A non-hygroscopic icing composition is disclosed. The icing comprises sugar, fat and an emulsifier as the main components, wherein 80% by weight or more of said sugar is particles passing through a 63 .mu.m mesh size sieve and 40% by weight or more of said sugar is particles having a size of from 32 .mu.m to 63 .mu.m and the sugar content in the icing is 50% by weight or more.

It is needed that an icing, which is a common name of sugar coating, satisfies various requirements, for example, improving the eye-appeal of a baked product by imparting a fine texture and a good gloss and having a high spreadability, a high resistance to moisture and a good mouth feel (taste). There are a number of icings. A typical example thereof is so-called flat icings which have been neither creamed or whipped. These flat icings are called in various names (for example, Glace, Fondant and Chocolate Icing) depending on the purpose. They are frequently used for coating pastries and doughnuts. In addition, there are many icings containing fresh cream, margarine, shortening or butter. Further aerated ones such as butter cream, whipped cream, garnish, meringue, marshmallow, nougat and marzipan may be cited by way of example.
A typical icing for coating baked goods, such as bread and cakes, may be prepared by adding small amount of syrup and water to sucrose, heating the mixture to 106.degree. to 107.degree. C. followed by cooling and vigorously grinding the supersaturated solution thus obtained to thereby form microcrystals of sucrose. In this icing, the microcrystals of sucrose are coated with the syrup. An icing called Fondant generally falls within this type.
However, when baked goods are coated with such a conventional icing as described above and then packaged in a sack, the icing is subjected to deliquescence due to its hygroscopicity and moisture content in the baked goods would migrate into the icing, resulting in the dissolution of the sucrose crystals in the icing with a lapse of time. As a result, the white icing becomes transparent and tacky, thus causing "dissolution of icing", which seriously deteriorates the appearance and handling characteristics of the products and damages the commercial value thereof.
Although there has been attempted to add fats and emulsifiers to icings to relieve the dissolution of icing and surface tackiness, these problems cannot be solved thereby.
On the other hand, there has been known a method for preventing dissolution of sucrose in a chocolate icing by coating sucrose crystals with a fat. More particularly, this method comprises mixing sucrose, fat and an emulsifier and finely grinding sucrose crystals with a triple roll mill in such a manner as to give a particle size of approximately 20 .mu.m. When the icing contains 60 wt % or more of sugar and 40 wt % or less of fat, however, the flowability of the icing is lowered even though heating to 70.degree. C. and thus the handling characteristics such as spreadability of the product are deteriorated. Although the flowability may be improved by elevating the fat content, there is a risk in this case that an intense fat taste and a waxy mouth feel become noticeable and thus the sweetness is masked.
Accordingly, there has been required to develop an icing which contains a large amount of sugar and a small amount of fat and has a high flowability upon heating.
Attempts have been made to reduce the hygroscopicity of an icing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,688 has proposed to add malto-dextrin as a stabilizer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,155 has proposed to replace some portion of sucrose with a dextrose powder; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,601 has proposed to add vegetable starch and powdered whey mixed with a high melting point fat. However, these attempts have not yet been sufficient.


The invention relates to a physiologically acceptable composition, especially a cosmetic composition, comprising at least one polar modified polymer, as well as to methods of using such compositions.

Many cosmetic compositions, including pigmented cosmetics such as foundations, concealers, lipsticks, and mascaras, and other cosmetic and sunscreen compositions, have been developed for longer wear and transfer resistance properties. This is generally accomplished by the use of compositions that form a film after application. Such compositions generally contain volatile solvents, which evaporate on contact with the skin or other keratinous tissue, leaving behind a layer comprising waxes and/or resins, pigments, fillers, and actives. However, these compositions tend to be uncomfortable for the wearer as the composition remains on the skin or other keratinous tissue as a brittle or non-flexible film. Such compositions may not be pliable or soft, and they may not be comfortable to wear. Furthermore, such compositions have a tendency to be tacky, resulting in poor application, spreadability and wear characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,455 discloses water-soluble reaction products of polyamines and C6 olefin/maleic anhydride copolymers. Because these compositions are water-soluble, addition of water to such reaction products renders the products unsuitable for applications requiring water-insolubility. For example, such reaction products are unsuitable for use as a solid carrier containing colorant (for example, industrial pigments) or active agents (for example, pharmaceuticals) because the reaction product breaks down upon exposure to water.
Thus, there remains a need for improved cosmetic compositions having improved cosmetic properties.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is a care and/or makeup and/or treatment composition for keratinous material such as skin, hair, eyes, eyelashes, nails and/or lips, which is able to address or overcome at least one of the aforementioned problems with the prior art compositions.

Composition containing a polar modified polymer


A lamp device having the ability to produce both a directed illumination for reading and a shaded illumination for general lighting of a room. The preferred embodiment of the lamp device comprises a lamp shade in the form of sunglasses attached to the periphery of a lamp housing. An upright stem is provided having a top end attached to the lamp housing and a bottom end affixed to a base. The lamp housing is disposed within a central cavity defined by translucent frame and temple members comprising the lamp shade. The lamp housing contains a first light pointed in a generally downward direction for the production of a directed illumination. Also within the lamp housing are a plurality of incandescent lights adjacent to the frame and temple members which project light through said members to produce shaded illumination in three directions. The lamp shade is detachable from the lamp housing such that a plurality of lamp shades having different colors and translucence may be used to produce a variety of shaded illuminations. The lamp housing is further detachable from the upright stem such that the lamp housing can be used with different mounting means in a variety of settings.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods which produce either a focused illumination of a specific area for reading or working, or a general illumination of an indeterminate area for general vision. More particularly, this device is especially suited for use as both a reading lamp or a general illumination lamp. However, the present invention also enables the lamp housing and the lamp shade of the device to be used with mounting means other than those directed to a flat surface, and for other purposes which incorporate either of the illumination features, such as a display light or a night light.
(2) Prior Art
Conventional lamps are generally of two types. First, there are those for use as a reading light in which a directed beam (or "directed illumination"), is focused on a specific area to facilitate viewing of reading material or the like. Second, there are lamps, such as ceiling or floor lamps, which provide a general illumination (or "shaded illumination") of a large area for the purpose of enabling one to see what is in the area.
Because both types of lamps are ordinarily needed in the home or office to perform both functions, users of the lamps must purchase at least one of each. After placing both lamps in their respective areas in the home or office, it is common for the user to have both lamps on at the same time so that the user may work at his desk or table while still being able to see around the room. Furthermore, in order to use both lamps simultaneously or otherwise, the user must turn each lamp on or off individually. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a single lamp device which can produce both a directed illumination and a shaded illumination to serve the particular need of the user. It is another object of the invention to provide a lamp device which can supply both types of illumination either simultaneously or alternatively from a single switch.
Within the art of general illumination lamps, the lamp usually comprises a lamp shade placed over a high-wattage bulb attached to the stem or the base of a lamp. For the most common lamps, the lamp shade takes the form of a translucent cylinder attached to the stem of the lamp such that the bulb is centrally located within the cavity of the cylinder. The problem with such a design is that a large proportion of the light produced by the bulb is radiated out of the top and bottom ends of the lamp shade, and not through the translucent portion of the lamp shade to more distant areas of the room. Hence, this design produces very little shaded illumination, but rather reflects direct light from the floor and ceiling, causing the user to hurt his eyes if he looks directly at the lamp shade. In addition, to obtain shaded illumination projected throughout an entire room, the user must consequently use a bulb of more intensity, thus using more electricity than necessary. Therefore, it is another object of the invention to provide a lamp device which projects a larger proportion of light directly through the sides of the lamp shade so as to light up a room with genuine shaded illumination in the form of a soft glow. A further object of the invention is to provide a lamp device which uses lower wattage bulbs to produce the shaded illumination and which will not cause temporary blindness by one looking directly at the lamp shade.
In addition to the above problems, general illumination lamps are further disliked because they normally only produce one type of shaded illumination, that is off-white. It is very difficult to find lamp shades having different shades or colors so that the user can lighten up a room in a different way with a not-so-dull shade or color. Even if this is possible, the user will still have trouble finding lamp shades which have the same style as the lamp itself or which properly fit the lamp or the connection thereto. Hence, it is a further object of the invention to provide a lamp device of the kind described above that may be configured with lamp shades of varying colors and translucence to enable the lamp device to produce any one of a variety of colorful shaded illuminations. In this respect, it is another object of the invention to provide these lamp shades with the ability to emit a neon-like glow to further enhance the color of the shaded illumination and to produce a shaded illumination which is softer on the eyes.
Both of the conventional general illumination lamps and reading lamps are further functionally inhibited by the structure of their bases which are usually designed for placement on flat surfaces. For instance, a normal desk lamp cannot be easily used for reading while in bed, and a general illumination lamp cannot be easily hung on a wall. However, it is an object of the invention to provide a lamp device having a multiplicity of mounting means wherein the lamp housing and the lamp shade may be used in a variety of different settings.


