A method for making a semiconductor device includes forming rims on first and second dice. The rims extend laterally away from the first and second dice. The second die is stacked over the first die, and one or more vias are drilled through the rims after stacking. The semiconductor device includes redistribution layers extending over at least one of the respective first and second dice and the corresponding rims. The one or more vias extend through the corresponding rims, and the one or more vias are in communication with the first and second dice through the rims.

Multi-layer semiconductor devices include a plurality of dice stacked and adhered with electrical connections extending therebetween. In one example, the stacked device is formed from two or more wafers (including a plurality of dice therein) that are coupled together at interfaces between the two or more wafers. The coupled wafers are diced and wire bonded to form the plurality of devices.
In some examples, some of the dice (e.g., chips within the dice) of the wafers are defective and unusable. These defective dice are still incorporated into the multi-layered semi-conductor devices by virtue of coupling between the wafers and the resulting devices are also defective and unusable even where many of the other dice within the devices are otherwise fully usable. Accordingly, wafer based fabrication decreases the overall yield of usable multi-layer devices.
In other examples, interconnections between dice within a multi-layered semi-conductor device are provided through wirebonding between the various layers. For instance, two or more semiconductor dice are stacked (e.g., adhered) on a substrate and electrical wires extend along the wire bond pads of the semi-conductor dice to the substrate. On the substrate the electrical interconnections are further routed to the ball grid arrays on the other side of the substrate. The stacked semiconductor dice are molded to protect both the dice and the electrical wires. The electrical wires provide indirect coupling between two or more layers of the multi-layered device. The indirect coupling between two or more of the layers with bond wires limits data and power transmission (e.g., the speed of data transmission and corresponding performance). Additionally, the introduction of a substrate and mold cap over the stacked dice increases the height (z height) of a multi-layered device.
Improved multi-layer fabrication techniques and faster interconnection techniques between layers are desirable that address these and other technical challenges.

Method for interconnecting stacked semiconductor devices


A nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a holding electrode partially formed on a first main surface of a semiconductor laminate including nitride-based compound semiconductor layers including at an emission layer. A method of fabricating a nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising steps of forming a semiconductor laminate by stacking nitride-based compound semiconductor layers at least partially on a substrate to include an emission layer, forming a holding electrode partially on a main surface of the semiconductor laminate located oppositely to the substrate and removing the substrate. Thus, a nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device having high external luminous efficiency with no wafer breakage or cracking and a method of fabricating the same can be proposed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device (light-emitting diode or the like, for example) capable of emitting light in the blue region to the ultraviolet region and a method of fabricating the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrode structure of a nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device from which a substrate is removed and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
A nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device having a structure allowing extraction of electrodes from upper and lower portions and a method of fabricating the same are proposed in general (refer to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-277804). As shown in FIG. 21, the nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-277804 is obtained by bonding a conductive substrate 205 to a wafer of a semiconductor laminate 210 of nitride-based compound semiconductor layers formed by successively growing an n-type layer 200, an emission layer 201 and a p-type layer 202 on an insulating substrate and thereafter partially or entirely removing the insulating substrate from the wafer thereby exposing the semiconductor laminate 210 of the nitride-based compound semiconductor layers, while a negative electrode 206 and a positive electrode 207 are provided on the exposed semiconductor laminate 210 and the conductive substrate 205 as opposite electrodes respectively.
In the aforementioned conventional nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device, however, a metal holding substrate is formed on the overall surface of the wafer to disadvantageously strain the semiconductor laminate 210 and break or crack the wafer, leading to reduction of the yield or reliability of the nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device.
Further, the main surface of the p-type layer 202 forming the lower portion of the semiconductor laminate 210 and those of the conductive substrate 205 serving as a p-side holding electrode and the positive electrode 207 are identical to each other and hence the conductive substrate 205 and/or the positive electrode 207 disadvantageously blocks outwardly emitted light to reduce external luminous efficiency. In addition, the conductive substrate 205 and/or the positive electrode 207 formed by a metal layer disadvantageously reduces the outwardly emitted light, to result in deterioration of the external luminous efficiency of the nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device.
Further, the n-type layer 200 may be also strained due to the negative electrode 206 directly formed thereon, to disadvantageously break or crack the wafer.

Nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device


A power saving system in distributed wireless personal area network and a method thereof are disclosed. A PS (Power Save) anchor that provides information about hibernating devices to a beacon group through power save information elements in media access control for a wireless personal area network based on a wireless mobile ad-hoc network. Accordingly, all devices in the given wireless personal area network can schedule their active modes and hibernating modes according to hibernating intervals of destination devices with which the devices want to communicate. This can effectively reduce the necessity of the devices' waiting for the destination devices to awake from the hibernating mode as the devices maintain their idle state, and thus the power consumption of all the devices in the network can effectively be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power saving system in a distributed wireless personal area network and a method thereof, and more particularly to a power saving system in a distributed wireless personal area network and a method thereof that can provide a media access control for power saving in a wireless personal area network based on a mobile ad-hoc network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) is defined as a network that operates in a personal area of about 10 m. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) participated in determining the standard for such a wireless personal area network. A UWB (Ultra Wide Band) communication technology can provide a transmission rate of more than several hundred megabits per second (Mbps) in such a personal area network. In a WPAN, media are shared among all devices for mutual communications. If possible, the respective devices attempt to be in a power save state to reduce their battery power consumption.
This requires a media access control method for controlling the media access of the devices, which includes, in a broad sense, how to access the network, how to transmit data to other devices at a desired transmission rate, how to optimally use the media, how to detect and dissolve collisions of beacons, and how to optimally use the power.
The media access control method for a WPAN may be classified into a centralized access method and a distributed access method. According to the centralized access method, one device operates for the whole network in order to manage and control the media access for all devices. All devices request the help of a centralized coordinator for their media access such as network participation and channel time allocation. According to the distributed access method, the media access is uniformly distributed over all devices in the network, and all the devices share the burden of managing their mutual media access.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a WPAN according to the conventional distributed access method.
Referring to FIG. 1, the WPAN includes many devices that are indicated as points. Circles drawn around the respective devices indicate ranges in which beacons of the corresponding devices are received, respectively. Additionally, the devices included in a circle form a beacon group.
The WPAN based on the distributed access method does not have any centralized coordinator. In the network, a separate dedicated coordinator is not included, but all devices serve as light coordinators that cooperate with one another. Also, the respective devices share information required for performing the media access control such as a channel time allocation, sync method, power saving, etc., for data transmission to other devices. This network system is called an ad-hoc type distributed wireless personal area network system. The respective devices periodically broadcast information about their peripheral devices and information about channel times allocated to the peripheral devices.
The distributed media access control method depends on a timing concept called 'superframe'. This superframe has a time of a fixed length, and is divided into a plurality of time windows that are called 'time slots'. These time slots are called MASs (Medium Access Slots).
Some slots are used for the devices to send beacons, and the remaining slots are used to send data. The slots that send the beacons are called 'beacon slots', and the slots that send the data are called 'data slots'. The length of a BP (Beacon Period) may be shorter than the length of a data period. The beacon slots appear along with the start part of the superframe. In addition, the number of beacon slots can be changed according to the number of devices connected.
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an example of a conventional superframe structure.
The superframe structure as illustrated in FIG. 2 is based on what is defined by the Multiband OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Modulation) Alliance. A superframe is composed of two types of MASs (Medium Access Slots). One type is a beacon slot MAS (a) and the other type is data slot (c). A beacon period (b) is composed of beacon slot MASs according to the number of devices connected in the same beacon group. The remaining part of MASs, which includes the MAS c, constitute a data period (d) composed of media access slots that can be used by devices in the network in order to transfer data to other devices in the network.
256 MASs (i.e., beacon slots and data slots) constitute a superframe of 65.536 ms, and the respective duration of MAS corresponds to 256 μs. Information of the superframe structure can be broadcasted in the beacons being broadcasted by the respective devices. The start time of the superframe is determined by the start of the beacon period, and is defined as a BPST (Beacon Period Start Time).
The devices that belong to the same beacon group use the same beacon period start time for the superframe.
The devices can put information to IEs (Information Elements) such as BPOIEs (Beacon Period Occupancy Information Elements) in beacons, and then the information can be broadcasted to the respective devices that belong to the same beacon group. The information of occupancy state of the beacon slots in the beacon period can be broadcasted through BPOIEs in beacons. The beacon period occupancy information just includes beacon information of the devices that belong to the same beacon group.
Right after the reception of the beacon frame, the device stores a sender's DEVID (Device ID) and a slot number which are in the received beacon. The device also includes this information in the BPOIE to be transmitted during the next superframe. The information of the beacons received during a present superframe is included in the beacon period occupancy information to be sent during the next superframe.
If the device ID of a certain device could not be shown in the beacon period occupancy information of a neighboring device beacon during a predefined number of successive superframes, this means that the corresponding device will change the corresponding beacon slot to an idle slot during the next superframe. Even if the beacon slot is changed, DRP (Distributed Reservation Protocol) can be maintained, and no re-negotiation is required.
In the conventional superframe structure, the MBOA-MAC (Multiband OFDM Alliance Medium Access Control) is defined as two operation modes: an active mode and a hibernating mode which is a power saving mode. In the active mode, a device can be in an awake state or it also can be in a sleep state in order to reduce the power consumption. In the awake state, even if a transmitting part and a receiving part of the device are not in a transmission state and in a reception state, respectively, they consume normal operating power. In the sleep state, the device uses the minimum power by turning off the power supplied to the transmitting part and the receiving part of the device. In the active mode, the devices can switch the awake state to the sleep state and vice versa according to the data reservations pre-declared in the beacon period.
A more efficient power save method is the hibernating mode. The devices in the hibernating mode declare that they will be in the hibernating mode for several superframes through their beacons. In the hibernating mode, the devices are in a deep hibernating state and do not transmit or receive beacons.
Other devices in the corresponding beacon group should give attention to such a declaration, and continuously should include the information about the hibernating devices in their beacon period occupancy information until the hibernating devices awake. Additionally, the devices in the beacon group should maintain the information about the hibernating devices in their local databases, and defer communications with the hibernating devices until the hibernating devices start to operate and send beacons.
However, as discussed in the MBOA MAC v0.5 specification, the conventional method has problems in that if there is any device that does not confirm the beacon through which a certain device has declared its intention to proceed to the hibernating mode, the device does not know when the hibernating device will return to its active mode.
If such a device wants to communicate with the hibernating device, the device should be in an awake state for a long time in order to confirm in which superframe the hibernating device will awake.
By contrast, even if the hibernating device awakes from hibernation mode and enters the active mode, the device does not know whether other devices have proceeded to the hibernating state during the hibernation period of the device itself. Accordingly, the device may continuously remain active for a long time in order to communicate with such devices, and this long waiting time causes the power conservation of the corresponding device to be abruptly decreased.
The above-described situation may occur more frequently in the case of a beacon group having a high-degree of mobility.

