A manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device is provided. The method includes forming a gate line and a data line on a substrate; forming a thin film transistor connected to the gate and data lines, the thin film transistor including a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode; forming a black matrix over the thin film transistor, the black matrix having an opening; forming a first conductive layer on a substrate having the black matrix such that the first conductive layer contacts a portion of the drain electrode; forming a color filter layer on the first conductive layer at a portion corresponding to the opening of the black matrix; partially etching a surface of the first conductive layer corresponding to the black matrix; forming a second conductive layer on the color filter layer such that the second conductive layer contacts the partially etched first conductive layer; and forming a pixel electrode by patterning the first and second conductive layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device having a color filter layer on an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device is driven based on the optical anisotropy and polarization characteristics of a liquid crystal material. In general, the LCD device includes two substrates spaced apart and facing each other with a liquid crystal material layer interposed between the two substrates. Each of the substrates includes electrodes facing each other such that a voltage applied to each electrode induces an electric field between the electrodes perpendicular to the substrates. An alignment of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal material layer changes by varying an intensity or direction of the applied electric field. Accordingly, the LCD device displays an image by varying light transmittance through the liquid crystal material layer in accordance with the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules.
FIG. 1 is an expanded perspective view illustrating a related art LCD device. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD device 11 includes an upper substrate 5, referred to as a color filter substrate, and a lower substrate 22, referred to as an array substrate, having a liquid crystal material layer 14 interposed therebetween. On the upper substrate 5, a black matrix 6, and a color filter layer 8 are formed in a shape of an array matrix including a plurality of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color filters surrounded by corresponding portions of the black matrix 6. Additionally, a common electrode 18 is formed on the upper substrate 5 to cover the color filter layer 8 and the black matrix 6.
On the lower substrate 22, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) T are formed as an array matrix corresponding to the color filter layer 8. A plurality of crossing gate lines 13 perpendicularly cross a plurality of data lines 15. The TFTs T are positioned such that each TFT T is located adjacent to an intersection of one of the gate lines 13 and one of the data lines 15. Furthermore, a plurality of pixel electrodes 17 are formed on a pixel region P defined between the gate lines 13 and the data lines 15 of the lower substrate 22. The pixel electrode 17 includes a transparent conductive material having high transmittance, such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO) or indium-zinc-oxide (IZO).
As further shown in FIG. 1, a storage capacitor CST is disposed in each pixel P and connected in parallel to the pixel electrode 17 of the pixel. The storage capacitor CST is comprised of a portion of the gate line 13 as a first capacitor electrode and a metal layer 30 as a second capacitor electrode. Since the metal layer 30 is connected to the pixel electrode 17 through a contact hole, the storage capacitor CST is electrically contacted to the pixel electrode 17. The metal layer 30 may be made of the same material as the data line 15. When fabricating the LCD device 11 of FIG. 1, the upper substrate 5 is aligned with and attached to the lower substrate 22. In this process, the upper substrate 5 may be misaligned with the lower substrate 22 and light leakage may occur in the completed LCD device 11 due to an error margin in attaching the upper and lower substrate 5 and 22.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line II-II of FIG. 1 illustrating a pixel of the related art liquid crystal display (LCD) device. As shown in FIG. 2, the related art LCD device includes the upper substrate 5, the lower substrate 22, and the liquid crystal layer 14. The upper and lower substrates 5 and 22 are spaced apart from each other, and the liquid crystal layer 14 is interposed therebetween. The upper and lower substrates 5 and 22 are often referred to as an array substrate and a color filter substrate, respectively, because the color filter layer 8 is formed upon the upper substrate and a plurality of array elements are formed on the lower substrate 22. As further shown in FIG. 2, the thin film transistor T is formed on an inner surface of the lower substrate 22, and a passivation layer 40 is formed on the thin film transistor T. The thin film transistor T includes a gate electrode 32, an active layer 34, a source electrode 36, and a drain electrode 38.
Referring to FIG. 1, the gate electrode 32 extends from the gate line 13 and the source electrode 36 extends from the data line 15. The gate, source, and drain electrodes 32, 36, and 38 are formed of a metallic material while the active layer 34 is formed of silicon. The pixel electrode 17, formed of a transparent conducting material, is disposed in the pixel region P.
As shown in FIG. 2, the pixel electrode 17 contacts the drain electrode 38 and the metal layer 30. As mentioned above, the gate electrode 13 acts as a first electrode of the storage capacitor CST and the metal layer 30 acts as a second electrode of the storage capacitor CST. Thus, the gate electrode 13 and the metal layer 30 define the storage capacitor CST.
Still referring to FIG. 2, the upper substrate 5 is spaced apart from the first substrate 22 over the thin film transistor T. On the rear surface of the upper substrate 5, a black matrix 6 is disposed in the position corresponding to the thin film transistor T and the gate line 13. The black matrix 6 is formed on the entire surface of the upper substrate 5 and has openings corresponding to the pixel electrode 17 of the lower substrate 11, as shown in FIG. 1. The black matrix 6 prevents light leakage in the LCD panel except for the portion for the pixel electrode 17. The black matrix 6 protects the thin film transistor T from the light such that the black matrix 6 prevents generating of photo current in the thin film transistor T. The color filter layer 8 is formed on the rear surface of the upper substrate 5 to cover the black matrix 6. Each of the color filters 8 has one of the red, green, and blue colors and corresponds to one pixel region where the pixel electrode 17 is located. A common electrode 18 formed of a transparent conductive material is disposed on the color filter layer 8 over the upper substrate 5.
In the related art LCD panel mentioned above, each pixel electrode 17 corresponds to each color filter. Furthermore, to prevent cross-talk between the pixel electrode 17 and the gate and data lines 13 and 15, the pixel electrode 17 is spaced apart from the data line 15 by a distance A and from the gate line 13 by a distance C, as shown in FIG. 2. The open spaces A and C between the pixel electrode 17 and the data and gate lines 15 and 13 cause a malfunction, such as light leakage in the LCD device. Typically, light leakage primarily occurs in the open spaces A and C. However, the black matrix 6 formed on the upper substrate 5 should cover the open spaces A and C. However, when arranging the upper substrate 5 with the lower substrate 22 or vice versa, a misalignment may occur between the upper substrate 5 and the lower substrate 22. Therefore, the black matrix 6 is extended to be sure that the black matrix still covers the open spaces A and C. That is, the black matrix 6 is designed to provide an aligning margin to prevent light leakage. However, by extending the black matrix, an aperture ratio of the liquid crystal panel is reduced in as much as the aligning margin of the black matrix 6 is increased. Moreover, if there are errors in the aligning margin of the black matrix 6, light leakage occurs in the open spaces A and C, thereby deteriorating the image quality of the LCD device.

Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof


A microwave oven includes a main body, a cooking chamber provided in the main body, and an electrical component compartment containing electrical components, including a magnetron for supplying microwaves to the cooking chamber. Disposed in the cooking chamber is a microwave reflecting varying plate continuously reciprocated by a drive motor during a cooking operation, for reflecting microwaves at continuously varying angles.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a microwave oven which reflects microwaves off inside walls of a cooking chamber.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a microwave oven is a cooking appliance which cooks food by frictional heat generated by making the molecules of the food being cooked move at high speeds with the use of microwaves.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, shown respectively are an exploded perspective view of a conventional microwave oven and a front sectional view of the microwave oven illustrated in FIG. 1.
As shown in drawings, the conventional microwave oven comprises a main body 10 defining an exterior of the microwave oven, a cooking chamber 20 having predetermined dimensions and inside of which food to be cooked is placed, and an electrical component compartment 30 provided to one side of the cooking chamber 20. Provided on a front of the microwave oven are a door 40 for opening and closing the cooking chamber 20, the door 40 being attached by hinge members (not shown), and a control panel 41 which is manipulated by the user to make various selections for the cooking and heating of food.
Mounted inside the electrical component compartment 30 are a transformer 31 for raising a level of voltage supplied from an external electric power source, a magnetron 32 for generating microwaves using the high voltage supplied from the transformer 31 and radiating the microwaves into the cooking chamber 20, a fan 34 for cooling the various electrical components in the electrical component compartment 30 by drawing external air therein, and a guide duct 33 for directing the external air drawn into the electrical component compartment 30 by the fan 34 to the cooking chamber 20.
Provided inside the cooking chamber 20 are a cooking tray 21 disposed on a bottom surface of the same, and a heater 12 for grilling food, the heater 12 being mounted on an upper portion of the cooking chamber 20.
In the prior art microwave oven structured as described above, the cooking and heating of food is realized by the radiation of microwaves into the cooking chamber by the magnetron, after which the microwaves are reflected off inside surfaces of walls of the cooking chamber to the food therein.
However, as the microwaves are reflected off the inside surfaces of the walls in continuously identical angles and patterns throughout the cooking process, different surface areas of the food inside the cooking chamber receive different amounts of microwaves. As a result, the food is heated or cooked unevenly.