There is provided a damping device for making large a damping force per unit length in an axial direction thereof. The damping device 20 is provided with a motion conversion section 21 for converting a relative linear motion between the two object portions to a rotational motion of a rotation member 30 and a damping section 22 operatively connected to the motion conversion section and adapted to resist the rotational motion of the rotation member. The damping section 22 is formed with the rotation member 30, an inner peripheral side sealing layer 34 disposed on an inner peripheral side of the rotation member 30 and an outer peripheral side sealing layer 33 disposed on an outer peripheral side of the rotation member. The inner and outer peripheral side sealing structure are sealed with viscous medium. Since the inner peripheral side sealing layer 34 and the outer peripheral side sealing layer 33 resist against the rotational motion of the rotation member 30, the damping force per unit length of the rotation member in its axial direction can be made large.

The present invention relates to a damping device to be utilized for a seismic base isolation system or like preventing vibration at an occurrence of an earthquake or like from being transmitted from a base structure to a building structure and for a vibration suppression system or like preventing a multistoried building from being swung itself at an occurrence of an earthquake.
In a prior art, there is known a damping device for seismic base isolation system or vibration suppression system such as shown in FIG. 6 as damping device 1, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. HEI 10-184757. Such damping device 1 is disposed between two object (objective) portions 2a, 2b of a building or like for damping vibration of the object portions 2a, 2b.
With reference to FIG. 6, the damping device 1 is provided with a casing 3, a ball screw mechanism 5 for converting a linear motion between the object portions 2a and 2b to a rotational motion of a cylindrical rotation member 4 and a damping member 6 resisting the rotational motion of the rotation member 4. The ball screw mechanism 5 includes a nut 7 which is supported rotatably by the casing 3 and connected to the rotation member 4. The casing 3 has a base end 3b secured to one 2b of the object portions. The ball screw mechanism 5 includes a screw shaft 8 projecting outward from a front end portion 3a of the casing 3 and fixed to the other one 2a of the object portions.
The damping member 6 accommodates a viscous fluid 9 sealed between an inner peripheral portion of the casing 3 and an outer peripheral portion of the rotation member 4. According to such structure, the relative linear motion between the object portions 2a, 2b is converted to the rotational motion of the rotation member 4 by means of the ball screw mechanism 5, and at this time, the damping member 6 acts to resist the rotational motion of the rotation member 4.
Further, the above Japanese Publication discloses a modified damping device 11 such as shown in FIG. 7. With reference to FIG. 7, the modified damping device 11 is provided, as is similar to the damping device 1 of FIG. 6, with a casing 13, a ball screw mechanism 15 for converting a linear motion between the object portions 2a and 2b to a rotational motion of a cylindrical rotation member 14 and a damping member 16 resisting the rotational motion of the rotation member 14. In this modified damping device 11, differing from the damping device 1 of FIG. 6, a gap W is formed between the front end (lower end as viewed) portion of the cylindrical rotation member 14 and the bottom portion of the casing 13 so that viscous fluid 19 fills not only outside the rotation member 14 but also inside the rotation member 14, and the viscous fluids inside and outside the rotation member 14 are communicated with each other at the inner lower portion of the casing 13.
In the damping devices 1 and 11 of the conventional structures, in order to impart a large damping force (damping power) to the rotational member 4 (14), it is necessary to increase contacting area between the rotation member 4 (14) and the viscous fluid 9 (19). However, in the conventional damping device 1 of FIG. 6, because only the outer peripheral surface of the rotation member 4 contacts the viscous fluid 9, it is difficult to make large the damping force per unit length in the axial direction of the rotation member 4 in its axial direction. In order to obviate such defects and make large the damping force, it becomes necessary to elongate the axial length of the rotation member 4, resulting in increasing of the size of the rotation member 4, i.e., entire damping device 1, providing an inconvenience in production of the damping device.
On the other hand, in the damping device 11 of FIG. 7, since the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the rotation member contact the viscous fluid 19, the contacting area can be made large. However, in this structure, the viscous fluid 19 inside the rotation member 14 is rotated together with the rotation member 14 when rotated, and hence, the viscous fluid 19 inside the rotation member 14 cannot be fully shared. That is, the viscous fluid 19 inside the rotation member 14 cannot perform sufficient resisting function against the rotational motion of the rotation member 14, and as a result, it becomes difficult to make large the damping force per unit length in the axial direction of the rotation member 14, thus also providing a problem.
The present invention was conceived in consideration of the above circumstances in the prior art and aims to provide a damping device capable of making large a damping force per unit length of the damping device in its axial direction.
Hereunder, the present invention will be explained. Further, the description is made by adding reference numerals in the accompanying drawings for the sake of easy understanding of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the shown embodiment.
In order to achieve the above object, the inventors of the subject application provide a damping device (20, 50) for substantially preventing vibration from transmitting or causing between two object portions which comprises a motion conversion section (21) for converting a relative linear motion between object portions to a rotational motion of a rotation member (30) and a damping section (22) resisting the rotational motion of the rotation member (30), wherein the damping section (22) is provided with an inner peripheral side sealing layer (34) disposed on an inner peripheral side of the rotation member (30) and an outer peripheral side sealing layer (33) disposed on an outer peripheral side of the rotation member, the inner peripheral side sealing layer (34) and the outer peripheral side sealing layer (33) being sealed with viscous medium so as to achieve a resisting function against the rotational motion of the rotation member (30). Further, in this aspect, as the motion conversion section, various mechanisms may be utilized as far as they can convert the linear motion to the rotational motion, and for example, ball screw mechanism, screw mechanism having a lead and a rack/pinion mechanism may be utilized.
According to the subject feature of the present invention mentioned above, since the inner peripheral side sealing layer and the outer peripheral side sealing layer contact the rotation member, while resisting the rotational motion of the rotation member, the damping force per unit length of the rotation member in its axial direction can be made large. Further, in the case where a damping force is needed approximately corresponding to that in the conventional damping device, the axial length of the rotation member can be reduced in substantially half length, thus making compact the entire structure of the rotation member, i.e., damping device, in addition to easy manufacturing thereof.
The present invention is further characterized in that the damping section (22) is further provided with an outer cylindrical member (31) disposed outside the rotation member (30) and an inner cylindrical member (32) disposed inside the rotation member (30) and secured to the outer cylindrical member (31), the outer peripheral side sealing layer (33) is arranged between the outer cylindrical member (31) and the rotation member (30) and the inner peripheral side sealing layer (34) is arranged between the rotation member (30) and the inner cylindrical member (32), the inner and outer peripheral side sealing layers (34) and (33) being sectioned from each other.
According to the invention of this aspect, the inner peripheral side sealing layer and the outer peripheral side sealing layer are shared, so that the sealing layers can surely resist the rotational motion of the rotation member. For this reason, the damping force per unit length of the rotation member in its axial direction can be made large. In a case where the inner peripheral side sealing layer and the outer peripheral side sealing layer are communicated with each other, both the layers may adversely influence each other to act to weaken the damping force to the rotation member.
Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the rotation member (30) is supported by the outer cylindrical member (31) and the inner cylindrical member (32) through support means (37, 37, 38, 38). Bearings such as usual bearings, sliding bearings or like may be utilized.
As the factors for influencing the damping force, in addition to the contact area between the viscous fluid and the rotation member 30 as mentioned above, there will be listed up a gap between the rotation member and the outer cylindrical member and a gap between the rotation member and the inner cylindrical member, i.e., the thickness of the sealing layer. As the damping force is in reverse proportion to the thickness of the sealing layer, in order to make large the damping force, it is necessary to reduce the thickness of such sealing layer. In this regard, according to the present invention, since the rotation member is supported by the outer cylindrical member and the inner cylindrical member through supporting means such as radial bearings, respectively, the rotation member is free from the collision with the outer and inner cylindrical members even in the case of small gaps between the rotation member and the outer and inner cylindrical members, respectively. As a result, these gaps can be easily controlled, and moreover, the thickness of the sealing layers can be made small so as to make large the damping force per unit length in the axial direction of the rotation member.
Still furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the motion conversion section (21) is provided with a casing (24) connected to the outer cylindrical member (31), a nut member (25) supported to be rotatable by the casing (24) through a support structure and a screw shaft (26) screwed with the nut member (25), and the rotation member (30) is coupled with the nut member (25).
Further, in the case where the screw mechanism is utilized for the motion conversion means, there is a tendency of increasing the axial length of the damping device due to the screw shaft. According to the present invention, however, since the axial length of the rotation member can be made short, the elongation of the axial length of the damping device can be suppressed even in the utilization of the screw mechanism.


A molded firearm stock is disclosed. The stock includes a molded front sling lug and a molded rear sling lug. Both sling lugs are integrally molded to the stock and accommodate the fastening of a sling. The stock also includes a cavity with an open end that is open to a butt-plate of the stock. The cavity is integrally molded to the stock and is sized to accommodate a recoil-reducing device. The stock has a bed portion with a forward section, and a plurality of crossbeams are in the forward section to provide increased strength and rigidity.

