A method of forming cooling channels in a component is provided. The component has a substrate having outer and inner surfaces. The inner surface defines at least one interior space, and a core is disposed within each interior space. The method includes forming at least one access hole in the substrate, while the core is disposed within the respective interior space, removing the core from the respective interior space, and forming at least one groove in the outer substrate surface (before or after the core is removed). Each access hole connects the groove in fluid communication with the respective interior space. The method further includes disposing a coating over at least a portion of the outer substrate surface, where the coating includes at least a structural coating that extends over the groove(s), such that the groove(s) and the structural coating together define one or more channels configured to convey a coolant from the respective interior space(s) for cooling the component.

The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and, more specifically, to micro-channel cooling therein.
In a gas turbine engine, air is pressurized in a compressor and mixed with fuel in a combustor for generating hot combustion gases. Energy is extracted from the gases in a high pressure turbine (HPT), which powers the compressor, and in a low pressure turbine (LPT), which powers a fan in a turbofan aircraft engine application, or powers an external shaft for marine and industrial applications.
Engine efficiency increases with temperature of combustion gases. However, the combustion gases heat the various components along their flowpath, which in turn requires cooling thereof to achieve an acceptably long engine lifetime. Typically, the hot gas path components are cooled by bleeding air from the compressor. This cooling process reduces engine efficiency, as the bled air is not used in the combustion process.
Gas turbine engine cooling art is mature and includes numerous patents for various aspects of cooling circuits and features in the various hot gas path components. For example, the combustor includes radially outer and inner liners, which require cooling during operation. Turbine nozzles include hollow vanes supported between outer and inner bands, which also require cooling. Turbine rotor blades are hollow and typically include cooling circuits therein, with the blades being surrounded by turbine shrouds, which also require cooling. The hot combustion gases are discharged through an exhaust which may also be lined and suitably cooled.
In all of these exemplary gas turbine engine components, thin walls of high strength superalloy metals are typically used to reduce component weight and minimize the need for cooling thereof. Various cooling circuits and features are tailored for these individual components in their corresponding environments in the engine. For example, a series of internal cooling passages, or serpentines, may be formed in a hot gas path component. A cooling fluid may be provided to the serpentines from a plenum, and the cooling fluid may flow through the passages, cooling the hot gas path component substrate and any associated coatings. However, this cooling strategy typically results in comparatively low heat transfer rates and non-uniform component temperature profiles.
Recently, micro channel cooling has been proposed as a means for improving cooling of critical areas on hot-gas path components. See for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 20120111545 A1, Ronald Scott Bunker et al., "Components with re-entrant shaped cooling channels and methods of manufacture," which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Access holes are used to supply micro-channels with coolant from interior spaces within the component. However, FIG. 6 of the present application illustrates a problem associated with forming the access holes. Namely, when abrasive liquid jet (ALJ) drilling is used to make access (coolant supply) holes into the interior cavities 114, once all the ALJ punches through the wall and defines the access hole, the ALJ can also strike the interior surface of the opposite wall, thereby damaging that surface.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved process for forming micro-channel cooled components that would prevent or reduce damage to these surfaces during the formation of the access holes used to supply the micro-channels with coolant from the interior of the component.

Methods of forming cooling channels using backstrike protection


This application relates primarily to various apparatus and method for securing and protecting a camera module within a device housing. The securing and protecting elements are configured to take up minimal space within the device housing so that available space for the camera module is maximized. In some embodiments the securing elements can also include grounding features.

As electronic devices continue to include increasingly greater numbers of features, integration of those features into a single device becomes increasingly complex. One particular feature that has become ubiquitous in popular portable electronic devices is imaging operations enabled by camera modules. Because camera modules include fragile elements such as lens elements and electronics, proper mounting of these modules is important to protect them from damage. Furthermore, improper alignment of the camera module within an electronic device can result in unexpected or even degraded imaging performance. Unfortunately, achieving robust shock mounting and reliable camera alignment can be problematic, especially in situations where those shock mounting and alignment features need to fit in highly constrained spaces.

Camera related features of a mobile phone or computing device


A method and apparatus for generating one or more transfer functions for converting waveforms. The method comprises the steps of determining a system description, representative of a circuit, comprising a plurality of system components, each system component comprising at least one component characteristic, the system description further comprising at least one measurement node and at least one output node, each of the at least one measurement nodes representative of a waveform digitizing location in the circuit. One or more transfer functions are determined for converting a waveform from one or more of the at least one measurement nodes to a waveform at one or more of the at least one output nodes. The generated transfer functions are then stored in a computer readable medium.

A digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) is one of the most commonly used instruments by engineers and scientists to display and analyze waveforms in electrical circuits. Often, a probe is utilized to connect the DSO to a circuit being measured and provides a mechanism for transmitting the signal in the circuit to the oscilloscope input.
There are certain important features or characteristics of probes worth noting. The first characteristic is the probe's loading. Since the probe is connected to a circuit under test, the loading can affect the circuit or change its operation. Since the probe usually shunts the circuit, the loading is best when the probe looks like a high impedance shunt element to the circuit. Another feature of interest is the ability of the probe to be connected at the correct measurement point and is usually addressed by making the tip of a probe as small as possible and by providing electrical contacts in the circuit that can be placed as close as possible to the desired measurement point. Still another feature is the impedance match of the probe output to the DSO channel input. When the probe's output impedance is matched to the DSO channel input, the transmitted signal passes into the scope undisturbed. Finally, and no less important is the general signal fidelity aspects internal to the probe such as magnitude and phase response.
Generally, when all of the aforementioned probe characteristics are good, the probe is useful for use with the DSO in the acquisition and measurement of signals occurring in the circuit under test.
As of late, high performance DSOs and probes are being utilized to measure extremely fast circuits and signals. The speed of these circuits is described by the frequency and risetimes of signals present in the circuits. When the frequencies of interest are very high and the risetimes are very short, it becomes very difficult to develop DSOs and probes with precision and accuracy sufficient for making accurate measurements. Specifically, many of the characteristics previously described become degraded.
At high frequencies, a probe's loading usually gets worse, causing the probe to interact more and more with the circuit being measured. When loading effects worsen, the probe sets up reflections due to impedance discontinuities in the circuit at the probing point. High speed measurements are often made on very small circuit features which make it difficult to access the desired measurement point. Often the desired measurement point is inside a chip and is completely inaccessible. It is not possible to make a perfect impedance match to the scope at high frequencies. This is a problem with the DSO design as well as the probe design. Finally, the probe exhibits more and more signal fidelity degradations internally as frequencies increase.
The problem of internal probe signal fidelity degradation has been addressed through the use of digital compensation. These are digital signal processing (DSP) methods that build filters to compensate for the probes response. The DSP methods are utilized inside the DSO using digital filters stored in the probe and are generated during a probe calibration step in the manufacture of the probe. Alternatively, these filters are derived from probe response information stored in the probe and generated during a probe calibration step in the manufacture of the probe.
In a coarse manner, the filters or responses that are stored in the probe have been utilized to compensate for probe loading effects. However, this compensation can only act in a coarse manner because the compensation methods currently used address only a fixed compensation that addresses the loading as if the probe was being utilized in the exact environment in which it was calibrated.
These filters may comprise analog or digital filters. Analog compensators, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,126 issued to McTigue, for example, comprise fixed filters, and are therefore not adjustable in accordance with the present invention. Even prior digital compensators fail to address the issues noted above. Typically, this type of digital probe compensation is handled in two ways—either the scope and probe combination is calibrated together on a given channel (the probe compensation is valid only so long as the probe is connected to the scope channel on which it is calibrated—it cannot be moved to another channel or another scope), or the scope/probe interface is designed to extremely high tolerances so that it can be ignored and is not considered and the probe compensator forms a fixed response.
US patents to Sekel (U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,359) and Pupalaikis (U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,335) provide for dynamic self calibration which is capable of compensating nearly from the probe tip through the scope (there will always be some portion of the tip not included in his calibration method). These methods are capable of accounting for the separate probe parts and the scope probe interface because the calibration signal could be injected near the tip and measured through the entire channel. However, this type of calibration requires complex circuitry and procedures to accomplish the compensation. While this method does provide a benefit of accounting for changing conditions of the parts over time and temperature as his does, the system is not one which can be easily implemented at, for example, a remote location not having an appropriate test and calibration fixture.
What is needed is a solution for addressing the probe loading problems in a general sense (i.e. considering the circuit under test). What is needed is a solution for probing inaccessible points. What is needed is a solution for dealing with the mismatch between the DSO and the probe. What is needed is a solution for determining the error bounds on measurements utilizing probes.
As a final note, the probe is generally manufactured with separate parts that are assembled. Often these parts are assembled by the scope and probe user at the time of use. Mechanisms have been provided for the storage of separate information corresponding to the individual probe parts. What is needed is a solution that combines measurements of separate probe portions into an aggregate probe measurement and using this probe measurement for effective probe compensation.