Microwave oven having a cooking chamber reflecting microwaves at varying angles


Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatuses for performing a user-less payment for an item upon its delivery by an unmanned delivery vehicle. The unmanned delivery vehicle may navigate to a delivery location, receive payment information, initiate a payment transaction with a remote server, and release the item at a specified location upon successful completion of the payment transaction. Upon arrival of the unmanned delivery vehicle, a wireless data transmission device may send payment information to a remote server, and the remote server may provide the unmanned delivery vehicle with an indication of whether the item can be released and a specific location at which the item can be released.

When customers order products by phone or over the Internet, they typically provide payment information to a merchant at the time the order is placed and are subsequently charged either at that time or upon the merchant sending/shipping that product. This is undesirable for a number of reasons: (1) if the goods never arrive, or are lost/stolen in transit, the customer has already been charged for the purchase and must dispute the charges with the merchant, payment provider, or issuing bank; (2) the customer has parted with funds, despite not yet receiving goods, thus resulting in lost interest income or lost liquidity during the shipping period, which can comprise a number of weeks; and (3) in most payment card systems, e-commerce transactions are considered to be "card not present," thus increasing the fees paid by a merchant on those transactions, and placing the liability for the transaction on the merchant or its acquiring bank. Accordingly, there is a need for a way to allow a customer to provide payment on-delivery without requiring the customer's (e.g., the recipient's) presence.

System, method, and apparatus for user-less payment on delivery


In an improved INEPT pulse sequence, an excitation pulse, a refocus pulse and an excitation pulse are sequentially applied for .sup.1 H spins. A refocus pulse and an excitation pulse are sequentially applied for .sup.13 C spins that are spin--spin coupled with the .sup.1 H spins. A magnetic resonance signal is acquired from .sup.1 H spins or .sup.13 C spins. The second refocus pulse for .sup.1 H is applied as a slice selective pulse at a time different from the time the first refocus pulse for .sup.13 C is applied. This allows localization to be achieved without adversely affecting the flip angle of the first refocus pulse for .sup.13 C.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus which acquires information about relatively insensitive nuclear species, such as .sup.13 C, with high sensitivity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Attention has been paid to the observation of spectra of nuclear species such as .sup.13 C in that information about biochemistry such as metabolism or energy metabolism can be obtained. Assuming the sensitivity of .sup.1 H to be unity, the sensitivity of .sup.13 C is as low as about 1/4. Thus, there arises a problem in that the signal-to-noise ratio becomes very low.
Methods of improving the signal-to-noise ratio by employing large polarization of .sup.1 H have been developed recently, which are roughly classified into two categories: .sup.13 C observation (polarization transfer method) and .sup.1 H observation. .sup.13 C observation methods include INEPT (Insensitive Nuclei Enhanced by Polarization Transfer) methods and DEPT (Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer) methods. .sup.1 H observation methods include HSQC (Heteronuclear Single Quantum-Coherence) methods and HMQC (Heteronuclear Multiple Quantum-Coherence) methods.
Hereinafter each of the above methods will be described. In the following description, .sup.1 H combined with .sup.13 C is represented by ".sup.1 H{.sup.13 C}". A radio-frequency magnetic field pulse (RF pulse) that selectively rotate .sup.1 H or .sup.13 C spins through .alpha..degree. with respect to the .beta. axis (.beta.=x, y, pr z) is represented by a ".alpha..degree..beta.(.sup.1 H or .sup.13 C) pulse". The spin--spin coupling constant of .sup.1 H and .sup.13 C is represented by J.
FIG. 1 shows an INEPT pulse sequence, and FIG. 2 shows the state of .sup.1 H spin at time ta after a lapse of time 1/(4J) from the application of a 180.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse. For .sup.1 H a 90.degree.x(.sup.1 H) pulse, a 180.degree.y(.sup.1 H) pulse and a 90.degree.y(.sup.1 H) pulse are produced in sequence. For .sup.13 C a 180.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse and a 90.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse are produced in sequence. The 180.degree.y(.sup.13 C) pulse and the 180.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse are produced simultaneously. The 90.degree.y(.sup.1 H) pulse and the 90.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse are produced simultaneously. The time interval between the 90.degree.x(.sup.1 H) pulse and 180.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse is set to 1/(4J). The time interval between the 180.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse and 90.degree.y(.sup.1 H) pulse is also set to 1/(4J). FIG. 3 shows a spectrum of data detected from .sup.13 C, which allows various metabolic functions to be diagnosed.
FIG. 4 shows an INEPT pulse sequence which has an additional decoupling pulse produced for .sup.1 H at data acquisition time. FIGS. 5 and 6 show INPET pulse sequences which have additional 180.degree. pulses produced for .sup.1 H and .sup.13 C to rephase their spins. FIG. 7 shows a polarization transfer pulse sequence which has no 180.degree.pulse. Even with a 180.degree. pulse removed, polarization transfer can be made, but its efficiency is low because the .sup.1 H spins are not refocused.
FIG. 8 shows a DEPT pulse sequence, in which a 90.degree.x(.sup.1 H), a 180.degree.x(.sup.1 H) pulse and a .theta..degree.y(.sup.1 H) pulse are produced sequentially for .sup.1 H, and a 90.degree.(.sup.13 C) and a 180.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse are produced sequentially for .sup.13 C. The 180.degree.x(.sup.1 H) pulse and the 90.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse are produced simultaneously. The .theta..degree.y(.sup.1 H) pulse and the 180.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse are produced simultaneously. The time interval between the 90.degree.x(.sup.1 H) pulse and 90.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse is set to 1/(2J). The time interval between the 90.degree.(.sup.13 C) pulse and .theta..degree.y(.sup.1 H) pulse is also set to 1/(2J).
FIG. 9 shows an HSQC pulse sequence. The INEPT pulse sequence indicated by block A allows polarization transfer to be made. Signals are then observed from .sup.1 H after a single-quantum coherence period t1 for .sup.13 C during which time a chemical shift of .sup.13 C is developed and a reverse-INEPT pulse sequence indicated by block B. Since J coupling is refocused by a 180.degree. pulse at the center of the period t1, only the .sup.13 C chemical shift is developed during the t1 period. Two-dimensional data S(t1, t2) is acquired by repeating the pulse sequence of FIG. 9 while changing the length of the interval t1. By subjecting the resultant data to two-dimensional Fourier transform, such a spectrum distribution .sigma.(.omega..sup.1 H, .omega..sup.13 C) as shown in FIG. 10 is obtained.
FIG. 11 shows an HMQC pulse sequence. In HMQC, signals are observed from .sup.1 H after a lapse of a multiple-quantum coherence period t1 during which time .sup.13 C chemical shift is developed. Data S(t1, t2) is acquired by repeating the pulse sequence of FIG. 11 while changing the length of the period t1. The resultant data is subjected to two-dimensional Fourier transform to produce such a spectrum distribution as shown in FIG. 12.
With the .sup.1 H observation, it is essential to remove water signals.
With the HSQC pulse sequence of FIG. 9, water signals are removed by a CHESS (chemical shift selective) pulse.
An important problem with the HSQC and HMQC methods is to remove water signals. However, the above-described methods cannot remove .sup.1 H in, for example, glucose (CH) which has a chemical shift close to that of .sup.1 H in water.
FIG. 13 shows an HSQC pulse sequence in which gradient magnetic field pulse Gsel for selecting only coherence of .sup.1 H{.sup.13 C} are added in order to remove water signals.
FIGS. 14 and 16 show HMQC pulse sequences which are improved to remove water signals. FIG. 15A shows the state of magnetization of .sup.1 H at time ta after a lapse of 1/(4J) from the 180.degree. (.sup.13 C) pulse in the INEPT sequence of FIGS. 14 and 16. In FIG. 14, the third proton pulse, which is 90.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulse is produced for the X axis, so that .sup.1 H{.sup.12 C} is returned to longitudinal magnetization and water signals are removed as shown in FIG. 15B. In FIG. 16, the third proton pulse, which is 90.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulse, is produced for the Y axis to return .sup.1 H{.sup.13 C} to longitudinal magnetization and preserve the transverse magnetization of .sup.1 H{.sup.12 C}. In this state, a gradient magnetic field pulse pulse is produced to thereby dephase .sup.1 H{.sup.12 C} and remove water signals. After that, a 90.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulse is produced to return .sup.1 H{.sup.13 C} to transverse magnetization and create the multiple-quantum coherence state.
FIG. 17 shows an HMQC pulse sequence in which gradient magnetic field pulse Gselection are added in order to remove single-quantum coherence of water signals and select only multiple-quantum coherence.
In order to use the INEPT, DEPT, HSQC, or HMQC in in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the localization is essential.
FIG. 18 shows a DEPT pulse sequence combined with a VSE (volume selective excitation) pulse sequence. In the VSE sequence, a 90.degree. selective excitation pulse and a 90.degree. non-selective excitation pulse are combined to put spins outside a region of interest into pseudo-saturation and make forced recovery of spins within the region of interest, thereby providing the localization of three axes.
However, problems associated with the combined use of the VSE sequence and the DEPT sequence are that widely-used apparatuses cannot produce VSE pulses and the precision of localization is reduced by recovery of longitudinal magnetization of .sup.1 H spins outside a region of interest.
FIG. 19 shows a DEPT sequence which was improved by Yeung et al for localization. In this DEPT sequence, the first 90.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulse for .sup.1 H is used as a slice selective pulse, thereby achieving the localization of one axis.
FIG. 20 shows a SZNEPT sequence which was improved by M. Saner et al in localization. In this sequence, two pulses for .sup.1 H are used as slice selective pulses, thereby achieving the localization of two axes.
FIG. 21 shows a DEPT pulse sequence which was improved by Bomsdorf et al for localization. In this DEPT sequence, the first 90.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulse and two 90.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulses resulting from division of a 180.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulse are used as slice selective pulses to achieve the localization of three axes.
In addition, the combined use of an ISIS (image selected in vivo spectroscopy) technique and the DEPT sequence is also being considered for localization. However, this method requires two data acquisition steps for one-dimensional localization and eight data acquisition steps for three-dimensional localization. This requires a long observation time. Further, this method also has a problem that the precision of localization is reduced by recovery of longitudinal magnetization.
FIG. 22 shows an HMQC sequence intended to achieve the localization of one axis by using a 90.degree. (.sup.1 H) pulse for .sup.1 H as a slice selective pulse.
As described above, the INEPT, DEPT, HSQC, and HMQC methods have difficulties in achieving efficient localization.
In addition, the .sup.1 H observation methods (HSQC, HMQC) have a problem that water signals cannot be successfully removed.
FIG. 23 shows changes of the spectrum of the brain of a monkey with time after glucose in which .sup.13 C is labeled with carbon is injected into its vein. The area of this spectrum corresponds to the amount of metabolite. As shown in FIG. 24, by observing changes of the area of the spectrum with time, information is obtained which is useful for diagnosis of metabolic speed by way of example. The area of the spectrum was calculated on the basis of an approximate curve of the spectrum curve. However, the precision of the approximate curve was too low to obtain useful information with high precision.


