A context-aware biometric access control policy is provided. A request to access a protected resource received from a client device is identified. A resource hierarchy associates each of a plurality of protected resources with one or more respective confidence levels of authentication. A confidence level that is associated with the protected resource is identified based on the resource hierarchy. Instructions to capture a biometric token via the client device are generated based on a set of one or more confidence level parameters that is associated with the identified confidence level. The generated instructions are sent to the client device. A biometric token received from the client device is determined to authenticate the user of the client device and, in response, the request to access the protected resource is approved.

Access control refers to the practice of restricting access to physical property (e.g., buildings and/or rooms) and/or virtual resources (e.g., virtual machines, applications, databases, and/or files) to authorized persons. Electronic access control utilizes electronic devices and software to grant or deny access to protected resources. In general, electronic access control authorizes access based upon presented credentials. Credentials can include something a person knows (e.g., a username and password), something they have, (e.g., access badge), something they are (e.g., biometric features), or a combination of these items. Electronic access control is advantageous because it provides a capability to distinguish one user from another and can provide a detailed record of attempted, denied, and granted attempts to access protected resource(s).

Context-aware biometric access control policies

International Business Machines Corporation


An ion implantation apparatus with multiple operating modes is disclosed. The ion implantation apparatus has an ion source and an ion extraction means for forming a converging beam on AMU-non-dispersive plane therefrom. The ion implantation apparatus includes magnetic scanner prior to a magnetic analyzer for scanning the beam on the non-dispersive plane, the magnetic analyzer for selecting ions with specific mass-to-charge ratio to pass through a mass slit to project onto a substrate. A rectangular quadruple magnet is provided to collimate the scanned ion beam and fine corrections of the beam incident angles onto a target. A deceleration or acceleration system incorporating energy filtering is at downstream of the beam collimator. A two-dimensional mechanical scanning system for scanning the target is disclosed, in which a beam diagnostic means is build in.

Ion implantation is used to introduce atoms or molecules, generally referred to as dopants into a target substrate to change the material properties of the substrate. The technologies of Ion implantation are gaining particular interest because the ion implantation process is a process commonly used in making modern integrated circuits. Furthermore, ion implantation may also be used for thin film deposition with controlled thickness and predefined surface properties for manufacturing optical or display devices such as flat panel displays.
In certain applications it is advantageous to generate ion beams in the form of ribbon-shaped beams having high aspect ratios, particularly in the implantation of 300 or 450 mm wafers to generate a beam with the cross-section that is much larger in one dimension than the other. These ribbon beams are commonly used in ion implanter apparatus and implantation systems where a single workpiece such as a silicon wafer or flat panel display is moved in a single dimension through the ion beam. However, in order to reach a uniform dose of ions over the substrate the intensity of ribbon beam must be tuned to have a uniform intensity across the ribbon direction. The beam intensity uniformity is commonly obtained by moving some beamlets from higher intensity regions to regions that have lower intensity. For these reasons, the beam angle uniformity is sacrificed, which could be detrimental when applied in the fabrication processes of particular advanced integrated circuits. Specifically, when non-uniform beam incident angles relative to the wafers can generate large shadowing effect variations as the device dimension shrinks. The shadowing effects can cause non-uniform and insufficient dopants concentrations in some area on a wafer. Therefore, the non-uniform beam incident angles produce different shadowing effects thus cause the poor dopant uniformity on the wafer that leads to reduced production yields due to the ion implant deviations. For these reasons, there is an urgent need to improve the implant angle uniformity. These problems and difficulties are further explained below in FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ribbon-beam system according to the prior arts in which the ion beam diverges through an analyzer magnet and is then collimated by a lens. The beam is expanded through the AMU magnet to form a ribbon shape beam. The collimator corrected the beam divergent angles. However, this system needs a device to manipulate beam intensity so that beam can be uniformed. It is not an easy task to develop a device and beam intensity control algorithm to provide a uniform beam. The most problematic issue is that the beam angle uniformity has to be sacrificed for beam intensity uniformity since beamlets are moved from higher intensity regions to lower regions. These beamlet moves are accomplished by changing beamlet angles.
FIG. 2 depicts another conventional ion implantation system that generates a narrow beam taller than the target. The beam current is tuned to uniformity by a multipole magnet 402 and multipole magnet 404. The multipoles move some parts of the beam from a position (high intensity) to another position (low intensity) in divergent direction, i.e., a vertical direction as shown in the figure. But the movement of the beam causes the non-uniformity in the implant angles. Different parts of the beam will have different incident angle towards wafers as shown in FIG. 2A.
FIG. 3 depicts another implant system that generates a spot beam smaller than the target. The beam height is smaller than wafer diameter, 2D mechanical scans (a wafer is held on a robot type of object that can move left/right and up/down to form beam implanted pattern as shown FIG. 3A. In order to have sufficiently good implanted dose uniformity, the implant process requires multiple scan operations. The implant process thus requires longer scanning time. Also, there are many turns around on left and right ends and these turns around that have decelerations and accelerations must happen when beams are not in wafers so that beams are wasted. The implant system utilizes a spot beam small than the target thus has poor beam utilization.
As discussed above, due to the complex interactions between the ion beam and the magnetic field applied for beam expansion, this approach creates severe technical, practical, and process related problems that increase the total production cost of such equipment and lead to more complicated operation procedures for carrying out the ion implantation. In particular, the beam path through this system is relatively long, and at low energies and high beam currents it becomes increasingly difficult to control the uniformity of the ion beam and the angular variation within the beam with the precision required by certain commercial processes.
It is further desirable to generate implanting ions with an ion current of milli-amperes and at an energy level as low as 200 ev. The highest beam currents are obtained by decelerating the ion beam immediately prior to the target. However this practice has several known disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the deceleration tends to modify the trajectories, magnifying any angular errors and making it very difficult to control both the angle and dose uniformities in a scanned ion beam.
Since the conventional types of ion implantation systems cannot provide a viable solution for performing one wafer at a time implantation with a high-current, high dose and angle uniformities there is a need in the art of integrated circuit fabrication to provide a new system to resolve the above-discussed difficulties. A new system configuration is required to generate a high current implantation with improved dose uniformity without sacrificing the implantation angle uniformity while reducing the production cost and simplifying the manufacturing processes.

Apparatus and method for ion beam implantation using scanning and spot beams

Kingstone Semiconductor Company, Limited


A traction system (11; 60) for operating lines (18), in particular mooring lines and/or riser lines, of a vessel (1), includes at least two work stations (26) distributed along at least two sides of the vessel (1) and engaged by respective operating lines (18). The traction system includes a main traction device (14; 15, 17; 15A, 17) and a transmission device (36) having a duty line (28) connected to the main traction device and at least one guide member (24) for selectively routing the duty line (18) to each work station (26) for attachment to a respective operating line (18). A line storing space (22; 42, 44) is provided for storing parts of the duty line and/or hauled in moorings lines; the main traction device, the transmission device and the line storing space are placed together at or near a side of the floating production unit.