Power saving system in distributed wireless personal area network and method thereof


A distributed electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for high frequency integrated circuits. A transmission line from an integrated circuit (IC) pad or package pin couples a plurality of ESD elements. The ESD elements, such as diodes, are distributed along the transmission line and coupled from the transmission line to ground or a power supply. The effective impedance of the transmission line and ESD elements is defined to match the impedance of an external line. Distributed ESD protection circuits provide a high frequency signal path that can be used well into the GHz frequency range and also provide effective ESD protection.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) occurs when large voltage pulses due to static electricity occur at the leads of an integrated circuit (IC). These large voltage pulses can cause the breakdown of insulating layers, short circuiting between conducting paths, or overheating or evaporation of metal or silicon pathways within the IC leading to the failure of the IC. Increases in IC density have reduced the width of IC traces and the gate dielectric thickness of active devices which have made ICs more susceptible to damage from ESD events.
During the processing and handling of individual packaged ICs, circuits connected to external pins, or external bumps in some IC packages, can be exposed to very high voltages. Peripheral circuits therefore use special electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuits coupled to external pins. An input pin 112 with a conventional ESD protection device 116 and a buffer 114 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The ESD protection device 116 is a diode coupled to ground. Voltages above the breakdown voltage effectively short diode 116 and are thereby shunted to ground.
The continuous scaling of integrated circuits has enabled a rapid increase in IC operating frequencies. The parasitic capacitance of ESD protection circuits slows signals down and has made ESD circuits a major bottleneck for high-speed operation. In narrow-band designs, this capacitance can be resonated out with a package/bondwire inductance, and thereby circumvented. However, this approach is not applicable to broadband designs, and therefore the parasitic capacitance of ESD circuits continues to be a problem in conventional broadband designs. In high frequency ICs ESD devices are typically located as close to the input/output pads as possible. There are generally strict guidelines for the minimum metal width and the maximum distance from the ESD protection to the pads in order to minimize the voltage drop in the metal lines. Even slight non-uniformities in the via placement in ESD structures can cause severe performance degradation. This placement creates a large lumped capacitance due to the ESD protection at the pad. The ESD parasitic load becomes a significant problem around 1-2 GHz of operation; the reactance of the capacitance of a typical ESD protection circuit (1-2 pF) is almost as low as a 50 ohm transmission line. Therefore a significant part of the signal is lost through the ESD circuit. It is very difficult to make a resistive termination with such a large capacitive load. As a result, high frequency devices often do not include any ESD protection.
High frequency instruments using circuits without ESD protection require special care in order not to destroy the input buffers. Special grounding of operators/probes are usually required since the input circuits generally either have insufficient ESD protection or no ESD protection at all. The input circuits of high-frequency instruments such as spectrunm and network analyzers are particularly susceptible to ESD damage. As a result manufacturers typically make the input circuits easily replaceable. As the market for high frequency devices grows and as the operating frequencies of ICs continue to increase, protecting against ESD damage becomes increasingly important.
There is therefore a need for an improved ESD protection device with a sufficiently low parasitic capacitance to avoid reducing the bandwidth of high frequency devices.

Distributed ESD protection device for high speed integrated circuits

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A downhole actuator or valve for inclusion in a downhole drill string used in a well includes an obstructing member, such as a piston, moveable between: a first position and a second position; and a retaining member, such as a ball, moveable between: a retaining position which retains the obstructing member in the first position; and, a release position which does not retain the obstructing member in the first position and/or allows or causes the obstructing member to move to the second position. The retaining member is moved in use between the retaining position and release position at least in part by centrifugal forces caused by rotation of the entire drill string within which the downhole actuator/valve is included. Thus, at least some control of the actuation of the downhole actuator/valve may be afforded by rotation thereof.

This invention relates to an actuator and more particularly to a valve and a method to control the actuator/valve, especially for use downhole.
Downhole actuators and valves may be used for a number of different downhole operations but require a control mechanism in order to control the valve. Such control mechanisms during drilling or certain other operations, such as coring or fracturing, are difficult to provide. For example, during drilling a borehole, the drill bit is normally mounted on a drill stem or string, which is rotated from the surface. Controlling a valve on such a drill string poses obvious problems.
In certain situations, the borehole may require to be reamed, that is the diameter thereof increased. This may be achieved through simply using a larger drill bit, but this is inefficient at best since only a lower section of the borehole is required to be of the larger diameter. In other situations the upper section of the borehole may already be cased with a tubular string having a narrower diameter than that required below the casing and so it is not possible to use such a larger drill bit. Thus to drill or ream such boreholes, retractable blades are attached to the outside of the drill string. The blades are retracted and then sent down the narrower upper section of the borehole, activated by a valve to extend outwards, and then used to ream the lower section of the borehole.
The activation of such a reamer is often done by a drop ball valve. A ball is dropped onto a ball seat provided on the valve which blocks flow therebelow. The pressure above the ball/ball seat is increased and this pressure may be used to activate the reamer and cause its blades to pivot outwards.
However, the drop ball method may not always be possible since there may not be a clear passage to the reamer—other intervening equipment, such as a filter, can block this passage. Moreover, there is often no way to recover the ball after use and so retracting the reamer's blades is difficult. Furthermore, it is difficult to cycle such a system with drop ball methods and therefore the string has to be pulled out of hole to be reset which can be a very costly and time consuming process.


