An approach is provided for creating a personalized programming guide. A guide manager receives input from a user for creating a personalized programming guide. The guide manager retrieves one or more search criteria associated with a community of other users to construct a query. The guide manager then performs the query and displays the results of the query in a personalized programming guide.

With the advent of computers, interactive electronic communications, and the Internet, as well as advances in the digital realm of consumer information, has come a reinvention of conventional entertainment and communication services to enhance programming, recording, and viewing of multimedia, such as broadcast television programs. Today, it is not uncommon for consumers to have access to hundreds, if not thousands, of media programs from a multitude of sources such as broadcast television, on-demand programming, and other third party content providers available through the Internet. However, while the programming choices available to consumers have progressed, the way consumers access and view those choices have not kept pace. In many cases, a consumer has to sift through a programming guide including thousands of programs to discover programs of interest to the consumer. As a result, the consumer often is either unable to find or cannot easily find the programs that the consumer would like to view.
Therefore, there is a need for an approach for creating a personalized programming guide to facilitate discovering programs of interest.

Method and apparatus for creating a personalized programming guide


A boron phosphide-based semiconductor light-emitting device includes a substrate of silicon single crystal, a first cubic boron phosphide-based semiconductor layer that is provided on a surface of the substrate and contains twins, a light-emitting layer that is composed of a hexagonal Group III nitride semiconductor and provided on the first cubic boron phosphide-based semiconductor layer and a second cubic boron phosphide-based semiconductor layer that is provided on the light-emitting layer, contains twins and has a conduction type different from that of the first cubic boron phosphide-based semiconductor layer.

Conventionally, an n-type or a p-type boron phosphide (BP)-based semiconductor layer has been employed for fabricating light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs). For example, JP-A HEI 5-283744 discloses that a blue-LED is fabricated from a semiconductor structure including a silicon substrate, and an n-type BP layer to which silicon (Si) has been intentionally added and an aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layer successively formed on the substrate. The prior art also discloses that a magnesium (Mg)-doped p-type BP layer is employed as a contact layer for fabricating an LED (see paragraph [0023] in the prior art).
As mentioned above, boron phosphide exhibiting a bandgap of 2.0 eV at room temperature is employed in combination with a Group III nitride semiconductor, such as AlXGaYIn1-X-YN (0≦X≦1, 0≦Y≦1), for fabricating a compound semiconductor light-emitting device (see, for example, JP-A HEI 2-288388). In the aforementioned LED emitting blue light of a wavelength corresponding to such a wide bandgap, a boron phosphide layer specifically serves as a base layer on which a Group III nitride semiconductor layer is grown, rather than as a cladding layer or a similar layer (see paragraph [0013] in JP-A HEI 5-283744).
In the case where a boron phosphide layer serving as a base layer is formed on a crystalline substrate, such as a silicon single-crystal substrate, it is known that the plane orientation of a surface of an epitaxially grown boron phosphide layer is determined in accordance with the crystal plane orientation of the surface of the substrate. For example, JP-A HEI 5-283744 discloses in paragraph [0025] that a (100) boron phosphide layer is grown on a (100) crystal plane of a silicon substrate and that a cubic AlGaInN layer is grown on the (100) crystal plane of the (100) boron phosphide layer. On the other hand, it is known that a (111) boron phosphide layer is grown on a (111) crystal plane of the silicon substrate and that a hexagonal AlGaInN layer is grown on the (111) crystal plane of the (111) boron phosphide layer.
The cubic AlGaInN, which is a promising candidate for a light-emitting layer or a similar layer, has a crystal structure less stable than that of a hexagonal Group III nitride semiconductor (see paragraph [0002] in JP-A HEI 5-283744). Thus, the cubic semiconductor cannot be formed in a stable state as compared with a hexagonal Group III nitride semiconductor, which is problematic.
As mentioned above, efforts have been made for growing a hexagonal AlGaInN layer having a more stable crystal structure on the (111) crystal plane of the boron phosphide layer formed on the (111) crystal plane of the silicon substrate. However, a portion in the hexagonal crystalline layer containing no cubic crystals is formed only in a limited portion from the junction interface with the boron phosphide base layer to the thickness less than 50 nm (see paragraph [0025] in JP-A HEI 5-283744).
In other words, even though it is intended that a hexagonal Group III nitride semiconductor layer is formed in a sufficient thickness on a boron phosphide-based semiconductor layer having a (111) silicon substrate, actual formation of the semiconductor layer is problematically difficult.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the foregoing. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a boron phosphide-based semiconductor light-emitting device in which a high-crystallinity, hexagonal Group III semiconductor layer is formed in a sufficient thickness on a boron phosphide-based semiconductor layer provided on a silicon substrate, leading to manifestation of high emission intensity.

Boron phosphide-based semiconductor light-emitting device


A driving system for driving an AC motor, which is capable of promptly switching to an individual inverter operation mode, wherein a control instruction for each of a plurality of power converters is generated by summing outputs of a plurality of current compensation units connected in parallel, and each of the plurality of current compensation units makes compensation to reduce a deviation of a detected output current value of an associated power converter from a current instruction value to be outputted from the power converter to zero.

The present invention relates to an AC motor driving system for driving a multi-phase AC motor using a plurality of inverters, and more particularly, to a controller for controlling the inverters.
Generally, a motor driving system is comprised of a power converter and a controller for controlling the power converter. For realizing a large capacity motor driving system, it is necessary to increase the capacity of the power converter. One method of realizing a large capacity motor drive involves driving a set of plural power converters in parallel and supplying the sum of output power of the respective converters to an AC motor.
For operating a set of converters in parallel, there are two alternative methods. In one method, each converter is connected to a motor through a reactor or an interphase reactor. In the other method, a multi-winding motor is used such that one converter is connected to a set of windings of the multi-winding motor. The respective converters are electrically coupled in the former case, and magnetically coupled in the latter case. Due to the existence of such coupling, an unwanted circular current flows between the converters through this coupling if a voltage difference is caused by variations in switching characteristics (for example, a turn-off characteristic) of switching elements which form parts of the respective converters. This circular current is also called xe2x80x9cinter-inverter cross currentxe2x80x9d or simply xe2x80x9ccross current.xe2x80x9d In the following description, the designation xe2x80x9ccross currentxe2x80x9d will only be used.
A control method for effectively suppressing the cross current is described, for example, in JP-A-3-253293. The described method controls a current adjuster for controlling output currents of power converters such that a control gain for the sum of output currents of the respective power converters is able to differ from a control gain for an unbalanced current of each converter, i.e., a cross current. In this way, a control response to the cross current can be set independently of a control response to the sum of the output currents of the respective converters. Advantageously, the cross current can be suppressed with an appropriate control gain, and reactors with smaller inductance may be employed in consequence.
However, the characteristics and configuration of the control described in the foregoing prior art may be detailed as follows. [1] When the control gain for the sum of output currents is completely independent of the control gain for the cross current, the control configuration is complicated. [2] When there is a certain restriction between the control gain for the sum of output currents and the control gain for the cross current (for example, the latter can take only one half of the former), the control configuration is simplified.
Stated another way, with the control configuration described in the prior art, when an attempt is made to set the control gain for the sum of output currents independently of the control gain for the cross current, the control configuration inevitably becomes complicated. Therefore, if a microcomputer or a digital processor is used to execute the control, a longer time will be required for the processing. This results in a larger time delay and a reduction in stability margin, thereby giving rise to a problem in that the control gain cannot be increased and control response characteristics and disturbance suppression characteristics of the control system are degraded. Taking a motor driving system for an elevator as an example, a degraded disturbance suppression characteristic would cause increased high harmonic components in an inverter output current which act as torque ripple of a motor and bring about vibrations while the elevator is running.
Further, as another problem encountered when the control gain for the sum of output currents is set independently of the control gain for the cross current, the prior art control configuration suffers from difficulties in promptly switching to an individual inverter operation mode due to the complicated control configuration. For example, when one of two inverters operated in parallel fails, it is necessary to promptly switch the motor driving system to a mode in which the failed inverter is stopped, and the operation is continued with the remaining inverter. However, since the complicated control configuration described in the prior art results in a long time required for changing to the individual inverter operation mode, even the normal inverter is likely to end up in a failure due to an overcurrent or the like. In other words, the prior art control configuration is disadvantageous in that it is susceptible to a failure which has occurred in the system.
However, if the control configuration is simplified in order to avoid the two problems, a restriction imposed to the control gain for the sum of output currents and the control gain for the cross current would give rise to grave problems in that smaller reactors cannot be employed, the maximum output is reduced, and the power factor and efficiency are degraded.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a motor driving system in a simple control configuration which is based on the control principles that allow a control gain for the sum of output currents to be set independently of a control gain for a cross current. It should be noted that the sum of output currents is equal to a motor current, so that an expression xe2x80x9ca control gain for a motor current can be set independently of a control gain for a cross currentxe2x80x9d is used in the following description.
To achieve the above object, in a control processing system for deriving a control instruction for each of a plurality of power converters, the control processing system comprises a plurality of current compensation units connected in parallel. Each of the plurality of current compensation units makes compensation to reduce a deviation of detected output current values of the plurality of current converters from current instruction values to be outputted from the power converters to zero. Also, a control instruction is generated for the power converter by summing outputs of the parallel current compensation units associated therewith.
With the configuration of the control processing system as described above, a control for motor currents can be performed independently of a control for cross currents in principle provided that compensation gains of the current compensation units satisfy certain conditions. Further, because of a simple control configuration, even when the control is implemented by a microcomputer or a digital processor, the processing will not take a long time, so that a control gain can be increased. Also, by stopping some of the plurality of parallel current compensation units, a prompt switching to an individual inverter operation mode can be achieved.
According to the present invention, when a plurality of inverters are operated in sets in parallel configuration to drive one motor, a control processing system associated with each of the inverters is comprised of a plurality of parallel current compensators divided into local compensators and remote compensators. With this configuration, it is possible to independently carry out suppression of cross currents flowing between the inverters through electric coupling or magnetic coupling and appropriate control for motor currents. Additionally, since the control configuration is simple as compared with the prior art control configuration having similar effects, assuming that the control processing systems are implemented by a microcomputer or a digital processor, a processing time can be reduced, i.e., a time delay is reduced, thus leading to a larger stability margin of the control system, and a higher compensation gains of the compensators, as compared with the prior art. This results in improved instruction response characteristics and disturbance suppression characteristics of the control system, and further suppression of torque ripple occurring in the motor.


