The ethylene/.alpha.-olefin/nonconjugated polyene copolymer rubber composition of the present invention comprises in specified proportions a crystalline polyolefin resin (A) and an ethylene/.alpha.-olefin/nonconjugated polyene copolymer rubber (B) composed of ethylene, an .alpha.-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms and a specific branched chain polyene compound. The molar ratio of ethylene units to .alpha.-olefin units, iodine value and intrinsic viscosity .eta.! of the ethylene/.alpha.-olefin/nonconjugated polyene copolymer rubber (B) are within respective specified ranges. This rubber composition is excellent in low temperature properties. When the above olefinic thermoplastic elastomer composition is partially or entirely crosslinked, a molding can be provided which is superior to the conventional vulcanized rubbers in low temperature properties, tensile strength, elongation at break and rubber properties.

The olefinic thermoplastic elastomer is now widely used in, for example, automobile parts, industrial machine parts, electronic and electrical equipment parts and building materials as an elastomer capable of energy saving and resource saving, especially, as a substitute for vulcanized rubber.
The olefinic thermoplastic elastomer can be divided into the crosslinked type and the noncrosslinked type. The thermoplastic elastomer of the noncrosslinked type ensures little product quality dispersion and lowered production cost because it is not subjected to any crosslinking reaction. However, in performance comparison, the olefinic thermoplastic elastomer of the crosslinked type is superior to the olefinic thermoplastic elastomer of the noncrosslinked type in respect of tensile strength and elongation at break or rubber properties (for example, elongation set and compression set) and heat resistance. This is widely known, which is described in detail in A. Y. Coran et al., Rubber Chemistry and Technology, vol. 53 (1980), p141.
The olefinic thermoplastic elastomer of the noncrosslinked or partially crosslinked type is described in a multiplicity of publications including Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 53(1978)-21021, 55(1980)-18448, 56(1981)-15741, 56(1981)-15742, 58(1983)-46138, 58(1983)-56575, 59(1984)-30376, 62(1987)-938 and 62(1987)-59139.
As mentioned above, the olefinic thermoplastic elastomer can be divided into the crosslinked type and the noncrosslinked type. With respect to the thermoplastic elastomer of the noncrosslinked type, it is desired to achieve the development of an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer composition which enables providing a molding being excellent in tensile strength, elongation at break, rubber properties (for example, elongation set and compression set), heat resistance and low temperature properties as compared with those of the conventional noncrosslinked thermoplastic elastomers. On the other hand, with respect to the thermoplastic elastomer of the crosslinked type, it is desired to achieve the development of an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer composition capable of providing a molding which is superior to the conventional vulcanized rubbers in low temperature properties, tensile strength, elongation at break and rubber properties.
Meanwhile, the molding of a polyolefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene has high rigidity and heat resistance, so that it finds a wide spectrum of uses.
Out of various polyolefin resins, however, polypropylene is crystalline and has high glass transition temperature, so that any polypropylene molding has poor impact resistance, especially, at low temperatures. Thus, the application field thereof has been limited.
For improving the impact resistance of the polypropylene molding, a method has been employed in which polypropylene is blended with polyethylene or a rubbery substance such as polyisobutylene, polybutadiene or an amorphous ethylene/propylene copolymer. Among the materials blended into polypropylene, frequent use is made of an amorphous or lowly crystalline ethylene/propylene random copolymer.
With respect to the composition composed of the above amorphous or lowly crystalline ethylene/propylene random copolymer and polypropylene, the impact resistance improving effect of the amorphous or lowly crystalline ethylene/propylene random copolymer is low, so that it must be blended into the polypropylene composition in a large amount for attaining a significant improvement of the impact resistance of the polypropylene molding.
Although the impact resistance of the molding from the polypropylene composition is significantly improved, the use of the ethylene/propylene random copolymer in a large amount causes another problem that the rigidity and heat resistance inherently possessed by polypropylene is gravely deteriorated. On the other hand, when it is intended to retain the rigidity and heat resistance inherently possessed by polypropylene by reducing the amount of ethylene/propylene random copolymer blended in the polypropylene composition, the problem that the improvement of the impact resistance at low temperatures is not satisfactory is raised.
Therefore, it is desired to achieve the development of a crystalline polyolefin resin composition which enables obtaining a polyolefin molding being excellent in not only rigidity and heat resistance but also impact resistance, especially, at low temperatures.
As apparent from the above, the olefinic thermoplastic elastomer and the crystalline polyolefin resin composition have the common problem of low temperature properties.

Ethylene/.alpha.-olefin/nonconjugated polyene copolymer rubber composition


A projection display device according to the invention includes a separating unit that assigns X separation information for identifying a type of an image to each pixel by using a characteristic amount of the input image, a luminance detecting unit that detects a luminance of a screen, a first determining unit that determines a first target region indicating a region on which halftone processing of converting the number of gradations is performed on the input image by using the X separation information, and a halftone processing unit that executes the halftone processing that varies depending on the luminance on the first target region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection display device, a projection display method, and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, known is a technique of performing preview display of an image to be printed by a printing device by a projection display device such as a projector. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-304316 discloses a technique of correcting image data for increasing output on low-gradation portions (shadow portions) based on color information and brightness information of a projection screen of the projector in order to enhance the reproducibility of colors.
The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-304316, however, fails to sufficiently enhance the reproducibility of colors. For example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-304316 fails to enhance the reproducibility on high-gradation portions (highlight portions).

Projection display device, projection display method, and computer program


An improved tubular lining hose for use in softlining pipe rehabilitation which includes the novel use of a layer of reinforcing fibers to reinforce the lining hose. In a preferred embodiment, a layer of reinforcing fibers, such as fiberglass, is encapsulated between layers of resin absorbing material saturated with resin. The saturated resin absorbing layers form a protective veil around the reinforcing fibers and protect the reinforcing fibers from water and other corrosive materials.

