A method for processing substrates is provided. The method includes depositing and etching a low k dielectric layer on a substrate, pre-cleaning the substrate with a plasma, and depositing a barrier layer on the substrate. Pre-cleaning the substrate minimizes the diffusion of the barrier layer into the low k dielectric layer and/or enhances the deposition of the barrier layer.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for manufacturing integrated circuit devices. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to forming metal interconnect structures having a barrier layer contacting at least a part of a dielectric layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the structure size of integrated circuit (IC) devices is scaled down to sub-quarter micron dimensions, electrical resistance and current densities have become an area for concern and improvement. Multilevel interconnect technology is used to form high aspect ratio features, including contacts, plugs, vias, lines, wires, and other features. A typical process for forming an interconnect on a substrate includes depositing one or more layers, etching at least one of the layer(s) to form one or more features, depositing a barrier layer in the feature(s) and depositing one or more layers to fill the feature. Typically, a feature is formed within a dielectric material disposed between a lower conductive layer and an upper conductive layer. The interconnect is formed within the feature to link the upper and lower conductive layers. Reliable formation of these interconnect features is important to the production of the circuits and is instrumental in the continued effort to increase circuit density and quality.
Copper has recently become a choice metal for filling sub-micron, high aspect ratio interconnect features because copper and its alloys have lower resistivities than aluminum. However, copper diffuses more readily into surrounding materials and can alter the electronic device characteristics of the adjacent layers. For example, such diffusion can form a conductive path between layers, thereby reducing the reliability of the overall circuit and possibly cause device failure.
Barrier layers are deposited prior to copper metallization to prevent or impede the diffusion of copper atoms. Barrier layers typically contain a refractory metal such as tungsten, titanium, tantalum, and nitrides thereof, which all have a greater resistivity than copper. To deposit a barrier layer within a feature, the barrier layer must be deposited on the bottom and sidewalls of the feature. The addition of the barrier layer on the bottom of the feature not only increases the overall resistance of the feature, but also forms an obstruction between higher and lower metal interconnects of a multi-layered interconnect structure.
The barrier layers are often deposited on dielectric layers that have been etched to include one or more features. The dielectric layers are typically formed of low k (dielectric constant k≦4.0) material. The low k layers may be porous layers. During the deposition of a barrier layer over a porous low k layer, the precursors used to form the barrier layer can diffuse into the pores of the porous low k layer. As with the diffusion of copper discussed earlier, the diffusion of barrier materials is problematic. The diffusion of barrier layer precursors into the porous low k layer can raise the dielectric constant of the low k layer, resulting in, for example, current leakage in a device.
The deposition of barrier layers can also be a time-consuming step, as the initial deposition or nucleation of barrier layers can be slow.
There is a need, therefore, for a processing sequence in which a barrier layer is deposited on a dielectric layer such that the diffusion of barrier layer precursors into the dielectric layer is minimized. There is also a need for a process sequence in which a barrier layer is deposited on a dielectric layer at a faster rate.

Integration of ALD/CVD barriers with porous low k materials


A cable management system for an overhead EVSE employs a lever-latch on the EV connector. A controller and motor mechanism is employed to lower the connector to an ADA compliant position or a pre-established height which is typically four feet. For an overhead system which employs a shuttle which slides along a track, the connector may then be grasped to pull the shuttle to a selected position along the track. The latch is depressible to extend the service cable to the connector so that the connector may be positioned and connected at the EV inlet. When the connector is unlatched from the EV inlet, the latch may be depressed to retract the connector to the pre-established height or ADA position. The latch requires a force of less than 5 lbs. for activation.