Disclosed herein are a method and divider for dividing power between and supplying the parts of the power to respective radiation elements of an array antenna, and an antenna device using the divider. The division method includes the steps of dividing power, applied to a feeding unit, into two parts at a first stage of division, and supplying a first of the two parts to at least one central radiation element, and dividing a second of the two parts and supplying sub-parts of the second part to respective peripheral radiation elements, thereby supplying relatively high power to the central radiation element and relatively low power to the peripheral radiation elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a Radio Frequency (RF) repeater array antenna and, more particularly, to a method and divider for efficiently dividing power between respective radiation elements of an array antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
An RF repeater antenna generally includes a radiation element array for transmitting and receiving radio waves, a reflector disposed behind the radiation element array and configured to reflect radio waves, and a division circuit for equally dividing power and providing equally divided power to respective radiation elements. According to the typical characteristics of an antenna, the antenna has non-uniform radio wave intensity at the locations of respective radiation elements, and exhibits a radiation pattern that has developed back and side lobes due to the scattering of radio waves at the edge of a reflector and the like.
Due to the above-described phenomena, signal interference occurs between transmission and reception signals or between repeaters. Schemes for improving the Front to Back (F/B) and Front to Side (F/S) ratios of an antenna by suppressing undesired waves that generate back and side lobes have been proposed.
For example, the above-described schemes include a scheme using a multi-reflecting plate structure and a radio wave absorption body, and a scheme based on the arrangement of radiation elements and the adjustment of the intervals between elements. However, the first scheme has problems in that the scale, size, and weight of the entire antenna are increased and in that an auxiliary side lobe is generated in front of an antenna, so that it is difficult to realize an F/S ratio equal to or higher than 20 dB. Meanwhile, the second scheme has a problem in that the design of the arrangement of radiation elements, the design of the intervals between the radiation elements, and means for adjusting a radiation pattern are complicated, so that the design and implementation thereof are difficult.
As known from theory, an F/B ratio and an F/S ratio can be improved by relatively increasing power for the center patch of an array and relatively decreasing power for the side patch of the array. Meanwhile, in order to feed a large amount of power to the center of the array using a typical parallel feeding method, a low division rate is required, so that the width of a division pattern must be designed so that it is very small. For example, in the case where, in a typical 3×3 patch array shown in FIG. 1, 1:8 power division is performed for a dielectric substrate having a dielectric constant of 3.0 and a thickness of 0.8t, a pattern having a width equal to or less than 0.2 mm is required. For this reason, problems arise in that it is difficult to implement such a scheme and it is difficult to use the increased normal transfer capability of an antenna.

Method and divider for dividing power for array antenna and antenna device using the divider


A method for inter-radio access technology (inter-RAT) performance enhancement in a mobile communications device is provided. First, a first RAT is camped on to perform a first service. Thereafter, it is moved/fallen back to a second RAT from the first RAT to perform a second service. Cell information of the first RAT is then measured and collected during the performance of the second service in the second RAT. A first cell to return to the first RAT is determined according to the collected cell information of the first RAT after a call connection of the second RAT is released.

Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to inter-radio access technology (inter-RAT) performance enhancement, and more particularly, to mobile communications devices and methods for inter-RAT performance enhancement in a wireless communications system associated with different RATs.
Description of the Related Art
In a typical mobile communications environment, a user equipment (UE) device may communicate voice and/or data signals with one or more service networks via cellular stations of the service networks. The wireless communications between the UE and the service networks may be in compliance with various radio access technologies (RATs), such as the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology, Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) technology, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) technology, Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA 2000) technology, Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) technology, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) technology, Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) technology and others.
Moreover, inter-radio access technology (inter-RAT) mobility involves transfer of a connection or mobility between a UE and a network from one RAT (e.g. the LTE system) to another RAT, such as the GSM/GPRS, UMTS, or CDMA system. A UE may perform the inter-RAT procedure to move to a RAT due to certain reasons such as handover, cell redirection, cell change order, or cell reselection. Conventionally, in some cases, UE may be redirected from one network supporting a first technology to a second network supporting a different technology. For example, some LTE networks may not support voice connections, or in some cases, an operator may wish to locate a voice-oriented device on a 2G or 3G network or move a voice connection to another network under their control or coordination for various reasons, such as mobility, loading, usage type, or other reasons. Alternately, the operator may wish to move a user receiving an incoming voice call to the other network. For example, the operator may wish to redirect a user from an LTE network and associated cells to another network, such as a UTRAN or GERAN network (e.g., a network that natively supports CS connections), using a procedure known as Circuit-Switched Fallback (CSFB). After that, if the UE needs to move to a previously camped RAT, the UE may need to execute a PLMN search, cell redirection or cell reselection. In the case of a PLMN search, the UE has to stop all of the on-going procedures, start a new for a PLMN, and then search for a cell of the PLMN. However, the UE may not be able to move to the camped RAT, or it may take a lot of time to move to the camped RAT.
For example, a UE in the LTE system may fall back to a legacy system, such as UMTS and GSM, due to loss of service, cell reselection, handover, CSFB or Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC). Once the UE falls back to the legacy system, it is difficult to return to the LTE due to a lack of LTE cell information provided by the legacy system.

Mobile communications devices and methods for inter-radio access technology performance enhancement


A system for publishing a yearbook including scanning circuitry for generating digital images from photographs. Imaging processing circuitry for processing the digital images, storage circuitry coupled to the image processing circuitry for storing the processed digital images and publishing circuitry for generating text, graphics. Page layouts define regions where the processed digital images are to be placed prior to receiving the photographs and for retrieving the stored digital images and placing the image responsive to the page layouts.

Each year, virtually all secondary schools and universities prepare yearbooks memorializing the school year's events. These yearbooks contain text, graphics and photographs. The text, graphics and photographs are generated throughout the school year; however, the entirety of information is not available until the end of the school year.
Because most schools have approximately the same end-of-year schedule, the yearbook publisher receives the final release of information for many schools on the same date. Since it is desirable to publish the yearbooks prior to the ensuing summer's end, the burden placed on the publisher during the spring months is extreme.
Heretofore, the production of yearbooks has been highly labor intensive. Photographs submitted to the publisher must be re-photographed to the correct size for the space allocated on the page. The final photographs are pasted onto the page layouts by hand. The text must be carefully set to provide the correct spaces for the photographs and graphics to add later.
Therefore, a need has arisen in the industry for an efficient system for producing yearbooks.