An aircraft electrical supply circuit including: a power distribution network, onboard the aircraft, for electrical devices located in an engine of the aircraft or near the engine; and a power supply generator built into the engine of the aircraft to supply AC voltage power to a deicing or anti-icing system. The power supply generator is connected to a thrust reverser electromechanical actuator by a rectifier for supplying DC voltage power to the actuator.

The invention relates to the electrical power supply for electrical devices of an aircraft engine and/or its environment.
The field of application of the invention is more particularly that of airplane engines, in particular gas turbine engines.
The electrical devices of an aircraft engine or its environment here refers not only to electrical devices useful for the operation of the engine strictly speaking, but also electrical devices associated with the nacelle of the engine, for example such as nacelle anti-icing (NAI) electrical circuits or thrust reverse cowl opening system (TRCOS) actuators or electromechanical thrust reverse actuation control (ETRAC) actuators for a gas turbine airplane engine, or even associated with the wings supporting the engine, for example such as electrical deicing or anti-icing circuits of the airplane wing.
Document FR 2 911 848 describes an architecture in which the power supply and control circuit comprises two generators mounted on a transmission housing mechanically coupled to a turbine shaft of an aircraft engine. These generators are typically Starters/Generators (S/G) comprising a synchronous generator that is associated with an energizer and provides a variable-frequency AC voltage as a function of the engine rating, the energizer assembly and synchronous generator being controlled to run in synchronous engine mode when the turbine is started. The AC voltage supplied by the S/G is conveyed toward an electrical distribution network onboard the airplane, or an airplane electrical system. An airplane electrical system provides, via one or more distribution buses, a regulated AC voltage, typically 115 Vac or 230 Vac, having a frequency that varies as a function of the speed of rotation of the turbine shaft. The circuit also powers a voltage converter circuit that provides a regulated DC voltage, typically 270 Vdc or +/−270 Vdc, on one or more buses. The voltages produced supply different loads in the fuselage area of the airplane.
Besides, several electrical devices situated in the engine of the aircraft or in the engine environment are powered by a DC voltage supply bus, which in turn is powered by voltage converters connected to the AC voltage of the airplane onboard electrical network. These electrical devices may comprise an electromechanical thrust reverser actuator.
Furthermore, the power supply circuit also includes a power generator integrated into the engine of the aircraft to power a deicing or anti-icing circuit of the nacelle of the engine or a deicing circuit for a wing supporting the engine. This makes it possible to limit the length of the cable conveying the electricity toward the deicing circuit, and therefore to reduce the mass and bulk of the cables necessary to convey the electricity to loads outside the fuselage.
Despite the advantages of this architecture, the voltage converters that power the electrical devices in the engine area must be sized taking into account the power necessary for all of the devices, which can represent a significant mass and bulk. Furthermore, these voltage converters being connected to the airplane onboard electrical network, they must satisfy constraints in terms of harmonic limits not to be exceeded and current surge. These converters thus have a complex structure.

Power supply circuit for an aircraft de-icing system


A data presentation system dynamically generates and renders a user interface (UI) in the form of a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document. Extensible Markup Language (XML) data files contain data that defines the UI. The XML data is maintained independently of any application and/or computing system's settings and controls that define the presentation of the UI. The XML data files also have reference links to secondary data files that contain data further defining the UI. The UI is dynamically generated when an application invokes the XML data files. The HTML document incorporates the data from both the XML data files and from the secondary data files when rendering the UI.