This disclosure relates generally to EVSE connectors which are suspended from an upper location. More particularly, this disclosure relates generally to EVSE which employs a controller and a motorized mechanism for retracting and extending a cable from an upper housing and wherein said cable is lowered to an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant height, such as, for example, four feet, for usage.
In EVSE systems to which the present disclosure relates, a wall mounted or an overhead EVSE mounts an electrical cable at an elevated position. The cable has a compliant EV (electric vehicle) connector, such as a J1772 connector, which connects with the electrical vehicle for charging the electric vehicle. Typically, prior to usage, the connector may be disposed at a height of approximately four feet and must be pulled from either the four foot position or from an elevated position for extending the cable to connect the connector to the EV. It is common for the EVSE systems to extend and retract the cable and the connector in an automated fashion. When the connector is at or below the ADA compliant four foot position, the operator grasps the connector and extends the cable to the electric vehicle.
In order to ensure full ADA operable parts compliance, any operable part must be usable with one hand and not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist or more than five pounds of force to operate. The present disclosure is also directed to ensuring that the extension of the power cable and the electrical connector to connect with the electric vehicle fully complies with ADA requirements.

EVSE cable management system with ADA assist


This invention pertains to a paint brush bristle clamp which can be removed after paint brush use, and facilitates cleaning of paint from the brush. A removable paint brush bristle clamp comprising: (a) a pair of opposed end walls; (b) a first side wall located between the pair of end walls and joined thereto; (c) a second side wall opposed to the first side wall, the second side wall being joined at one end to one of the end walls, the opposite end of the second side wall being free and having a first lip formed thereon; (d) a second lip formed on one end of one of the end walls, adjacent to the lip formed on one edge of the adjacent side wall, said second lip being adapted to mate with the first lip on the side wall to thereby provide an opening and closing action.

A longstanding problem with paint brushes that are used for industrial and domestic painting applications is that with time and repeated use paint tends to build up within the bristles in the region where the bristles are held by the clamp that joins the bristles with the paint brush handle and base. The collected paint is difficult to clean away. Usually, some residual paint is left in the bristles even after the used brush has been cleaned. The dried paint collects and builds up over time with repeated use of the paint brush. This causes the bristles of the brush to spread and reduces the efficiency of the brush. Also, the dried paint build up tends to cause the bristles to wear and break at the location of the dried paint. This reduces the life of the paint brush.
Proper cleaning of a paint brush requires a considerable amount of solvent, if the person cleaning the brush is meticulous. This often represents a waste of costly solvent, and creates an environmental pollutant. Thus, most commercial painters will endeavour to minimize costs by balancing the amount of the solvent used with the number of times the paint brush is used. It may be economic, for instance, to expect a paint brush to be used a half-dozen times before it must be discarded, rather than waste a considerable amount of solvent attempting to meticulously clean the brush after each use and prolong the life of the brush.
It would be advantageous if some means could be developed which would minimize or eliminate the build up of paint in the location where the bristles are set or meet the paint brush handle. It would also be advantageous if a mechanism could be developed to reduce the amount of solvent which is required to clean a paint brush. It would also be useful if a mechanism could be developed which would reduce or eliminate bristle flare as it occurs over time when a paint brush is used a number of times.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,918, granted Dec. 19, 1978, to Robert Lee, disclosed an adjustable sleeve for an artist's paint brush adapted to adjust the effective length of the bristles of the brush. The adjustable sleeve is tubular at its tip to contain the hair or bristles. The sleeve is split above the tip to provide a spring biased grip upon the brush ferrule. The adjustable sleeve is tapered in substantial conformity with the taper of the ferrule and it is longitudinally adjustable relative to the ferrule to vary the effective length of the hair or bristles. The sleeve is designed for use with an artist's brush, which has bristles arranged in a taper column form. The sleeve does not fit over the base of the brush at the location where the bristles meet the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,579, issued Dec. 9, 1980, to Johnathan H. Salmon, discloses a tool for applying a liquid stain to a flat surface to impart a timber grain effect to the surface. The tool comprises a paint brush, a bristle retaining slidable plate on one side of the brush and a slidable comb plate on the other side of the brush. Both of the plates have an elongated slot which engages a bolt which passes through the paint brush. The comb adjustably separates the brush bristles into discrete bunches to permit the application of stain to impart a wood grain pattern to the surface. This tool does not disclose a holder which fits on both sides of the paint brush base where the bristles are secured to the base. The tool is not designed to prevent paint from migrating down the bristles in the direction of the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,837, granted Jul. 20, 1982, to Christiaan Reeberg, discloses a sliding box-like girdle which can be fit over a paint brush to confine the bristles. The girdle acts as a hanger so that the paint brush can be hung on a wall. The girdle also protects the brush bristles while on display, or during storage. Further, the girdle is used to control the effective length of the bristle ends for specific painting jobs. The girdle also serves to squeeze excess paint from the bristles after each dip into a can of paint. The girdle does not serve to encircle the base of the paint brush, where the bristles meet the paint base, and thereby prevent paint from migrating along the bristles to the base, and thereby collecting at the base-bristle ended face.


