Toll Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) modulators, such as antibodies, polynucleotides encoding TLR3 antibodies or fragments thereof, and methods of making and using the foregoing are disclosed.

Recognition of foreign antigens by mammalian cells can be mediated by a set of innate immune receptors called Toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs recognize conserved patterns derived from microbial pathogens identified as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) (Barton et al., Science 300:1524-1525, 2003). Interaction of a TLR with a PAMP results in a signaling cascade involving NF-κB activation and transcription of cytokine gene expression. Ten human toll-like receptors and five TLR adaptor proteins have been identified.
TLRs are able to expand their repertoire of ligands by forming homo- or heterodimers as well as binding different adaptor proteins. For example, TLR3 binds dsRNA, an intermediate in viral replication. TLR3 also interacts with PolyI:C, a synthetic dsRNA analog, and mRNA from necrotic cells. Activation of TLR3 leads to the secretion of Type I interferons, which are important in the control of viral infection. A full-length human TLR3 amino acid sequence and encoding polynucleotide sequence are shown in SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2, respectively. TLRs TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9 also have nucleic acid ligands; activation of these TLRs can also lead to interferon secretion.
Type I interferons trigger signaling cascades to activate a set of immediate early-response genes (IFN-stimulated genes or ISGs) and have proven useful in the clinic. The resulting antiviral activities include mRNA translation inhibition, RNA editing, and RNA degradation (Samuel et al., Clin Microbiol Rev 14:778-809, 2001). Currently, a combination therapy of pegylated interferon and the broad-spectrum antiviral compound ribavirin is being used to treat hepatitis C infection (Manns et al., Lancet 358:958-965, 2001).
The critical anti-viral role of Type I IFNs is further demonstrated by the evolution of viral resistance mechanisms to inhibit the production of Type I IFNs by infected host cells. For example, the NS1 protein of influenza antagonizes IRF-3 activation and IFNβ production (Donelan et al., J Virol 78: 11574-11582, 2004) and the A52R poxvirus protein associates with IRAK2 and TRAF6 to block signaling downstream of TLR3 (Harte et al., J Exp Med, 197:343-351, 2003). Thus, therapies based on triggering TLR activation or enhancing TLR-mediated signaling pathways increase endogenous IFNα/β production and assist the host in the control of acute viral infections.
The use of TLR agonists to modulate the outcome of an immune response is currently being investigated for therapeutic use (O'Neill, Curr Opin Pharm 3:396-403, 2003; Schetter et al., Curr Opin Drug Discov Devel 7:204-210, 2004). For example, CpG oligodinucleotides (ODN), a TLR9 ligand, are capable of stimulating the production of type I IFN and a TE1 response (Krieg, Annu Rev Immunol 20:709-60, 2002), a finding that suggests the possible use of CpG ODN not only as a vaccine adjuvant but also for the treatment and or prevention of diseases that necessitate a potent TH1 response. Another example is the synthetic TLR7 agonist imiquimod, an approved agent for the treatment of genital warts; its protective effect is thought to be mediated through the stimulation of inflammatory cytokines such as IFNα, TNFα and IL-1β (Saunder, J Amer Acad Derm 43: S6-S11, 2000). Overall, these findings show that TLR agonists are a novel class of immunomodulatory agents with the potential of having a significant therapeutic benefit.
Thus, a need exists for the identification of novel immunomodulatory agents that potentiate the effect of TLR agonists. Such novel TLR-based therapies are expected to have an advantage of providing a sustained immune response with less frequent dosing regimens.

Antibody reactive with human toll like receptor 3


The present invention provides a simple and efficient method for producing high-purity 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene on an industrial scale. The method for producing 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene comprises reacting catechol with peroxide.

2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene (hereinafter also referred to as "HHTP") is a compound useful as a starting material for the preparation of functional organic materials such as discotic liquid crystals.
Conventionally, HHTP has been manufactured by, for example, a method which involves trimerization of catechol using a transition metal compound (such as ferric chrolide) to give HHTP-transition metal complex(es) and/or quinone form(s) of HHTP which are subjected to a reduction process (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1993/118642).
With this method, however, it is not easy to produce HHTP with high purity, and therefore too many purification steps are required. Further, HHTP produced by this method suffers from a serious problem in that it does not exhibit desired properties as a functional organic material because of its blackened appearance. Another problem with this method is that because it uses large quantities of dangerous and environmentally hazardous transition metal compounds such as ferric chloride, a great deal of industrial effort and resources are needed for post-reaction treatment.

Method for producing 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene


An articulated robot comprises a control unit including: a track information storage unit which stores track information corresponding to a combination of a start point and an end point; a setting unit which sets a current position and a target position of an arm distal end as the start point and the end point; and an operation command generation unit which generates an operation command based on track information corresponding to a combination of the set start point and the set end point (corresponding track information). If the corresponding track information is not stored but related track information corresponding to a combination of a start point and an end point having a predetermined relationship with a combination of the set start point and the set end point is stored in the track information storage unit, the operation command generation unit generates the operation command based on the related track information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an articulated robot of which arm distal end is operated using preset track information, and a method for controlling the articulated robot.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been an articulated robot of which arm constituted by a plurality of rotatably connected arm elements is driven to move an arm distal end to a predetermined position.
For example, a conveying apparatus that is a kind of an articulated robot described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-167827 performs movement control of an arm distal end using track information generated in advance by a track information generating apparatus. Here, track information used for the movement control is generated based on a dynamics model of the arm so that moving time from a desired start point to a desired end point may be the shortest using an optimization technique.
Another articulated robot calculates in real time a path that interpolates between two given points with a straight line or a circular arc and performs driving control based on the calculated data instead of holding track information for driving in advance.
In a case where the track information po is generated in advance, the generated track information needs to be stored in a storage, and storage capacity of the storage must be increased to increase the number of tracks that the arm distal end of the articulated robot may follow. In a case where the track information is generated in advance, track calculation time for generating tracks is required, when the articulated robot is set up, depending on the number of pieces of track information to generate.
In a case where the conveyance path is calculated in real time, a relay point needs to be set by, for example, a teaching operation to connect the start point to the end point by a combination of a straight line or a circular arc, which is a time-consuming process. Further, even a skilled person has difficulty in setting a relay point that passes through an optimum path in consideration of many constraints, such as torque, the number of rotation, an angle, and acceleration of each axis. Further, since the articulated robot needs to perform interpolating calculation of the relay point, load is applied to a control unit of the robot.

Articulated robot and method for controlling the same


A turbine engine cowl capable of covering a fan cone, the cowl including attachment components configured to engage with connection components of the cone in order to maintain the cowl and the cone secured to one another.

A turbojet comprises an air inlet at its upstream side supplying a fan and a compressor, the blades of which are supported on disks fixed to a shaft that extends over most of the turbojet, and that is driven in rotation by a turbine of the turbojet. Note that the terms "upstream" and "downstream" should be considered relative to a general direction of fluid flow through the turbojet, from the upstream side to the downstream side.
An intake cone is mounted at the upstream end of this shaft to deflect part of the air flow that enters inside the turbojet towards the fan blades, this flow then being separated into a core engine flow that flows into an inlet orifice to the compressor, and a fan flow that flows around the compressor and that is then mixed with the core engine flow and/or supplies turbojet component cooling circuits.
FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows such an intake cone 10. The axial attachment of the intake cone 10 on the shaft is generally made using screws inserted in attachment holes 11 located on the cone 10, for example there may be five of these holes. The cone 10 also comprises disassembly holes 12, conventionally there are three of these holes, for progressive extraction of the cone 10 along the axial direction.
Furthermore, the cone may perform a balancing function of the turbojet. The cone 10 is then provided with a plurality of holes for balancing screws 13 at a circumferential spacing from each other. For example, there may for example be twenty radial holes 13 provided on the cone, one for each fan blade. The turbojet can be balanced if the weights of the balancing screws are chosen judiciously.
The attachment holes 11, the disassembly holes 12 and the holes for the balancing screws 13 are all geometric discontinuities responsible for flow disturbances on the upstream side of the fan, and degrade the aerodynamics of the system.

Turbine engine cowl capable of covering a fan cone


A node in the telecommunication network supports location and direction services that are especially suited for wireless subscribers. Location coordinates such as determined by the global positioning satellite system are entered by a subscriber from the location to be marked. The node stores the coordinates and compares the marked location to the current coordinates of a subscriber making a request for directions to find the first location, e.g. the subscriber's parked car. The node provides the requesting subscriber with directions for proceeding from the current location to the first location. Subscribers other than the subscriber entering the location coordinates may also access the stored location information and obtain directions to the marked location to facilitate a meeting of subscribers at a location previously marked by a subscriber.

This invention is generally directed to systems that provide information about the location of a user, and more specifically directed to providing location information via a telephony system in which location data is stored remote from the user and entered under the control of the user.
There are a variety of ways to determine a position of a user. Commonly known ways include the use of triangulation to locate a radio frequency signal, long range aid to navigation (LORAN) where available, and the use of the global positioning satellite (GPS) system to provide latitude, longitude and elevation coordinates. A handheld GPS receiver is capable providing a user with accurate location coordinates that indicate the present position of the receiver. Further, a current position of the receiver can be marked, i.e. stored in memory of the receiver, for later use. Many GPS receivers provide navigational information permitting the user to travel from a current location to a previously marked location. Such GPS systems continue to be used successfully and provide navigational assistance to users. Since such systems normally rely upon previously stored location information in the receiver to provide navigational assistance to return to a prior location, this limits the ability of a user to share location and navigation instructions with others that do not have access to the user's receiver. Also it is inconvenient to always carry a standalone GPS receiver in case directions and/or navigation is desired.