Modern rifles are known to have synthetic stocks that are typically manufactured from injection-molded plastic or a molded fiberglass. As will be appreciated, it is important that such stocks be sufficiently strong and rigid to remain straight when being removed from a mold. Moreover, stock strength and rigidity are important during the cooling of such stocks after removal from the mold. The minimization of bending and drooping during the manufacturing process results in greater consistency of stocks, less waste, and reduced manufacturing and assembly costs.
In addition to strength and rigidity, it is also important that molded rifle stocks be relatively lightweight and well balanced to maximize performance of the rifle. Known molded stocks are typically either solid plastic or feature side-to-side ribbing. Such stocks do not, however, address the above-discussed issues to the extent possible.
Furthermore, rifle slings are often used in conjunction with a rifle stock. Rifle slings are typically secured to an eyelet hole extending from the bottom surface of a rifle stock. Alternatively, slings are attached via a fastener that is drilled into the stock. In either case, additional fabrication steps, such as drilling the stock, are required. Furthermore, additional components, such as an eyelet and fastener, are also required.
Moreover, some firearms such as shotguns have a center bolt cavity to attach the stock, typically made from wood, to the metal receiver of the shotgun. Such cavities are just large enough to accommodate the bolt and the tool used to attach the stock to the receiver. Rifle stocks generally, however, do not include chambers or cavities that can accommodate a center bolt as the receiver is mounted directly into the bed of a unitary stock.
Consequently, a fabricated cavity within the hollow section of a molded rifle stock would, in the past, have been of little interest. Accordingly, there are no rifles with molded stocks having a cavity that can accommodate a recoil-reducing device. Such devices are important and desirable, however, to reduce the forces generated upon discharge of a rifle.
As such there exists a need for a rifle stock with improved strength and rigidity that is lightweight and well balanced. There also exists a need for a molded rifle stock with an integrally molded sling lug and a cavity for a recoil-reducer. The present invention fulfills these needs and more.


A braking system for a combined tractor-trailer assembly wherein a leading trailer is coupled to a towing tractor and a trailing trailer is coupled to the leading trailer. All of the wheels of the trailers are provided with brakes which may be applied and released in response to the operation of a brake control pedal operated by a driver in the tractor. The brakes also may be applied to the trailing trailer whenever the latter is parked. The brakes of the trailing trailer normally are maintained in applied condition by a spring assisted mechanism when such trailer is parked. Such mechanism normally is disabled by pressurized fluid when the trailer is in service and the pressured fluid is accessible via a valve which simultaneously enables the parking brakes and service brakes simultaneously to be coupled to and uncoupled from the pressure fluid system.

It is conventional to couple a truck tractor to a leading or first trailer and to couple the leading trailer to a second or trailing trailer. The tractor has ground engageable wheels provided with brakes, the first trailer has ground engageable wheels provided with its own brakes, and the second trailer has ground engageable wheels provided with its own brakes. When the tractor and the two trailers are in condition for operation, all of the brakes should be operable from the tractor in response to the driver's actuation of a brake pedal. When the first trailer is uncoupled from the tractor and parked, the brakes of such trailer are applied via a spring assist mechanism. When the second trailer is uncoupled from the first trailer and parked, the brakes of the second trailer are applied via a similar spring assist mechanism. The brakes of the second trailer will continue to be applied until such trailer is coupled to the first trailer and the spring assist mechanism deactivated by means of pressurized fluid. To release the parking brakes of the second trailer and to operate the brakes of both trailers in unison such brakes must be coupled to a fluid (air) compressor which normally is positioned within the tractor.
It is essential that the brakes of both trailers be operable simultaneously so as to apply and release the brakes in unison. However, current brake systems utilize one valve for controlling the application and release of the brakes when the trailer is parked and a second valve for controlling the application and release of the brakes when the second trailer is in service. In some instances, one or the other valve is improperly set, thereby adversely affecting the performance of the second trailer's brakes. For example, if the appropriate valve associated with the parking brake control mechanism is not actuated to couple the spring assist brake mechanism to the source of pressure fluid, the parking brakes of the trailing trailer will not be released, thereby making it impossible for the assembled tractor and trailers to operate effectively.
In the event the spring assisted brake mechanism is uncoupled from the source of pressurized fluid during service operation of the vehicles, the brakes of the trailing trailer may remain in their released or inactive condition, thereby creating a hazardous condition wherein such trailer may be movable when it has been parked. Further, in the event the pedal actuated braking mechanism of the trailing trailer is not disconnected from the pressurized fluid source, it may not be possible to effect proper braking operation under the control of the driver.
A principal object of the apparatus disclosed herein is to provide an improved brake control system for use in connection with tractor-trailer combinations wherein there are at least two trailers coupled to one another in tandem.


Provided are an X-ray imaging apparatus, an X-ray detector, and an X-ray imaging system. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes: an X-ray radiation device configured to emit X-rays; a receptor into which a first X-ray detector configured to detect the emitted X-rays is inserted; an X-ray detector sensing interface configured to detect whether the first X-ray detector has been inserted into the receptor, acquire first identification information of the first X-ray detector inserted into the receptor, and generate first position information indicating that the first X-ray detector has been inserted into the receptor; an output interface configured to output information about the first X-ray detector; and a controller configured to control the output interface to output the first position information and the first identification information, wherein the first identification information is identification information set by a workstation of an X-ray imaging system including the X-ray imaging apparatus.

X-rays are electromagnetic waves having wavelengths of 0.01 to 100 angstroms (Å) and, due to their ability to be transmitted through objects, may be widely used in medical apparatuses for imaging the inside of a living body or in non-destructive testing equipment for industrial use.
A basic principle of an X-ray imaging apparatus is that an internal structure of an object is examined by transmitting X-rays emitted from an X-ray tube (or X-ray source) through an object and detecting a difference in intensities of the transmitted X-rays via an X-ray detector. The X-ray imaging apparatus facilitates observation of an internal structure of an object by using a principle in which penetrating power of an X-ray varies depending on the density of the object and atomic numbers of atoms constituting the object. As a wavelength of an X-ray decreases, penetrating power of the X-ray increases and a captured image becomes brighter.
An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray tube (or X-ray source) for generating X-rays and emitting the generated X-rays toward an object and an X-ray detector for detecting X-rays that have passed through the object. To image various parts of the object, the X-ray tube (or X-ray source) may be movably mounted, and the X-ray detector may be installed in an imaging table or stand or be provided as a portable detector.
In the related art, X-ray detectors are distinguished from one another by their identification marks such as numbers displayed on outer surfaces thereof. However, according to the related art, when an X-ray detector is inserted into a receptor (e.g., a bucky) of an X-ray imaging apparatus, the X-ray detector cannot be identified by its physical mark thereon since the physical mark is invisible from outside. In other words, a user is inconvenienced in having to remove the X-ray detector from the receptor for identification.

X-ray imaging device, x-ray detector, and x-ray imaging system


Systems and methods are disclosed for preventing spam, including email spam and telephone spam, through the use of dynamic passcodes or dynamic signatures included with transmitted messages. Both the dynamic passcodes and dynamic signatures may be changed periodically or continually, according to an example embodiment of the invention. Qualified senders may include a dynamic signature that is automatically generated by the sender's node or exchange entity. The recipient's node or exchange entity can then use a graylist associated with the recipient account in verifying the qualified sender and/or dynamic signature. On the other hand, non-qualified senders may need to manually obtain a dynamic passcode from a dynamic passcode provider and include the dynamic passcode with the transmitted message. The dynamic passcode provider may be a public website using human interactive proofs. According to an embodiment, a non-qualified sender may be optionally pre-charged with a fee to obtain a dynamic passcode. The recipient of the message may then refund the charge if the received message is not spam.

Electronic mail, or email, is the exchange of computer-stored messages over electronic networks. Users of email systems typically have the ability to transmit email messages to each other utilizing these electronic networks. Coordinating the transmission of email is typically handled utilizing an email server, or mail transfer agent (MTA). The MTA coordinates the receipt and delivery of email messages.
A recurring problem for current email systems is that unsolicited email has become a nuisance for users. These unsolicited emails are commonly referred to as "spam". Indeed, due to the low cost of sending emails and due to the ease with which email addresses may be harvested, some individuals or businesses send spam to a large number of individuals. Spam not only occupies much of the storage space, computing resources, and traffic bandwidth of email systems, but it also wastes the recipient's time in downloading, reading, and deleting the spam. In addition, spam can also be used for phishing scams or for virus attacks. These phishing scams may involve leading unsuspecting users to counterfeit websites to obtain financial information such as usernames, passwords, and account numbers. Likewise, virus attacks may include virus, Trojan, malware, and other programs designed to harm the user's computer.
Similarly, telephone or mobile phone communications have accounts with unique phone numbers as the addresses identifying authorized subscribers. A call message within a telephone or mobile phone communications system is routed between two local exchanges for two communicating parties. However, telephone spam and mobile phone spam is becoming more popular as their cost of usage gets lower. These kinds of spam are junk text messages or voice messages delivered to the receiving device of the victims. Phone spam may interrupt the normal life of the receiver, and may need more time to be cleared, especially for voice messages. Likewise, cellular phone users may be charged for each digital message received, they may find themselves paying a premium for the privilege of receiving unsolicited advertising. Moreover, the newly emerged session initiation protocol (SIP), used for Internet telephone calls, multimedia distribution and message notification between two user agents, will face much worse spam problems because of its low cost and popularity across various networks.