Access to a computing system's settings and controls are typically presented to a user via a collection of individual user interactive applications collected for presentation within a control panel user interface. The computing system's settings and controls are coded with a programmable means for user interaction at the user interface.
FIG. 1 shows a computing system 100 having a conventional control panel user interface. Computing device 100 has a display 110 and a base 112. The base 112 contains memory 114 that stores systems applications 116 and 118(A1-AN).
A user interface (UI) 120 is shown displayed on the computing device display 110. In FIG. 1, the UI 120 is embodied as the control panel 130 in the familiar "Windows"-based operating system from Microsoft Corporation. Control panel 130 presents a user with a multitude of selectable application control icons 132(I1-IN) that expose both simple and complex system configuration settings and controls at the same level. Each application icon 132 is independently associated with a system application 118 within the computing device memory 114 (e.g., icon I1 is the independent UI associated with application A1, and so forth).
The presentation of control panel 130 is controlled by system application 116. Each systems application 118 is associated with the presentation of a control panel UI, and is also integrated with the presentation of the control panel 130 in conjunction with the control panel system application 116.
From a user standpoint, multiple unrelated system control panels make it difficult for a user to locate a system setting or control that he or she wants to change. Furthermore, related settings and controls are separated into different control panels, causing a user to have to search the various control panels to accomplish a set of related settings and control tasks.
Accordingly, there is a need for control panel UIs that enables a user to easily navigate a computing system's settings and controls. Additionally, there is a need for an extensible UI presentation technique that enables a developer to easily design, modify, and replace control panel UIs.
New computing display and data presentation techniques have developed as a result of the Internet and the fast-paced technological advancements in computing and user interaction. One such presentation and display technology utilized by developers of Internet Web pages is Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) in conjunction with Extensible Markup Language (XML). Many readers will be familiar with HTML and XML. However, to provide additional background, the following discussion presents an overview of the conventional HTML and XML technologies.
Hypertext Markup Language
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is a display language for presenting data to an end user in a visual presentation. Internet Web pages are commonly written in HTML and may include text, images, sound, video, active code, and so forth. Data binding is an aspect of Dynamic HTML (DHTML) that allows processing individual items of data from an information source into an HTML display, thus allowing HTML to be used as a template for displaying the data, while creating an extensible and interactive Web page. DHTML allows a developer to individually manipulate any HTML page element at any time.
Making simple updates to an HTML page, such as changing the color of text after a Web page has been rendered for display, typically requires reloading the entire page to account for the one desired change. With DHTML, however, every element within the page is independently dynamic and an individual element (text or graphics) can be changed without having to reload the entire page.
Extensible Markup Language
Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a meta-markup language that provides a format for describing structured data. XML is similar to HTML in that it is a tag-based language. By virtue of its tag-based nature, XML defines a strict tree structure or hierarchy. XML is a derivative of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) that provides a uniform method for describing and exchanging structured data in an open, text-based format. XML utilizes the concepts of elements and namespaces. Compared to HTML, which is a display-oriented markup language, XML is a general purpose language for representing structured data without including information that describes how to format the data for display.
Internet Web-based data viewing is typically enabled via XML data that is stored on a server at an Internet site. The XML data is transferred to a client device upon request and rendered for viewing with HTML. An XML document does not by itself specify whether or how its data should be displayed. The XML data is merely the factual information to be displayed.
An unique attribute of utilizing XML structured data is that the data is separated from the HTML presentation to a user. While HTML specifies how to display data in an Internet browser, XML only defines the content data to be displayed. HTML utilizes tags to specify how an Internet browser will display the data (i.e., bold or italic). In XML, tags are only used to describe the data (i.e., a title name), and not to specify how the data will be displayed. To describe how the data will be presented, XML references a separate application or stylesheet.
Extensible Stylesheet Language
Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) provides both the semantic and structural independence for presenting the content of XML data. A style sheet contains a template of the desired structure for data presentation, and identifies the data in an XML source document to insert into the template. Thus, the XML data is separated from the presentation, allowing both the grammar and the structure of the XML source document to be independent of the presentation language and the structure.
XSL style sheets contain instructions for presenting the data in an XML document in a format such as HTML. XML enables data to be processed and displayed by applying different stylesheets and applications while separating the data from the presentation and the process. The separation of the data from the presentation allows for a seamless integration of data from diverse sources. This further allows data encoded in XML to be easily exchanged on-line and delivered over the Internet to a client device.
FIG. 2 shows the components for transforming XML-based data into an HTML display using XSL. The HTML presentation system 200 includes an Internet server 202 and a requesting client device 204. The Internet server 202 includes XML data 210, an XSL template 212, and an XSL processor 214. The XML data 210 is processed with the XSL template file 212 at the XSL processor 214 to generate and present an HTML document 216 at the client device 204.
XML Structure
XML "elements" are structural constructs that consist of a start tag, an end or close tag, and the information or content that is contained between the tags. A "start tag" is formatted as "<tagname>" and an "end tag" is formatted as "</tagname>". In an XML document, start and end tags can be nested within other start and end tags. All elements that occur within a particular element must have their start and end tags occur before the end tag of that particular element. This defines a strict tree-like structure. Each element forms a node in this tree, and potentially has "child" or "branch" nodes. The child nodes represent any XML elements that occur between the start and end tags of the "parent" node.
Namespaces in XML structured data qualify element names in a recognizable manner to avoid conflicts between elements with the same name. Namespaces ensure that element names do not conflict, and they clarify who defined which term. They do not give instructions on how to process the elements, but simply keep the names straight. Thus, XML namespaces convey meaningful information by associating a descriptive namespace with a tag name.
Within an XML document, namespace declarations occur as attributes of start tags. Namespace declarations are of the form "xmlns:[prefix]=[uri]". A namespace declaration indicates that the XML document contains element names that are defined within a specified namespace or schema. A "prefix" is an arbitrary designation that will be used later in the XML document as an indication that an element name is a member of the namespace declared by a universal resource indicator (uri). The prefix is valid only within the context of the specific XML document. A uri is either a path to a document describing a specific namespace or schema, or a globally unique identifier of a specific namespace or schema. A uri is valid across all XML documents. Namespace declarations are "inherited", which means that a namespace declaration applies to the element in which it was declared as well as to all elements contained within that element.
Namespace inheritance within an XML document allows non-qualified names to use "default" namespaces. Default namespaces are explicitly declared as attributes of start tags. Default namespace declarations are of the form "xmlns=[uri]". Note that the declaration of a default namespace is equivalent to the declaration of a non-default namespace but the prefix is omitted. A namespace specification within an XML document is said to have a "scope" which includes all child nodes beneath the namespace specification.
An example of XML code follows:
<trans:orders xmlns:person="http://www.schemas.organization/people"    xmlns:dsig="http://www.dsig.org"    xmlns:trans="http://www.schemas.org/transactions">  <trans:order>    <trans:sold-to>      <person:name>        <person:last-name>Layman</person:last-name>        <person:first-name>Andrew</person:first-name>      </person:name>    </trans:sold-to>    <trans:sold-on>1997-03-17</trans:sold-on>    <dsig:digital-signature>1234567890</dsig:digital-signature>  </trans:order></trans:orders>
This code includes three XML namespace declarations that are each designated with "xmlns". The declarations include a prefix (e.g. "person", "trans", and "dsig") and the expanded namespace to which each prefix refers (e.g. "http://www.schemas.org/people", "http://www.schemas.org/transactions", and "http://www.dsig.org", respectively). This code tells any reader that if an element name begins with "dsig" its meaning is defined by the "http://www.dsig.org" namespace. Similarly, elements beginning with the "person" prefix have meanings defined by the "http://www.schemas.org/people" namespace and elements beginning with the "trans" prefix have meanings defined by the "http://www.schemas.org/transactions" namespace.
It is important to note that another XML document that incorporated elements from any of the namespaces included in this sample might declare prefixes that are different from those used in this example. As noted earlier, prefixes are arbitrarily defined by the document's author and have meaning only within the context of the specific element of the specific document in which they are declared. Tags from multiple namespaces can be mixed to accommodate data coming from multiple sources. With namespaces, two elements can exist in the same XML-based document, but can refer back to two different schemas, uniquely qualifying their semantics.
XML Schemas
XML accommodates an infinite number of database schemas and elements referenced in one XML document can be defined in different schemas. XML schema are typically implemented within a Web browser such as Internet Explorer from Microsoft Corporation to provide support for coinciding sub-sets of XML data. An XML schema specifies the structure of an XML document and the constraints on the document's content.
Specifically, a schema defines the elements that can appear within an XML document and the attributes that can be associated with an element. While defining the structure of an XML document, a schema also defines which elements are child elements of others, the sequence in which the child elements can appear, and the number of child elements. A schema further defines whether an element is empty or can include text, as well as defining default values for attributes. Overall, a schema is utilized to validate the content of an XML document and to determine whether an XML document is a valid instance of the grammar expressed by the schema.
Within each schema, a "dictionary" of element names is defined. The dictionary of element names defined by a schema is referred to as a "namespace." Within an XML document, element names are qualified by namespace identifiers. When qualified by a namespace identifier, a tag name appears in the form "[namespace]:[tagname]". This model enables the same element name to appear in multiple schemas, or namespaces, and for instances of these duplicate element names to appear in the same XML document without colliding. Start tags can declare an arbitrary number of "attributes" which declare "property values" associated with the element being declared. Attributes are declared within the start tag using the form "<[tagname] [attribute1], [attribute2] . . . , [attributeN]>", where attribute1 through attributeN are declarations of an arbitrary number of tag attributes. Each attribute declaration is of the form "[attributeName]=[attributeValue]" where each attribute is identified by a unique name followed by an "=" character, followed by the value of the attribute.
A schema is primarily the formal specification of the elements and attributes allowed within a particular class of XML document, and the schema specifies how those elements and attributes are related to each other. Elements and attributes are defined in an XML schema document by specifying an <ElementType . . . > and <AttributeType . . . >, respectively. These provide the definition and type of the element or attribute. An instance of an element or an attribute is declared using <element . . . > or <attribute . . . > tags. An example of an XML schema is shown following:
<?xml version="1.0"?><Schema xmlns="schemas-microsoft-com:XML-data">  <ElementType name="title" />  <ElementType name="author" />  <ElementType name="pages" />  <ElementType name="book" model="closed">    <element type="title" />    <element type="author" />    <element type="pages" />    <AttributeType name="copyright" />    <attribute type="copyright" />  </ElementType></Schema>
In this example, there are four <ElementType> defining elements: "title," "author," "pages," and "book." Within the ElementType for "book," the content model for a book can be declared. Each book contains "title," "author," and "pages" elements using the <element> with a type attribute that references the ElementType. An <AttributeType> for the copyright attribute can also be defined and then its usage declared using the <attribute> element with a type attribute that references its definition.
The definition of the copyright attribute is contained within the ElementType for "book." Attribute definitions are distinct from ElementType definitions in that they can be declared within the scope of an ElementType, allowing different element types to declare attributes of the same name but with potentially different meaning. <AttributeType> elements can be declared globally by placing them outside of the context of an ElementType. In this way, multiple elements can share the definition of a common attribute without having to redeclare the AttributeType within each ElementType.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for dynamically creating user interfaces


A method and system are provided for establishing a reference position of ink-metering elements relative to a duct roller of a printing machine. The reference position is established by moving the ink-metering element toward the duct roller while acoustically sensing for contact. When a noise level indicative of the ink-metering element being in contact with the roller is detected, the reference, or zero position is established. At that precise moment, a representative value which varies with the distance between the element and the roller is stored as the zero position.