Providing navigation services based on subscriber input location information stored in a telecommunication network


The invention relates to methods and kits for the analysis of the sialylation of gluco-proteins. The samples of gluco-protein are incubated separately under three conditions: with beta-galactosidase, with beta-galactosidase+alpha-sialidase, and without an enzyme. After the enzyme treatment, high performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC PAD) is used to make a quantitative determination of the total galactose in the sample, the non sialylated galactose and the exogenous galactose in the medium. The determination of said values makes it possible to deduce the percentage of sialylation of the gluco-protein.

Many proteins require glycosylation for their biological function. Often, the terminal, "capping," carbohydrates of glycosylic chains are sialic acid residues. Sialic acids comprise a family of N- and O-linked neuraminic acids. N-linked sialic acids are formed by linking acetyl or glycolyl moieties to the amino residue of neuraminic acid, forming N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), respectively. If the amino group of neuraminic is substituted with a hydroxyl moiety, this yields 3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-2-nonulosonic acid (KDN). O-linked sialic acids are formed by the substitutions of one or more of the hydroxyl groups of Neu5Ac, Neu5Gc, or KDN with methyl, acetyl, lactoyl, sulfate, or phosphate groups. Accordingly, a large and diverse population of sialic acids exists.
Further, there is considerable interest in analyzing protein sialylation, in general, because of the numerous biological functions attributed to these modifications. Sialylation can be important for the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of protein biotherapeutics. Consequently, several analytical methods have been developed to evaluate the sialic acid content of glycoproteins. For example, antibody-based assays can be used to identify particular carbohydrate moieties.
Terminal sialic acid resides can be enzymatically detached from the glycoprotein of interest and analyzed by HPLC. However, each of these methods has shortcomings and typically requires pure samples or high concentrations. Conventional methods used by the biopharmaceutical industry suffer from poor accuracy, high data variability, and they cannot be used with complex culture media due to matrix interference. The method described herein overcomes such shortcomings and provides accurate and reproducible quantitation of protein sialylation.
Collectively, the method described herein comprises two steps: (1) an enzymatic reaction is used to hydrolyze the galactose and sialic acid residues from the glycoproteins; and (2) an ion-exchange chromatography method is used to separate and quantify the galactose residues. The enzymatic portion of the method involves the release of exposed (uncapped) terminal galactose residues by the specific exo-glycosidase, β-(1-4)-galactosidase (β-galactosidase), while the terminal sialic acid residues are released by α-(2-3,6,8,9)-sialidase (α-sialidase). Prior to digestion, a sample is divided among at least three tubes. The first tube, Reaction A, is a background sample, and comprises the enzyme reaction buffers only. The second tube, Reaction B, is reacted with β-galactosidase that cleaves all galactose residues that are not capped by sialic acids. The third tube, Reaction C, is co-digested with both neuraminidase and β-galactosidase. The neuraminidase enzyme removes the capping sialic acids and permits β-galactosidase to cleave all of the exposed galactose residues. High Performance Anion-exchange chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection (HPAEC PAD) is then used to determine the amount of galactose present in the three samples. The ratio of uncapped galactose (i.e., Reaction B) to total galactose (i.e., Reaction C) is used to calculate percent capping of galactose residues, while also accounting for any free galactose present in the media (Reaction A).

Rapid and accurate analysis of protein sialylation


.[.A vent cap has.]. .Iadd.A low diffusion disk drive breather vent for communicating air between the interior and the exterior of a sealed disk drive housing through a vent passageway, .Iaddend.a long, narrow air communication passage .[.covering the vent outlet of a sealed disk drive. The passage reduces.]. .Iadd.provided to reduce .Iaddend.diffusion of water vapor .[.into the disk drive.]. .Iadd.through the passage.Iaddend..

1. Field of the Invention.
The invention relates to sealed disk drives and means to reduce humidity inside the drive.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art.
The best prior art known to Applicant is shown in Ser. No. 646,537 filed Sep. 4, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,248 granted Oct. 28, 1986 and assigned to the present assignee. Applicant incorporates by reference the contents of this application.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,248 discloses and claims a relatively long narrow tube communicating between outside air and the interior of a sealed disk drive. The tube, so constructed, allows pressure equalization between the inside and outside of the housing during disk drive operation, but also retards water vapor diffusion into the housing. Humidity increases friction, particularly static friction, between the head and the magnetic surface, which undesirably reduces disk/head life.


An oyster opener device, system, kit, and/or method which preferably greatly enhances the ease and enjoyment of preparing oysters or other shellfish. The oyster opener may be entirely manually powered, manually powered and free of all motors and electrical components, may be operated by a powered device, may include a motor, or may be operated manually with a powered assist.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention relate generally to oyster openers. More specifically, the preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a lever-actuated, rack-and-pinion oyster opener device. The present invention may also relate to a method of opening oysters using a lever-actuated, rack-and-pinion oyster opener device.
Typically, oysters are opened using a traditional oyster knife. However, using oyster knife or other sharp utensil can be dangerous to the user because of the potential for slippage and the infliction of self-injury. In order to efficiently open oysters using these rudimentary methods, the oysters are often tilted or tipped. When the oysters are tilted or tipped, the oysters lose most, if not all, of the natural juices. Additionally, oysters are often tiled when opening to simplify holding the oyster in a hand while using an oyster knife to split the oyster via the hinge. When opening an oyster via the hinge, it is usual that even more natural oyster fluid is lost. This has a further drawback of making it harder to pry open the oyster because the hinge is tougher to penetrate and crack. Oyster openers still usually go through the hinge, however, because it is easier to find the seam when viewing the hinge.
It may be advantageous to provide an oyster opener and/or oyster opening system and/or oyster opening method which may preferably, but not necessarily: be configured to split the oyster via the bill; take advantage of a rack and pinion, or similar mechanism, to facilitate applying force to the oyster; be manually operated without the use of motors or electrical components; which may incorporate a motor such that the splitting operation is governed by the selection of a control, such as a button; be easy to clean; be at least partially collapsible to facilitate packing, shipping, and/or storage; be visually attractive; be suitable for use waterside or in boats; be sturdy enough for commercial use; use replaceable wedges; include a baseboard with recesses for implements and/or utensils; be efficient for manufacture; allow the opening of oysters without manually holding the oyster; also include a mechanism for providing an initial crack in the oyster prior to splitting; hold an oyster in a generally horizontal configuration; minimize the amount of natural oyster fluid lost during the opening process; be useful for use by people with limited strength or of advanced age; and/or be easy to use.

Oyster opener, multi-functional oyster opener, oyster processing system, and/or portable oyster processing device


An imaging system includes a light sensor, a pulse detection imaging (PDI) circuit, and an image processing unit. The light sensor generates one or both of an image signal and a pulse signal. The pulse PDI circuit includes a first terminal in signal communication with the light sensor to receive one or both of the image signal and the pulse signal and a second terminal in signal communication with a voltage source. The image processing unit is in signal communication with the PDI circuit to receive one or both of the image signal and the pulse signal and to simultaneously perform imagery and pulse detection based on the image signal and the pulse signal, respectively.

The present disclosure relates to imaging system, and more particularly, to high spatial resolution (HSR) imaging systems.
High spatial resolution imaging systems are capable of distinguishing between objects or targets that are located within a small proximity to each other. HSR imaging systems are known to have the capability to detect energy pulses along with images. HSR imaging systems commonly operate in two separate modes. A first mode operates to detect the low resolution energy pulses, while a second mode operates to provide high-resolution imagery.

Imaging system including analog compression for simultaneous pulse detection and imaging


The disclosure details implementations of apparatuses, methods, and systems for facilitating efficient operational characteristics for wind turbine generators. The system includes features that facilitate protecting the power semiconductors used in the power converters of variable speed power generation systems from excessive junction temperatures. These features may be achieved by implementing a synchronous speed avoidance (SSA) controller implemented to facilitate a determined active control range as an electrical torque/power-generator rotor speed controller. The determined active control range may be centered around a generator synchronous speed. The upper and lower bounds of the active control range are determined based on operational junction temperature characteristics of power semiconductors used within a power converter, reliability characteristics of the power semiconductors and/or current ratings of the power semiconductors.

As the use of variable speed power generation systems increases, solutions are necessary to facilitate efficient operational characteristics for power converters associated with the power generation systems. One aspect of facilitating efficient operational characteristics in the generators relates to providing consistent generator operation in a variety of operational circumstances. In some generator implementations, the power converter may encounter certain operational issues that lead to significant spikes in power transistor junction temperatures. One cause for these high junction temperatures is prolonged operation of the rotor side converter of the power converter at rotor frequencies at or close to zero, i.e., prolonged operation of the rotor of the generator at rotor speeds at or close to the generator synchronous speed. High transient junction temperatures may lead to power semiconductor failure, based on a number of causes including stress due to the different temperature expansion coefficients of the various materials in the power semiconductor package.

