A manufacturing method according to an embodiment of this invention is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which has: a first step of forming a first electrode 22 containing Ti or Ta on a top face of a nitride semiconductor layer 18; a second step of forming a second electrode 24 containing Al on a top face of the first electrode 22; a third step of forming a coating metal layer 26 covering at least one of an edge of a top face of the second electrode 24 and a side face of the second electrode 24, having a window 26a exposing the top face of the second electrode 24 in a region separated from the foregoing edge, and containing at least one of Ta, Mo, Pd, Ni, and Ti; and a step of performing a thermal treatment, after the third step.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
Related Background Art
Field Effect Transistors (FET) such as High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT) using nitride semiconductors have attracted attention as amplifiers operating at high frequencies and high output powers, e.g., amplifiers for base stations of cell phones. In addition, there is a developed technology for suppressing the current collapse that takes place in high-voltage operation of HEMT using nitride semiconductors (e.g., cf. Patent Literature 1).
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-278812

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc.


A mask for use with high energy radiation sources in precision projection processing by excimer lasers, for example, is described. The mask comprises a suitable substrate, such as silicon, upon which a multilayer dielectric stack is formed which acts as a reflective coating for the impinging excimer laser radiation, minimizing energy absorption by the mask substrate. The mask transparent areas are defined by the through-holes in the mask. The through-holes are formed with a conically undercut edge profile to define a thin object plane for the mask and minimize scattering of the radiation from the through-hole sidewalls. A method for fabricating the mask is also described.

The present invention relates generally to transmission masks of the type used for laser processing of surfaces, and, more particularly, to non-contact shadow masks utilized in laser ablation processes fabricated from a thick membrane utilizing conically undercut through holes to provide the desired ablation pattern and laser energy reflective coatings in the non-patterned areas.
In the field of microelectronic materials processing the use of high power lasers to provide selective etching or micromachining of substrate materials, metal films and layers of other materials, such as polyimide, is becoming increasingly important. Of key importance to this technology is a shadow mask or projection mask to project the pattern of the microstructures onto the material to be machined. It is well-known in the art to provide masks for ion etching, ion implantation and in optical, x-ray, ion and electron beam lithography. Masks of these types are used in relatively low power applications and typically are not suitable for high power laser applications, such as excimer laser ablation.
Prior art masks presently utilized in laser etching applications typically comprise a suitable substrate having clear or transparent areas and opaque areas to define the desired etch pattern to be projected. As increasingly higher power lasers are utilized and more exact and smaller element sizes are realized, a few micrometers (um) in size, for example, mask requirements such as reduction of defects in both the clear and opaque areas become critical.
The following criteria have been identified for ideal masks to provide optimal performance during high energy laser etching, micromachining, material deposition or other surface treatment of materials.
1. The mask object plane must be extremely thin to provide a well-defined image plane together with a full depth of focus at the image plane to provide, for example, the ability to etch deep structures in the surface of a material.
2. The mask object plane must be stable in all directions; that is, no bending or warpage of the mask object plane resulting from, for example, thermal expansion or mechanical stress or vibration of the mask.
3. The mask clear or transparent areas must be defect-free.
4. The mask opaque areas must be defect-free.
5. The mask must have a versatile alignment capability; for example, mask alignment targets should be detectable at the process laser wavelength and at a convenient alignment laser wavelength, a helium-neon laser, for example.
6. The mask should be compatible with a viable inspection scheme; that is, the mask pattern should be clearly detectable with visible radiation to allow for inspection utilizing an optical microscope, for example.
7. The mask materials, both the substrate and overlaying layers, must be stable under the high pulse rate, high power radiation typically encountered during excimer laser ablation or other high-power laser processes.
Prior art "chrome on glass" masks, shown in FIG. 1a, as used, for example, for optical lithography in IC-chip fabrication consist of a thin (several hundred Angstroms) layer of chrome defining an opaque pattern on an unstructured clear glass or quartz substrate. Typically, masks of these type will exhibit defects resulting from particulates in the transparent areas or microcracks in the substrate and pinholes in the opaque chrome layer.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,490,210; 4,490,211 and 4,478,677, issued to Chen et al, all assigned to the instant assignee, disclose laser etching of metalized substrates and glass materials involving an intermediate step in which the material to be etched forms a reaction product resulting from exposure to a selected gas, which is then vaporized by a beam of radiation of a suitable wavelength. Many materials can be etched directly by laser energy without the need for an intermediate step creating a reaction product material. The Chen et al patents describe non-contact masks as having a transparent substrate/body of UV grade quartz with a pattern chromium film thereon. It has been found, however, that such chromium masks cannot withstand laser energy densities of the order encountered when working with excimer or other lasers having the required intensity to etch or ablate many target materials directly. While satisfying several of the above-defined mask requirements, chromium may absorb as much as half of the incident laser energy at selected wavelengths. Thus, a single excimer laser pulse may easily ablate the chromium and destroy the opaque pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,772 issued to Kirch et al, assigned to the instant assignee and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, discloses a high-energy laser mask comprised of a transparent substrate having a patterned laser-reflective metal or dielectric coating deposited thereon. Typically referred to as a "dielectric mask", a mask, shown in FIG. 1b, comprising a transparent substrate/body having the opaque pattern formed of several layers of a highly reflective, abrasive-resistant dielectric coating provides a mask able to withstand the full range of laser intensities encountered in laser etching processes. For example, Kirch et al discloses a dielectric mask comprising many layers of such dielectric coatings deposited on a substrate of UV grade synthetic fused silica which achieves greater than 99.9% reflectivity of the incident laser energy. Such a dielectric patterned mask can withstand incident energy densities up to approximately 6J/cm.sup.2. However, defects resulting from particulates in the substrate material or microcracks and pinholes in the dielectric layers may be present. As discussed by Kirch et al, relatively pure substrate material such as UV grade synthetic fused silica is required to avoid laser absorption by impurities or inclusions in the mask clear areas. However, long-term irradiation with high-power UV radiation may induce absorptions in the mask clear areas due to solarization effects. Additionally, since the dielectric materials typically reflect radiation only in a small spectral region, near the wavelength of the processing laser, it is typically transparent in the visible range, thus presenting difficulties for a conventional optical system alignment, or inspection, utilizing, for example, an optical microscope.
Thin metal sheets fabricated from materials such as molybdenum or steel, having physical through holes formed transversely through the metal sheet representing the transparent or clear areas, referred to as metal stencil masks, as shown in FIG. 1c, have also been widely used as excimer laser masks. However, at high energy densities and high pulse repetition rates, energy absorption results in excessive heating of the mask materials, resulting in distortions in the mask object plane and rapid deterioration of the mask. Additionally, since the metal stencil masks are relatively thick, on the order of 50 um or more, scattering of the laser beam from the vertical sidewalls of the through holes degrades beam focus and image quality.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,946, issued to Bohlen et al, assigned to the instant assignee, discloses a mask suitable for ion etching, ion implantation and x-ray, ion and electron beam lithography. Such a mask comprises one or more metal layers deposited on a highly doped semi-conductor substrate with through going apertures defining the mask pattern. In the area of the mask pattern apertures, the substrate material is relatively thin, thus minimizing scattering effects of the incident beam. The highly doped substrate material provides mechanical stability. However, as discussed herein above, the metallic layers cannot withstand the high energy densities commonly encountered in excimer laser ablation processes.
In "Mask for Excimer Laser Ablation and Method of Producing Same," IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 33 No. 1A June 1990, pp. 388-390, A.C. Tam et al considers a silicon thin membrane stencil mask having transparent areas realized by suitably dimensioned apertures through the membrane. The thermal stability of the mask is increased by coating the surface of the mask facing the laser source with a multilayer reflection system and/or coating the surface of the mask facing the material to be ablated with a metallic gold layer. However, in the high power, high repetition rate environment experienced during excimer laser ablation processes, thin membranes exhibit undesirable and intolerable bending and warping resulting from heating induced by the small amount of laser radiation transmitted through the multilayer reflection system and from mechanical stress induced in the membrane material by residual stress in the multilayer reflection system. Additionally, the silicon thin membrane mask exhibits a tendency to vibrate when exposed to high pulse repetition rates. The non-stable object plane resulting from the combined effects of mask bending and vibration significantly reduces the depth of focus and may cause scattering effects, distorting the transmitted pattern and resulting in poor image quality.