In typical sheet-fed offset printing machines, the printing ink is conveyed from a duct cooperating with a duct roller to a printing plate. More specifically, the ink ultimately is conveyed to the printing plate via a lifting roller and a number of additional inking rollers. Ordinarily, a number of ink-metering components, or elements, are disposed in the lower part of the duct in order to control the amount of ink delivered to the inking roller. These elements allow zonal ink-metering transverse to the direction of printing, i.e., across the duct roller, and as required by the printing plate. Typically, these elements are positioned in close proximity to the duct roller so as to produce an ink layer of defined thickness on the roller when it rotates. The thickness of the ink layer depends on the distance, or gap, between the ink-metering elements and the duct roller.
The ink-metering elements can be in the form of a slide with a movable tip (U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,175 corresponding to German Patent No. DE 3 503 736 C1), a blade-like ink-metering attachment integrally formed on a pivoting arm (U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,431, corresponding to German Patent No. DE 3 033 995 C2) or a duct blade divided into tongues the width of an inking zone. Preferably, each ink-metering element is associated with a remote-control adjusting drive, so that the positions of the ink-metering elements relative to the roller in all of the inking devices can be remotely adjusted from a central location.
The structure and operation of one such remotely controllable ink-metering system is shown in German patent No. DE 3 914 831 A1. In this type of system, it is necessary to periodically position the ink-metering elements so that they touch the duct roller (a position known as zero inking). This is done so that a reference position can be established by detecting the position while an element is in contact with the roller (i.e., at zero position). The reference position (in actuality a value such as an analog signal representative thereof) is then utilized for subsequent remote-controlled positioning operations.
These zeroing operations can be performed manually by a printer, who adjusts each individual ink-metering element of an ink-metering system to the zero inking (contact) position. When the desired position is achieved, the printer actuates a switch or other actuating device, whereupon a value representative of the position is stored in the remote-control system for use as the zero reference position.
As can be readily appreciated, such a manual procedure is time-consuming if there are a number of ink-metering elements (for example fifty or so) on a duct roller and a number of printing units in a printing machine. One attempt to simplify the zero positioning of the elements has been proposed in German Patent No. DE 3 914 831 A1, which provides sensors on the individual ink-metering elements. These sensors provide a distance signal corresponding to the position of the ink-metering element relative to the duct roller. At the moment that one of the aforementioned sensors, which operate without contact, ceases to deliver a signal varying in time as the ink-metering element approaches the roller, the ink-metering element is determined to be touching the duct roller (zero inking) and this precise sensor position is stored and used as the zero position. Alternatively, a separate signal, such as a voltage which varies as a function of the distance between the element and the roller, can be stored at the moment of contact as a characteristic voltage associated with the zero position. Thus, this method and system is able to automatically store the values representative of the zero positions. Although this method works efficiently, one of the major drawbacks to this system is that the sensors required for working the method greatly increase the cost of the ink-metering system.
German Patent No. DE 3 727 656 A1 discloses an ink-metering device comprising a duct with a duct blade divided into tongues the width of a zone and a duct roller electrically insulated from the duct and duct blade. Each individual tongue of the duct blade (the ink-metering element) essentially constitutes a switch which can be electrically interrogated; it becomes closed at the exact time that the ink-metering element is adjacent the duct roller. While this system also allows automated zero positioning, a disadvantage of this device is that the aforementioned principle is impracticable in situations where ink having high electric conductivity (for example, an ink containing metal) is used. A duct containing ink of this kind has to be emptied and cleaned before this type of zeroing can be performed.

Method and system for positioning ink-metering components relative to a duct roller of a printing machine


A scrub washing apparatus comprises a spin chuck for holding a substrate to be processed substantially horizontally, a nozzle for supplying a washing liquid to the substrate mounted on the spin chuck, an arm vertically and horizontally movably supported, an output shaft provided at the arm, a sponge brush connected directly or indirectly to the output shaft, for scrubbing the substrate on the spin chuck in contact therewith, a press mechanism moving the sponge brush downward together with the output shaft, for pressing the sponge brush against the substrate on the spin chuck, and a rotation drive mechanism provided above the press mechanism at a position where the rotation drive mechanism is capable of being engaged with the output shaft, for directly rotating the sponge brush by engaging with the output shaft.

The present invention relates to a scrub washing apparatus and scrub washing method for washing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and an LCD glass substrate.
In manufacturing steps of semiconductor devises, a single-processing substrate washing system is used for removing contaminants, such as particles, organic compounds, and metal ions, attached to a surface of a semiconductor wafer. The single-processing substrate washing system has a scrub washing apparatus for scrubbing away attached materials (contaminants) from the surface of the wafer by brining a brush or a sponge (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cscrub memberxe2x80x9d) into contact with the wafer in rotation.
The scrub washing apparatus has a swingable horizontal arm, a vertical output shaft arranged at a tip portion of the horizontal arm, a scrub member directly or indirectly supported by the vertical output shaft, a rotation drive means for driving the rotation of the scrub member together with the vertical output shaft, and a press means for pressing the scrub member downward together with the vertical output shaft. A contact pressure of the scrub member to the substrate (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cscrub contact pressurexe2x80x9d) corresponds to a total force of a press force given to the scrub member by the press means and a weight of the scrub member itself. The surface of the substrate is desirably washed by properly controlling conditions including the scrub contact pressure, a rotation speed of the scrub member, a moving speed of the scrub member, and a rotation speed of the substrate, in accordance with the surface state of the substrate.
Such a scrub apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI publication Nos. 8-141518, 8-141519. In these conventional apparatuses, an expandable bellows mechanism and an air cylinder mechanism are employed as the press means. For example, in the bellows mechanism described in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI 8-141518, the press force is applied to the vertical output shaft by expanding and contracting of the bellows fitted at an upper end of the vertical output shaft. In the air cylinder mechanism, the press force is applied from the cylinder to the vertical output shaft by protruding or retracting a piston rod attached to an upper end of the vertical output shaft. However, in the conventional apparatuses, if a rub resistance between the vertical output shaft and a bearing is changed, the press force may not be desirably transmitted to the scrub member. Since a belt mechanism is used as a rotation drive mean in the conventional apparatus, the rotation force may not be desirably transmitted to the scrub member because the tension of the belt varies. Furthermore, a driving force transmission mechanism of the conventional apparatus is complicated in structure since numerous mechanical elements such as a belt, a pulley, a bellows, an air cylinder, and a bearing, are assembled, resulting in generation of particles in a non-negligible amount. The generated particles are attached to the substrate, degrading the cleanliness of the substrate surface.
An object of the present invention is to provide a scrub washing apparatus and method capable of transmitting a desired press force and a rotation driving force to a scrub member without fail and generating few amount of particles.
According to the present invention, there is provided a scrub washing apparatus comprising:
a mounting table for holding a substrate to be processed substantially horizontally;
a washing liquid supply mechanism for supplying a washing liquid to the substrate mounted on the mounting table;
an arm vertically and horizontally movably supported;
an output shaft provided at the arm;
a scrub member connected directly or indirectly to the output shaft, for scrubbing the substrate on the mounting table in contact therewith;
a press mechanism moving the scrub member together with the output shaft, for pressing the scrub member against the substrate on the mounting table; and
a rotation drive me chanism provided above the press mechanism at a position where the rotation drive mechanism is capable of being engaged with a the output shaft, for directly rotating the scrub member by engaging with the output shaft.
In this case, the o utpu t shaft has an upper portion extending upward from the press mechanism, a driven engage member attached to the upper portion, and a lower portion extending downward from the press mechanism and connected to the scrub member; and
the rotation drive mechanism has a rotation drive shaft extending downward and a drive engage member attached to a lower end of the rotation drive shaft.
The apparatus further comprises a liftable moving mechanism for moving the output shaft up and down to the press mechanism. The liftable moving mechanism moves up the output shaft to engage the driven engage member with the drive engage member, thereby transmitting the rotation drive force from the rotation driving mechanism to the output shaft.
The drive engage member preferably has
a first connection board connected to the rotation drive shaft;
a horizontal support shaft attached to the first connection board; and
a pair of rollers supported by the horizontal support shaft.
The driven engage member preferably has
a second connection board connected to the output shaft;
a plurality of vertical projections respectively standing at corners of the second connection board; and
depressed portions formed between two adjacent projections.
The output shaft is moved up by the liftable moving mechanism to engage the depressed portions with the pair of rollers, thereby transmitting rotation driving force from the rotation drive mechanism to the output shaft.
The driven engage member has a plurality of projections extending in direction of the rotation drive shaft. Depressed portions are formed between two adjacent projections. The drive engage member is engaged with the depressed portions.
According to the present invention, there is provided a scrub washing method of scrubbing a substrate with a scrub member while a washing liquid is supplied to the substrate by transmitting a press force and a rotation driving force to the scrub member by means of an output shaft and a rotation drive shaft, which comprises the steps of:
(a) setting a scrub contact pressure when the substrate is scrubbed with the scrub member, the output shaft being engaged with the rotation drive shaft and arranged on an extension line of the rotation drive shaft;
(b) mounting the substrate on a mounting table;
(c) moving the scrub member above the substrate mounted on the mounting table;
(d) moving down the scrub member together with the output shaft;
(e) transmitting a rotation drive force to the output shaft from the rotation drive shaft to rotate the scrub member; and
(f) adjusting the pressing force of the scrub member to the substrate at the scrub contact pressure set at the step (a).
In the conventional apparatus, since the rotation drive shaft is located at a distance from the output shaft, a rotation driving force is transmitted to the output shaft from the rotation drive shaft by way of a belt and a pulley. Since the rotation driving force is transmitted indirectly, the output shaft is likely to be affected by various external disturbances (change in tension of a belt), with the result that up-and-down movement and rotation movement of the output shaft become unstable.
In contrast, in the apparatus of the present invention, since the rotation drive shaft is located immediately above the output shaft, the rotation driving force is transmitted directly from the rotation drive shaft to the output shaft. Since the rotation driving force is directly transmitted as described, the output shaft is not affected by the external disturbances, with the result that the up-and-down movement and the rotation movement of the output shaft become stable.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.