Systems and methods for synchronous speed avoidance in doubly-fed induction generators


A method of manufacturing flexible magnetic tape having a permanently structured magnetic characteristic which varies from place to place in two different directions in the plane of the tape, includes:—a) coating a flexible substrate with a slurry having anisotropic magnetic particles; b) moving the substrate and slurry coating relative to a first magnetic field having a field strength which varies with time in a first direction, thereby selectively orienting the particles in areas spaced apart in a first direction; c) subsequently moving the substrate and slurry coating relative to a second magnetic field having a field strength which varies with time in a second direction making an oblique angle with the first direction, such that the magnetic particles are selectively oriented in spaced areas in both the first and further directions, and d) solidifying the slurry to fix the particles in place.

A known method of manufacturing permanently structured magnetic tape is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,204, and is shown schematically in FIG. 1. A flexible substrate such as a polyester film (1) is coated with a liquid slurry having anisotropic magnetic particles (such as for example acicular ferric oxide particles) (2) which have a generally random orientation. The coated substrate is moved in the direction of the arrow (3) past a first permanent magnet (4), which makes an oblique angle with the direction of motion of the substrate. This causes the particles (2) to become aligned as shown in area 5. The coated substrate continues to move in the direction of the arrow (3) past a further magnet (6), which is an electromagnet, and thus can generate a controllably variable magnetic field. This magnet is arranged to make an oblique angle with the direction of the first magnet. By switching the strength of the magnetic field being generated by the further magnet, the particles (2) become aligned as shown in area 7. The slurry is then solidified to fix the particles in place in the orientation shown in area 7. With this arrangement it will be noted that the magnetic properties of the coating are constant across the width of the substrate (8), but change in the direction of otion of the substrate (3). The substrate 1 is subsequently slit along its length (i.e. direction of arrow 3) to provide thin lengths of magnetic tape.
In a modification of the above method, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,975, data can be coded in direction 8 across the tape by substituting a segmented magnet with a plurality of independently controllable write heads for the electromagnet 6. This can provide the advantage that after slitting the substrate, each length of tape can have different data. This method is reasonably satisfactory for making permanently structured magnetic tape for use on IS0781X cards, where the width of tape reels required lie between 11 and 15 mm. Typically, 15 independent channels are created simultaneously across the substrate, each one 11-15 mm wide.
However, the method is unsuitable for manufacturing narrow tapes of the order of 1 or 2 mm across as might be embedded into banknotes, because of the lateral spreading of the magnetic field from each head of the further magnet. The method also has the disadvantage that many independent channel driver circuits are required, one for each write head. To make 1 mm wide threads, the required number of channels will increase by an order of magnitude (for example from 15 to 150). The cost of providing so many circuits, and checking the calibration of each one periodically, becomes increasingly high for narrow threads. It is an object of the present invention to mitigate the above disadvantages.

Method of manufacturing flexible magnetic tape


A semiconductor structure and method for forming the same. The structure includes multiple fin regions disposed between first and second source/drain (S/D) regions. The structure further includes multiple front gates and back gates, each of which is sandwiched between two adjacent fin regions such that the front gates and back gates are alternating (i.e., one front gate then one back gate and then one front gate, and so on). The widths of the front gates are greater than the widths of the back gates. The capacitances of between the front gates and the S/D regions are smaller than the capacitances of between the back gates and the S/D regions. The distances between the front gates and the S/D regions are greater than the distances between the back gates and the S/D regions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to FETs (Field Effect Transistors), and more specifically, to double-gate FETs.
2. Related Art
Dopant fluctuations are becoming a serious problem in Vt (threshold voltage) control in advanced semiconductor devices. As semiconductor devices become smaller and smaller in size, Vt control becomes more difficult. A known solution is to use back gates (in addition to front gates) in the semiconductor devices to control Vt. By adjusting the voltage applied to the back gates, Vt of devices can be adjusted (i.e., controlled). However, back gates occupy chip areas, and as a result, device density is reduced.
As a result, there is a need for a device structure (and method for forming the same), in which chip areas for back gates are relatively small compared to the prior art.

Double-gate FETs (field effect transistors)

International Business Machines Corporation


An active implantable medical device comprising circuits for measuring trans-thoracic impedance and delivering an impedance signal varying with respiratory activity of a patient. A signal representative of the respiratory activity of the patient is delivered starting from the impedance signal, and circuits for diagnosing respiratory disorder analyze variations of the respiratory signal on a plurality of successive cycles to detect there a profile of predetermined variation in relation to a given respiratory disorder. The device also includes circuits for automatically controlling respiratory cycles with artifacts, able to identify in the impedance signal a jump of static impedance, and/or to identify in a respiratory cycle or in a sequence of respiratory cycles a predetermined singularity representative of a cycle with artifact.

Various techniques for detecting respiratory sleep disorders are known. These techniques implement a variety of sensors. For example EP-A-0 970 713 and its counterpart, U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,507, commonly assigned herewith to ELA Médical, describe diagnosis of the occurrence of an apnea starting from the minute-ventilation signal (the "VE signal," sometimes referred to as the "MV signal"), which is a parameter with physiological preponderance generally obtained by measuring a trans-thoracic impedance, giving a continuous indication of the respiration rate of the patient.
The detection of the apnea or of hypopnea makes it possible to diagnose conditions such as the syndrome of sleep apnea (SSA), obstructive apnea, or central apnea, which is a pathology likely to involve a number of disorders, such as diurnal hyper somnolence, heart rate disturbances, or hypertension. SSA can be defined by a significant recurrence of apnea or hypopnea associated clinical signs. An "apnea" or "respiratory pause" is a temporary pause of the respiratory function lasting longer than 10 seconds and occurring while the patient is sleeping. An "hypopnea" is defined as a significant decrease of the minute-ventilation, for example, a decrease of more than 50%, compared to an average of former reference, but without pause of the respiratory function (the minute-ventilation is the product of the amplitude multiplied by the frequency of the successive respiratory cycles).
The measurement of the minute-ventilation necessary for this detection of the apnea or of hypopnea is carried out by injecting of impulses of a constant current of a few hundred microamperes at a frequency of some Hertz between two electrodes laid out in the rib cage of the patient, or between the case of the implanted device and an electrode, for example, a stimulation electrode. The variations of impedance reproduce the variations of thoracic volume, with peaks of impedance at the time of an inspiration, i.e., when the lungs are filled with air, and a decreasing impedance over time as the air is expired from the lungs.
It was noted in clinical studies that a system implementing a respiratory activity sensor recording variations of pulmonary volume at the thoracic level can be deluded in certain circumstances, leading to risks of false positive and false negative readings that can disturb interpretation of the signals by the device and thus lead to an erroneous diagnosis. Some of these disturbances can be eliminated by known adapted filtering techniques.
The trans-thoracic impedance varies according to the resistivity of tissue at the time current impulses are injected. As this resistivity depends primarily on the quantity of air in the lungs and the quantity of blood in the cardiac cavities, the impedance signal collected is modulated at the same time by breathing and the heart rate of the patient. The impedance is also modulated by variations in spacing between the measurement electrode and the case of the implanted device, which can change as the heart beats. These cardiac components can be eliminated by simple low-pass filtering, the heart rate being in the majority of the cases about three times higher than the respiratory frequency. In addition, in order to extract from the signal only the respiratory component (only the dynamic variation is significant), it is advisable to eliminate any static impedance related to the impedance from tissue recorded in a stable body position and in the absence of any breathing and cardiac beat. This static component can be eliminated by implementation of a high-pass filter.
When the trans-thoracic impedance is used to estimate the minute-ventilation and to control the heart rate, this estimate of the minute-ventilation is based on an average of several successive respiratory cycles, so that the impact of some respiratory cycles with artifacts remains low.
The starting point of the present invention lies in the observation that certain phenomena, which are not eliminated by existing low-pass and high-pass filtering, are able to disturb measurement of the trans-thoracic impedance. In particular, if one wishes to use the trans-thoracic impedance to follow instantaneous variations in respiratory activity, in particular to detect apnea and hypopnea, it is essential to eliminate all the cycles with artifacts, at the risk of producing false positives and false negatives, that can lead to erroneous diagnoses of respiratory disorders of the patient. Thus, the trans-thoracic impedance can be modified by a movement of the patient, or varied by contractions of the diaphragm during an obstructive apnea. These phenomena can produce artifacts that will disturb the system and can lead to erroneous detection of particularly full or fast respiratory cycles, or of low amplitude or long periods, which can lead to a false positive.
Another type of artifact can result from the presence in the impedance signal of a component related to cardiac beats that is not eliminated by existing high-pass filters. Indeed, in certain circumstances (for example, if bradycardia and hyperventilation occur at the same time), the respiratory frequency and the heart rate can become sufficiently close that the cardiac beats influence the impedance signal to a significant degree. The heart rate can then be incorrectly interpreted as the respiration rate, which may mask the presence of an hypopnea or an apnea (a false negative, at the time a true respiratory pathological event occurs).
When external equipment is being used (e.g., polysomnography), these disturbances can be detected by the person interpreting the signals, who can decide not to take into account one or more channels when the signal appears disturbed. This subjective appreciation of the signals is not possible in an implanted apparatus, however, which functions in an entirely automatic way according to rules defined by an analysis algorithm.