The present invention relates to an improved lining hose for use in methods of rehabilitating a pipe conduit which is in a damaged or deteriorated state. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved lining hose for use in softlining pipe rehabilitation methods wherein the lining hose is saturated with curable resin, introduced into a pipe conduit and shaped to conformingly line the pipe conduit where it is cured in place so as to form a rigid liner.
Various methods of rehabilitating a pipe conduit which is buried underground are known in the art. Generally speaking, such methods include the use of a liner having a diameter which is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the pipe conduit to be rehabilitated. The liner frequently includes an impermeable layer and an adjacent resin-absorbing layer. This resin-absorbing layer is impregnated with a liquid resin prior to the introduction of the thus treated liner into the pipe conduit. After being properly positioned in the pipe conduit, the liner is pressed against the inner surface of the pipe conduit by fluid pressure.
One such method of lining a pipe is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,063 which discloses a liner comprising a non-woven felt sandwiched between an outer membrane and an inner membrane of plastic sheet material. The non-woven felt material is impregnated with an uncured thermosetting resin. The resin is cured while the liner is held against the inner surface of the pipe conduit so as to form a rigid self-supporting liner. The alleged purpose of this impermeable outer layer is to avoid the need for cleaning the pipe conduit prior to installation of the liner.
Another method of lining a conduit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,211. This method utilizes a liner having a resin impregnated inner layer and an impermeable layer outwardly bonded to and surrounding the inner layer. This liner is introduced into the interior of the pipe conduit by turning over one end region of the liner and causing the turned over region to gradually advance into the interior of the pipe conduit using an inversion process. During this inversion process, the resin impregnated layer is gradually transferred to the exterior of the lining hose by fluid pressure. The resin impregnated layer will contact the inner surface of the pipe conduit. In order to eliminate friction, the liner, before being turned inside out, is supported buoyantly by liquid which serves to carry the liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,562 discloses a method for rehabilitating a conduit using a lining hose having an outer impermeable layer surrounding and adjacent to an inner resin-absorbent layer. The resin-absorbent layer is saturated with an excess volume of resin. The outer impermeable layer is then perforated to form a plurality of flowthrough openings for the resin. The lining hose is subsequently introduced in a collapsed state into the pipe conduit, and the lining hose is shaped to conformingly line the pipe conduit. The shaping of the lining hose is accomplished by everting an auxiliary hose, also known as a calibration hose, inside the lining hose. The eversion of the calibration hose inside the lining hose will force the excess amount of resin through the flowthrough openings and into contact with the inner surface of the pipe conduit. The excess resin will also fill existing cracks and fissures in the conduit. A variation of the liner described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,562 includes a relatively thin layer of resin-absorbent material outwardly adjacent to the impermeable surface. This thin layer of resin-absorbent material facilitates the spreading of the excess resin once the impermeable layer has been perforated and the shaping of the lining hose process has begun.
As previously stated, most liners in softlining applications utilize a layer of nonwoven felt for the resin absorbing layer of the lining hose. One of the purposes of the felt is to provide support for the uncured resin of the impregnated lining hose. The felt serves as a reservoir and/or carrier means for the uncured resin. Once cured, the resin provides the structural strength of the liner. The layer of felt is actually a deterrent to the strength of the liner after the resin has cured since it occupies space that could otherwise be filled with resin.
In the past, practitioners in the softlining industry have also utilized a layer of fiberglass for the resin absorbent member of the lining hose. U.S. Pat. 4,770,562 teaches such a use. A fiberglass mat provides greater structural strength for both the uncured and cured liner than does a mat of nonwoven felt. Despite its superior strength characteristics, fiberglass has not replaced felt as the preferred medium for the resin absorbing layer due to the wicking problems associated with fiberglass.
Fiberglass fibers have a high resistance to stretching. The resin in a cured-in-place liner bonds or adheres to fiberglass fibers upon curing. Due to the bond between the resin and the fiberglass fibers, the resin also becomes more resistant to stretching when axial or radial loads are applied to the cured liner. Thus, the cured resin is reinforced by fiberglass so long as the bond between the resin and fiberglass is not broken.
Cured-in-place liners are typically installed in environments that are continuously exposed to water and other corrosive materials. Cured-in-place liners are also exposed to varying temperatures and flow conditions. The bond between the fiberglass and cured resin is subject to constant stress and strain due to the different coefficients of expansion of resin and fiberglass. Over time, the repeated expansion and contraction of the resin and fiberglass, caused by the varying temperature and flow conditions, will create tiny spaces between the resin and the fiberglass fibers.
With conventional cured-in-place liners using fiberglass, the fiberglass fibers located on the inner and outer surfaces of the liner are exposed to the water and other corrosive materials. Due to capillary or wicking action, the water and other corrosive materials are absorbed into the tiny spaces adjacent to the exposed fiberglass fibers. The absorption of water and other corrosive materials enhances the expansion and contraction of the resin and fiberglass, thereby further deteriorating the bond between the resin and fiberglass. Corrosive reactions with the resin/fiberglass laminant also exacerbates the deterioration of the bond between the resin and fiberglass. As a result of the wicking action, the space between the resin and fiberglass fibers becomes progressively larger and larger. In addition, as the space between the resin and a given fiber grows in size and length, previously unexposed fiberglass fibers adjacent to the exposed fibers become exposed to the water and other corrosive materials. Over time, the wicking of water and other corrosive materials into the laminant will destroy the bond between the resin and the fiberglass fibers. When this occurs, the reinforcing effects of the fiberglass is lost causing the liner to lose much of its structural strength, thereby ending the useful life of the liner prematurely.
Other reinforcing materials, such as Kevlar.TM. and carbon fibers, may be used as substitutes for nonwoven felt. However, these materials may also experience the problems associated with fiberglass when exposed to water and other corrosive materials.
The present invention overcomes the wicking problems associated with the use of fiberglass and other reinforcing fibers. The lining hose of a preferred embodiment of the present invention sandwiches a layer of fiberglass, or other desirable reinforcing fiber, between an inner and outer layer of resin absorbent material. The resin absorbent material, such as nonwoven felt, is saturated with curable resin. Upon curing, the resin in the inner and outer resin absorbent layers encapsulate the fiberglass layer and protects it from water and other corrosive materials. Thus, the resin absorbent material acts as a protective veil surrounding the layer of reinforcing fiber. Wicking problems are virtually eliminated because the reinforcing fibers are not exposed to water or other corrosive materials.

Reinforced lining hose for softlining pipe rehabilitation


An imaging system is provided which comprises an objective lens arrangement, a linear array of detector elements within a detector the array comprising a row of time delay an integrate (TDI) channels and a scanning optic arranged to scan an image over the array detector elements, the system further comprises means for rotating the scanning optic about an axis (N) normal to an optical surface of the scan optic when the scan optic is in the center of its field of view position, the scan optic being rotated about this axis (N) in dependence on the rate at which the imaging system is panned across a scene, such that a received image is vector scanned across the linear array of detector elements to compensate for loss in image resolution due to the panning action of the imaging system occurring during the period in which an image frame is detected.