From the prior art spread mooring systems for vessels such as floating storage offloading (FSO) or floating production storage offloading (FPSO) vessels or in general, floating offshore units are known.
WO2010084420 discloses a method and system for tensioning a function line in particular a mooring line of a FPSO vessel. Such a traction method for an operating line, in particular a mooring line, includes the steps of: attaching an end chain portion of the operating line to a socket of a main cable running through a sheave at a work station; reeling in the main cable, using a winch, to bring the socket of the main cable up to the sheave; locking the operating line with a chain stopper; slackening the main cable and moving the sheave closer to the chain stopper to reduce pull on the main cable; reeling in the main cable to run the socket of the main cable through the sheave,—once the socket of the main cable has run through the sheave, releasing the operating line from the chain stopper, and reeling in, by means of the winch, the main cable and the operating line connected to it.
WO2004050470 discloses a mooring windlass/winch system that provides a horizontal shaft type windlass wildcat integral with a wire rope type winch mounted above and behind the windlass wildcat. The combined windlass/winch is mounted on a circular foundation that permits the windlass to rotate in the horizontal plane about the centerline of the windlass chain locker. The ability to orient the windlass and winch in the horizontal plane allows a single windlass to serve a number of mooring chains.
Further as shown in FIG. 1, a mooring system 10 is known from the prior art that comprises a (hydraulic) power unit 12, a chain handler 14 and a number of turn-down sheaves 16. The turn-down sheaves 16 are arranged at a side of the vessel 1 for example an FPSO. The power unit 12 is arranged to power the chain handler 14, that is capable of pulling or paying out the individual mooring legs or chains 18. The mooring legs 18 run from the chain handler 14 over each of the turn-down sheaves 16. The chain handler 14 is at a fixed position towards the centerline 2 of the FPSO and away from the turn-down sheaves 16 in such a way that each mooring leg is under a different angle β with the chain handler. Due to the different angles, pulling characteristics on each mooring leg 18 are different, which require a relatively wide power range for the chain handler 14.
It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages from the prior art.

Traction system for operating lines of a vessel


An image detecting device includes a substrate including plural accumulating portions, plural data lines, plural first protection lines, plural first diodes, and plural second diodes. The plural accumulating portions, due to the irradiation of incident electromagnetic waves expressing an image which is an object of detection, charges expressing the image are accumulated. In the plural data lines, the plural accumulating portions are respectively connected individually via switching elements. The plural first protection lines are for protecting a circuit from excess voltage. In the plural first diodes, anodes are connected to a portion of the plural first protection lines respectively, and cathodes are connected to the plural data lines respectively. In the plural of second diodes, cathodes are connected to another portion of the plural first protection lines respectively, and anodes are connected to the plural data lines respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image detecting device, and in particular, to an image detecting device that detects an image by using a substrate at which are provided protection lines for discharging static electricity that is generated at the time when the substrate is manufactured.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radiation image detecting devices, such as FPDs (flat panel detectors) and the like in which an X-ray sensitive layer is disposed on a TFT (thin film transistor) active matrix substrate and which can convert X-ray information directly into digital data, have been put into practice in recent years. As compared with a conventional imaging plate, an FPD has the advantages that an image can be confirmed immediately and that moving images as well can be confirmed, and the popularization of FPDs has advanced rapidly.
In this type of radiation image detecting device, it is important to detect an X-ray image at a size that projects a human body, and therefore, substrates of large sizes exceeding 30×30 cm are needed. However, it is difficult to manufacture a substrate of such a large size from a silicon substrate. Therefore, currently, TFT active matrix substrates that are formed on a thin plate glass are mainly being used.
TFT active matrix substrates are employed as driving substrates for LCDs (liquid crystal displays), and are stable technologically and in terms of cost as well. Therefore, TFT array substrates for image detecting devices as well are mainly manufactured on assembly lines for TFTs for LCDs from the standpoint of cost.
A circuit diagram of a conventional TFT active matrix substrate 10′ for an image detecting device is shown in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 6, the TFT active matrix substrate 10′ is structured such that a large number of pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional form. The pixel is structured to include a charge collecting electrode 11′ that collects charges generated at an unillustrated image sensor portion, a charge accumulating capacitor 5′ accumulating detected charge signals, and a thin film transistor (hereinafter called "TFT switch") 4′ for reading out the charges accumulated in the charge accumulating capacitor 5′. Further, plural scan lines (gate lines) 101′ for turning the TFT switches 4′ on and off, and plural data lines 3′ for removing the charges accumulated in the charge accumulating capacitors 5′, are provided at the TFT active matrix substrate 10′. One electrode of the charge accumulating capacitor 5′ is grounded via an unillustrated line and is ground level. Note that, in FIG. 6, the one electrode of the charge accumulating capacitor 5′ is illustrated as being connected to ground.
The respective data lines 3′ and the respective scan lines 101′ of the TFT active matrix substrate 10′ are connected to a common line 110′ via bidirectional diodes 30′ for circuit protection respectively, in order to prevent electrostatic breakage at the time of manufacturing.
An example of the structure of one diode 31′ that structures this conventional bidirectional diode 30′ is shown in FIG. 7.
In a TFT active matrix substrate that uses an amorphous silicon TFT, the diode 31′ can be structured easily by connecting the gate electrode and the drain electrode of the TFT switch, as shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8 is shown as an equivalent circuit focusing on one TFT element of the TFT active matrix substrate 10′ shown in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 8, at each TFT element of the TFT active matrix substrate 10′, between the gate electrode of the TFT switch 4′ and the data line 3′ is equivalent to being connected by the bidirectional diode 30′ that is structured by the anodes and cathodes of two of the diodes 31′ respectively being connected to one another in parallel. Therefore, if the electrode potential of one becomes high, charges flow to the other, and the potential can be prevented from becoming high.
The problem of static electricity, in a case in which such a TFT active matrix substrate is manufactured by using a TFT assembly line for LCDs, is described next with reference to FIG. 9A through 9E.
The size of the substrate that can be manufactured on an assembly line for TFTs for LCDs depends on the device size of the assembly line, and is a size peculiar to that line. Currently, large substrates of mainly about 1 m2 can be manufactured.
In a case of using a TFT assembly line for LCDs that can manufacture such large-sized substrates, a TFT array substrate 10B′, at which a single or plural TFT array cells 10A′ for FPDs are formed, is manufactured (see FIG. 9A).
The manufactured TFT array substrate 10B′ is divided in primary dividing process, and the TFT array cells 10A′ are cut out (see FIG. 9B). In a sensor layer forming step that is carried out after, layer formation is carried out mainly by vacuum deposition or CVD (chemical vapor deposition), and therefore, the device cost-increases in proportion to the substrate size. Accordingly, in the primary dividing process, it is desirable to cut the TFT array cells 10A′ out from the TFT array substrate 10B′ at the minimum size needed as the TFT array cells 10A′, and make the chamber size of the manufacturing facility smaller.
Next, sensor layer formation and upper electrode formation are carried out on the cut out TFT array cell 10A′. After formation is completed, a sealing process that covers the sensor layer and the upper electrodes with a glass substrate or resin or the like is carried out (see FIG. 9C).
Subsequently, the TFT array cell 10A′ after the sealing process is subjected to secondary dividing. Up until this secondary dividing process, a short ring 120′ is provided at the TFT array cell 10A′ in order to protect the gate insulating films of TFT switches 4′. In this secondary dividing, the short ring 120′ is separated from the TFT array cell 10A′ and the respective terminals are electrically and physically separated (see FIG. 9D), in order to carry out TCP packaging in the next process.
Next, packaging of gate drivers and amp ICs (the packaging of ICs that are packaged on a TCP (tape carrier package)) is carried out on the TFT array cell 10A′ from which the short ring 120′ has been separated. Finally, the circuit substrates (a gate drive substrate, a signal detecting circuit substrate, and the like) are packaged, and the TFT active matrix substrate 10′ is completed (see FIG. 9E).
Here, the short ring 120′ is a line that connects the electrodes of the both ends of the insulating film in order to prevent application of voltage to the insulating film.
Namely, at the case of the above-described TFT array cell 10A′, the final end portions of the data lines 3′ and the scan lines 101′ are connected by a metal line that is disposed at the peripheral edge of the array. Due thereto, even in a case in which charges are given to a given data line 3′ due to static electricity or the like and the potential becomes high, the charges flow out immediately to the short ring 120′, and voltage is thereby prevented from being applied to the insulating film.
Conversely, in a case in which there is no short ring 120′ at the TFT array cell 10A′, it is often the case that a strong electric field is applied to the insulating film due to static electricity, and due thereto, shifting of the characteristic of the TFT or dielectric breakdown (a leak defect) arises.
By providing the short ring 120′ at the TFT array substrate 10B′ in this way, the manufacturing yield of the TFT array cells 10A′ can be maintained high, and therefore, the manufacturing cost can be kept low.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9E, from after the secondary dividing up to the TCP packaging and circuit packaging, the input and output terminals of the TFT array cell 10A′ are in completely electrically separated states. Therefore, because this is the same as a case in which there is no short ring 120′, there is the concern that a shift in the characteristic or a dielectric breakdown defect will arise.
In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 6, it is usually the case that the bidirectional diodes 30′ for protection are disposed between the respective data lines 3′ and a common line 110′ that is disposed at the peripheral edge of the active matrix array. Due thereto, charges can flow to the adjacent lines and electrostatic defects can be suppressed, although not to the extent as when the short ring 120′ is used.
As a related art, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-177186 discloses a structure as follows: in a case in which a TFT active matrix substrate is used as the driving substrate of an LCD, a common line is formed so as to surround the display region. Bidirectional diodes for protection are formed between the common line and the respective data lines. Even in cases in which static electricity flies into the respective data lines, the static electricity is dispersed to the common line via the respective bidirectional diodes, and the TFT is thereby protected.
In a voltage controlling type device such as the LCD shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-177186, even when the common line 110′ is formed and the bidirectional diodes 30′ are inserted between the common line 110′ and the respective data lines 3′ and respective scan lines 101′ as described above, there is no problem at all as an applied product. This is because an LCD is a voltage controlling type device that controls the voltages that are applied to the respective data lines 3′ and the respective scan lines 101′ of the TFT active matrix substrate.
Namely, in a case in which a potential difference arises between the respective data lines 3′ at the time of actual driving, current flows via the bidirectional diodes 30′. However, the potentials of the respective data lines 3′ are maintained because the resistance values of respective diodes 31′ are sufficiently high with respect to the data lines 3′. Therefore, this structure is not an impediment in any way in an LCD in which the driving conditions are determined by voltage.
On the other hand, in an FPD as well, no problems arise with respect to the driving of the respective scan lines 101′, in the same way as in an LCD. However, the data line 3′ sides are signal detecting circuits (amp circuits) that detect charge amounts. Therefore, if, at the time of actual driving, a potential difference arises between the respective data lines 3′ and leak current flows between the data lines, there is the problem that the signal values of the data lines, that are detected at a signal detecting circuit, fluctuate. Due thereto, there is the problem that false data information enters into the other data lines 3′ and artifacts (false images) appear.