A method of forming a pattern is disclosed. At first, a layout pattern is provided to a computer system. The layout pattern includes at least a first strip pattern and at least a second strip pattern, and a width of the second strip pattern is substantially larger than a width of the first strip pattern. Subsequently, the second strip pattern neighboring the first strip pattern is defined as a selected pattern. Then, an assist pattern is formed in the selected pattern, and the assist pattern does not overlap a center line of the selected pattern. The layout pattern and the assist pattern are further outputted through the computer system onto a mask.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mask and a method of forming a pattern, and more particularly, to a mask having an assist pattern and a method of forming a pattern by using the same mask.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the trend of miniaturization of the electronic products and peripherals, research about thin structures and high integration of the semiconductor devices have become the essential subjects and developing aspects in the industry, and the lithography technology plays an important role to determine the performances of the semiconductor devices.
In semiconductor manufacturing processes, the integrated circuit layout is first designed and formed as a mask pattern. The mask pattern is then proportionally transferred to a photoresist layer disposed on the semiconductor wafer through an exposure process followed by a development process. Subsequently, a corresponding etching process is performed in order to manufacture the semiconductor devices on the semiconductor wafer. With the demand of increasing integration of semiconductor devices, the design rule of line width and spaces between lines or devices becomes finer. However, due to the optical proximity effect (OPE), the width is subject to optical limitations. To obtain the fine-sized devices, the pitch i.e. the interval between transparent regions in a mask is scaled down along with the device size. However, if the pitch is scaled down to a specific range, for example, equal to or smaller than half of the wavelength of light used in the exposure process, when the light passes through the mask, diffraction and interferences may occur, and the resolution of the mask pattern transferred onto the photoresist layer would be affected; in other words, due to the OPE, the deviation of the transferred pattern such as rounded right-angle corners, shortened line-ends, or increase/decrease of line widths would occur. Furthermore, when light passes through the transparent regions of a mask having different interval sizes or different mask pattern densities, the light through the regions having small interval sizes is influenced by the transparent regions having large interval sizes, which may result in the deformation of the transferred pattern or a micro-loading effect.
To overcome the illustrated problems, in the prior art dummy patterns are disposed in the spaces between the transparent regions having different interval sizes, so that when the mask pattern is transferred to the photoresist layer, the pattern deviation caused by the OPE may occur in the dummy patterns only, and the integrity of the predetermined transferred pattern can be achieved. In another solution, scattering bars are disposed in the spaces between the transparent regions having different interval sizes, and the deposition of scattering bars prevents the transferred pattern corresponding to the transparent regions having small interval size from being affected by the OPE effect. Nevertheless, the dummy patterns will be transferred to photoresist layer, and the feasible utilization rate of the semiconductor wafer may decrease. Moreover, the deposition of scattering bars reduces the feasible utilization rate of the mask and increases the layout budget of mask. Consequently, when the mask includes the transparent regions having different interval sizes, a way to obtain the complete transferred patterns corresponding to the transparent regions having small interval size is still an important issue in the field.

Mask and method of forming pattern by using the same


A method of diagnosing or determining parameters for an installation for detecting open defects in the surfaces of parts by sweating, the method including passing at least one standard testpiece through the installation, the testpiece having a surface possessing at least one pattern representative of the type of defect that is to be detected, applying to the surface of the testpiece a penetrating composition including an indicator substance, washing, drying, applying to the surface of the testpiece a composition including a developer, and illuminating the surface of the testpiece to illuminate any remaining indicator substance so as to form a developed image of the or each pattern and deduce therefrom an indication about the quality of the operation of the installation. Prior to passing through the installation, the standard testpiece is subjected to preparatory treatment including immersion in a bath containing an emulsifier, a first rinse under pressure, drying, applying a developer at the location(s) of the pattern(s), and a second rinse under pressure.

The invention relates to diagnosing or determining parameters for installations for detecting open defects in the surfaces of parts, in particular metal parts, by using the sweating technique.
Sweating is a well-known technique for non-destructive testing of parts that might present open surface defects, such as cracks or fissures, for example. A penetrating composition containing a detector or indicator substance is applied to the surface of the part to be inspected. The detector or indicator substance typically comprises a colored or fluorescent compound that shines when exposed to appropriate light. After the penetrating composition has been applied, the surface of the part is washed so as to be cleaned, and then it is dried. A composition containing an absorbent substance or developer is then deposited on the surface of the part. By capillarity, the developer causes any indicator substance that has penetrated into open defects to return to the surface (where it is "sweated out"). Illuminating the surface by light appropriate for the indicator substance, typically ultraviolet (UV) light, serves to show up any defects, thus enabling the part to be inspected by visual examination.
A description of known methods of detecting surface fissures using penetrating substances can be found in the article by H. J. Stumm entitled "Der Nachweis von Oberflachenrissen mit Hilfe von Eindringmitteln", G-I-T Fachzeitschrift für das Laboratorium, Darmstadt, DE, Vol. 17, No. 9, 1973, pp. 955, 957-958.
The quality of detection is sensitive to numerous installation set-up parameters and it is necessary to undertake regular verification that the installation is operating properly. For this purpose, use is made of standard testpieces that have a surface presenting patterns that are representative of the types of open defect that are to be detected. The standard testpiece, optionally together with a batch of parts for inspection, is caused to pass through the installation and the patterns developed at the end of the sweating process on the surface of the standard testpiece are verified for compliance with the patterns whose geometrical characteristics are already known.
Standard testpieces can be used not only for verifying proper operation of an installation for detecting defects by sweating, but also for determining the parameters of such an installation, i.e. for optimizing the settings of the various parameters that have an influence on the quality of detection, as proposed in patent document EP 0 650 045.

Diagnosing or determining parameters for an installation for detecting open defects in the surfaces of parts by sweating


According to one embodiment, a data management system has a basic function configurator to define a generic basic function, whereby the function to be performed is to be depicted in a basic function by means of descriptive attributes and associated values or value ranges necessary for processing the basic function. The function is to be depicted on a data set to which a distribution rule is allocated. A data set, with its associated distribution rules, defines a generic basic function. The data sets which define the generic basic functions, together with their distribution rules for access by a product template configurator, are contained in a basic function list. The product template configurator combines one or several basic functions and transfers these to a product template, in that the generic basic functions are mutated into specific basic functions for the product template concerned by transferring or restricting the values. A product template comprises one or more basic functions belonging to a product. A product template with specific basic functions serves as a basis for a contractual relationship with a partner. The structure of the product template is stored in a product template list for access by a contract manager.

In many companies but also in authorities, today in connection with the performance of services, the establishment and performance of business relations or the performance of State tasks, huge quantities of data occur. A structured and systematic technical definition, production, processing, administration and presentation of the services performed, relationships concluded or similar are required. Only in this way can the backgrounds and details of the procedures connected with the data be reviewed at any time.
One example of a service provider are banks. In banking in recent years or even decades, there has been increasing differentiation of services and prices offered. Formerly uniform services (current account, deposit etc.) with few variants have been replaced by an ever increasing number of different services and price alternatives. The range of financial instruments offered becomes ever wider and the individual financing instruments are more customer-orientated and complex.
At the same time, the customer/partners on one side and the internal auditors and official authorities (supervisory authorities etc.) on the other, impose ever higher demands on the service provider in relation to transparency, consistency and completeness of data/information provided to the customer/partner by the service provider and which are produced and archived in connection with the business relationship.
When for example in a bank a 'product' is sold to a customer/partner, a contract is concluded. The contract establishes the agreements between bank and customer/partner, i.e. which rights and obligations are incumbent firstly on the bank and secondly on the customer/partner. As well as basic information, above all the individual features of the product are included.
One problem with the production, processing and administration of structured data sets, such as for example those which form contracts between bank customers and a bank, lies in that the bank firstly needs as many similarly structured products in its range as possible but secondly wants/needs to meet customer/partner wishes. More and more, the circumstance must be taken into account that customer advisors are not always informed of all possibilities and also restrictions which could be important in connection with a product. In addition, the bank's professional check of 'individually' agreed contracts can be extremely costly.
A second problem is that with conventional definition, production, processing and administration of products/contracts/services, the data maintenance cost incurred rises substantially as the individual agreements are difficult to store in comprehensible but simultaneously compact form.
Furthermore the typifying of products/contracts/services and their processing in conventional procedures is very difficult, which is reflected in rising data traffic and increased susceptibility to error with associated extra costs.
Finally the development of new products takes a relatively long time in conventional procedures. This is due in particular to rising standards of compliance with legal requirements, and the increased cost of implementation and testing in the complex IT environment of such service providers today, for example the bank or other organisation.
WO 03/042861 A2-D1 discloses a method and a device for computer-implemented production and administration of contracts. In particular a method and a device are known for computer-implemented administration of financing processes and in particular for production and administration of contracts in connection with financial services.
This publication describes the computer-supported production and administration of contracts between a supplier and a customer. The contracts comprise key data in a contract object product and one or more contract modules. To structure a contract, a selection is made of key data and contract modules, and the contract is produced on the basis of the selection made by generation and storage of so-called pointers to the selected key data and contract modules. First a selection of key data is made and then a selection of contract modules. On the basis of these selected key data, which contain information and rules on the product which is the object of the contract, the reliability of the selection of individual contract modules is checked.
This publication arose from the early evaluation phase of collaboration of the applicant of this document with international banks, including the applicant of the present invention. Consequently the information in this publication on how technical implementation could take place is vague and unspecified. The document explains namely at one point only that a selection of key data and a selection of contract modules is made, and that on the basis of the selection made the contract is generated by production and storage of so-called pointers to the selected key data and contract modules.
Document EP 1 286 283 A2 describes interface modules for performance of document-based electronic business processes on a transaction basis and a system for performance of electronic business processes on a transaction basis. Thus the performance of document-based electronic transactions between heterogenic systems is facilitated. An interface module comprises a module for display and monitoring of the useful data flow. This display and monitoring take place on a document basis. The transfer of the displayed useful data to and from a terminal can take place manually or automatically. The document templates can be entered into or modified in the file system of the interface module from a master server in the data network. On a change in configuration of interface module, parameters of processes concerned of work flows formed by means of document templates can be adapted automatically. The document templates and/or a complete workflow can be coupled by means of a mapping unit into a database with predetermined destinations in the data network.
The disclosed systems and methods provide a way of allowing, for a multiplicity of different types of products of a service provider for example a bank or other organisation, a structured and systematic definition, production, processing and administration of structured data sets such as those which describe the services and 'products' of a bank, at the level of electronic data.