The present invention relates to an imaging system which is to be panned across a viewed scene, and more particularly, but not exclusively to such a system for mounting onboard an aircraft. In the context of this application imaging system is used to define a system which generates data relating to a received image, but the term does not necessarily require that the data be subsequently presented as an image to an operator.
In certain applications it is particularly desirable to use a long linear array of detector elements and to scan an image orthogonally across that array of detector elements such that a complete image frame can be derived from the output of the array of detector elements. Such systems typically find application in high quality infra-red imaging systems. The linear array will often comprise more than a single row of elements and may typically comprise 10 rows of element, permitting time delay and integration (TDI) to be employed.
A common display format will comprise 768 vertical columns of 576 lines each. It has previously been proposed to have 480 element linear detectors, or pseudo linear detectors (see below), arranged vertically relative to an image, with the image being scanned horizontally across the 480 elements. The reasons for such proposals arises because employing 480 element linear detectors, which are commonly available, enables 480 out of a possible 576 lines of an image to be generated. The array is read out 768 times corresponding to the 768 columns of the display. In many applications a 480 row image is acceptable.
It has now been realised that it is advantageous in certain applications to employ long linear arrays of detector elements comprising approximately 768 elements for, although such long linear arrays are usually more expensive, when the image is scanned vertically over such a linear array arranged horizontally, then the array only need be read out 576 times to obtain a full image frame. The significance of this is that for a given standard frame rate the stare time available for each element is increased by approximately one third. Furthermore because the scan is vertical scan interlaces can be performed. This enables a considerable increase in the performance of an infra-red (IR) imaging systems where stare time limits performance. Similar performance improvements can be made with other display formats, for example, 640 vertical columns, of 480 lines.
An imaging system employing a horizontal long linear array of detector elements also has a lower inherent latency arising from the imaging system operating with the same raster scan format as a standard display, or video storage means. Image data from the first complete line of the display is available to the display, video storage means, or image processing means, whilst the remainder of the image is still being generated. This is to be contrasted with systems where the image is generated by scanning across a vertical array of detector elements where no row of the image is complete until the data from the last column of the image has been obtained. This is particularly important in certain applications, such as where the imaging system is mounted on an aircraft and can experience rapid changes in attitude.
A further advantage of using a horizontal array of detector elements is that it reduces the required scan angle. This is advantageous because the performance of such scanning mechanisms normally decreases as the scan angle increases.
Despite the advantages offered by using a horizontal long linear array of detector elements, and scanning an image orthogonally over that array, there is an inherent problem if it is desired to pan the imaging system in a direction having a component perpendicular to the scan direction, because panning causes the image to drift sideways across the detector during composition of an image frame.
In conventional systems, (where the direction of pan is the same as the scan direction), pan rate can be compensated for by either altering the read out time or the horizontal scan rate, if the linear array of detector elements employs a time delay and integration (TDI) technique, where charge generated by a space coordinate of the image is clocked along successive detector elements in a TDI channel of the array of detector elements in synchronisation with the image passing along that channel, such that charge generated by a point on the image is summed with charge generated by the same space coordinate being incident previously on earlier elements of the channel, then controlling the scan rate or clock rate in dependance on pan rate will ensure that synchronisation is maintained between a point on the image moving across the array and the corresponding packet of charge generated moving along the detector elements of a channel. This is not possible where the image moves sideways across the detectors comprised in a TDI channel.
The above poses a particular problem in such applications as search and track, where an infra-red imager is panned across the scene ahead of an aircraft normally to identify objects in an otherwise substantially homogenous environment such as the sea. In such an application TDI processing is particularly important to provide maximum sensitivity whilst maintaining resolution but it is also desired to maximise stare time by employing a long linear array of detectors and scanning vertically across the array to provide a normal image format.


A method of securing an invited Push-To (PT) user's privacy in an automatic answer mode of a PT service is discussed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for performing a PT (Push-To) service setting procedure, includes transmitting PT service setting information of a PT client to a PT server during a PT service setting procedure, the PT service setting information including answer mode setting information and privacy information, the answer mode setting information indicating if an answer mode of the PT client is an automatic answer mode or a manual answer mode, the privacy information indicating whether or not an identity of the PT client is to be kept private in the answer mode; and storing the PT service setting information of the PT client in the PT server, whereby the PT server can selectively inform identification information of the PT client to another PT client based on the privacy information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a session initiation protocol (SIP)-based session service, and more particularly, to a method of securing a respondent's privacy in an automatic answer mode of a push-to (PT) service and to any PT client terminal and/or server for implementing the method.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A SIP is a signaling protocol prescribing procedures for allowing terminals to identify opposite terminals to communicate with and to find out locations thereof and for allowing the terminals to create, delete, and change multimedia service sessions. A SIP-based service has a request/response structure for controlling the establishment, correction, and release of the multimedia service session. The SIP-based service employs SIP URLs (Uniform Resource Locator) similar to e-mail addresses to identify users and thus provides services without dependence on IP (Internet Protocol) addresses.
An example of the SIP-based session service is a Push-To (PT) service. The PT service has been developed for providing fast communications between providers and users through mobile communication networks and generally includes such communication services wherein, among clients having set a session through a server, one client having a right of talk or a right of transmission assigned thereto transmits media data including voices or images and the other clients participating in the session receive the media data. The PT service includes a PoC (Push-to-talk Over Cellular) service of providing a call service to transmit voice data, a PTV (Push-To Video) service of transmitting image or video data, and a PTD (Push-To Data) service for transmitting various data. Voices, images, and data can be transmitted to one receiver (1-to-1) or a receiver group (1-to-many) such as in a group chat session.
In the PT service supporting a 1-to-1 communication and a group communication, individual privacies should be secured at the time of communication. More specifically, when the PT service is used, each user can select depending on his own intention whether his identity such as his nickname and/or his IP address should be open (not private) or anonymous (private). The individual intention on the publication of the user's identity (i.e., the identify of the user who has been invited to participate in a PT session) may be included as privacy information in a response message responding to a session invitation, which is then transmitted to the opposite party.
For example, the privacy information can be included in a header portion of a message 200 OK, which is a response message to a session invitation message, as a privacy header, and can be transmitted to an inviting PT server. The inviting PT server publishes or hides the identity of a respondent (invited PT user) to or from the inviting PT user on the basis of the privacy information included in the received response message. When the privacy information is not included in the received response message, the inviting PT server considers that the respondent (invited PT user) agrees to the publication of his identity to the inviting PT user or other PT users in the PT session.
However, in such a privacy securing method of the PT service according to the related art, the privacy of the respondent (invited PT user) might not be secured properly when the procedure is performed in an automatic answer mode. In the automatic answer mode, an automatic response message (e.g., a 183 SESSION PROGRESS message) not including the privacy information can be often transmitted "directly" to the inviting PT server through the invited PT server. Here, the term "directly" means that the automatic response message from the invited PT user is transmitted to the inviting PT server, regardless of the fact whether a response message (e.g., a message 200 OK) is received from the invited PT user having received a session invitation message. As a result, the inviting PT server does not receive or have the privacy information of the invited PT user in the automatic answer mode, and the identity of the invited PT user is made known to the inviting PT user (and maybe to other PT users) against the invited PT user's intention of keeping his identity private, which is a problem.