Undercut membrane mask for high energy photon patterning


A method and a CT unit are disclosed for taking cardio X-ray CT pictures, in the case of which a synthetic clock signal is used to display a clock, during each cycle phase of the synthetic clock signal. Test volume data records of the heart are reconstructed at a number of different phase instants of the synthetic clock over the complete scan, which are respectively associated with their phase instants and their z-position. Subsequently, a correlation calculation between test volume data records that are temporally neighboring and spatially identical or at least belong to the same slice plane are used to determine maxima of the correlation. Finally, imaging volume data records are subsequently calculated from the spatiotemporally associated detector data.

A method is described, for example, in the document: Automatic phase point determination for cardiac CT imaging, Manzke et al., medical imaging 2004, proc. of SPIE vol. 537, 690-699. A proposal is made there that reconstructs the heart volume, on the basis of the ECG signal, in consecutive time intervals, and determines slicewise image correlations in neighboring cardiac phases. If these image correlations are plotted three-dimensionally a z/t-plane (z corresponding to the system axis, t corresponding to the percentage value of the cardiac phases under consideration), the rest phases of the heart are then manifested in this spatiotemporal display as extreme values of the correlation coefficients. Such extreme values can be detected by known computational methods such that the instants of the cardiac phase when the heart is at rest are determined. CT pictures corresponding to these time intervals are then reconstructed from the detector data according to the rest phases thus found.
A complication here is that it is necessary in each case to apply an ECG lead for the CT examination.

Method and CT unit for taking x-ray CT pictures of a patient's beating heart


The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that can achieve a sufficiently-high-speed response and has a sufficiently excellent transmittance and a thin film transistor array substrate preferably used in the liquid crystal display device. The thin film transistor array substrate according to the present invention is a thin film transistor array substrate that includes, as electrodes, one pair of comb electrodes and a sheet electrode, and at least one electrode selected from the group consisting of the pair of comb electrodes and the sheet electrode being electrically connected along a pixel line.

A liquid crystal display panel is configured to hold a liquid crystal display element between one pair of glass substrates, and is indispensable in, by utilizing characteristics such as a small thickness, a light weight, and a low power consumption, daily life or business such as displays of a personal computer, a television set, an in-vehicle device such as a car navigation system, and a mobile information terminal such as a mobile phone. In these applications, liquid crystal display panels in various modes related to electrode arrangements to change optical characteristics of a liquid crystal layer and designs of substrates are studied.
As a display scheme of a recent liquid crystal display device, a vertical alignment (VA: Vertical Alignment) mode in which liquid crystal molecules having negative anisotropy of dielectric constant are vertically aligned to a substrate surface, an in-plane switching (IPS: In-Plane Switching) mode in which liquid crystal molecules having positive or negative anisotropy of dielectric constant are horizontally aligned to a substrate surface and a horizontal electric field is applied to a liquid crystal layer, a fringe field switching (FFS: Fringe Field Switching) mode, and the like are given.
For example, as a liquid crystal display device of an FFS drive type, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display having a high-speed response and a wide viewing angle and including a first substrate having a first common electrode layer, a second substrate having both a pixel electrode layer and a second common electrode layer, liquid crystal sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a means that generates electric fields between the first common electrode layer included in the first substrate and the pixel electrode layer included in the second substrate and between the first common electrode layer and the second common electrode layer to achieve a high-speed response to a high-speed input data transfer rate and a wide viewing angle for a viewer is disclosed (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
As a liquid crystal device that applies a horizontal electric field by a plurality of electrodes, a liquid crystal device in which a liquid crystal layer that is made of liquid crystal having positive anisotropy of dielectric constant is held between one pair of substrates arranged opposite each other, wherein electrodes are formed on a first substrate and a second substrate configuring the pair of substrates to confront each other through the liquid crystal layer to apply a vertical electric field to the liquid crystal layer, and a plurality of electrodes that apply a horizontal electric field to the liquid crystal layer are formed on the second substrate is disclosed (for example, see Patent Literature 2).

Thin film transistor array substrate and liquid crystal display device


A storage and release mechanism for aerial distribution and release of insects from an unmanned aerial vehicle, the release being aimed at controlling a wild insect population, the wild population having fluctuating local densities, the mechanism comprising a switch for switching between two or more different sustainable insect delivery rates for release of the insects. The method is particularly suitable for sterile male mosquitoes in programs to control wild mosquito populations.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to apparatus and methods for continual aerial release of insects from drones and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a drone-borne storage and release mechanism for continual controlled and measured distribution of delicate insects such as mosquitoes, in particular delicate mosquitoes which require to be released in adult form.
Using drones to distribute insects and like invertebrates for control purposes is known. Prior art systems distribute flies and moth larvae. One known system for moth larvae placed a tube under the aircraft and when distribution was required a door was opened and a fan was started to force out the insects from the tube. A problem was experienced in that the tube emptied too fast and so the power was reduced until the tube was felt to take an optimal time to empty.
However, although they were able to find a power level that worked reasonably, they were unable to provide any more than a single dosage level. There was no flexibility in finding two different power levels that both worked and which provided different effective levels of insect distribution.
Furthermore, there are hardy insects that are fine being pushed out into the airstream, but there are also more delicate insects for whom being pushed with full force into an airstream can be fatal. Mosquitoes are relatively delicate insects.
One solution with the more delicate creatures is to distribute them as larvae, but mosquito larvae are in fact aquatic, so it is not possible to use this solution for mosquitoes.


A method and system is presented for a slider positioned to control a flow of lubricant over the slider body. The slider can also include a raised rail. A pad can be positioned on the slider between the raised rail and a trailing edge of the slider. The pad can extend to the trailing edge of the slider. The pad can include at least two separated edges, which form a central channel. The pad can be made of carbon. The pads can be approximately 0.03 micron tall in a cavity that is approximately 2 micro deep. The pad can be angled in relation to an air flow across the slider to control lube.

In modern high speed disc drives, the recording head slider is usually maintained at a very small distance above the recording media. Typically, this distance is 25 nm. The disc is lubricated to improve its durability. Modern discs usually use a long chain polymer lubricant.
When disc heads fly over the disc for long periods of time, disc lube can accumulate on the slider. Once the disc drive is shut down and the disc stops spinning, the slider with the accumulated lube is parked on the disc. The accumulated lube transfers from the slider to the disc and can be held at the slider/disc interface by meniscus forces. This large amount of disc lubricant at the slider/disc interface may be responsible for the high stiction forces observed between slider and disc.
Lube can also accumulate on both the trailing edge of the slider and in the cavities downstream of the side rails of typical center transducer sliders. When the disc stops, the lube in the cavity will often wick along the rail edges and cause high stiction. Some recording heads use surface energy modifying agents to prevent lubricant from accumulating preferentially on the slider.
On sliders, carbon pads are typically fabricated on the air bearing rails to enhance tribology. These carbon pads are deposited using photolithographic processes.
FIG. 1 shows disc lube 103 accumulating at the trailing edge of a rail 101 of a typical modern slider 100. The air flow 104 in this diagram is generally in an downward direction as the air travels through the air bearing channel 102. The lube tends to preferentially accumulate at the trailing edge of the side rails 101.
FIG. 2 shows a similar situation. In FIG. 2, lube 201 has accumulated in the cavity just down stream of the trailing edge of the air bearing rail 202 of a slider 200, which is just outside the air bearing channel 202. Lube 204 has also accumulated in the area of the interface between the slider substrate and the basecoat/overcoat alumina. This lube accumulation along the alumina can wick along the alumina/substrate edge until it reaches the center pad and then onto the disc. Once the lube reaches the disc/pad interface, it can cause high stiction forces. It is therefore desirable to find a mechanism that controls lube flow across the slider.
The present invention provides a method and system for reducing accumulated disc lube. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for channeling lube off recording disc head sliders using pads.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a slider for supporting a transducer next to a lubricated recording medium. The slider includes a pad positioned to control a flow of lubricant. The slider can also include a raised rail. The pad can be positioned on the slider between the raised rail and a trailing edge of the slider. The pad can extend to the trailing edge of the slider. The pad can include at least two separated edges, which form a central channel. The pad can be made of carbon. The pads can be approximately 0.03-1.00 micron tall in a cavity that is approximately 2 micron deep. The pad can be angled in relation to an air flow across the slider to control lube.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for fabricating a slider for supporting a transducer next to a lubricated recording medium. The method includes depositing a pad on the slider positioned to control a flow of lubricant. The method can include forming a raised rail. The pad can be deposited between the raised rail and a trailing edge of the slider. The pad can extend to the trailing edge of the slider. The pad can comprise at least two separated edges forming a central channel. The pad can be deposited using photolithographically patterned material. The pad can be made of carbon. The pad can be deposited at an angle in relation to an air flow across the slider to control lube.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Implementations can provide advantages such as preferentially controlling accumulation of lubricant at the trailing edge of slider rails. This invention can also be used to prevent wicking of lubricant along the interface between the slider substrate and basecoat or overcoat alumina. The pads can aid in controlling the flow of lubricant off the air bearing surface. The pads can also be used to reduce the flow of the lubricant along the substrate/alumina interface, which can help reduce the resulting stiction.