Computer-implemented system for producing, processing and managing structured data sets


A system for detecting electrolysis in an automobile system includes a probe, a microcontroller electrically coupled to the probe, a power supply configured to supply power to the microcontroller, a ground lead, and an optical indicator operationally coupled to the microcontroller. According to one embodiment, the microcontroller is configured to read a voltage across the probe and the ground lead when the probe is inserted into a coolant fluid and the ground is coupled to a ground source, analyze the voltage, and illuminate the optical indicator in response to the voltage analysis.

Automotive cooling systems typically include one or more heat transferring fluid systems to maintain an internal combustion engine operating within a desired temperature range, thereby increasing efficiency. Many automotive cooling systems include a solution of antifreeze in water. The solution is pumped in a closed circuit that includes cooling jackets around the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine where thermal energy is absorbed by the solution. The solution is then passed through a heat exchanger (radiator) where absorbed thermal energy is transferred out of the solution.
Antifreeze is a rather complex mixture of chemical components designed to perform a number of functions in the vehicle including protecting against overheating and freezing, protecting the many dissimilar metals within the cooling system from corrosion, acting as a buffer against acidic contamination, preventing foaming, preventing hard water scaling, reducing the consequences of oil fouling, and protecting diesel wet-sleeve liners from cavitation damage. All of these functions are important and demanding on an engine liquid coolant. Each of the above-mentioned functions must be specifically considered or, at some point, engine damage will occur. To obtain enhanced protection, engine liquid coolants often include a well-balanced additive package that may include up to 15 different inhibitors or more in addition to the commonly known components such as water, ethylene glycol, and dye. Most inhibitors are introduced as sodium or potassium salts and usually are specific in providing corrosion inhibition to one or two metals in the vehicle cooling system.
As antifreeze ages and undergoes hours of use in a vehicle's cooling system, it also accumulates many different types of contaminates. These include oil from leaking oil coolers and water pump lubricants, corrosion products in the form of metal ions and metal hydroxides (i.e., aluminum hydroxide can be produced through aluminum cylinder head corrosion), acids from blow-by gasses, and glycol degradation products such as glycolic, formic, oxalic, acetic acid. Other impurities may be present in the water used to dilute the antifreeze concentrate. These are ions, more commonly known as "minerals", and may include chlorides, sulfates, carbonates, and metal cations such as calcium and magnesium. Chlorides and sulfates are corrosive and calcium and magnesium cause scaling. In areas with very poor water quality, trace amounts of metals may also be present, especially iron and lead.
Due to the introduction of impurities with extended use of antifreeze in an automotive cooling system, the implementation of certain maintenance procedures is often required for extended coolant usage. The most common procedure is to remove and replace the engine coolant composition after a pre-established time period. In some instances, cooling system additives, which are alkaline and include corrosion inhibitors, are directly added to the coolant to enhance the coolant properties, decrease the corrosive effects, and postpone replacement of the coolant. However, detecting when replacement of the engine coolant or addition of an additive is needed has proven difficult absent the traditionally wasteful method of removing the coolant after a pre-determined period of time.

System and method for detecting electrolysis in an automobile system


A taste and flavor profile modifying composition is described. The composition includes a blend of glucosylated steviol glycosides and residual steviol glycosides which can modify the intensity of a taste and/or flavor in a food or beverage product.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to glucosylated steviol glycoside compositions and methods for making and using them as a taste improver and flavor modifier in various food and beverage products. The invention also relates to a combination of selective combination of glucosylated steviol glycoside components and steviol glycoside molecules from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant extract to make the optimum sweetness profile and flavor modification in food and beverage applications. The invention also relates to the combination of the steviol glycoside derived molecules and maltodextrin derived from starch to provide the mouthfeel and flavor modification characteristics of Glucosylated steviol Glycosides in reduced or no sugar added food and beverage products.
Description of the Related Art
The extract of Stevia rebaudiana plant contains a mixture of different sweet diterpene glycosides, which have a single base—steviol and differ by the presence of carbohydrate residues at positions C13 and C19. These glycosides accumulate in Stevia leaves and compose approximately 10%-20% of the total dry weight. Depending on the variety of Stevia plant, the major steviol glycoside molecules present in the stevia extract are stevioside, Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside C, Dulcoside A, Rebaudioside D, Rebaudioside B and Rebaudioside F. Other minor components are Rebaudioside E, Steviolbioside and Rubusoside. Recent research found additional steviol glycoside molecules (Ohta et al, 2010; Prakash et al, 2013): Rebaudioside G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, and O.
All steviol glycoside molecules have high intensity of sweetness, ranging between 50 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. However, apart from the high level of sweetness, they have also intrinsic properties of bitter and licorice taste and undesirable aftertaste. Some undesirable taste characteristics of glycosides can be as a result of contamination of other substances present in stevia extract.
One of the main ways to improve the taste quality is the enzymatic glycosylation of mixture of semi-purified steviol glycosides. It is known that the undesired taste attributes can be substantially reduced or eliminated by the reaction of intermolecular transglycosylation of various enzymes, upon which the attachment of new carbohydrates at positions C13 and C19 of steviol glycosides takes place (FIGS. 1A-B). With an increase in the number of glucose units in steviol glycoside molecules (for example, from stevioside to Rebaudioside A), the sweetness intensity increases and sweetness profile (taste) improves. However, the relative sweetness does not increase significantly beyond a certain level with a further increase of glucose units, as shown in FIG. 2. The published data show that the sweetness quality improves with the addition of glucose units, but does not explicitly or implicitly mention that the addition of glucose units contributes to a reduction of sweetness.
In this invention, a process is developed to make a mixture of glucosylated steviol glycosides with small amount of other steviol glycosides and maltodextrin. The process involved precise control of pH, temperature, enzyme source and activity, quality of stevia extract, glucose-donor (amount and source) and time to achieve blends of different ratios of glucosylated steviol glycosides, steviol glycoside molecules, and maltodextrin.

Glucosylated steviol glycoside as a flavor modifier


An emollient composition is derived from jojoba oil comprises:. at least 10% by weight fatty alcohols comprising: EQU R.sup.1 CH.sub.2 --OH PA1 at least 10% by weight of alkyl esters comprising: EQU R.sup.1 --COO--R.sub.4 PA1 wax esters selected from the group consisting of: EQU R.sup.1 --COO--CH.sub.2 --R.sup.2 PA1 wherein R.sup.4 comprises an alkyl or other aliphatic group,. and. and EQU R.sub.2 --COO--CH.sub.2 --R.sub.1,. R.sup.1 comprises CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.7 --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --(CH.sub.2).sub.x --, and PA2 R.sup.2 comprises CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2)y wherein PA2 x is 6, 8, 10 and 12, and y is 16, 18, 20 and 22.. These emollient compositions may be used as emollient carriers for various materials to be externally applied to the skin.

In the field of cosmetic, personal care, and pharmaceutical products emollients are usually defined as an agent that softens or smooths the skin and which tend to reduce the roughness, cracking and irritation of the skin. The ancient Greek physician, Galen, is thought to have made one of the first emollients consisting of beeswax, spermaceti, almond oil, borax and rosewater.
At the present, there are numerous ingredients which function as emollients in a wide variety of products, and which ingredients may act in subtly different ways. For example, certain emollients sit on the surface of the skin and serve to impede water loss from the skin. Such ingredients are generally comprise large molecules that forms a hydrophobic barrier to help prevent water from leaving the surface of the skin. Examples of such emollients are silicone derivatives and petroleum jelly.
Other ingredients that have been used as emollients include a number of fatty acids derived from either plants or animal sources. Fatty acids generally comprise aliphatic hydrocarbon or other organic chains with carboxylic substituents on them, typically having between 8 and 24 carbon atoms in the chain backbone. Fatty acids are often used in creams, lotions, shaving creams, lipsticks and as pressing agents in pressed powders and blushes. Fatty acids which are used in cosmetics formulations generally include at least stearic acid, oleic acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid. Other typical fatty acids include linoleic acid, behenic acid, and other common fatty acids of the general formula C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 COOH.
Fatty alcohols are also used as emollients. They are said to be less sticky and less heavy than many other fatty materials, such as the fatty acids, and are frequently used to improve the viscosity and stability of lotions and creams. They also have utility in reactive hair dying and perming products. Examples of fatty alcohols which find use in the field of cosmetics and personal care products are cetyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and oleyl alcohol, and others of the general formula C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 OH.
Additional examples of emollients are fatty esters. One of the best qualities of fatty esters is that they do not feel as oily to the touch as some other types of emollient fatty ingredients. Examples include isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate and glyceryl stearate.
An important emollient is jojoba oil which is derived from the seed of the species Simmondsia chinensis. It is a plant derived oil with excellent skin feel which is composed almost exclusively of wax esters, with little or no triglycerides present. A major portion of the production of jojoba oil is used by the cosmetic industry as an emollient in a variety of products. Although jojoba oil has long been used as an emollient, some difficulty has been found in forming stable emulsions using the oil.
The synthesis of esters and waxy esters of natural oils is known, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,019 and 4,152,278 (the "Bell" patents), and this technology may be traced back to earlier seminal work done in U.S. Pat. No. 1,944,887. In the Bell patents, wax esters are prepared from acids obtained from hydrogenated vegetable oils. Fatty alcohols are esterified with the fatty acids to yield the wax esters which are described as useful for lubricants in replacement of sperm oil. U.S. Pat. No. 1,944,887 describes the manufacture of esters from monobasic saturated fatty acids containing 6 to 13 carbon atoms with aliphatic monohydric alcohols containing from 12 to eighteen carbon atoms.