Active implantable medical device equipped with means for the diagnosis of respiratory disorders, with sophisticated detection of respiratory cycles with artifacts


When a resistance load inverter is used to control lighting/non-lighting of a pixel, in accordance with characteristic variations of a transistor forming the resistance load inverter, variations occur in light emission of each pixel. As an inverter in a pixel, an N channel transistor and a P channel transistor are used to apply a CMOS inverter. Even when characteristics of the transistor forming the CMOS inverter vary and inverter transfer characteristics vary, there is little effect on controlling lighting/non-lighting of the pixel, therefore, light emission variations of each pixel can be eliminated. Further, a signal potential of a scan line is used as one power source of a potential of the inverter, therefore, an aperture ratio of the pixel can be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device provided with a function to control a current supplied to a load by a transistor, particularly relates to a display device including a pixel formed of a current drive type light emitting element in which luminance varies according to a current, and a signal line driver circuit thereof. In addition, the invention relates to a driving method of the display device, and to an electronic apparatus having the display device in a display portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a so-called self-luminous display device in which a pixel is formed of a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode (LED) has attracted attention. As a light emitting element used for such a self-luminous display device, an organic light emitting diode (an OLED), an organic EL element, an electroluminescence (EL) element, or the like have been attracted attention and have been used for an EL display or the like. A light emitting element such as an OLED is a self-luminous light emitting element, therefore, the light emitting element has an advantage such that the visibility of a pixel is high, a back light is unnecessary, and a response speed is fast compared to a liquid crystal display. Note that the luminance of a light emitting element is controlled by a current value flowing therethrough.
As a driving method to express a gradation of such a display device, there are a digital method and an analog method. The digital method turns on/off a light emitting element by a digital control to express a gradation. In the case of the digital method, there are only two states of light emission and non-light emission, therefore, only two gradations can be expressed. Thus, combining another method, many gradations are performed. As a method of many gradations, a time gradation method is often used. The digital time gradation method is superior to uniformity of a luminance in each pixel while it is required to increase frequency and power consumption increases. On the other hand, in the case of the analog method, the light intensity of a light emitting element is controlled in an analog manner or light emitting time of a light emitting element is controlled in an analog manner. The analog method of controlling light intensity is easy to be affected by characteristic variations of a thin film transistor (hereinafter also referred to as a TFT) in each pixel and variations are also generated in light emission in each pixel. On the other hand, described in a Non-Patent Document 1 is a display device of an analog time gradation method in which light emitting time is controlled in an analog manner and uniformity of light emission in each pixel is superior (See Non-Patent Document 1: SID 04 DIGEST p. 1394 to p. 1397).
A pixel of the display device described in Non-Patent Document 1 comprises an inverter formed of a light emitting element and a transistor for driving the light emitting element. A gate terminal of the driving transistor is an input terminal of the inverter and a drain terminal of the driving transistor is an output terminal of the inverter. Then, an output of the inverter is inputted to an anode of the light emitting element. When a video signal voltage is written to the pixel, the inverter is set in the middle of on and off. Then, a triangle wave voltage is inputted to the pixel to control the output of the inverter in a light emitting period. That is, the output of the inverter which is a potential inputted to the anode of the light emitting element is controlled, thereby controlling light emission/non-light emission of the light emitting element.
Here, a resistance load inverter is shown in FIG. 10B and inverter transfer characteristics of the resistance load inverter are shown in FIG. 10A. The abscissa in FIG. 10A indicates an input potential Vin into an input terminal of the resistance load inverter and the ordinate indicates an output potential Vout from an output terminal of the resistance load inverter. The resistance load inverter includes a transistor and a resistor, and a high power source potential Vdd is inputted to a source terminal of the transistor while a drain terminal thereof is connected to one terminal of the resistor. In addition, a low power source potential Vss is inputted to the other terminal of the resistor. Note that, here, Vss=0 V. A gate terminal of the transistor is the input terminal of the resistance load inverter while the drain terminal of the transistor is the output terminal of the resistance load inverter.
A curve 1002 shown in FIG. 10A shows inverter transfer characteristics of a resistance load inverter, a curve 1001 shows inverter transfer characteristics of a resistance load inverter in the case where a current supply capacity of the transistor in the inverter is high, and a curve 1003 shows inverter transfer characteristics of a resistance load inverter in the case where a current supply capacity of the transistor is low.
That is, when an input potential is sufficiently high and the transistor is in an off-state, a potential of the output terminal of the resistance load inverter becomes a potential of 0 V, while when the transistor is sufficiently in an on-state, the potential of the output terminal of the resistance load inverter becomes Vdd.
Here, the output Vout of the resistance load inverter is expressed below by using the power source potential Vdd, a resistance R of the resistor, and a source-drain current Id of the transistor.Vout=R×Id
Further, the source-drain current Id of the transistor is expressed below when an operation is in a saturation region. Note that μ is a carrier mobility of the transistor, Cox is a capacitance of a gate insulating film, W/L is a ratio of a channel width W and a channel length L of the transistor, and Vth is a threshold voltage of the transistor.
  Id  =            1      2        ⨯    μ    ⨯    Cox    ⨯          W      L        ⨯                  (                  Vdd          -          Vin          -                                  Vth                                      )            2
Therefore, the current supply capacity of the transistor varies in accordance with the value of μ, Cox, W/L, Vth, and the like. Accordingly, the inverter transfer characteristics of the resistance load inverter vary in accordance with variations of these values of the transistor.
Such variations of the inverter transfer characteristics of the resistance load inverter also occur in the case of using a light emitting element as a resistor. Then, even in the display device having the pixel described in Non-Patent Document 1, there is a pixel of the transfer characteristics of the resistance load inverter such as the curve 1001, the curve 1002, or the curve 1003. Accordingly, time from the transistor is turned on in the saturation region to the transistor is turned off and an output potential of the resistance load inverter becomes Vx, as well as time from a portion between the input terminal and the output terminal becomes conductive to input potentials Vinv1, Vinv2, and Vinv3 of the resistance load inverter which are offset-cancelled become input potentials Va1, Va2, and Va3 respectively at which the output potential of the resistance load inverter becomes Vx, varies in each pixel different in the transfer characteristics of the resistance load inverters.
Therefore, in a display device of a driving method for expressing a gradation in an analog time, even the same gradation display varies between pixels and clear display cannot be performed.
Further, there are problems in that the number of transistors or wires in a pixel is large, an aperture ratio decreases, and the like in conventional configurations. In the case where similar brightness is obtained in a pixel with a high aperture ratio and a pixel with a low aperture ratio, the pixel with a low aperture ratio is required to increase its luminance of the light emitting element more than the pixel with a high aperture ratio. Therefore, in the pixel with a low aperture ratio, deterioration of the light emitting element proceeds faster. In addition, the power consumption is also increased since the luminance is increased.
Moreover, when the number of transistors or wires in a pixel increases, yield also tends to decrease and cost of a display panel rises.

Semiconductor device, display device and electronic apparatus

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A system for seamless integration of a handheld device, as a secondary display and input device, to remotely interact with a host device. The host device receives data from a remote location. One or more handheld devices, receive data provided by the host device. Each of the handheld devices includes one or more controllers. Each of the controllers provides control input data to the associated handheld device. The handheld devices each have one or more input modules, such as a microphone, or Wi-Fi port, to receive the control input data as well as one or more output modules, such as a display screen and/or speaker that outputs processed data, such as video and/or audio data. The output data is specific to a particular one of the handheld devices.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for enhanced gaming using a remote handheld device. More specifically, the present invention is directed to connecting a handheld device to a stand-alone device to enable the handheld device to provide enhanced game playing capabilities and display output to a particular user.
2. Background Discussion
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game in which the gameplay is oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs.
For example games such as Guitar Hero® and Rock Band® are currently available.
Guitar Hero® is a music video game that uses a guitar-shaped peripheral to simulate the playing of music, represented on a display screen by colored notes that correspond to fret buttons on a controller. The game supports individual play as well as cooperative and competitive modes for two players.
Rock Band® uses many gameplay elements from Guitar Hero®. Indeed, Rock Band® players use peripherals modeled after musical instruments to simulate the performance of music. Players play these instruments in time with musical "notes" that scroll on a screen. Rock Band® expands upon Guitar Hero® by offering gameplay for drums and vocals, in addition to lead and bass guitars. The game features a single-player career mode for three of the instruments (lead guitar, drums, and vocals) called "Solo Tour Mode," as well as a band career mode for 2-4 local players called "Band World Tour."
Typically, when more than one person is playing an interactive electronic game, such as a music video game, it may be a distraction for all the players to attempt to view a display screen at the same time.
Furthermore, when the game provides instruction, such as learning a musical instrument or sport, the inability for a user to have specific output displayed to them detracts from the experience. This also applies to users who only wish to view particular portions of the output on their associated handheld device.
Thus, it would be an advancement in the state of the art to enable multiple users of a gaming system to be able to have their associated device provide output and display information particular to the individual user. This prevents a display screen from becoming cluttered with data that is not relevant to a user.

Method and apparatus for enhanced gaming

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.