A projection and a raised portion are formed on an upper surface of a blue-violet semiconductor laser device. A projection and a raised portion are formed on a lower surface of a red semiconductor laser device. The height of the projection is smaller than the height of the raised portion, and the height of the projection is smaller than the height of the raised portion. The blue-violet semiconductor laser device and the red semiconductor laser device are joined to each other such that the projections are opposed to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser apparatus capable of emitting a plurality of light beams respectively having different wavelengths.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, semiconductor laser devices emitting infrared light beams having wavelengths of approximately 780 nm (infrared semiconductor laser devices) have been used as light sources for compact disk (CD)/compact disk-recordable (CD-R) drives. Further, semiconductor laser devices emitting red light beams having wavelengths of approximately 650 nm (red semiconductor laser devices) have been used as light sources for conventional digital versatile disk (DVD) drives.
On the other hand, DVDs capable of recording and reading using blue-violet light beams having wavelengths of approximately 405 nm have been developed in recent years. In order to record and read such DVDs, DVD drives using semiconductor laser devices emitting blue-violet light beams having wavelengths of approximately 405 nm (blue-violet semiconductor laser devices) have been also simultaneously developed. In these DVD drives, compatibilities with conventional CD/CD-Rs and DVDs are required.
In this case, compatibilities with conventional CDs, DVDs, and new DVDs are realized by methods of providing a plurality of optical pickup apparatuses respectively emitting infrared light beams, red light beams, and blue-violet light beams to the DVD drives or methods of providing infrared semiconductor laser devices, red semiconductor laser devices, and blue-violet semiconductor laser devices within one optical pickup apparatuses. Since the number of components is increased in these methods, however, it is difficult to miniaturize the DVD drives, simplify the configurations, and reduce the costs.
In order to prevent the number of components from being thus increased, it is effective to provide a plurality of semiconductor laser devices emitting laser beams having different wavelengths in one packages. In this case, in order to improve extraction efficiency of the laser beams and reduce aberration, the respective positions of emission points of the laser beams must be brought near each other.
JP 2004-207479A discloses a semiconductor laser apparatus in which the distance between respective emission points of laser beams is small. In the semiconductor laser apparatus disclosed in JP 2004-207479 A, two light emitting devices respectively emitting laser beams having different wavelengths adhere to each other such that their laser cavities are opposed to each other. Thus, the distance between the respective emission points of the laser beams is reduced.
When the two semiconductor laser devices each having a ridge structure adhere to each other, as disclosed in JP 2004-207479 A, however, the following problems arise. Description is now made using the drawings.
FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a conventional semiconductor laser apparatus comprising two semiconductor laser devices each having a ridge structure.
A semiconductor laser apparatus 1E shown in FIG. 12 comprises a semiconductor laser device 600 and a semiconductor laser device 700.
The semiconductor laser device 600 has an n-type semiconductor layer 61 and a p-type semiconductor layer 62 on an upper surface of a substrate 60. A ridge Ri1 is formed on an upper surface of the p-type semiconductor layer 62. An insulating layer 63 is formed in a region excluding an upper surface of a ridge Ri1 on the upper surface of the p-type semiconductor layer 62. A p-side pad electrode 64 is formed so as to cover the insulating layer 63 and the upper surface of the ridge Ri1. An n-electrode 65 is formed on a lower surface of the substrate 60.
A voltage is applied between the p-side pad electrode 64 and the n-electrode 65 in the semiconductor laser device 600 so that a first laser beam is emitted from a region (hereinafter referred to as a first emission point) 66 below the ridge Ri1 on a junction interface of then-type semiconductor layer 61 and the p-type semiconductor layer 62.
The semiconductor laser device 700 has an n-type semiconductor layer 71 and a p-type semiconductor layer 72 on a lower surface of a substrate 70. A ridge Ri2 is formed on a lower surface of the p-type semiconductor layer 72. An insulating layer 73 is formed in a region excluding a lower surface of the ridge Ri2 on the lower surface of the p-type semiconductor layer 72. A p-side pad electrode 74 is formed so as to cover the insulating layer 73 and the lower surface of the ridge Ri2. An n-electrode 75 is formed on an upper surface of the substrate 70.
A voltage is applied between the p-side pad electrode 74 and the n-electrode 75 in the semiconductor laser device 700 so that a second laser beam is emitted from a region (hereinafter referred to as a second emission point) 76 above the ridge Ri2 on a junction interface of the n-type semiconductor layer 71 and the p-type semiconductor layer 72.
The semiconductor laser device 600 and the semiconductor laser device 700 are joined to each other such that the ridge Ri1 and the ridge Ri2 are opposed to each other with a solder H.
Here, in a case where the semiconductor laser device 600 and the semiconductor laser device 700 are joined to each other, as described above, the ridge Ri1 and the ridge Ri2 come into contact with each other so that stresses are respectively applied to the ridges Ri1 and Ri2. Thus, the respective characteristics of the ridges Ri1 and Ri2 are degraded. As a result, the reliability of the semiconductor laser apparatus 1E is reduced.
Since the contact area between the ridge Ri1 and the ridge Ri2 is small, the semiconductor laser device 700 cannot be stabilized on the semiconductor laser device 600. Thus, the semiconductor laser device 700 may, in some cases, be joined to the semiconductor laser device 600 in an inclined state, as shown in FIG. 13. As a result, the position of the emission point varies for each semiconductor laser apparatus 1E.
As shown in FIG. 14, a part of the solder H is detoured around respective side surfaces of the n-type semiconductor layer 61 and the p-type semiconductor layer 62 in the semiconductor laser device 600 at the time of joining so that a short may occur. Although a wire W for applying a voltage is connected to the p-side pad electrode 64 in the semiconductor laser device 600, the melted solder H flows out to the vicinity of an end of the p-side pad electrode 64 so that defective connection of the wire W may occur.
Furthermore, in a case where the semiconductor laser apparatus 1E in which the solder H flows out to the end of the p-side pad electrode 64, as shown in FIG. 14, is joined to a sub-mount 800, which is an L shape in cross section, with the semiconductor laser device 700 positioned on its lower side, as shown in FIG. 15, the semiconductor laser apparatus 1E may, in some cases, be joined in an inclined state with respect to the sub-mount 800 by the effect of the solder H. Thus, the manufacturing yield of the semiconductor laser apparatus 1E is reduced.


A non-rotating anatomical-shaped breast implant having a front side with a smooth surface and a rear side with a textured surface. A smooth surface ripples or wrinkles little, if at all. Rippling or wrinkling of the implant may undesirably produce a visible or palpable waviness on the skin of the breast. A smooth surface is more likely to produce the look and feel of a natural breast. A rear side with a textured surface is desirable because tissue growth of the body, after the implant has been implanted, engages the textured surface to anchor the implant in place such that the front side with the smooth surface remains matched with the front side of the body and such that the anatomical-shaped breast implant with its tear drop shaped fullness remains at a natural position within the breast. The disclosure further includes a method for minimizing the rotation of an implant within the body and a method for making an implant envelope that has different thicknesses.