A locking mechanism for a support leg hingedly attached to a support surface includes a base, attached to the support surface, with a plurality of angularly spaced, radial teeth, and a coupler, attached to the support leg, having a plurality of angularly spaced, radial teeth configured to mate with the teeth of the base. A selectively releasable engagement mechanism is configured to engage and disengage the teeth of the base with the teeth of the coupler, to allow selective rotation of the support leg between an extended position and a folded position, and to lock the leg in the extended or folded position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to foldable support legs for tables, chairs, portable staging, risers, or other similar portable equipment requiring foldable legs for supporting a surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved locking mechanism for folding legs which is simpler and stronger than other similar mechanisms.
2. Related Art
Portable tables, chairs, risers, etc. having foldable legs are well known. Such devices typically comprise a support surface of some kind having a plurality of support legs hingedly attached to the underside. The legs are rotatable from a folded position against the underside of the support surface, to an extended position where they are generally perpendicular to the support surface. When in the extended position, the support legs are typically locked into place by means of a lock arm, a catch, a linkage, or some other similar locking mechanism. The most common of these mechanisms typically involve hinged angular supports and sliding collars, or spring loaded catches.
To be functional and safe, these locking mechanisms must hold the legs firmly in place, without wobbling or twisting. However, they must be easy to lock and unlock, particularly for novices who are unfamiliar with the mechanism. Accordingly, it is preferable that such devices be lightweight, simple, and intuitive to use. Unfortunately, some prior leg locking mechanisms have relatively low strength, and are susceptible to failure. For example, hinged angular supports can easily buckle if a locking collar is not properly placed, possibly resulting in collapse of the legs and the support surface. Some prior leg locking mechanism can also be in the way of one's knees when sitting at the table. Others are complicated, expensive, and sometimes not very durable. Many of them are also quite heavy, and noisy, thus reducing the desirability, portability, and practicality of the support device.


An improved hydraulic brake system accommodates multiple, e.g. primary and secondary actuation forces while maintaining independence of operation between primary and secondary brake subsystems. A secondary subsystem line pressure booster draws its charging fluid from the primary system line using a split piston, free backflow, volume displacement approach. The improved brake system has a temperature sensitive condition sensing hydromechanical fuze to sense hydraulic line flow for velocity, volume, direction and pressure. The brake system also employs an input flow control valve to direct fluid flow in the secondary subsystem.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to brake systems, and more particularly to an improved vehicle brake system for use with vehicles which employ more than one independent braking subsystem, e.g. which employ both hand and foot manual input forces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is desirable to have a hydromechanically regulated vehicle brake system which accommodates dual hand and foot manual input forces, such that deterioration or failure of one of the two subsystems (such as hand and foot) will not disable the other. Hydromechanical brake systems are commonly utilized on recreational vehicles such as all terrain vehicles (ATV) as well as motorcycles. Hydraulic brakes often are used as foot brakes on automobiles. Automotive brake systems use liquid pressure to force brake pads against rotors on selected wheels and thus stop the wheels from turning. The liquid is contained in actuation devices called brake calipers. These calipers are connected by special tubing to a pressure and flow generating device called a master cylinder, which is connected to the hand or foot operated force input lever. When the driver actuates the lever, the lever pushes a piston in the master cylinder. This piston forces fluid through the tubes and against the pistons in the calipers. These pistons force the brake pads against the brake rotors or drums, which slows or stops the wheel from turning.
Many of the basic principles of automotive hydraulic brake operation are common to recreational vehicle brake systems which employ hydraulic braking. Recreational vehicles also employ more than a single independent braking system. Examples include a hand operated brake as well as a foot operated brake. It is desirable to have a system for such vehicles, which will allow for integrated operation of all independent braking system calipers from a selected primary system input device which may be hand or foot operated, as well as a secondary mode of operation from a second input device.

Hydromechanically regulated vehicle brake system


In the case of radio base stations of different kinds, a synchronization in a radio section cannot be established so that the efficiently effective use of electric waves cannot be retained. According to the invention, therefore, there is provided a TDMA type mobile communication system 100 comprising: a plurality of radio base stations of different system kinds (i.e., a general type radio base station 1, an IP connection type radio base station 10 and a main digital cordless phone 2); mobile phones 5A and 5B wirelessly connected with the plural radio base stations; and a private branch exchange 4 wired with the radio base stations. The radio base station receives, when a synchronized operation mode is decided, a frame signal containing a control CH signal, from a reference radio base station (i.e., a reference station); and times the transmission of the frame signal of a local station to the transmission position of the control CH signal in the frame signal, thereby to establish a frame synchronization in a radio section between own station and the reference radio base station.

