding the sensitive constituents of torsional vibration damping apparatus from adverse influences of dust and/or other foreign matter.
Still another object of our present invention is to provide novel and improved seals for use in torsional vibration damping apparatus of the above outlined character.
A further object of the invention is to provide a power train, particularly for use in a motor vehicle, which embodies a torsional vibration damping apparatus of the above outlined character.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus which is designed to transmit torque between the rotary output element of the engine and the rotary input element of the transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, a truck, an SUV and/or others.
A further object of the invention is to provide a torsional vibration damping apparatus which is or which can be constructed and assembled in such a way that it can be readily converted for optimal operation under any one of a host of different circumstances.
An additional object of the invention is to provide novel and improved damper means for use in the above outlined apparatus.
Still another object of the invention is to provide the above outlined apparatus with novel and improved means for reliably coupling various constituents of the apparatus to each other.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved multi-stage torsional vibration damping apparatus for use in the power trains of motor vehicles and the like.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved torsional vibration damping apparatus which can be readily assembled into a module for convenient and time-saving installation in the power train of a motor vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved method of limiting or preventing stray movements of parts which transmit torque between a prime mover and a torque receiving unit, such as in the power train of a motor vehicle.
One feature of our invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for damping torsional vibrations, particularly in the power train of a motor vehicle (e.g., between the crankshaft or camshaft of the combustion engine or the output shaft of another prime mover and the input shaft of the manual, automated or automatic change-speed transmission). The improved apparatus comprises first and second torque transmitting devices which are turnable with and relative to each other about a common axis and are respectively arranged to normally receive torque from a rotary output element of a driving unit (such as the camshaft or the crakshaft of the aforementioned combustion engine) and to transmit torque to a rotary input element (such as the input shaft of the aforesaid transmission). The improved apparatus further comprises a damper which is constructed, assembled and installed to yieldably oppose rotation of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other and includes elastically deformable energy storing means engageable by suitably configurated and/or dimensioned and/or installed portions of the torque transmitting devices, and inserts which are interposed between the aforementioned portions of the torque transmitting devices on the one hand and the energy storing means on the other hand. The inserts have portions or sections (hereinafter called anvils for short) which are arranged to abut each other in response to turning of at least one of the torque transmitting devices relative to the other device through predetermined angles. The energy storing means is disposed at a first radial distance from the common axis of the torque transmitting devices, and the anvils are disposed at a lesser second radial distance from the common axis.
At least one but preferably each of the torque transmitting devices can include at least one flywheel. The arrangement can be such that the improved apparatus comprises first and second flywheels which are rotatable about the common axis of the torque transmitting devices, and means for respectively connecting the first and second flywheels to the first and second torque transmitting devices.
The energy storing means can include at least two arcuate or polygonal (hereinafter often referred to as arcuate) resilient components having centers of curvature at (i.e., on or relatively close to) the common axis of the torque transmitting devices and being arranged to permit the two devices to turn relative to each other clockwise and counterclockwise from a neutral position through angles of at least 30xc2x0. The arcuate resilient components can include or constitute coil springs, and the coil springs of at least one of the resilient components can be arranged to undergo expansion and/or contraction.
The energy storing means of the damper can include at least one arcuate resilient component having a series of coil springs which are disposed end-to-end. The at least one arcuate resilient component can constitute or include at least one elongated precurved coil spring.
It is also possible to employ energy storing means which includes at least one set of interfitted coil springs.
At least a portion of at least one of the inserts can consist of a plastic material.
The apparatus can further comprise means for securing the end portions of the energy storing means to the aforementioned portions of the torque transmitting devices against unintentional separation of such devices from the energy storing means.
As already mentioned hereinbefore, the energy storing means of the damper can include a plurality of elongated arcuate resilient components having centers of curvature at the common axis of the torque transmitting devices. The inserts are or can be grouped into pairs, one pair for each resilient component, and the anvils of at least one pair of inserts are inwardly adjacent the respective resilient component of the energy storing means of the damper. The anvils of the at least one pair of inserts can extend along arcuate paths and the anvils of each pair can have a combined length less than the length of the respective resilient component in a condition the at least one component assumes in predetermined starting positions of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other. The inserts of the at least one pair of inserts can further include radially outwardly extending portions which are adjacent the end portions of the at least one coponent of the energy storing means. Each radially outwardly extending portion can exhibit at least some elastic deformability.
The improved apparatus can further comprise additional damper means which is arranged to yieldably oppose turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other upon completion of turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other through the aforementioned predetermined angles. The damper can have a first spring gradient and the additional damper means can have a higher second spring gradient. Furthermore, or in addition to the just mentioned feature involving the spring gradients, the damper can exhibit a first moment of friction and the additional damper means can exhibit a higher second moment of friction. In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, the damper has a first spring stiffness and a first moment of friction, and the additional damper means has a second spring stiffness and a second moment of friction; at least one of the second stiffness and the second moment of friction is higher than the corresponding characteristic(s) of the damper. It will be seen that, at least in many instances, the additional damper means exhibits at least one characteristic which is different from the corresponding characteristic of the damper; such at least one characteristic can constitute the stiffness of the additional damper means.
The anvils can be provided with end faces which are disposed in planes including the common axis of the torque transmitting devices. Alternatively, such end faces can constitute ramps which are inclined with reference to the aforementioned planes and abut each other in response to turning of at least one of the torque transmitting devices through the aforementioned predetermined angles. The ramps can be oriented and dimensioned and/or otherwise designed to enhance the damping action of the damper in response to abutment of the respective anvils against each other. In accordance with one presently preferred embodiment, the ramps are oriented to frictionally engage each other as soon as the anvils come into abutment with each other.
The anvils can be installed with at least some freedom of movement radially of the common axis of the torque transmitting devices so that they can bear upon the energy storing means of the damper under the action of centrifugal force in response to turning of the torque transmitting devices about their common axis.
Alternatively or in addition to the just discussed feature, the inserts can be arranged to bear upon at least one of the torque transmitting devices under the action of centrifugal force in response to turning of such devices about their common axis.
Still further, the anvils can be arranged to bear upon at least one of the energy storing means, the first torque transmitting device, and/or the second torque transmitting device under the action of centrifugal force in response to turning of the torque transmitting devices about their common axis.
One of the torque transmitting devices can comprise two axially spaced-apart sidewalls extending at least substantially radially of their common axis, and the other torque transmitting device can comprise a third wall or partition disposed between the two sidewalls. The one torque transmitting device is or can constitute the first torque transmitting device, i.e., the device which normally transmits torque to the second device by way of the damper. The arrangement can be such that the anvils bear upon at least one of the walls (i.e., upon at least one of the sidewalls and/or upon the third wall) under the action of centrifugal force in response to turning of the energy storing devices about their common axis.
The inserts can be arranged to establish a frictional engagement with the first torque transmitting device, with the second torque transmitting device and/or with the damper, and to thus generate a frictional damping action, at least in response to turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other. Such apparatus can further comprise at least one spring which is arranged to urge the inserts against the first torque transmitting device, against the second torque transmitting device and/or against the damper and to thus establish and maintain the aforementioned frictional damping action. The at least one spring can include or constitute at least one diaphragm spring (also called Belleville spring).
If at least one of the torque transmitting devices includes at least one flywheel which is rotatable about the common axis of the torque transmitting devices, at least one of the inserts can be arranged to oppose wobbling of the flywheel(s), e.g., to oppose wobbling of two coaxial flywheels relative to the common axis of the torque transmitting devices.
One of the torque transmitting devices can be designed to define an annular chamber for the energy storing means of the damper, and such apparatus can further employ a supply of lubricant (such as grease) which at least partially fills the chamber. The anvils of the inserts in such apparatus can include portions which constitute seals (or at leas partial seals) against the escape of lubricant from the chamber and/or against penetration of dust and/or other contaminants into the chamber.
If the energy storing means includes one or more coil springs, the improved apparatus can further comprise means for opposing rotation of at least one coil spring or each coil spring about its longitudinal axis.
As a rule, or at least in many embodiments of the improved apparatus, the torque transmitting devices are turnable relative to each other about their common axis in clockwise as well as counterclockwise directions. The energy storing means of this apparatus can include a plurality of springs which are arranged end-to-end; such springs can include at least one first spring having a first spring rate and being arranged to store energy in response to clockwise turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other, and at least one second spring which has a second spring rate and is arranged to store energy in response to counterclockwise turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other.
The energy storing means of the damper can include at least two arcuate resilient components, and the inserts of the apparatus employing such damper can further include portions disposed between the resilient components. The aforementioned portions of the torque transmitting devices preferably include extensions which are disposed between the resilient components, and such apparatus preferably further comprises auxiliary springs which are disposed between the extensions and the portions of the inserts. Such apparatus can further comprise means for securing the auxiliary springs to the aforediscussed portions of the inserts; the securing means can include form-locking connections. The torque transmitting devices of the just described embodiment of the improved apparatus are or can be turnable relative to each other in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and the auxiliary springs can be arranged to store energy in response to turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. It is also possible to design the apparatus in such a way that at least one first auxiliary spring is arranged to store energy in response to clockwise turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other and at least one second auxiliary spring is arranged to store energy in response to counterclockwise turning of the torque transmitting devices relative to each other.
Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a torsional vibrations damping apparatus which comprises first and second torque transmitting devices turnable at least within limits relative to each other about a common axis, and means for yieldably opposing turning of the devices relative to each other; such opposing means includes at least one energy storing means and at least one hysteresis arrangement.
The apparatus preferably further comprises inserts which are interposed between portions of the torque transmitting devices one the one hand and the at least one energy storing means on the other hand. The inserts are provided with anvils which are arranged to abut each other in response to turning of at least one of the torque transmitting devices relative to the other device through predetermined angles.
The at least one energy storing means is disposed at a first radial distance from the common axis of the torque transmitting devices, and the anvils are disposed at a lesser second radial distance from such axis.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved torque transmitting apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and the modes of assembling, installing and operating the same, together with numerous additional important and advantageous features and attributes thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Apparatus for damping torsional vibrations in the power trains of motor vehicles and the like

LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG


Apparatuses and a related method relating to radiation detection are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first scintillator and a second scintillator adjacent to the first scintillator, with each of the first scintillator and second scintillator being structured to generate a light pulse responsive to interacting with incident radiation. The first scintillator is further structured to experience full energy deposition of a first low-energy radiation, and permit a second higher-energy radiation to pass therethrough and interact with the second scintillator. The apparatus further includes a plurality of light-to-electrical converters operably coupled to the second scintillator and configured to convert light pulses generated by the first scintillator and the second scintillator into electrical signals. The first scintillator and the second scintillator exhibit at least one mutually different characteristic for an electronic system to determine whether a given light pulse is generated by the first scintillator or the second scintillator.

Low-energy beta particle-emitting radionuclides, such as Technetium-99 (Tc-99), can be difficult to measure in the environment in which they are located. Tc-99 is one of the fission products with a relatively high yield in the thermal neutron fission of Uranium-235 (U-235) or Plutonium-239 (Pu-239), and Tc-99 has a long half-life of approximately 2.1×105 years. Tc-99 is found in the environment due to fallout from past atmospheric nuclear weapons tests and reactor fuel processing. In addition, Tc-99 is mobile in the environment, can move into groundwater, and may constitute a health hazard to humans if taken into the body. For these reasons, it may be desirable to be able to detect the presence of Tc-99. Conventional methods for detecting Tc-99 in soil include sampling the soil and running chemical tests on the soil to determine Tc-99 concentration.
Many conventional radiation detectors are designed to detect higher-energy emitting radionuclides, especially those radionuclides that emit gamma rays that travel a great distance due to the high energy of gamma rays. The only emissions that come from Tc-99 are low-energy beta particles, which absorb quickly and do not travel very far in air or soil. As a result, detectors designed to measure radioactive activity remotely, from a significant distance, may not be useful for detection of such low-energy beta particle-emitting radionuclides.
Further, conventional radiation detectors are not designed to discriminate between higher-energy radiation emitters and low-energy beta emitters, which may be either man-made or natural (e.g., K-40). Not being able to discriminate between these emitters makes it difficult to know what contribution of the radiation measured is attributable to Tc-99. Part of the difficulty in using conventional radiation detectors to detect such low-energy emitting radionuclides is due to the expected presence of a number of other radionuclides in the environment being examined, which presence may cause background interference. The background interference may be caused by high-energy gamma- or beta-radiation emitters interacting with the detector. Table 1, below, lists the nuclear properties of Tc-99 along with the expected contaminants and concentrations in an environment (e.g., the vadose zone) to be examined.
TABLE 1BetaEndpointGamma rayExpectedRadio-Radiation andEnergyEnergiesConcentrationnuclideyield (%)(keV)(keV)(pCi/g)Tc-99β-100%292Low yield   1-14,000gammaCs-137β--94%5116611 (6%)K-40β--89% plus low1300146110-40yield positron emitter(11%)U-235A 4-4.5 MeV142.8, 1851-3β- -daughter products(46%)U-238A-415 to 420 MeV1000 from1-3β- -daughter productsdaughterTh-232A 3.8-4.0 MeVMultiple1-3β- -daughter productsgamma raysCo-60β-100% low3181173 and 2-20yield at 15001332
As indicated by Table 1, a number of other contaminant radionuclides are expected to be present in the environment where Tc-99 may likely be present. These other radionuclides may include Cesium-137 (Cs-137), Potassium-40 (K-40), Uranium-235 (U-235), Uranium-238 (U-238), Thorium-232 (Th-232), and Cobalt-60 (Co-60). Other expected contaminant radionuclides not listed in Table 1, but discussed later, include Strontium-90 (Sr-90), Yttrium-90 (Y-90), and Tritium (H-3).
Referring again to Table 1, Tc-99 exhibits an essentially 100% yield of beta-particle emission with little to no gamma ray emission. The beta endpoint energy is the maximum energy beta particles when the beta particles exit the nucleus before they scatter and lose some energy in the environment. As shown on Table 1, Tc-99 has the lowest beta particle endpoint energy of the radionuclides expected to be present in the target environment. The other radionuclides listed have various yields and energies of beta particle and gamma ray emissions. With the low-energy beta particle emission, the quick absorption of beta particles, and the existence of other higher-energy emitting radionuclides (both beta particles and gamma rays) in the environment causing background interference, detection of low-energy beta particle-emitting radionuclides, such as Tc-99, may prove difficult. This is especially true as Tc-99 is only a beta particle emitter, and no gamma rays, with their accompanying deeper penetration, are emitted.
Some conventional phoswich detectors have been used to discriminate between different types of radiation to determine which types of radiation are present (e.g., discriminate between alpha, beta, and gamma radiation); however, such detectors are not configured to discriminate between different sources of the same radiation type (e.g., between different beta emitters). The inventors have appreciated that there is a need to discriminate between sources of the same radiation type, including low-energy beta emitters such as Tc-99, and to do so in the environment where the radiation source exists without the need to take a material sample to run chemical analyses off-site in a laboratory.