A method for inspecting a slider having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is provided. The method has: a lifting step of lifting said slider upward and stopping said slider at an inspecting position while supporting said slider at an undersurface of said slider, wherein said undersurface is a surface that is other than a first surface, said first surface being an air bearing surface or a surface that is to be formed in said air bearing surface; and an inspection step of simultaneously inspecting said first surface and a second surface of said slider, said second surface being a surface that is other than said first surface and said undersurface, wherein said first surface is inspected by a first camera and said second surface is inspected by a second camera, said first and second cameras being arranged in advance such that an optical axis thereof passes through said inspecting position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for inspecting a slider, and particularly relates to a method and an apparatus for optically inspecting a slider that is used for a hard disk drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
A slider is produced by forming a write element and a read element on a ceramics wafer, such as an AlTiC wafer, by means of the thin-film technology, then by dicing the wafer into bars such that the surface of the bar that is to be formed in an air bearing surface extends in the longitudinal direction of the bar, and further by dicing the bar into individual sliders. When a write element and a read element are formed on a wafer, the identification number of each slider is written on the top surface of the layers that are deposited, and the sliders are controlled by the identification numbers after the wafer is diced. After the sliders are separated from the wafer by dicing, each slider is subjected to visual inspections several times using an optical microscope or the like. The inspections are performed when the slider is included in a bar, when slider has been separated from the bar, and also when the slider has been incorporated in a head gimbal assembly (HGA). If the inspection is performed only at the final stage at which the slider has been incorporated into an HGA, then yield loss is increased, and investigation to determine the cause of defects cannot be performed effectively. Therefore, it is very important to perform inspection at each process in order to identify yield loss at each step, to identify the cause of defect, and to provide improvement in the process.
Visual inspection is performed mainly in order to find adhesion of dust to the air bearing surface or to the surface that is to be formed in the air bearing surface by means of lapping (hereinafter, called a first surface) and to find chippings on the first surface. However, it is necessary to simultaneously inspect the top surface of the layers together when the first surface is inspected because the slider number is written on the top surface of the layers. Further, in order to manage the manufacturing process of the bar, the slider number needs to be checked at each step. Indeed, the top surface of the layers is more frequently checked than the first surface. The slider number is checked by a microscope. In order to identify each slider, both the wafer number and the slider number are required. The wafer number is often written on the surface that is opposite to the top surface of the layers, i.e., on the back surface of the wafer. In this case, three surfaces in total including the first surface need be inspected by means of a microscope. In this specification, inspection of the slider means not only checking and inspecting the first surface and other surfaces, as well as performing visual inspections of the slider, but also merely checking the slider number and the wafer number.
Incidentally, since a bar is highly brittle, it is normally stored and conveyed in a case, or in a tray. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary tray which has been conventionally used. Tray 121 is made of a frame, in which a plurality of bars can be simultaneously stored. Stepped portions 123 are provided at two sides of the tray that are opposite to each other, and bars B are held by stepped portions 123. Since the slider numbers are frequently checked, as described above, bars B are held such that the top surface of the layers, on which the slider numbers are written, faces upward so that the slider numbers can be easily checked.
When the visual inspection of the first surfaces is performed, the slider numbers are first checked with an optical microscope in a state in which the bars are held in the tray. If the wafer number is written on the back surface of the wafer, then the tray is turned upside down in order to check the wafer number. Next, the bar is removed from the tray one by one by using tweezers, then conveyed to an inspection table on which an optical microscope is installed, and the first surfaces are inspected. However, the quality and efficiency of the inspection significantly depend on the skill (skill of positioning the bar, inspection time, etc.) of the operator, and there is large variability in the level of skill among the operators. Since the bar is bristle, the operation of removing a bar from a tray and of returning the bar to the tray after inspection requires immense skill, and damage to the bar that is caused by an operational error or by adhesion of contaminants to the bars frequently takes place, which leads to a reduction in yield and an increase in inspection time. If a defect is found on the first surface, then the bar is turned by 90 degrees to check the slider number again in order to identify the slider. If many defects are found, then the inspection time is increased. In order to shorten the inspection time, a larger number of operators are required.
In order to address the problem mentioned above, efforts have been made to rationalize the method for inspecting a slider. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 223534/93 discloses a method for inspecting a slider in which a slider is inspected from a plurality of directions. Specifically, many slides are fixed to the outer peripheral surface of a rotating support element. The orientation of the sliders is changed in accordance with the rotation of the support element. A visual inspection is performed by means of a fixed camera. It is also disclosed that sliders are fixed to a tape in advance and then the tape is wound on the support element in order to fix the slider.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-048716 discloses a method for simultaneously inspecting a plurality of surfaces of a slider by using mirrors. Specifically, mirrors each having angles of 45 degrees are arranged on the sides of a slider which is to be inspected. By arranging the mirrors within the field of view of an optical microscope, the images of the sides of the slider, which are the reflections in the mirrors, as well as the slider itself, come into the field of view of the optical microscope so as to allow the state of the sides, as well as the front surface, of the slider to be simultaneously inspected.
However, the conventional art which is disclosed in these patent documents is disadvantageous with regard to operation efficiency because the prior art requires separating a slider from a bar by dicing and then fixing the slider that is separated onto a special support tool. If adhesive is used to attach a slider to the support tool, then the adhesive may remain on the slider, and reliability of the slider may deteriorate.

Method and apparatus for inspecting slider using moving stage


The present invention relates to systems and methods for diagnosing undesirable events or the lack of desirable events representing product or process malfunctions. One aspect of the invention includes a method for determining a cause of a malfunction event in a prototype or production product or process. Another aspect of the invention includes a method for identifying evidence of deviation from a specification for a product or process. Still another aspect of the invention includes a method for ascertaining the reliability of a product or process. The present invention also provides a diagnostic computer system and computer program code for performing various methods embodying different aspects of the present invention. A computer system for training a user to diagnose and apply corrective action to a malfunctioning product or process is also provided.

Products and processes, including machines, generally perform at least one of four functions related to energy. They can convert energy, transmit energy, contain energy or direct energy. Recognizing that energy can be either destructive or useful, there are generally five energy paths in and out of a specific energy function. These energy paths include: (i) the path of input energy used or purchased to achieve the energy function, (ii) the path of output energy for performing useful work, i.e., the work the machine was intended to perform, (iii) the path of waste energy, or energy loss, typically a function of the second law of thermodynamics, while attempting to perform the useful work, (iv) the path of any input signal energy used to direct other energy paths, and (v) the path of any external input energy from the environment.
At times, a machine product or process may generate energy losses or leaks that manifest themselves in the form of vibrations, noise, fluid leaks, overheating or wear. For these energy leak problems, conventional diagnostic and measurement systems typically measure the waste energy itself by measuring the magnitude of vibrations or noise, the leak rate, the time to overheat or the amount of wear. For example, using a traditional approach for diagnosing the cause of a product or process malfunction, the presence of an undesirable event (or the lack of a desirable event), such as a fluid leak in a bolted flange and seal arrangement (FIG. 1), is detected and measured directly with respect to the magnitude of the leak in order to determine the feature or property of the particular component responsible for causing the event. As a result of using this direct measurement approach, two systems that do not leak would appear to have no difference with respect to their tendency to leak.
Traditional approaches for determining the potential reliability of a product or process often expose a group of products or processes to a specific test environment and compare their performance to a requirement. This requirement is often in a "no failures allowed" format. The presence of an undesirable event, such as the fluid leak in the bolted flange and seal arrangement as described above, at any point during the test would be categorized as a failure. As a result, systems which do not experience a leak would appear to have no difference with respect to their tendency to leak and would therefore be thought of as reliable.
Events can be catastrophic (e.g., something breaks) or they can be simple malfunctions. It is possible that a catastrophic failure at a component level can cause a malfunction at a system level. All events, whether catastrophic or malfunctions, are driven by four energy functions, and each of those four energy functions is in turn driven by individual features and/or properties of a product or process, or combinations thereof. Catastrophic events are traditionally difficult to measure because they have occurred in the past. Moreover, traditional methods, including those described above, often rely solely on an attribute measurement system for catastrophic failures (i.e., broken vs. not broken) providing little leverage to converge onto the root cause of the failure.
Therefore, there is a long felt yet unmet need for systems and methods that use an energy function model to identify questions concerning a product or process malfunction, rapidly and easily answer those questions, and isolate the root cause of a malfunction event to a subset of the product or process represented by the energy function model. A series of the questions identified act as a progressive search to converge on the feature or property that can be changed or controlled to manage the energy responsible for the malfunction.