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a removable cover panel for a display housing. According to one embodiment, the display housing includes an electronic display device for displaying images on a front side opposite a back side and a removable cover panel that substantially spans a surface area of the back side of the display device. In addition, a flexible ring is formed around the periphery of the display device while also being configured to hold the cover panel in a fixed position on the back side of said display device.

The emergence and popularity of mobile computing has made portable electronic devices, due to their compact design and light weight, a staple in today's marketplace. Many portable electronic devices employ a clam-shell type design such as notebook computers, netbooks, tablet personal computers, and handheld devices. Generally, a clam-shell design consists of two housings connected together at a common end. The upper housing typically includes a display for presenting images and graphics to the user on one side, and a cover panel positioned on an opposite side. As the number portable electronic devices continue to increase, so does the demand to provide custom or personalized cover panels for each individual user of these devices. Moreover, the customized cover panel should be capable of simple insertion and removal so that any user, regardless of technical know-how, can confidently and efficiently perform such a task.

Removable cover panel for display housing

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


There is disclosed an improved bib retaining device. The bib retaining device comprises an elongate resilient member having a central portion and opposite end portions, the central portion of the elongate resilient member being formed into a neck engaging portion, the end portions extending outwardly from the neck engaging portion, and a bib retaining member attached to each end portion of the elongate resilient member. A method of using a bib retaining device is also disclosed.

During dental, orthodontic or similar medical procedures, an absorbent bib is usually placed adjacent the neck of a patient undergoing such procedures in order to protect the patient's clothing from saliva, blood, water, drugs, and other chemicals or compounds that may be expelled or ejected from the patients mouth during such medical procedures. The dental bib is typically made from nonwoven, natural and/or synthetic materials which have excellent fluid absorption properties.
The prior art method of securing a dental bib around a patient's neck usually employs an elongate flexible member, such as a chain, tube, cord or the like, having clips attached at the distal ends of the flexible member. The elongate flexible member is loosely placed around the neck of a patient and the clips are secured to the bib. The flexible member therefore merely hangs loosely around the patient's neck and the bib lays on the patient's chest. Typically, the bib does not fit tightly against the patient's neck, but, rather, is spaced from the patient's neck thereby exposing the upper portion of the patient's clothing. Also, when treating young, fidgety children, the elongate flexible member can rotate on the patient's neck thereby permitting the bib to slide to the side of the patient's body.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that retains a dental bib snuggly against a patient's neck. This will result in more effective protection of the patient clothing and more satisfied dental patients. Furthermore, with the present invention, the dentist, dental hygienist or dental technician will not have to continually adjust the dental bid for certain patients.

Dental bib holding device and method of using same


Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a data serializer including a plurality of first buffer circuits configured to receive a plurality of data, respectively, and a second buffer circuit configured to serialize the plurality of data provided from the plurality of first buffer circuits. At least one of the plurality of first buffer circuits and the second buffer circuit includes: a first circuit configured to drive a first signal node to one of first and second logic levels based on an input signal, the first circuit including a first adjustment circuit configured to adjust a driving capability of the first circuit when the first circuit drives the first signal node to the first logic level; and a second circuit configured to drive the first signal node to other of the first and second logic levels.