Method for securing privacy in automatic answer mode of push-to service


A paper handling apparatus has a simplified structure and allows printed paper to be stacked efficiently. The paper handling apparatus receives printed paper which has undergone printing for each print job and handles the printed paper in an orderly manner. The paper handling apparatus has a stacking section in which printed paper is stacked sequentially for a plurality of jobs and an unloading mechanism for unloading stacked printed paper from the stacking section to the outside. The paper handling apparatus can be used with a printing apparatus which is connected to a large-scale information processing system or similar for printing a large volume of data.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper handling apparatus and a printing apparatus, both having a function of stacking sheets of paper which have continuously undergone printing or a function of cutting continuous paper which has undergone printing and which has been fed continuously and more particularly, to a paper handling apparatus and a printing apparatus which are suited for printing a large volume of data transmitted from a large-scale information processing system or similar.
2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, information processing systems assume, for example, the form of a network system in which a host computer, such as a super-computer, is connected with terminals, such as personal computers, office computers, and similar, through a network similar to LAN so as to establish mutual communication.
A printing apparatus (electrophotographic printer or similar, for example) is connected to such an information processing system through a network. The printing apparatus is adapted to continuously print, at a high speed on a large quantity of printing paper (continuous paper or continuous form), a large volume of print data, which are transmitted from the host computer, and the individual terminals through the network.
Since printed paper is ejected from the printing apparatus in a large quantity, the printed paper needs to be handled properly on the paper ejection side of the printing apparatus. For example, the printed paper needs to be stacked for temporary storage.
In this connection, an apparatus for handling printed paper is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 3-264470 and 2-243464.
The apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 3-264470 is provided with a plurality of shelves for stocking printed paper in a sorted manner and transfer means for transferring printed paper to the shelves. In the apparatus, printed paper is transferred and stored in a sorted manner, whereby a print requester, who is familiar with sorting rules, can readily get the results of printing from a relevant shelf.
According to the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2-243464, printed paper is stacked on a stacker table, which is moved so as to slightly shift the stacking position of printed paper for each job (print process unit). With this structure, printed paper for each job can be readily identified.
According to a conventional practice, when a printing apparatus is adapted to perform printing on continuous paper, a paper handling apparatus (paper cutting apparatus) having a function of cutting printed continuous paper at suitable positions is provided on the paper ejection side of the printing apparatus. FIGS. 31 and 32 show examples of a printing apparatus provided with such a paper handling apparatus.
As shown in FIGS. 31 and 32, a printing apparatus (printer) 101 is provided with a paper hopper 102 which contains blank continuous paper 100 folded at perforations. The continuous paper 100 fed from the paper hopper 102 has continuously undergone printing at an image transfer section 103. The printed continuous paper 100 is ejected from the printing apparatus 101 and enters a paper handling apparatus 110 (paper cutting apparatus) which is connected to the printing apparatus 101 at its paper ejection side (latter part).
The paper handling apparatus 110 is provided with a cutter 111 for cutting the printed continuous paper 100 at suitable positions. The cutter 111, as described later, cuts the continuous paper 100 along perforations at a suitable number of pages (a portion of paper between two lines of perforations is handled as one page) or in response to an instruction from a host computer (host apparatus) 105.
The paper handling apparatus 110 is provided with a paper stacker 112 in which the printed continuous paper 100 is stacked while being folded at perforations. When a suitable quantity of the printed continuous paper 100 accumulates in the paper stacker 112 and when the stacked paper is separated by cutting with the cutter 111 from the continuous paper 100 on the side of the printing apparatus 101, a block of thus separated stacked continuous paper 100 is ejected from the paper stacker 112.
In FIGS. 31 and 32, reference numeral 104 denotes an operator panel which is located on the printing apparatus 101 and allows an operator to make various kinds of settings for the printing apparatus 101 and the paper handling apparatus 110. Reference numeral 105 denotes a host computer (host apparatus), which outputs various instructions (a request for print, etc.) to the printing apparatus 101 so as to control the printing apparatus 101.
The host computer 105, shown in FIG. 31, however, has only software 105A for the printing apparatus 101 and is adapted to control the printing apparatus 101 according to the software 105A without considering the cutting function of the paper handling apparatus 110. On the other hand, the host computer 105, shown in FIG. 32, has software 105B for the paper handling apparatus 110, in addition to the software 105A for the printing apparatus and is adapted to control a cutting operation performed by the cutter 111 in the paper handling apparatus 110 and printing of an intermediate separator, as described later, according to the software 105B for the paper handling apparatus 110, while controlling the printing apparatus 101 according to the software 105A for the printing apparatus.
The respective operations of the apparatuses shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 will now be described.
In the printing apparatus 101, shown in FIG. 31, print data received from the host computer 105 are analyzed and expanded, and then the print data are printed at the image transfer section 103 on the continuous paper 100 which is fed from the paper hopper 102. The printed continuous paper 100 is transferred from the printing apparatus 101 to the paper handling apparatus 110 and stacked in the stacker 112.
In the printing apparatus 101, shown in FIG. 31, an operator can specify, from the operator panel 104, the number of pages to be printed before the continuous paper 100 is cut by the cutter 111 in the paper handling apparatus 110. When the number of printing pages is specified, after printing on the continuous paper 100 as many pages as specified, the printing apparatus 101 outputs an instruction to the paper handling apparatus 110 to being cutting, and thus the cutter 111 performs a cutting operation.
When the printed continuous paper 100 is cut by the cutter 111, the result of printing for one job may be divided into a plurality of blocks (three blocks in FIG. 31) in some cases. If the blocks of printed paper (continuous paper 100) are randomly ejected from the paper handling apparatus 110, their mutual relation (order) and even whether or not blocks are of the same job may become uncertain.
To prevent the above-described problem, information indicative of the same job, i.e., an "intermediate separator," may be printed on the top page of a block of the continuous paper 100 and the bottom page of a subsequent block of the continuous paper 100. In this case, the host computer 105 needs to send print data about an intermediate separator, both before and after the instruction to begin cutting, to the printing apparatus 101.
In the example shown in FIG. 31, the host computer 105 controls the printing apparatus 101 according to the software 105A for the printing apparatus, but the software 105A is not adapted to recognize how many pages of the continuous paper 100 are to be printed before the continuous paper 100 is cut and the positions at which the continuous paper 100 cutting is performed. Accordingly, an intermediate separator cannot be printed, and hence a released block of the printed continuous paper 100 fails to bear an intermediate separator on the top/bottom page.
In this connection, in the example shown in FIG. 32, the host computer 105 has the dedicated software 105B for the paper handling apparatus (paper cutting apparatus) 110 for controlling a cutting operation of the cutter 111 in addition to the software 105A for the printing apparatus.
The dedicated software 105B for the paper handling apparatus manages the cutting position of the continuous paper 100. When an instruction to begin cutting is sent to the printing apparatus 101, the software 105B sends print data about an intermediate separator and an instruction for printing an intermediate separator, both before and after sending an instruction to begin cutting, to the printing apparatus 101, whereby the intermediate separator is printed on a page before and after each cut position. The instruction to begin cutting is sent to the paper handling apparatus 110 via the printing apparatus 101. In response to the instruction to begin cutting, the cutter 111 cuts the continuous paper 100 along perforations which separate two pages each printed with the intermediate separator.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 32, an intermediate separator indicative of the same job is printed on the top and/or bottom page (boundary page) of separate blocks of the continuous paper 100. Thus, an operator, for example, can recognize which block belongs to which job by viewing only the intermediate separator.
In FIG. 32, the top face of each block bears the above-described "intermediate separator," but in actuality, specific print data indicative of a job which are received from the host computer 105 are printed thereon.
However, the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 3-264470 requires shelves for individual destinations. As destinations increase, the space required for shelves increases, leading to an increase in the costs of the apparatus.
As for the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2-243464, when a large volume of printing is executed in response to a request from a large-scale information processing system, a quantity of printed paper, which is stacked on the stacker table, will soon reach a stack limit quantity, wherein printed paper is disabled from being stacked further on the stacker table. When the stack limit quantity is reached, the printing apparatus stops accepting a request to print. Thus, a host computer and terminals, which output a request to print to the printing apparatus, need to wait for printing to resume until a stack of printed paper is removed from the stacker table. Printing, therefore, needs to halt each time a stacked quantity of printed paper on the stacker table reaches a limit thereof, leading to a deterioration in printing efficiency.
In this connection, the stacker table can have a structure in which the stack table is lowered whenever printed paper is ejected thereon. With this structure, a stackable quantity of printed paper on the stacker table can be increased. Even if this structure is employed, a stacked quantity of printed paper on the stacker table will soon reach a limit thereof when a large volume of printing is executed. Hence, as in the case of the apparatus described above, the information processing system needs to wait for printing to resume until a stack of printed paper is removed from the stacker table in a suspended printing apparatus, leading to a drop in printing efficiency after all. In addition, when a large quantity of printed paper is stacked, a lower portion of the stack is difficult to take out due to the weight of printed paper stacked thereabove. This increases a burden on a person who comes to receive the result of printing.
Furthermore, the printing apparatus 101, provided with the paper handling apparatus 110 shown in FIG. 32, requires the host computer 105 to have the software 105B for controlling the paper handling apparatus 110. That is, attaching the paper handling apparatus 110 to the printing apparatus 101 requires software contained in the host computer 105 to be modified, leading to many additional man-hours and costs.
To solve this problem, a technique is proposed in which the printing apparatus 101 is provided with a circuit for generating print data about an intermediate separator on the basis of job information (see Japanese Patent Application No. 4-308358). This, however, involves adding a new circuit for printing an intermediate separator to the printing apparatus 101, leading to many additional man-hours and costs after all.
In the printing apparatus 101, provided with the paper handling apparatus 110 shown in FIG. 32, an operator (user) usually visually determines whether or not a current job is continued when a stacker full state (i.e., a state where a stacked quantity of the continuous paper 100 has reached a stacking limit of the stacker 112) occurs with the paper stacker 112. This causes an increase in the burden on the operator.
According to a proposed technique for solving this problem, when the number of printed pages, which is counted by the host computer (host apparatus) 105, reaches a predetermined value, the host computer 105 sends an instruction to the printing apparatus 101 so as to print a pattern indicative of a job being continued onto the continuous paper 100. This technique allows easy determination of whether or not a job is continued when the stacker becomes full. This technique is applicable to the printing apparatus 101 which handles paper of a fixed thickness, but is not applicable to a printing apparatus which handles paper of various thicknesses because the number of pages which makes the stacker full varies.
Also, in the printing apparatus 101 provided with the paper handling apparatus 110 shown in FIG. 32, when a minor paper jam occurs in the section between the transfer section 103 and the cutter 111, after the paper jam is solved by an operator, the printing apparatus 101 is usually controlled so as to perform a recovery printing for the portion of the continuous paper 100 which was located between the transfer section 103 and the cutter 111.
In this case, print data, which were printed on the portion of the continuous paper 100 between the transfer section 103 and the cutter 111 when a paper jam occurred, is printed again. Thus, an operator needs to check the printed continuous paper 100 page by page for redundant pages due to recovery printing and to remove the redundant pages. This imposes a heavy burden on the operator.