Apparatuses for large area radiation detection and related method


The invention provides an SRAM memory cell structure permitting increase of integration density while maintaining operation stability. A memory cell in the SRAM includes a pair of access transistors, a pair of driver transistors, and a pair of load transistors. The gate insulating film of access transistor is formed of a single layer of silicon oxide film, while the gate insulating film of driver transistor is formed of a stacked layer formed of a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film. The pair of load transistors are formed of two layers of polycrystalline silicon layers stacked upon each other with an insulating film therebetween. A source region and a drain region are formed in each of polycrystalline silicon layers with each channel region therebetween. One drain region forms a gate opposite to the other channel region, while the other drain region forms a gate opposite to the one channel region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor memory devices and manufacturing methods thereof, and more specifically, to a memory structure for SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, SRAM is known as one kind of semiconductor memory device. FIG. 42 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing one memory cell of a conventional SRAM. Referring to FIG. 42, the memory cell uses a p type MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) as a load, and is formed of six transistors. More specifically, a pair of driver transistors (for driving) Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2 (n type MOS transistors) and a pair of load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 (p type MOS transistors) are connected with each other to constitute a flip-flop circuit.
The source regions 110 and 111 of the pair of load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 are connected to a power supply V.sub.cc. The source regions of driver transistors Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2 are connected to GNDs 112 and 113.
A pair of access transistors Q.sub.3 and Q.sub.4 (n type MOS transistors) are connected to storage nodes 114 and 115, respectively. A bit line 107 is connected to one of the source/drain regions of access transistor Q.sub.3. A bit line 108 is connected to one of the source/drain regions of access transistor Q.sub.4. The gate electrodes of access transistors Q.sub.3 and Q.sub.4 are connected to a word line 109.
Now, a conventional SRAM memory cell structure will be described by way of illustrating a document (International Electron Device Meeting 1991 Technical Digest pp. 481-484).
FIGS. 43A and 43B are plan views showing a conventional SRAM memory cell structure divided into two stages from the bottom layer. More specifically, FIG. 43A illustrates driver transistors Q1 and Q2 and access transistors Q.sub.3 and Q.sub.4 formed on a substrate, while FIG. 43B illustrates thin film transistors (TFT) Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6. FIG. 44 is a schematic sectional view taken along line G--G in FIGS. 43A and 43B.
Referring to FIGS. 43A, 43B, and 44, in the conventional memory cell, a pair of driver transistors Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2 and a pair of access transistor Q.sub.3 and Q.sub.4 are formed at a main surface of a p type well 120. Driver transistor Q.sub.1 has a drain region 125a and a source region 125b opposing to each other with a channel region 125c therebetween, and a gate electrode 124. Driver transistor Q.sub.2 has a drain region 126a and a source region 126b opposing to each other with a channel region 126c therebetween, and a gate electrode 123.
Access transistor Q.sub.3 has a pair of source/drain regions 125d opposing to each other with a channel region 125e therebetween, and a gate electrode 121. Access transistor Q.sub.4 has a pair of source/drain regions 126d opposing to each other with a channel region 126e therebetween, and a gate electrode 122.
These transistors are formed of n type MOS transistors having source/drain regions formed on the main surface of p type well 120. The gate electrode 123 of driver transistor Q.sub.2 is connected to the source/drain region 125d of access transistor Q.sub.3 and the drain region 125a of driver transistor Q.sub.1 through a contact portion 123a. The gate electrode 124 of driver transistor Q.sub.1 is connected to the source/drain region 126d of access transistor Q.sub.4 and the drain region 126a of driver transistor Q.sub.2 through a contact portion 124a.
The drain region 143a of load transistor Q.sub.5 and the gate electrode 142 of load transistor Q.sub.6 are connected to the gate electrode 124 of driver transistor Q.sub.1 through a contact portion 143d. The drain region 144a of load transistor Q.sub.6 and the gate electrode 141 of load transistor Q.sub.5 are connected to the gate electrode 123 of driver transistor Q.sub.2 through a contact portion 144d.
A tungsten silicide layer 135 to be a GND line is formed at the position of an intermediate layer between driver transistor Q.sub.1, Q.sub.2 and access transistor Q.sub.3, Q.sub.4, and load transistors Q.sub.5, Q.sub.6.
A bit line 139 is connected to the source/drain region 125d of access transistor Q.sub.3 with a plug layer 137 therebetween. The other bit line (not shown) is connected to the source/drain region 126d of access transistor Q.sub.4 with a plug layer therebetween as in the case of bit line 139.
Load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 each formed of a thin film transistor have gate electrodes 141 and 142 lying under channel regions 143c and 144c, respectively, and each constitutes a so-called bottom gate type transistor.
FIG. 45 is a sectional view showing a typical cross section of a thin film transistor used for load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6. Referring to FIG. 45, the thin film transistor includes channel region 144c, drain region 144a, and source region 144b formed in a semiconductor layer such as of polycrystalline silicon. Gate electrode 142 is formed at a position opposing to channel region 144c with an insulating layer therebetween. FIG. 46 is a graphic representation showing the current characteristic of the above-described thin film transistor. In FIG. 46, Vd represents drain voltage, Vg gate voltage, and Id drain current.
In such an SRAM, in order to increase the integration density of memory cells, an area occupied by each memory cell on plane must be reduced. More specifically, the area on plane occupied by driver transistors Q.sub.1, Q.sub.2, access transistors Q.sub.3, Q.sub.4, and load transistors Q.sub.5, Q.sub.6 must be reduced. The above-described conventional memory cell is however encountered with the following two disadvantages in increasing integration density.
The first disadvantage is instability in operation at the time of reading. Now, this disadvantage will be described in more detail.
FIGS. 47A and 47B are diagrams showing an equivalent circuit of the memory cell shown in FIG. 42 by dividing it into two inverter circuits related to reading operation. Referring to FIGS. 47A and 47B, load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 are not illustrated, because current flowing across them is significantly small. The reading characteristic of the memory cell is produced from voltage change at the storage node thereof, with a bit line and a word line fixed to Vcc, while changing the gate voltage of a driver transistor (voltage at the storage node of the other side).
FIG. 48 is a graphic representation showing the reading characteristic of the above-described SRAM. Referring to FIG. 48, the abscissa represents the voltage of storage node 115, while the ordinate represents the voltage of storage node 114. Curve .alpha..sub.1 represents the voltage change characteristic of storage node 114 when the voltage of storage node 115 is changed. Curve .gamma..sub.1 represents the voltage change characteristic of storage node 115 when the voltage of storage node 114 is changed. Curves .alpha..sub.1 and .gamma..sub.1 cross at three points P.sub.1, P.sub.2, and P.sub.3. Point P.sub.3 corresponds to storage node 114 storing "High" data, while point P.sub.1 corresponds to storage node 115 storing "High" data. Point P.sub.2 is an unstable point, and voltage does not stop at point P.sub.2 at the time of reading. In the Figure, a region defined by circle h.sub.1 is a so-called "memory cell eye". Generally, the larger the memory cell eye is, the more stable will be the reading operation.
The memory cell eye is discussed in Evert Seevinck et al., IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS, Vol. SC-22, No. 5, Oct. 1987 pp. 748-754, and H. Shinohara et al., VLSI '82, pp. 106-107.
There are several ways of enlarging a memory cell eye, and two approaches will be described in the following. The first method is to enlarge the driving capability ratio .beta. of driver transistor and access transistor (in other words driving capability of driver transistor/driving capability of access transistor). FIG. 49 is a graphic representation showing the reading characteristic when the driving capability ratio .beta. is increased with respect to the case shown in FIG. 48. Referring to FIG. 49, the memory cell eye is enlarged from circle h.sub.1 to circle h.sub.2.
The second approach is to reduce threshold voltage V.sub.th of access transistor. Vcc-.theta..sub.1 (distance between Vcc and .theta..sub.1) and Vcc-.theta..sub.2 (distance between Vcc and .theta..sub.2) in FIG. 48 correspond to the threshold voltages V.sub.th of access transistors Q.sub.3 and Q.sub.4, respectively. It is noted that .theta..sub.1 and .theta..sub.2 are High level voltages of the outputs of the respective inverters. FIG. 50 is a graphic representation showing the characteristic when the threshold voltage V.sub.th of access transistor is reduced with respect to the case of FIG. 48. Referring to FIG. 50, if the threshold voltages V.sub.th of access transistors Q.sub.3 and Q.sub.4 are reduced to Vcc-.theta..sub.3 and Vcc-.theta..sub.4, respectively, the memory cell eye is enlarged from circle h.sub.1 to circle h.sub.3.
Referring to FIG. 43A, a conventional approach for enlarging a memory cell eye is to increase the gate widths W.sub.D of driver transistors Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2, or to reduce the gate widths W.sub.A of access transistors Q.sub.3 and Q.sub.4. This is because the driving capability of a transistor is substantially proportional to its gate width. To increase the gate width W.sub.D of a driver transistor however hinders the memory cell from being reduced in size, and therefore is not preferable in view of high intensity integration. Meanwhile, to reduce the gate width W.sub.A of an access transistor gives rise to increase in the threshold voltage V.sub.th of the access transistor due to the narrow channel effect. Therefore, the memory cell eye is reduced conversely as described above, resulting in unstable reading operation.
As described above, such a conventional SRAM memory cell structure can not provide increase in integration density while maintaining operation stability.
The second disadvantage is due to the limits of manufacture by photolithography techniques. Now, the limits will be described in more detail.
Load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 employed in the conventional SRAM memory cell structure shown in FIGS. 43A and 43B are both bottom gate type thin film transistors. Referring to FIG. 43B in particular, the gates 141 and 142 of load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 are formed of one layer. More specifically, when load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 are formed, a conductive layer is formed first, and then gate electrodes 141 and 142 are formed from the conductive layer by patterning utilizing a photolithography technique or the like. In the present state of the art, a minimum manufacturing size in patterning by means of photolithography is about 0.35 .mu.m and therefore the size of each portion of gate electrodes 141 and 142 patterned by means of photolithography (L.sub.3 and L.sub.4, for example) can not be smaller than 0.35 .mu.m.
The source/drain regions of load transistor Q.sub.5, Q.sub.6 and layers 143, 144 to be channel regions are both also formed of one layer. Accordingly, the size of each portion of layers 143 and 144 (L.sub.5 for example) can not be smaller than 0.35 .mu.m either.
As described above, with the limits in the manufacture utilizing photolithography techniques, it is difficult to reduce the occupied area of load transistors Q.sub.5 and Q.sub.6 on plane, and the conventional SRAM memory cell structure is not statable for high density integration in this regard as well.
The structure of load transistors Q.sub.5, Q.sub.6 which is less susceptible to the limits in the manufacture by photolithography techniques as described above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 3-34569.
Meanwhile, FIG. 51 is a plan view schematically showing the structure of a load transistor in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 3-34569. Referring to FIG. 51, the pair of load transistors are formed of two polycrystalline silicon layers 301 and 303 piled upon each other with an insulating film (not shown) therebetween. A drain region 301a and a source region 301b are formed with a channel region 301c therebetween in polycrystalline silicon layer 301. A drain region 303a and a source region 303b are formed with a channel region 303c therebetween in polycrystalline silicon layer 303. A drain region 303a to be a gate electrode is present on the underlying channel region 301c with an insulating film therebetween. Drain region 301a to be a gate electrode is present under the overlying channel region 303c with the insulating film therebetween.
Thus, in the structure of the pair of load transistors, one constitutes a bottom gate type transistor and the other a top gate type transistor. The drain region of one transistor uses the gate electrode of the other transistor. Therefore, the limits in the manufacture by photolithography described above are reduced. The load transistor structure is therefore suitable for high density integration. The drain region 301a of the underlying polycrystalline silicon film 301 is not covered with overlying polycrystalline silicon film 303. Accordingly, an impurity can be implanted into drain region 301a in a self-aligned manner.
In the load transistor structure, however, channel regions 301c and 303c both has an approximately L-shape. If, for example, misregistration of a mask at the time of patterning polycrystalline silicon thin film 303 causes the overlying polycrystalline silicon thin film 303 to be shifted with respect to the underlying polycrystalline silicon thin film 301 in the direction indicated by arrow J or K, the sizes L.sub.6, L.sub.7, W.sub.1, and W.sub.2 of the portions of channel regions 301c and 303c can easily be changed.
FIG. 52 is a plan view schematically showing how the dimension of a channel region is changed by misregistration of a mask. Referring to FIG. 52, the load transistor pair structure shown in FIG. 51 has its channel region dimension easily changed. Accordingly, a load transistor having a desired characteristic can not be obtained. It is also difficult to provide stable operation.
As described above, in load transistors employed for a conventional SRAM memory cell structure, it was not possible to provide a structure suitable for high intensity integration while maintaining stable operation.