Circuits and methods to achieve a low-noise and low offset continuous sigma-delta modulator used e.g. for battery management are disclosed. Continuous integration of input is enabled by special switching principle of three parallel integrators. Precharging of integrator output in so called pre-run mode minimizes integrator leakage and non-ideal effects by connecting a Gm in pre-run mode either to input voltage or to a reference voltage depending this Gm is being used in a following clock period. Parasitic effects due to switching at first integration capacitor are minimized by using buffer amplifiers tracking the voltage on integration capacitors.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to analog-to digital converters and relates more particularly to low-noise and low offset continuous-time Sigma-Delta Modulators. The principle can be used also for many continuous-time modulators, because it replaces the necessity for return-to-zero code (RZ) and hence improves ISI and distortion. The disadvantage of RZ code is degrading of frequency characteristics.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Oversampling modulation techniques have become popular today for high-resolution analog signal processing applications such as data conversion and signal generation. The major reason for their popularity comes about because their implementations rely less on the matching of analog components and amplifier gains, and more on digital signal processing. This is advantageous today as submicron VLSI technologies are more amenable for integrating complex digital signal processing operations than analog operations.
Sigma-delta converters offer high resolution, high integration, and low cost, making them a good ADC choice for applications such as process control and weighing scales. The Sigma-Delta (ΔΣ) modulation is a kind of analog-to-digital signal conversion derived from the delta modulation.
It is a challenge for the designers of sigma delta modulators to achieve low noise and low offset continuous time delta-sigma modulators wherein inter-symbol-interference (ISI) is kept to a minimum. ISI arises from the fact that the channel performs a linear convolution of its impulse response with the time-domain waveform. This means that independent symbols affect each other; one symbol "bleeds" into another.
A known solution to circumvent this non-linear effect is to implement a return-to-zero scheme, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. (6,369,730 to Blanken et al.). A return-to-zero switch switches the output current iDAC of a second voltage-to-current converter to zero for part of a clock period T. This return-to-zero switching in the feedback branch takes place synchronously with the sampling frequency of the sigma-delta modulator. Furthermore Blanken et al. disclose that said output current can be switched to zero in parallel with the input to avoid mismatch in frequency characteristics.
Another solution is described in ISSCC' 02: "A 10 μV-offset 8 kHz Bandwidth 4th order Chopped sigma-Delta A/D converter for Battery management". A DAC signal switches in a chopping frequency the polarity of a reference voltage at the input of transconductors. Three transconductors are used wherein one of them is always connected to zero-input to realize return to zero principle
There are more known patents dealing with the design of delta-sigma modulators:
U.S. Pat. No. (6,160,506 to Pellon) proposes a sigma-delta analog-to-digital feedback converter arrangement achieving low noise and a wide dynamic range by use of a directional coupler as a summing device for generating the difference signal on which the forward sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter operates. The feedback is provided by a digital-to-analog reconstructor, which applies the reconstructed analog signal to the tap of the directional coupler, in which the feedback signal is summed with the analog input signal. A low-noise amplifier is coupled to the output of the directional coupler at which the difference signal appears, so the dynamic range of the signal traversing the low-noise amplifier is small. The high isolation between the tap of the directional coupler and the source of analog signals allows the use of an input bandpass filter.
U.S. Pat. No. (6,891,488 to McDaniel et al.) discloses an Nth-order sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC) system having multilevel quantized feedback. A multilevel quantized feedback stage incorporates a multibit, current-mode digital-to-analog converter (DAC). In one embodiment, reference current sources for the DAC may comprise a plurality of floating-gate MOS transistors so that analog nonvolatile precision linearity trimming of the feedback DAC may be accomplished. Calibration of the DAC may be performed at a relatively low refresh rate, for example, only at instances when the sigma-delta ADC system is activated.
U.S. Pat. No. (6,907,374 to Tsyrganovich) discloses a self-calibrating sigma-delta converter (SCADC) functioning in a calibration mode and in an operational mode. In the calibration mode, a test circuit of the SCADC generates test signals that are periodic rectangular voltage waveforms. Each test signal has a dc component with a precise voltage amplitude, as well as harmonic components. A low-pass filter of a sigma-delta converter (SDC) within the SCADC filters out the harmonic components. A digital calibration processing circuit within the SCADC uses the precise voltage amplitudes to generate digital correction factors that compensate for dc offset error; gain error and INL error of the SDC. In the operational mode, the SDC receives an analog operational signal and outputs an operational digital data stream. The digital calibration processing circuit uses the correction factors to compensate for dc offset error, gain error and INL error in the operational digital data stream and outputs a corrected digital data stream.


The invention has as its object the provision of a method and an apparatus for the generation of smoothness and gloss on paper which essentially precludes a re-erection of the surface fibers after the smoothing process. This is achieved in that the surface of a paper web (1) to be smoothed is heated to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the fibers at the surface of the web without subjecting the web to a press nip, and then these fibers are deformed and fixed in the deformed state in a subsequent process step under the simultaneous action of pressure with shock cooling. Accordingly, there is associated with each surface of the paper web (1) to be smoothed a heating device (2) and also a subsequent cooled body (5, 9, 10) which presses against the surface.

There have been very many different prior art proposals for methods and apparatus for the generation of smoothness and gloss at the surface of paper webs. One typical modern proposal is to be found in European patent application publication No. 245 250. This prior art application describes a process for producing gloss and smoothness on a surface of a paper web by providing a finishing apparatus comprising a smooth metal finishing drum and a resilient backing roll pressed against the drum at a force up to 700 KN/M (4000 pounds/linear inch) to form a nip with pressure against the paper of at least 13,780 KN/M.sup.2 (2000 pounds/square inch). The web of papermaking fibers having a moisture content of from 3% to 7% of the bone dry weight of the fibers is advanced through the nip between the smooth metal finishing drum and the resilient backing roll at a speed which results in the web dwelling in the nip from 0.3 millisecond to 12 milliseconds. During this the drum is heated to a surface temperature having a value no less than 20.degree. below a value determined by a complicated exponential formula involving the initial temperature of the web just prior to entering the nip, the dwell time of the web in the nip and the moisture content of the fibers in the web in weight percent of the bone dry fiber weight.
Typical of this process and of other prior art processes is the heating of the web in the nip between two rollers with simultaneous compression of the web in this nip.
The aforementioned European paten application also recognizes that cellulosic fibers, such as papermaking fibers, appear to exhibit thermoplastic properties and in particular appear to have a glass transition temperature "Tg" above which the fibers become much more flexible and moldable when subjected to pressing forces. It is noted in this reference that the Tg of cellulose in paper is greatly dependent upon the moisture content of the paper. The disclosure of this reference is incorporated herein by reference as far as it relates to the properties of papermaking materials with respect to their glass transition temperature and the effect of their moisture content thereon.
Another reference which teaches a method of generating smoothness and gloss on a paper web is described in European patent application with the publication number 0 341 457.
The calender arrangement described here includes two roll pairs defining respective nips through which the paper web runs in series. Each roll pair is used to treat a respective surface of the web and comprises a high temperature hard roll and a soft roll. As seen in the direction of movement of the paper web a respective cooling device precedes each roll pair and serves the purpose of cooling the web prior to it being heated in the roll gaps. The aim is to restrict the heating of the interior of the paper web in the roll gaps and thus the associated partial plastification of the interior of the paper web. In this way the heating is restricted to the surface of the web so that the surface fibers remain compressed after the web leaves the roll gap. It can be seen from the foregoing description that this reference also teaches a method of generating smoothness and gloss where the surfaces of the web are smoothed using heated rolls with the simultaneous application of pressure.
A further prior art reference in this field is German Offenlegungsschrift DE-OS 38 15 446. This reference is directed to the generation of smoothness and gloss by a rubbing effect on the surface of the paper web. More specifically the reference discloses an apparatus for generating smoothness and gloss on webs of paper, textile and the like and includes a polished metal smoothing surface along which the web can be moved under the action of pressure and friction. The movement of the web along the surface can be effected by means of a roll with a resilient coating. Through the polished smoothing surface the surface of the web is effectively ironed smooth. It is explained in the reference that the effect which generates smoothness and gloss relates to a plastification of the fiber layers of the web close to the surface. In order to enhance the effect that is sought, it is said to be of advantage for the web to be moistened and/or heated at the side to be smoothed. In particular it is recommended that the smoothing surface and/or the roll should be subjected to temperature control during the smoothing process, i.e. heated or cooled, with the temperature control taking place in dependence on the heat which is in any event generated by friction at the smoothing surface and which can be considerable. That is to say the cooling of the polished metal smoothing surface which is effected from the rear is intended not to cool the surface of the web but rather to prevent the smoothing surface from being overheated as a result of the friction that is generated. DE-OS 38 15 446 describes various types of heating arrangement, for example a radiative heating device which heats the rear side of a sheet metal smoothing surface along which the web is drawn, and a preheated roll which heats the surface of the web prior to it entering into the gap between the smoothing surface and the roll with the resilient coating. In some embodiments a cooling device is provided for cooling the paper web after it has been smoothed. As will be seen from the foregoing this reference again relates to a method in which the smoothness is generated by the simultaneous application of heat and pressure to one or both surfaces of the paper web.
It is disadvantage of the above described so-called temperature gradient methods that the roll temperature or the press forces must be increased to ensure adequate smoothness or gloss because of the increasingly shorter swell time in the roll gap which is brought about by the high speeds of production plants of over 1000 m/min. However, an increase of the press forces leads to a reduction of the web thickness which is often undesired. Furthermore, even when smoothing is carried out with heated rolls, it can be observed that the fibers at least partially re-erect themselves again after leaving the roll gap and this is associated with a loss of smoothness and gloss.
One proposal for overcoming this latter difficulty is described in International Patent Application PCT/EP89/00701 published under the International Publication Number WO 90/07027. Here the smoothing of a paper web is effected in the nip of a roll pair under the action of pressure, moisture and heat. The method described is characterized in that the surface of the paper or cardboard web to be smoothed is treated during smoothing in the press, gap or nip at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the material, and in that the paper or card web is then cooled after leaving the press gap or nip to a temperature and moisture content beneath the glass transition point of the material within a time of 20 to 60 milliseconds of leaving the press gap. The specification thus aims at reducing the increase in roughness of the paper web after it has been smoothed in the press gap or nip between the heated rolls. The cooling of the surface of the web can be effected by contact with a chilled surface or by direct contact with a cooling gas.
A process of this latter kind admittedly represents a substantial improvement over the prior art proposals but is nevertheless still associated with certain disadvantages. In order to effect the cooling within a short time interval at a high speed of the web the cooling device must be moved fairly close to the heated rolls. To prevent heat transfer from the rolls to the cooling device it can be necessary to insert partition walls or shields between the rolls and the cooling device. This can result in a congested arrangement which can hinder servicing and repair work. Moreover the problem still exists that it is necessary to provide heated rolls, and heated rolls are in their own right somewhat problematic since hot fluid or gas is invariably required in the interior of the rolls to keep them at the correct surface temperature, thus giving rise to considerable safety problems. Outside heating of rolls is also known but requires space for the heating apparatus and enlarges the space between the heating rolls and neighboring apparatus. In addition heated rolls can suffer local distortion and temperature differences as a result of their design and these can in turn lead to marking of the surface of the paper web.
The principal object underlying the present invention is to provide a method and a corresponding apparatus for the generation of smoothness and gloss on paper which essentially precludes a re-erection of fibers after the smoothing process and which also provides freedom in the design of the heating apparatus that is required, so that, if the designer wishes, heated rolls can be avoided in the realization of the invention.