A multimedia playing apparatus is provided. The multimedia playing apparatus includes a memory for storing image files and multi media hyper link (MMHL) files, each MMHL file comprising timeline information, audio information, and text information; and a central processing unit (CPU) electrically connected to the memory for reading an image file from the memory, obtaining an MMHL file matched with the image file based on a name of the image file, and controlling simultaneous output of the image file and the MMHL file according to the timeline information. A multimedia playing method is also provided.

In recent years a combination of an increase in printed materials such as books and magazines and a use of computers has led to a large production of computer printouts. The explosion of this production of information and paper has created problems for libraries that do not have sufficient storage space for these materials, furthermore, the books are often so large in size and heavy that a reader may find it inconvenient to handle the books. In addition, books are becoming increasingly expensive.
Therefore, it was desirable to have a digital reader in the form of an electronic book that presents the reader with a reading experience that approximates that of reading a printed book. Whereafter, the electronic book has been developed. The electronic book not only can store a lot of information, but is also portable. However, a conventional electronic book only displays text information, eyes of the user grows tired if read for a long time, decreasing reading interest of the user. Furthermore, if the user's eyesight is not very good, the electronic book is difficult to read it.
To solve such problems, some special electronic books have been developed. For example, one kind of electronic books displays images or texts thereof, and simultaneously plays background music. Image files or text files of the electronic book are generally associated with the audio files by below-described manners. These files include a same tag, or are encapsulated and compressed into a new file. However, these files cannot be played via normal playing programs. Furthermore, these manners cannot associate multimedia files in different format, and size of these files is so large that they are not easily stored.
Thus, an improved multimedia playing apparatus which can overcome the above-mentioned problems is desired.

Longhua Town, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


A method of manufacturing a transparent oxide layer is provided. The manufacturing method includes disposing a cadmium tin oxide layer on a support, placing the support with the cadmium tin oxide layer within a chamber of a rapid thermal annealing system, and rapidly thermally annealing the cadmium tin oxide layer by exposing the cadmium tin oxide layer to electromagnetic radiation to form the transparent oxide layer, wherein the rapid thermal anneal is performed without first pumping down the chamber.

The invention relates to methods for forming photovoltaic (PV) devices. More particularly, the invention relates to methods for forming a transparent oxide layer in a photovoltaic device.
PV (or solar) cells are used for converting solar energy into electrical energy. Typically, in its basic form, thin film solar cells or photovoltaic devices typically include a number of semiconductor layers disposed on a transparent support, where one semiconductor layer serves as a window layer, and a second semiconductor layer serves as an absorber layer. Solar radiation travels through the window layer to the absorber layer, where the optical energy is converted to usable electrical energy. Additional layers are often employed to enhance the conversion efficiency of the PV device.
There are a variety of candidate material systems for PV cells, each of which has certain advantages and disadvantages. Cadmium telluride/cadmium sulfide (CdTe/CdS) heterojunction-based photovoltaic cells are one such example of thin film solar cells.
Typically, a thin layer of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) is deposited between the support and the window layer (for example, CdS) to function as a front contact current collector. However conventional TCOs, such as fluorine-doped tin oxide, indium tin oxide, and aluminum-doped zinc oxide, have high electrical resistivities at the thicknesses necessary for good optical transmission. The use of cadmium tin oxide (CTO) as a TCO provides better electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, as well as stability at elevated temperatures. In addition, for certain configurations, to achieve high device efficiencies with thin CdS films, a thin layer of a buffer material, such as an undoped tin oxide (SnO2) layer, may be intercalated between the cadmium tin oxide (CTO) and the window (CdS) layers.
Typically, to form a transparent CTO layer, a layer of amorphous cadmium tin oxide is deposited on a support, followed by slow thermal annealing of the CTO layer, which is in contact or in close proximity with a CdS film, to achieve desired transparency and resistivity. However, CdS-based annealing of CTO is difficult to implement in a large-scale manufacturing environment. Specifically, it is very difficult to assemble and disassemble the plates before and after the annealing process, typically requiring manual intervention of the operator, and there is a high risk of misalignment that may result in the sublimation of the CTO film. Further, the use of expensive CdS on a non-reusable glass plate for each annealing step increases the cost of manufacturing. The high annealing temperatures (>550° C.) employed for thermal processing of the CTO film, further do not allow for the use of less expensive low softening temperature supports, such as, for example, soda-lime glass.
After crystallization of CTO is achieved, a separate buffer layer (for example, undoped tin oxide) may be deposited on the CTO layer, which may be further followed by a second annealing step to obtain good crystalline quality. The performance of the buffer layer usually depends in part on the crystallinity and morphology of that layer and is affected by the surface of the CTO on which it is deposited. A high quality buffer layer is desirable to obtain the desired performance in the solar cells manufactured therefrom.
Thus, there is a need to reduce the number of steps for depositing and annealing of CTO and optional buffer layers during manufacturing of photovoltaic devices, resulting in reduced costs and improved manufacturing capability. Further, there is a need to provide cost-effective electrodes and photovoltaic devices manufactured using cadmium tin oxide having the desired electrical and optical properties.

Methods for forming a transparent oxide layer for a photovoltaic device


A hydrodynamic bearing assembly for a disk storage unit includes a hub having a longitudinal axis disposed in a cavity formed between a base and a cover. A pair of balls is disposed within a pair of corresponding sockets with each being aligned opposite one another along a longitudinal axis of the hub. The pair of sockets are affixed to the base and cover plates, respectively, while the pair of balls are affixed to the hub. The clearance space between each ball and socket is filled with a liquid lubricant held in place by a surface tension seal.

The predominant trend in the disk drive industry for the past several years has been to increase track density in order to achieve increased data storage capacity. One of the difficulties which must be overcome in achieving this goal, however, is the ability to maintain tracking position accuracy as the track density increases.
A major source of tracking position inaccuracy in computer disk drive systems is spindle bearing motion--commonly referred to as "runout". Conventional drives utilize ball bearing assemblies which are prone to numerous mechanical problems, such as large runout, wear, complex manufacturing requirements, and so on. In an attempt to overcome these problems and attain higher track densities, many companies in the disk drive industry are focusing their attention on alternative spindle bearing designs.
As an alternative to conventional ball bearing spindle systems, researchers have concentrated much of their efforts on developing a hydrodynamic bearing. In these types of bearings, a lubricating fluid--either air or liquid--functions as the actual bearing surface between a stationary base or housing and the rotating spindle. For, example, liquid lubricants comprising oil or more complex ferromagnetic fluids have been developed for use in hydrodynamic bearing systems.
In the case of a hydrodynamic bearing employing a liquid lubricant, the lubricating fluid itself must be sealed within the bearing. Otherwise, the physical surfaces of the spindle and housing would contact one another leading to increased wear and eventual failure of the bearing system. Most often, these seals are accomplished by developing a pressurized film on the surface of the liquid/air interface. In the case of bearing assemblies which employ ferromagnetic fluids, the seal is achieved by means of a magnetic field established at each end of the bearing. By way of example, a radial bearing assembly which utilizes a ferromagnetic fluid is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,484. Hydrodynamic bearing assemblies in which oil acts as the lubricating fluid are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,067,528 and 4,795,275.
In the past, hydrodynamic bearing assemblies have suffered from numerous disadvantages. For example, bearing assemblies which utilize ferro fluids are known to suffer leakage problems as metallic particles suspended within the ferro-fluid solution are gradually pulled out over time. Obviously, any leakage of the lubricating fluid within the disk drive assembly can cause considerable performance problems.
In other instances, prior hydrodynamic bearing assemblies suffer from the disadvantage of requiring extremely tight clearances and alignments. This burden often makes it difficult to manufacture such assemblies since even a small deviation or aberration in a component's dimension or alignment tolerance can lead to a faulty bearing. As an example, misalignment of the spindle relative to the housing or base during the assemblage of the disk drive can create lateral deflection forces which act upon the bearing. These forces cause uneven pressures to develop, eventually resulting in increased wear of the bearing components.
Other shortcomings include the fact that many prior art hydrodynamic bearing assemblies frequently require large, bulky structural elements for supporting the axial and radial loads. Such assemblies are not generally scaleable to the smaller drive dimensions currently in consumer demand.
As will be seen, the present invention provides an extremely simple and highly scaleable hydrodynamic bearing assembly for use within an information storage unit such as a computer disk drive system. The invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and is characterized by its scaleability, ease of assembly, and support of axial and radial loads with a minimum number of components. The invention is also highly tolerant of deflection forces which are frequently produced as part of the overall manufacturing process.
Other prior art known to Applicant includes a thesis paper by J. P. Reinhoudt entitled, "On the Stability of Rotor-and-Bearing Systems And On The Calculation of Sliding Bearings," dated February 1972.