Method of channeling accumulated disc lube off of recording head sliders


A method for displaying a series of images on a projection screen as a function of a position of a presenter in front of the projection screen. First, the width of the screen is divided into a number of segments of selected widths. The positions of each of the segments is stored in a memory. The position of the presenter is compared with the stored segments to identify the segment currently occupied by the presenter. An image control signal is generated when the presenter changes position from a first segment to a second segment

Presentations to an audience are frequently made with the assistance of images projected onto a front or rear projection screen. With either type of screen it is necessary at an appropriate time for the presenter to change to the next image. Buttons on a computer keyboard are designated to advance a frame or to back up a frame. A presenter may use an off-stage assistant that brings up the next image frame at his signal, or spoken request, "Next slide please".
Effort has been made to eliminate the keyboard, verbal request, hand signals and gestures. Cordless remote controls can be used to advance to the next image, or return to the previously projected image. In applications where image changes occur rapidly (near real time) it is not practical to use a remote control for switching to the next image.
As a means of increasing alert attention and holding the interest of an audience, iSkia™, a device produced by iMatte Inc. U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,173, selectively inhibits the projected image in the silhouette area of a presenter. The presenter may then come out from behind the podium and walk out in front of the screen. He may look directly at his audience without being blinded by the projector. He may walk across the stage in front of the screen and point directly to elements in the projected image.
The above invention generates a matte silhouette of the presenter for identifying those pixels to inhibit. This matte can also be used to locate the presenter's screen position. A change in the presenter's position with respect to the display screen, from a first position to a second position may be used to generate a control signal.

Background image control by presenter position


A peptoid compound, a manufacturing method of a peptoid compound, an oligomer, a pharmaceutical composition, use of the pharmaceutical composition in the preparation of a medicament for detecting or diagnosing a disease related to tyrosine kinase HER2, and a kit for identifying circulating tumor cells are provided, the peptoid compound includes: a cysteine (Cys) subunit, a butanediamine (Nlys) subunit, a 3,4-methylenedioxybenzylamine (Npip) subunit, a 3-aminopropanic acid (Nce) subunit and a 1-naphthylamine (Na) subunit, and both the peptoid compound and the oligomer have a strong ability to bind to HER2 protein on surfaces of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and a technology of diagnosing breast cancer on the basis of the peptoid compound can realize non-invasive and label-free rapid diagnosis, in addition, the methods for synthesizing the peptoid compound and the oligomer are simple, the preparation efficiency is high, and the production cost is low.

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer are malignant tumors susceptible to women, accounting for 15% of women's cancers, and gastric cancer is also a disease with a relatively high incidence. Currently, patients with the breast cancer, the ovarian cancer and the gastric cancer are often clinically treated with anti-tumor drugs. For example, the anti-tumor drugs include cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs and protein drugs such as antibodies. However, the cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs have poor selectivity, large toxic and side effects, and are likely to cause adverse reactions; the protein drugs such as the antibodies have high specificity and small toxic and side effects, but they are likely to cause immune response and drug dependency due to their high molecular masses and complex structure, moreover, the process of preparing the protein drugs such as the antibodies is very complicated, so that the protein drugs such as the antibodies are too expensive to afford for ordinary tumor patients.
In the early stage of cancer development, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) screening technology is used to diagnose cancer. The CTCs screening test need to capture the circulating tumor cells from blood. The detection process is closely related to probe molecules coupled on the surface of the capture device, and a specific capture is achieved by the affinity of the probe molecule with the surface proteins of the CTCs. For example, the probe molecule includes a targeting molecule of a specific receptor protein at the tumor site such as antibody, polypeptide, peptoid and aptamer. Among various targeting molecules, peptoid small molecules have many advantages, such as, low immunogenicity, good tissue permeability, low molecular weight, high stability, easiness of modification, and economical efficiency and so on.

Peptoid compound and manufacturing method thereof, oligomer, pharmaceutical composition, and kit

BEIJING BOE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern on a reticle onto an object to be exposed, a reference mark that serves as a reference for an alignment between the reticle and the object, a first fluid that has a refractive index of 1 or greater, and fills a space between at least part of the projection optical system and the object and a space between at least part of the projection optical system and the reference mark, and an alignment mechanism for aligning the object by using the projection optical system and the first fluid.

The present invention relates generally to an exposure apparatus, and more particularly to an exposure apparatus used to manufacture various devices including semiconductor chips such as ICs and LSIs, display devices such as liquid crystal panels, sensing devices such as magnetic heads, and image pickup devices such as CCDs, as well as fine patterns used for micromechanics. The present invention is suitable, for example, for an immersion type exposure apparatus that immerses, in the fluid, the final surface of the projection optical system and the surface of the object to be exposed, and exposes the object through the fluid.
Conventionally employed reduction projection exposure apparatuses use a projection optical system to project or transfer a circuit pattern on a mask or a reticle onto a wafer, etc., in manufacturing such a fine semiconductor device as a semiconductor memory and a logic circuit in the photolithography technology.
The critical dimension transferable by the projection exposure apparatus or resolution is proportionate to a wavelength of light used for exposure, and inversely proportionate to the numerical aperture ("NA") of the projection optical system. The shorter the wavelength is, the better the resolution is. Smaller resolution has recently been required with a demand for the finer processing to the semiconductor devices. Therefore, in addition to use of the exposure light with a small wavelength, the projection optical system is expected to improve the resolution by using a higher NA. At present, the projection optical system has accelerated an increase of its NA, and it is expected to develop the projection optical system having a NA of 0.9 or greater.
On the other hand, the light sources for the exposure apparatus have changed from a KrF laser (with a wavelength of 248 nm) to an ArF laser (with a wavelength of 193 nm). Currently, developments of an F2 laser (with a wavelength of 157 nm) and EUV (with a wavelength of 13.5 nm) are promoted for the next generation light sources.
With this background, an immersion exposure has attracted attentions as a method that uses the ArF laser and the F2 laser for more improved resolution. See, for example, Japanese Patent Application, Publication No. 10-303114. The immersion exposure arranges the fluid as a medium at a wafer side of the projection optical system (or an image surface side), and promotes a higher NA. Specifically, the projection optical system's NA is n·sin θ where "n" is a refractive index of the medium, which can be increased up to "n" by filling the medium (fluid) having a refractive index greater than that of the air, i.e., n>1, in at least part of the space between the projection optical system and the wafer. In other words, the immersion exposure improves the resolution by increasing the projection optical system's NA viewed from the wafer side up to 1 or greater.
On the other hand, in order to align the reticle with the wafer during the exposure, the exposure apparatus includes plural alignment optical systems. The alignment optical system is roughly classified into two types, i.e., an off-axis alignment optical system that detects an alignment mark on the wafer and uses it for the alignment for the wafer, and a through the reticle ("TTR") alignment optical system that detects, via the projection optical system, a position of the alignment mark on the wafer (or wafer-side reference plate provided on a wafer stage), which is referred to as a wafer-side pattern and corresponds to a reticle-side pattern that is an alignment mark on the reticle (or reticle-side reference plate provided on a reticle stage). The TTR alignment optical system is also referred to as a through the lens ("TTL") alignment optical system.
Since the immersion type exposure apparatus fills the fluid in the space between the projection optical system and the wafer so as to implement the NA of 1 or greater, there is no imaging relationship between the reticle-side pattern and the wafer-side pattern in the TTR alignment optical system. As a result, the light intensity detecting method for detecting the light intensity using a light intensity sensor provided on the wafer stage, and then a positional relationship between the reticle-side pattern and the wafer-side pattern, can neither image the reticle-side pattern on the wafer-side pattern nor precisely align the reticle-side pattern with the wafer-side pattern. On the other hand, an image detecting method that images an alignment mark on an image pickup device cannot image the wafer-side pattern on the image pickup device via the projection optical system, or align the reticle-side pattern with the wafer-side pattern.
The light intensity detecting method has an area that has a refractive index of 1, such as the air and vacuum, between the wafer-side reference plate and the light intensity sensor. When reticle-side pattern is imaged on the wafer-side pattern by using the light having the NA greater than 1, the light having the NA greater than 1 is totally reflected on the back surface of the wafer-side reference plate, which back surface opposes to the pattern surface, and does not reach the light intensity sensor. Therefore, a correct measurement value cannot be obtained due to offsets of the measurement values and the deteriorated measurement reproducibility. On the other hand, the light having the NA smaller than 1 is not totally reflected on the back surface of the wafer-side reference plate, but the reflectance becomes higher due to the large incident angle. Therefore, disadvantageously, the light having a high NA is reflected on the back surface of the wafer-side reference plate and its light intensity incident upon the light intensity sensor is smaller than that of the light having a small NA. The image detecting method that requires the illumination light to enter the back surface side of the wafer-side reference plate cannot use the incident light having a NA greater than 1, due to the area that has a refractive index of about 1 between the wafer-side reference plate and an emitting section that emits the illumination light.
A non-immersion type exposure apparatus has a similar problem that the light having a large NA is reflected on the back surface of the wafer-side reference plate, due to the higher NA used for the projection optical system. In order to receive the light having an arbitrary NA, a sensor needs to have a large area and, when a light intensity sensor having a large area is provided on the wafer stage, the wafer stage becomes too large.