Method for the generation of smoothness and gloss of a paper web


A display control device has: a shift register generating n shift pulses in series; a data hold block configured to hold n gradation data; and a DA converter for converting the n gradation data into corresponding gradation voltages. The data hold block includes: n first latch circuits configured to respectively latch the n gradation data in series in synchronization with the n shift pulses; and n second latch circuits provided between the DA converter and the n first latch circuits. An electrical connection between the first latch circuits and the second latch circuits is cut off while the first latch circuits receive the n gradation data. After the first latch circuits finish latching all the gradation data, the n gradation data are simultaneously supplied to the DA converter from the first latch circuits through the second latch circuits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display control device for controlling a display.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display such as an active-matrix liquid crystal display and the like is publicly known. A display control device is used for controlling image representation on the display. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a conventional display control device used in the liquid crystal display. FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing an operation of the display control device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a typical D flip-flop. The conventional display control device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
As shown in FIG. 1, the display control device is provided with a shift register 1, a data hold block 4, a DA converter (DAC) 5 and an amplifier circuit (AMP) 6. The data hold block 4 includes a data register 2 and a data latch 3.
The shift register 1 has n (n is a natural number) D flip-flops that are connected in series. A clock signal is input to each D flip-flop. When one start pulse is input to the shift register 1 from the outside, the pulse is shifted through the D flip-flops in series in synchronization with the clock signal. The serially shifted pulse is referred to as a "shift pulse" hereinafter. As shown in FIG. 1, n shift pulses SCLK1 to SCLK(n) respectively output from the n D flip-flops are supplied to the data register 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, the shift pulses SCLK1 to SCLK(n) are output in series. In this manner, the shift register 1 outputs the shift pulses SCLK1 to SCLK(n) in series to the data register 2 based on the start pulse and the clock signal.
The data hold block 4 receives gradation data and a strobe signal in addition to the shift pulses SCLK1 to SCLK(n) output from the shift register 1. The gradation data are digital data corresponding to an image displayed on a liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display. As shown in FIG. 2, n gradation data (0Ah, 0Bh . . . ) corresponding to source outputs S1 to Sn are input in series to the data hold block 4.
More specifically, the data register 2 of the data hold block 4 has n D flip-flops. The n gradation data and the shift pulses SCLK1 to SCLK(n) are input to the n D flip-flops, respectively.
Each D flip-flop has a configuration as shown in FIG. 3, and receives a corresponding shift pulse as a clock signal. As shown in FIG. 2, the D flip-flops respectively hold the gradation data in response to the falling edges of the respective shift pulses SCLK1 to SCLK(n). That is, the data register 2 takes in the respective gradation data in synchronization with the shift pulses SCLK1 to SCLK(n). It should be noted that each gradation data is a data of plural bits, and each D flip-flop has the same bus width as each gradation data (not shown).
The data latch 3 of the data hold block 4 has n D flip-flops. The n D flip-flops are connected to outputs of the n D flip-flops of the data register 2, respectively. The strobe signal is input to the n D flip-flops of the data latch 3. Each D flip-flop is configured to receive data in response to the rising edge of the strobe signal. The strobe signal rises after all the gradation data are held by the data register 2, as shown in FIG. 2. In response to that, the data latch 3 receives simultaneously the all gradation data held by the data register 2.
The DA converter 5 receives the all gradation data from the data latch 3. Then, based on a reference voltage, the DA converter 5 converts respective gradation data into corresponding gradation voltages. The DA converter 5 outputs to the amplifier circuit 6 the gradation voltages corresponding to the respective gradation data. The amplifier circuit 6 amplifies the gradation voltages to generate source outputs 7 (output voltages S1 to Sn). Then, the amplifier circuit 6 applies the output voltages S1 to Sn to respective data lines of the liquid crystal panel.
In recent years, there is an increasing demand for a larger number of gradations in the liquid crystal display. In a case where the number of gradations is increased from 6 bits to 9 bits, for example, each of the data register 2, the data latch 3 and the DA converter 5 shown in FIG. 1 increases 1.5 times in circuit size. This causes increase in production cost of the display control device.
Moreover, in a test of the data hold block 4, various gradation data are written into the data hold block 4, and then the source outputs 7 output from the amplifier circuit 6 are analyzed. Here, the source outputs 7 include a plurality of output voltages S1 to Sn as described above, and manufacturing variability or the like affects the output voltages S1 to Sn. Even if the same gradation data is written into all the D flip-flops of the data register 2, the analog output voltages S1 to Sn are not always equal to each other due to the manufacturing variability or the like. It is therefore necessary to consider the influence of the manufacturing variability on the output voltages S1 to Sn when analyzing the outputs from the amplifier circuit 6.
FIG. 4A schematically shows an example of the variability of the source outputs 7. Specifically, the output voltages corresponding to the m-th gradation, the (m+1)-th gradation and the (m+2)-th gradation are shown. Each output voltage corresponding to any gradation has a certain distribution due to the manufacturing variability, and a judgment level for judging each gradation (each output voltage) has a certain width. In FIG. 4A, there is no overlap between the judgment levels of adjacent gradations.
However, the difference between the judgment levels of the adjacent gradations is becoming smaller because of the increase in the number of gradations and decrease in an operation voltage. In FIG. 4B, the difference between the judgment levels of the adjacent gradations is smaller than the variability width of the output voltage, and thus there is an overlap between the judgment levels of the adjacent gradations. In this case, it is difficult to determine which of the adjacent gradations corresponds to an output voltage. In other words, it is difficult to test the data hold block 4 by checking the gradation data based on the output voltage. In particular, it is difficult to test the low-order bit of the gradation data.
FIG. 5 shows a waveform of one output voltage output from the amplifier circuit 6. As shown in FIG. 5, the width of the judgment level for judging the output voltage is small. From the aspect of electric power consumption, it is not desirable to enhance drive ability of the amplifier circuit 6. Therefore, a lot of time is necessary for testing the data hold block 4 based on the source output 7 output from the amplifier circuit 6.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application JP-P2004-301513 discloses a semiconductor device having a liquid crystal driving circuit and a method of testing the same. The liquid crystal driving circuit is provided with a digital function unit, an analog function unit and a test terminal. The digital function unit and the analog function unit are functionally separated from each other. A test result with respect to the digital function unit is transferred to the test terminal without through the analog function unit and is output to the outside of the liquid crystal driving circuit.