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system such as a time-division multiplexing access (as will be shortly called the "TDMA") type mobile communication system, which includes: a plurality of radio base stations whose interfaces with a control device are different type, such as a main digital cordless phone, a PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) radio base station (for example, a general type radio base station (i.e., a radio base station connected with an ISDN line), an IP (internet protocol) connection type radio base station (i.e., a radio base station connected with the internet protocol network); a mobile phone connected wirelessly with those radio base stations; and an exchange (e.g., a private branch exchange) wired with those radio base stations, wherein frame synchronization in a radio section between the radio base stations is established.
As referred to Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-145155, column Nos. [0001] to [0004], for example, there is a TDMA type mobile communication system includes: a general type radio base station; a main digital cordless phone; a private branch exchange equipped with a control device which controls the general type radio base station and the main digital cordless phone; a mobile phone connected wirelessly with the general type radio base station; and the digital cordless handset connected wirelessly with the main digital cordless phone, wherein the mobile phone can be communicatively connected through the general type radio base station, and the digital cordless handset can be communicatively connected through the main digital cordless phone.
FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the inside of the general TDMA type mobile communication system.
The TDMA type mobile communication system 200 shown in FIG. 16 is arranged for business in the private area of an office or a factory, and includes: a plurality of general type radio base stations 1; a plurality of business main digital cordless phones 2; a private branch exchange 4 communicatively connected with the general type radio base stations 1 through an ISDN line 3 and communicatively connected with the main digital cordless phones 2, the private branch exchange 4 having a control device; a mobile phone 5A wirelessly connected with the general type radio base stations 1; and a digital cordless handset (as will be simply called the "mobile phone") 5B wirelessly connected with the main digital cordless phone 2.
The general type radio base station 1 executes calling control procedure in a ratio section on the basis of the RCR STD-28 as the standards of Association of Radio Industries and Business (ARIB), whereby services such as voice communications and data communications can be provided for the mobile phone 5A.
The main digital cordless phone 2 takes a one-to-one direct communication with the mobile phone 5B. Accordingly, electric waves are transmitted at the self operation timing without synchronization with another general type radio base stations 1, whereby services such as voice communications can be provided for the mobile phone 5.
The RCR standards regulate the frequency bands for voice communications between the mobile phone 5A and the general type radio base station 1 and the information configuration of the control CH signal as the call controlling signal which is used for frame synchronization and a carrier number. However, in same type mobile communication systems, common two frequencies, namely 12 ch and 18 ch are allocated to the control CH signal for the business, one of the same type mobile communication systems is obliged to avoid electric wave interference from another of the same type mobile communication systems.
When the general radio base stations 1 (1A, 1B) in the same system transmit the electric waves at an arbitrary timing, and their electric waves interfere with each other, electric wave using efficiency is reduced. In order to prevent the reduction of the electric wave using efficiency, therefore, it is necessary to match between electric wave transmission timings of the TDMA-TDD frames of the general type radio base stations 1 (1A, 1B) to retain frame synchronization between those general type radio base stations 1 (1A, 1B).
FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing the concept of the TDMA-TDD frame which is used at a radio section of the TDMA type mobile communication system.
A TDMA-TDD frame 300 shown in FIG. 17 has a slot configuration of a radio section of second generation cordless telephone system standards, which is standardized by the ARIB. One slot 310, which is minimum unit, is composed of 240 bits (625 μs), and eight slots make one frame (5 ms).
Moreover, the one slot 310 is composed of a transient responding ramp time 311 of 4 bits, data 312 such as control information of 220 bits and a guard bit 313 of 16 bits. Between the succeeding slots 310, the total 20 bits of the guard bits (of 16 bits) 313 and the transient responding ramp time (of 4 bits) 311, that is, 52.1 μs make the allowance which absorbs the deviation between the slots.
In case the general type radio base stations 1 (1A, 1B) are in a frame synchronous state, as shown in FIG. 17, the electric waves for the TDMA-TDD frames of the general type radio base station 1A and the general type radio base station 1B are transmitted at the common timing. In order to hold this synchronized state, the deviation between the TDMA-TDD frame of the general type radio base station 1A and the TDMA-TDD frame of the general type radio base station 1B has to be confined in the allowable range.
Here, the operations till the general type radio base stations 1 retain the frame synchronization with each other will be described.
Each general type radio base station 1 establishes the frame synchronization between the general type radio base stations 1 (1A, 1B) by receiving synchronous signals for the reference of the frame synchronization through the ISDN line 3 of the private branch exchange 4 and by matching transmission timing of the TDMA-TDD frame with the synchronous signals thus received.
According to the TDMA type mobile communication system 200, moreover, when the frame synchronization is established between the general type radio base stations 1 (1A, 1B), it is necessary to determine transmitting timing of the control CH signal. The transmission position of the control CH signal has to be so controlled as to avoid the overlap between the general type radio base stations 1 (1A, 1B).
Here, a control CH signal transmission position segregation operation for preventing the overlap of the transmission positions of the control CH signal between the general type radio base stations 1 will be described. FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing the general control CH transmission period conceptually.
A control CH transmission period 301 shown in FIG. 18 corresponds to an N-number (25≧N≧60) of frames 300 of 5 ms. Specifically, each general type radio base station 1 transmits the control CH signal of own station at an arbitrary frame position 1 to N and at a interval of N frames 300.
In case the general type radio base station 1A transmits the control CH signal at the timing "1", for example, the transmission timing of the next control CH signal is at "N+1". In other words, the general type radio base station 1 transmits the control CH signal of own station once at every interval of N frames 300.
Each of the general type radio base stations 1 use the control CH signal of own station to notify the transmission position of the control CH signal of own station within the interval range, in order of completion of starting such as the power ON. In response to this notified information, the surrounding general type radio base station 1 set up later determines the transmission position of the control CH signal of own station within the interval range while avoiding the transmission position of the control CH signal used by another general type radio base station 1, so that the transmission position of the control CH signal may not overlap between the general type radio base stations 1.
According to the TDMA type mobile communication system 200 thus far described, the synchronous signal is distributed from the private branch exchange 4 through the ISDN line 3 to each of the general type radio base stations 1. By matching the transmission timing of the TDMA-TDD frame of own station with the synchronous signal, therefore, the frame synchronization can be established between the general radio base stations 1 under the control of the same system.
According to the aforementioned TDMA type mobile communication system 200, moreover, when the frame synchronization between the general type radio base stations 1 is established, the transmission position of the control CH signal used by own station is searched within the interval range to determine the transmission position of the control CH signal of own station, so as to do not overlap the transmission position of the control CH signal of another general type radio base station 1. Then, the service operation is started.
According to the aforementioned TDMA type mobile communication system 200, moreover, the one-to-one direct communication is adopted between the main digital cordless phone 2 and the mobile phone 5. Therefore, the electric waves are transmitted at the self operation timing without any synchronization with another general type radio base station 1.

Radio base station synchronizing responsive to conditions being met

Hitachi Communication Technologies, Ltd.


A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS) and a method for fabricating the same. A method for fabricating a CIS includes implanting first conductive type dopants in a semiconductor substrate to form a photodiode region in a surface of the semiconductor substrate, implanting second conductive type dopants in the photo diode region to form a second conductive type diffusion region, and implanting fluorine ions in the second conductive type diffusion region to form a fluorine diffusion region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CMOS image sensor and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image sensor is a semiconductor device used to convert an optical image into an electrical signal. Image sensors may generally be classified as either charge-coupled devices (CCDs) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors (CISs).
A CCD has a plurality of photodiodes (PDs) arranged in matrix form for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal. A CCD includes a plurality of vertical charge coupled devices (VCCDs), a horizontal charge coupled device (HCCD), and a sense amplifier. The VCCDs are formed between respective PDs arranged in matrix form and transfers charges generated in each PD in a vertical direction. The HCCD transfers the charges transferred by each VCCD in a horizontal direction. The sense amplifier senses the horizontally transferred charges and generates an electrical signal therefrom.
CCDs are complex and have high power consumption. In addition, the fabrication process of CCDs is complex because the process requires a multi-step photo process. It is also difficult to decrease the size of CCDs because of the difficulty in integrating a controller, a signal processor, and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter in a chip of the CCD.
Recently, effort has been directed to producing CISs that are capable of overcoming the defects of CCDs. A CIS is a device employing MOS transistors corresponding to the number of unit pixels formed in a semiconductor substrate using a CMOS fabrication technology. A CIS is capable of sequentially detecting, by the respective MOS transistors, an output from each unit pixel. In CMOS fabrication technology, a controller and a signal processor are used as peripheral circuits. More particularly, in a CIS, a photodiode and a MOS transistor are formed within a unit pixel. A CIS can thereby sequentially detect an electrical signal of each unit pixel in order to capture an image.
Using CMOS fabrication technology, a CIS has relatively low power consumption and a relatively simple fabrication process in part because of the decreased number of photo process steps. Further, due in part to the integration of a controller, a signal processor, an A/D converter, and the like into a CIS chip, it is less difficult to decrease the size of a CIS than it is to decrease the size of a CCD. Accordingly, CISs are widely used in a variety of application fields, such as digital still cameras or digital video cameras for example.
FIGS. 1A-1E disclose a prior art method for fabricating a CIS. As disclosed in FIG. 1A, a low-concentration P− type epitaxial layer 62 is formed in a high-concentration P++ type semiconductor substrate 61 using an epitaxial process. An active region and a device isolation region are defined in the semiconductor substrate 61. A device isolation film 63 is then formed in the device isolation region using a shallow trench isolation (STI) process. Thereafter, a gate insulating film 64 and a conductive layer, such as a high-concentration polycrystalline silicon layer for example, are sequentially deposited on a whole surface of the epitaxial layer 62 including the device isolation film 63. The conductive layer and the gate insulating film 64 are then selectively removed, thereby forming a gate electrode 65.
As disclosed in FIG. 1B, a first photoresist film 66 is coated above a whole surface of the semiconductor substrate 61 and is patterned to expose each blue, green, and red photodiode region in an exposure and development process. Subsequently, low-concentration N type dopants are implanted in the epitaxial layer 62 with the patterned first photoresist film 66 as a mask, thereby forming an N− type diffusion region 67 that is the blue, green, and red photodiode region. When the N− type diffusion region 67 for the photodiode region is formed, ion implantation of phosphorous (P) is implemented. In order to enhance the efficiency of signal transmission, a series of two processes are performed with different ion implantation energies.
As disclosed in FIG. 1C, the first photoresist film 66 is thoroughly removed. An insulation film is then deposited and etched back above an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 61. Thus, insulating sidewalls 68 are formed at both side surfaces of the gate electrode 65. After a second photoresist film 69 is coated above an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 61, it is patterned to cover the photodiode region and expose a source/drain region of each transistor through an exposure and development process. Next, high-concentration N+ type dopants are implanted in the exposed source/drain region using the patterned second photoresist film 69 as a mask, thereby forming an N+ type diffusion region (a floated diffusion region) 70.
As disclosed in FIG. 1D, the second photoresist film 69 is removed. After a third photoresist film 71 is coated above an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 61, it is patterned to expose each photodiode region by an exposure and development process. P0 type dopants, such as BF2+ for example, are implanted in the photodiode region including the N type diffusion region 67, using the patterned third photoresist film 71 as a mask. Thus, a P0 type diffusion region 72 is formed on the N type diffusion region 62. In this connection, electrons may be generated in a surface of a photodiode due to a defect of the interface between the photodiode and the semiconductor substrate 61. This may cause a movement of the electrons to the photodiode region to thereby generate an undesired signal in the surface. Thus, the P0 type diffusion region 72 with many holes formed at its upper surface serves to remove the electrons by allowing the electrons to couple with the holes. However, a portion of the electrons remains without removing or coupling with holes and thus, causes a dark current thereby deteriorating a product characteristic of the CMOS sensor.
As disclosed in FIG. 1E, the third photoresist film 71 is removed. The semiconductor substrate 61 is heat-treated, thereby promoting diffusion in each impurity diffusion region. As a P type junction layer is formed thicker by P type ion implantation in order to remove a dark current, dark current decreases but a light sensitivity also decreases. Thus, after ion implantation, P type dopants should not be diffused into the photodiode region.
FIG. 2 discloses a relationship between silicon depth and dopant concentration in a photodiode region formed by primary and secondary ion implantation when the prior art CIS of FIGS. 1A-1E is fabricated. As disclosed in FIG. 2, a series of two N type ion implantations are performed at different energy of 160 KeV and 100 KeV, respectively, to form a photodiode region. Low energy ion implantation is performed at an ion implantation angle of between 4 degrees and 10 degrees. High energy ion implantation is performed at an ion implantation angle of zero degrees.
However, in the prior art, there is a limitation in controlling the diffusion of boron (B) having a small mass and fast diffusion. Accordingly, low energy ion implantation makes it difficult to realize a concentration profile in a desired form.
As disclosed in FIG. 3A, electrons that are a cause of a dark current generated in a surface of a photodiode are mostly removed by coupling with many P type holes, but a part of the electrons naturally flows into an N type region whose energy is low. This leads to the generation of an unnecessary signal to thereby produce a noise in images. Also, it is difficult to control the diffusion of P type dopants into the N type region and therefore, a light sensitivity characteristic, in particular, sensitivity to a blue color-based short wavelength light is deteriorated.
In the prior art, as described above, ion implantation of phosphorous (P) or arsenic (As), which are N type dopants, is performed on the photodiode region of the CIS. After that, ion implantation of BF2+, which is a P type dopant, is implemented. A theoretical approach to the diffusion of boron (B) is mainly affected from a Transient Enhanced Diffusion (TED) effect caused by the interstitial between lattices. Accordingly, in the case of low energy, as disclosed in FIG. 3B, it is difficult to control a doping profile (a concentration profile) when a thermal process is performed after ion implantation of boron.