In a fuel delivery device (1) for supplying an internal combustion engine (3) of a motor vehicle with fuel from a fuel tank (2), a pressure sensor (14) is arranged within the fuel tank (2) and is connected to a section, which is guided within the fuel tank (2), of a feed line (6). In this way, the pressure sensor (14) is remote from the internal combustion engine (3) and is therefore subjected to only very low thermal and mechanical loads. The fuel delivery line (1) is therefore of particularly cost-effective design.

Fuel delivery devices of said type which have a pressure sensor deliver fuel as a function of the demand of the internal combustion engine, and are known from practice. The fuel pump generates a designated pressure and is activated by control electronics according to the values of the pressure sensor. In the fuel delivery devices known from practice, the pressure sensor is arranged on an injection rail of the internal combustion engine. In this way, the pressure sensor permits the precise measurement of the pressure generated by the fuel pump at the internal combustion engine. A disadvantage of the known fuel delivery device is however that the pressure sensor on the internal combustion engine is subjected to intense vibration and very high temperatures. The temperatures at the injection rail of the internal combustion engine are often 110° C. The fuel delivery device according to the invention therefore requires a highly temperature-resistant and vibration-resistant and therefore expensive pressure sensor.


An iron-based, corrosion-resistant, precipitation strengthened, martensitic steel essentially free of delta ferrite for use at high temperatures has a nominal composition of 0.05-0.1 C, 8-12 Cr, 1-5 Co, 0.5-2.0 Ni, 0.41-1.0 Mo, 0.1-0.5 Ti, and the balance iron. This steel is different from other corrosion-resistant martensitic steels because its microstructure consists of a uniform dispersion of fine particles, which are very closely spaced, and which do not coarsen at high temperatures. Thus at high temperatures this steel combines the excellent creep strength of dispersion-strengthened steels, with the ease of fabricability afforded by precipitation hardenable steels.

Typical corrosion-resistant martensitic steels used at high temperatures contain between 9 and 12 chromium, and 0.08 and 0.25 carbon (wt. %). These steels usually contain several additional carbide forming elements such as molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium and, in some cases, niobium. Additional elements such as silicon, nickel and manganese are also typically added to these steels to deoxidize, reduce delta ferrite formation, and getter the sulfur, respectively. The conventional heat treatment for these steels involves austenitizing in the range .about.1000.degree. C. to .about.1100.degree. C., air cooling to room temperature (which usually transforms most of the austenite to martensite or bainite) and tempering between .about.650.degree. C. and .about.750.degree. C. The tempered microstructure usually consists of relatively large, chromium-rich carbides which have nucleated on martensite lath boundaries, prior austenite grain boundaries and other crystalline defects in the ferrite matrix. The precipitate distribution in the tempered martensite is primarily responsible for the rather modest creep strength (to 600.degree. C.) of conventional 9-12 Cr steels. But at temperatures greater than 600.degree. C, these steels are not generally used due to their inferior creep properties. The reason for their inadequate high temperature strength is due to the relatively rapid coarsening kinetics of the chromium carbides. As the precipitates coarsen, the average interparticle spacing increases, which allows dislocations to glide more easily between particles.
A variety of ferritic steels having high chromium content have been proposed. Many of these steels are said to be creep resistant. Creep resistance is usually measured by applying a stress to the steel while the steel is at an elevated temperature, typically 600.degree.-700.degree. C. Then one measures either the creep strain over time (the steady-state creep rate) or the time which passes until the steel ruptures. The rupture time for most steels can be found in the literature or calculated. Under conditions of 200 MPA and 650.degree. C., many 9-12 Cr martensitic steels rupture within about 100 hours; I am not aware of any 9-2 Cr steel which has an actual or predicted rupture time of more than 1,000 hours. There is a need for a steel which will not rupture after 1,000 hours of service under these conditions.

Creep resistant, precipitation-dispersion-strengthened, martensitic stainless steel and method thereof


A digital clock frequency multiplier (100) for increasing an input frequency of an input clock signal includes a generator (102) that receives the input clock signal and a high frequency digital signal. The generator (102) divides a count (Nhf) of a number of cycles of the high frequency digital signal in one period of the input clock signal by a predetermined multiplication factor (MF) for generating an output clock signal. The output clock signal has a predetermined output frequency.

The present invention relates generally to a frequency generator for generating a digital signal and, in particular, to a digital clock frequency multiplier that increases the frequency of an input clock signal.
Clock frequency multipliers are widely used in integrated circuits. Conventionally, phase locked loops (PLLs) are used as clock frequency multipliers to increase the frequency of an input clock signal. However, PLLs require much time and design effort to ensure stability, consume large silicon area and often require external components for usage, resulting in increased costs. Additionally, because PLLs have high lock times, the frequency of the input clock signal cannot be changed quickly. Further, PLLs are only suited for handling input clock signals of limited frequency and duty cycle ranges, and individual PLLs have limited multiplication ranges.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have an inexpensive programmable digital clock frequency multiplier that has low lock time, a wide multiplication range and that is suited for handling a wide range of input frequencies and duty cycles.


A method for accurately diagnosing an internal fault of an oil-immersed transformer by analyzing content ratios of dissolved gases generated when the internal fault occurs in the oil-immersed transformer is provided. The method diagnoses the internal fault by analyzing the dissolved gases contained in the insulating oil of the oil-immersed transformer for internal fault diagnosis, wherein the method comprises: a first step of extracting H2, CH4, C2H4, and C2H2 from the dissolved gases; a second step of calculating a content ratio (%) of each dissolved gas from the total content of the four dissolved gases selected from the extracted five dissolved gases; and a third step of determining the internal fault of the oil-immersed transformer for diagnosis corresponding to an internal fault region according to content ratio (%) values of the calculated four dissolved gases and predetermined content ratios (%) of the four dissolved gases.

An oil-immersed transformer installed in a transformer substation or an electric power plant is one of the more important components of an electric power supplying system, and it is required to have high reliability. The oil-immersed transformer may have its electrical and mechanical performance degraded due to deterioration during operation, which causes an abnormal condition of the oil-immersed transformer. This phenomenon may cause a serious accident if it may not be detected in advance and appropriately treated.
When an abnormal phenomenon such as dielectric breakdown, local overheating, and the like occurs in the oil-immersed transformer, this phenomenon always accompanies a generation of heat. An insulating material, such as insulating oil, an insulating paper, pressboard, and the like contacting a heat-generating source is affected by the heat and dissolved by a chemical reaction to generate gases. Most of these gases are melted in the insulating oil. Therefore, when gases are extracted and analyzed from the insulating oil taken from the oil-immersed transformer, a type and an extent of the fault occurring in the transformer may be diagnosed.
In the method of diagnosing the oil-immersed transformer through an analysis of dissolved gases, complicated procedure and intense efforts are required, but the diagnosis ratio of an internal fault in the oil-immersed transformer is high. Accordingly, this method is widely used worldwide.
The types of the internal faults in the oil-immersed transformer and the method of diagnosing the internal fault of the oil-immersed transformer through the dissolved gases are prescribed in the international standard (IEC 60599: Mineral oil-impregnated electrical equipment in service guide to the interpretation of dissolved and free gases analysis and IEEE C57.104: IEEE Guide for the interpretation of gases in oil-immersed transformer), and most of the electric power companies and users of oil-immersed electric power devices estimate the internal fault depending on the international standard.
The types of faults described in these international standards are classified into an electrical fault and a thermal fault, and more specifically into six faults including partial discharges, discharges of low energy D1, discharges of high energy D2, a first thermal fault (t<300° C.) T1, a second thermal fault (300° C.<t<700° C.) T2, and a third thermal fault (t>700° C.) T3. Further, the gases that are subject to analysis in the international standards include five compounds such as hydrogen H2, methane CH4, ethane C2H2, ethylene C2H4, and acetylene C2H2.
Conventionally, the classification of faults is determined by analyzing a composition ratio of the five gases, a content ratio of each of the five gases, a range of a key gas, and the like. However, in the conventional method of diagnosing the internal fault of the oil-immersed transformer, there are problems as follows:
First, in the diagnosis method using the key gas, since the fault is diagnosed by using only the key gas (a maximum gas value), a pattern, a composition, and a variation according to energy in each fault cannot be applied to the diagnosis method, resulting in an increase in a ratio of wrong diagnosis. For example, if not the key gas but another gas has the maximum value, there is a problem in that a region is present in which the diagnosis is impossible.
On the other hand, in the diagnosis method using the composition ratio of the five gases, since a result of the diagnosis is established as a pattern, the composition, and variation of gas is applied, the accuracy of the diagnosis is higher. However, it is impossible to diagnose the internal fault of the transformer when the internal fault is not one of the above-mentioned types of the faults and not of the ratio of gas in each fault.
Meanwhile, in the diagnosis method using the content ratio of the gas, there is no region in which the diagnosis is impossible, and the accuracy of the diagnosis is higher. However, only three gases having high energy of the fault are used, and the low-energy hydrogen and ethane are not applied to the diagnosis. Accordingly, there is a problem in that it is difficult to diagnose an initial fault.
Therefore, there is required the development of a technology that can diagnose the internal fault of the oil-immersed transformer. In such a technology, the reliability of the diagnosis for the internal fault of the oil-immersed transformer can be improved and all kinds of faults can be diagnosed.