Hydrodynamic spindle bearing for ultra-slim disk storage unit


An elongate housing structure having a base plate, a first planar cover plate, and a second V-shaped cover plate hingedly mounted to the first planar cover plate is provided to selectively provide viewing of Christmas tree sockets and bulbs contained within the housing structure for permanent mounting relative to an exterior surface of a dwelling.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to Christmas light apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved Christmas light mounting apparatus wherein the same is arranged for permanent mounting to an exterior surface of a building or dwelling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various Christmas light mounting structure is available in the prior art and exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,158; 5,024,406; 4,714,219; 4,769,749; and 3,883,926.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by the employment of a housing structure arranged to afford protection to Christmas tree lights during periods of non-use, wherein the housing is arranged for opening to permit viewing of the light members during the Christmas season.


Methods and apparatuses are provided for determining a transmission power cap for one or more devices based at least in part on pathloss measurements to one or more access points received from the one or more devices. A common transmission power cap can also be computed for assigning to devices communicating with an access point, and the transmission power cap for a given device can be adjusted when the transmission power is at or a threshold level from the common power cap to conserve signaling in the wireless network. Adjustment of the transmission power cap can additionally or alternatively be based on a received power at an access point related to signals from the device, an interference report from one or more access points, and/or the like.

1. Field
The following description relates generally to wireless network communications, and more particularly to capping device transmit power.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, . . . ). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP), 3GPP long term evolution (LTE), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), evolution data optimized (EV-DO), etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device may communicate with one or more access points via transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from access points to mobile devices, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to access points. Further, communications between mobile devices and access points may be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth. In addition, mobile devices can communicate with other mobile devices (and/or access points with other access points) in peer-to-peer wireless network configurations.
To supplement conventional base stations, additional restricted access points can be deployed to provide more robust wireless coverage to mobile devices. For example, wireless relay stations and low power base stations (e.g., which can be commonly referred to as Home NodeBs or Home eNBs, collectively referred to as H(e)NBs, femto access points, femtocells, picocells, microcells, etc.) can be deployed for incremental capacity growth, richer user experience, in-building or other specific geographic coverage, and/or the like. In some configurations, such low power base stations can be connected to the Internet via broadband connection (e.g., digital subscriber line (DSL) router, cable or other modem, etc.), which can provide the backhaul link to the mobile operator's network. Thus, for example, the low power base stations can be deployed in user homes to provide mobile network access to one or more devices via the broadband connection.
In this regard, deployment of such low power base stations is unplanned in many cases, and thus the base stations and/or mobile devices communicating therewith can cause interference to other low power base stations, macrocell base stations, or other devices in the vicinity. Interference mitigation mechanisms exist for low power base stations to set transmission power thereof preventing or lessening interference with other access points. Devices served by the low power access point, however, can still cause interference to the other access points operating in the same frequency as the low power access point (referred to as co-channel interference), or in an adjacent frequency (referred to as adjacent channel interference).

Method and apparatus for device transmit power capping in wireless communications


A room temperature vulcanizable organopolysiloxane composition comprises (A) a diorganopolysiloxane which is blocked with an alkoxy group at both ends of a molecular chain thereof, (B) a tri or tetraalkoxysilane, (C) a titanium curing catalyst, (D) a silica filler, and (E) an alkoxysilane which is less hydrolyzable than the alkoxysilane of (B). The composition yields a cured product having high strength and high elongation and is low in viscosity and extrusion rate. A method for preparing the composition is also provided in which the ingredients (A) to (D) are first mixed together, to which the ingredient (E) is added.

1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to a room temperature vulcanizable organopolysiloxane composition of the dealcohol type. The invention also relates to a method for producing the room temperature vulcanizable organopolysiloxane compound of the above-mentioned type.
2. Description of The Prior Art
As a room temperature vulcanizable organopolysiloxane composition of the dealcohol type, there is known a composition which comprises, as a base polymer, a diorganopolysiloxane which has a hydroxyl group at both ends. The RTV composition further comprises alkoxysilanes in order to block the terminal hydroxyl groups of the molecular chain of the diorganopolysiloxane therewith. This eventually leads to release of alcohols through reaction of the hydroxyl groups with the alkoxysilanes in the composition. However, the released alcohol presents the problem that the shelf life of the composition is considerably impeded. In order to eliminate the alcohol from the composition, it is usual to add scavengers reactive with the alcohol to the composition. The addition of the scavenger compound in turn raises other problems such as of the generation of offensive odor and/or the discoloration of the composition. It will be noted here that the dealcohol-type composition is intended to mean one which makes use of alkoxysilanes as a curing agent and wherein alcohols are released when the composition is cured or vulcanized.
To solve these problems, there have been proposed a number of compositions which comprise, as a base polymer, diorganopolysiloxanes which are blocked with an alkoxy group at both ends thereof. For instance, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 59-213760 describes a composition which comprises, aside from such a base polymer as mentioned above, a tin compound as a catalyst. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 61-34063 sets forth a composition which comprises a filler made of a major proportion of an extender filler such as calcium carbonate and a minor proportion of a reinforcing filler to obtain a low modulus type of composition. Moreover, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 59-213760 describes a composition which comprises a combination of a silane compound having functional groups other than alkoxy groups and an appropriate adhesion improver to improve the adhesiveness.
With high strength RTV organopolysiloxane compositions of the dealcohol type, they have been hitherto prepared by formulating large amounts of various types of reinforcing fillers. However, it has been difficult to impart to the composition a low viscosity and an improved extrusion rate. To cope with the difficulty, it becomes necessary to increase the amounts of ingredients such as a softener, a curing agent and the like. As a consequence, it is not inevitable that the elongation, strength and the like properties be lowered to a significant extent.

Room temperature vulcanizable organopolysiloxane composition and method for producing the same


In the case of a hollow sleeper (1) for adjusting devices of switch blades of railway points, movable common crossings or cable crossings in any desired sections of track and points, formed as an upwardly open hollow sleeper profile with a planar sleeper underside (2), for fitting in a track skeleton, wherein the cross-sectional width and height are made to match a normal concrete, wooden or steel sleeper, the positional stability on ballast can be improved if the sleeper underside (2) of the hollow sleeper (1) is formed with at least one sunken, downwardly open chamber (5).

A hollow or transverse-hollow cast sleeper of this type has been disclosed in DE 43 15 200 [U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,267]. Hollow cast sleepers are employed in railroad track systems, in particular, to accommodate the switch actuator (closure-type hollow cast sleeper) or for cable crossings (cable-type hollow cast sleepers), and are installed at the same site as existing concrete, wood, or steel ties, or as replacements for these ties.
Known hollow cast sleepers or box-type hollow cast sleepers in the form of close cast sleepers are preferably fabricated from folded sheet steel bent into as U-sections, or mace by casting, and ensure that the hollow cast sleeper sections can be tamped in as well as the adjacent concrete, wooden, or steel ties.
However, in order to achieve the same or improved stable positioning—by which is meant the elasticity in the tie bedding as well as the smallest possible transverse and longitudinal displacement of the hollow cast sleeper—as is obtained with the corresponding, for example, replaced concreted, wooden, or steel sleeper, it is often necessary to level the contact area between the lower floor surface or the so-called footing of the hollow cast sleeper and the ballast of the track section. As a rule, this leveling or fitting is effected only with standard concrete sleepers by means of elastic or semi-elastic footings for the lower floor surface.
In the case of concrete sleepers, the sleeper footings in the form of bearing plates are generally attached by adhesive, or, for example, cast on as an integral component.
Due to the operational load on standard sleepers and due to the tamping of adjacent hollow cast sleepers with ballast, the circumferential edge zone of the attached elastic bearing plate tends to peal off or tear off, this last effect being caused by transverse and longitudinal movements of the sleeper in the ballast bed.
The entire surface of the bearing plates is attached to the lower face of the sleeper or to the lower sleeper floor. The plates are thus generally fabricated in one-piece form in a size corresponding to the entire surface of the lower face of the sleeper, a procedure that results in additional costs in the fabrication process.
Since generally only one continuous bearing plate or sleeper footing is used per standard sleeper, it is possible only to a limited degree to achieve a balanced distribution of elasticity. Nevertheless, sleeper footings are provided since without such a bearing plate the sleepers would provide even less stable positioning in the ballast bed or laying below grade.


A ground clip apparatus is designed to make ground contact between two circuit boards as they are mated together. A standoff member is mounted on one of the boards and a spring clip member is mounted on the other board facing the standoff member. The spring clip member has spring arms which are biased against the standoff member when the boards are mated together to make a reliable ground contact. At the same time, the standoff member resists deflection of either board towards the other board.