SRAM memory structure and manufacturing method thereof


A static trip unit is comprised of a current transformer module and an electronic programmer module physically and electrically mated together for incorporation in a molded case industrial circuit breaker. Current transformer modules and programmer modules are separately interchangeable to change breaker current ratings and functional capabilities. A trip interlock is included to prevent breaker closure in the absence of either the trip unit or the trip solenoid.

The present invention relates to automatic molded case industrial circuit breakers and particularly to such circuit breakers having static or solid state trip units instead of the traditional thermal-magnetic trip units.
Electronic solid state trip units are increasingly being implemented in industrial circuit breakers in place of the traditional thermal and magnetic trip units to initiate circuit interruption automatically in response to an abnormal current condition in a protected load circuit. The increasing popularity of static trip units is largely due to their inherent versatility and rather precise repeatability of selected trip-time response characteristics. That is, a circuit breaker static trip unit can be designed to accommodate a wide range of user selected response characteristics calculated to establish a highly repeatable trip-time curve rather precisely tailored to a particular load so as to afford a full measure of overcurrent protection ranging from light overload to heavy short circuit proportions. Another attractive aspect of static trip units is that they can be readily and economically supplemented to also afford ground fault protection for a load circuit. In fact, the extreme versatility of modern static trip units presents a potential customer for an industrial circuit breaker with numerous options, i.e., functions, analogous to what one faces when buying a new automobile.
In applicants' commonly assigned, copending application entitled "Static Trip Unit for Molded Case Circuit Breakers" Ser. No. 130,321, filed concurrently herewith, there is disclosed and claimed a static unit assembled from interchangeable current transformer and electronic programmer modules. This modularization of the major trip unit components accommodates trip unit assembly and installation into a circuit breaker at the distributor level, thus significantly expediting customer service. Moreover, circuit breakers in the field can be readily converted and serviced by interchanging one or both of these modules. Obviously, it is critically important that both trip unit modules be present, properly assembled and correctly installed, if the circuit breaker is to perform its assigned circuit protective functions. Equally critical is the necessity that the trip solenoid be properly installed to act in tripping its circuit breaker in response to trip signals issued by the trip unit.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a trip interlock for utilization in a static trip industrial circuit breaker.
A further object is to provide a molded case industrial circuit breaker including a removable static trip unit and having a trip interlock operable to abort resetting of the circuit breaker in the event the static trip unit is not properly installed.
Yet another object is to provide a static trip circuit breaker of the above character, wherein the trip interlock further operates to abort circuit breaker resetting in the event the requisite trip solenoid is not installed in the circuit breaker.
An additional object is to provide a static trip circuit breaker of the above character wherein the trip interlock also operates to defeat circuit breaker resetting if the trip solenoid is not properly electrically connected with the static trip unit.
Still another object is to provide a trip interlock of the above character which is efficient in construction and reliable in operation.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

Trip interlock for static trip circuit breakers


A communication device selects an optimal modulation method even when a propagation path condition is changed. In the communication device, a second communication device has a transmission path condition estimation unit for estimating the propagation path condition change speed and a communication quality estimation unit for modifying the communication quality estimation method according to the speed of the change of the propagation path condition and for estimating the communication quality according to the modified estimation method. The information on the estimated propagation path condition and the information on the communication quality are transmitted from a transmission processing unit, and an adaptive modulation control unit of the first communication device sets a condition for selecting the modulation method and decides the modulation method according to the set condition and the information on the communication quality.

In recent years, in order to implement multimedia communication, information transmission schemes have been in need whereby large volume of information such as data and image, as well as speech, can be transmitted with high reliability at high speed. In particular, when transmission is carried out under an environment such as a mobile wireless transmission path where multipath fading, shadowing and the like may occur, it is an important issue to deal with these problems.
As one of techniques to solve such a problem, there is an adaptive modulation technique for performing transmission and reception, changing a modulation scheme adaptively according to communication quality of the propagation path (for example, see Patent Document 1). The adaptive modulation technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is directed to a TDMA-FDD (Time Division Multiple Access-Frequency Division Duplex) scheme, where a downlink to transmit signals from base stations to mobile stations and uplink to transmit signals from the mobile stations to the base stations are formed with time-division multiplexed channels with different frequencies, and each of the base stations and mobile stations estimates communication quality of a propagation path in a transmission frequency for the station from a received signal of the station, and determines a modulation scheme for the communicating party according to the estimation result. To be more specific, each of the base station and mobile station selects a modulation scheme that is able to keep a BER at equal to or smaller than a predetermined value and achieve the highest information transmission speed.
Further, as an example of the method of selecting a modulation scheme according to an estimation result of communication quality, there is a method where a transmitting side transmits a transmission signal to which error correction codes are added, and a receiving side selects a modulation scheme based on a bit error rate (BER: Bit Error Rate) detected in error correction processing based on the error correction codes (for example, see Patent Document 2).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3240262    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI9-200282

Communication device and communication method


An intraprediction encoding/decoding method and apparatus are provided. The intraprediction encoding method includes forming a flipped reference block by flipping pixels of a reference block used for intraprediction symmetrically with respect to a straight line of a predetermined direction passing through the center of the reference block, and performing intraprediction using the flipped reference block.

According to a video compression standard H.264/MPEG-4 advanced video coding (AVC), a picture is divided into macroblocks for video encoding. After each of the macroblocks is encoded in all encoding modes available in interprediction and intraprediction, an appropriate encoding mode is selected according to bit rates required for encoding of the macroblock and rate-distortion (RD) costs between the original macroblock and a decoded macroblock, and the macroblock is encoded in the selected encoding mode.
In intraprediction, a prediction value of a macroblock to be encoded is calculated using a pixel value of a pixel that is spatially adjacent to the macroblock to be encoded and a difference between the prediction value and the pixel value is encoded, instead of referring to reference pictures, in order to encode macroblocks of a current picture. Modes used in intraprediction are divided into 4×4 intraprediction modes, 8×8 intraprediction modes (in case of a high profile), and 16×16 intraprediction modes.
FIG. 1 illustrates 16×16 intraprediction modes according to H.264, and FIG. 2 illustrates 4×4 intraprediction modes according to H.264.
Referring to FIG. 1, the 16×16 intraprediction modes include a total of 4 modes, i.e., a vertical mode, a horizontal mode, a direct current (DC) mode, and a plane mode. Referring to FIG. 2, the 4×4 intraprediction modes include a total of 9 modes, i.e. a vertical mode, a horizontal mode, a DC mode, a diagonal down-left mode, a diagonal down-right mode, a vertical-right mode, a vertical-left mode, a horizontal-up mode, and a horizontal-down mode.
For example, when a current 4×4 block is predicted according to a mode 0, i.e., the vertical mode of FIG. 2, pixel values of pixels A through D adjacent and above the current 4×4 block are used as pixel values of the current 4×4 block. In other words, the pixel value of the pixel A is used as pixel values of four pixels included in the first column of the current 4×4 block, the pixel value of the pixel B is used as pixel values of four pixels included in the second column of the current 4×4 block, the pixel value of the pixel C is used as pixel values of four pixels included in the third column of the current 4×4 block, and the pixel value of the pixel D is used as pixel values of four pixels included in the fourth column of the current 4×4 block. Next, a difference between the pixel values of pixels of the current 4×4 block predicted using the pixels A through D, and the actual pixel values of pixels included in the original current 4×4 block is obtained and encoded.
In video encoding according to H.264, a current macroblock is encoded in a total of 13 modes including the 4×4 intraprediction modes and the 16×16 intraprediction modes, and is then intraprediction encoded in an encoding mode having the smallest cost. More specifically, the current macroblock is intrapredicted in the four 16×16 intraprediction modes and one having the smallest cost is selected from the 16×16 intraprediction modes. Each of 4×4 sub-blocks of the current macroblock is intrapredicted in the nine 4×4 intraprediction modes and one having the smallest cost is selected for each sub-block from the 4×4 intraprediction modes. The cost of the selected 16×16 intraprediction mode and a sum of the costs of the selected 4×4 intraprediction modes are compared and a mode having the smallest cost is selected.
However, according to prior art, when pixels referred to in intraprediction have a large difference from actual pixels of a current block to be intrapredicted, a residue increases, resulting in inefficient prediction. In other words, according to prior art, since intraprediction is performed only using pixel values of pixels adjacent above and on the left side of a current block to be intrapredicted, an improved encoding method which improves encoding efficiency is required.