The present invention relates generally to implants for the body and particularly to implants that have features that minimize or prevent rotation of an implant in a body. More specifically, the present invention is a breast implant that has an anatomical shape that gives a more natural look to the augmented breast, but cannot rotate because it has a texturing on the back that anchors it, yet is smooth on the surface to minimize rippling.
The preferred shape for an implant used for cosmetic breast augmentation is the so-called "anatomical shape" that is also referred to as "tear drop." This shape has more of the substance filling the silicone elastomer shell in the inferior pole of the implant and less in the superior pole, thus mimicking the natural shape of the breast. For a given volume, round shaped implants have too much substance in the upper pole that can make the breast look artificial. The anatomical implant looks much more natural.
A problem with anatomical implants is that if the outer surface of the implant is smooth, the implant can rotate. When an implant is surgically placed beneath the breast or beneath the chest muscle, the body recognizes that it is a foreign object and walls it off with tissue that is referred to as a "capsule." A smooth-walled implant creates a smooth capsule that can allow the implant to slip and slide within it. When a smooth-walled anatomical-shaped breast implant rotates, as it often does, there is more fullness laterally or medially instead of inferiorally as intended. This creates an unacceptable deformity. Thus far the only solution to this problem has been the use of "textured" implants which have a rough surface. They produce a capsule that is reciprocally rough. The "male-female" relationship of the implant and capsule holds the implant in place and prevents its rotation.
Textured implants have a very distinct disadvantage, however. The problem is that textured implants have a tendency to ripple (i.e. produce a folding, wrinkling or waviness on the surface of the implant). Rippling creates an extremely unsatisfactory appearance. Causes of or factors contributing to rippling may be 1) that textured implants are cured twice, while smooth walled implants are cured once, 2) that the textured implant is formed with an additional coating of the silicone elastomer, leading to a thicker wall that is less able to support itself and thus may fold, and/or 3) the texture itself (peaks and valleys in the surface of the implant) may produce a variety of non-linear scores or fold lines along which the wall of the implant folds or ripples.
Rippling—visible or palpable waviness on the implant surface—is one of the major problems with breast implants. This folding of the implant can often be felt or seen and can be extremely obtrusive. Therefore, to solve the problem of implant rotation with texturing the entire implant as is presently done, one must compound the problem of severe, unacceptable rippling.
The present invention provides a solution to the problem. The present invention is an implant that is textured on its posterior surface, but smooth on its anterior surface. The textured posterior surface causes a reciprocal textured capsule, but only behind the implant. This interlocking with the capsule keeps the implant from rotating. However, the textured area is only on the back of the implant; therefore, any rippling will not be visible or palpable. The anterior surface will remain smooth—and minimize any unsatisfactory rippling.
Preferred fill materials for the non-rotating anatomical-shaped breast implant include saline and viscous fill materials. Among viscous fill materials, silicone gel, soy oil, and hydrogels are preferred, with hydrogels being most preferred.


An overspeed safety device for a pneumatic rotation motor comprises a housing (10, 18) and a valve element (28) which is located in a bore (27) in the housing (10, 18) and which by a trip device (29, 31) is locked in a normally open position and arranged to block at least the main part of the air supply to the motor when shifted to a closed position, and an activating device (37, 38) coupled to a rotating part (14) of the motor and arranged to be shifted by inertia forces from a normal rest position to an active position at a predetermined motor speed level. The trip device (29, 31) comprises an open spring wire lock ring (29) pretensioned toward a closed condition and located in a groove (30) in the valve element (28), and a holding device (31) normally located between the ends of the lock ring (29) to maintain the lock ring (29) in an expanded condition in which its outer diameter exceeds the inner diameter of a shoulder (32) in the bore (27). At overspeed, the activating device (37, 38) moves the holding device (31) out of its lock ring (29) expanding position, thereby enabling the latter to contract and release the valve element (28) for movement toward a closed position.

This invention pertains to an overspeed safety device, particularly to an overspeed safety device for a pneumatic rotation motor, comprising a valve element guidingly supported in a bore in the motor housing and arranged to block at least partly the air supply to the motor when shifted from a normally open position to a closed position. Such device also comprises an activating means coupled to a rotating part of the motor and arranged to be shifted by inertia forces from a normal rest position to an active position at a predetermined motor speed level, and a trip means supporting the valve element in the open position and arranged to be triggered by the activating means.
The main object of the invention is to create an overspeed safety device for a pneumatic motor that is simple and compact in structure yet reliable in operation.
One example of previously known overspeed safety devices of the above type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,931. In this prior art device a cylindrical valve element is rotatably supported in a bore in the motor housing to control an air inlet passage, and an activating means is arranged to engage and move the valve element to closed position at a predetermined speed level.
A drawback inherent in this known device is the large contact surfaces between the valve element and the housing necessary to guide a rotative element. These surfaces tend to increase the frictional resistance between the valve element and the housing, especially after a long inactive period when corrosive and/or other influence upon the surfaces has taken place.
Another example is shown in G.B. Patent No. 1,366,482 where a valve spindle is arranged to be moved axially by a spring to block an axial air inlet passage when released by a trip means at activation of a fly-weight on the motor rotor.
This known device suffer from the drawback of being able to control just a small inlet area, because an increased area would require a stronger spring to accomplish a closing movement of the valve element against the inlet pressure. A heavier spring load would in turn have a negative influence upon the action of the trip means, or would even make the use of a trip means impossible.
The present invention intends to create an improved overspeed safety device by which the above problems are avoided.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.


In the primary frequency control of an induction motor which controls the velocity by changing the supply frequency of the induction motor, the torque component current value is determined from the current value on the primary side of the induction motor, and the excitation frequency command corresponding to the torque component current value is determined by changing the velocity command value by the torque component current value. Based on the excitation frequency command, the voltage command is formed and supplied to the primary side of the induction motor, to drive the induction motor. The acceleration and deceleration of the induction motor is thus performed in which the adjustment of the excitation frequency depends on the change of the load inertia.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling acceleration/deceleration of an induction motor and a control device, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a control process and a control device for automatically controlling the excitation frequency of an inverter in response to the load.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method to control acceleration/deceleration of an induction motor, there can be mentioned an open loop control which controls acceleration/deceleration without requiring speed detection of the motor. As the open loop control, a primary frequency control is known. The primary frequency control is a method to change the synchronous speed and control the rotation speed by changing a frequency supplied to the induction motor. In this case, if the frequency is changed with the supplied voltage being constant, the internal magnetic flux changes in inverse proportion to the frequency. Therefore, in the low frequency region, the magnetic flux saturation is caused, on the other hand, in the high frequency region, such a phenomenon that the magnetic flux becomes short is caused. In order to avoid such a phenomenon, the supplied voltage is also changed so as to be approximately proportional to the frequency. Generally, the control of the frequency is carried out using an inverter. For example, the alternating voltage for the commercial power supply is converted to the direct voltage by a converter, which is converted to variable voltage and variable frequency set up with the voltage/frequency command by a general-use inverter.
In general, an inverter is based on a linear acceleration/deceleration. Therefore, in the case where the acceleration and deceleration are carried out by the inverter, if the excitation frequency is changed stepwise, the effective torque is not output, thereby the acceleration and deceleration are not carried out smoothly. For example, as shown in FIG. 11 showing the accelerated and decelerated time of the inverter, at the time of acceleration, the acceleration time is determined by a condition that (torque of the motor-load torque) becomes minimum, and other conditions such as the set rotation number of the motor, load inertia and the like. On the other hand, at the time of deceleration, the deceleration time is determined by the conditions such as (torque of the motor+load torque), the set rotation number of the motor, load inertia and the like. Therefore, considering the time required for the above-mentioned acceleration/deceleration, the excitation frequency is changed by a certain time constant. The time constant is generally preset corresponding to the load inertia and the like, and the excitation frequency is changed in response to the set time constant.
Therefore, in the conventional method to control the rotation speed of the induction motor, the excitation frequency is changed according to the set time constant. However, in this conventional method for controlling the rotation speed, when the load inertia and the like become large, even if the excitation frequency is changed with the preset time constant, the time constant cannot follow the excitation frequency. In such cases, there is a problem in that a proper time constant should be reset corresponding to the magnitude of the load inertia.

Method for controlling acceleration/deceleration of an induction motor and a control device


A wireless communication system 200 comprises a connectionless packet network 201 coupled to a plurality of sites 203–208. Upon a first communication unit (213) initiating a call request for a 2-party call with a second communication unit (215), a call server 235 identifies respective multicast IP addresses (MC1, MC2) associated with the source and target. If the first communication unit 213, or its associated site (205) desires to send payload to the second communication unit 215, it addresses the payload to the multicast IP address (MC2) of the second communication unit, and the second communication unit 215, or its associated site 206 joins the multicast address MC2 to receive the payload. Conversely, if the second communication unit 215, or its associated site (206) desires to send payload to the first communication unit 213, it addresses the payload to the multicast IP address (MC1) of the first communication unit, and the first communication unit 213, or its associated site 205 joins the multicast address MC1 to receive the payload.