EDS protection for an image detecting device


In various embodiments, non-zero thermal gradients are formed within a growth chamber both substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular to the growth direction during formation of semiconductor crystals, where the ratio of the two thermal gradients (parallel to perpendicular) is less than 10, by, e.g., arrangement of thermal shields outside of the growth chamber.

Aluminum nitride (AlN) holds great promise as a semiconductor material for numerous applications, e.g., optoelectronic devices such as short-wavelength light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers, dielectric layers in optical storage media, electronic substrates, and chip carriers where high thermal conductivity is essential, among many others. In principle, the properties of AlN may allow light emission at wavelengths down to around 200 nanometers (nm) to be achieved. Recent work has demonstrated that ultraviolet (UV) LEDs have superior performance when fabricated on low-defect AlN substrates prepared from bulk AlN single crystals. The use of AlN substrates is also expected to improve high-power radio-frequency (RF) devices made with nitride semiconductors due to the high thermal conductivity with low electrical conductivity. However, the commercial feasibility of AlN-based semiconductor devices is limited by the scarcity and high cost of large, low-defect single crystals of AlN.
To make large-diameter AlN substrates more readily available and cost-effective, and to make the devices built thereon commercially feasible, it is desirable to grow large-diameter (>25 mm) AlN bulk crystals at a high growth rate (>0.5 mm/hr) while preserving crystal quality. The most effective method of growing AlN bulk single crystals is the "sublimation-recondensation" method that involves sublimation of lower-quality (typically polycrystalline) AlN source material and recondensation of the resulting vapor to form the single-crystal AlN. U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,135 (the '135 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 7,638,346 (the '346 patent), and U.S. Pat. No. 7,776,153 (the '153 patent), the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, describe various aspects of sublimation-recondensation growth of AlN, both seeded and unseeded. While these references recognize the benefits of a large axial (i.e., parallel to the primary growth direction) thermal gradient for optimizing material quality and growth rate of the growing AlN crystal, they utilize a growth apparatus designed to minimize the radial (i.e., perpendicular to the primary growth direction) thermal gradient. For example, axial thermal gradients may range from approximately 5° C./cm to approximately 100° C./cm, while radial thermal gradients are maintained at as negligible a level as possible. Likewise, other prior-art growth apparatuses utilize heavy insulation in order to minimize or eliminate the radial thermal gradient, as a minimized radial thermal gradient is expected to produce flat, high-quality crystals, particularly when efforts are made to grow crystals having large diameters. The radial gradient is typically minimized during conventional crystal growth in order to prevent formation of defects such as dislocations and low-angle grain boundaries. It is also minimized to make the surface of the growing crystal more flat, thus increasing the amount of useable material in the crystal (i.e., increasing the number of substrates that can be cut from the crystal for a given length of crystal).
FIG. 1 depicts an apparatus 100 utilized for the growth of AlN in accordance with the above-described prior art. As shown, a crucible 105 is positioned on top of a crucible stand 110 within a cylindrical susceptor 115. During the growth process, the susceptor 115 is translated within a heated zone created by surrounding heating coils (not shown), polycrystalline AlN source material 120 at the base 125 of the crucible sublimes at the elevated temperature, and the resulting vapor recondenses at the cooler tip 130 of the crucible due to the large axial thermal gradient between the base 125 and the tip 130, thus forming an AlN crystal 135. The apparatus 100 also features top axial shields 140 and bottom axial shields 145 designed and positioned to minimize the radial thermal gradient perpendicular to the growth direction 150 of AlN crystal 135. As shown, the tip 130 of the crucible 105 is cooler than the base 125 at least in part because apparatus 100 has fewer top axial shields 140 than bottom axial shields 145, allowing more heat to escape in the region of tip 130 and generating the desired axial thermal gradient. The top axial shields 140 may have centered holes therewithin to facilitate measurement of the temperature at tip 130 by a pyrometer 155. The centered hole diameter is minimized to reduce the heat flow but sufficient to form a practical optical path for the temperature sampling by the pyrometer 155. Additional pyrometers 160, 165 may also be utilized to measure temperatures at other regions of apparatus 100.
As mentioned above, the ability to grow AlN single crystals at high growth rates would spur additional commercial adoption of the technology. While increasing the growth rate of AlN crystals is theoretically possible by increasing the Al supersaturation using larger axial thermal gradients, increases in the Al supersaturation may result in deterioration of the material quality of the crystal, or even in polycrystalline, rather than single-crystal, growth. Furthermore, the minimization or elimination of radial thermal gradients during AlN crystal growth unexpectedly tends to deleteriously impact the quality of the AlN crystal, particularly when attempts are made to grow large (e.g., >25 mm diameter) crystals at reasonable growth rates (e.g., >0.5 mm/hr). Thus, a need exists for systems and techniques enabling growth of such large AlN crystals at high growth rates while still preserving high material quality of the AlN crystal.

Growth of large aluminum nitride single crystals with thermal-gradient control


Means for transporting multi-band RF spectrum over a digital network including: means for converting radio frequency signal into internet protocol packets; means for time stamping and preserving timing for the converted radio frequency signal; and means for transporting the radio frequency signal using a radio transport standard.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signal transportation, and more specifically, to radio frequency signal transport.
Background
To keep pace with increasing Internet traffic, network operators have widely deployed optical fibers and optical transmission equipment, which substantially increases the capacity of backbone networks. A corresponding increase in access network capacity is also needed to meet the increasing bandwidth demand of end users, including Internet protocol (IP) video, high-speed data, and packet voice. Even with broadband solutions, such as digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable modem, the limited bandwidth offered by current access networks presents a bottleneck in delivering large bandwidth to end users.