To realize a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a heating resistor type air flow rate measuring apparatus which can effectively remove salinity adhered to the heating resistor. Salt adheres not only to the heating portion of a heating resistor but also to lead members and supporting members. When a certain time period is passed after the current supply to the heating resistor is stopped, the salt adhered thereto absorbs moisture in the air by deliquescence, and becomes salt water near the heating resistor and the support members etc. Then, suction air flows through an auxiliary air passage by the cranking of the engine to disperse the salt water adhered not only to the support member parts but also to the heating resistor. Thus, even if the heating resistor is supplied with current after the dissipation, salt components do not remain on the heating resistor.

As a technique for measuring a flow rate of gas, in general, there is known a heating resistor type air flow rate measuring apparatus for measuring a flow rate of air. This measuring apparatus utilizes the relation that an amount of heat absorbed from the heating resistor increases monotonously in accordance with the increase of an flow rate of air. Since this measuring apparatus can directly measure a mass air flow rate, this measuring apparatus is used widely as a flow meter for measuring an air flow rate for the internal combustion engine of an automobile.
An air cleaner is provided at the upstream portion of the suction pipe of the internal combustion engine, whereby air from which dust within the atmosphere is removed is supplied within the engine.
However, since the dust collecting ability of the air cleaner is not complete, fine dust component etc. passes the air cleaner and is sucked into the engine via the suction pipe.
Since the heating resistor type air flow rate measuring apparatus is provided in a manner that the heating resistor serving as a flow rate measuring portion is exposed within the suction pipe, the heating resistor deteriorates with age due to the adhesion of dust etc. thereto as described above.
Thus, there is known a technique as described in a patent document 1(JP-A-63-41644) that a heating resistor is heated at about 100° C. after stopping an engine thereby to burn dust component etc. adhered to the heating resistor.

Heating resistor type fluid flow rate measuring apparatus and control apparatus for internal combustion engine having the measuring apparatus


A scleral plug which releases a drug accurately in a specified amount. The scleral plug is formed from a blend of a high-molecular weight polylactic acid having a molecular weight of 40,000 or higher and a low-molecular weight polylactic acid having a molecular weight of 40,000 or lower, and contains a drug for treating or preventing a vitreoretinal disease. The high-molecular weight polylactic acid and the low-molecular weight polylactic acid are in a blending ratio of preferably 90/10 to 50/50, more preferably 90/10 to 70/30, and most preferably 80/20. The molecular weight of the high-molecular weight polylactic acid is preferably 40,000 to 200,000. The molecular weight of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid is preferably 3,000 to 40,000, and more preferably 5,000 to 20,000. The drug is, for example, an antiulcer agent, an antiviral agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, an antifungal agent or an antimicrobial.

The present invention relates to a scleral plug made from a novel composition with a view to treating or preventing vitreoreti disorders.
Intraocular diseases such as diseases of a retina or vitreous body are often intractable, and a development of an effective treatment method is eagerly desired Though ocular diseases are most generally treated by installation of drugs, the drugs are hardly delivered to the in tissues such as a retina and vitreous body, rendering the treatment of the intraocular diseases all the more difficult. An attempt was made to treat the diseases by intravenous administration or the like. However, because of a blood-aqueous barrier, it is difficult to allow the drug to be delivered to attain an effective concentration. A method is known in which the drug is directly injected into the vitreous body. However, injection of a high concentration drug all at once causes damage to intraocular tissues and, moreover, it is not practical to repeat the injection because of the danger of infection and the cumbersomeness of treatment procedure.
In view of this, a scleral plug made of a biodegradable copolymer was devised (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,643). The scleral plug can be easily inserted into a small incision of sclera that is formed at the time of a vitreoretinal surgery. This scleral plug is formed from a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) made of lactic acid units and glycolic acid units, containing a drug, whereby the drug is gradually released into a vitreous body by utilizing the biodegradation of the copolymer in order to treat the vitreoretinal diseases.
The scleral plug is inserted into the small scleral incision formed at the time of the vitreoretinal surgery. The scleral plug needs to be strong enough not to break or chip by manipulation with tweezers during surgery. Moreover, the scleral plug needs to have properties to release a drug gradually during the desired period of time for treatment and to be degraded in ocular tissues and absorbed in the tissues afterwards. U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,643 discloses that he scleral plug is preferred to have a molecular weight (weight-average) of the copolymer of 10,000 to 1,000,000 and proposes that lactic acid and glycolic acid are used in an appropriate copolymenzation ratio making the most of both characteristics. However, there was still room for improvement in the scleral plug made from the poly(lactide-co-glycolide) in terms of the sustained drug release. Namely, when the drug is required to be gradually released over a long period of time, a hydrolysis rate of the plug is designed to be slow. Accordingly, the resulting oligomers and monomers owing to the hydrolysis are not released out of matrix smoothly, and they are gradually accumulating in the matrix. Consequently, it is feared that the inner osmotic pressure increases gradually and the drug is released at a time accompanied by disintegration of the plug. Accordingly, it is not easy to release the drug accurately in a constant amount to the end, and improvement of the plug was required
As a result of precise studies of improvement of this scleral plug, the present inventors found that the above-mentioned problem can be solved by combining a high-molecular weight polylactic acid with a low-molecular weight polylactic acid in a suitable ratio and blending them.
The scleral plug is characterized by being formed from a blend of the high-molecular weight polylactic acid and the low-molecular weight polylactic acid First, the low-molecular weight polylactic acid, which is apt to be hydrolyzed, degrades in vivo gradually and begins to release a drug gradually, and the whole plug changes into porous structure gradually. Next, the high-molecular weight polylactic acid, which is hardly hydrolyzed, degrades gradually. The release of the drug can be controlled to be constant until the plug disintegrates, since the resulting oligomers and monomers owing to hydrolysis are smoothly released through the porous structure out of matrix.
The high-molecular weight polylactic acid means polylactic acid having a molecular weight (weight-average, the same definition is applied hereinafter) of 40,000 or higher. The low-molecular weight polylactic acid means polylactic acid having a molecular weight of 40,000 or lower. However, polylactic acid having a mole weight of 40,000 is not used as the high-molecular weight polylactic acid and the low-molecular weight polylactic acid at the same time. It is not particularly necessary to define the upper limit of the molecular weight of the high-molecular weigh polylactic acid, but the molecular weight is practically 1,000,000 or lower, considering a releasing period of the drug, that is, a degradation rate of the plug. The lower limit of the molecular weight of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid is not also particularly limited, but the molecular weight is practically 3,000 or higher, considering a releasing rate of the drug. The release of the drug can be controlled by appropriately selecting each molecular weight of the high-molecular weight polylactic acid and the low-molecular weight polylactic acid used, and a blending ratio thereof.
When it is necessary to release the drug over a long period of time, the scleral plug of the present invention is particularly suitably used. The releasing period can be determined mainly on the basis of the molecular weight of the high-molecular weight polylactic acid used. For example, when a high-molecular weight polylactic acid having a molecular weight of 100,000 to 200,000 is used as a major component, the releasing period can be adjusted to about half a year to one year. When a high-molecular weight polylactic acid having a molecular weight of 40,000 to 100,000 is used as a major component, the releasing period can be adjusted to about several weeks to half a year When a high-molecular weight polylactic acid having a molecular weight of 200,000 or higher is wed, the plug can have longer-term releasing persistence. The molecular weight of the high-molecular weight polylactic acid is selected considering a possible content and an effective concentration of the drug
A main role of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid is to make the plug porous and to control the release amount of the drug to be constant. This effect depends on mainly a blending ratio of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid When the blending ratio of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid is too high, an initial releasing rate of the drug is high, and it is difficult to keep the release of the drug constant over a long period of time. On the contrary, when the blending ratio is too low, it is feared that the porous structure is not formed well, the resulting oligomers and the monomers owing to the hydrolysis arc not released smoothly, the plug decomposes at a time in a final stage of the release of the drugs, and the drug is also released at a time. Accordingly, the blending ratio of the high-molecular weight polylactic acid and the low-molecular weight polylactic acid is usually about 90110 to about 50150, preferably about 90/10 to about 70/30, most preferably about 80120.
The releasing period of the drug and an amount of the drug to be released are basically controlled to be constant by the molecular weight of the high-molecular weight polylactic acid and the blending ratio of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid. However, the releasing period of the drug depends on the molecular weight of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid, too. When the molecular weight of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid is decreased, the releasing rate of the drug becomes a little MO. On the contrary, when the molecular weight is increased, the releasing rate of the drug becomes a little low. Accordingly, the molecular weight of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid adjusts the releasing period finely. The molecular weight of the low-molecular weight polylactic acid can appropriately be changed depending on the desired releasing period. The molecular weight is selected usually in the range of 3,000 to 40,000, more preferably in the range of 5,000 to 20,000.
As regards physical strength, which is a requirement of the scleral plug, the molecular weight of the polymer can be 10,000 or higher. When the high-molecular weight polylactic acid having the molecular weight of 40,000 or higher is used as a major component like the present invention, the scleral plug maintains sufficient strength.
The polylactic acid can be a DL-, L- or D-form, and it is preferable to use the DL- or L-form.
The scleral plug can have essentially the same shape and size as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,643, that is, a nail-like shape comprising a head portion and a shaft portion. The end of the shaft portion can be formed in an acute-angled shape.
The scleral plug is used for treatment or prevention of various vitreoretinal diseases. Examples of specific diseases are viral or bacterial infections, proliferative vitreoretinopathy accompanied by proliferation of new blood vessels or real cells, retinal hemorrhage, retinal detachment or retinoblastoma due to various causes or the like. The drug to be contained in the scleral plug is not limited and can be selected depending on the diseases. For example, for treatment of viral infections, antiviral agents such as ganciclovir are used. Doxorubicin hydrochloride, etc. are used for treating proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Content of the drug can appropriately be adjusted depending on the kinds, the necessary effective concentrations and the releasing periods of the drug, symptoms, etc. For example, the Content of ganciclovir is usually 1 to 4 mg, preferably 1.5 to 2.5 mg. The weight of the scleral plug of the present invention is about 8 to 10 mg, and the drug content is determined considering balance of a sustained release effect and an amount required for the treatment.
A plurality of the scleral plugs of the present invention can be used simultaneously. When the scleral plug becomes unable to maintain the effective concentration of the drug, it can be replaced with a new one.
Particular techniques are not required for producing the scleral plug of the present invention For example, the scleral plug is obtained by dissolving the high-molecular weight polylactic acid, the low-molecular weight polylactic acid and the drug in a certain amount of a solvent such as acetic acid, lyophilizing the solution and then forming plugs out of the obtained powder