When a source program written in Java or the like and using methods of BigDecimal class, a priority conforming to a predetermined arithmetic rule is identified for an arithmetic operational method included in an arithmetic operation statement, and the arithmetic operational method and the identified priority are registered into a storage device. Then, in a case where it is judged based on data stored in the storage device that a plurality of arithmetic operational methods are included in an arithmetic operational statement, and an arithmetic operational method with low priority is defined as an instance of an arithmetic operational method with high priority, following processing is carried out to generate specification data, that is, the arithmetic operational method with low priority and an instance and argument of the arithmetic operational method with low priority are converted into a first subexpression using an arithmetic operational sign in accordance with a predetermined rule. Then, parentheses representing that the arithmetic operation are carried out with priority is added to the first subexpression. In addition, the arithmetic operational method with high priority and an argument of the arithmetic operational method with high priority are converted into a second subexpression using an arithmetic operational sign in accordance with the predetermined rule. Finally, the second subexpression is linked with the first subexpression.

It is often more difficult to review programs written, for example, in Java (trademark of Sun Microsystems Inc.) than programs written in COBOL and etc. This might be because the reviewer's skill for Java is poor. However, this is mainly because mathematical expressions and syntaxes in COBOL are represented by method invocations, accordingly the programs in Java are difficult to read. For example, "WK_OUTOUBI>XHIAWYEIDT" in COBOL is expressed by "wk_x16.getWK_OUT OUBI( ).isGreaterThan(xhiarxhi.getXHIAWYEIDT( ))" in Java. Therefore, the readability is spoiled. Moreover, because many statements not related to reviews such as creation of objects and EJB (Enterprise Java Beans) initialization are set forth, these also impede improving the efficiency of reviewing.
Incidentally, automatic generation of specifications is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,827. That is, the syntax of the input program is analyzed, and the syntactic structure and data attributes are obtained. At the same time, the data flow is analyzed to obtain data flow information. In addition, the names of temporal variables within the program are detected, and data that has inclusion with those temporal variables is detected. Then, the data flows from reference locations to the temporal variables to setting locations of associated variables are traced by the inclusion of data, applications of the temporal variables such as holding of intermediate results of calculations, type conversion, division, composition, and so on are discerned, and those temporal variables which can be erased are deleted. Intermediate representations in which temporal variables have been erased are replaced by natural language descriptions to obtain a specification. However, problems in object-oriented languages as described above are not taken into consideration.
In the aforementioned art, any solution to a problem in which it is difficult to make a review of a program written in a program language such as Java is not described.

Method and apparatus for generating specification data


A tap changer for uninterrupted switching over between winding taps of a tapped transformer has two load branches each for a respective phase to be switched. Each load branch has a vacuum switching contact acting as main contact and parallel thereto at least one series connection of a switch-over resistance and a respective further vacuum switching contact. The two load branches are connected with a common load shunt or connectable by mechanical switching elements. Two respective vacuum switching contacts of each load branch are constructionally combined to form a single vacuum switching tube with two separate movable contacts actuatable independently of one another and a common fixed contact. The common fixed contact is connected with the common load shunt or connectable mechanical switching contacts.

A tap changer is known from DE 20 21 575 that has in total four vacuum switching tubes per phase. Provided in each of the two load branches are a respective vacuum switching tube as a main contact and a respective further vacuum switching tube, in series connection with a switch-over resistance, as resistance contact. In the case of uninterrupted load changeover from the previous winding tap n to a new, pre-selected winding tap n+1 initially the main contact of the side being switched off is opened and thereupon the resistance contact of the side taking over is closed so that an equalizing current limited by the switch-over resistances flows between the two taps n and n+1. After the previously closed resistance contact of the side switching off has opened, the main contact of the side taking over then closes so that the entire load current is conducted from the new winding tap n+1 to the load shunt; the changeover is concluded.
In DE 10 2009 048 813, which is not prior published, a further tap changer is described in which additionally further mechanical switches are provided between the electrical connection of the two vacuum switching tubes of each load branch and the load shunt.
The known tap changers require four separate vacuum switching tubes per phase. At the outset, the requirement for a large amount of space for these vacuum switching tubes is itself, as well as the associated actuating mechanism, disadvantageous. In addition such known constructions are relative expensive due to the high component outlay.

Tap changer and vacuum switching tube for such a tap changer


Methods for directly comparing the light spectral power distribution of a natural light source to the light spectral power distribution received on the target area of an outdoor accelerated weathering device, comparing the spectral measuring assembly on accelerated weathering devices with traceable spectral measuring assemblies measuring the same light source at the same instant in time, comparing different outdoor accelerated weathering devices to one another with respect to continuous direct measurement of each such device in a collection relating the quality of each single device back to a single standard measured by all devices and rationalizing the results of different methods of weatherability testing.