Paper handling apparatus and printing apparatus having a paper handling function


In a bar code reading device in which an image of a bar code is Converted into an information signal having transitions corresponding to bar data in the bar code, a first counter counts the numbers of pulses of a clock signal provided by a reference clock corresponding to the periods between transitions of the information signal. The pulse counts are stored in a first memory. A second counter counts the number of transitions in the information signal and stores the number of transitions in a second memory. Since the procedure carried out by the second counter can occur in a very short time, the number of bar data can correctly be counted even if the bar code has defective bar data formed by misprinting. Accordingly, an ALU is able to decide whether or not the bar code is recognized correctly through a comparison of the number of periods between transitions stored in the first memory and the number of transitions stored in the second memory. Thus, incorrect bar code reading operations can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bar code reader for reading optical information contained in bar codes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bar codes consist of a series of adjacent stripes of various widths. A conventional arrangement for reading bar codes is shown in FIG. 9. An image sensor 30 converts an image of a bar code focused thereon into an information signal as shown in FIG. 3B by photoelectric conversion. Then a waveform shaping unit 32 shapes, e.g., amplifies and binarizes, the output signal of image sensor 30 to produce a binary signal as shown in FIG. 3C.
Then, a counter 33 counts the number of pulses of a clock signal generated by a reference clock 31 corresponding to each stripe of the bar code to determine a time period corresponding to the width of each stripe. The pulse count, and the corresponding levels, are stored in a memory 34.
When the counts for all of the stripes of the bar code have been stored, an arithmetic logic unit (hereinafter abbreviated "ALU") calculates the respective widths of the stripes from the pulse counts and determines information represented by the bar code on the basis of the combinations of the widths of the stripes and the corresponding levels.
Counter 33 employed in an existing bar code reader is designed specially for the bar code reader. A level L is assigned to the initial value of counter 33 and data: "Level: L, Pulse count: a" assigned to the first count is stored in memory 34 regardless of the actual level of the binary signal, changes in the level of the binary signal are detected and a combination of a level and a corresponding pulse count, for example, "Level: L1, Pulse count: a" "Level: , H1, Pulse count: b" and the like, are stored in memory 34 every time a level change is detected. The count is reset automatically and the level is changed automatically.
Counter 33, which is employed in the existing bar code reader, detects the change in the level of the binary signal instead of detecting the level of the analog information signal. In some cases, the levels corresponding to the pulse counts are the opposite of the actual levels of the stripes and spaces of the bar code. However, since the same inverted levels are used to interpret the entire bar code, the information represented by the bar code can be read by using such inverted levels.
However, the prior art bar code reader generates erroneous data if the bar code has a defective stripe A, as shown in FIG. 3A, formed by defective printing. Counter 33 requires a period of time after a level change to stop counting, store the results and reinitialize the counter. Therefore, when reading the defective stripe A shown in FIG. 3A, a level change indicated at X in the binary signal will occur while the number of pulses of the clock signal is counted and the data "Level: H4, Pulse count: c" of the defective portion is stored in the memory 34. Consequently, counter 33 is unable to detect the level change X. Consequently, a region B, the level of which must be HIGH, is recognized wrongly as a LOW region as shown in FIG. 3 D.
Thus, if a bar code has a stripe with a defective portion at one end thereof, such as the defective stripe A as shown in FIG. 3A, the high/low correspondence with the actual bar code on one side of the defect differs from that on the other side of the defect. Therefore, ALU 35 translates the bar code wrongly.