Today's wireless communication systems provide a broad range of services to both individual communication units and groups of communication units while they move about. These services include cellular telephony, group dispatch, and packet data, to name just a few. A typical example of such a system 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The configuration shown in FIG. 1 is typical in wireless communications systems such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), "IDEN", and "SMARTZONE" systems. As shown, a central switch 101 provides connections between cell sites 104–107.
A plurality of communication units 110–115 (e.g., mobile or portable radios, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs)) wirelessly communicate with the sites 104–107 and each other, and are often logically divided into various subgroups or talk groups. In such a system, the call processing management and switching functionality are generally contained within the same physical unit, i.e., the central switch 101. The sites 104–107 are connected to the central switch 101 through dedicated or on-demand links and intermediate processors 102–103 in what is often called a "star" configuration. Some very large systems use a hierarchy of such "stars" where intervening concentrators group the links from multiple cell sites and do some lower level processing on them before passing them up to the central switch.
Next-generation wireless systems propose to employ multicast addressing protocols, such as multicast Internet Protocol (IP) for providing group or dispatch call services. Examples of IP Multicast communication systems include the referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/283,121, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,347; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/464,269, titled "Methods for Implementing a Talkgroup Call in a Multicast IP Network," each of which is assigned to Motorola, Inc. and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Generally, IP multicasting protocols are considered to be more efficient and less costly than traditional circuit-switched networks. The multicast IP network defines a distributed, rather than centralized, connection and mobility processing environment where there is no centralized location register (VLR/HLR). Rather, mobility information is inherent to the packet network as communication units register or de-register individual or group affiliations with cells, and the cells join or leave multicast IP addresses to participate in traffic for the communication units. The benefits of a distributed connection and mobility processing environment include fully localized resource management, fully distributed mobility management and easy network scalability.
Heretofore, distributed connection and mobility processing networks such as multicast IP networks have been used for one-to-many communications (e.g., talkgroup calls) but not for one-to-one communications, specifically 2-party calls. It would be desirable to extend the benefits of distributed connection and mobility processing, using IP multicast techniques, to support 2-party calls. The present invention is directed to satisfying this need.

Use of IP-multicast technology for 2-party calls in mobile communication networks


A leg-protection device is disposed under a steering column for protecting a vehicle occupant. The leg-protection device includes an airbag to be inflated upwardly along a bottom surface of a steering-column cover and a projecting member provided at the airbag and projecting from a front end portion of the airbag in a inflating direction when the airbag is inflated.

The present invention relates to a leg-protection device for protecting legs of a vehicle occupant in case of a vehicle collision. More specifically, the present invention relates to a leg-protection device for an occupant in a driver seat.
In order to protect legs of a vehicle occupant in case of a vehicle collision, a conventional leg-protection device includes a case disposed behind an instrument panel in front of a seat; an airbag contained in the case; and a gas generator for inflating the airbag. When the vehicle collides, the gas generator is activated to discharge gas to the airbag, and the airbag is inflated into a space between the instrument panel and the occupant for protecting the leg.
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-226215 has disclosed such a leg-protection device disposed below a steering column. In the leg-protection device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-226215, an airbag is inflated along a bottom surface of a steering-column cover when the vehicle collides, and the inflated airbag protects a leg of a driver.
As shown in FIG. 1 of the leg-protection device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-226215, a keyhole is provided in a side surface of the steering-column cover. When a key with a key chain or the like (e.g., an accessory or another key) is inserted in the keyhole, the key chain or the like may hang down to a space below the steering-column cover. In such a case, the key chain or the like may interfere the airbag when the airbag is inflated in the space below the steering-column cover.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a leg-protection device for a vehicle occupant. The leg-protection device includes an airbag to be inflated in a space below a steering column (steering-column cover) such that a key chain or the like does not interfere the airbag.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

Leg-protection device for vehicle occupant


A method of cryptographic processing of data (X), in particular a method protected against fault injection attacks, and an associated device. The processing includes at least one transformation (100, 1001-1006) of an input data item (s) into a result data item (s′). In this case the method includes a step (E204) of verifying the transformation including the following steps:                obtaining (E206) a first data item (DV(s′)) that is compressed by applying a compression operation (110, MDV, ADV) to the result data item (s′);        obtaining (E208) a second compressed data item (DV(s)) that is compressed by applying the compression operation (110, MDV, ADV) to the input data item (s);        determining (E210) a verification data item (DV(s)′) by applying the transformation (100, 1001-1006) to the second compressed data item (DV(s)) and;        comparing (E212) the verification data item and the first compressed data item.

In some data processing methods, in particular in the framework of cryptographic processing of data, there is used, within the processing algorithms, data that must remain secret (such as cryptographic keys, for example) to ensure that the system operates with the required security. This type of method is then the target of attacks by malicious users who seek to thwart the security of the system.
Among these attacks, there are known attacks of the fault-injection type that consist in disturbing all or part of the normal execution of the data processing method (generally implemented by the execution of a program in a microprocessor) in order to obtain, on exit from the method, data different from that normally expected but revealing information on the secret data used in the algorithm (the contrary of what is expected in fault-free execution of the program).
Thus to fight against this type of attack complementary steps have been added (such as the reiteration of calculations already effected or calculation of the decrypted data item, for example) in order to verify fault-free execution of the data processing method, as described for example in the patent applications WO 2005/088895, WO 2006/103341 and FR 2 919 739.
In the latter patent application, a data item resulting from a first iteration of the cryptographic calculation is stored for the duration of a second iteration of the same calculation. Alternatively, a decryption calculation is performed on the data item resulting from the first iteration to recover, a priori, the initial data item.
A comparison is then effected either between the results of the two iterations or between compressed versions of the initial data item and the decrypted data item to detect any fault during the execution.
However, these solutions have a few drawbacks.
Among other things, this duplication of operations (double iteration or encryption/decryption) leads to a high overcost in calculation time that can be prejudicial for real-time processing.
Moreover, these solutions do not protect systems from fault-injection attacks effected symmetrically on the two iterations of the same calculation. Such attacks lead to identical results for the two iterations and thus to a positive comparison.
Finally, these techniques remain generic because they apply to the whole of a cryptographic algorithm, such as the DES (Data Encryption Standard) algorithm, without taking account of the transformations that constitute the algorithm.

Method of processing data protected against fault injection attacks and associated device