Intraprediction encoding/decoding method and apparatus


An exemplary power supply circuit configured for supply power for a load includes: a main power supply configured for converting received voltages into required direct current voltages; a microprocessor configured for providing control signals; a stand-by control circuit configured for controlling the main power supply; an energy storage circuit configured for supplying the stand-by control circuit. When the load stops operating, the microprocessor outputs a control signal to the stand-by control circuit, the stand-by control circuit outputs a corresponding control signal to turn off the main power supply. In response to when the load starts operating, the stand-by control circuit outputs a corresponding control signal to turn on the main power supply, and the main power supply charges the energy storage circuit.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a conventional power supply circuit. The power supply circuit 1 includes a first input terminal 2, a second input terminal 3, a relay 4, a main power supply 5, an assistant power supply 6, a microprocessor 7, and a switch 8. The assistant power supply 6 includes a transformer 9 and a commutating and filter circuit (not labeled).
The first input terminal 2 is connected to the main power supply 5, and the second input terminal 3 is connected to the main power supply 5 via the relay 4. The main power supply 5 is connected to a load (not shown). The transformer 9 includes a primary winding (not labeled) and a secondary winding (not labeled). The primary winding includes two terminals (not labeled). One of the terminals of the primary winding is connected to the first input terminal 2, and the other terminal is connected to the second input terminal 3. The secondary winding is connected to the microprocessor 7 via the commutating and filter circuit. The relay 4 includes an inductance coil (not labeled), and the inductance coil includes two terminals (not labeled). One of the terminals of the inductance coil is connected to the microprocessor 7, and the other terminal is connected to ground. The microprocessor 7 is connected to ground via the switch 8.
An alternating current (AC) voltage is inputted into the assistant power supply 6 and converted into a direct current (DC) voltage by the transformer 9 and the commutating and filter circuit. The DC voltage is supplied to the microprocessor 7 to enable the microprocessor 7 to function.
When a user presses the switch 8, the switch 8 correspondingly generates a first pulse signal. The microprocessor 7 receives the first pulse signal and correspondingly outputs a first control signal to turn on the relay 4. The AC voltage is inputted into the main power supply 5 via the first input terminal 2, the second input terminal 3, and the relay 4. The main power supply 5 converts the AC voltage into required voltages to supply the load.
When the user presses the switch 8 again, the switch 8 correspondingly generates a second pulse signal. The microprocessor 7 receives the second pulse signal and correspondingly outputs a second control signal to turn off the relay 4. The main power supply 5 outputs no voltage, and the load stops operating correspondingly. That is, the power supply circuit 2 is in a stand-by state.
Although the power supply circuit 2 is in the stand-by state, the AC voltage is still inputted into the assistant power supply 6. The DC voltage outputted from the assistant power supply 6 is still supplied to the microprocessor 7. That is, when the power supply circuit 2 is in the stand-by state, energy consumption is large.
What is needed, therefore, is a power supply circuit that can overcome the above-described deficiencies.

Power supply circuit with stand-by control circuit and energy storage circuit


An image forming optical system which comprises a negative lens unit and a positive lens unit arranged in order from an object side. The negative lens unit includes, in order from the object side, a first negative lens and a second negative lens, or a first negative lens, a second negative lens and a third negative lens. The positive lens unit includes, in order from the object side, a third positive lens, a fourth negative lens, a fifth positive lens and a sixth positive lens, or a fourth positive lens, a fifth negative lens, a sixth positive lens and a seventh positive lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming optical system being suitable for use with an image pickup apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The equipping of automobiles with vehicular mounted cameras has begun to spread. At first, vehicular mounted cameras were employed mainly as monitors to provide visual confirmation. Recently, however, vehicular mounted cameras have begun to be employed as high performance sensing cameras, used, for example, for detecting white lines on roads, for performing monitoring to prevent cross-lane veering, for detecting obstacles and for observing drivers and their performance. As a result, there is a growing demand for a reduced size vehicular mounted camera, manufactured at low cost, that provides a wide angle of view, i.e., which completely eliminates blind spots, by employing a fisheye optical system, for which only a small number of lenses is required, that has a half angle of view equal to or greater than 90° and a high image quality.
Examples of the fisheye optical system, constituted by a small number of lenses, are described in Japanese Patent No. 2,992,547 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2002-72,085. Six lenses are employed for each of these optical systems. Other examples of a wide-angle optical system composed of six lenses are described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Hei 5-264,897, No. 2000-352,665, No. 2001-281,540 and No. 2004-317,866.
Further, an example of an optical system composed of seven lenses is described in example 12 in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2000-352,665.
Furthermore, examples of fisheye optical system having a half angle of view exceeding 90° are described in Japanese Patent Publications (Kokoku) No. Sho 51-14,017 and No. Sho 51-2,826.


An intermediate for a mailer type business form, and a mailer formed from the intermediate, have a fourth panel/ply of lesser width that the other three panels/plies, which forms a reply envelope flap. A cutout is formed in one of the panels/plies forming a reply envelope, through which cutout the outgoing and reply addresses are visible. The reply address is provided on a flap connected by a fold line to one of the panels/plies forming the reply envelope, and is aligned with the cutout when the reply address flap is folded into the interior of the reply envelope. Other reply address flaps, having different reply addresses, also may be provided.