The change of timing of a signal on a high speed signal path can be delayed by adjusting the current supply capability of a driver inserted into the signal path. However, when the current supply capability of a driver is lowered, a signal output from the driver may not fully oscillate, which leads to jitter. Therefore, there has been demanded a circuit that can realize full oscillation even if the current supply capability of a driver inserted into a high speed signal path is adjusted.


The present invention includes a composition for a silicon-containing material used as an etch mask for underlying layers. More specifically, the silicon-containing material may be used as an etch mask for a patterned imprinted layer comprising protrusions and recessions. To that end, in one embodiment of the present invention, the composition includes a hydroxyl-functional silicone component, a cross-linking component, a catalyst component, and a solvent. This composition allows the silicon-containing material to selectively etch the protrusions and the segments of the patterned imprinting layer in superimposition therewith, while minimizing the etching of the segments in superposition with the recessions, and therefore allowing an in-situ hardened mask to be created by the silicon-containing material, with the hardened mask and the patterned imprinting layer forming a substantially planarized profile.

The field of invention relates generally to micro-fabrication of structures. More particularly, the present invention is directed to formation of an etching mask comprising a silicon containing material used in semiconductor processing.
Micro-fabrication involves the fabrication of very small structures, e.g., having features on the order of micro-meters or smaller. One area in which micro-fabrication has had a sizeable impact is in the processing of integrated circuits. As the semiconductor processing industry continues to strive for larger production yields while increasing the circuits per unit area formed on a substrate, micro-fabrication becomes increasingly important. Micro-fabrication provides greater process control while allowing increased reduction of the minimum feature dimension of the structures formed. Other areas of development in which micro-fabrication has been employed include biotechnology, optical technology, mechanical systems and the like.
An exemplary micro-fabrication technique is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,960 to Willson et al. Willson et al. disclose a method of forming a relief image in a structure. The method includes providing a substrate having a transfer layer. The transfer layer is covered with a polymerizable fluid composition. An imprint device makes mechanical contact with the polymerizable fluid. The imprint device includes a relief structure formed from lands and grooves. The polymerizable fluid composition fills the relief structure, with the thickness of the polymerizable fluid in superimposition with the lands defining a residual thickness. The polymerizable fluid composition is then subjected to conditions to solidify and polymerize the same, forming a solidified polymeric material on the transfer layer that contains a relief structure complimentary to that of the imprint device. The imprint device is then separated from the solid polymeric material such that a replica of the relief structure in the imprint device is formed in the solidified polymeric material. The transfer layer and the solidified polymeric material are subjected to an environment to selectively etch the transfer layer relative to the solidified polymeric material such that a relief image is formed in the transfer layer. Thereafter, conventional etching processes may be employed to transfer the pattern of the relief structure into the substrate.
In recent trends in micro-fabrication of semiconductors, a silicon containing material has been utilized as a masking layer for underlying layers during etching. An example of utilizing silicon as a masking layer is found in, U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,896 to Röhr et al., entitled "Method of Fabricating Semiconductor Components," discloses a method of depositing a silicon layer upon a metal layer, selectively etching the silicon layer with the selectively etched silicon layer serving as a hard mask when etching of the metal layer occurs.
In another example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/178,947 to Watts et al., entitled "Low Viscosity High Resolution Patterning Material," discloses a method of forming a conformal layer upon a patterned layer with the conformal layer serving as a hard mask for the patterned layer during etching and the conformal layer being formed from a silicon-containing polymerized fluid.
It is desired, therefore, to provide an improved composition of the silicon-containing material used in imprint lithography processes.

Composition for an etching mask comprising a silicon-containing material


Various shaped curling elements provide flexibility for hairstyling. A fixing element ensures that curling elements are simply and reliably prevented from unrolling once they have been rolled up. The curling element includes at least one ring-shaped notched section made in a cylindrical base form. The bottom of the at least one notched section and the transitions between the ring-shaped notched section and the lateral surface of the cylinder are rounded off.