Packetized radio frequency transport system


Technologies for transferring ownership of a compute device include a data broker device to receive a provenance verification key of the compute device from a manufacturer device, receive attestation data of the compute device, and verify a provenance of the compute device based on the attestation data. The attestation data is indicative of one or more security attributes of the compute device. The data broker device updates a block chain with an acknowledgment of an assignment of the compute device to the data broker device, wherein the block chain identifies each transaction associated with ownership of the compute device.

The Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem has seen rapid growth in recent years and an IoT device to human ratio of 25-to-1 in the near future would not be particularly surprising. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies allow for the recording of and payment transfer for electronic transactions associated with the sale/purchase of IoT devices and other devices. However, with the deployment of billions of IoT devices, managing the complex problems of establishing and transferring rightful device ownership contexts can be quite daunting for IoT system designers.

Technologies for data broker assisted transfer of device ownership


An OLT in a WDM-PON may include a main board and a sub board. The main board may include a master optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section and the sub board may include a plurality of optical transceivers and a slave optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section. The master optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section may produce a data input signal and a data read-control signal for controlling the plurality of optical transceivers of the sub board. The slave optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section may receive the data input signal and the data read-control signal, and read the data input signal in accordance with the read-control signal. The optical transceivers may be controlled based on the data input signal.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention may relate to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT). More particularly, embodiments of the present invention may relate to an OLT in a wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (WDM-PON).
2. Background
WDM-PON is a configuration method for Fiber to the Home (FTTH). WDM-PON may provide a sufficient service bandwidth required for a particular subscriber by allotting a different portion of an entire wavelength for each of the subscribers.

Optical line terminal in a wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network


An apparatus includes a network receiver for receiving an over-the-air in-band on-channel broadcast signal and extracting broadcast content from the broadcast signal, and an output for delivering the content by way of a first receiver output signal to a plurality of network player devices. A method performed by the apparatus is also included.

IBOC DAB radio broadcasting technology delivers digital audio and data services to mobile, portable, and fixed receivers from terrestrial transmitters in the existing Medium Frequency (MF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) radio bands. IBOC DAB signals can be transmitted in a hybrid format including an analog modulated carrier in combination with a plurality of digitally modulated carriers or in an all-digital format wherein the analog modulated carrier is not used. Using the hybrid mode, broadcasters may continue to transmit analog AM and FM simultaneously with higher-quality and more robust digital signals, allowing themselves and their listeners to convert from analog to digital radio while maintaining their current frequency allocations.
One feature of digital transmission systems is the inherent ability to simultaneously transmit both digitized audio and data. Thus the technology also allows for wireless data services from AM and FM radio stations. The broadcast signals can include metadata, such as the artist, song title, or station call letters. Special messages about events, traffic, and weather can also be included. For example, traffic information, weather forecasts, news and sports scores, can all be scrolled across a radio receiver's display while the user listens to a radio station.
IBOC DAB technology can provide digital quality audio, superior to existing analog broadcasting formats. Because each IBOC DAB signal is transmitted within the spectral mask of an existing AM or FM channel allocation, it requires no new spectral allocations. IBOC DAB promotes economy of spectrum while enabling broadcasters to supply digital quality audio to the present base of listeners.
Multicasting, the ability to deliver several programs or data streams over one channel in the AM or FM spectrum, enables stations to broadcast multiple streams of data on separate supplemental or sub-channels of the main frequency. For example, multiple streams of data can include alternative music formats, local traffic, weather, news and sports. The supplemental channels can be accessed in the same manner as the traditional station frequency using tuning or seeking functions. For example, if the analog modulated signal is centered at 94.1 MHz, the same broadcast in IBOC DAB can include supplemental channels 94.1-1, 94.1-2, and 94.1-3. Highly specialized programming on supplemental channels can be delivered to tightly targeted audiences, creating more opportunities for advertisers to integrate their brand with program content.
The National Radio Systems Committee, a standard setting organization sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Electronics Association, adopted an IBOC standard, designated NRSC-5A, in September 2005. NRSC-5A, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, sets forth the requirements for broadcasting digital audio and ancillary data over AM and FM broadcast channels. The standard and its reference documents contain detailed explanations of the RF/transmission subsystem and the transport and service multiplex subsystem for the system. Copies of the standard can be obtained from the NRSC at http://www.nrscstandards.org/standards.asp. HD Radio™ technology, developed by iBiquity Digital Corporation, is an implementation of the NRSC-5A IBOC standard. Further information regarding HD Radio™ technology can be found at www.hdradio.com and www.ibiquity.com.
It would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus that can distribute program material and/or information received by an IBOC DAB receiver to a plurality of users having access to a local area network, such as a home or office network. It would further be desirable for a system employing such methods and apparatus to be highly flexible and configurable such that content can be distributed to users that have different devices for receiving the content, such as a computer, television or home theater, cell phone, personal music player, and other hand-held or portable devices. Moreover, different users of a received signal may be interested in different programs or data streams transmitted in a single IBOC DAB channel. It would therefore be desirable to provide methods and apparatus that can allow different users to access different programs and data services transmitted on a single channel.


Provided is a process for preparing a stable dispersion. The dispersion is comprised of a pigment, such as cuprous iodide, dispersed in a binder resin solution. The process is comprised of first dispersing the pigment into a binder resin solution, grinding the dispersion, preferably until a bi-modal distribution of pigment particles is obtained, separating the dispersed particles into two fractions and then recovering the fraction having the smaller average particle size. The resulting dispersion has been found to be quite stable and useful in transparent coatings applicable to electrophotography, electrostatic and thermal imaging elements.

There are many known processes for preparing transparent coating layers for electrostatic, electrophotographic and thermal products. However, most of the known processes involve the use of volatile and toxic solvents, or involve highly unproductive and energy inefficient sputtering or vacuum vapor deposition techniques.
Cuprous iodide is the pigment most often used in preparing ground planes useful for electrostatic and electrophotographic processes. The application of cuprous iodide from solution is disclosed in the article of V. Sumita et al., Journal of Appl. Polymer Science, Vol. 23, pp. 2279-91 (1979). A transparent cuprous iodide layer is obtained by treating polyvinyl alcohol complexes of cupric sulfate with vapors of iodine carried in acetone. The entire process requires special measures to contain the highly toxic iodine vapors and extremely flammable acetone vapors. There are also side reactions which render the system nonconductive and make the process unstable.
The use of acetonitrile or other toxic solvents as a solvent for coating cuprous iodide is disclosed in numerous patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,131, and Japanese Patent Publication 58/136044. East German Patent Nos. DD223,550, DD220,155, DD201,527, DD157,369, DD157,368, and DD149,721 illustrate the preparation of conductive layers containing cuprous iodide from organic solutions, including acetonitrile solutions, or the preparation of opaque conductive strips for the purpose of annotation using a dispersion of cuprous iodide in a binder.
Other methods of depositing cuprous iodide are known to the art, e.g., forming complexes of cuprous iodide with alkyl amine compounds. Such processes, however, result in the evolution of complexing ligands during the process of drying the deposited coatings.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a process which can safely and efficiently prepare a more stable dispersion, particularly of cuprous iodide.
In thermal products, the coating components are often encapsulated inside transparent microcapsules, and are used in producing transparent thermal films for printer-plotters and still video camera recording processes. However, the wall of each individual capsule is a heat insulator and thereby provides a barrier for the heat transfer from the thermal head of the printer to the imaging material. Accordingly, circumvention of the need for encapsulation would be beneficial, particularly with respect to the printing density.
There is also a need in the prior art for a process for preparing dispersions useful as transparent conductive layers for electrostatic, electrophotographic and thermal products which permits a high level of purity in the final product. Products which are used in electrostatic, electrophotographic and thermal applications involve functional coatings whose performance often depends on the level of purity involved. Many times, impurities are introduced into the coating via contact with the equipment during the processing of the products.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process which is capable of producing colloidal dispersions which possess stable physical and chemical characteristics and which can be used in the conductive coating of an electrostatic or electrophotographic imaging element, or in a thermal product.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a process which can produce stable aqueous and solvent based colloidal dispersions.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing thermal products having a transparent coating without the need for encapsulation.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon a review of the following specification, the Figures of the Drawing, and the claims appended thereto.