The present disclosure is generally related to use of a spectral measuring device in connection with an outdoor accelerated weathering device, and more particularly, to methods for directly comparing the light spectral power distribution of a natural light source (the sun) to the light spectral power distribution received on the target area of an outdoor accelerated weathering device, comparing the spectral sensor on accelerated weathering devices with traceable sensors measuring the same light source (the sun) at the same instant in time, comparing different outdoor accelerated weathering devices to one another with respect to continuous direct measurement of each such device in a collection relating the quality of each single device back to a single standard measured by all devices and using a single spectrum measurement device design to rationalize the results of different methods of weatherability testing.
Conventional radiation measurements for outdoor weathering testing exposures are described in the appropriate primary standards: (1) ASTM G 90 describes the current method for outdoor accelerated weathering devices; and (2) ASTM G 7 describes the current method for outdoor real time weathering tests. Numerous other testing standard methodologies are known to those of skill in the art for specific applications and to attempt to list all such standards is unnecessary. In general, each conventional method uses broadband total solar and ultraviolet region measurement in calculations to determine the broadband solar radiant exposure of test specimens. These methods do not allow specific spectral wavelengths to be monitored for outdoor accelerated tests. These methods also do not allow measurement of radiant exposure of individual machines or a traceable method to determine the radiant exposure or spectral dose on individual outdoor accelerated weathering devices.
There are prior art references that disclose spectral monitoring devices. However, none of such references disclose methods for directly comparing indoor, outdoor real-time and outdoor accelerated methods. Nor do such references disclose calibration techniques or comparison of natural sunlight to concentrated natural sun light using the spectral monitoring devices of such references.
Generally, a variety of conventional methods have been used to determine radiant exposure (light dose) of specimens on natural end use non-accelerated exposures, namely: days, months and years by calendar; sunlight hours using focusing lenses and burned strips of paper; pyranometer devices measuring total solar radiation; and total ultraviolet radiometers ("TUVR") devices measuring ultraviolet wavebands. Additionally, a variety of conventional methods have been used to determine radiant exposure in artificial weathering chambers; namely: time, broadband wavelength filtered detectors; devices, such as broadband and narrowband photodetectors and radiometers; and dose calculations based on radiation flux integrated overtime.
Still further, a few conventional methods have been used to determine radiant exposure in outdoor accelerated (concentrated) weathering methods, namely: radiometers mounted remote to the accelerated weathering devices; comparison of shaded disc radiometers to radiometers not shaded; radiometers fitted with collimating tubes; and calculations based on assumed reflectance values of concentrating elements.
Calibration methods used to calibrate solar radiation sensors for use in outdoor accelerated weathering methods and outdoor real-time weathering tests use a multi-step calibration method to link radiation measurements back to a primary reference standard. This calibration chain is incomplete with respect to tests performed in outdoor accelerated weathering methods such as the fresnel-reflecting solar concentration devices.
The conventional method of calibration is generally summarized as follows: a primary reference sensor at the exposure laboratory is calibrated to a traceable light source in the laboratory, which is a standard from any suitable standards organization, such as may be available from National Institute of Standards and Technology. For example, a spectrophotometer measures a standard light source and the signal at each of the wavelengths measured by the spectrophotometer is adjusted to match the standard specified values for that light source. This primary reference sensor is then used side by side with other master standard measurement devices to measure the sun at the same moment in time. For example, a standard-traceable spectrophotometer is set up outside, under the sun next to master standard TUVRs, such as Model TUVR from The Eppley Laboratory Inc. of Newport, R.I. Both the spectrophotometer and TUVR devices measure the sun at the same moment and the TUVRs are adjusted until they measure the same as the standard-traceable spectrophotometer primary sensor. Note that a spectrophotometer is a spectral instrument that measures light at discreet wavelengths but that the TUVR is a total ultraviolet instrument and measures all light between 295 nm and 385 nm wavelengths. Simple calculations allow spectral data to be integrated to total ultraviolet data.
The master standard TUVR instruments are subsequently mounted side-by-side with working TUVR instruments to measure the sun at the same moment and the working TUVRs are adjusted to read the same values as the master TUVRs.
Two calibrated working TUVRs are then mounted on a tracking mount that follows the sun's movements in a similar manner as conventional outdoor accelerated weathering devices—one under a shading disc and the other direct to the sun—and measurements are taken in accordance with ASTM G 90 to calculate the discreet component of solar flux reaching the laboratory and the accelerated weathering devices therein.
The conventional method of using an average mirror reflectance of the entire field collection of outdoor accelerated weathering devices (i.e., the average reflectance of the entire field collection of outdoor accelerated weathering devices multiplied by the number of mirrors on each device) generates a single average calculated dose over a broad wavelength region that is determined for all materials on exposure regardless of which individual machine characteristics those materials were exposed under. For a more thorough discussion refer to ASTM G 90, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Conventional methods do not directly measure concentrated sunlight on outdoor accelerated weathering machines and do not directly compare actual sunlight to concentrated sunlight on outdoor accelerated weathering machines. Conventional methods also introduce error due to the broadband measurements that were taken of the source of sunlight and then inferred through calculation to be what was deposited after concentration on the outdoor accelerated weathering device target boards. In fact, the mirror spectral reflectance may have changed its specific reflectance characteristics, which would not have been observed by remotely located broadband detectors. The spectral changes would have gone unaccounted for in conventional methods.
Conventional methods also use reflective factors from single narrow wavelength reflectance measurements of reflective elements installed on the outdoor accelerated weathering devices. The narrow waveband reflectance measurements do not accurately describe the actual spectral reflectance of the reflective elements and can cause considerable errors in calculating the concentration factor of individual outdoor accelerating weathering devices.
In conventional methods, the accumulated radiant exposure is not measured by individual systems mounted on individual machines, rather it is measured by a common system and applied to a collection of unique machines ignoring machine-to-machine variations. Moreover, conventional methods are based on a mirror reflectance value on the fresnel-reflecting concentrating devices. This is typically an average value obtained by averaging measurements from many different individual machines and mirror elements within each machine. The actual individual values for specific machines vary greatly from the average.
Conventional methods also do not take into account characteristics of individual machines. For instance, the mirror alignment (accurate alignment of reflected light beams in the target area) differ in quality from machine to machine. These individual machine differences are not accounted for in conventional methods. By actually measuring the solar spectral power distribution on the target board of individual machines using the unique methods disclosed herein, a more accurate measurement of actual light flux and radiant exposure can be obtained.
Conventional methods to correlate results obtained on different outdoor accelerated weathering devices, use broadband total solar and ultraviolet region measurement in calculations to determine the solar radiant exposure of test specimens. These methods do not allow specific spectral wavelengths to be monitored for the test. Further, conventional methods do not replicate the measurements obtained in the xenon arc chamber tests on tests performed in outdoor natural real-time exposures or outdoor accelerated exposure tests. The unique methods disclosed herein repeat the same measurements using the same devices in all three exposure types. By using the same device designs, more comparable simulations can be made and results from the three different weathering test methods are more comparable than the results obtained from conventional methods. It is important to note that conventional outdoor accelerated methods use a broad spectral region and not spectral wavelengths unique to different individual materials
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for unique methods that allow true direct comparison of natural sunlight to concentrated sunlight in the target area of outdoor accelerated weathering devices, a more direct traceable path due to fewer steps in the calibration sequence for light monitors, all outdoor weathering devices in a field to be measured simultaneously using the same light source and correlation of weathering test results regardless of the type of weathering device used, that overcome the disadvantages described above, but also decrease cost and provide improved performance in use.

Full spectrum monitoring for outdoor accelerated weathering device


Methods, systems, processes and devices are provided for optimizing throughput and quality of service of a presence enabled managed service. The method includes at least a first entity requesting from an aggregator of presence services presence information of a second entity. The method includes looking up a profile of the aggregator stored in a cache of a presence server hosted by the presence enabled managed service. The method includes determining from the profile an aggregator level of service the aggregator has subscribed to from the presence enabled managed service, wherein the aggregator level of service is one of high level service, medium level service, and low level service. The method includes storing presence information of the second entity on a presence document on the cache and returning the presence information to the first entity based upon the aggregator level of service.

Presence enabled managed services are known in the art. Presence enabled managed services enable presence information of a presentity to be provided to a presence requester. The presence information denotes the presentity's ability and availability to communicate with the presence requestor. Presence information is represented as an extensible markup language document (XML) called a presence document that is a record of the presence associated with the presentity at a given point in time. This presence document is stored in a presence server, such as an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) compliant Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) application server. IMS is an architectural framework for delivering internet protocol (IP) multimedia to mobile users. The (SIP) is a signalling protocol, widely used for setting up and tearing down multimedia communication sessions such as voice and video calls over the Internet.
However, there remains a number of deployment complexities with respect to the actual deployment of a presence server in a telecommunications network. First, most telecommunications carriers have very few IMS subscribers with IMS compliant handsets.
Second, presence information in a typical network will require the collection of presence information from an IMS core and a number of other legacy non-IMS network components. These non-IMS network components include location platforms, the Home Location Register (HLR) infrastructure, the legacy data network, which includes over the air interfaces such as GPRS, 1XRtt, EVDO, Wifi networks and others, and other legacy instant messaging platforms that are not SIP compliant, such as an external IM gateway.
Third, the obtaining of presence information is complicated by several factors. In the absence of a custom interface written for these legacy sources, a pull based model may be required to collect presence information from these sources. A pull based model may be very expensive in terms of network resource consumed and sometimes is of very high latency. For example, a location request (which could be one of the nodes of the presence document) could take over 10-12 seconds in most wireless networks, making it very difficult to incorporate this element of presence efficiently.
To leverage presence services to build higher level composite services, a set of immediate aggregators and independent software vendors (ISV's) outside the carrier domain will probably be a big consumer of basic presence services from the telecommunications service provider. As such, a more logical implementation interface for these external requests are paradigms such as web services rather than SIP based signaling. This is because exposing SIP outside the services provider domain has a number of issues associated with it.
Notifications to presence requesters who have subscribed to presence information may follow established web services based mechanisms such as Parlay X 2.0 and Parlay X 2.1 or protocols such as REST (Representational State Transfer).

Optimizing a presence enabled managed service

International Business Machines Corporation


An upshift is effected by releasing an engaged first friction element and engaging a released second friction element. The first fiction element operates on a fluid pressure applied thereto through a first passage and the second friction element operates on a fluid pressure applied thereto through a second passage. An accumulator is provided in the first fluid passage. The accumulator has a back pressure port through which a back pressure is applied thereto by the function of a control valve having a first port connected to the back pressure port, a second port connected to a source of back pressure and a third port connected to a drain. The control valve operates, between a first position connecting the first port to second port and a second position connecting the first port to the third port, on first and second working signal pressures applied thereto. The first working signal pressure is the fluid pressure applied through the second passage to the second friction element and the second working signal pressure corresponds to the engine load. The control valve changes from the first position to the second position when a pressure difference between the first and second working signal pressures reaches a predetermined value. The application of the first working signal pressure to the control valve is inhibited for a predetermined time after an upshift is commanded in the automatic transmission or until the existing gear ratio reaches the gear ratio provided when the upshift is commanded in the automatic transmission.