The applicant is aware of curling elements having a cylindrical shape. The cylindrical lateral surface has provided thereon tips or peaks for ensuring a better grip for the hair when the curling elements are rolled into the hair After having been rolled into the hair, the curling elements can be retained by the measure that a rubber is stretched from the one end of the cylinder to the other end for retaining the curling element together with the rolled-up hair.
It is the object of the present invention to provide curling elements with which hairstyles can be made more flexible. Furthermore, a retaining element is suggested for preventing the curling elements in a simple and reliable way from unrolling after said curling elements have been rolled up.

Curling element for styling hair and fixing element for a curling element


Aspects of this invention include a downhole tool having first and second members disposed to translate substantially linearly with respect to one another. A magnet is deployed on the first member and a plurality of magnetic field sensors is deployed on the second member. The magnetic field sensors are spaced in a direction substantially parallel with a direction of translation between the first and second members. The tool typically further includes a controller disposed to determine a linear position of the first and second members with respect to one another from magnetic flux measurements made at the magnetic field sensors. Exemplary position sensor embodiments of the present invention are non-contact and therefore are not typically subject to mechanical wear. Embodiments of the invention therefore tend to advantageously provide for accurate and reliable linear position measurements.

Position sensing tools have several important applications in downhole tools used in subterranean drilling. For example, many drilling applications require directional drilling tools to control the lateral drilling direction. Such steering tools commonly include a plurality of force application members (also referred to herein as blades) that may be independently extended out from and retracted into a housing. The blades are disposed to extend outward from the housing into contact with the borehole wall and to thereby displace the housing from the centerline of a borehole during drilling. Blade position sensors are useful for determining blade extension. Accurate blade position measurements facilitate more accurate steering of the drill bit. Additionally, such blades are typically controlled by a hydraulic circuit. The measurement of a piston position within a hydraulic reservoir may be utilized, for example, to calculate the volume of pressurized hydraulic fluid available to actuate the blades.
Various position and displacement sensors are known in the downhole arts for measuring the position of pistons, blades, and other movable components on downhole tools (e.g., including wireline tools, logging-while-drilling tools, measurement-while-drilling tools, and steering tools). Such sensors typically make use of analog sensing devices such as potentiometers, pressure transducers, or ultrasonic transducers. For example, Webster, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,386 discloses a downhole steering tool in which each blade is fitted with a sensor (such as a potentiometer) for measuring the borehole size and the displacement of the blade.
While prior art sensors are known to be serviceable, such as for measuring blade and/or piston position, they are also known to suffer from various drawbacks. For example, potentiometers are known to be susceptible to mechanical wear and temperature drift due to the analog sensing and outputting mechanism utilized. Pressure transducers are known to be inaccurate for position sensing applications (particularly in demanding downhole environments), and the installation of such sensors tends to be complicated and expensive, e.g., requiring o-rings and/or other seals. The above-described drawbacks of prior art sensor arrangements often result in unreliable and inaccurate position data and also tend to increase the fabrication and maintenance expense of downhole tools.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved sensor apparatus and method for accurately determining a position and/or distance of various downhole tool components. In particular, there exists a need for improved downhole tool position sensor deployments, e.g., including wireline, logging-while-drilling (LWD), measurement-while-drilling (MWD), and steering tool deployments.

Linear position sensor for downhole tools and method of use


A system and method for optimizing publication operating states includes sending a first publication message to provide an operating state of a mobile unit. The operating state of the mobile unit is stored in a data session slot associated with the mobile unit. A second publication message is sent to update the operating state of the mobile unit. An entity tag value is derived from identifiers in accounting information of the second publication message to identify data in the data session slot associated with the mobile unit.