A motion-transmitting combination comprising a cast member of a self-lubricating polymer composite adapted for movable joinder with a metal member of at least one metal, metal alloy or metal mixture is provided. The metal member has a wear-resistant, porous surface layer impregnated with a self-lubricating compound, and is capable of contacting the cast member with low clearance. Methods for preparing a motion-transmitting combination comprising a cast member adapted for movable joinder with a metal member are also provided.

Known methods of fabricating closely fitting, low friction, low wear machine parts include the steps of casting a self-lubricating composite material against a mating part. For example, a journal bearing can be fabricated by casting an epoxy containing a dry lubricant such as graphite against a polished shaft which has been coated with a parting compound for facilitating separation of the parts following hardening of the epoxy/lubricant mixture. After the epoxy has cured into a hard solid, the bearing can be broken loose from the shaft and worked with a lapping compound so that it passes freely over the shaft but has a very narrow clearance. When the shaft and bearing are washed free of the lapping compound, the resulting couple displays low friction and low wear rates.
The friction and wear of the bearing can be reduced still further by applying a dry lubricant coating to the shaft, usually by spraying and baking. Despite the reduction of friction and wear attained through application of the dry lubricant coating to the shaft, however, serious disadvantages attend its use. If the dry lubricant coating is applied following the lapping operation, the clearance of the two mated parts is changed. The resulting fit will either be too tight or too overlapped to provide allowance for the drylubricant coating is applied prior to the lapping step, most of the coating will be worn away by the abrasive lapping compound so that its friction-and wear-reducing effect is diminished or removed.
Therefore, there is a need for machine parts and methods of forming mated machine parts which exhibit close fit in combination but which are significantly less susceptible to friction and wear than currently available combinations of machine parts.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide low friction, low wear, self-lubricating machine part combinations such as shaft/rotary bearing combinations, shaft/linear bearing combinations, screw/nut combinations and the like, and methods for making the same.
Another object of the invention is to provide machine member combinations useful in a wide range of environmental conditions.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide machine member combinations of high precision which exhibit low friction and wear under continuous, extended, industrial use.

Motion-transmitting combination comprising a castable, self-lubricating composite and methods of manufacture thereof


This invention is directed to a class of arylcyclobutene monomers having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein Ar is aromatic, with the proviso that the carbons of the cyclobutene rings are bonded to adjacent carbon atoms on the same aromatic ring of Ar;. and R.sup.1 is a divalent alkyl, cycloaliphatic, aromatic, heteroaromatic, or heterocyclic moiety;. polymeric compositions containing these monomers; and articles containing said polymeric compositions.

Bisbenzoeyclobutene compounds are known and exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,763. One such compound: ##STR2## can be made by the reaction of bromobenzocyclobutene with m-divinylbenzene to produce a solid product having a melting point of 150.degree.-152.degree. C. The monomers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,763 are useful in preparing thermoset and thermoplastic polymeric compositions. While these compositions exhibit excellent thermal stability and chemical resistance and have uses as films, coatings, adhesives, fiber-reinforced plastics, composites, structural laminates and other engineering applications, they have the undesirable feature in that they are solids at room temperature and require processing prior to polymerization processes. They must be dissolved in a solvent, processed from the melt of the monomer or subjected to B-staging (partial conversion to higher molecular weight) to yield an amorphous lower melting solid that has increased viscosity necessary for processing.
Liquid bisbenzocyclobutene monomers bridged by a polyorganosiloxane group are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,588. These monomers can be prepared by reacting a bromobenzocyclobutene with the desired organopolysiloxane bridging group and are particularly useful for electronic applications. Although these monomers are liquid as isomeric mixtures, they are not liquids in their pure form.
It would be useful to have bisarylcyclobutene monomers which are liquid at room temperature and produce thermally stable polymers with good physical and mechanical properties.
It would also be desirable to have liquid bisarylcyclobutene monomers having a variety of bridging groups for use as homopolymers, comonomers in polymeric compositions or reactive diluents with other monomers. It would also be desirable to have polymeric compositions of these monomers for use in advanced composites and microelectronics.

Liquid bisarylcyclobutene monomers and polymers


A dish cloth dryer rack includes a wire-like frame having a dish-cloth drying portion thereof, which drying portion is curved to fit over a sink divider. The rack is held in place by feet which support the rack above the level of the sink divider, thereby providing a free air space between the rack and the sink divider. A tool-carrying basket may be integrally formed with the elongate portion to provide storage for soap and additional cleaning tools.

We live in a time where the elimination of bacteria is not only desirable, but essential. To help eliminate bacteria from the kitchen sink, all tools used in the sink must dry as soon as possible. Moisture trapped in the tools i.e. dishcloth, dish brushes, will promote the growth of bacteria almost immediately, then spread bacteria when used.
While researching prior art, I discovered that Douglas J. Koch, U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,189, and Marion A. Riley & Robert Hesdorfer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,123, have all developed drying devices, however, neither device prevents a dishcloth from making contact with the sink itself. Both of the referenced patents depend solely on suction cups to position their devices in place. The suggested positioning of the devices is awkward, does not allow for maximum ease of use, and is not versatile.
North, U.S. Pat. No. 363,627, resembles two saddle bags straddling the center divider of a kitchen sink. This design is very bulky and will take up valuable space in the sink. This device does not allow enough air to pass through a dishcloth, thereby aiding in the growth of mold and bacteria.
Odbert, U.S. Pat. No. 354,873, is a soap holder, and will not accommodate a washcloth, sponge, or any sink tools.


A semiconductor device comprises at least two semiconductor elements connected together at a connecting region of the semiconductor elements. At least one joint chip is adhered to the connection region of the semiconductor elements for connecting the semiconductor elements together. The joint chip has a trapezoidal cross-section defining a first surface and a second surface wider than the first surface. The second surface of the joint chip is adhered to the connection region of the semiconductor elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device which comprises a plurality of semiconductor elements, such as computers, semiconductor image sensors, etc., and a process for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of the known technology for this field include the methods illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10. Referring to a prior art device illustrated in FIG. 8, a plurality of semiconductor chips 1 are adhered and fixed on a single alumina substrate 2, and the plurality of semiconductor chips 1 are electrically connected one another by gold-wire bonding 18 between the pads 5 on the semiconductor chips 1 and the copper interconnection 6 on the alumina substrate 2. According to another prior art technology with reference to FIG. 9, the active plane of the semiconductor chip 1 having a solder bump 19 previously formed thereon is opposed to the alumina substrate 2 having thereon a copper interconnection 6, and the plane is heated to about 220.degree. C. to melt and adhere the copper interconnection 6 to the solder bump 19. In this manner, the desired electrodes of the plurality of semiconductor chips 1 are electrically connected to obtain the semiconductor device. In another prior art device with reference to FIG. 10, a semiconductor chip 1 having thereon a gold bump 21 is opposed to a tin lead 20 being adhered to a polyimide film 13, and is heated together with the polyimide film to about 400.degree. C. to eutectically join the gold bump 21 on the semiconductor chip 1 with the tin lead. Thus, a plurality of semiconductor chips 1 have been electrically connected by any of the aforementioned processes.
The prior art processes described above are provided for electrically connecting a plurality of semiconductor chips one another, however, following problems were found yet to be solved. In the method of wire bonding the plurality of semiconductor elements with reference to FIG. 8, the use of a wire bonding machine creates several problems. Due to the limitations of the wire bonding machine, a long distance w is necessary for drawing the wire. Thus, at least a distance of 2 w is necessary between two adjacent semiconductor elements, and, moreover, a height of h is required for drawing out the wire. Consequently, the semiconductor device composed of a plurality of semiconductor elements becomes voluminous and thick. Furthermore, since about 0.25 seconds per wire is necessary for the connection, the total process consumes considerable time. This leads to the increase in production cost. Referring to the process comprising connecting a plurality of semiconductor elements via the solder bumps with reference to FIG. 9, the elements are pulled and connected one another by the surface tension of the solder. With increasing size of the semiconductor element, however, warping and thermal deformation occur on the semiconductor elements to generate bumps which cannot be brought into contact with the neighboring bumps. Another prior art process with reference to FIG. 10 is unfeasible to connect the semiconductor elements having a large number of pads, because the capacity of producing the leads is limited to about 400 pins. Moreover, none of the aforementioned processes with reference to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 can achieve the connection of semiconductor elements having a pitch between pads as short as about 0.1 mm or even narrower.