Method for diagnosing internal fault of oil-immersed transformer through content ratios of dissolved gases


Method and system for providing a computer implemented process of performing design for testability analysis and synthesis in an integrated circuit design includes partitioning each logic block in an integrated circuit design based on one or more boundaries of multi-cycle initial setup sequence, excluding one or more partitioned logic blocks with multi-cycle initial setup sequence from valid candidate blocks, selecting a constraint setting set, extracting a subset of constraint settings from the selected constraint setting set, applying the extracted subset of constraint settings to the integrated circuit design, performing design for testability analysis and synthesis on the valid candidate blocks, performing scan cell replacement. The scan cell replacement may include performing class selection from a cell library and a gate-level netlist based on affinity between cells, determining a target characterization, such as timing, power, area, for example, for the scan cell replacement, and replacing one or more cells with a corresponding one or more scan cells having the closest target characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for providing fast Design for Testability (DFT) prototyping such as repetitive DFT implementation exploration before Automatic Test Pattern Generation (ATPG). More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for providing fast DFT prototyping to facilitate the application of DFT synthesis with traditional logic synthesis flow, including an STA (static timing analysis) enhanced DFT analysis approach with affinity-based scan replacement.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the complexity of today's chip design grows, the concept of Design for Testability (DFT) becomes more and more critical. Easy diagnosis of manufacturing defects of a complex System-on-chip (SoC) integrated circuit design relies on a good DFT methodology to be incorporated in the early chip design flow.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram representation of a typical IC design As shown, the SoC design 100 may include one or a plurality of third party Intellectual Property 101, 102, a clock generation block 103, analog blocks 104, memory blocks 105, core logic blocks 106, a plurality of I/O Pads 107. The Intellectual property 101, 102 may be, for example, a licensed proprietary design component. To incorporate DFT synthesis methodology in the design flow, test generation (including JTAG boundary scan blocks) and synthesizable core blocks may be used in the design flow. This is shown in FIG. 2. More specifically, FIG. 2 is a block diagram representation of a typical IC design with test generation and scan-style synthesizable core blocks. As can be seen from the Figure, the IC design representation shown in FIG. 2 includes a test generation block 201 as well as the other components of the IC design shown in FIG. 1.
As integrated circuits have become more complex and densely packed with gates, they have become progressively more difficult to test in order to ensure desired functionality. As a result, testability has become an increasingly more important and challenging goal of the integrated circuit design process. As discussed above, computer programs that aid in the design of testability circuitry for integrated circuits are often referred to as design for testability (DFT) processes. One approach to DFT, for example, is to take a netlist representing an integrated circuit design generated and to add and/or replace certain memory cells and associated circuitry of the netlist with special memory cells, called scan cells, designed to allow application of test vectors to certain portions of an integrated circuit produced according to the design.
Scan cells are interconnected to form scan chains. During test mode operation, scan test vectors in the form of a series of logical 1 and logical 0 test vector values are loaded into the scan cells of a scan chain. The circuit is caused to operate for a prescribed number of clock cycles using the test vectors as input. The results of the circuit operation can be captured in the form of logical 1 and logical 0 scan test results values. Scan test vectors and scan test results shall be referred to collectively as scan data. The same scan chain cells used to read in the test vectors can be used to capture the test results. The captured values are read out of the scan chain for observation and analysis. The results can be compared with expected results to determine whether the circuit operates as expected and to thereby determine whether defects are present.
FIGS. 3A–3B are flowcharts illustrating DFT prototyping and DFT synthesis, respectively, in a typical IC Design. Referring to FIG. 3A, typical DFT prototyping includes DFT synthesis step 310 whose results are verified to be satisfactory at step 320. In the case where the DFT synthesis provides satisfactory results at step 320, the routine proceeds to step 330 where Automatic Test Pattern Generation (ATPG) is applied. It should be noted that ATPG is a process to generate test patterns for a given netlist design to test the design's fault coverage. However, if the results at the DFT synthesis step 310 is determined to be not satisfactory at step 320, the routine performs the DFT synthesis step 310 again until the results are determined to be satisfactory at step 320.
More specifically, referring to FIG. 3B, the DFT synthesis step 310 typically includes the initial step of reading the design at step 311. Thereafter, the DFT constraints setting are determined at step 312. After determining the DFT constraints setting at step 312, DFT analysis is performed at step 313. Thereafter, at step 314, any DFT rule violation detected at DFT analysis step at 313 can be optionally fixed. Referring again to the Figure, at step 315, black box blocks like the memory blocks are bypassed, and thereafter, scan cell replacement is performed at step 316. As can be further seen from FIG. 3B, scan chain implementation and stitching is performed at step 317 after scan cell replacement at step 316, and thereafter, at step 318, final DFT reporting and netlist output is performed, before the routine proceeds to step 330 where ATPG is applied.
Referring back to FIG. 3B, more specifically, the DFT analysis step 313 includes various checking of DFT violations (such as for example, uncontrollable clock or asynchronous signals). Due to the nature of SoC system design, a traditional full chip DFT analysis requires a simulation-based analysis engine to account for the initial multi-cycle setup sequences of some building blocks, especially the test-generation blocks (e.g., block 201 in FIG. 2), and the clock generation blocks (e.g., block 103 in FIG. 2). Therefore, the process could be time consuming. There are also symbolic simulation approaches to speed up the simulation. However, symbolic-based approach typically cannot handle large SoC design due to common blowup in internal Binary Decision Diagram representation.
Referring back again to FIG. 3B, the scan cell replacement step 316 ensures that the replaced scan cells do not violate the original non-scan design's target requirements, such as power, timing and area requirements. This usually requires incremental optimization after scan cell replacement to ensure that the original specification is met. Incremental optimization, however, is another time consuming step. Furthermore, many DFT implementations are performed at the full-chip level, and often, IC designers are reluctant to run incremental optimization to avoid unexpected netlist change. Thus, the DFT synthesis tasks and ATPG in IC designs are often considered time consuming and difficult "back-end" design processes.
More specifically, scan cell replacement step 316 is an essential step in DFT synthesis 310 in IC design. The quality of scan cell replacement affects circuit area, timing and power consumption. In a typical scan implementation flow, an IC designer provides the tool an input netlist that is already logically and functionally optimized to satisfy a given set of constraints and timing signed off. The IC designer expects the non-scan sequential cells to be replaced as scan cells with minimum degradation to the circuit area, timing and power consumption. Any unnecessary optimization not only takes a long time, but also may change the circuit structure and characteristics including timing, circuit area, and power greatly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,868 discloses scan cell replacement in which an ASCII function identification string based equivalence checking is used to decide which scan cell is used to replace the non-scan cell, emphasizing post scan chaining optimization to improve can implementation quality. U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,466 also discloses post scan chaining optimization step to improve scan implementation quality. However, post scan chaining optimization step may be too late in an IC design. Indeed, if the initial selection is bad, the optimization step can take a long time and completely disfigure a given circuit design such that no correlation exists between the original netlist and the final output netlist.

Method and system for providing fast design for testability prototyping in integrated circuit designs