Bar code reader with comparison of bar widths and signal transitions


An electro emission device (EED) operated by a driver for modulating the pulse width of a driving pulse according to a pulse width modulation (PWM) clock signal to control the brightness of images. The EED calculates a brightness level of image data indicating the brightness of the whole image for each unit image of a video signal. The image data is stored for each unit image of the video signal. The reference brightness level stored in the look-up table is compared with a calculated brightness level to determine a signal of the PWM clock signal condition. A PWM clock signal is generated according to the signal of the PWM clock signal condition to drive the display panel based on the PWM clock signal.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electron emission device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a display device using a field emitter array.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, there are two kinds of electron emission device (EED). One uses a thermionic cathode as an electron source and the other uses a cold cathode as an electron source. Also, in the EED using a cold cathode, there are the field emitter array (FEA) type, the surface conduction emitter (SCE) type, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) or metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) type, and ballistic electron surface emitting (BSE) type.
In particular, the EED is being considered as a next-generation display because it uses light emission of fluorescent bodies by electron beams as does the cathode ray tube (CRT) to have the excellent characteristics of the CRT and to realize a flat panel display of low power consumption without any image distortion. It also has some satisfactory characteristics with regard to large viewing angle, fast response time, high brightness, high contrast, and small panel thickness.
The typical EED is composed of a triode structure having cathode, anode, and gate electrodes. More specifically, the cathode electrode that is generally used as a data electrode is formed on a substrate. An insulation layer having a contact hole and the gate electrode generally used as a scan electrode are integrated on the insulation layer. Additionally, an emitter used as an electron source is formed inside the contact hole and is connected to the cathode electrode. Alternatively, the gate electrode can be a data electrode and the cathode electrode can be a scan electrode. That is, a cathode electrode can be one of a scan electrode and a data electrode, and a gate electrode can be the other according to structure of the EED.
The EED of this structure concentrates a high electric field on the sharp-tip cathode, that is, the emitter, to emit electrons by the quantum-mechanical tunneling effect, which electrons are accelerated by a cathode-anode voltage and collide with red (R), green (G), and blue (B) fluorescent films formed on both electrodes to emit light from the fluorescent body and to display an image.
The brightness of the image formed from light emission of fluorescent bodies as caused by collision of the emitted electrons with the fluorescent film changes according to the value of an input digital video signal. More specifically, the value of the digital video signal is composed of 8-bit RGB data, i.e., 0(00000000(2)) to 255(11111111(2)), which 256 digital values realize 256-gray-scale representation and color brightness.
Pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) is generally used to control the brightness represented by the value of the digital video signal.
PWM is a technique to modulate the pulse width of driving pulses applied to display input image data according to counted clock signals output from a driving IC, to achieve gray scale representation. In PWM, the number of counted clock signals is equal to the total number of gray scale levels, and in most cases, 8-bit signals are input to realize a 256-gray-scale full color image.
The time required for generating the total number of counted clock signals is the on-time applied to the display panel through a data electrode. For counted clock signals of an even-spacing cycle, driving pulses of the same pulse width for all data of 0 to 255-gray levels are applied. For counted clock signals of a non-even-spacing cycle, for example when the spacing width is increased in the low gray scale level and decreased in the high gray scale level, the pulse width of the driving pulse by gray scale levels increases in a part of the input image data of a low gray scale level but decreases in a part of the input image data of a high gray scale level. Hence, the low gray scale of the data is better represented on the actual display panel to enhance the ability of brightness representation according to the gray scale on the dark image.
In this conventional PWM method, the cycle of counted clock signals is constant irrespective of input image data because no information is provided about the counted clock signals of which cycle must be raised among the gray scale levels of 0 to 255. This makes it impossible to effectively control brightness according to the input image data.

Electron emission device and driving method thereof


A three-dimensional hydraulic oscillator includes an upper casing, a lower casing screwed with the upper casing, an upper joint screwed with the upper casing, a lower joint screwed with the lower casing and a screw. An upper rotating shaft is mounted in the upper casing. A turbine group is mounted on the upper rotating shaft. An upper cam is fixed to the upper rotating shaft. A lower cam is movably mounted in the upper casing. The upper cam contacts with the lower cam. The screw is mounted in the upper casing and fixed to the lower cam. A lower rotating shaft is mounted in the lower casing. An eccentric block is fixed on the lower rotating shaft. A lower roulette is fixed to the lower rotating shaft. A shaft cap is disposed above the lower roulette. An upper roulette is mounted on the screw and meshed with the lower roulette.

Because horizontal wells, horizontal branch wells, and large displacement wells can help oil fields to increase production, they have been increasingly applied to drilling in major oil fields in recent years. In such wells, there is a large frictional resistance after a pipe string is in contact with a wall of the well. When the frictional resistance is too large, the pipe string will undergo sinusoidal bending or spiral buckling, which will seriously cause stuck drilling, affect a drilling speed and reduce drilling efficiency.
In conventional drilling, drilling tools are in a static friction state with the wall of the well. Whether it is a vertical well, a directional well or a horizontal well, the friction between the pipe string and the wall of the well during drilling is an important factor affecting the drilling speed. An oscillator generates axial and radial forces to form an oscillating effect. The friction between the pipe string and the wall of the well is converted from static friction to dynamic friction to achieve the purpose of reducing friction. However, in a horizontal section or an inclined section during the drilling, the friction between the pipe string and the wall of well is still large.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.