This invention relates to an upshift control apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle having an automatic transmission for effecting an upshift from a current gear ratio to a target higher gear ratio by releasing an engaged first friction element and engaging a released second friction element.
Automatic transmission upshift control apparatus have been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 5-248526 which discloses a low clutch sequence valve 90 provided to adjust the back pressure in a low clutch accumulator 83 associated with a low clutch 50, as shown in FIG. 12. During a 3-4 upshift operation where the unshown band brake is engaged, the low clutch sequence valve 90 changes to a first position connecting the low clutch accumulator 83 to the drain from a second position connecting the low clutch accumulator 83 to a source of back pressure when a difference between an accumulator back pressure and a 4th speed apply pressure reaches a predetermined value, for example, 0.5 kg/cm.sup.2. If the 3-4 upshift is effected with the accelerator pedal being depressed to produce a sufficient accumulator back pressure, the low clutch sequence valve 90 will change to the first position just after the stroke of the servo piston of the band brake is completed so that the low clutch pressure decreases at an appropriate time with respect to the increase of the 4th speed apply pressure, as shown in FIG. 13. If the 3-4 upshift is effected with an insufficient accumulator back pressure, for example, with the accelerator pedal being released, however, the low clutch sequence valve 90 will change to the first position before the stroke of the servo piston of the band brake is completed, causing engine racing when both of the low clutch 50 and the band brake are released, as shown in FIG. 14.


A magnetically actuated MEMS switch 100 includes a first magnetic core portion 120, a first signal line 15, a first contact point 16, a second magnetic core portion 220, a second signal line 25, a second contact point 26, and a first coil portion 111 and a second coil portion 211 serving as a magnetic field applying portion that causes a current to flow in conductor coil to apply a magnetic field to the first magnetic core portion 120 and the second magnetic core portion 220. The first contact point 16 is displaced depending on the presence or absence of a magnetic field applied by the magnetic field applying portion. Connection and disconnection between the first contact point 16 and the second contact point 26 are switched in response to displacement of the first contact point 16.

In the related art, switching devices using a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) are known. As such a switching device, a magnetically actuated MEMS switch which is opened and closed depending on the presence or absence of magnetism has been examined. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-134993 discloses an MEMS switch in which a magnetic force is applied to a magnetic material such that the magnetic material is warped, and a first contact point provided in the magnetic material and a second contact point disposed to face the first contact point come into contact with each other. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-134993 discloses a configuration in which a magnet is moved in the vicinity of an MEMS switch such that a magnetic force is applied to a magnetic material.


Method and apparatus of recording and reproducing picture information on a recording medium. In addition to a coded information signal, subcodes together with identification codes for identifying the coding system of the subcodes are recorded in a first recording area of a recording medium and the identification codes and content discrimination codes for indicating contents of information included in the subcode using the coding system indicated by the identification code are recorded in a second recording area of the recording medium. It is further characterized that the identification code and the content discrimination information recorded in the second recording area are displayed at the time of the playback of the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to method and apparatus of recording and reproducing picture information on and from a recording medium such as a video disc, a digital audio disc, and so on, and to a recording medium.
2. Description of Background Information
A system is proposed in which picture information is recorded and reproduced in the form of the subcode on and from a digital audio disc having a diameter of 12 cm, generally called compact disc (abbreviated as CD hereinafter). The subcode is made up of eight subcode bits, and bit groups forming the subcode are divided into eight channels denoted by letters P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W respectively. In the method in which the picture information is recorded and reproduced in the form of the subcode, data corresponding to picture information is configured such that a symbol is formed by 6 bits of channels R through W from among the 8 bits forming the subcode, and 98 symbols are treated as one block, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Two symbols in the 98 symbols are used as a sync signal, and 24 symbols obtained by dividing the remaining 96 symbols by four are treated as a minimum unit of data, i.e. a "pack", which constitutes one instruction of the picture processing.
More specifically, the first symbol (referred to as symbol 0 hereinafter) of the 24 symbols shows one of several modes. A symbol 1 following this symbol 0 forms "instruction" which indicates the sort of the instruction. Symbols 2 and 3 following the symbol 1 constitute a parity Q which is an error correction code. Symbols 4 through 19 following the parity Q constitute a data field, and include information such as color information. Finally, symbols 20 through 23 following the data field constitute a parity P which is an error correction code for protecting the information in the "pack".
On the other hand, there are four modes, i.e. "zero mode", "line-graphics mode", "TV-graphics mode", and "user's mode". The "zero mode" is provided for a case where no operation is required for pictures on the display screen, that is, pictures are to be maintained as they are, and all data in the "pack" are 0 for this mode.
The "line-graphics mode" is provided for such a case that a liquid crystal display is provided on the front face of the player, to display notes such as an explanation of a music selection. As shown in FIG. 2, a picture area elongated sideways is formed by pixels which are arranged in 288 columns and 24 rows. In other words, each row includes 288 pixels and each column includes 24 pixels. The term "pixel" means the minimum display element of a picture, and it is general that the picture processing is performed by using picture composing units designated as "fonts" each of which is made up of pixels divided into 6 columns and 12 rows.
The number of "fonts" which can be displayed in the "line-graphics mode" is 48 in the lateral direction, and 2 in the column direction, and this area is designated as "screen area". For providing the scroll function, a line of "fonts" is added to the upper and lower outer peripheries and the right and left peripheries of the "screen area", to form a picture area having 50 "fonts" in the row direction, and 4 "fonts" in the column direction. The subcode is formed so that the picture processing is performed by using a memory having addresses each corresponding to each pixel in this picture area. In addition, the area outside the "screen area" is designated as "border".
The "TV-graphics mode" is a mode for displaying images on the TV screen, and a picture is formed by pixels arranged in 192 rows and 288 columns as illustrated in FIG. 3. The number of "fonts" which can be displayed in the "TV-graphics mode" is 48 in the direction of row, and 16 in the direction of column. Also in this "TV-graphics mode", the subcode is formed so that the picture processing is performed by using a memory having addresses each of which corresponds to each pixel in a picture area having 50 "fonts" in the direction of row, and 18 "fonts" in the direction of column, made by adding a line of "fonts" to the upper and lower peripheries as well as the right and left outer peripheries of the "screen area".
As instructions for the picture processing, there are an instruction for painting out the whole picture area by one certain color, an instruction for drawing a picture in one "font" on the screen by using two different colors, an instruction for moving the whole picture upward, downward, or sideways, and so on.
Additionally, in the 8-bit groups forming the subcode, the Q bits forming the channel Q include time information corresponding to the track length to a certain position of each information data which is recorded from the beginning of the program area of CD, and form address time data which can be used as positional data representing the recording position. On the other hand, the P bits forming the channel P provide data including information relating to a pause between two music selections.
In the above-described system of recording and reproducing picture information as the subcode, as many as sixteen picture channels can be designated. Specifically, a "write font foreground/back-ground" instruction is used in the "TV-graphics mode", which has such a structure as illustrated in FIG. 4. This is an instruction for writing font data of the symbols 8 through 19 in positions having a row address defined by the symbol 6 and a column address defined by the symbol 7. For the pixels whose font data is "0", a color of a color number determined by the "color 0" is designated as a background color. For the pixels whose font data is "1", a color of a color number defined by "color 1" is designated as a foreground color. At the same time, sub-picture channels can be designated by using four bits of the channels R and S of the symbols 4 and 5. By this feature, as many as sixteen picture channels can be designated. Sixteen sorts of picture are previously recorded on a disc for example, and a desired picture channel can be selected on the playing side at the time of playing by this scheme of designating the picture channel.
In addition, the sixteen colors indicated by the color number "0" through "15" are set by a "load CLUT color 0 through color 15 (load color look-up table color 0 through color 15)" instruction The "load CLUT color 0 through color 15" instruction is an instruction having a structure illustrated in FIG. 5, and setting the contents of a color look-up table showing the color of pre-set color numbers or foreground/background color numbers. It is necessary to designate sixteen colors in total. However, since four bits are used respectively for each of RGB to indicate a color, two symbols are required for setting one color. Therefore, eight colors are set by one "pack " at most. With this circumstances, this instruction is divided into two instructions respectively designating eight colors of the first half, and eight colors of the second half.
The instruction code for the colors of the first half, i.e. the color 0 through the color 7, is determined to be "30", and the instruction code for the colors of the second half, i.e. the color 8 through color 15 are determined to be "31". The mixing of colors for each of the color number is as follows. Red color is represented by four bits of the channels R through U of even symbols allotted to the color number. Green color is represented by four bits, i.e. two bits of the channels V and W following the channels R through U of the even symbols, and two bits of the channels R and S of odd symbols. Blue color is represented by four bits of channels T through W following the channels R and S of the odd symbols. Therefore, 2.sup.4 (=16) sorts of gray scales are available for each color, and preparation of 16.sup.3 (=4096) colors is possible since three colors (RGB) are used. In addition, a gray scale "0000" corresponds to the darkest state, and a gray scale "1111" corresponds to the brightest state.
In the above-described system of recording picture information as the subcode, the recording of picture is performed by recording data indicative of the color of each pixel on the recording medium. Hence, the density of recorded information is rather small. Furthermore, the time period necessary for displaying a picture of one "font" is about 3.3/1000 second, and about 2.5 seconds are necessary for displaying 48 .times. 16 characters. For this reason, if the codes occupying each of the sixteen channels are, for example, graphic codes corresponding to words in different languages, there would be a problem that the timing error between the words displayed by the picture channel and the sound becomes large.
Therefore, it is conceivable to record and reproduce codes representing letters by a coding system different from the above-described system of recording and reproducing picture information as the subcode, for example, to record and reproduce JIS codes as the subcode. However, the maximum number of the sorts of recording information increases in such a case and it is surmisable that the selection of desired information becomes difficult.