A dielectric filter includes a dielectric ceramic block having the shape of a rectangular prism and including three or more through-holes formed therein in parallel. An inner conductor covers the inner surface of each of the through-holes to form the corresponding resonator. An outer conductor covers a predetermined outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block, excluding the open end surface. Input/output pads are formed on one side surface of the dielectric ceramic block such that the pads face the two end resonators. Each of the through-holes of the end resonators is provided with a counterbore. An auxiliary conductor is disposed on the open end surface to face at least one intermediate resonator between end resonators. The auxiliary conductor at least partially surrounds the intermediate resonator with an insulating gap formed therebetween, and is connected to the outer conductor on the side surface on which the input/output pads are provided. The auxiliary conductor is formed by a conductive material disposed in a concave portion formed in the open end surface and having a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the auxiliary conductor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dielectric filter having an auxiliary conductor of a predetermined pattern which is provided on an open end surface and is electrically connected to an outer conductor provided on a side surface. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a dielectric filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known various kinds of dielectric filters in which the inner surfaces of through-holes extending through a dielectric ceramic block are coated with conductive material forming inner conductors so as to produce a plurality of resonators disposed in parallel, and in which the outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block is coated with a conductive material forming an outer conductor, except for an open end surface at which one end of each of the through-holes opens.
Further, a dielectric filter having an improved structure is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication (kokoku) No. 4-8643. As shown in FIG. 1 which is based on the disclosure of that publication, in the improved dielectric filter, strip-shaped or strip-form auxiliary conductors f, i.e., conductor strips, are formed on the open end surface d such that one auxiliary conductor f is located between resonators a and b, the other auxiliary conductor f is located between resonators b and c, and the auxiliary conductors f are electrically connected to an outer conductor e formed on the outer surface. Due to formation of the strip-form conductors f, the frequency characteristic of the resultant dielectric filter exhibits an attenuation peak on the higher frequency side with respect to the center frequency. Through modification and adjustment of the shape and the width of the auxiliary conductors f, the mutual electromagnetic coupling between the resonators a and b and between the resonators b and c can be adjusted.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, in the dielectric filter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 9-219605, a counterbore h is formed at the end of a through-hole g that opens at the open end surface d, such that the diameter of the counterbore h increases at the open end; and an inner conductor j covering the inner surface of the counterbore h is extended inwardly in the radial direction, to thereby increase the effective resonance length. An advantage of this structure is that the overall length of the dielectric filter is decreased as compared with a conventional dielectric filter having the same resonance length.
It will be appreciated that, depending on the purpose or use to which a dielectric filter is to be put, there is a demand for various different types of dielectric filters having different shapes and characteristics. In this regard, there is a demand for a dielectric filter which exhibits a filter characteristic having an attenuation peak on the higher frequency side thereof and which can be made compact. Such a dielectric filter can be produced by combining the filter structure shown in FIG. 1 in which the strip-form conductors f are formed such that the filter characteristic has a particular attenuation peak, and the filter structure shown in FIG. 2 in which the overall length is shortened through formation of the counterbore h. However, in this case, because both the strip-shaped or strip-form conductors f and the counterbore h must be formed on the same open end surface, the simultaneous formation of the strip-shaped conductors f and the counterbore h on this surface is difficult because the surface is limited in area.
Moreover, the basic dielectric filter shown in FIG. 1 has a particular drawback. Specifically, the auxiliary conductors f and the outer conductor e are formed through a process in which a conductive material in the form of paste is applied, by means of screen printing, to each surface of the dielectric ceramic block in a predetermined pattern, followed by a baking step carried out at a predetermined temperature. In order to provide the required connections between the auxiliary conductors f on the open end surface d and the outer conductor e on the outer surface, the conductive paste material must be applied such that a conductive material layer on the open end surface and the conductive material layer on a selected side surface must overlap each other at an edge portion where the open end surface and the selected side surface intersect each other, so as to ensure that a mutual connection is established between the conductive material layers. However, since each layer of applied conductive material is very thin and becomes thinner at the edge portion due to surface tension of the conductive material, when the baking step is carried out, the thin portion of the conductive material layer located at the edge portion of the block can easily break due to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the dielectric ceramic block and the conductive material, with the result that such electrode breakage can occur at the edge portion.
The above-described drawback of the layer of applied conductive material, i.e., the fact that the layer becomes thinner at the edge portion due to surface tension, can be overcome by manually applying the conductive material to the edge portion after completion of screen printing to thereby increase the thickness of the layer to a desired level. Since a manual operation is difficult and time consuming, and manufacturing efficiency is low, with the result that the abovementioned solution is simply not practical.
Moreover, in the conventional dielectric filter, when the auxiliary conductors f are formed, a conductive material in the form of paste is screen-printed on the flat open end surface. Therefore, the conductive material easily runs and spreads, which makes accurate formation of the auxiliary conductor f impossible as a practical matter.
In view of the foregoing, a first object of the present invention is to provide a dielectric filter which has a shortened overall length and which can be made to exhibit a peak in the filter characteristic thereof on the higher-frequency side with respect to the center frequency.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a dielectric filter which has a structure that prevents electrode breakage which would otherwise occur at an edge portion, as described above, and which also enables the accurate formation of auxiliary conductors in a desired pattern.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a dielectric filter, which method prevents electrode breakage which would otherwise occur at an edge portion and enables the accurate formation of auxiliary conductors in a desired pattern.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a dielectric filter including at least three resonators, the filter comprising: a dielectric ceramic block having at least three through-holes formed therein, in parallel, in a group having opposite ends, each of the through-holes including an inner surface, and the at least three through-holes including end through-holes located at opposite ends of the group and at least one intermediate through-hole located between the end through-holes, the dielectric ceramic block including an open end surface at which one end of each of said through-holes opens; an inner conductor covering the inner surface of each of the through-holes to respectively form corresponding end resonators and at least one intermediate resonator; an outer conductor covering a predetermined outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block, excluding said open end surface; and input/output pads formed on one side surface of the dielectric ceramic block such that the pads are located near the open end surface and face the end resonators so as to be capacatively coupled thereto, each of the end through-holes including a counterbore formed at one end of the corresponding end through-hole and opening at the open end surface such that the corresponding end through-hole is of increased diameter at said one end; and the filter further comprising an auxiliary conductor disposed on the open end surface so as to face said at least one intermediate resonator, the auxiliary conductor being of forked shape and having at least two branch portions, each of the branch portions being located between adjacent resonators, and the auxiliary conductor at least partially surrounding the at least one intermediate resonator with an insulating gap formed therebetween, and the auxiliary conductor being connected to a portion of the outer conductor located on the one side surface on which the input/output pads are formed.
In this aspect of the invention, each of the end through-holes includes a counterbore at one end of the corresponding through-hole which opens at the open end surface and thus the corresponding through-hole is of an increased diameter at the one end. As a consequence, the inner conductor covering the inner surface of the counterbore extends inwardly in the radial direction, so that the effective resonance length is increased. Thus, the lengths of the end resonators can be shortened and still provide the same resonance characteristics.
Further, because for at least one resonator other than the end resonators, an auxiliary conductor connected to the outer conductor on the side surface is disposed such that the auxiliary conductor at least partially surrounds the at least one resonator with an insulating gap formed therebetween, a capacitance (C) is produced between the auxiliary conductor and the inner conductor of the at least one resonator, and as will be described later, the length of the at least one resonator can be shortened by an amount related to the value of the capacitance C. Accordingly, the resonance length of the at least one resonator can be made to be the same as that of the end resonators by adjustment of the capacitance C to a desired value through adjustment of the insulating gap and the length of the arcuate edge portion of the auxiliary conductor surrounding the at least one resonator. Thus, the overall length of the dielectric filter can be correspondingly shortened. Further, the resultant dielectric filter has a frequency characteristic which exhibits an attenuation peak on the higher-frequency side of the center frequency.
Preferably, the auxiliary conductor has an open configuration including an opening which opens toward the side surface opposite to that on which the input/output pads are formed; and a second auxiliary conductor extends toward the opening from a portion of the outer conductor located on that opposite side surface, such that the inner edge of the second auxiliary conductor faces the corresponding resonator with an insulating gap formed therebetween. In this case, an additional capacitance is produced between the second auxiliary conductor and the inner conductor of the corresponding resonator, so that the overall capacitance C can be increased.
In one embodiment of the dielectric filter according to this first aspect of the present invention, a trap resonator is disposed at one end of the dielectric ceramic block such that the trap resonator is located adjacent to at least one of the end resonators. The inner surface of the through-hole of the trap resonator is covered with an inner conductor, and a counterbore is formed at one end of the through-hole which opens at the open end surface so that the diameter of the through-hole is increased at the one end. In this case, a trap effect is produced at a self-resonance frequency outside the pass band, whereby spurious signals can be attenuated to provide elimination thereof.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a dielectric filter including a plurality of resonators, the filter comprising: a dielectric ceramic block including a plurality of through-holes formed therein in parallel, said through-holes including an inner surface and the dielectric ceramic block having an open end surface at which one end of each of said through-holes opens; an inner conductor covering the inner surface of each of the through-holes to thereby form a corresponding resonator; an outer conductor covering a predetermined outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block, excluding the open end surface; and an auxiliary conductor formed on the open end surface in a predetermined pattern, the auxiliary conductor being electrically connected to a portion of the outer conductor located on one side surface of the dielectric ceramic block, the auxiliary conductor comprising a conductive material disposed in a concave portion formed in the open end surface of said block in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the auxiliary conductor.
In this aspect of the invention, because the shape of the conductive material is defined by the concave portion, i.e., flow of the conductive material is restricted by the concave portion, the conductive material neither runs nor spreads. Thus, the auxiliary conductor can be accurately formed in a desired pattern.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method of manufacturing a dielectric filter, the method comprising the steps of: press forming ceramic powder to produce a green body having a shape of a substantially rectangular prism and including a concave portion of a predetermined shape formed in an end surface of the prism; sintering the green body to obtain a dielectric ceramic block; disposing a conductive material paste form in the concave portion; applying a conductive material onto a predetermined outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block excluding said end surface; and baking said conductive material to form an outer conductor on the predetermined outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block excluding said end surface so that said end surface serves as an open end surface of the filter and to form an auxiliary conductor in the concave portion of the end surface such that an outer end of the auxiliary conductor is electrically connected to a portion of the outer conductor located on one side surface of the dielectric ceramic block.
When this method is used, a concave portion of predetermined shape can readily be formed in the green body simultaneously with formation of the green body, by using a mold which has on the inner surface thereof a projecting portion corresponding to the concave portion.
In the method set forth above, when a conductive paste material is used to fill the concave portion formed on the open end surface to a thickness corresponding to the depth of the concave portion, the outer end surface of the layer of the conductive material is made to be flush with the corresponding side surface of the dielectric ceramic block. When the conductive paste material is then applied onto the outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block, a layer of the conductive material formed on the side surface of the dielectric ceramic block, and serving as the outer conductor, is connected to the outer end surface of the layer of the conductive material disposed in the concave portion. Thus, the edge portion at which the bottom surface of the concave portion intersects with the side surface of the dielectric ceramic block is covered with a thick layer of the conductive material. Accordingly, the layers at the edge portion will each attain a desired level of strength during a subsequent baking step. Thus, electrode breakage can be prevented which would otherwise occur at the edge portion due to a difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of the dielectric ceramic block and the conductive material.
According to this second aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a dielectric filter having three or more resonators, the filter comprising: a dielectric ceramic block having at least three through-holes formed therein, in parallel, in a group having opposite ends, the at least three through-holes including end through-holes located at opposite ends of the group and at least one intermediate through-hole located between the end through-holes, each of the through-holes having an inner surface and the dielectric ceramic block having an open end surface at which one end of each of the through-holes opens; an inner conductor covering the inner surface of each of the through-holes to respectively form corresponding end resonators and at least one intermediate resonator; an outer conductor covering a predetermined outer surface of the dielectric ceramic block, excluding the open end surface; and input/output pads formed on one side surface of the dielectric ceramic block such that the pads are located near the open end surface and face said end resonators so as to be capacatively coupled thereto, each of the through-holes of the end resonators including a counterbore formed at one end of the corresponding through-hole and opening at the open end surface such that the corresponding through-hole is of increased diameter at said one end; and the filter further comprising an auxiliary conductor disposed on the open end surface so as to face the at least one intermediate resonator, the auxiliary conductor being of a forked shape pattern including at least two branch portions, each of said branch portions being located between adjacent resonators, and the auxiliary conductor at least partially surrounding the at least one intermediate resonator with an insulating gap formed therebetween and being connected to a portion of the outer conductor located on said one side surface on which the input/output pads are formed; and the auxiliary conductor being formed by a conductive material disposed in a concave portion formed in the open end surface in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the auxiliary conductor.
In this filter construction, as in the case of the dielectric filter according to the first aspect of the invention, the overall length of the dielectric filter can be shortened, and the dielectric filter has a frequency characteristic exhibiting an attenuation peak on the higher-frequency side thereof.
In addition, because the shape of the conductive material is defined by the concave portion, i.e., flow of the conductive material is restricted by the concave portion, the conductive material neither runs nor spreads over the surface of the block. Moreover, since the auxiliary conductor can be formed accurately such that the insulating gap has an intended size and the arcuate edge portion of the auxiliary conductor surrounding the at least one resonator has an intended length, a desired capacitance C can be reliably obtained. Furthermore, since the auxiliary conductor has a thickness corresponding to the depth of the concave portion, the end surface of the auxiliary conductor facing the at least one resonator has a larger area, so that a larger capacitance C can be obtained.
The dielectric filter can be manufactured by the method described above. In this case, the edge portion at which the bottom surface of the concave portion intersects with the corresponding side surface of the dielectric ceramic block is covered with a thick layer of the conductive material. Accordingly, the layers at the edge portion will each attain a desired strength during a subsequent baking step. Thus, electrode breakage can be prevented which would otherwise occur at the edge portion due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the dielectric ceramic block and the conductive material.
Preferably, the auxiliary conductor has an open configuration including an opening which opens toward the side surface opposite to that on which the input/output pads are formed; a second auxiliary conductor extends toward the opening from a portion of the outer conductor located on the opposite side surface, such that the inner edge of the second auxiliary conductor faces the corresponding resonator with an insulating gap formed therebetween; and the second auxiliary conductor is formed by conductive material disposed in a second concave portion formed in the open end surface and having a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the second auxiliary conductor. In this case, an additional capacitance is produced between the second auxiliary conductor and the inner conductor of the corresponding resonator, so that the overall capacitance C is increased. Moreover, the second auxiliary conductor can be accurately formed so that the insulating gap is of an intended size and the second auxiliary conductor is of an intended shape. Furthermore, since the end surface of the second auxiliary conductor facing the corresponding resonator is larger in area, a larger capacitance C can be obtained. In addition, electrode breakage does not occur at the edge portion.