The present invention discloses a method of fabricating a flash memory device. In the present invention, since the dielectric film formed in the memory cell region is only exposed to the cleaning solution which is used in cleaning process preformed after removing the dielectric film formed in the low voltage transistor region, the number of damages applied to the dielectric film can be minimized, therefore, a good dielectric film can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a flash memory device, and more particularly to a method of fabricating a flash memory device which can minimize damage of a dielectric film in the process of forming a high voltage transistor and a low voltage transistor having gate electrode consisted of a polysilicon layer and a silicide layer.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in a memory device, a gate electrode must have a two-layer structure of a polysilicon layer and a silicide layer for realizing a high programming and an erasure operations, and also a low voltage transistor having a gate oxide film with a thickness of 30 to 150 .ANG. and a high voltage transistor having a gate oxide film with a thickness of 150 to 300 .ANG. are formed in the flash EEPROM cell.
Then, a method of fabricating a conventional flash memory device comprising a high voltage and low voltage transistors which have gate electrode consisted of a polysilicon layer/a silicide layer, respectively, will be explained below in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1A through 1L are sectional views for illustrating step by step a method of fabricating a conventional flash memory device.
An oxide film 3 is formed on a silicon substrate 1 which is divided into a memory cell region A, a high voltage transistor region B and a low voltage transistor region C by field oxide films 2 (FIG. 1A).
The oxide film 3 in a memory cell region A is removed so that the silicon substrate 1 in the memory cell region A is exposed (FIG. 1B). A tunnel oxide film 4 is formed in the memory cell region A, a first polysilicon layer 5 is then formed on the entire structure including the field oxide films 2 (FIG. 1C). Then, the first polysilicon layer 5 formed on the high voltage and the low voltage transistors regions B and C is removed, therefore, the first polysilicon layer 5 on the tunnel oxide film 4 is remained (FIG. 1D).
A dielectric film 6 having ONO structure of a lower oxide film 6A, a nitride film 6B and a upper oxide film 6C is formed on the entire structure including the field oxide layers 2 (FIG. 1E). And then, the dielectric film 6 formed in the high voltage and the low voltage transistor regions B and C is selectively removed, and the first cleaning process is performed (FIG. 1F). Then, ions are injected in the high voltage and the low voltage transistors B and C and the second cleaning process is performed. The oxide film 3 formed in the high voltage and the low voltage transistors B and C is removed by use of HF (FIG. 1G). At this time, as can be seen from FIG. 1G, the upper oxide film 6C of the dielectric layer 6 formed in the memory cell region A is also removed in the process of removing the oxide film 3 by use of HF.
An then, a middle oxide film 6D is formed on the entire structure except for the field oxide films 2 (FIG. 1H), the middle oxide film 6D formed in the memory cell region A and the ow voltage transistor region C is removed and the third cleaning process is performed (FIG. 1I). During the third cleaning process, the nitride film 6B of the dielectric film 6 formed in the memory cell region A is damaged.
Then, a gate oxide film 7 is formed in the low voltage transistor region C. At this time, an upper oxide film 6C is formed again on the nitride film 6B, therefore, the dielectric film 6 having an ONO structure is formed in the memory cell region A.
A second polysilicon layer 8 and a silicide layer 9 are sequentially formed on the entire structure including the field oxide film 2 (FIG. 1K), the second polysilicon layer 8 and the silicide layer 9 are patterned so gate electrodes 10B and 10C are formed in the high voltage and the low voltage transistors B and C (FIG. 1L). A gate electrode 10A is formed in the active region of the memory cell region A by patterning process.
As described above, in the process of forming the gate electrodes 10A, 10B and 10C in the memory cell region A, the high voltage transistor region B and the low voltage transistor region C, respectively, the dielectric film 6 formed in the memory cell region A is damaged by cleaning solutions which is used for the cleaning processes. Therefore, the characteristic of the device is degraded.

Method of fabricating a flash memory device

Hyundai Electronics Industries, Co., Ltd.


A switched mode assisted linear (SMAL) amplifier/regulator architecture can be configured to supply regulated power to a dynamic load, such as an RF power amplifier. Embodiments of a SMAL regulator can include a linear amplifier and a switched mode converter parallel coupled at a supply node, and configured such that the amplifier sets load voltage, while the amplifier and the switched converter are cooperatively controlled to supply load current. The amplifier can include separate feedback loops: an external relatively lower speed feedback loop for controlling signal path bandwidth, and an internal relatively higher speed feedback loop for controlling output impedance bandwidth of the linear amplifier. The linear amplifier can be AC coupled to the supply node, and the switched converter can be configured with a capacitive charge control loop that controls the switched converter to effectively control the amplifier to provide capacitive charge control.

1. Technical Field
This Patent Disclosure relates generally to hybrid or composite amplifier/regulator architectures that combine a switched mode amplifier/regulator and a linear amplifier/regulator, also referred to as a linear assisted switched mode or a switched mode assisted linear architectures.
2. Related Art
In one application for hybrid architectures, a hybrid regulator includes a switched mode converter (or switched converter) and a linear amplifier coupled in parallel at a power output node, and cooperatively controlled to supply regulated load voltage and load current. In such hybrid regulators, the higher bandwidth but less efficient linear amplifier supplies the higher frequency content of the output power, while the more efficient but lower bandwidth switched converter provides the lower frequency content.
One application for a hybrid regulator is as an envelope modulated power supply for an RF (radio frequency) power amplifier (PA). Envelope modulation/tracking improves power amplification efficiency for high peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) signals such as typical of mobile RF communications—envelope modulated regulators dynamically control the RF PA supply voltage, tracking PA output power variations/requirements.
Design parameters for an envelope modulated/tracking power supply include noise, distortion and bandwidth. Noise and distortion generated by the envelope modulator and injected into the PA supply pin will transfer to the PA output spectrum. Envelope modulator bandwidth will typically be significantly higher than the baseband signal bandwidth. For hybrid regulator architectures, a significant noise source is switching noise from the switched mode converter, and an important design criteria is to reduce small signal output impedance of the linear amplifier over the operational bandwidth of the envelope modulator (the output impedance bandwidth).
Hybrid regulators can be configured with the linear amplifier AC coupled to the power output node. The linear amplifier is only required to supply AC content of the load voltage—the DC average voltage at the output of the regulator is maintained on the AC coupling (DC-decoupling) capacitor.
While this Background information is presented in the context of regulated power supplies for power amplifier applications, this Patent Disclosure is not limited to such applications, but is more generally directed to hybrid architectures that include a switched mode converter and a linear amplifier.