CMOS image sensor and method for fabricating the same


A multi-function and high function photographic device having optional setting of only those functions desired by the photographer, thereby omitting complicated setting operations, such as the selection of unnecessary function mode settings or function ranges. The photographic device includes an LCD to display plural function operation elements which are operational modes relating to photography or numerical values indicating operation ranges relating to photography. The photographic device further includes a manual operation device to select optional elements from among the function operation elements which are displayed on the LCD. A control device inhibits operation of the optional elements which were selected by the manual operation device. Moreover, control device controls display or non-display of function operation elements on the LCD, to indicate operation or operation inhibition states.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a function setting device for a photographic device, such as a camera or the like, which can optionally set functions related to various photographic operations or which can optionally set functions related to various kinds of photographic modes, such as an exposure mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras are known which have a high degree of functionalization made possible by digital control. More particularly, cameras are known which can perform a variety of functions with a CPU based control system disposed in the camera. Furthermore, the known cameras include a plurality of operating buttons, or the like setting means, to set the various functions, and a display, such as an LCD, to display functions related to photographic operations. For example, in a conventional camera having an exposure mode function, selection of an exposure mode is possible from among at least four modes: program; shutter priority; aperture priority; and manual. In addition to the exposure mode function, similar multi-functionalization in cameras exists for various kinds of function setting modes, such as shutter speed, aperture, selection range of exposure correction, photometric mode, rangefinding mode, windup mode, strobe control mode, and the like.
However, the circumstances of camera use differ greatly among photographers. More particularly, regardless of whether the user is a professional photographer or an amateur photographer, there exist photographers in various kinds of photographic genres, and the functions which are necessary in each of the respective genres vary greatly in their details. For example, with respect to a professional photographer, the functions used in photography may be very limited because many professional photographers work only in a specific photographic genre. However, within the limited range of functions used by a professional photographer, it is desirable to be able to very rapidly change the function content.
If the commercial cost of the camera is not a factor to be considered, it would be ideal to provide a camera whose functions completely correspond to a particular genre. However, in practice, the cost of a camera having this type of feature becomes high. Accordingly, when the consumer actually considers a camera having a large number of functions, and selects desired functions from among the large number of functions, the consumer himself provides a camera having functions corresponding to the circumstances of use for his particular genre.
The conventional cameras, as described above, are designed with multi-functionalization and high functionalization. Nonetheless, these cameras provide numerous functions which are unnecessary for certain photographers because only specific modes of operation are necessary according to the circumstances characteristic of photography in each kind of photographic genre. For example, even if only the shutter priority mode and the manual mode are necessary in the exposure mode, rapid selection of the exposure mode cannot be performed because superfluous program mode and aperture priority mode appear on the display at the time of selecting the exposure mode. Moreover, in selecting a shutter speed mode, even if the normal region from 1/1,000 to 1/60 is sufficient, rapid selection cannot be performed because a range of from 1/8,000 to 1 second is displayed, and it is necessary to select a shutter speed from among the values in this range.
Accordingly, in conventional cameras which are designed for multi-functionalization and high functionalization, problems occur in that it is necessary for individual photographers to perform the setting of unnecessary function modes, or the selection of unnecessary function ranges, and to change the selection of the function mode settings and the function ranges. Further, the operations of setting the function modes and selecting the function ranges are complicated operations, and take excessive amounts of time.

Function setting device for photographic device


A thin film photoelectric converter including a transparent conductive layer, a laser light absorption layer, a back electrode layer, a semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer and a transparent electrode layer stacked on a translucent substrate. The laser light absorption layer is parted into regions by first kind parting line grooves, and the photoelectric conversion layer is parted into regions by third kind parting line grooves penetrating the laser light absorption layer, the rear surface electrode layer and the photoelectric conversion layer. The transparent electrode layer is parted into regions by fourth kind parting line grooves penetrating the laser light absorption layer, the rear surface electrode layer, the photoelectric conversion layer and the transparent electrode layer. A receiving side transparent electrode region of one cell is electrically connected to a back electrode region of an adjacent cell through the first kind groove, the transparent conductive layer and the third kind groove.