Dielectric filter having forked auxiliary conductor


A method for secure text-to-speech conversion of text using speech or voice synthesis that prevents the originator's voice from being used or distributed inappropriately or in an unauthorized manner is described. Security controls authenticate the sender of the message, and optionally the recipient, and ensure that the message is read in the originator's voice, not the voice of another person. Such controls permit an originator's voiceprint file to be publicly accessible, but limit its use for voice synthesis to text-based content created by the sender, or sent to a trusted recipient. In this way a person can be assured that their voice cannot be used for content they did not write.

Electronic devices, including portable electronic devices, have gained widespread use and may provide a variety of functions including, for example, telephonic, electronic messaging and other personal information manager (PIM) application functions. Portable electronic devices include, for example, several types of mobile stations such as simple cellular telephones, smart phones, wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs), and laptop computers with wireless 802.11 or Bluetooth capabilities.
Text-to-speech synthesis can be used in a number of applications to convert normal language text into speech, and can be implemented in software or hardware. For example, those who are visually impaired may use text-to-speech systems to read textual material. The use of text-to-speech synthesis can be useful in portable electronic devices, such as for the reading of email and text messages.
Improvements in devices using text-to-speech synthesis are desirable.

Secure text-to-speech synthesis in portable electronic devices


The present invention discloses a wiper blade, comprising a frame type long strip skeleton, a connector to be connected to a wiper arm of an automobile and a rubber strip. The skeleton includes one elastic main beam. The body of the main beam has a curved locus, continuous concave downward curve, both end portions of the main beam register with the curved locus and a middle portion of the main beam registers with or deviates from the curved locus. The skeleton includes one or two elastic sub beams, located below and approximately parallel to the main beam which supports the rubber strip. Between the main beam and the sub beams is a means to constitute various frame structures or to adjust a distance between them so that the pressure applied along the entire length of the wiper blade to a windshield can be distributed evenly as far as possible.

Main requirements for an automobile wiper blade are shown in FIG. 1. A sector in FIG. 1 denotes a wiping region over which the wiper blade sweeps on a windshield glass. In the wiping region, a main visual region indicated by a symbol V is a region a driver is desired farthest to view clearly, and two side visual regions indicated by a symbol V′ are regions the viewing requirement for which is lower. When wiping is performed, a surface of the glass over which the wiper blade has swept should be fully wetted by water and a water film good in perspectivity is formed thereon. There should not be a dry region like a painted face unwetted by water. The water film need to be very thin and rainwater should not be accumulated into drips and flows down like tears. Also, water lines consistent with the arched locus in which the wiper blade sweeps should not arise. In regard to evaluation for wiping effect of the wiper blade, it is superior that the water line does not appear in both the V region and the V′ regions; it is superior secondly that the water line appears slightly only in the V′ regions; and it is inferior that there are more water lines.
In order to attain a high quality wiper blade, it has been found that better wiping effect can be achieved if pressure applied to the windshield glass along an entire length of the wiper blade is distributed evenly. In FIGS. 2A and 2B, a horizontal coordinate denotes a position in the length of the wiper blade wherein 0 is a center of the wiper blade and both ends of the wiper blade are located on left and right sides of the center, and a vertical coordinate denotes linear pressure P (represented by N/m or N/cm), i.e. the force due to pressure received by the glass over a unit length of the wiper blade, applied to the surface of the glass by the wiper blade. Compared with a curve C-2 in FIG. 2B, a curve C-1 in FIG. 2A shows that the linear pressure applied by the wiper blade is distributed more evenly and that better wiping effect can be obtained actually.
A wiper arm is connected to a connector provided on a central portion of the wiper blade only on an end thereof, that is, force is applied to the wiper blade only at the connection point. It is difficult to evenly distribute the force applied at the one point to the windshield glass via a rubber strip having a length of 40˜70 cm through a long strip beam or skeleton. The present invention achieves satisfactory effect by employing a specific structure of the wiper blade.

Wiper blade and method for manufacturing the same


The invention is of a male urinary system which, at its heart, includes a penis/urinary collection interface unit of a design which both collects urine without significant backflow during or after use and is sized and shaped for easy maneuvering into position, even when encountering restrictive spaces caused by body casts, braces, etc. Because the penis/urinary collection interface unit does not itself serve as the urine collection receptacle, but is merely in fluid communication therewith by a length of conduit, the collected urine will, if the system is used as intended, sit safely at a distance on the floor next to the patient's bed, or suspended from a hanging device or bracket attached to the patient's bed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and apparatuses for assisting males in urination.
2. Background Information
Urination can be difficult, messy, and (under circumstances requiring assistance) embarrassing when one cannot use a conventional toilet facility in the conventional manner. All of these factors are greatly amplified when the individual is, for example, a male in his teens, who is bed-ridden because of an accident and is tended (as still is normally the case) by female care givers.
The subject invention arose from a situation involving a boy in his early teens who, after a tragic accident, was bed ridden in a body cast for an extended period of time. For a time, urination was something he avoided until he could avoid it no longer. Having to receive assistance from his female relatives (the only ones usually available for his care) was excruciatingly embarrassing for this young patient.
The boys parents looked in vane for some device or system which would allow their son to urinate without direct assistance. Nothing effective could be found, even when involving the resources and ideas of fellow staff members at the hospital where the boy's mother (and the present inventor) worked.
The primary problem thus far unaddressed by the urinary devices and systems of the prior art relate to allowing a boy or man to urinate while lying substantially on his back, but without having any back flow through whatever tubing or conduit is involved in receiving the urine. Of course, the use of conventional bed pans is virtually out of the question for such a patient, so literal ability to use is beyond the realm of a mere "problem" with such conventional approaches.
Additional deficiencies in the prior art devices and systems relate to ease of managing the collection and disposal of urine. Male urinals, as they are known, are usually unitary structures which, essentially, are receptacles with an opening (sometimes which an short conduit extending from one margin). Therefore contrary to OSHA and other applicable regulations, the urinal is often placed on a nearby table, or on the bed beside the patient immediately after use.
In addition, the bulk of such devices as were just described is such that they cannot be maneuvered into place when dealing with restrictive casts, braces, etc. Situations such as this often require that a patient resort to the use of adult diapers.
It would be highly beneficial, and, not to exaggerate to any real degree, outright humane to provide an improved male urinary device or system which allowed a male patient to urinate without assistance, to provide for effective collection of urine without significant back flow, to address the objective of collecting urine remotely from the patient, table surfaces or the bed itself.