Switched mode assisted linear regulator with decoupled output impedance and signal path bandwidth


A galvanometer mirror rotates in one direction when the galvanometer mirror is used. A spot can be scanned on an irradiated surface at a more constant speed by rotating the galvanometer mirror and by using the inertia. Moreover, it is preferable to make the galvanometer mirror heavy because the inertia becomes higher so that the spot is scanned at a more constant speed. In addition, in a polygon mirror of this invention, mirrors are arranged so as not to contact each other because a change time of the scanning position between the mirrors is provided. By moving the irradiated object with timing together when the laser light is not irradiated, the laser process can be performed efficiently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a beam irradiation apparatus and a beam irradiation method. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor using the apparatus and the method.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, a research has been conducted concerning a thin film transistor having a channel-forming region in a poly-crystalline semiconductor film (hereinafter this thin film transistor is referred to as a poly-crystalline TFT) as a semiconductor element in a display device, an integrated circuit, or the like. With the development of the display device and the integrated circuit, further enhancement of the characteristic of the poly-crystalline TFT has been demanded.
Consequently, as one means to obtain the poly-crystalline TFT, a laser irradiation apparatus including a continuous wave laser and means for scanning a laser beam (also referred to as laser light) is used to crystallize the semiconductor film. (For example, refer to a patent document 1)
Moreover, a galvanometer mirror (refer to a patent document 2) or a polygon mirror (refer to a patent document 3) is often used as the means for scanning the laser light. This is because the galvanometer mirror and the polygon mirror can increase the scanning speed easily. This can reduce the burden on the apparatus.
FIG. 7 shows a structure of a conventional galvanometer mirror. Laser light 72 emitted from a laser light oscillator 71 is reflected by a galvanometer mirror 73 and a spot (irradiated region) 75 is formed on an irradiated object 74. The laser irradiation process is performed in such a way that the spot 75 is scanned on the irradiated object by vibrating the galvanometer mirror 73 at amplitude of vibration 76. The laser light is irradiated to the irradiated object in accordance with the amplitude of vibration of the galvanometer mirror shown in FIG. 7.
In addition, in the case of the polygon mirror, the laser light is irradiated to the irradiated object by rotating a plurality of mirrors provided so as to contact.
Patent document 1
    Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-86505Patent document 2    Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-86507Patent document 3    Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-45890

Beam irradiation apparatus, beam irradiation method, and method for manufacturing a thin film transistor


A stop lamp switch abnormality detecting device includes a stop lamp switch which is turned on and off in conjunction with ON operation and OFF operation of a brake pedal so as to switch a lighting state of a stop lamp; a control determining unit which determines whether a vehicle is suddenly steered; and a control selecting unit which determines whether the stop lamp switch is abnormal based on a state of the stop lamp switch and a determination result of the control determining unit, wherein the control selecting unit determines that the stop lamp switch is abnormal when it is determined that the stop lamp switch is maintained in an ON state at the time the control determining unit determines that the sudden steering operation is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stop lamp switch abnormality detecting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle which travels along a general road is equipped with a stop lamp which is turned on in accordance with a brake operation as an operation of stepping on a brake pedal to brake the vehicle. The stop lamp is connected to a stop lamp switch which is turned on and off in accordance with the operation of the brake pedal. In this way, the stop lamp switch which turns on and off the stop lamp may be used for a purpose other than the case of selecting the lighting state of the stop lamp. For example, the stop lamp switch may be used to detect the state of the vehicle.
However, when the stop lamp switch is abnormal, the detection is not also appropriately performed. For this reason, there is known a vehicle which detects the abnormality of a stop lamp switch. For example, a stop lamp switch abnormality detecting device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-80414 detects a state of a stop lamp switch while a vehicle travels and determines that the stop lamp switch is abnormal when the ON state of the stop lamp switch is maintained in the case where a vehicle wheel speed repeatedly increases and decreases a predetermined number of times.
Here, there is also known a driver who normally operates a plurality of pedals by both foots among various kinds of drivers who drive the vehicle. For this reason, a certain driver may have a habit of normally placing a foot on a brake pedal. The driver who has this habit may step on the brake pedal without a thought, and hence there is a possibility that the stop lamp switch is normally turned on in the vehicle traveling state regardless of the intension of stopping the vehicle. In this case, since the vehicle speed repeatedly increases and decreases a predetermined number of times while the stop lamp switch is maintained in an ON state, there is a concern that an erroneous determination for the abnormality may be made even when there is no abnormality in the stop lamp switch.

Stop lamp switch abnormality detecting device


An endotracheal tube holding and securing device is adjusted using a strap including mating hook and loop type fastener pads, such as sold under the TM VELCRO to hold an endotracheal tube in place after intubation has been performed. The endotracheal tube holder includes two identical hook-shaped members each having a hook portion. One hook-shaped member is inverted, superimposed and slidably connected to the second hook-shaped member. In this orientation, the curved faces of the hook-shaped members form a "C" shaped gripper used for holding the endotracheal tube. The hook and loop covered nylon strap is attached at the end of each hook-shaped member distant from the hook portion. The nylon strap is used both to secure the endotracheal tube holder to the patient's face and to apply a force at the end of each hook-shaped member that causes each member to slide in the direction of the applied force, causing the tube to be firmly gripped between the two curved faces of the two hook portions.

This invention relates to an endotracheal tube holder and more particularly to a new and improved endotracheal tube holder suitable for use to assist the healthcare provider in holding and securing an endotracheal tube once intubation has been performed.
More particularly endotracheal tubes are commonly used by healthcare providers for providing an unobstructed passageway to facilitate breathing. The endotracheal tube is inserted into the patient's mouth and trachea in a process called intubation. It is very important that the endotrachial tube be securely maintained in this position during the entire period of use. Additionally, it may be necessary to insert endotracheal tubes under emergency conditions where time is of the essence.
Various devices exist which are designed to secure an endotracheal tube. U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,811 shows a disposable clamp for holding an endotracheal tube or the like that comprises a pair of superimposed wafer-like clamping members formed with complementary cut-away portions to define an aperture for receiving the tube. One problem with this device is that time is wasted assembling the interlocking clamp members around the tube. Additionally, once assembled, the clamping members can be separated only by breaking one of the clamping members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,813 to Young shows an endotracheal tube holder comprising a pair of identical curved, plate-like hooking members and an interconnecting attachment band. Each of the hooking members has a dogleg opening for receiving and engaging the endotracheal tube when the hooking members are overlapped in position over the patient's mouth. Following intubation, the first hooking element is placed over the patient's mouth with its dogleg opening engaging the endotracheal tube. Then, the attachment band is pulled around the patient's face and neck and the second hooking element is placed over the patient's mouth with its dogleg opening engaging the endotracheal tube. Finally, a VELCRO patch is secured to a mating Velcro patch on the uppermost hooking element. A disadvantage to this method is that any four step process can become laborious and time consuming under emergency conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,944 to Mischinski shows a holder for an endotracheal tube which is formed from a generally rigid flat bar having a lateral cut-out leaving a reduced flexible neck connecting the remaining bar portions together for relative swinging about an axis through the neck, the cut being configured to conformably receive and circumferentially clamp about a received tube. Additionally, one side edge of the bar being provided on respective bar portions with a releasably interengageable catch and a latch which automatically snap into interengagement upon relative swinging movement of the bar portions.
Additional references that may have some relevance are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,819,390 to Seager, 2,908,269 to Cheng, 3,302,968 to Bleiman et al., 4,313,437 to Martin, 4,331,144 to Wapner and 5,026,352 to Anderson.
It is therefore desirable to have an endotracheal tube holder that is generally uncomplicated to use and can be applied quickly and easily in emergency situations.

Endotracheal tube holding and securing device


A terminal connecting part has: a low temperature container filled with a cooling medium; a conductor current lead which has one end immersed in the cooling medium and the other end led to a normal temperature part; and a conductor movable connecting terminal which electrically connects a superconductive conductor layer and the conductor current lead of a superconducting cable. The superconductive conductor layer of the superconducting cable stripped stepwise from a front end is connected to the conductor current lead through the conductor movable connecting terminal. The cable core of the superconducting cable is movable in a longitudinal direction and is rotatable in a circumferential direction while maintaining electrical connection between the superconductive conductor layer and the conductor current lead. The cable core is horizontally supported in the low temperature container.

Conventionally, there has been a known superconducting cable using a superconducting wire that can be in a superconducting state at cryogenic temperatures as a conductor. A superconducting cable is expected as a power cable capable of transmitting a large current with low loss, and has been developed for the practical use.
An example of a superconducting cable is illustrated in FIG. 2. A superconducting cable 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a single-core superconducting cable, in which a cable core 11 as the single core is housed in a thermal insulation tube 12.
The cable core 11 is composed of a former 111, superconductive conductor layers 112, an electric insulating layer 113, superconducting shield layers 114, a normal conducting shield layer 115, a protecting layer 116, and the like. The superconductive conductor layers 112 are formed by winding a plurality of superconducting wire materials spirally on the former 111. Similarly, the superconducting shield layers 114 are formed by winding a plurality of superconducting wire materials spirally on the electric insulating layer 113.
Each of superconducting wire materials for forming the layers 112 and the superconducting shield layers 114 has a laminated structure obtained by forming an intermediate layer, a superconducting layer, a protecting layer in this order on a tape-shaped metal substrate, for example. As a superconductor for forming the superconducting layer may be a RE-based superconductor (RE: rare earth element) showing superconductivity at a liquid nitrogen temperature (−196° C. in the atmospheric pressure) or more, for example. An yttrium-based superconductor (Y-based superconductor, hereinafter) expressed as the chemical formula YBa2Cu3O7-y is especially typical.
The thermal insulation tube 12 has a double tube structure constituted of an internal tube 121 and an external tube 122. Between the internal tube 121 and the external tube 122, a multilayer thermal insulator (Super Insulation) 123 is interposed and vacuumed. In addition, the outer periphery of the external tube 122 is covered by a corrosion-resistant layer 124 of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, or the like.
During a steady operation of the superconducting cable 10, a cooling medium such as liquid nitrogen is circulated inside the internal tube 121, and thus transmitted electric current flows into the superconductive conductor layers 112 at a very low temperature.
At such a portion at which the superconducting cable 10 and a practical system such as a power device are connected, terminal processing is applied using a terminal connecting part. In the terminal connecting part, an end of the superconducting cable 10 is housed in a low temperature container which serves as a low temperature part, and is connected to the practical system which serves as a normal temperature part through a current lead.
The superconducting cable 10 is cooled from the normal temperature to a liquid nitrogen temperature or is heated from the liquid nitrogen temperature to the normal temperature upon assembly or maintenance. It is known that, under such a heat cycle, the cable core 11 thermally expands and contracts at about 0.3% of the length of the superconducting cable.
In the terminal connecting part, when the cable core 11 is connected to the current lead and has difficulty in moving in a longitudinal direction, when the cable core 11 thermally expands and contracts, a local stress applies to the superconducting cable 10. Further, buckling occurs in superconducting wire materials forming the superconductive conductor layers 112 and the superconducting shield layers 114, and performance of the superconducting cable 10 significantly decreases.
Hence, Patent Literature 1 discloses absorbing thermal expansion and contraction by connecting superconductive conductor layers and current leads using connecting terminals such as braided wires having flexibility (flexible connecting terminal). Further, a technique has been proposed which absorbs thermal expansion and contraction of a cable core by providing an offset to a superconducting cable in a terminal connecting part or allowing the terminal connecting part to slide in the longitudinal direction of the superconducting cable.
A terminal device of another conventional superconducting cable prevents occurrence of a local stress of a superconducting cable due to thermal expansion and contraction by providing a rail which allows a low temperature container which houses a terminal of the superconducting cable to move along an extension line of the superconducting cable and a driving motor which moves the low temperature container along the rail, and controlling movement of the low temperature container according to thermal expansion and contraction of the superconducting cable (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).
Still further, the terminal device of another superconducting cable absorbs thermal expansion and contraction by connecting superconductive conductor layers and current leads using connecting terminals such as braided wires having flexibility (flexible connecting terminal) (see, for example, Patent Literature 3).
Moreover, a terminal device of still another superconducting cable absorbs thermal expansion and contraction of a lead conductor by vertically dividing the lead conductor which is connected to a terminal of the superconductive conductor of the superconducting power transmission cable through a virtually L-shaped flexible conductor and which is led in a vertical direction, and forming a socket in a coupling part of one of the two divided lead conductors and allowing the other coupling part to be inserted in the socket along the vertical direction and to slide inside the socket (see, for example, Patent Literature 4).