Semiconductor device having a trapezoidal joint chip


The invention relates to a hose clamp with a U-shaped lower housing, wherein an end section of a tightening strap is secured to the bottom of the lower housing, and with an upper housing which is pivotally supported in the lower housing for engaging or disengaging a worm drive with the other end region of the tightening strap, wherein the worm drive is supported in the upper housing such as to permit rotation, but no substantial axial movement, and wherein the upper housing comprises mounting tabs formed as one piece which engage or are capable of engaging, respectively, from the inside of the lower housing with recesses in side walls forming the legs of the U-shaped lower housing. It is provided that the upper housing (5)--when viewed in transverse cross section of the worm drive--partially encloses (partial enclosure contour 46) the worm drive (7), and that the mounting tabs (55, 56) originate from front edges (47) of the formed partial enclosure contour (46), with the front edges (47) forming lateral edges (48) of the upper housing (5) and extending at least approximately in the longitudinal direction of the worm drive.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hose clamp with a U-shaped lower housing, wherein an end section of a tightening strap is secured to the bottom of the lower housing, and with an upper housing which is pivotally supported in the lower housing for engaging or disengaging a worm drive with the other end region of the tightening strap, wherein the worm drive is supported in the upper housing such as to permit rotation, but no substantial axial movement, and wherein the upper housing comprises mounting tabs formed as one piece which engage or are capable of engaging, respectively, from the inside of the lower housing with recesses in side walls forming the legs of the U-shaped lower housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hose clamp of his type is described in the European Patent 0 167 116, wherein the upper housing with the worm drive can be swung open when the hose clamp is installed. The end of the tightening strap can then be inserted into the lower housing in a simple manner and to the desired length. The upper housing is subsequently completely rotated into the lower housing and locked in an end position. Rotation as well as locking is aided by mounting tabs which are constructed as a single piece with the upper housing. For locking the end position, the mounting tabs are pivotally supported in or can be engaged in respective recesses in the legs of the U-shaped lower housing. If a hose clamp has to be removed after it is already installed and tightened, then the tightening strap is first released by turning the worm drive; thereafter, the upper housing is rotated relative to the lower housing causing the helical gears of the worm drive to release respective meshing slots of the associated tightening strap, so that the tightening strap can be pulled out of the lower housing and the hose clamp can be removed. Although the known hose clamp is of proven design, it is desirable to further improve the tensioning force of the known hose clamp.

Hans Oetiker AG Maschinen-Und Apparatefabrik


A method for executing an application based on a connection between devices by automatically connecting devices, and a device, are disclosed. The method includes: detecting an occurrence of first short distance communication between at least one external device and the device; receiving connection information which relates to a second short distance communication mode and application information which relates to the at least one external device from the at least one external device via the first short distance communication; establishing a connection based on the second short distance communication mode between the at least one external device and the device based on the received connection information which relates to the second short distance communication mode; and controlling the at least one external device via the second short distance communication mode by using an application which is executable based on the received application information.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to application execution, and more particularly, to a method and device for executing an application based on connections between devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Types of applications that may be used in devices such as smart phones, hand-held personal computers (PCs), tablet PCs, and smart televisions (TVs), have become diverse. Accordingly, applications which are executable based on connections between devices have been developed. For example, applications which are executable based on a connection between a portable terminal and an accessory device have been developed.
However, with developments in communication technology, connection methods between devices have become more diverse. Accordingly, when devices are connected to each other in order to execute an application, a user experiences inconvenience due to the necessity of identifying and setting connection methods between devices for each device. For example, the user needs to inconveniently identify and set a connection method between the portable terminal and the accessory device in each of the portable terminal and the accessory device.

Method and device for executing application


A method and apparatus is provided for determining when a battery, or one or more batteries within a battery pack, undergoes an undesired thermal event such as thermal runaway. The system uses a conductive member mounted in close proximity to, or in contact with, an external surface of the battery or batteries to be monitored. A resistance measuring system such as a continuity-tester or an ohmmeter is coupled to the conductive member, the resistance measuring system outputting a first signal when the temperature corresponding to the battery or batteries is within a prescribed temperature range and a second signal when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature that falls outside of the prescribed temperature range.

Batteries can be broadly classified into primary and secondary batteries. Primary batteries, also referred to as disposable batteries, are intended to be used until depleted, after which they are simply replaced with one or more new batteries. Secondary batteries, more commonly referred to as rechargeable batteries, are capable of being repeatedly recharged and reused, therefore offering economic, environmental and ease-of-use benefits compared to a disposable battery.
Although rechargeable batteries offer a number of advantages over disposable batteries, this type of battery is not without its drawbacks. In general, most of the disadvantages associated with rechargeable batteries are due to the battery chemistries employed, as these chemistries tend to be less stable than those used in primary cells. Due to these relatively unstable chemistries, secondary cells often require special handling during fabrication. Additionally, secondary cells such as lithium-ion cells tend to be more prone to thermal runaway than primary cells, thermal runaway occurring when the internal reaction rate increases to the point that more heat is being generated than can be withdrawn, leading to a further increase in both reaction rate and heat generation. Eventually the amount of generated heat is great enough to lead to the combustion of the battery as well as materials in proximity to the battery. Thermal runaway may be initiated by a short circuit within the cell, improper cell use, physical abuse, manufacturing defects, or exposure of the cell to extreme external temperatures.
Thermal runaway is of major concern since a single incident can lead to significant property damage and, in some circumstances, bodily harm or loss of life. When a battery undergoes thermal runaway, it typically emits a large quantity of smoke, jets of flaming liquid electrolyte, and sufficient heat to lead to the combustion and destruction of materials in close proximity to the cell. If the cell undergoing thermal runaway is surrounded by one or more additional cells as is typical in a battery pack, then a single thermal runaway event can quickly lead to the thermal runaway of multiple cells which, in turn, can lead to much more extensive collateral damage. Regardless of whether a single cell or multiple cells are undergoing this phenomenon, if the initial fire is not extinguished immediately, subsequent fires may be caused that dramatically expand the degree of property damage. For example, the thermal runaway of a battery within an unattended laptop will likely result in not only the destruction of the laptop, but also at least partial destruction of its surroundings, e.g., home, office, car, laboratory, etc. If the laptop is on-board an aircraft, for example within the cargo hold or a luggage compartment, the ensuing smoke and fire may lead to an emergency landing or, under more dire conditions, a crash landing. Similarly, the thermal runaway of one or more batteries within the battery pack of a hybrid or electric vehicle may destroy not only the car, but may lead to a car wreck if the car is being driven or the destruction of its surroundings if the car is parked.
One approach to overcoming this problem is by reducing the risk of thermal runaway. For example, to prevent batteries from being shorted out during storage and/or handling, precautions can be taken to ensure that batteries are properly stored, for example by insulating the battery terminals and using specifically designed battery storage containers. Another approach to overcoming the thermal runaway problem is to develop new cell chemistries and/or modify existing cell chemistries. For example, research is currently underway to develop composite cathodes that are more tolerant of high charging potentials. Research is also underway to develop electrolyte additives that form more stable passivation layers on the electrodes. Although this research may lead to improved cell chemistries and cell designs, currently this research is only expected to reduce, not eliminate, the possibility of thermal runaway. Accordingly, what is needed is a means for detecting thermal runaway events, and more preferably detecting a precursor to thermal runaway, thereby providing time to eliminate, or at least minimize, damage to adjacent cells and materials. The present invention provides such a means.