A regulator circuit receives a power supply and provides a regulated power supply output suitable for integrated circuitry. It has a controllable current source circuit, a controller and a capacitor, such that an output of the controllable current source circuit can provide a lower frequency current part of the regulated power supply output, and the capacitor can supply a higher frequency current part of the regulated power supply output. The controllable current source circuit is controlled according to feedback from the regulated power supply output, and to restrict a rate of change of the output of the controllable current source circuit. The amount of EMI noise caused by high rate of change of current in power supply lines to the regulator circuit can be reduced. This can be done more efficiently or using a smaller capacitor than known arrangements.

In many technical fields EMI (electromagnetic interference) is a constraint. For example in automotive vehicles, the electromagnetic environment generated by devices like ABS braking systems, airbag sensors, or engine management, is omnipresent. Hence, EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) is of great importance to safety. Without a proper design, EMC of integrated circuits will become a limiting factor in the performance of every advanced electronic system. However, due to more sizable wires forming antennas and to more rapidly changing currents, the current variation (di/dt) in power supply lines generates most of the noise radiation emitted. Therefore, making di/dt values smaller is necessary in order to reduce the EMC problem at the chip-level.
It is known to use a capacitor coupled between the supply lines on board the chip, or if too large to be integrated, then located next to the chip. It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,815 that in buffer circuits having first and second current sources connected to different supply lines, to produce a switched output, depending on use of a termination resistor, a large constant current varies upon switching, which increases radiation noise. To suppress such noise by suppressing a variation of the current, a low-noise buffer circuit according to this document has a resistor connected between the first and second current sources.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0257053 has a power supply circuit which comprises a differential amplifier for feeding out a voltage as a control voltage in accordance with a difference between a feedback voltage commensurate with an output voltage and a reference voltage, and an output current control element for feeding out an output current in accordance with the control voltage fed thereto from the differential amplifier. A voltage on the output line is fed back as the feedback voltage to the differential amplifier, the feedback line is connected to an output line, and a constant current source, connected between the feedback line and ground, is provided for generating a sink current by which the control voltage fed to the output current control element is raised to a predetermined value.
For a configuration in which a capacitor is connected between the output line and ground, at least the electrical charge stored in the capacitor is removed when the switching element is turned on. Therefore, when the load changes from a heavy load to no load or to a light load and when the output voltage is raised due to a transient phenomenon, the electrical charge stored in the capacitor is removed swiftly. This makes it possible to further suppress the fluctuations of the output voltage caused by load fluctuations, and improve properties in the transient response.
When the load changes from no load to a heavy load, the gate voltage of the output current control element, is raised by the sink current Ic that is pulled in by the constant current source during the no-load period preceding the change in load condition. This makes it possible for the current control element to respond faster, thereby reduce fluctuations of the output voltage caused by fluctuating load conditions to a minimum, and, in addition, improve properties in the transient response. However, this will tend to worsen the rate of change of current drawn by the current control element.

Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.


An otherwise conventional craps table comprises a segment with an alternative betting option to the traditional “Big 6” and “Big 8” wagers. One embodiment provides a low portion which allows a player to wager that a two, three, four, five, or six will be thrown on the next roll of the dice during play of a craps game and a high portion which allows a player to wager that an eight, a nine, ten, eleven, or twelve will thrown on the next roll of the dice during play of a craps game. The payout received by a wagering player is determined according to the bet placed and the method by which the desired numbers are thrown on the next roll.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the gaming activity known as craps is a table game, that is, craps is played on a gaming table as opposed to a gaming machine. Gaming machines which emulate the craps table game are also known, and the present invention is equally applicable thereto.
Craps differs from other table games in that the bets or wagers which are available to the player are clearly delineated on the craps table. Stated conversely, the only bets that can be made in the game of craps are identified with and stated on segregated areas of the craps table. In order to make a bet, a craps player places a selected number of chips on the segment of the craps table corresponding to the selected bet, whereupon the bet is made.
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a conventional craps table 10. As stated above, all of the bets or wagers that are possible in the game of craps are clearly stated on the craps table 10 and are associated with a particular designated segment thereof. Thus, if a player wishes to place a "COME" bet, the player places one or more chips in one of the segments 12 of the craps table 10 at the designated time during play of the craps game.
Having particular reference to the segments 14 of the craps table 10, two of the bets which are disfavored by craps players are known as "Big 6" and "Big 8". The "Big 6" and "Big 8" bets are generally referred to in the industry as "sucker bets" because the odds of winning these bets favor the house to a much greater extent as compared to other bets or wagers which are available on the craps table 10. Also, the payout resulting from a winning "BIG 6" or "BIG 8" is considered inadequate by most craps players.
Although a wager favoring the house might at first seem advantageous to the operator of the craps table 10, in the long run this is not the case. Thus, although a novice might occasionally make a "Big 6" or "Big 8" wager, the player will not do so again upon learning that the odds pertaining to such a bet so strongly favor the house. Therefore, because the areas of the craps table 10 associated with the "Big 6" and "Big 8" wagers go virtually unused, the areas 14 of the crap table 10 represent wasted space which does not earn revenue for the operator of the craps table 10.
The present invention comprises an improvement in the game of craps which overcomes the foregoing and other difficulties which have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance with the invention, one or more segments of the craps table heretofore associated with the bets known as "Big 6" and "Big 8" are replaced with different betting or waging opportunities which are much more favorable to the player. Alternatively, some craps tables may already have the "Big 6" and "Big 8" betting options removed, in which case the present invention comprises additional betting opportunities than those already presented on the craps table. The assignment of the portion of the craps table to betting opportunities more favorable to the player is ultimately advantageous to the operator of the craps table in that craps tables incorporating the present invention will attract additional players as compared with conventional craps tables not incorporating the present invention. Thus, because all bets or wagers available in the game of craps ultimately favor the house to a greater or lesser degree, operators of craps tables incorporating the present invention will ultimately realize increased revenues as opposed to operators of conventional craps tables.
Having particular reference to the segment 16 of the craps table 10, another bet with odds favoring the house, but popular among craps players is betting the "Hardways." The "Hardways" wagers that the Shooter must roll either a double two, double three, double four, or double five, resulting in a hard four, six, eight, or ten respectively, before a seven is rolled. If the shooter rolls the selected "hard" number in doubles, the payoff is high for the player, specifically a ten-to-one payout. However, if the selected number is rolled in a combination other than doubles, the player loses the bet.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a different wagering opportunity for a player to wager that a "hard" number will be thrown, but where the bet is not lost if the selected number is thrown in a combination other than doubles. This provides a better betting alternative to the player, because the only throw that defeats the bet is a seven, and may be referred to as a "Softways" bet.