A device and method for determining whether a no-back device is functioning properly includes a no-back device coupling an input shaft and an output shaft. A no-back output gear is coupled to the output shaft, and a reaction gear is operably coupled to the no-back output gear. A check device includes a rotatable drive feature having a first end accessible for rotation and a second end engaged with the reaction gear. The functionality of the no-back device is evaluated by applying a rotational torque to the drive feature.

This invention relates to an actuation system and more particularly to an actuation system having a no-back device.
Modern aircrafts are commonly equipped with actuators containing no-back devices. These actuators are subjected to aerodynamic loads resulting from the distribution of loads in the aircraft, from the trajectory of the aircraft, and from the flight conditions. No-back devices are employed in actuators of mechanical drive systems where it is necessary to prevent an aerodynamic load, from back driving the system in the event of a structural failure or disconnect of the input shaft to an actuator. A typical no-back device has a releasable brake associated with an output shaft as well as an input shaft connected to a prime mover. A coupling between the input shaft and output shafts operates in response to the transmission of torque from the output shaft to the input shaft to prevent movement of the output shaft, and assure that the element associated with the output shaft will remain in the position in which it was originally placed by operation of the prime mover.
The functionality of the no-back device is critical in instances where it is required. A failure of a no-back device is potentially dangerous since a shaft could be driven by the aerodynamic forces acting on the element to be actuated. The element would then not be held in the desired position, and could flutter rendering the aircraft unstable. It is therefore desirable to develop a system that easily and efficiently allows a mechanic to verify that the no-back device in an actuator is functioning properly.


An input device for switchable use between first and second computer systems. A controller of the input device can execute switching logic to direct a radio transceiver of the input device to switch an operating channel of the radio transceiver to a first channel monitored by the first computer system in response to a first event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the first computer system. The controller can execute switching logic to direct the radio transceiver to switch the operating channel to a second channel monitored by the second computer system in response to a second event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the second computer system.

The present invention relates to input devices, and more specifically, to input devices having radio transceivers.
Many settings exist wherein computer system users require the simultaneous use of multiple computer systems. For example, in a call center offering technical support services, a support specialist may be stationed at a desk with a first computer system for use in creating and managing customer call records and a second computer system for use in performing research over the Internet to diagnose and solve the callers' presented technical problems. The support specialist's supervisor may be stationed at a similarly equipped desk, but may also use the computer systems at the support specialist's desk from time to time to assist the support specialist in handling a call. Typically, a separate set of input devices is connected to each computer system. Thus, in the call center example, there may be two sets of input devices on the support specialist's desktop and on the support supervisor's desktop. The term "input device" is used herein to refer to a device that can be utilized to insert data into a computer system. Examples of an input device include a mouse, a keyboard, a track ball, a scanner, and a microphone.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Input device switching an operating channel of a radio transceiver between first and second computer systems

International Business Machines Corporation


An excIusive OR (XOR) accumulator engine efficiently generates parity from a group of data blocks temporarily stored in a memory of a data processing system. The XOR engine comprises an XOR logic circuit coupled to a multi-stage shift register for accumulating parity calculations generated by the logic circuit. Accumulation of parity within the shift register continues until all of the data blocks within the group have been processed by the logic circuit; thereafter, the data blocks and their generated parity are stored on multiple disks of the data processing system.

Parity protection techniques are often employed in data processing systems to ensure data integrity and protect against data loss. The data to be protected are typically divided into chunks or blocks of data that are further organized into data groups, each of which consists of a fixed number of data blocks. For a data processing system having a plurality of data storage devices, e.g., a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), each block of data is stored on a different disk with data blocks from several different data groups being stored on a single disk.
In the context of a RAID implementation, parity protection denotes a type of checksum that allows regeneration of unreadable data in a block by evaluating a function of the data values stored in positionally corresponding data blocks that are not in error. A memory controller of the data processing system generally performs such an evaluation, typically in connection with a Booleon exclusive OR (XOR) function. The XOR function is applied bit-by-bit to positionally corresponding bits in each data block of a group and the result is stored in a positionally corresponding bit of a parity block. The parity block for each data grop is then stored on one of the disks containing the data group that the parity block protects.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data processing system 100 that may be used in a conventional RAID implementation. The system 100 comprises a main memory 120 coupled to a memory controller 110 via a memory bus 115. The main memory includes storage locations 122 for holding data blocks B1-B4 of a data group transferred from a plurality of disks (not shown) and the controller contains an XOR function 112 for performing parity operations on the data blocks. The results of the parity operations are then stored in a location 124 in memory 120.
The memory controller typically calculates parity for the data blocks by way of a series of read and write operations over the memory bus 115. For example, B1 is acquired from memory via a read access (R1) over the bus 115, B2 is acquired via a read access (R2) over the bus, parity is calculated from these blocks and the partial result is stored in buffer 124 via a write access (Wp) over the bus. Likewise, data block B3 is acquired via a read bus access (R3), the parital parity result is retrieved via a read bus access (Rp), parity is calculated from these blocks and the partial result is stored via a write bus access (Wp). Finally, B4 is acquired via a read bus access (R4), the parital parity result is retrieved via a read bus access (Rp), parity is calculated from these blocks and the total parity result is stored via a write access (Wt) over the bus. Table 1 summarizes these bus operations required to calculate parity for the data blocks B1-B4. EQU B1.sym.B2=R1, R2, Wp EQU B3.sym.P=R3, Rp, Wp EQU B4.sym.P=R4, Rp, Wt

Shift register-based XOR accumulator engine for generating parity in a data processing system


A data processing apparatus includes a communicator, an acquisition unit, and an output controller. The communicator is configured to receive request data from a server. The request data contains a content of a request for collection of traveling state data of a vehicle. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire the traveling state data of the vehicle on the basis of the request data received by the communicator. The output controller is configured to cause an output device to output an acquisition status of the traveling state data acquired by the acquiring unit.

The disclosure relates to a data processing apparatus and a data collecting system that collects traveling state data on a vehicle.
It has been required to collect traveling state data on a vehicle under various conditions. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2005-044058 discloses a technique relevant to a data collecting system that includes a server for collecting and providing traveling state data on a vehicle sold in the past, at the time of purchase of a new vehicle of the same type as the sold vehicle.
Another technique is known which provides a driver with various pieces of information on driving. For example, JP-A No. 2010-039639 discloses a technique relevant to a driving diagnosis apparatus that includes a display providing a driver with information on results of a driving condition diagnosis.

Data processing apparatus and data collecting system


An apparatus for monitoring aeration in a fluid of a hydraulic circuit is provided. The apparatus includes at least two measuring units configured to connect at a first location, and a second location of the hydraulic circuit. The measuring units are configured to measure pressure, temperature, and density of the fluid at the respective locations. The apparatus further includes a computing unit configured to output aeration values of the fluid at the first and the second location based on the measured pressure, temperature, and density by the two measuring units. The apparatus further includes a correlation unit configured to correlate aeration levels at the first and second locations based on the measured aeration values.