Process for preparing stable dispersions useful in transparent coatings


Quick release lock mechanisms for releasably connecting an extension pole to a tool handle include an adaptor attached to an end of the extension pole having a smooth cylindrical outer end portion axially slidable into and out of an internally threaded bore in the tool handle. A bearing support is provided for the cylindrical outer end portion when fully inserted into the bore. Also, a non-rotatable connection is provided between the adaptor and tool handle when the cylindrical outer end portion is fully inserted into the bore to prevent relative rotation therebetween, and a releasable latch prevents the cylindrical outer end portion from being withdrawn from the bore unless released.

It is generally known to provide different types of tools such as paint applicators and the like with handle extensions to allow the operator to use the tools in areas normally beyond the operator's reach without having to use a ladder. The most common way of attaching a handle extension to a tool handle is to provide a threaded connection therebetween. However, one of the disadvantages of this type of connection is that the tool may rotate in the unscrewing direction relative to the handle extension during use, making the connection somewhat unstable. Also, it can be somewhat tedious to thread and unthread the handle extension from the tool handle especially when the need to do so occurs fairly frequently.
Another drawback to providing this type of threaded connection is that a tool handle with an internally threaded bore cannot readily be molded hollow out of a relatively inexpensive plastic such as polypropylene to a relatively large outer diameter for ease of gripping.
Latches of various types have also been used to connect a handle extension to a tool handle. Moreover, keys have been used to prevent relative rotation between a tool and tool handle or tool and tool retainer.
However, there is a need for a lock mechanism for positively locking a handle extension to a tool handle in a more quick and facile manner. Moreover, there is a need for such a lock mechanism that also allows a conventional threaded handle extension to be threadedly connected to the tool handle. Furthermore, there is a need for such a lock mechanism that can be used to connect a handle extension to a tool handle that is molded hollow to a relatively large size out of a relatively inexpensive plastic such as polypropylene.


A system for connecting a supply of alternative oil to a diesel engine which uses heated engine coolant and electric heat to prevent engine line restriction due to gelled alternative oil.

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of compression combustion engines, such as those commonly operated on petrochemical diesel fuel, and more specifically to systems providing the capability to operate such engines on multiple fuels, for example alternative fuels derived from vegetable oils and/or animal fats and/or oils, or combinations of the foregoing.
2. Description of Related Art
Note that the following discussion refers to a publication and that due to a recent publication date, certain publications are not to be considered as prior art vis-à-vis the present invention, discussion of such publication herein is given for more complete background and is not to be construed as an admission that such publication is prior art for patentability determination purposes.
U.S. Patent Publication Number 2008/0163864, to Karner, describes a fuel system for diesel engines which also burn vegetable oil. Karner, however, generates heat to keep the fuel from gelling with electric heaters and does not use the heat generated by the engine, which heat must be dissipated anyway. Karner's system, which has numerous un-heated parts, can operate only with vegetable oil that is liquid at an ambient temperature and cannot operate with alternative oil such as waste grease or hydrogenated or high fat vegetable oils. Karner does mention using engine coolant as an option, but teaches to use the heat from heated engine coolant only to heat the tank.
A diesel engine, sometimes referred to herein as a compression combustion engine to avoid confusion with the petrochemical fuel commonly called diesel, is an internal combustion engine that uses compression ignition, in which fuel ignites as it is injected into air in the combustion chamber that has been compressed to temperatures high enough to cause ignition. Such engines operate using the Diesel cycle named after a German engineer, Rudolf Diesel, who invented it in 1892 based on the hot bulb engine and for which he received a patent on Feb. 23, 1893. Diesel had earlier experimented with the use of coal dust as a fuel in a similar design of engine. At the request of the French Government the Otto company demonstrated the diesel engine at the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) using peanut oil. The French government was looking at using peanut oil for a locally produced fuel in their African colonies. Diesel later extensively tested the use of plant oils in his engine and began to actively promote the use of these fuels.
In a typical diesel engine, air is drawn into the cylinders and is compressed by pistons at compression ratios as high as 25:1, much higher than commonly used for spark-ignite engines. Near the end of the compression stroke, fuel is injected into the combustion chamber through an injector (or atomizer). The fuel ignites from contact with the air that, due to compression, has been heated to a temperature of about 700-900° C. (1300-1650° F.). The resulting combustion causes increased heat and expansion in the cylinder which increases pressure and moves the piston downward. A connecting rod transmits this motion to a crankshaft to convert linear motion to rotary motion for use as power in a variety of applications. Intake air to the engine is typically controlled by mechanical valves in the cylinder head.
In cold weather, diesel engines can be difficult to start because the cold metal of the cylinder block and head draw out the heat created in the cylinder during the compression stroke, thus preventing ignition. Some diesel engines use small electric heaters called glow plugs inside the cylinder to help ignite fuel when starting. Some even use resistive grid heaters in the intake manifold to warm the inlet air until the engine reaches operating temperature. Engine block heaters (electric resistive heaters in the engine block) connected to the utility grid are often used when an engine is turned off for extended periods (more than an hour) in cold weather to enable a quicker startup time. Petrochemical diesel fuel is also prone to 'waxing' in cold weather, a term for the solidification of diesel oil into a crystalline state. The crystals build up in the fuel (especially in fuel filters), eventually starving the engine of fuel. Low-output electric heaters in fuel tanks and around fuel lines are used to solve this problem. Most modern diesel engines include filter heaters to de-gel diesel fuel. Diesel typically gels at about −20° F., and the aftermarket has supplied heated filters for extremely cold applications for years. Also, most engines have a 'spill return' system, by which any excess fuel from the injector pump and injectors is returned to the fuel tank. Once the engine has warmed, returning warm fuel prevents waxing in the tank. This spill return system also cools the diesel fuel when the weather is hot as heat is dissipated through the tank walls by convection. Fuel technology has improved recently so that with special additives, waxing no longer occurs in all but the coldest climates.
Typically, a mechanical injector system vaporizes the fuel. This forced vaporization means that less volatile fuels can be used. More crucially, because only air is inducted into the cylinder in a diesel engine, the compression ratio can be very high as there is no risk of pre-ignition provided the injection process is accurately timed. This means that cylinder temperatures are much higher in a diesel engine than a petrol engine, allowing less combustible fuels to be used. Some large marine diesels (often called cathedral engines due to their size) run on heavy fuel oil (sometimes called "bunker oil"), which is a thick, viscous and almost un-flammable fuel that is very safe to store and cheap to buy in bulk as it is a waste product from the petroleum refining industry. The fuel must be heated to thin it out (often by the exhaust header) and is often passed through multiple injection stages to vaporize it.
Another alternative to petrochemical diesel fuel is vegetable oil. Vegetable oil has any desirable characteristics compared with petrochemical diesel fuel; as examples, it is from renewable sources, it potentially produces less hazardous emissions, and it can be produced by recycling waste products. Effective and convenient operation of diesel engines on vegetable oil, however, has not been achieved due to the many differences between vegetable oil and petrochemical diesel. As an example, vegetable ell solidifies at much higher temperatures than petrochemical diesel, so starting a diesel engine with vegetable oil in even mildly-cold weather is generally impractical. As another example, vegetable oil can leave deposits in fuel lines, cylinders, piston ring, and lube oil that eventually compromises the performance of the engine.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods that allow diesel engines to be operated practically and efficiently on alternative oils such as vegetable oils, animal fats and oils, waste grease, and combinations of the foregoing.