A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates bonded to each other, first column spacers on the first substrate, protrusions on the second substrate that contact a center portion of an upper surface of the spacers, respectively, recesses formed in the second substrate surrounding the protrusions, respectively, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device and a method for manufacturing the same. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for preventing a touch defect, and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The development of information-dependent society has increased the demand for various types of display devices. To fulfill the demand, efforts have been made to research flat panel display devices, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a plasma display panel (PDP), an electro-luminescent display (ELD), and a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD). Some of these flat panel display devices are being practically applied in various display purposes.
Among the above mentioned display devices, LCD devices have been used as a substitute for cathode ray tubes (CRTs) because they have advantages of superior picture quality, light weight, thin profile, and low energy consumption. Thus, LCD devices are currently the most widely used type of flat panel display device. Various applications of LCD devices are being developed in association with not only mobile image display devices, such as monitors of notebook computers, but also in the monitors of televisions, which receive and display broadcast signals. Successful application of such LCD devices to a diverse group of different types of image display devices depends on whether or not the LCD devices can realize high picture quality, including high resolution, high brightness, large display area, and the like, while maintaining the characteristics of light weight, thin profile, and low power consumption. Hereinafter, a related art LCD device will be explained in reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an LCD device according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD device includes a first substrate 1 and a second substrate 2 bonded to each other such that a gap is defined between the first and second substrates 1 and 2. The LCD device also includes a liquid crystal layer 3 sealed in the gap between the first and second substrates 1 and 2.
The first substrate 1 of the LCD device in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of uniformly spaced apart gate lines 4 arranged in a first direction and a plurality of uniformly spaced apart data lines 5 arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first direction of the gate lines 4. The gate lines 4 and data lines 5 define pixel regions P. The first substrate 1 also includes pixel electrodes 6 arranged in each of the respective pixel regions P, and thin film transistors T respectively formed at each crossing of the gate lines 4 and data lines 5. Each thin film transistor T transmits a signal from an associated one of the data lines 5 to an associated one of the pixel electrodes 6 in accordance with a signal from an associated one of the gate lines 4.
The second substrate 2 of the LCD device in FIG. 1 includes a black matrix layer 7 for blocking light through regions of the second substrate 2 other than the pixel regions P. The second substrate 2 also includes red R, green G, and blue B color filter layers 8 respectively formed at regions corresponding to the pixel regions P for expressing red, green and blue color tones. A common electrode 9 is formed to cover the color filter layers 8 for controlling an electric field across the liquid crystal layer 3 together with the pixel electrodes 6.
In each pixel region P, liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 3 interposed between the first and second substrates 1 and 2 are oriented in accordance with the electric field generated between the associated pixel electrode 6 and the common electrode 9. The amount of light passing through the liquid crystal layer 3 corresponds to the orientation degree of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 3. Thus, a corresponding image can be expressed by controlling the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 3 in each of the pixels P. Such an LCD device is called a "twisted nematic (TN) mode LCD device". A TN mode LCD device has the drawback of having a narrow viewing angle. However, an in-plane switching (IPS) mode LCD device has been developed to overcome this drawback of the TN mode LCD device.
In the IPS mode LCD device, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed on a first substrate in each pixel region of the first substrate such that the pixel electrode and common electrode extend parallel to each other. An in-plane electric field (i.e., horizontal field) can be generated between the pixel electrode and a common electrode. The orientation of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is controlled by the in-plane electric field.
To maintain a uniform cell gap for the liquid crystal layer, spacers are provided between the first and second substrates of the LCD devices having the above described configurations. The spacers are classified into either ball spacers or column spacers depending on their shape. The ball spacers have a spherical shape, and are scattered between the first and second substrates. Even after the first and second substrates are bonded to each other, the ball spacers are free to move about in the liquid crystal layer. Further, the ball spacers have a small contact area with respect to the first and second substrates. On the other hand, the column spacers are formed during an array process of either the first or second substrate. The column spacers are affixed on one of the substrates. Further, the column spacers have a cylindrical shape with a certain height to maintain the cell gap. Accordingly, the column spacers have a relatively large contact area with respect to the first and second substrates as compared to the ball spacers.
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a related art LCD device including column spacers. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional configuration view taken along line I-F of FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an array region of the related art LCD device includes a plurality of gate lines 4 and data lines 5 arranged perpendicular to each other to define pixel regions, thin film transistors (TFT) formed at each of the crossings of the gate lines 4 and data lines 5, and pixel electrodes 6 formed in each of the respective pixel regions. The related art LCD device also includes column spacers 20 for maintaining the cell gap. FIG. 2 illustrates that three sub pixels, more particularly, R, G, and B sub pixels, constitute one pixel, and each pixel is provided with one column spacer 20.
Referring to FIG. 3, each column spacer 20 is formed at a corresponding position over the associated gate line 4. Specifically, the gate line 4 is formed on the first substrate 1, and then, a gate insulation film 15 is formed over the entire surface of the substrate 1, including the gate line 4. Thereafter, a passivation film 16 is formed over the gate insulation film 15.
The second substrate 2 includes the black matrix layer 7 for covering non-pixel regions (regions corresponding to gate lines, data lines, and thin film transistors) other than the pixel regions, and the red R, green G, and blue B color filter layers 8 formed over the color filter substrate 2, including the black matrix layer 7. The red R, green G, and blue B color filter layers 8 are formed by applying red, green, and glue pigments to regions of the substrate 2 corresponding to the respective pixel regions in sequence. The second substrate 2 also includes a common electrode 14 formed over the entire surface of the second substrate 2, including the color filter layers 8. After the column spacer 20 is arranged over the common electrode 14 at a position corresponding to the gate line 4, the two substrates 1 and 2 are then bonded to each other such that the column spacer 20 is located over the gate line 4.
In the above described related art LCD device having the column spacer 20, if a surface of the LCD device is touched with a finger or object along a certain direction, a spot is generated at the touched portion. The spot may be called a "touch spot" because it is generated by a touch action, or may be called a "touch defect" because it is observed on the screen where a touch occurred. The reason why the touch defect occurs in the LCD device having the column spacer 20 is that the column spacer 20 and the first substrate 1 facing the column spacer 20 have a large contact area as compared to the related art ball spacer, resulting in a large frictional force causing the touch defect. That is, since the column spacer 20, having a cylindrical shape, has a larger contact area with the first substrate 1 than a ball spacer, when first and second substrates 1 and 2 are shifted relative to each other by a touch action, the large frictional force of the larger contact area prevents a return to their original state, resulting in generation of long-lasting spots.

Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing the same


According to one embodiment, a supercritical drying method for a semiconductor substrate comprises introducing a semiconductor substrate, a surface of the semiconductor substrate being wet with a water-soluble organic solvent, to the inside of a chamber, hermetically sealing the chamber and increasing a temperature inside the chamber to not lower than a critical temperature of the water-soluble organic solvent, thereby bringing the water-soluble organic solvent into a supercritical state, decreasing a pressure inside the chamber and changing the water-soluble organic solvent in the supercritical state to a gas, thereby discharging the water-soluble organic solvent from the chamber, starting a supply of an inert gas into the chamber as the pressure inside the chamber decreases to atmospheric pressure, and cooling the semiconductor substrate in a state where the inert gas exists inside the chamber.

A manufacturing process for a semiconductor device includes a variety of steps such as a lithography step, a dry-etching step, and an ion-planting step. After completion of each step and before moving to the next step, a cleaning step for removing impurities and a residue left on a wafer surface to clean the wafer surface, a rinsing step for removing a chemical residue after the cleaning, and a drying step are implemented.
For example, in a wafer cleaning treatment after the etching step, a chemical solution is supplied to the wafer surface for the cleaning treatment, and pure water is thereafter supplied to perform a rinsing treatment. After the rinsing treatment, there is performed a drying treatment for removing the pure water remaining on the wafer surface and drying the wafer.
As a method for performing the drying treatment, there are for example known rotary drying in which the pure water on the wafer is discharged through use of centrifugal force generated by rotation, IPA (isopropyl alcohol) drying in which the pure water on the wafer is replaced with IPA and the IPA is vaporized to dry the wafer, and some other drying. However, there has been a problem with these general drying treatments in that fine patterns formed on the wafer come into contact with one another when drying due to surface tension of the liquid remaining on the wafer, resulting in a blockage.
In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed supercritical drying in which surface tension is zero. In the supercritical drying, after the wafer cleaning treatment, the liquid on the wafer is replaced with another solvent such as IPA, which is finally replaced with a supercritical drying solvent; and the wafer is introduced into a supercritical chamber while the surface thereof is held wet with the IPA. Subsequently, carbon dioxide brought into a supercritical state (supercritical CO2 fluid) is supplied to the chamber. The IPA on the wafer is gradually dissolved into the supercritical CO2 fluid, and discharged from the chamber along with the supercritical CO2 fluid. Thereby, the IPA on the wafer is replaced with the supercritical CO2 fluid. Subsequently, a pressure inside the chamber is decreased and the supercritical CO2 fluid is subjected to a phase change to gaseous CO2, to complete drying of the wafer.
However, with a critical pressure of carbon dioxide being about 7.5 MPa, there has been a problem in that a thick metal-made chamber having performance resistant to a pressure not smaller than the above the critical pressure is required as a treatment facility, and therefore, the cost of the chamber as a single body is increased. Thus, cost of the device as a total is increased.
There is also known a method for performing drying not by using the supercritical CO2 fluid as the drying solvent, but by bringing the IPA, which is a replacement solution for rinsing pure water after chemical-solution cleaning, itself into a supercritical state and evaporating and discharging the IPA. With the supercritical pressure of the IPA being about 5.4 MPa, a thickness required for the chamber is smaller than that in the case of using the supercritical CO2 fluid, thereby allowing reduction in cost of the device. Further, since the IPA, which serves as the solution to be replaced with pure water, is directly brought into the supercritical state, a step of replacing the IPA with the supercritical CO2 fluid as performed in a carbon supercritical is unnecessary. Moreover, a CO2 supply system, a boosting device, and the like are unnecessary, thus allowing cost reduction.
However, there has been a problem with the drying method of bringing an organic solvent, such as IPA, into the supercritical state as thus described in that a metal material film and a polysilicon film formed on a semiconductor substrate are etched, thereby causing deterioration in electric characteristics of a semiconductor device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Supercritical drying method for semiconductor substrate