Mailers are widely used types of business forms, which are desirably provided in many different configurations to accommodate different specific uses. It is almost always desirable, however, to provide a reply envelope, and to have a preprinted return address associated with the reply envelope. This is often done by providing repositionable labels which are placed over the outgoing address on the outgoing envelope, or using inserts with the reply address for insertion into a window reply envelope. It is also desirable in mailers to provide the reply envelope with a relatively large size considering the outgoing size of the mailer.
According to the present invention, a mailer type business form, and an intermediate for construction thereof, are provided which allow a relatively large size of the reply envelope--if desired--since the reply envelope sealing flap is provided by an additional panel not taking up part of the panel surface of the outgoing envelope panels. Also, according to the invention, the reply address is associated with the reply envelope in such a way that a flap is provided connected to the reply envelope open end by a fold line, so that the flap may be folded into the reply envelope and be viewed through the cutout in a panel of the outgoing envelope (which also forms a panel of the reply envelope). The invention also relates to a unique reply envelope having a reply address flap connected by a fold line to the open end of the reply envelope, and foldable about the fold line to the interior of the envelope where the reply address is aligned with a cutout in the envelope.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an intermediate for a mailer type business form is provided having the following components: a sheet of paper having first and second faces, first and second parallel longitudinal edges, and first and second parallel side edges; at least first and second fold lines parallel to the longitudinal edges and defining the sheet into at least first, second and third panels, the second panel intermediate the first and third panels, the first panel adjoining the first fold line, and the third panel adjoining the second fold line; means defining a cutout in the second panel of a size sufficient for a complete postal address to be visible therethrough; first adhesive means provided on at least one of the first panel first face and the second panel first face for holding the first and second panels together to form a reply envelope; an outgoing address area formed on the first panel first face in alignment with the cutout when the first and second panels are folded about the first fold line with the first faces thereof in face-to-face engagement; first and second lines of weakness formed in the third panel extending parallel to the side edges to define with the second fold line a reply address flap; a reply address area on the reply address flap of the third panel, first face, in alignment with the cutout when the second and third panels are folded about the second fold line with the first faces thereof in face-to-face engagement; and second adhesive means formed along the edges of at least some of the panels for holding the panels together to form an outgoing mailer. An outgoing address is provided in the outgoing address area, and a reply address in the reply address area.
The invention also preferably comprises a third line of weakness formed in the third panel parallel to the second fold line and on the opposite side of the second fold line from the reply address area. It also preferably comprises a third fold line parallel to the first and second fold lines defining a fourth panel, the fourth panel having a dimension parallel to the sheet side edges much less than the dimensions of the first, second, and third panels parallel to the sheet side edges. The third fold line is between the first and fourth panels, and the fourth panel is defined by the third fold line and the first longitudinal edge; and the intermediate also further comprises an activatable adhesive pattern provided on the fourth panel first face, the fourth panel comprising a sealable flap for the reply envelope that can be formed from the first and second panels.
Further, the intermediate cutout is preferably formed approximately centrally in the second panel and has a width extending in a dimension parallel to the longitudinal edges, and wherein the first and second lines of weakness are spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal edges a distance approximately equal to the width of the cutout. The activatable adhesive pattern may comprise a rewettable adhesive strip, and the first adhesive means may comprise heat seal adhesive disposed in a U-shaped pattern. There are also preferably fourth and fifth lines of weakness formed in the first and second panels adjacent the first fold line and parallel thereto the third, fourth and fifth fold lines being in alignment with each other when the sheet is folded about the first and second fold lines, and the first adhesive means being on the opposite side of one or both of the fourth and fifth lines of weakness from the first fold line.
The reply address flap may comprise a first reply address flap, and there also may be third and fourth lines of weakness parallel to the first and second lines of weakness and defining, with the first and second lines of weakness, the third panel into second and third reply address flaps, each including a reply address area on the second face of the third panel. A different reply address may be provided in each of the first through third reply address flaps.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an intermediate for a mailer type business form is provided comprising the following elements: a sheet of paper having first and second faces, first and second parallel longitudinal edges, and first and second parallel side edges; first, second and third fold lines parallel to the longitudinal edges and defining the sheet into first, second, third and fourth panels, the second panel intermediate the first and third panels, the first panel adjoining the first fold line, and the third panel adjoining the second fold line, and the first through third panels of approximately the same size and the fourth panel having a dimension parallel to the side edges that is much less than the comparable dimension of each of the first through third panels; first adhesive means provided on at least one of the first panel first face and the second panel first face for holding the first and second panels together to form a reply envelope; second adhesive means formed along the edges of at least some of the panels for holding the panels together to form an outgoing mailer; the third fold line disposed between the first and fourth panels, and the fourth panel being defined by the third fold line and the first longitudinal edge; and an activatable adhesive pattern provided on the fourth panel first face, the fourth panel comprising a sealable flap for the reply envelope that can be formed from the first and second panels.
According to another aspect of the invention, an envelope per se is provided. The envelope comprises the following components: a first panel having inner and outer faces, and a second panel with inner and outer faces, the inner faces of the panels connected together along three sides, and open on the fourth side; a cutout in the second panel large enough to contain a complete postal address; a flap connected by a first fold line to the first panel, at sid open, fourth, side and having an activatable adhesive pattern formed thereon to provide a sealing flap; a reply address flap connected to the second panel at the open, fourth, side by a second fold line, and a reply address on the reply address flap, and aligned with the cutout when the reply address flap is folded about the second fold line.
According to another aspect of the invention, a mailer type business form with a built-in reply envelope is provided. The mailer comprises: first through fourth plies, each having first and second side edges and first and second longitudinal edges; first ply being the top ply and having an outer face and an inner face, and a cutout therein; second ply having a top face and a bottom face, the top face having an outgoing address thereon in alignment with the cutout, the first and second plies having approximately the same dimensions; first adhesive means for holding the first and second plies together into a reply envelope having three closed sides and an open side, the open side at the first longitudinal edges of the first and second plies; the third ply having a width dimension much less than the width of the first and second plies, and connected to the second ply by a first fold line at the first longitudinal edges thereof, and having a top surface and a bottom surface, and an activatable adhesive pattern on the bottom surface; the fourth ply being the bottom ply and having approximately the same dimensions as the first and second plies, and having a top face and a bottom face; second adhesive means for holding the plies together adjacent at least the side edges thereof; and edge-adjacent lines of weakness just inside the second adhesive means for allowing ready opening of the mailer.
The mailer as described above also preferably further comprises first and second lines of weakness formed in the fourth ply parallel to the side edges to define a reply address flap between them, and a reply address disposed on the top face of the fourth ply. The fourth ply is typically connected to the first ply at the first longitudinal edges thereof by a second fold line. Also, the reply address being aligned with the cutout when the reply address flap is folded about the second fold line and inserted in the reply envelope.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a mailer is provided comprising the following elements: at least first through third plies, each having first and second side edges and first and second longitudinal edges; first ply being the top ply and having an outer face and an inner face, and a cutout therein; second ply having a top face and a bottom face, the top face having an outgoing address thereon in alignment with the cutout, the first and second plies having approximately the same dimensions; first adhesive means for holding the first and second plies together into a reply envelope having three closed sides and an open side, the open side at the first longitudinal edges of the first and second plies; the third ply being the bottom ply and having approximately the same dimensions as the first and second plies, and having a top face and a bottom face; second adhesive means for holding the plies together adjacent at least the side edges thereof; edge-adjacent lines of weakness just inside the second adhesive means for allowing ready opening of the mailer; first and second lines of weakness formed in the third ply parallel to the side edges to define a reply address flap between them, and a reply address disposed on the top face of the fourth ply; the third ply being connected to the first ply at the first longitudinal edges thereof by a second fold line; and the reply address being aligned with the cutout when the reply address flap is folded about the second fold line and inserted in the reply envelope.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an advantageous mailer, and an intermediate for construction thereof and a reply envelope detachable therefrom, having a unique reply address flap, and a sealing flap which is foldable separate from the main mailer plies in the outgoing mailer.


A smart valve positioner is provided with a local user interface with but-tons and a display inside a positioner housing under a housing cover for locally operating the valve positioner. The valve positioner is further provided with a detector detecting whether the housing or the housing cover is open or closed. The operation mode of the local user interface is configured to be different depending on whether the housing or housing cover is open or closed. For example, a larger variety of operations may be available when the housing or housing cover is open.

A control valve is generally used for a continuous control of a liquid or gas flow in different pipelines and processes. In a processing industry, such as pulp and paper, oil refining, petrochemical and chemical industries, different kinds of control valves installed in a plant's pipe system control material flows in the process. A material flow may contain any fluid material, such as fluids, liquors, liquids, gases and steam. The control valve is usually connected with an actuator, which moves the closing element of the valve to a desired position between fully open and fully closed positions. The actuator may be a pneumatic cylinder-piston device, for example. The actuator, for its part, is usually controlled by a valve positioner, also called as a valve controller, which controls the position of the closing element of the control valve and thus the material flow in the process according to a control signal from the positioner. The positioner is typically controlled with an electrical control signal from a control system (such as by a single twisted pair providing a 4 to 20 mA analog signal) and includes an electric-to-pressure (I/P) conversion to provide a pneumatic control for controlling the actuator.
One of the newer devices that offer improved performance of control valves is so-called "smart" positioner or a digital valve controller. A smart positioner is a microprocessor-based electronic positioner with internal logic capability which derives benefit from digital programming to obtain improved positioning performance. An advantage of the smart positioner is that it may be programmed to use a position control algorithm to achieve better dynamic response. Further, the smart positioner may use 2-way communications protocols such Hart, Foundation Fieldbus etc. to communicate with a process control system. This type of communication can be used also to enter new control settings or configurations remotely after installing a smart positioner.
However, sometimes there is a need to read measurements, make test runs, or change positioner settings locally at the positioner. Therefore, the smart positioners are often provided with a local user interface (LUI), or a control panel, enabling personnel to, for example, monitor the device behaviour as well as configuring and commissioning the positioning during installation and normal operation. A local user interface may be designed to have, for example, a display to present data and buttons, keypads, switches or other devices to operate the positioner and to enter parameters. For example, the local user interface may comprise a small LCD display and a key-pad with a small number of buttons. Often the display may be viewable through a window in a cover of the housing to allow showing some predetermined information without opening the housing. However, in many existing LUIs it is required that user must open the housing for any kind of operation of the LUI. An example of such approach is the electro-pneumatic positioner PositionMaster EDP300 from ABB Automation Products GmbH. Many oil and gas, petrochemical and process engineering plants are operating in harsh environments which require positioners to function in severe service applications, requiring reliable components with the ability to withstand extreme temperature or ambient fluctuations and have a chemical and corrosion resistance. The positioners must also have a sufficient shock resistance against external mechanical shocks.
The opening of the housing is typically cumbersome and time consuming as the cover of the housing is often closed by screws or similar means. The opening of the housing may sometimes be difficult (e.g. due to weather conditions or plant environment) or even impossible (e.g. forbidden by Ex regulations). Every opening of the housing will be a further risk for water ingress.
One approach could be to have buttons in the outer surface of the positioner so that they could be operated without opening the housing. For example, Universal positioner SRD960 from Foxboro Eckhardt GmbH has four external mechanical push buttons for local configuration and operation which penetrate the housing of the positioner. The mechanical switches may wear out or they may stuck due to the dirt. While external buttons might provide easy access, there is a new problem related to the security of the LUI usage. The ease of access may call for some protection to be implemented to prevent false input caused by dust, water drops, ice or other environmental sources. A simple keypad lock function may take care of this issue. Furthermore, when the user interface is accessible by not opening the housing, there is always a risk of un-authorized access on purpose or by human mistake. There is a need to prevent unauthorized use of local user interface especially when local user interface is available without opening the positioner cover and it is easy to access the device settings. One approach to solve this is to have PIN code protection to the devices to prevent unauthorized usage. However, it would be frustrating and time consuming to enter a PIN code (i.e. an access code) every time the local user interface is used, especially during start up configuration of the positioner. Further, there can be a high number of positioners and control valves, often hundreds of them, in a single plant, typically from several vendors, so that it would be a challenging task to manage and remember PIN codes for all positioners.