Plant Oil Powered Diesel Fuel Systems, Inc.


An ink-jet recording apparatus including: a cartridge mount; a recording head; an ink passage; an ink discharger; and a controller. An ink cartridge that stores ink is to be replaceably mounted on the cartridge mount. The recording head ejects the ink toward a recording medium. Through the ink passage, the ink is supplied from the cartridge mount to the recording head. The ink discharger discharges the ink. The controller includes a cartridge judgment section and a discharger control section. The cartridge judgment section judges whether the ink cartridge mounted on the cartridge mount is a subject cartridge that satisfies a predetermined condition or not. The discharger control section controls the ink discharger to discharge at least the ink in the ink passage when the cartridge judgment section has judged that the ink cartridge mounted on the cartridge mount is the subject cartridge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is conventionally known an ink-jet recording apparatus in which ink supplied from its supply source such as an ink cartridge is ejected on a recording sheet on the basis of image data so as to record an image. In such an ink-jet recording apparatus, the ink is supplied in a state in which the ink cartridge is mounted on a cartridge mount. When the ink-jet recording apparatus performs a recording operation, a genuine ink cartridge storing predetermined genuine ink is basically used.
In this respect, in order to prevent clogging in nozzles and a malfunction of the apparatus, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-156118) discloses a technology of forbidding the recording operation where a non-genuine ink cartridge which stores non-genuine ink is mounted on the apparatus.


A novel clostridia bacterial species (Clostridium ragsdalei, ATCC BAA-622, “P11”) is provided. P11 is capable of synthesizing, from waste gases, products which are useful as biofuel. In particular, P11 can convert CO to ethanol. Thus, this novel bacterium transforms waste gases (e.g. syngas and refinery wastes) into useful products. P11 also catalyzes the production of acetate.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to bacteria that are capable of producing biofuel from waste. In particular, the invention provides a novel clostridial species (Clostridium ragsdalei) having the identifying characteristics of ATCC No. BAA-622) and a method of synthesizing ethanol and other useful products from CO using the clostridia species.
2. Background of the Invention
It was not until the petroleum crises of the 1970's that the U.S. government started funding more initiatives to find a way to develop renewable resources to alleviate the country's dependence on oil imports (Klass, 1998). It was also then when the government had a renewed interest in biobased solvent production for gasoline blending. One of particular interest and even more so recently, is bioethanol (ethanol from biomass).
Currently the major mode of bioethanol production is through direct fermentation, which accounts for 90% of the ethanol output in the U.S. (Licht, 2001). Direct fermentation is the process in which a saccharolytic microorganism, such as a yeast or bacteria, converts sugars to ethanol. These sugars may be simple (i.e. glucose) or complex (i.e. starch, cellulose, hemicellulose). Corn starch is the primary substrate used in ethanol producing plants today. Other than corn starch, lignocellulosic biomass (i.e. grasses, small trees, paper waste, saw dust) is also being researched as a substrate for this process. Lignocellulose is comprised of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and lignin. The difficulty with the direct fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass is that added pretreatment processes are necessary to break down the biomass into its individual components before microorganismal utilization. This adds more cost in the areas of materials, plant design, waste management, etc
In an attempt to make the most out the resources available for the production of fuel ethanol, alternative methods are being examined. One of these alternative methods is indirect fermentation. Indirect fermentation is the process in which lignocellulosic biomass is pyrolyzed (burned to produce gases) and the gases produced are converted to ethanol by bacteria. The gases produced are generally termed synthesis gas. Synthesis gas (C—H2—CO2), a product of pyrolyzed biomass or coal, has been and is currently being recognized for its potential role in the indirect fermentation of biomass to fuel alcohol (Zeikus, 1980, Bredwell et. al., 1980).
Anaerobic microorganisms such as acetogenic bacteria offer a viable route to convert syngas to useful products, in particular to liquid biofuels such as ethanol. Such bacteria catalyze the conversion of syngas with higher specificity, higher yields and lower energy costs than can be attained using chemical processes (Vega et al, 1990; Phillips et al., 1994). Several microorganisms capable of producing biofuels from waste gases and other substrates have been identified:
Three strains of acetogens (Drake, 1994) have been described for use in the production of liquid fuels from syngas: Butyribacterium methylotrophicum (Grethlein et al., 1990; Jain et al., 1994b); Clostridium autoethanogenum (Abrini et al., 1994); Clostridium ljungdahlii (Arora et al, 1995; Barik et al., 1988; Barik et al. 1990; and Tanner et al., 1993). Of these, Clostridium ljungdahlii and Clostridium autoethanogenum are known to convert CO to ethanol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,429 to Gaddy et al. discloses Clostridium ljungdahlii ATCC No. 49587, an anaerobic microorganism that produces ethanol and acetate from CO and H2O and/or CO2 and H2 in synthesis gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,673 to Jain et al. discloses a mutant strain of Clostridium acetobytylicum and a process for making butanol with the strain.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,886 to Gaddy et al. discloses Clostridium ljungdahlii ATCC No. 55380. This microorganism can anaerobically produce acetate and ethanol using waste gas (e.g. carbon black waste gas) as a substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,722 to Gaddy et al. discloses a method and apparatus for converting waste gases into useful products such as organic acids and alcohols using anaerobic bacteria, such as Clostridium ljungdahlii ATCC No. 55380.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,577 to Gaddy et al. discloses a method and apparatus for converting waste gases into useful products such as organic acids and alcohols (particularly ethanol) using anaerobic bacteria, such as Clostridium ljungdahlii ATCC Nos. 55988 and 55989.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,577 to Gaddy et al. discloses a method and apparatus for converting waste gases into useful products such as organic acids and alcohols (particularly acetic acid) using anaerobic strains of Clostridium ljungdahlii.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,753,170 to Gaddy et al. discloses an anaerobic microbial fermentation process for the production of acetic acid.
Other strains of aceotgens have also been described for use in the production of liquid fuels from synthesis gas, e.g.: Butyribacterium methylotrophicum (Grethlein et al., 1990, Appl. Biochem. Biotech. 24/24:875-884); and Clostridium autoethanogenum (Abrini et al., 1994, Arch. Microbiol. 161:345-351).
There remains an ongoing need to discover and develop additional microorganisms that are capable of producing useful products such as biofuels via fermentation. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide microbes that are robust, relatively easy to culture and maintain, and that provide good yields of products of interest, such as biofuels.

Isolation and characterization of novel clostridial species

The Board of Regents For Oklahoma State University

The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma


A projector includes a projection section which projects a calibration image onto a projection target through a projection panel, a shape determination section which determines a shape of the projection target, a correction target area setting section which sets a correction target area, an aspect ratio calculation section which calculates an aspect ratio of the correction target area, a determination section which determines whether or not a value which indicates a difference between the aspect ratio of the correction target area and a reference aspect ratio satisfies a set condition, and an image generation section which generates an image having the shape of the correction target area on the projection panel when the set condition is satisfied, and generates an image having the reference aspect ratio on the projection panel when the set condition is not satisfied.

The present invention relates to a projector, a projected image adjustment method, and a program for projecting an image while correcting the shape of the image.
When a projector projects an image onto a screen or the like, the projected image may be distorted. As a method of correcting such distortion of an image, JP-A-2005-286572 proposes a method in which the user adjusts the position of a projected image so that the four corners of the projected image coincide with the four corners of a projection target such as a screen, the aspect ratio of the projection target is calculated based on position adjustment information, and position correction information is generated based on the aspect ratio so that the projected image has a predetermined aspect ratio, for example.
However, when a projector projects an image with an aspect ratio of 4:3 when the aspect ratio of the projection target is about 4:3.1, the image is not projected at the upper end and the lower end of the projection target, whereby the user may have a wrong impression. A non-display area also occurs on the projection target when a sensed image is affected by an error due to optical distortion, noise, resolution limits of a sensing section, and the like, whereby the user may also have a wrong impression.