A data pad region of a liquid crystal display panel includes a plurality of data lines vertically arranged at specified intervals, a plurality of data pads respectively connected to the data lines, at least one first side contact with a first area formed in each data pad and at least one second side contact with a second area formed in each data pad, wherein the first area is larger than the second area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data pad region of a liquid crystal display panel and a fabricating method thereof, and in particular to a data pad region of a liquid crystal display panel and a fabricating method thereof for preventing damage to a data pad region and for securing an electrical contact area.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a liquid crystal display device displays a desired image by individually supplying a data signal to liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix form and controlling light transmittance of the liquid crystal cells according to image information. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel with the liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix form and a driving unit for driving the liquid crystal cells in each of the liquid crystal cells. The liquid crystal display panel includes a color filter substrate and a thin film transistor array substrate attached with a space therebetween, and a liquid crystal layer formed within the space between the color filter substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate.
A common electrode and a pixel electrode are formed facing each other on inner surfaces of the color filter substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate such that an electric field can be applied to the liquid crystal layer. The pixel electrode is formed in every liquid crystal cell of the thin film transistor array substrate, while the common electrode is integrally formed at the entire surface of the color filter substrate. By controlling a voltage applied to the pixel electrode while the common electrode is receiving another voltage, light transmittance of liquid crystal cells can be individually controlled. To control the voltage applied to the pixel electrode by liquid crystal cells, each liquid crystal cell includes a thin film transistor used as a switching device. On the thin film transistor array substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, a plurality of data lines for transmitting image information from a data driving unit to the liquid crystal cells and a plurality of gate lines for transmitting a scan signal from a gate driving unit to the liquid crystal cells intersect to define liquid crystal cells that are adjacent to every intersection of the data lines and gate lines. The gate driving unit sequentially supplies a scan signal to the gate lines, so that gate lines of liquid crystal cells arranged in the matrix can be selected one by one while image information is supplied to a selected line of the liquid crystal cells from the data driving unit by way of the data lines. Parts of the liquid crystal display device will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a unit pixel of liquid crystal display device in accordance with a related art. As shown in FIG. 1, gate lines 4−1 and 4 are horizontally arranged at regular intervals, and data lines 2 and 2+1 are vertically arranged at regular intervals. Accordingly, the gate lines 4−1 and 4 and the data lines 2 and 2+1 cross each other. A unit pixel is defined within the rectangular region formed by the crossing gate lines 4−1 and 4 and data lines 2 and 2+1. The unit pixel includes a thin film transistor (TFT) and a pixel electrode 14.
The thin film transistor (TFT) includes a gate electrode 10 extending from the gate line 4; a source electrode 8 extending from the data line 2 so as to be partly overlapping with the gate electrode 10; and a drain electrode 12 that corresponds to the source electrode 8 across from the gate electrode 10. The source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 are formed over the gate electrode 10 so as to be separated. The drain electrode 12 is electrically connected to a pixel electrode 14 through a drain contact hole 16. The pixel electrode 14 is made of a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).
In addition, the thin film transistor (TFT) includes a semiconductor layer (not shown) that becomes a conductive channel between the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 when a scan signal is supplied to the gate electrode 10. The scan signal is supplied to the gate electrode 10 from the gate line 4. When the conductive channel is formed between the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 of the thin film transistor (TFT), a data signal supplied to the source electrode 8 from the data line 2 is transmitted to the drain electrode 12 via the conductive channel.
Because the drain electrode 12 is electrically connected to the pixel electrode 14 through the drain contact hole 16, the data signal supplied to the drain electrode 12 is applied to the pixel electrode 14. Thus, the pixel electrode 14 receives the data signal and generates an electric field across the liquid crystal layer with a common electrode (not shown) formed on a color filter substrate. When the electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal is rotated by dielectric anisotropy and transmits light from a back light. The polarization of transmitted light is adjusted by a voltage value of the data signal.
The pixel electrode 14 also contacts to a storage electrode 20 through a storage contact hole 22. The storage electrode 20 is operated as a storage capacitor 18 by being overlapped with a preceding gate line 4−1 with a gate insulating layer (not shown) therebetween. Accordingly, the storage capacitor 18 charges to a voltage value of the data signal for a turn-on period of the thin film transistor (TFT) in which the scan signal is applied to the gate line 4. Afterward, the storage capacitor 18 supplies the charged voltage to the pixel electrode 14 during a turn-off period of the thin film transistor (TFT) such that operation of the liquid crystal is maintained.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary view illustrating a section of a unit pixel taken along a line I–I′ in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal display panel includes a color filter substrate 60 and a thin film transistor array substrate 50 attached with a space maintained therebetween by a spacer 70. A liquid crystal layer 80 is positioned within the space between the thin film transistor array substrate 50 and the color filter substrate 60.
Fabrication processes of a thin film transistor will be described with reference to FIG. 2. First, a gate electrode 10 is formed by applying metal material on the thin film transistor array substrate 50 and pattering the metal material. Then, a gate insulating layer 30 is formed by depositing an insulating material at an upper surface of the thin film transistor array substrate 50 on which the gate electrode 10 is formed. An active layer 36 is formed on the gate insulating layer 30 by sequentially depositing a semiconductor layer 32 made of amorphous silicon and an ohmic contact layer 34 made of n+ amorphous silicon doped with phosphorus (P) at high concentration and patterning the semiconductor layer 32 and the ohmic contact layer 34. By depositing metal material on the gate insulating layer 30 and the ohmic contact layer 34 and patterning the metal material, the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 of the thin film transistor (TFT) are formed. The source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 are patterned so as to be separated on the surface of the active layer 36.
The ohmic contact layer 34 is exposed on the surface of the active layer 36 between the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12. The exposed ohmic contact layer 34 is removed in the patterning process of the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12. Subsequently, semiconductor layer 32 is exposed between the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 by removing the ohmic contact layer 34, and the exposed semiconductor layer 32 is a channel region of the thin film transistor (TFT).
A passivation film 38 is then formed by depositing an insulating material on the gate insulating layer 30 on which the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 were formed including the exposed semiconductor layer 32. A drain contact hole 16 exposing a portion of the drain electrode 12 is formed by selectively etching a portion of the passivation film 38 on the drain electrode 12. By forming a transparent electrode material on the passivation film 38 and patterning the transparent electrode material, the pixel electrode 14 is formed so as to be connected to the drain electrode 12 through the drain contact hole 16.
After forming an aligning layer 51 on the surface of the resultant structure, a rubbing process is performed. More particularly, the surface of the aligning layer 51 is rubbed by a fabric at a uniform pressure and speed. High molecule chains on the surface of the aligning layer 51 are aligned in a specified direction. This determines an initial aligning direction of the liquid crystal.
Fabrication processes of the storage capacitor region will now be described with reference to accompanying FIG. 2. First, the gate line 4−1 is patterned on the thin film transistor array substrate 50, and the gate insulating layer 30 is formed thereon. The gate line 4−1 is formed while the gate electrode 10 of the thin film transistor (TFT) is formed. The gate insulating layer 30 is the same as the gate insulating layer 30 of the thin film transistor (TFT). The storage electrode 20 is patterned on the surface of the gate insulating layer 30. The storage electrode 20 is formed while forming of the source electrode 8 and the drain electrode 12 of the thin film transistor (TFT), and operated as the storage capacitor 18 by being overlapped with a portion of the gate line 4−1 with the gate insulating layer 30 therebetween.
After forming the passivation film 38 on the gate insulating layer 30 and the storage electrode 20, a storage contact hole 22 is formed exposing a portion of the storage electrode 20 by etching a portion of the passivation film 38. The passivation film 38 is the same as the passivation film 38 in the thin film transistor (TFT) region, and the storage contact hole 22 is formed while forming the drain contact hole 16 of the thin film transistor (TFT). The pixel electrode 14 is then patterned on the passivation film 38, and connected to the storage electrode 20 through the storage contact hole 22. The pixel electrode 14 is the same as the pixel electrode 14 formed on the thin film transistor (TFT) region.
Fabrication processes of the color filter substrate 60 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. First, a black matrix 62 is coated on the color filter substrate 60 with specified intervals. A red (R), green (G) and blue (B) color filter 63 is formed on the surface of the color filter substrate 50 on which the black matrix 62 is formed. A common electrode 64 is formed by forming a metal material on the surface of the color filter 63 including the black matrix 62 and patterning the metal material.
After forming an aligning layer 65 on the surface of the resultant structure, a rubbing process is performed. After the thin film transistor array substrate 50 and the color filter substrate 60 is fabricated, a sealant (not shown) is formed on the thin film transistor array substrate 50, and a spacer 70 is formed on the color filter substrate 60. The spacer 70 can be formed on the thin film transistor array substrate 50 and the sealant can be formed on the color filter substrate 60. The spacer 70 can be positioned by a scattering method, such as scattering glass beads or plastic beads having a certain diameter.
After forming the sealant and the spacer 70, the thin film transistor array substrate 50 and the color filter substrate 60 are attached to each other. The attached thin film transistor array substrate 50 and the color filter 60 are cut into unit liquid crystal display panels. To improve the yield, plural liquid crystal display panels are simultaneously formed on a large-sized glass substrate. Thus, a cutting process is required.
A liquid crystal layer 80 is formed within a space between the aligning layer 51 of the thin film transistor array substrate 50 and the aligning layer 65 of the color filter substrate 60 by injecting liquid crystal into the cut unit liquid crystal panel and sealing an injection hole. After injecting liquid crystal into plural liquid crystal panels, the attached thin film transistor array substrate 50 and color filter substrate 60 are cut into unit liquid crystal panels. However, due to the increased size of a unit liquid crystal panel, it is difficult to perform a process for injecting liquid crystal uniformly.