Battery thermal event detection system using a thermally interruptible electrical conductor


Methods for the evolution of NADPH specific ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes to acquire NADH specificity are provided. Specific mutant ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes isolated from Pseudomonas that have undergone co-factor switching to utilize NADH are described.

Ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes are ubiquitous in nature and are involved in the production of valine and isoleucine, pathways that may affect the biological synthesis of isobutanol. Isobutanol is specifically produced from catabolism of L-valine as a by-product of yeast fermentation. It is a component of "fusel oil" that forms as a result of incomplete metabolism of amino acids by yeasts. After the amine group of L-valine is harvested as a nitrogen source, the resulting α-keto acid is decarboxylated and reduced to isobutanol by enzymes of the Ehrlich pathway (Dickinson, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 273: 25752-25756, 1998).
Addition of exogenous L-valine to the fermentation increases the yield of isobutanol, as described by Dickinson et al., supra, wherein it is reported that a yield of isobutanol of 3 g/L is obtained by providing L-valine at a concentration of 20 g/L in the fermentation. In addition, production of n-propanol, isobutanol and isoamylalcohol has been shown by calcium alginate immobilized cells of Zymomonas mobilis (Oaxaca, et al., Acta Biotechnol., 11: 523-532, 1991).
An increase in the yield of C3-C5 alcohols from carbohydrates was shown when amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and/or valine were added to the growth medium as the nitrogen source (WO 2005040392).
While methods described above indicate the potential of isobutanol production via biological means these methods are cost prohibitive for industrial scale isobutanol production. The biosynthesis of isobutanol directly from sugars would be economically viable and would represent an advance in the art. However, to date the only ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI) enzymes known are those that bind NADPH in its native form, reducing the energy efficiency of the pathway. A KARI that would bind NADH would be beneficial and enhance the productivity of the isobutanol biosynthetic pathway by capitalizing on the NADH produced by the existing glycolytic and other metabolic pathways in most commonly used microbial cells. The discovery of a KARI enzyme that can use NADH as a cofactor as opposed to NADPH would be an advance in the art.
The evolution of enzymes having specificity for the NADH cofactor as opposed to NADPH is known for some enzymes and is commonly referred to as "cofactor switching". See for example Eppink, et al. (J. Mol. Biol., 292: 87-96, 1999), describing the switching of the cofactor specificity of strictly NADPH-dependent p-Hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PHBH) from Pseudomonas fluorescens by site-directed mutagenesis; and Nakanishi, et al., (J. Biol. Chem., 272: 2218-2222, 1997), describing the use of site-directed mutagenesis on a mouse lung carbonyl reductase in which Thr-38 was replaced by Asp (T38D) resulting in an enzyme having a 200-fold increase in the KM values for NADP(H) and a corresponding decrease of more than 7-fold in those for NAD(H). Co-factor switching has been applied to a variety of enzymes including monooxygenases, (Kamerbeek, et al., Eur. J, Biochem., 271: 2107-2116, 2004); dehydrogenases; Nishiyama, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268: 4656-4660, 1993; Ferredoxin-NADP reductase, Martinez-Julyez, et al., Biophys. Chem., 115: 219-224, 2005); and oxidoreductases (US2004/0248250).
Rane et al., (Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 338: 83-89, 1997) discuss cofactor switching of a ketol acid reductoisomerase isolated from E. coli by targeting four residues in the enzyme for mutagenesis, (R68, K69, K75, and R76); however the effectiveness of this method is in doubt.
Although the above cited methods suggest that it is generally possible to switch the cofactor specificity between NADH and NADPH, the methods are enzyme specific and the outcomes unpredictable. The development of a ketol-acid reductoisomerase having a high specificity for NADH with decreased specificity for NADPH would greatly enhance this enzyme's effectiveness in the isobutanol biosynthetic pathway and hence increase isobutanol production. However, no such KARI enzyme has been reported.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A fiber optics illumination system for plastic fiber bundle light guides which have pliable cores with one or more cladding sleeves. The proximal light receiving end of the light guides are stripped of all cladding to expose their pliable bundled cores pressed against a mirror mask plate which has a central transparent portion to transmit light from the light source therethrough to the fiber ends for transmission. A vice mechanism is provided to adjust the pressure of the pliable fiber core ends against the mirror mask. Surfaces of the mirror mask which do not transmit light directly to the proximal fiber ends are provided with a light reflecting or mirrored surface to reflect all unused light and heat away from the interface of the mirror mask and the fiber ends.

This invention relates to the field of fiber optics illumination systems, and more particularly to illuminators that provide a source of illumination for plastic fiber bundle light guides of the type having a soft pliable polymeric core.
The present invention pertains particularly to flexible plastic fiber light guides or light pipes of the type having a central soft and pliable polymeric core with one or more cladding sleeves applied thereover. A specific example is the plastic flexible light pipe manufactured under the trademark Optiflex by Rohm and Haas Company of Bristal, Pa.
The soft pliable polymeric core is a trade secret composition of Rohm and Haas Company and this core is immediately cladded with a clear Teflon sleeve or sheathing, which in turn is covered with a white plastic cladding.
The advantage of such plastic flexible light pipe is that the light pipe or fiber is extremely flexible when compared to glass fiber and to other stiffer plastic fibers. Accordingly, larger diameter light pipes or fibers may be utilized in the bundle. For example, Rohm and Haas Company manufactures such a flexible light pipe designated as 7100-IEWS light pipe which has a 7 mm diameter light pipe sheathed with a white plastic cladding having an outside diameter of approximately 9 mm.
Such plastic optical fibers are not only desirable to use because of their flexibility and size, but also because of the quality and character of the light transmitted by such light pipes. However, such plastic fiber optics are more susceptible to heat damage than glass fibers. Polymerized fiber optics or light pipes deteriorate quickly when exposed to high heat and oxygen. They turn yellow and then brown if the heat applied to the light receiving distal ends of the fibers is exposed to excessive heat. The proximal fiber ends can also deteriorate and become opaque if exposed to excessive heat.
It is accordingly desirable to maintain the interface between the light pipes and the illuminator at 50.degree. C. or less for such plastic fibers. Various techniques have been used to cool the interface at the light receiving distal ends of the fiber optics bundle, including filters, fans, cold mirrors, masking mirrors with apertures, optical conductor rods and combination lens light couplers.
For example, reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,099,399; 5,259,056 and 5,513,291.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an illuminator system for plastic fiber bundle light guides of the aforementioned type manufactured by Rohm and Haas Company which have a soft pliable core wherein the fiber optics interface with the light source is fully protected from dirt, dust, water or other deposits or contaminates to thereby preserve the efficiency of the optical design and to further provide a system which truly maintains an optical fiber interface at less than 50.degree. C.
This particular polymeric flexible light pipe is described as having a "pliable" core. It is observed that in the prior art such a core is sometimes referred to as being a "compressible" core. However, it is preferred to utilize the term "pliable" inasmuch as this term is believed to be more accurate in that the term "compressible" tends to convey that the material can be made more compact by the application of pressure, rather than being soft and pliable or putty like.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such an illumination system which is capable of transmitting light through such elongated light pipes with exceptional efficiency whereby an average light projection from the distal ends of the fibers can be expected of at least 150 lumens with expectations of even achieving a maximum in excess 190 lumens of transmitted light from each fiber.

Fiber optics illumination system for plastic light fiber


A vehicle drive device comprises an actuator located between an electric motor and axles for driving the vehicle, a built-in power source for supplying electric power to the actuator, and a control means for controlling the drive of the actuator. The built-in power source can be consisted of a battery, and the actuator can be consisted of an electromagnetic clutch. Here, the vehicle drive device further comprises a boost means, such as a DC-DC converter, for boosting voltage of the built-in power source such as the battery. The output voltage of the boost means is supplied electric power to the actuator such as the electromagnetic clutch. The output voltage of the boost means can be also supplied the electric power to the field coil of the electric motor.