The present invention relates generally to the making of a ground connection between two circuit boards or printed wiring boards, and is particularly concerned with electronic units such as cellular or other portable phones, calculators, and the like in which a main printed wiring board is secured beneath a keyboard.
The keyboard and printed wiring board are generally secured together by fastener devices such as screws and the like at the perimeter of the boards. However, due to the flexibility of the keyboard or panel material, some deflection of the keyboard can occur when keys are depressed, and the underlying printed wiring board may be provided with bumps or protrusions in order to prevent the keyboard from deflecting too far. Both boards must be grounded.

Ground clip apparatus for circuit boards


An electric double layer capacitor has a pair of activated carbon electrodes and an organic solution in which an electrolyte is dissolved in an organic solvent. An electrolyte solution is also provided. In the electric double layer capacitor, at least one of cycloalkane, cycloalkene, or derivatives thereof is contained in at least one of the activated carbon and the organic electrolyte solution. The organic solvent contains a main solvent and an additive solvent. The main solvent contains propylenecarbonate in a range of from 99.9 to 70 wt %, and at least one of ethylenecarbonate and dimethylcarbonate in a range of from 0.1 to 30 wt %, and the additive solvent contains cycloalkane in a range of from 5 to 30 wt % to the total amount of the organic solvent.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electric double layer capacitors having large capacity and high power, and in particular, relates to a technique to prevent decomposition of the electrolyte solution used in the capacitor.
2. Background Art
An electric double layer capacitor has characteristics such as long service life, high cycling characteristics, and characteristics of charge and discharge with large current since there are no chemical reactions during charge and discharge of the capacitor as there are in a conventional secondary battery. Therefore, this type of capacitor is attracting much attention as a new type of storage battery or as a driving power supply for automobiles and devices. In particular, electric double layer capacitors having large capacity and high power are being developed.
As an example of such an electric double layer capacitor, a button-type electric double layer capacitor is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the capacitor 1 includes a case 2, a pair of polarizing electrodes 3 and 4 contained in the case 2, a spacer 5 disposed between the electrodes, and electrolyte solution filled in the case 2. The case 2 comprises an aluminum body 7 having an opening part 6 and an aluminum cover plate 8 which closes the opening part 6. A part between the outer circumference of the cover plate 8 and inner circumference of the body 7 is sealed with a sealing material 9. The polarizing electrodes 3 and 4 comprise a mixture of an activated carbon for an electrode, conductive filler, and binder.
Conventionally, as the electrolyte solution used as a material of the electric double layer capacitor, a water-based electrolyte solution and a non-water-based electrolyte solution can be mentioned. In particular, since high voltage use is required to improve energy density of the electric double layer capacitor, the non-water-based electrolyte solution which can be charged and discharged at relatively high voltage has been widely used. As the non-water-based electrolyte solution, the solution in which various conditions such as low-temperature property, solubility of salt, dielectric constant, safety, electrolyte solution decomposition property, boiling point, cost and the like is improved is required. As a material which meets these requirements, an electrolyte solution in which propylene carbonate is mainly used as a solvent and a quaternary ammonium salt is added as a supporting salt, may be mentioned.
However, in the electric double layer capacitor having an electrolyte solution containing propylene carbonate and an alkali activated carbon, in the case in which it is charged and discharged repeatedly under high voltage, the electrolyte solution is gradually decomposed by an electric current and gas is generated. The inner pressure of the capacitor is increased by the gas generation, and the capacitor case may be deformed or broken. Furthermore, as a result of consumption of the electrolyte solution by the electrolysis, capacitance may be deteriorated and internal resistance may be increased. Furthermore, the viscosity of the electrolyte solution in the conventional capacitor is increased at low temperatures, and the property of charging and discharging at low temperatures may be deteriorated.
To solve such problems, a method in which various types of materials are added to reduce decomposition of the electrolyte solution, a method to reduce internal resistance, and the like have been suggested. Practically, a method in which a fluorine substituted type carbonic acid ester is added to a electrolyte solution having an organic carbonate as a solvent, and support salt (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-150317) and a method in which γ-butyrolactone or γ-valerolactone is added (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-217150) have been disclosed. Furthermore, a low viscosity solvent, for example, a chain carbonate such as dimethylcarbonate, ethylmethylcarbonate or the like, an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid ester such as γ-butyrolactone, γ-valerolactone or the like (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 8-236404, No. Hei 8-273936), a solvent in which ethylenecarbonate is mixed with propylenecarbonate (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-208372) have been suggested.
However, in the technique disclosed in No. 2000-150317, the fluorine substituted type carbonic acid ester is expensive. In the technique disclosed in No. 2001-217150, the effect of restraining decomposition of the electrolyte solution by γ-butyrolactone or γ-valerolactone is insufficient. In addition, the two techniques had been completed depending on assumption of efficiency improvement at high temperatures; therefore, improvement of charging and discharging property at low temperatures is not sufficient. Furthermore, in the solvents disclosed in No. Hei 8-236404, No. Hei 8-273936, and No. 2000-208372, internal resistance of the capacitor is improved; however, reduction of gas generation is not sufficient, the same amount or a greater amount of gas is generated compared to the case of a conventional propylene carbonated solvent.

Electric double layer capacitor and electrolyte solution therefor


A shaped material comprising powders of alloys containing easily oxidizable elements is fired in a hydrogen-based atmosphere containing at least one hydrocarbon gas in a total amount of 0.01-5.0 volume %. Therefore, the amount of oxides formed on the surfaces of material powder particles is reduced, and the sinterability of powder particle surfaces is improved owing to the sticking of atomic carbon thereto and thereby the mutual diffusion of powder particles becomes easy. As a result, there can be obtained a sintered alloy of desired density, superior in oxidation resistance, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for firing alloys containing easily oxidizable elements. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for firing alloys containing easily oxidizable elements such as Al, lanthanides, rare earth elements and the like to obtain a sintered alloy of higher density superior in high-temperature oxidation resistance, etc.
2. Prior Art
In general, sintered alloys such as carbon steel, Fe-Cr stainless steel, Fe-Cr-Ni stainless steel and the like are obtained by firing in hydrogen, dissociated ammonia or vacuum.
As a case in which methane is added to the firing atmosphere, there is reported a process for firing a Fe-2Cu-C steel in N.sub.2 -(1-5)CO-(2-10)H.sub.2 -(0.25-0.5)CH.sub.4 (vol. %) ["Metals Handbook 9th. ed. vol. 7, Powder Metallurgy", pp. 308-376, Am. Soc. for Metals, (1984)].
It was found, however, that a powder of a metal (e.g. Fe-Cr-Al stainless steel) containing easily oxidizable elements, when fired in hydrogen, shows poor sinterability and is unable to achieve a desired density because the oxide film present on the powder particle surfaces, etc. cannot be removed by reduction. In some cases, the easily oxidizable components such as Al and the like are oxidized by a very small amount of oxygen or water contained in hydrogen and are consumed in the course of firing. In any of these cases, the sintered material obtained fails to express desired properties in oxidation resistance, etc.
When the process of conducting firing in N.sub.2 -(1-5)CO-(2-10)H.sub.2 -(0.25-0.5)CH.sub.4 (vol. %) is applied to a Fe-Cr-Al system, aluminum nitride is formed during firing because Al (easily oxidizable element) is reactive also with nitrogen, which prevents achievement of high density. This process is currently in practice in order to obtain a Fe-2Cu-C sintered alloy having a higher hardness at the surface by cementation, and pays no attention to high-temperature oxidation resistance, etc.
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation. The object of the present invention is to obtain a sintered alloy superior in high-temperature oxidation resistance, etc. by, in the process for firing alloys containing easily oxidizable elements, removing the oxidized, layer, the water and oxygen present on the material powder particle surfaces or in the atmosphere used and improving the sinterability of the powder particle surfaces.
As a result of extensive study, the present inventors found that the above object can be achieved by conducting firing in an atmosphere where an appropriate amount of at least one hydrocarbon gas is added to hydrogen gas. The finding has led to the completion of the present invention.

Process for firing alloys containing easily oxidizable elements


The invention is a processing vessel having an outer container enclosing a reaction/mixing/delivery chamber with a mixing motor and a delivery pump for delivering a chemical formulation product produced in the reaction/mixing/delivery chamber to a subterranean location.

It is known in the relevant art that specified chemical compounds can be used to improve well stimulation. However, the transportation, storage, mixing, and delivering of the stimulation chemicals to subsurface has many issues. Highly reactive materials have even more issues when safety concerns are factored. It is problematic if a specified chemical is unstable at the surface. This instability can cause health, safety and/or environmental problems.
One method of reducing such risks is to produce the required, unstable chemical compounds in close proximity to the stimulation chemical delivery location, which is usually a remote location. Thus, if a problem resulting from chemical instability were to occur, the problem would be essentially confined to the well location. There would be a small risk of negatively impacting a local environment, and use of the chemical under such controlled conditions would deem it to be less of a hazard.
In the case of a remote or hazardous location, the option of creating a chemical downhole has advantages. Chemical reactions at high temperature and pressure can benefit from being formed in a borehole where high pressures and temperatures co-exist. Electrical power is used for processing certain useful chemicals. Power generation on a remote rig is not an issue. Raw materials for many chemicals are present in sea water or can be mined proximal to the rig. Using resources proximal to remote site has many beneficial characteristics.

Methods and systems of down-hole reagent processing and deployment