An electrochemical sensor system comprises an electrochemical sensor and a hydrogel composition. The electrochemical sensor has at least a counter electrode and a working electrode. The hydrogel composition contacts the working electrode. The hydrogel composition comprises a first monomer, a second monomer, a cross-linking agent, and a solvent. The first monomer has hydrophilic characteristics. The second monomer has hydrophobic characteristics. The ratio of the first monomer to the second monomer is from about 0.1:99.9 to about 99.9:0.1.

The quantitative determination of analytes in body fluids is of great importance in the diagnoses and maintenance of certain physiological abnormalities. For example, lactate, cholesterol and bilirubin should be monitored in certain individuals. In particular, it is important that diabetic individuals frequently check the glucose level in their body fluids to regulate the glucose intake in their diets. The results of such tests can be used to determine what, if any, insulin or other medication needs to be administered.
In some existing techniques, a lancet may be used to draw fluid (e.g., blood) from a user. This fluid is then used with an instrument or meter to determine an analyte concentration. It would be desirable to eliminate the need to use a lancet, while still accurately determining the analyte concentration.
One non-invasive method for obtaining a sample without using a lancet is to use a transdermal sample of analytes found in interstitial fluid (ISF). In this method, a composition is placed on the skin and assists in facilitating the extraction of the ISF from the user skin's to a sensing instrument or meter. This composition needs to possess sufficient mechanical and thermal stability to provide a relatively static, reactive and aqueous conduct between the dermal sampling site and sensing instrument. It would be desirable to find such a composition that contains such attributes and is adapted to be used in transdermal sampling.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Methods of reporting Audience Measurement System (AMS) viewership events on a client device and systems implementing the method are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving at least one event message on a client device, wherein each event message is a data signal indicating an occurrence of an event, processing the at least one event message on the client device to create an AMS viewership report, and transmitting the AMS viewership report.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to television advertisements. Specifically, the invention is directed to measuring television (TV) advertisement (ad or commercial) viewership.
2. Background of the Invention
To generate accurate ad viewership information for all ad types, a client device based Audience Measurement System (AMS), which logs events on a client device, has collect, transport, store, retrieve, and process an amount of data that can easily exceed the capabilities of existing cost-effective systems. For example, for the PayTV industry in the United States (where there are approximately 60 million digital TV subscribers), if each subscriber generates, on average, approximately one hundred events per day, a typical AMS will need to generate, transport, and store approximately six billion events per day. To generate a program or ad rating report, such a system, will have to process the six billion records per day of data for each report. Such an amount of data makes existing AMS systems impractical for monitoring every viewer.
Moreover, considering that a typical linear channel lineup in the US has approximately 300 channels and each hour of broadcasted programming has up to 22 minutes allocated for ad spots (which are typically 30 seconds or less), in all, there are up to 316,800 ad units per day which need to be mapped to about 1,000 socioeconomic, demographic, purchasing, housing, and other profiles.
To date, none of the existing AMS have been created for the PayTV industry, within a reasonable budget, because they have not overcome the limitations caused by the set-top-box return path (i.e. the set-top-box's upstream bandwidth to the head-end), the speed of data retrieval from centralized storage, the cost of CPU data processing to generate the necessary reports, and the time necessary to complete the requested reports (with 316,800 ad units, six billion US records per user per day, and 0.01 millisecond per one comparison, report generation can take up to 602 years to process on a modern computer).

Highly scalable audience measurement system with client event pre-processing


An automated test equipment includes a test processor configured to provide a signal to a device under test on the basis of a sequence of instructions defining an evaluation of test vectors. The test processor is configured to map a test vector onto a set of signal states or signal transitions. Furthermore, the test processor is configured to variably select a number of signal states or signal transitions provided in the signal based on a current test vector in dependence on a current instruction.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an automated test equipment and an instruction provider for providing a sequence of instructions. Further embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for providing a signal to a device under test and a method for providing a sequence of instructions. Further embodiments of the present invention relate to a test system comprising such automated test equipment and instruction provider.
In conventional test systems the number of drive (receive/tristate edges in a test vector which are associated with a test vector are fixed. Such an association of signal edges to a vector achieves two things: a higher throughput at the same clock frequency and a compression of data. Also, in the application such number of edges in a vector is fixed for a pattern, dictated by a requirements such as throughput, stability, signal integrity, etc.
The fixed nature of such edges in a vector creates different problems, especially for protocol type patterns when the natural boundary of a protocol does not fit to the selected number of edges in a vector (also called xmode) properly. In this case the assembly of different packets becomes difficult, as the pattern generator either has to add unnecessitated nop( ) type operation (so-called padding) or to perform time expensive operations to merge consecutive operation packets.
Furthermore, interactive modifications (e.g. during a Debug) on a compiled pattern is slow because the system has to reassemble the whole pattern or the user has to insert useless vectors to meet the vector boundary. Furthermore, pre-execution modification (such as SMT8 bind time) is also difficult.

Automated test equipment, instruction provider for providing a sequence of instructions, method of providing signal to a device under test, method for providing a sequence of instructions and test system