Method and apparatus for recording and reproducing picture information and recording medium


A composition of matter having the following chemical structure:

The present invention relates to compositions that can be integrated into food products to enhance the flavor of the associated food products.
A variety of food preparation and/or preservation processes are employed in which foods are packaged for consumption at a later time. When employed with various vegetables, fruits, juices and liquid compositions, these packaging processes can include various forms of canning, freezing, salting, pickling, smoking and the like. Additionally, various foods can be processed cured prior to refrigerated, frozen or other forms of storage. Non-limiting examples of such food processing technologies include pasteurization, addition of artificial food additives, irradiation and the like. Such processes can alter the inherent flavor of one or more ingredients of the food being preserved.
It is desirable to provide a fuller richer taste to foodstuffs, beverages, oral care products and the like. It is also desirable to provide foodstuff, beverages and oral care products having a fuller and richer taste.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Stable electrolyte material and solvent material containing same

Abstract: ⌊                  H        x                          O                              (                          x              -              1                        )                    2                      ⌋          Z    y      wherein x is and odd integer ≥3;    y is an integer between 1 and 20; and    Z is one of a monoatomic ion from Groups 14 through 17 having a charge value between −1 and −3 or a polyatomic ion having a charge between −1 and −3.


A method for producing an oxymethylene copolymer which gives molded articles that are inhibited from emitting formaldehyde and can be reduced in yellowness is provided. In producing an oxymethylene copolymer, an effective polymerization initiator amount is regulated to a value within a given range, the amount being calculated from the amount of perchloric acid or a derivative thereof contained in the polymerization initiator and the amount of triethanolamine contained in all the monomers comprising trioxane and comonomers, which are starting materials for the copolymer.

Oxymethylene copolymers (polyacetal) have excellent mechanical, chemical, physical and electrical characteristics and therefore are widely used in various industrial fields. In general, oxymethylene copolymers are produced by polymerizing trioxane and a comonomer such as alkylene oxide and cyclic formal using an acidic polymerization initiator (acid catalyst).
As a polymerization initiator for oxymethylene copolymers, a boron fluoride-based compound is widely used. However, use of the boron fluoride-based compound has problems. For example, since a relatively large amount of a polymerization initiator is required in this case, the polymerization degree of a polymer obtained is limited, and in addition, since a side reaction tends to proceed and there are many unstable end portions, a complicated stabilization step is required.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H11-005822 proposes a method for producing a polyacetal copolymer, wherein a mixed solution obtained by mixing at least a part of a comonomer or the whole comonomer with a perchloric acid-based polymerization catalyst is added to trioxane to be copolymerized.

Method for producing oxymethylene copolymer


Techniques for controlling an insulin pump include determining values for parameters selected from a group including a first prediction time horizon, a predicted glucose threshold (Goff) for turning the insulin pump off, a maximum shut off time within a time window, and duration of the time window. A safety rule is determined based on the maximum shut off time within the duration. Glucose readings are collected up to a current time. An expected current glucose value G and glucose temporal rate of change are determined based only on the glucose readings and a Kalman filter configured for noisy glucose readings. A glucose level (Gh1) is predicted for a future time that is the prediction time horizon after the current time. A command is issued to shut off the insulin pump if it is determined both that Gh1 is less than Goff and that the safety rule is satisfied.

People with type 1 diabetes must regulate their blood glucose levels each and every day. This means checking their blood glucose levels at least three times per day and correcting their insulin doses as necessary. Errors in delivering too much insulin result in hypoglycemia and the associated sluggishness, coma, and seizures. Delivering too little insulin can result in chronic nerve, heart, and kidney damage. Unfortunately, people with diabetes do not want to pay constant attention to their glucose levels. Alarms are particularly ineffective for low blood glucose levels at night due to the torpor caused by hypoglycemia.

Kalman filter based on-off switch for insulin pump

The Board of Trustees of the Laland Stanford Junior University

The Regents of the University of California, a California Corporation

The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate


According to one embodiment a display device includes first and second sub-pixels, first and second power lines, and a reset line. The first sub-pixel includes a first light emitting element and a first pixel circuit. The second sub-pixel includes a second light emitting element and a second pixel circuit. The first power line supplies power to the first pixel circuit. The second power line supplies power to the second pixel circuit. Reset signal is supplied to the reset line. The reset line and the power lines are arranged in a display region. The reset line is connected to both the pixel circuits. A width of the first power line is larger than a width of the second power line.

Display devices using light-emitting diodes (LED) as display elements are known. Recently, a display device in which a minute light-emitting diode referred to as a micro-LED is mounted on an array substrate has also been developed. The display device of this type can display high quality images and is focused as a next-generation display device.
To increase the luminance in the display device using a self-luminous display device such as a micro-LED, measures such as increasing a width of a power line supplying the power to the display device are required. In a high definition display device, however, space to arrange lines and circuits in a display region is limited and increase in the luminance may be difficult.

Display device having a reset line for supplying a reset signal


An image sensor includes a photosensitive region that accumulates charge corresponding to received incident light; a transfer gate for transferring all or a portion of the charge from the photosensitive region; a voltage supply having an increasing voltage over time that is applied to the transfer gate; a floating diffusion for receiving the all or a portion of the charge from the photosensitive region and converting the charge to a voltage; an amplifier for receiving and amplifying a signal from the floating diffusion; a pulse detector for detecting a voltage pulse from the amplifier; and a counter for counting clock cycles between initiation of the increasing voltage until a signal is received from the detector which indicates initiation of charge transfer from the photosensitive region to the floating diffusion.

One of the trends in CMOS image sensor is the continue scale down of the pixel size. The present CMOS image sensors all have the same or close structures: the photosensitive devices such as photodiode FD and photogate in each pixel to convert the optical signal to electrical charge, a floating diffusion (FD) capacitor converting charge to voltage, and an amplifier buffering the floating diffusion capacitance from the large output bus capacitance and sending the electrical signal out of the pixel array. The pixel output signal swing is preliminary determined by the FD capacitance and the number of charge can be captured by the PD. The maximum number of charge is proportional to the size of the photodiode. In order to maintain sensor performance, large PD size and the minimum ratio (>30%) between PD size and pixel size or the fill-factor are required which limits the further reduction of pixel size. In this invention, the photodiode electrical potential, instead of the voltage at the floating diffusion, is used as the image signal and is converted to digital signal such that reductions in both the pixel size and the fill-factor are achieved without affecting the sensor performance.

Ultra-small CMOS image sensor pixel using a photodiode potential technique


Disclosed is a method of inhibiting the growth of marine organisms on a marine structure, by applying onto or into the marine structure a halopropargyl quaternary ammonium compound, halopropargyl benzoxazolone compound, or halopropargylhydantoin compound. These compounds may be directly incorporated into the marine structure during manufacture, directly applied to the structure, or applied to the structure by means of a coating.