Terminal connecting part of superconducting cable


An environmentally improved rearview mirror assembly is provided which incorporates a reflective element with variable reflectance. In one embodiment, the environmentally improved rearview mirror assembly is substantially free of cadmium (Cd). In another embodiment, the environmentally improved rearview mirror assembly is substantially free of lead (Pb). In yet another embodiment, the environmentally improved rearview mirror assembly is substantially free of mercury (Hg). In a further embodiment, the environmentally improved rearview mirror assembly is substantially free of poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC). In yet a further embodiment, the environmentally improved rearview mirror assembly is substantially free of halogen producing chemicals such as bromine (Br).

Rearview mirrors have long been incorporated into vehicles for providing the controlled vehicle operator with a generally rearward view of the controlled vehicle while the operator's vision is generally directed toward the front windshield of the controlled vehicle. Rearview mirrors are often times mounted inside and outside the vehicle. Typically, one rearview mirror is mounted in the upper, center, area of the front windshield inside the vehicle. A second rearview mirror is typically mounted in the lower, forward, area of the driver's side window outside the vehicle. It is common to have a third rearview mirror mounted in the lower, forward, area of the passenger side window, also outside the vehicle.
Recently, variable reflectance, reflective elements have been incorporated into both the inside and, more recently, into the outside rearview mirrors of vehicles. Variable reflectance mirrors sense ambient and, or, glare light levels and automatically vary the reflectance of the given reflective element to prevent the eyes of the operator of the controlled vehicle from being subjected to high levels of reflected light. The headlights of trailing vehicles and the sun, while near the horizon behind the controlled vehicle, are two common sources of "glare" light. One inherent benefit of variable reflectance rearview mirrors, related to nighttime driving, is that headlights of trailing vehicles are sensed by the associated automatic mirror control and the reflectance is automatically adjusted to minimize the glare imposed upon the eyes of the operator of the controlled vehicle while maximizing rear vision.
Devices of reversibly variable transmittance to electromagnetic radiation, wherein the transmittance is altered by electrochromic means, are described, for example, by Chang, "Electrochromic and Electrochemichromic Materials and Phenomena," in Non-emissive Electrooptic Displays, A. Kmetz and K. von Willisen, eds. Plenum Press, New York, N.Y. 1976, pp. 155–196 (1976) and in various parts of Eletrochromism, P. M. S. Monk, R. J. Mortimer, D. R. Rosseinsky, VCH Publishers, Inc., New York, N.Y. (1995). Numerous electrochromic devices are known in the art. See, e.g., Manos, U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,741; Bredfeldt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,358; Clecak et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,276; Kissa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,038; Rogers, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,652,149, 3,774,988 and 3,873,185; and Jones et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,282,157, 3,282,158, 3,282,160 and 3,283,656.
In addition to these devices there are commercially available electrochromic devices and associated circuitry, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,108, entitled "Single-Compartment, Self-Erasing, Solution-Phase Electrochromic Devices Solutions for Use Therein, and Uses Thereof", issued Feb. 20, 1990 to H. J. Byker; Canadian Patent No. 1,300,945, entitled "Automatic Rearview Mirror System for Automotive Vehicles", issued May 19, 1992 to J. H. Bechtel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,799, entitled "Variable Reflectance Motor Vehicle Mirror", issued Jul. 7, 1992 to H. J. Byker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,787, entitled "Electro-Optic Device", issued Apr. 13, 1993 to H. J. Byker et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,778, entitled "Control System For Automatic Rearview Mirrors", issued Apr. 20, 1993 to J. H. Bechtel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,822, entitled "Electronic Control System", issued Sep. 19, 1995 to J. H. Bechtel et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,328, entitled "Automatic Dimming Mirror using Semiconductor Light Sensor with Integral Charge Collection," issued Jul. 11, 2002 to Bechtel et al. Each of these patents is commonly assigned with the present invention and the disclosures of each, including the references contained therein, are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. Such electrochromic devices may be utilized in a fully integrated inside/outside rearview mirror system or as separate inside or outside rearview mirror systems.
With the increased numbers of variable reflectance mirrors being used, there is a correspondingly increased desire to provide an environmentally improved variable reflectance mirror design. Millions of mirrors are being produced annually that incorporate variable reflectance elements with the above mentioned components.
Known variable reflectance mirrors incorporate photo cells for sensing the ambient and glare light. Most commonly used photo cells comprise a cadmium-based material as the active medium for sensing optical radiation. The output of the photo cell is incorporated into an associated automatic mirror control. It is common for variable reflectance mirrors to incorporate one photo cell for sensing ambient light and a second cell for sensing glare light. Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) and Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) are two commonly used materials in photo cells.
Additionally, it has been common practice to treat various components within mirrors with Cadmium to prevent corrosion. Particularly, with regard to mirrors installed outside the vehicle, corrosion prevention is preferred.
Typical control circuitry for use with a variable reflectance mirror element incorporates lead-based solder for interconnection of the various electrical components including connection of the photo cells. It is common to use a printed circuit board for mounting the individual electrical components.
Bromine (Br) is commonly added to printed circuit boards in the form of tetrabromo-bisphenol A (TBBPA) as a flame-retardant. When involved in a fire, TBBPA produces toxic and corrosive gases such as halide gases and halogen. Brominated epoxy resin exhibits high flame retardancy. However, it generates noxious hydrogen bromide, polybromine dibenzofurans, and polybromine dibenzodoxins when burned. Moreover, antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), a synergist commonly used in combination with brominated epoxy resin has recently been labeled as a suspected carcinogen.
It is also common for the reflective elements in a mirror, variably reflective or not, to incorporate a lead-based paint on at least one surface of the associated substrates. Use of a protective coat of lead-based paint enhances the long-term reflective clarity and the durability of reflective elements. Typically, silver (Ag), or a silver alloy, is used as a reflective coating on a piece of glass to derive the reflective characteristic of a mirror. Without the lead-based paint coating over the silver, oxidation will cause degradation of the silver coating.
It is common for inside rearview mirrors to comprise switches and push buttons for human interaction. The switches and push buttons provide a host of control features such as map lights, telematic functions, compass readings, temperature readings, etc. Mercury (Hg) containing switches are commonly used in electrical circuitry.
Typically, the reflective element and associated control circuitry, circuit boards and pushbutton switches are incorporated into a mirror housing with a bezel defining an opening for viewing the reflective element. It is common for the housing and bezel to be molded from a poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC) material.
Cadmium (Cd) is a known cancer-causing agent. Lead (Pb) is known to produce undesirable effects in humans. Bromine (Br) containing printed circuit boards are known to produce halide gasses, such as halogen, during the manufacture of related electrical circuits and in the event of circuit board fires. Mercury (Hg) has been well identified as an environmentally damaging material. Poly-vinyl-chloride is also known to be harmful to the environment when discarded.
Many automotive manufactures, suppliers and consumers have become more environmentally conscious and responsible. Additionally, there are more environmental regulations that require products to be environmentally improved. Therefore, there remains a need in the art of vehicle rearview mirrors for a variable reflectance mirror assembly that is environmentally improved.

Environmentally improved rearview mirror assembly