Projector, projected image adjustment method, and program for projecting an image while correcting the shape of the image


To provide a polymer comprising as a structural unit a monomer unit containing a hydroxy group or other hydrophilic radical and other functional group in the molecule which is useful in medical, cosmetic and electric industries.. A polymer comprising as a structural unit a monomer unit shown by the general formfula [1] ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are, independently, a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, R.sup.3 is a hydrophilic radical and R.sup.4 is a cyano group or a carboxyl group which may he esterified).

The present invention relates to a polymer containing, as a monomer unit, acrylic acid, acrylic acid ester, acrylamide, acrylonitrile and the like to whose carbon atom at .alpha.-position is introduced a hydrophilic radical. Particularly, the present invention relates to a functional polymer containing, as a monomer unit, 2-hydroxy acrylic acid, 2-hydroxy acrylic acid ester, 2-hydroxy acrylonitrile, and the like which are useful as functional polymers in medical, cosmetic and electronic industrial chemical fields.
Polymers comprising acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or their esters as a monomer unit have been well known and many of those polymers have been practically utilized as water-absorbing polymers, polymers for chemical fibers, polymers for electron beams type resists, etc. Further, polymers having .alpha.-acyloxy acrylic acid ester as a monomer unit has been reported (for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,635). Still further, polymers containing, acrylic acid ester as a monomer unit, to whose carbon atom at .alpha.-position is bound an acyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkylthio group, etc. have been reported (for instance, Japanese Patent Publication- Kokai-Nos.324201/1994, 294980/1994, etc.). However, those polymers do not satisfy such requirements on functions as water-holding ability, water-absorbing ability, adhesive force to semi-conductor substrate, heat resistance, etc.
Polymers comprising acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or their esters as a monomer unit have been practically utilized in many fields of technologies. In those polymers, carboxyl groups or esterified carboxy groups pending on the main chain show the functionality. However, recently, it has strongly been desired in medical, cosmetic and electronic industrial chemical fields that highly functional polymers having improved water-holding ability, water-absorbing ability, adhesive force to semi-conductor substrate and heat resistance are to be developed.


This invention is directed to offer a semiconductor device having a structure capable of relaxing a mechanical stress applied to a bonding pad. A third interlayer insulation film having via holes is formed on a second interlayer insulation film to cover a third wiring layer. A third conductive layer is formed in the via hole. The third interlayer insulation film is composed of an array of a plurality of hexagonal column-shaped interlayer insulation films. And the via hole and the third conductive layer are formed to surround each hexagonal column-shaped interlayer insulation film. A fourth wiring layer connected with the third wiring layer through the third conductive layer is formed. The fourth wiring layer makes an uppermost wiring layer in an embodiment of this invention and serves as the bonding pad.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device, specifically to a semiconductor device provided with a multi-layer wiring structure in which a plurality of wiring layers is stacked through interlayer insulation films.
2. Description of the Related Art
An IC (Integrated Circuit) chip is provided with bonding pads (external terminals) which serve to supply a multitude of semiconductor elements formed in the IC chip with predetermined voltages (a power supply voltage, a ground voltage and the like) and various electric signals or to output various electric signals to outside of the IC.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a region of a conventional semiconductor device, in which a bonding pad is formed. Device elements 101 composed of a multitude of semiconductor elements such as transistors and capacitors are formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate 100. A first wiring layer 102 that is electrically connected with the device elements 101 through a wiring (not shown) is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 100 through an insulation film 103 made of a silicon oxide film or the like.
A first interlayer insulation film 105 having via holes 104 is formed on the insulation film 103 to cover the first wiring layer 102. A conductive layer 106 made of tungsten or the like is formed in each of the via holes 104. A second wiring layer 107 electrically connected with the first wiring layer 102 through the conductive layer 106 is formed on the first interlayer insulation film 105. Similarly, a second interlayer insulation film 108 is formed on the first interlayer insulation film 105, a third wiring layer 109 and a third interlayer insulation film 110 are formed on the second interlayer insulation film 108 and a fourth wiring layer 111 is formed on the third interlayer insulation film 110. The fourth wiring layer 111 serves as the bonding pad. The fourth wiring layer 111 is disposed in an area overlapping the device elements 101 for a purpose of reducing a die size. A protection film 113 having an opening on the fourth wiring layer 111 is formed on the third interlayer insulation film 110.
A test probe or a lead wire touches the fourth wiring layer 111 exposed in the opening 112 during probe testing or wire bonding. During the probe testing, a large mechanical stress is caused by a pressure of the test probe made of tungsten, nickel alloy or the like and converges in a region below the fourth wiring layer 111. Also, during the wire bonding, a large mechanical stress converges in the region below the fourth wiring layer 111 by influence of ultrasonic energy or the lead wire. As a result, in some cases, cracks 114 are caused in the third interlayer insulation film 110 under the fourth wiring layer 111.
Furthermore, in some cases, the cracks 114 reach the interlayer insulation film (the second interlayer insulation film 108 or the first interlayer insulation film 105) or the wiring layer (the third wiring layer 109, the second wiring layer 107 or the first wiring layer 102), that is further below the third interlayer insulation film 110. In those cases, the cracks 114 cause deterioration in metal migration resistance or a short circuit failure between wirings, because a corrosive material such as water infiltrates into the inside through the cracks 114.
Following technologies are proposed to suppress the deterioration in reliability due to the cracks 114. One of the technologies is implemented by a structure in which approximately the same size of the third wiring layer 115 as the fourth wiring layer 111 is disposed so as to overlap each other and the conductive layers 116 that electrically connect the fourth wiring layer 111 with the third wiring layer 115 are disposed only below the protection film 113 in a shape of rectangular rings as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. Even if the cracks 114 are caused, with the structure provided with the third wiring layer 115 and the conductive layer 116 in the shape of rectangular rings, the downward propagation of the cracks 114 would be blocked by the third wiring layer 115. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a section Y-Y shown in FIG. 6. Only the fourth wiring layer 111, the conductive layer 116 and the protection film 113 are shown in FIG. 6 for the sake of simplicity.
Also, there is proposed a structure in which a multitude of rectangular rings of conductive layers 117 that electrically connect the fourth wiring layer 111 with the third wiring layer 115 is disposed over approximately all the area that overlaps the fourth wiring layer 111, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. With the structure provided with the multitude of rectangular ring-shaped conductive layers 117, the downward propagation of cracks 114 is blocked by the third wiring layer 115 while lateral propagation, that is the propagation in directions parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate 100, of the cracks 114 caused in the third interlayer insulation film 110 is suppressed by the rectangular ring-shaped conductive layers 117. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a section Z-Z shown in FIG. 8. Only the fourth wiring layer 111 and the conductive layers 117 are shown in FIG. 8 for the sake of simplicity
The technology mentioned above is described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H06-196525, for example.
Probe testing showed that the mechanical stress imposed on the bonding pad was not sufficiently relaxed by the third wiring layer 115 with the conventional structures described above.
In recent years, in order to reduce a die size, bonding pads have come to be formed over a region where the device elements are formed. Therefore, the mechanical stress reaches the device elements if the third wiring layer 115 can not sufficiently relax the mechanical stress imposed on the bonding pad. Dimensions of semiconductor elements constituting the device elements and connecting wirings have been reduced year by year. They are susceptible to failure and their electric characteristics (a threshold voltage of a transistor, for example) are prone to be varied when the mechanical stress reaches them.