A method of defining a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) field isolation process after a poly gate is deposited. A gate oxide is grown on a silicon substrate, and then poly or amorphous silicon is deposited. A thin layer of PECVD or LPCVD oxide is deposited on the poly, and LPCVD nitride is then deposited as a hard mask. A device active area is defined by photoresist mask and plasma etch. The layers may either be etched down to the silicon surface, or the silicon surface may be further etched to create a recessed silicon region.. An oxide layer is grown on the exposed sidewalls of the poly, and another layer of nitride is deposited. The nitride is etched to form a nitride spacer, and a field oxide is grown. A field isolation implant is formed, followed by stripping the nitride space. The oxide layer is removed, reexposing the poly. Another layer of poly and WSi film is deposited, and gate and interconnects are defined by applying a gate mask and etch. An alternate approach of self-aligned silicide gate, junction and interconnect can be formed without using WSi by depositing Ti after the gate is defined. N-LDD and P-LDD implants are performed by masks, followed by an oxide spacer being formed. N+ and p+ junctions are then formed by separate masks and implants.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for performing local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) after a poly or amorphous gate is deposited on a silicon substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fabrication of large scale integration (LSI) and very large scale integration (VLSI) on silicon (Si) substrates requires extreme crystalline perfection of the silicon. Several methods currently exist for obtaining such extreme crystalline perfection, including Czochralski (CZ) crystalline growth and float zone (FZ) growth, described in Silicon Processing for the VLSI Era, Volumes I, II, and III, by S. Wolf and R. N. Tauber (Lattice Press 1986), which is incorporated herein by reference. In the CZ method, single crystal ingots are pulled from molten silicon contained in a crucible. CZ growth involves the crystalline solidification of atoms from a liquid phase at an interface. In the FZ method, a molten zone is passed through a poly-Si rod of approximately the same dimensions as the final ingot. CZ crystals are preferred for VLSI design over FZ crystals, since they can withstand thermal stress better than FZ crystals. However, FZ crystals can obtain higher purity over CZ crystals.
After the ingot is obtained, the finished silicon wafer is achieved by the processes of slicing, etching and polishing the ingot, as described in the Wolf and Tauber reference.
The formation of oxide on silicon, thereby forming SiO.sub.2, or silicon dioxide, is called oxidation. The formation of the oxide layer provides a foundation for planar processing of silicon integrated circuits. The most common way to produce SiO.sub.2 on the silicon surface is by thermal oxidation, in which the silicon is exposed to an oxidizing ambient (O.sub.2, H.sub.2 O) at elevated temperatures. Other techniques used to grow SiO.sub.2 on silicon include plasma anodization and wet anodization.
The use of a SiO.sub.2 layer on silicon is important for LSI and VLSI processing. Some of the functions of this layer include: a) masking against ion implantation, b) passivation of the silicon surface, c) isolation of individual devices (e.g., local oxidation of silicon, or LOCOS), d) use as a gate oxide and capacitor dielectric in MOS devices, and e) use as a tunneling oxide in electrically alterable ROMS (EAROMs).
One of the most important applications of oxidation to LSI and VLSI processing is the formation of a gate-dielectric for MOS transistors. In this situation, the SiO.sub.2 layer is an active device component. Currently, device dimensions are getting smaller and smaller, and for device dimensions that are scaled to one micron or less, oxide layers of 150 angstroms or less are required. Tunnel oxides for use in EAROMs require oxides that are thinner than 100 angstroms. These thin oxide layers must be capable of being manufactured with high yield and with long-term reliability.
Many techniques are available to control the growth of thin oxides on silicon. These include: a) dry oxidation, b) wet oxidation, c) dry or wet oxidation with HCL, trichloroethylene (TCE), or trichloroethane (TCA), d) reduced pressure oxidation, e) low temperature, high pressure oxidation, and f) rapid thermal processing under oxidizing conditions.
LSI and VLSI devices requires gate and tunnel dielectric thicknesses in the range of 100 angstroms or less. Very thin layers of SiO.sub.2 are known to have relatively high defect densities, and do not serve as an effective diffusion mask against impurity diffusion. As a consequence, thermal nitridation of silicon and thin SiO.sub.2 is a viable alternative method of growing a good quality dielectric film that has a very small thickness. Thermally grown films of silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) have the following advantages over SiO.sub.2 : a) they tend to have self-limiting growth kinetics which makes them easily controllable, and b) they are effective barriers to impurity diffusion.
Thermally grown silicon nitride films are typically grown by a high temperature (950-1200 degrees C.) nitridation of silicon in pure ammonia (NH.sub.3) or an ammonia plasma. Other techniques are also available to grown silicon nitride films, including using direct nitrogen implantation at a high dosage (e.g, 5.times.10.sup.16 cm.sup.-2) and at a high energy range (e.g., 5-60 keV), followed by an anneal at high temperature (1000 degrees C.) in an N.sub.2 ambient.
Various dopants, such as boron, phosphorous, gallium, aluminum, arsenic and antimony, are used to enhance the oxidation rate when present in high concentration in silicon. For diffusion limited oxidations, the oxidation rate of the heavily doped silicon is primarily dependent on the impurity concentration in the SiO.sub.2.
SiO.sub.2 can also be used as a mask against the diffusion of the common dopants in silicon. Devices are typically formed by etching windows in selected areas of the SiO.sub.2 grown on the silicon. Junctions are then formed by diffusing or ion implanting impurities into these selected regions.
Chemical vapor deposited (CVD) SiO.sub.2 films, and their binary and ternary silicates, are widely used in LSI and VLSI processing. These materials are typically used as insulators between polysilicon and metal layers, between metal layers in multilevel metal systems, as getters, as diffusion sources, and as final passivation layers. CVD silicon dioxide is an amorphous structure of SiO.sub.4 tetrahedra with an empirical formula SiO.sub.2. Deposition of CVD SiO.sub.2 at high temperatures can make the properties of CVD films approach those of thermal oxide.
Polycrystalline silicon (also called polysilicon, or poly), in thin film has many important advantages in integrated circuit (IC) technology. Heavily-doped poly films have been widely used as gate electrodes and interconnections in MOS circuits. Poly is utilized in these circuits because of its compatibility with subsequent high temperature processing, its excellent interface with SiO.sub.2, and its high reliability.
Thin films of poly are made up of small (on the order of 100 angstroms), single crystal regions, separated by grain boundaries. The grain boundaries are composed of disordered atoms, and contain large numbers of defects due to incomplete bonding. Inside each grain, atoms are arranged in a periodic structure. At a given dopant concentration, poly exhibits significantly higher resistivity than single crystal silicon. Poly is generally deposited by a thermal decomposition of silane (SiH.sub.4) in a temperature range of 580 to 650 degrees C. The main technique used to deposit poly is by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), because of its uniformity and purity.
Traditionally, local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) is formed before growing a gate oxide on a silicon substrate. The inventor has determined that is desirable to form the LOCOS after growing the gate oxide on the silicon substrate, in order to provide a more reliable and efficient semiconductor device.


An autostereoscopic display device has an array (9) of lenticular elements (11) overlying a display panel (3), the lenticular elements comprising electro-optic material (23) and being switchable to enable 2D and 3D viewing modes. The electro-optic material, for example liquid crystal material, is contained adjacent an optically transparent layer in the form of a lenticular body (21). A birefringent material is utilized for the lenticular body, preferably with the ordinary and extra-ordinary index of refraction substantially matching that of the electro-optic material.

A known autostereoscopic display device comprises a two-dimensional liquid crystal display panel having a row and column array of display pixels acting as a spatial light modulator to produce the display. An array of elongate lenticular elements extending parallel to one another overlies the display pixel array, and the display pixels are observed through these lenticular elements. The lenticular elements are provided as a sheet of elements, each of which comprises an elongate semi-cylindrical lens element. The lenticular elements extend in the column direction of the display panel, with each lenticular element overlying a respective group of two or more adjacent columns of display pixels.
In an arrangement in which, for example, each lenticular element is associated with two columns of display pixels, the display pixels in each column provide a vertical slice of a respective two-dimensional sub-image. The lenticular sheet directs these two slices and corresponding slices from the display pixel columns associated with the other lenticular elements, to the left and right eyes of a user positioned in front of the sheet, so that the user observes a single stereoscopic image. The sheet of lenticular elements thus provides a light output directing function.
In other arrangements, each lenticular element is associated with a group of, say, four or more adjacent display pixels in the row direction. Corresponding columns of display pixels in each group are arranged appropriately to provide a vertical slice from a respective two-dimensional sub-image. As a user's head is moved from left to right a series of successive, different, stereoscopic views are perceived creating, for example, a look-around impression.
The above-described device provides an effective three-dimensional display. However, it will be appreciated that, in order to provide stereoscopic views, there is a necessary sacrifice in the horizontal resolution of the device. This sacrifice in resolution is unacceptable for certain applications, such as the display of small text characters for viewing from short distances or graphics applications needing a high resolution. For this reason, it has been proposed to provide an autostereoscopic display device that is switchable between a two-dimensional (2D) mode and a three-dimensional (3D stereoscopic) mode. Such a device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,650, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. In this device, different groups of pixels, forming one or more stereoscopic pairs, are seen by respective eyes of a viewer through the lenticular elements. The lenticular elements include electro-optic material having a refractive index that is switchable in order to enable removal of the refracting effect of the lenticular elements.
In the two-dimensional mode, the lenticular elements of the switchable device operate in a "pass through" mode, i.e. they act in much the same way as would a flat sheet of optically transparent material. The resulting display has a high resolution, equal to the native resolution of the display panel, which is suitable for the display of small text characters from short viewing distances. The two-dimensional display mode cannot, of course, provide a stereoscopic image.
In the three-dimensional mode, the lenticular elements of the switchable device provide a light output directing function, as described above. The resulting display is capable of providing stereoscopic images, but also suffers the inevitable resolution loss mentioned above.
In order to provide switchable display modes, the lenticular elements of the switchable device use an electro-optic material, such as a liquid crystal material, having a refractive index that is switchable between two different values for polarized light. The device is then switched between the modes by applying an appropriate electrical potential to electrode layers provided above and below the lenticular elements. The electrical potential alters the refractive index of the lenticular elements in relation to that of an adjacent optically transparent layer. Alternatively, the adjacent optically transparent layer may be formed of the electro-optic material, with the same result that the refractive index of the lenticular elements in relation to the optically transparent layer is altered.
Problems have been experienced, however, with unwanted display artefacts in the 2D mode when viewed at oblique angles. At such angles, a visible structure is present in the display output that appears to be related to the structure of the lenticular sheet, while no such structure is visible when viewing orthogonal to the plane of the display panel and the lenticular array.

Autostereoscopic display device using controllable liquid crystal lens array for 3D/2D mode switching