Productivity may be lowered due to liquid crystal injection defect. Accordingly a method of injecting liquid crystal after the attached thin film transistor array substrate 50 and color filter substrate 60 that is cut into unit liquid crystal panels has been proposed. Since the unit liquid crystal panel has only a few μm (microns) of cell gap for the hundreds of cm2 area, a vacuum injection method is most frequently used, which uses a pressure difference between an inner side and an outer side of the unit liquid crystal panel, in order to effectively inject the liquid crystal thereto.
FIG. 3 is an exemplary view illustrating a section of a unit pixel taken along a line II–II′ in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows the gate insulating layer 30 formed on the surface of the thin film transistor array substrate 50; the data lines 2 and 2+1 patterned on the surface of the gate insulating layer 30 so as to be separated from each other; the passivation film 38 formed on the surface of the gate insulating layer 30 including the data lines 2 and 2+1; and the pixel electrode 14 patterned on the surface of the passivation film 38 in which the data lines 2 and 2+1 are separated. Although not shown in FIG. 3, as described in the thin film transistor (TFT) fabrication processes with regard to FIG. 2, the active layer 36 including the semiconductor layer 32 and the ohmic contact layer 34 may be remained on the lower portion of the data lines 2 and 2+1. Usually, the passivation film 38 is made of an inorganic thin film, such as SiNx or SiOx, etc.
By overlapping the data lines 2 and 2+1 with a portion of the pixel electrode 14 by the passivation film 38, an aperture ratio of the liquid crystal display device can be further improved. However, because the passivation film 38 is made of a thin film inorganic material, such as SiNx or SiOx, when the data lines 2 and 2+1 are overlapped with a portion of the pixel electrode 14 by the passivation film 38, signal characteristics are deteriorated because the data lines 2 and 2+1 and the pixel electrode 14 are influenced mutually (for example, parasitic capacitance). To prevent deterioration of the signal characteristics in case that the data lines 2 and 2+1 and the pixel electrode 14 are overlapped with a portion to each other by the passivation film 38, a high aperture ratio liquid crystal display device using thick film organic material such as BCB (benzocyclobutene), etc. having low dielectric constant for a material of the passivation film 38 has been suggested. The high aperture ratio liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to accompanying drawings.
FIG. 4 is an exemplary view illustrating a plan view of the high aperture ratio liquid crystal display device, and FIG. 5 is an exemplary view illustrating a section taken along a line III–III′ in FIG. 4. First, FIG. 4 has the same plan construction with FIG. 1, except for the overlapping of a portion of the pixel electrode 14 with the data lines 2 and 2+1. FIG. 5 shows the gate insulating layer 30 formed on the surface of the thin film transistor array substrate 50; the data lines 2 and 2+1 patterned on the surface of the gate insulating layer 30 so as to be separated from each other; the passivation film 48 formed on the surface of the gate insulating layer 30 including the data lines 2 and 2+1; and the pixel electrode 14 patterned on the surface of the passivation film 38 in which the data lines 2 and 2+1 are separated so as to be partly overlapped with the data lines 2 and 2+1. Although not shown in FIG. 5, as described in the thin film transistor fabrication processes in FIG. 2, the active layer 36 including the semiconductor layer 32 and the ohmic contact layer 34 may be remained on the lower portion of the data lines 2 and 2+1. By forming the passivation film 48 as a thick film by using an organic material such as BCB, etc. having low dielectric constant, although the data lines 2 and 2+1 are overlapped with a portion of the pixel electrode 14, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of mutual influence in the overlapped regions of the pixel electrode 14.
FIG. 6 is an exemplary view illustrating a schematic plan structure of the unit liquid crystal display panel. As shown in FIG. 6, a unit liquid crystal display panel 100 is constructed by attaching the thin film transistor array substrate 50 to the color filter substrate 60, an upper longer side and a left shorter side of the thin film transistor array substrate 50 protrude with respect to the color filter substrate 60. The unit liquid crystal display panel 100 includes an image display region 113 on which the gate lines and the data lines cross each other. The unit pixels are arranged in a matrix form. A gate pad region 114 is connected to the gate lines of the image display region 113. The data pad region 115 is connected to the data lines of the image display region 113.
The thin film transistor array substrate 50 and the color filter substrate 60 are separated from each other by the spacer, and attached to each other by a seal pattern 116 formed at the periphery of the image display region 113. The gate pad region 114 is formed at the edge of the thin film transistor substrate 50 in which the shorter side protrudes in comparison with the color filter substrate 60, and the data pad region 115 is formed at the edge of the thin film transistor substrate 50 in which the longer side protrudes with respect to the color filter substrate 60. In addition, the gate pad region 114 supplies scan signals from the gate driver integrated circuit to the gate lines of the image display region 113. The data pad region 115 supplies image information from the data driver integrated circuit to the data lines of the image display region 113.
FIG. 7 is detailed view illustrating a portion of the data pad region 115 in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 7, the data pad region includes data lines 2 and 2+1 that are vertically arranged at regular intervals and data pads 115A and 115B that are electrically connected to the end of the data lines 2 and 2+1. The data pads 115A and 115B respectively include side contacts SC1 to SC7 separated from each other at regular intervals.
FIGS. 8A to 8C are exemplary views sequentially illustrating a section construction of the data pad region 115 taken along a line IV–IV′ in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 8A, the gate insulating layer 30, the active layer 36, the data line 2 and the passivation film 48 made of an organic material such as BCB, etc. are sequentially formed on the surface of the thin film transistor array substrate 50. As depicted in FIG. 2, the gate insulating layer 30, the active layer 36 and the data line 2 are formed in the fabrication of the thin film transistor (TFT). As depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, the passivation film 48 made of an organic material such as BCB, etc. is formed to improve an aperture ratio of the liquid crystal display device.
As shown in FIG. 8B, side contact holes SC1′ to SC7′ are formed by etching the passivation film 48. As described above in reference to FIG. 2, etching of the passivation film 48 is performed simultaneously in forming of the drain contact hole 16 for connecting the drain electrode 12 and the pixel electrode 14 of the thin film transistor (TFT), by a dry etching method. In general, the data line 2 is made of a conductive material such as Cr. However, according to size increase and high resolution trends of the liquid crystal display device, a width of the data line 2 has to be reduced. However, a reduced width increases resistance even though quantity of image information transmitted through the data line 2 is increasing as display panels become larger. To improve image information transmission performance, a conductive material, such as Mo, having less resistance than Cr has been recently used for the data line 2. However, a conductive material, such as Mo, used for the data line 2 can be etched by the dry etching of the passivation film 48.
The data line 2 made of a conductive material such as Mo is electrically contacted to the pixel electrode 14 at the side of the side contact holes SC1′ to SC7′. The more the number of the side contact holes SC1′ to SC7′, the more a contact area of the data line 2 and the pixel electrode 14 can be secured, and accordingly resistance can be reduced. In addition, the active layer 36 formed in fabrication of the thin film transistor (TFT) may be etched by the dry etching of the passivation film 48. Thus, by etching the data line 2 and the active layer 36, the gate insulating layer 30 is exposed to the bottom surface of the side contact holes SC1′ to SC7′.
Then, as shown in FIG. 8C, by patterning the pixel electrode 14 on the surface of the resultant structure, the pixel electrode 14 is electrically contacted to the side of the data line 2 through the side contacts SC1 to SC7. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, patterning of the pixel electrode 14 is performed simultaneously while the patterning of the pixel electrode 14 of a unit pixel, and a transparent conductive material, such as ITO, is applied to the pixel electrode 14.
In a subsequent probe inspection, needles are contacted to the data pad region 115, and a test signal is applied. In more detail, when the liquid crystal display panel is fabricated, a probe inspection for inspecting an open defect or a short defect of the gate lines and the data lines through images displayed on the image display region is performed by applying test signals to the gate lines and the data lines through the gate pad region and the data pad region. However, in the related art, because the plural side contacts SD1 to SD7 are formed on the data pad region, contact between the needles and the side contacts SD1 to SD7 can not be performed smoothly.
More particularly, the data pad region 115 has peaks and depressions because of the plural side contacts SD1 to SD7. Accordingly, when the needles are in contact, a scratch may occur on the surface of the data pad region 115 if a misalignment occurs. This causes a defect in the liquid crystal display panel. Further, replacement of damaged needles may be required.
In addition, in the data pad region 115, an inorganic material, such as SiNx or SiOx, used for the gate insulating layer 30 has good interfacial adhering characteristics. On the contrary, an organic material such as BCB used for the passivation film 48 has poor interfacial adhering characteristics. Accordingly the pixel electrode 14 can be separated from the organic passivation film 48. More particularly, if an area contacted to the passivation film 48 is wider than an area contacted to the gate insulating layer 30 exposed to the bottom surface of the side contact holes SC1′ to SC7′, the pixel electrode 14 may be easily separated from the passivation film 48.
After the liquid crystal display panel is fabricated, when a defective TAB occurs in a module process for electrically contacting the data driver integrated circuit to the data pad region 115 by a TAB (tape-automated bonding) method, the defective TAB is detached from the data pad region 115. Because the pixel electrode 14 is adhered to the TAB, a portion or whole pixel electrode 14 is separated from the passivation film 48. Accordingly, the data pad region 115 is damaged, and becomes a defect of the liquid crystal display panel. In addition, when the defective TAB is detached from the data pad region 115, the pixel electrode 14 and the passivation film 48 may be separated from the active layer 36 since the pixel electrode 14 adhered to the defective TAB.
To improve interfacial adhering characteristics of the passivation film 48 made of an organic material, such as BCB, a triple layer structure depositing an upper SiNx film/BCB film/lower SiNx film can be used as the passivation film 48. However, even in the triple layer structure, when the defective TAB is detached from the data pad region 115, the pixel electrode 14 and the upper SiNx film may separate from the BCB film since the pixel electrode 14 is adhered to the defective TAB. In addition, the pixel electrode 14, the upper SiNx film and the BCB film may separate from the lower SiNx. Thus, there is no interfacial adhering characteristics improvement in the data pad region 115 with a triple layer structure.

Data pad region of liquid crystal display panel and fabricating method thereof