Conventional methods and apparatus determine aeration of a fluid at one location in an engine system. The aeration value determined is indicative of the amount of air present in the fluid at that location. U.S. Published application Ser. No. 12/899,670 relates to a method and apparatus for measuring oil aeration of an engine. A density of pure oil and a density of air are calculated based on a measured oil pressure and a measured oil temperature of an oil line connecting a hydraulic pump of an engine and an oil gallery of a cylinder block. The oil aeration is then calculated based on a measured oil density, the measured oil pressure, the calculated density of the pure oil, and the calculated density of the air.

Apparatus for monitoring aeration in fluid of hydraulic circuit


According to the invention, a wave, corresponding to a signal s(t) may be temporally inverted by application of a first transformation to lower the central frequency thereof to produce a first set of transformed signals Ki(t) then a second set of transformed signals K′i(t) is produced representing the temporal inversion signal s(−t) and a third transformation is applied to said second set to generate the temporally-inverted signal s(−t)

More particularly, the invention relates to a method for temporal inversion of a wave corresponding to at least one initial signal s(t), where t is the time, this initial signal s(t) exhibiting a certain central frequency f0 and a passband Δf, in which method a temporal inversion signal α·s(−t), where α is a constant or time-varying multiplicative coefficient and s(−t) is the temporal inversion of s(t), is determined.
Document EP-A-0 803 991 describes an example of such a method, which has the drawback of calling upon approximations of the temporal inversion of certain signals, this working only under certain special conditions, in particular when the passband is very narrow.
The present invention is aimed in particular at alleviating this drawback.


A band filter using a film bulk acoustic resonator and a method of fabricating the same. The method includes the steps of forming a membrane layer on a substrate, forming a plurality of resonators on an upper surface of the membrane layer, depositing a mask layer on a lower surface of the membrane layer and patterning the mask layer to form a plurality of main windows and sub windows, and forming cavities along the main windows in the substrate and forming sub walls in the cavities in such a way that the sub walls are separated apart from the membrane layer by using the notch effect caused during a dry etching. It is possible to precisely form cavities with desired sizes even if the cavities have different sizes, to reduce the notched areas in the cavities, to reduce the total size of the filter by decreasing a distance between the cavities and to reduce the total length of wires.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to a band filter using a film bulk acoustic resonator and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly to a band filter using a film bulk acoustic resonator in which a structure of a cavity for vibrating a thin film is modified and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) is a filter using a bulk acoustic wave of a piezoelectric layer. A size of a general frequency filter is proportional to a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave in a usage frequency band. Therefore, the size of a general frequency filter using the electromagnetic wave is relatively large. For example, when the frequency of the electromagnetic wave is 1 GHz, the size of a general frequency filter is approximately 30 cm, and when the frequency of the electromagnetic wave is 300 GHZ, the size of a general frequency filter is approximately 1 mm. However, if the bulk acoustic wave of, the piezoelectric layer is used, a wavelength of the bulk acoustic wave becomes less as a fraction ( 1/10,000) of a wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. According to this, the electromagnetic wave is converted into the bulk acoustic wave by the piezoelectric layer, and the size of the filter becomes less in proportion to the wavelength of the bulk acoustic wave. That is, since the size of the frequency filter using the bulk acoustic wave is approximately several hundred microns, and a plurality of the frequency filters using the bulk acoustic wave can be fabricated at one time by using a wafer, mass production of a band filter is possible.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plane view showing a duplexer filter with a film bulk acoustic resonator in accordance with a related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a duplexer filter 1 includes a substrate 3, a transmission-side film bulk acoustic filter 5 and a reception-side film bulk acoustic filter 7, formed on the substrate 3.
The transmission-side film bulk acoustic filter 5 and the reception-side film bulk acoustic filter 7 are constituted by film bulk acoustic resonators 10 formed on the substrate 3 and connected in series or parallel.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a filter with cavities of different sizes, taken along line I-I′ shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of cavities 3a, 3b and 3c with different sizes are formed on a substrate 3 and a membrane layer 4 is applied over the substrate 3 to cover the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c. Resonators 10 are formed on the membrane layer 4 at positions corresponding to the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c. A first electrode 11, a piezoelectric layer 13 and a second electrode 15 stacked sequentially constitutes a resonator 10.
A method of manufacturing the filter described above is explained briefly below.
FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C illustrate a method of fabricating a duplexer filter with film bulk acoustic resonators and FIGS. 4A and 4B are views for explaining the loading effect and the notches generated upon dry etching in accordance with the related art.
Referring to FIG. 3A, a membrane layer 4 is deposited on a substrate 3 and resonators 10 are created on the membrane layer 4.
Referring to FIG. 3B, a mask layer 9 is formed on the opposite surface of the substrate 3 with respect to the membrane layer 4 and patterned to produce windows 9a, 9b and 9c at positions where cavities 3a, 3b and 3c would be formed.
Referring to FIG. 3C, the substrate 3 is etched through the widows 9a, 9b and 9c using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching equipment so that the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c are formed in the substrate 3, leaving walls 3d every between of the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c.
However, in accordance with the related art described above, in case of simultaneously etching the substrate 3 to form the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c with different sizes using the ICP etching equipment, it is difficult to precisely produce the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c with desired sizes due to a loading effect and a lag effect.
The loading effect means that edge portions of the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c, denoted by alphabetical reference "L" in FIG. 4A remain not being etched due to relatively low etch rate at the edge portions of the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c compared to the etch rate of the center portions of the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c.
The lag effect is generated because etch rates for every cavity 3a, 3b and 3c are different depending on the sizes of the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c. That is, etch rates in larger cavities are relatively higher than that in the small cavities. Accordingly, even if the etching is simultaneously performed under the same condition for every cavity 3a, 3b and 3c, the cavity 3c will be larger than the desired size after an etching process in a case where the size of the cavity 3c is larger than that of the others.
The notch effect means that the substrate 3 is over-etched at the bottom of the cavities, i.e. near the membrane layer 4, thereby forming notches in the walls 3d. The notch denoted by alphabetical reference "N" in FIG. 4B is created since ions generated during the etching process are bombarded to and reflected from the membrane layer 4 and the reflected ions etch the walls 3d by bombarding the walls 3d.
As described above, in a case where all the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c with different sizes are etched at the same time, it is difficult to form the cavities 3a, 3b and 3c with desired sizes due to the loading, lag and notch effects. Further, even the membrane layer 4 can be damaged due to a stress and walls 3d could be eliminated.

Band filter using film bulk acoustic resonator and method of fabricating the same