Conventionally, as shown in an electric four-wheel drive vehicle, a well-known vehicle drive device in which front wheels are driven by an internal combustion engine and rear wheels are driven by an electric motor is commonly equipped with an electromagnetic clutch as an actuator for switching the transfer and non-transfer of the drive force between rear wheels and the electric motor for driving the rear wheels. The vehicle drive device is, for example, described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-326997. Generally, a battery supplies electric power to the coil located in the electromagnetic clutch.
On the other hand, there is a well-known conventional vehicle drive device as described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-079004. In the vehicle drive device, when a generator's output voltage is less than a prescribed voltage equivalent to a storage battery's output voltage, the electric power outputted from the generator's rectification circuit is boosted to a prescribed voltage by using a boost circuit, such as a DC/DC converter, and the amount of current generated at the low-speed start when the number of motor revolutions is few is increased, thereby high motor torque is obtained.
However, in the vehicle drive device described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-079004, the voltage outputted by the generator is boosted, thereby causing the input voltage of the boost means to increase up to the maximum output voltage of the generator and also causing output voltage of the generator to change due to fluctuations of the load of the motor. As a result, there are problems such as increase in conversion noise, power loss and the size of the parts. Therefore, it is necessary to use a boost means which has variable input and output and can withstand high pressure.
Another well-known vehicle drive device is described in FIG. 4 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-352795. In the vehicle drive device, the output of a power source such as a battery is boosted by a DC/DC converter and supplied to a field coil of the electric DC motor. This configuration keeps battery voltage almost constant, which eliminates the above problems and also makes it possible to increase the motor's output torque.


The subject inventive arrangement produces a light guide that may be of any curved shape that produces and obtains a lighting appearance of a uniform or homogenous lit appearance at the light exit face by using a single light source and a single light-reflective coupler. The present invention is premised on a light guide system that includes a light guide; a light source; and a coupler positioned at the light source that is configured to receive generated light. The coupler is adapted to produce a collimated light beam from the light source. A stepped reflective surface is formed along a light reflecting face of the light guide by a plurality of light reflective facets and a plurality of lateral surfaces, which are configured to receive and direct collimated light towards a light-emitting exit face. In addition, a number of light reflective facets are configured to collect collimated light at the light reflecting face's middle portion in intensity amounts less than collimated light at end portions of the light reflecting face.

Efforts to improve the lighting efficiency and homogeneity in vehicle lamps is an on-going endeavor among Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and numerous component/system suppliers. Of particular interest is the desire to obtain the lighting appearance of an enhanced homogeneous lit area or a uniform light emitting area by using a single light source. The present invention is directed to one such innovation solution to provide optical device arrangements that can produce enhanced homogenous-lit areas by using a single light source.
In the field of automotive lighting and light signalling units, it is becoming increasingly common to use light sources based on light-emitting semiconductor components, for example, light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The light emitted by an LED may, in any known suitable manner, be coupled with a light guide. Light guides are used in exterior vehicle lighting applications and in a variety of other applications. The light beam emitted by LEDs generally enter a light guide via an entry face and leaves the light guide through an exit face. Between the entry face and the exit face, LED produced light rays are guided within the light guide by typically using reflective elements positioned inside the light guide. Light guides may be curved or rectilinear. Light guides can be oriented vertically or horizontally, as well.
When the light guide is of a curved shape, it presents a difficult challenge to achieve uniform lit appearance at the light exit face. Furthermore, when the light guide is oriented vertically, it often presents a difficult challenge to position light sources to face an optical axis of the light guide because of packaging limitations. To typically address such shortcomings, conventional light guide systems employ multiple light sources and multiple couplers to increase homogeneity and to enhance the light emitting area in order to meet road regulation lighting or signal function requirements. However, using multiple light sources and couplers for performing such optical functions continues to present and remains a space constraint challenge in the design of automotive vehicle lighting devices.
Among the literature that may pertain to this technology includes patent documents: U.S. Pat. No. 7,639,918 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,497 B2; U.S. Publication US 2015 0233 539 A1, all incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Thus among various objectives that this invention addresses, an objective is to achieve optical efficiency and enhanced light-effect control over alternatives that use optical film or diffusive materials where lighting effects are achievable at the expense of less desirable appearances. Another objective is to allow enhanced control of lighting effects versus meeting regulatory luminance intensity requirements. And another objective is to leverage single light source-single or minimized-light coupler arrangements within constrained light-guide space systems to efficiently impact uniform light distribution appearances at a lit exit face. And yet another objective is to achieve luminance photometric values of ninety percent (90%) or within ten percent (10%) luminance variation consistently across a light-emitting face or lit exit face. The invention herein overcomes one or more of these known problems and shortcomings in the design and implementation of the automotive field's associated light guide devices.

Homogeneous light emission and light guide arrangement of an automobile vehicle for a uniform lit appearance


A blood sugar measuring instrument for measuring the blood sugar level of blood on the basis of change in the color of the reagent having reacted with the blood. The instrument irradiates light onto a specimen to which blood is applied, detects the intensity of the reflected light with a photo detector, determines absorbency from the specimen every one second after the specimen has started coloring by the applied blood, and calculates the blood sugar level of the blood applied to the specimen on the basis of the absorbency when change in the absorbency has become 2% or less.

The present invention relates to a method of measuring blood sugar level for measuring the glucose concentration in blood, and an instrument therefor.
Heretofore, there has been known a blood sugar measuring instrument for measuring the blood sugar level of the blood of a subject by applying blood collected from a finger of the subject to a reagent pad, and by detecting change in color of the reagent pad. In such a blood sugar measuring instrument, light is radiated to the reagent pad, the intensity of reflected light from the reagent pad is measured, and the blood sugar level of the blood applied to the reagent pad is determined.
Change in color of such a reagent pad depends upon the length of time elapsed from the time when the blood was applied to the reagent pad. In the normal practice, therefore, the length of time until the reagent of the reagent pad reacts with glucose in blood is empirically determined, and after the empirically determined time (predetermined time) has elapsed after a subject or a user had instructed the start of measurement, the above-described intensity of reflected light is detected, and the blood sugar level is determined.
In such a method, however, there is dispersion in the length of time after allowing the subject to apply blood to the reagent pad until depressing the switch to instruct the start of measurement. Therefore, even if measurement is started after the predetermined time has elapsed after the start of measurement had been instructed, the result of measurement may include error. Also, if measurement was started after the predetermined time had elapsed considering the delay in time after applying blood to the reagent pad until instructing the start of measurement without using the above-described switch, there was a problem in which the subject or the user always had to wait for longer time resulting in increase in time required for measurement.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an instrument for measuring blood sugar level which can measure blood sugar level accurately by automatically determining appropriate timing for measurement, taking the above-described conventional methods and instruments into consideration.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and an instrument for measuring blood sugar level which can determine timing for starting measurement automatically corresponding to change in the color of the reagent pad.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and an instrument for measuring blood sugar level which can plainly inform the subject or the user of the process state of blood sugar level measurement.
In order to attain the above objects, the instrument for measuring blood sugar level of the present invention has the following processes:
A blood sugar measuring instrument for measuring the blood sugar level of blood impregnated in a reagent layer of a specimen includes an irradiation mechanism for irradiating light towards the reagent layer, a reflected light detecting device for detecting the intensity of the light reflected from the reagent layer, a calculator for calculating an average value of the intensity per each second, based on the intensity detected by the reflected light detecting device for plural seconds, and a determination device for determining whether or not a change in average values of the intensity calculated by the calculator has become a first predetermined value or less. A blood sugar calculator then calculates the blood sugar level of the blood on the basis of the average value when the determination device determines that the change has become the first predetermined value or less.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for measuring the blood sugar level of blood impregnated to a reagent layer of a specimen involves directing light toward the reagent, detecting the intensity of light reflected from the reagent, calculating an average value of the intensity each second based on the intensities detected over plural seconds, determining a change in the average value, determining whether the change in the average value has reached a first predetermined value or less, and calculating the blood sugar level of the blood based on the average value when the change in the average value has reached the first predetermined value or less.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

Method and instrument for measuring blood sugar level