This invention relates generally to a method of inhibiting the growth of organisms on a marine structure. In particular, this invention relates to the use of certain halopropargyl compounds as marine antifouling agents.
Marine antifouling agents are used commercially to prevent growth of organisms on marine structures. Tributyltin oxide and other organotins have been the major marine antifouling agents in use for many years. There is currently much concern over the effects of tin on marine environments. For example, high levels of tin in harbor waters have been linked to shell deformation in some bivalve species, such as oysters.
Some organic compounds have been suggested as marine antifoulants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,479 (Gruening) discloses the use of 3-iodopropargyl N-butyl carbamate as marine antifouling agents. These types of compounds have not achieved commercial prominence because they do not meet the same performance requirements as tin based antifouling agents.
A number of cyclic N-halopropargyl substituted compounds and N-halopropargyl substituted quaternary ammonium compounds are known in the art as microbicides. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,933 (Hsu), which discloses bromopropargyl quaternary ammonium compounds as microbicides. These compounds are not disclosed as marine antifouling agents.
The effectiveness of microbicidal materials useful in combatting fungi, bacteria and the like in non-aqueous media, and microbicides effective in combatting fungi, slime, and algae in fresh water systems, cannot be used to predict the effectiveness of these compounds as marine antifouling agents in sea water and brackish water capable of supporting marine life such as barnacles, slime, hydroids, grassy brown felt algae, and the like.
The problem addressed by this invention is to provide marine antifouling agents having increased performance and little or no harmful effects to marine environments.

Halopropargyl compounds as marine antifouling agents


A pipeline pig for removing scales and debris from the interior walls of a pipeline has a generally cylindrical central portion with a hollow core and a rounded end on each two ends of the cylindrical central portion, is produced of a flexible material to facilitate the movement of the pipeline pig through non-linear sections of a pipeline and buildups of scale and debris in a pipeline, has a solution which fills the hollow core, and includes a body which is formed as a peripheral fluid closed body composed of the flexible material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the refinery industry and the removal of buildups of scale on the interior walls of refinery pipelines and furnaces produced by the refining of hydrocarbons. More particularly, the invention comprises a pipeline pig, a device with metallic scrapers for removing the built up scale from the interior walls of pipelines and furnace pipes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the petroleum refining process, lengths of furnace pipeline are heated in order to separate the various hydrocarbons into various petroleum products. In this separation process, the internal walls of furnace pipes become encrusted with baked on scale, restricting the flow rate and overheating the furnace pipelines. For years, steam xe2x80x9cdecokingxe2x80x9d has been the normal procedure for removing these scale buildups by blasting super heated steam through the pipelines to thermally crack the scale buildup, followed by washing with water to flush the loosened deposits from the pipeline. This steam decoking process, however, presents a number of potential problems, including potential damage to the pipeline from overheating or over pressurization, and releasing environmentally unsafe vapors when the steam is vented. Use of a pipeline pig would resolve many of these problems.
Over the past century, a number of different pipeline pigs have been developed for cleaning the interior of pipelines.
U.S. Pat. No. 646,545, issued to Franz Novotny on Apr. 3, 1900, relates to an apparatus for scouring and cleaning pipes or conduits, consisting of three distinct elements. The first element is a parabolic piston of a slightly smaller diameter than the pipe to be cleaned, which, when forced under pressure through the pipe pulls a second element of the device which is covered with scrapers for loosening any buildup. The scraper, in turn, pulls a wire brush which scours the pipe walls to further remove any buildup. The entire device is restrained against the pressure flow by a trailing guide line, with which it may be retrieved. The present invention is designed for the heat and pressure of refinery pipelines and provides additional flexibility in the pipeline pig""s composition to allow for sharper bends in the pipelines being cleaned.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,197, issued to Ulrich Nehse, et. al., on Dec. 5, 1961 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,323, issued to Harry J. Girard on Dec. 1, 1970, relate to pipeline cleaning devices constructed of polyurethane, wherein a harder outer surface covers a more resilient and flexible core. Nehse presents a generally spherical device while Girard a generally bullet shaped device. In both Nehse and Girard, scrubbing action is by friction between the polyurethane surface and the scale on the pipe. The present invention offers metallic scrapers for additional cutting action against buildups on pipe surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,530, issued to Ronald W. Schultz on Mar. 28, 1972 relates to a pipeline cleaning device constructed of a resiliently deformable material, generally spherical in shape, with a plurality of protuberances from its general surface providing scrubbing action. The protuberances are composed of the same material as the sphere, formulated to a greater hardness than the sphere. The present invention offers metallic scrapers for additional cutting action against buildup on pipe surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,287, issued to Kenneth M. Knapp, et. al., on Feb. 4, 1975, relates to a pipeline pig, generally bullet shaped, in which a polyurethane outer shell cast over an inner bladder of a resilient material, such that the outer shell can be replaced when worn down. Scrubbing action is provided by the edges of diamond shaped recesses in the surface of the outer shell. The present invention, again, offers metallic scrapers for additional cutting action against buildups.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,031, issued to Klaus Eimer, et. al., on Sep. 27, 1983 relates to a device for cleaning the interior of heat exchanger tubes. Eimer is composed of a sponge rubber ball with a plurality plastic bristles protruding from its surface for the cleaning of relatively small bore pipes. By contrast, the present invention is composed of a denser, more heat resistant rubber compound and provides metallic scrapers for additional cutting action against buildups.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,771, issued to Kenneth M. Knapp on Jan. 6, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,073, issued to Sizuo Sagawa on Jan. 13, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,493, issued to Edward L. Roberts on Sep. 29, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,158, issued to Robert C. Watts on Jul. 20, 1999, each refer to pipeline pigs generally cylindrical or bullet shaped, each with metallic studs protruding from a resilient body. The metallic studs provide increased cleaning ability over the polyurethane of the previously cited examples. Knapp, Sagawa, Roberts, Watts offer improvements over the cleaning ability of previous inventions, but, unlike the present invention, they fail to address the other major problem with pipeline pigs, that of becoming irretrievably stuck in a pipe. In order to avoid cutting the pipe to retrieve an irretrievable stuck pipeline pig, pipeline pigs composed entirely of polyurethane, or other polycarbonates, can often be melted by the application of external heat to the pipeline if they become stuck. By the introduction of metals into their composition, however, melting could tend to cause the studs to separate from the pipeline pig and fall into the pipeline. The present invention provides a preferable method of retrieval through its pressure release valves which allow the liquid/gel within the core of a stuck pipeline pig to escape, reducing the pressure the pipeline pig exerts against the internal surface of the pipeline.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
In the petroleum refining process, lengths of furnace pipeline are heated in order to separate the various hydrocarbons into various petroleum products. In this separation process, the internal walls of furnace pipes become encrusted with baked on scale, restricting the flow rate and overheating the furnace pipelines. For years, steam xe2x80x9cdecokingxe2x80x9d has been the normal procedure for removing these scale buildups by blasting super heated steam through the pipelines to thermally crack the scale buildup, followed by washing with water to flush the loosened deposits from the pipeline. This steam decoking process, however, presents a number of potential problems, including potential damage to the pipeline from overheating or over pressurization, and releasing environmentally unsafe vapors when the steam is vented. Use of a pipeline pig would resolve many of these problems, but existing pipeline pigs often present even more problems. Under heavy scaling conditions, the pipeline pig often gets stuck in the pipeline and pressure must be increased in an attempt to free the pipeline pig. This process often requires pressures in excess of manufacturer""s recommendations, occasionally causing blow outs of the pipeline, causing damage and/or personal injury. Alternatively, the pipeline must be cut to remove a stuck pipeline pig. Additionally, the placement of scrapers around the perimeter of many pipeline pigs is such that they do not cover the entire circumference of the pipe, leading to tracking in the scale, with each successive pipeline pig tending to follow the same tracks, eventually causing damage to the interior of the pipe.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a pipeline pig which is economical to use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pipeline pig which is easily removable if it becomes stuck in a pipeline.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a pipeline pig which provides effective cleaning of the full perimeter of the interior walls of a pipeline.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a pipeline pig which can be used in a variety of sizes of pipe.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a pipeline pig which can be used in a variety of types of pipes.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a pipeline pig which can easily navigate sharper bends in pipelines.


A driving assistance device for assisting a driving of a vehicle is configured to: acquire an operation state for the vehicle by a driver; acquire a driving characteristic of the driver according to the operation state; acquire a driving frequency of the driver with respect to the vehicle; and notify the driver of information relating to the driving characteristic at intervals corresponding to the driving frequency.

A driving assistance device has been proposed such that the device obtains driving characteristics of a driver driving a vehicle based on driver's preference, habit, ability, etc., and notifies the driver in the form of advice or the like. Further, in such a driving assistance device, various measures have been taken at which timing the device notifies the driver of the obtained driving characteristic.