In recent years, there has been diversification of a thin film solar cell as a typical example of a thin film photoelectric converter, having led to development of a crystalline thin film solar cell in addition to a conventional amorphous thin film solar cell, and also to commercial application of a hybrid (a kind of stacked) thin film solar cell, in which these cells are stacked.
Normally, the thin film solar cell includes a transparent conductive film, one or more semiconductor thin film photoelectric conversion units, and a back electrode sequentially stacked on a substrate having an insulating property at least in its surface. One photoelectric conversion unit includes an i-type layer sandwiched between a p-type layer and an n-type layer.
The i-type layer as a substantially intrinsic semiconductor layer accounts for a large fraction of a thickness of the photoelectric conversion unit, and a photoelectric conversion effect occurs mainly inside this i-type layer. Therefore, a film thickness of the i-type layer as the photoelectric conversion layer is preferably large for light absorption, but when the i-type layer is made thicker than necessary, the time and cost for its deposition increase.
Meanwhile, the p-type and n-type conductive layers each serve to generate a diffusion potential inside the photoelectric conversion unit, and a level of this diffusion potential influences a value of an open circuit voltage, which is one of the important characteristics of the thin film solar cell. However, these conductive layers are inactive layers and thus do not contribute to photoelectric conversion, and light absorbed by impurities having been doped into the conductive layer does not contribute to power generation and is lost. It is thus preferable to make the film thicknesses of the p-type and n-type conductive layers as small as possible within the range that sufficiently generates the diffusion potential.
With respect to the photoelectric conversion units as described above, a unit with an amorphous i-type photoelectric conversion layer is called an amorphous photoelectric conversion unit and a unit with a crystalline i-type photoelectric conversion layer is called a crystalline photoelectric conversion unit, regardless of whether the p-type and n-type conductive layers included therein are amorphous or crystalline. An example of a thin film solar cell including the amorphous photoelectric conversion unit is an amorphous thin film silicon solar cell using amorphous silicon for the i-type photoelectric conversion layer. Further, an example of a thin film solar cell including the crystalline photoelectric conversion unit is a crystalline thin film silicon solar cell using microcrystalline silicon or polycrystalline silicon for the i-type photoelectric conversion layer.
Generally, in a semiconductor for use in the photoelectric conversion layer, a light absorption coefficient becomes smaller with increase in wavelength of light. Especially in the case of the photoelectric conversion material being a thin film, since sufficient light absorption does not occur in a wavelength region with a small absorption coefficient, an amount of photoelectric conversion is restricted due to the thickness of the photoelectric conversion layer. Therefore, an innovation has been made to form a light-scattering structure in which light incident inside the photoelectric converter resists escaping outside, making a practical light path length larger for sufficient absorption, and thereby generating a large photocurrent. For example, a texture transparent conductive film with uneven shaped surface has been used so that light transmission scattering occurs.
Incidentally, a thin film photoelectric converter having a large area is typically formed as an integrated-type thin film photoelectric conversion module. In other words, the integrated-type thin film photoelectric conversion module has a structure in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells, having been parted into small areas on a support substrate, are electrically connected in series. Each of the photoelectric conversion cells is usually formed by sequentially performing formation of a first electrode layer, one or more semiconductor thin film photoelectric conversion unit and a second electrode layer, and patterning by a laser beam.
In other words, in manufacturing an integrated-type thin film photoelectric converter, a processing technique using a laser beam has an important influence upon productivity and photoelectric conversion performance of the photoelectric converter. Generally, in this laser beam processing technique, it is easy to perform processing of parting a semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer that is apt to absorb a laser light into a plurality of regions. On the other hand, as for a metal layer that reflects a laser light or a transparent conductive layer that is apt to transmit a laser light therethrough, it is not easy to perform processing of parting each of those layers independently.
FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic sectional view of a method for producing an integrated-type thin film photoelectric converter disclosed in Patent Document 1. It is to be noted that in drawings of the present application, like reference numerals denote like or corresponding portions. Further, in the drawings of the present applications, relations of dimensions, such as lengths, widths and thicknesses, are appropriately changed for the sake of clarification as well as simplification of the drawings, and actual dimensional relations are not shown. In particular, the relation of thicknesses is appropriately changed and drawn.
In FIG. 6(a), at the first setout, a transparent tin oxide layer 2, a laser light absorption layer 3 and a back electrode layer 4 are sequentially stacked on a transparent glass substrate 1. The transparent tin oxide layer 2 can be deposited by thermal CVD method. Such a transparent tin oxide layer 2 has a textured surface structure with fine unevenness, which influences a surface structure of the back electrode layer 4, in order to improve light absorption efficiency inside the semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer by diffuse light reflection from the surface of the back electrode layer. As the laser light absorption layer 3, an amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer is deposited by a plasma CVD method. As the back electrode layer 4, an Ag layer is deposited using a magnetron sputtering device.
In FIG. 6(b), the substrate taken out of a sputtering reaction chamber is set on an X-Y table, and a plurality of parting line grooves D1 are formed by use of a laser beam LB1 incident from the transparent glass substrate 1 side so that the stack of the transparent tin oxide layer 2, the laser light absorption layer 3 and the metal back electrode layer 4 is parted into a plurality of regions. Since the laser beam LB1 is efficiently absorbed by the laser light absorption layer 3 through the transparent glass substrate 1 and the transparent tin oxide layer 2 to generate heat, the transparent tin oxide layer 2 and the back electrode layer 4 can be simultaneously subjected to parting processing with relative ease. The plurality of parting line grooves D1 as thus formed are mutually in parallel, and extending in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the figure.
In FIG. 6(c), a semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer 5 is deposited using a plasma CVD device so as to cover the parted back electrode layer 4 and the parting line grooves D1.
In FIG. 6(d), the substrate taken out of a plasma CVD reflection chamber is set on the X-Y table, and a plurality of parting line grooves D2 are formed by use of a YAG laser beam LB2 incident from the semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer 5 side thereby part the semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer 5 into a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions. Each of these parting line grooves D2 is proximal to and in parallel with each of the parting line grooves D1.
In FIG. 6(e), a light receiving side transparent electrode layer 6 is deposited so as to cover the parted semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer 5 and the parting line grooves D2. This light receiving side transparent electrode layer 6 can be formed by depositing an ITO (indium tin oxide) layer inside an electron-beam vapor deposition device.
Finally, in FIG. 6(f), the substrate taken out of the electron-beam vapor deposition device is set on the X-Y table, and a plurality of parting line grooves D3 are formed by use of the YAG laser beam LB3 incident from the light receiving side transparent electrode layer 6 side to part the light receiving side transparent electrode layer 6 into a plurality of regions. In this case, although the light receiving side electrode layer 6 is transparent, since the semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer 5 being apt to absorb a laser light is present under the light receiving side transparent electrode layer, heat generated inside the semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer 5 can also be used to perform processing of parting the light receiving side transparent electrode layer 6 with relative ease. In such a manner, the integrated-type thin film photoelectric converter is completed.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-79522

Multilayer thin-film photoelectric converter and its manufacturing method


A radio relay apparatus and an operating method therefor are provided.

Generally, a radio wave emitted from a base station in a mobile communication system has difficulty in reaching the inside of a large building, the back side of a mountain or a hill, or a tunnel, a subway, or the like. Thus, such an area is likely to be unavailable for mobile communication. Accordingly, a shaded area is provided due to the position or geography of the base station. As measures for reducing the above-described shaded area, a repeater capable of covering a shaded area in which the telephone service is unavailable, with low cost and a weak radio wave, is used.
In particular, an in-building optical repeater is a device that supplements a shaded area in a building and eliminating voice-of-customer (VoC). In general, a radio coverage is established by routing a radio frequency (FR) cable and installing an antenna in the building. However, in a case where cable routing in the building is limited, or covering of a small shaded area is intended, a donor antenna is installed outside the building, and an RF repeater that receives a signal from a base station in a radio RF manner, transmits the signal into the building, and provides a radio coverage through a service antenna is used.
In a long term evolution (LTE) service or 3G (WCDMA, wideband code division multiple access) service, which uses a frequency band of 5 GHz or less in the related art, RF repeater transmits an RF signal received from a base station of the outside of the building into the inside of the building through an RF cable.
However, a 5th generation (5G) service using a millimeter wave uses a superhigh frequency band. Thus, if the millimeter wave is propagated through an RF cable, it is not possible to provide the service because of problems such as restriction in transmission length and performance degradation.
In particular, in a case where a 5G base station operates in time division duplex (TDD), the RF repeater needs to operate in synchronization with the base station, in accordance with transmission timings (Time-Sync, T-Sync) in an uplink and a downlink.

Radio relay apparatus and operating method therefor

Abstract: The radio relay apparatus that relays a communication signal between a base station and a terminal includes a donor unit that transmits and receives a radio frequency signal to and from the base station, and at least one service unit that transmits and receives an analog transmission signal to and from the donor unit, and transmits and receives the radio frequency signal to and from the terminal. In the analog transmission signal, an intermediate frequency signal into which the radio frequency signal is converted and a time synchronization signal extracted from the intermediate frequency signal are combined. The time synchronization signal is used by the donor unit and the at least one service unit for time division duplex communication (TDD) synchronization control.