An apparatus may include a conductive wire and a plug. The plug may be electrically and mechanically coupled to the conductive wire. The plug may include a non-conductive overmold, an electrically conductive barrel, and a lip. The non-conductive overmold may surround the conductive wire. The electrically conductive barrel may extend from the overmold, and may have a width that is smaller than a width of the overmold. The lip may extend from the barrel in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the barrel extends from the overmold. A distance from an outer portion of the lip to an opposite outer portion of the lip may be at least twice a length that the barrel extends from the overmold.

Power connectors can be used to power electrical devices, such as laptop computers. When the electrical device is located in an ad hoc fashion, such as on a table some distance from an electrical power outlet, the extension of the power connector from the electrical device to the electrical power outlet can become a hazard. The cord of the power connector can extend in such a manner that a person may trip over, or drag, the power connector, pulling the power connector and electrical device off of the table and onto the floor, where the electrical device may break.


An SRAM cell having improved soft error immunity connects each of the storage nodes of the SRAM cell to an overlying electrode having a textured surface which is separated from a constant potential plate electrode by a dielectric layer. The textured surface of the overlying electrode may be created by forming hemispherical-grained silicon on its surface, or by forming a fin structure on its surface. The textured surface of the overlying electrode provides increased capacitance between the overlying electrode and the constant potential plate electrode, thereby increasing the capacitance of the storage node.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to static random access memories (SRAMs) and, more particularly, to SRAMs which have improved levels of reliability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reduced geometry integrated circuit designs are adopted to increase the density of devices within integrated circuits, thereby increasing performance and decreasing the cost of the integrated circuits. Modern integrated circuit memories, including DRAMs, SRAMs, ROMs, EEPROMS, etc., are prominent examples of the application of this strategy. The density of memory cells within integrated circuit memories continues to increase, accompanied by a corresponding drop in the cost per bit of storage within such devices. Increases in density are accomplished by forming smaller structures within devices and by reducing the separation between devices or between the structures that make up the devices. Often, these smaller design rules are accompanied by layout, design and architectural modifications which are either made possible by the reduced device sizes or are necessary to maintain performance when such smaller design rules are implemented. As an example, the reduced operating voltages used in many conventional integrated circuits are made possible by improvements in design, such as reduced gate oxide thicknesses and improved tolerance controls in lithographic processing. On the other hand, reduced design rules make reduced operating voltages essential to limit the effects of hot carriers generated in small size devices operating at higher, previously conventional operating voltages.
Making static random access memories (SRAMs) in accordance with smaller design rules, as well as using reduced internal operating voltages, can reduce the immunity of SRAMs to alpha-particle generated soft errors, thereby reducing the reliability of the SRAMS. Most SRAM designs include four or six MOS transistors cross-coupled together in a latch configuration, with one of the most basic designs including four transistors connected to form cross-coupled inverters. In such a cross-coupled inverter design, the coupled gates of each inverter, along with the diffusion regions directly connected to those gates, form a charge storage node for the memory cell. Thus, there are two charge storage nodes within each SRAM memory cell. Typically, the cross-coupled inverters form a latch having two stable states: one state with a predefined level of charge stored on a first charge storage node and no charge stored on a second charge storage node; and a second state with no charge stored on the first charge storage node and the predefined level of charge stored on the second charge storage node. Binary data is recorded by toggling between the two states of the latch. Sufficient charge must be stored on the charge storage node, and thus on the coupled gates of associated inverter, to unambiguously hold one of the inverters "ON" and the other of the inverters "OFF", thereby preserving the memory state. This memory state is conventionally read out using a differential sense amplifier, so it is the difference in charge levels stored on the two charge storage nodes which must be maintained above a desired level to preserve the performance of the SRAM.
Reduced design rules in SRAMS reduce the size of the transistor gates and of the connected diffusion regions, thereby reducing the capacitance of the charge storage nodes. By reducing the capacitance of the nodes or by reducing the voltage at which charge is stored on the nodes, conventional SRAM designs store reduced levels of charge on the nodes. Reducing the amount of charge stored on the nodes of an SRAM makes it more likely that an undesired charge generation event in the SRAM in the substrate adjacent one of the storage nodes, such as might be associated with alpha particles, can reduce the difference in the charge levels stored on the nodes of the SRAM memory cell to an unacceptably small level and increase the likelihood that an erroneous binary data state will be detected when reading data from the SRAM memory cell.

SRAM having improved soft-error immunity


A system for charging an electric vehicle having at least one power induction coil under control of a processor wirelessly charges an electric vehicle, wherein the at least one power induction coil is positioned in proximity to a parking location; and a parking manager device manages permissions for electric vehicles to park in one or more parking locations included in a parking zone associated with the parking manager device, wherein the parking manager also manages permissions for electric vehicles to charge via wireless charging while parked in the one or more parking locations, wherein the parking manager device has a unique address and the zone, parking locations, and charging stations associated with the parking manager device have associated unique sub-addresses associated with the parking manager device unique address.

The EV is expected to replace vehicles consuming fossil fuel in the U.S. by 2040. The EV market is likely to be divided into two vehicle classes—a self-driving and a driver-controlled vehicle with an optional feature to turn the vehicle into a driverless. Today, EV manufacturers are working on overcoming challenges that slow down EV market acceptance. These challenges include, vehicle power supply weight, vehicle power supply efficiency, the high cost of vehicle power supply material, the relatively short life of the power supply, the limited travel range of the power supply, the duration required to charge the power supply, the absence of global standards to charge vehicles, and the absence of power chargers to charge a vehicle for its specific needs. Furthermore, presently, there is no city/state or federal vision for providing an efficient infrastructure to support the ever growing numbers of EV's on the road.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Wireless electric vehicle charging managed by a parking manager device


An implement mounting system for providing a lightweight structure capable of moving along 3 main axes for use upon small to mid-sized tractors. The implement mounting system includes a support frame having a pair of side supports and a rear support, a ball joint attached to the rear support, and a support arm movably attached to the ball joint for rotating about 3 main axes. A brace member is attached between the support frame and the support arm for reducing the amount of side-to-side movement of the support arm. The ball joint is comprised of a ball-and-socket structure for providing various pivoting movements of the support arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to implement mounting arrangements for tractors and similar vehicles, and more specifically it relates to an implement mounting system for providing a lightweight structure capable of moving along 3 main axes for use upon small to mid-sized tractors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional implement mounting arrangements have been in use for years for mounting various types of implements to tractors and like vehicles. Implements mounted to these structures range from loaders, blades, belly blades, rollers, brushes and the like. A typical implement mounting arrangement is the front-end loader commonly utilized upon small to large tractors.
Another type of implement mounting arrangement is comprised of a belly structure that is attached beneath the frame of a tractor preferably capable of operating about various axes to provide lift, roll, pitch and yaw to an implement. The belly structure typically has a support frame with side members and a rear support, a pair of support arms pivotally extending forwardly from the rear support, and an attachment structure that is movably attached to the distal portions of the support arms by a connecting structure. The connecting structure sometimes rotatably positioned within the support arms to allow for "rolling" of the implement. A pair of vertical actuators are attached on opposing sides to the connecting structure to provide both lift and roll to the belly mounting structure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,048 illustrates a recently patented belly mounting structure design that has these features and the below inherent limitations.
The main problem with conventional belly mounting structures is that they require the user to mount the vertical actuators to the front portion of the tractor thereby interfering with attachment of a conventional front-end loader (conventional front-end loaders are attached to the front portion of the tractor frame). Another problem with conventional belly mounting structures is that they tend to be heavy and bulky since they have at least two support arms extending forwardly from the rear support. A further problem with conventional belly mounting structures is that they require the usage of heavy duty pivot joints and materials near the front portion thereof.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for providing a lightweight structure capable of moving along 3 main axes. Conventional implement mounting devices are bulky and difficult to utilize upon small to mid-sized tractors.
In these respects, the implement mounting system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a lightweight structure capable of moving along 3 main axes.