Presence information may be published to a presence server. Entity tag values identify the data associated with a data session. The presence server includes data session slots that store data associated with a data session's operating state. Conventionally, publication messages related to the data session slot included an old entity tag value in the request and the new operating state. The presence server replaced the stored operating state with the new operating state and returned a new entity tag value associated with the new operating state. The new entity tag value was then used in the next publication message. Therefore, the entity tag value traditionally changed with every new publication of the operating state. An authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server updated the stored entity tag value with each transaction. Therefore, the AAA server kept an entity tag value to identify the data content. If the AAA server was implemented as a redundant cluster, the entity tag value was stored in a persistent storage or communicated across all nodes in a cluster. Storing the entity tag value and/or communicating the entity tag value across all nodes in the cluster is an expensive task.
If the entity tag value identifying the data content in the data session slot was lost, new data session slots were allocated, which also caused the sequence of operating states to be lost. Allocating additional data session slots required additional storage capacity and composition logic in the presence server to compare the operating states in the different slots and determine what information to report to applications that subscribed to the operating state of the mobile unit. An increased workload consequently occurred on the presence server.

System and method for optimizing publication of operating states


A variable-length code stream is read out from a position designated as a start position of an encoded stream of a block of interest, and the readout stream is decoded. Upon completion of the decoding of the variable-length code stream of the block of interest, a data length of a semi-fixed-length data stream of the block of interest is calculated. A position the data length behind the start position of the semi-fixed-length data stream is designated as a start position of an encoded stream of a next block to be decoded after the block of interest, and decoding of a variable-length code stream of the next block is started.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image decoding technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent advance of semiconductor technologies is amazing to allow many digital cameras to capture high-resolution images, and the data sizes of captured images are increasing accordingly. Most of images captured by digital cameras are compression-encoded by an encoding method such as JPEG, and are then recorded in recording media. For this reason, in order to confirm a captured image on, for example, a display of a digital camera main body, encoded image data has to be decoded in predetermined procedures.
Various encoding methods for still images such as a JPEG encoding method are available. In JPEG encoding, image data is divided into a plurality of blocks each having a predetermined size. These blocks become the unit of encoding and data included in respective blocks undergo orthogonal transform. Then transformation coefficients after this orthogonal transform undergo quantization and coefficient prediction in turn. Furthermore, the data after the coefficient prediction undergo scan, and are converted from two-dimensional data into one-dimensional data including significant coefficients (nonzero data: levels) and a zero runlength of insignificant coefficients (zero data: runs). From the one-dimensional data, which is converted in this way, a plurality of syntax elements are generated, and are entropy-encoded. Finally, codes generated by the entropy encoding are coupled in a predetermined order, thus generating an encoded stream.
In encoding of a JPEG XR encoding method (to be simply referred to as JPEG XR hereinafter), which has been internationally standardized in recent years, as shown in FIG. 4, a prediction error after coefficient prediction is divided into a sign bit (flag) and absolute value. This absolute value is further divided into upper data and lower data, which are respectively encoded by different methods.
After the upper data undergoes adaptive scan, run/level syntax elements are generated, undergo variable-length encoding, and are coupled as an encoded stream. The lower data undergoes adaptive fixed-length coding. In JPEG XR, The transformation coefficient after orthogonal transform consists of DC, Low-pass (LP), and High-pass (HP) coefficients. The adaptive fixed-length coded part of the lower data of DC or lowpass (LP) coefficient is called FLC refinement and that of highpass (HP) coefficient is called flexbits. Hereinafter, both of FLC refinement and flexbits are referred to as semi-fixed-length data. The lower data is coupled to the encoded stream as semi-fixed-length data.
For this reason, in decoding of JPEG XR, transformation coefficient prediction errors for one block can be obtained only after the variable-length codes are decoded, and the semi-fixed-length data are also decoded. Also, before completion of the variable-length decoding, the start position of the semi-fixed-length data in encoded stream cannot be specified. In addition, since the data length (Modelbits in FIG. 4) of the semi-fixed-length data changes depending on the variable-length decoding result, it is difficult to parallelly decode the variable-length code and semi-fixed-length data. As techniques for quickly decoding an encoded stream including a plurality of encoding methods like in the JPEG XR, patent literature 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-093522) and patent literature 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-273106) are known.
A decoding apparatus described in patent literature 1 has a plurality of variable-length code decoders, and a single Flexbits decoder, and speeds up decoding processing by parallelly decoding a variable-length code and Flexbits. However, in the JPEG XR, since there are a large number of syntax elements in the variable-length encoding, each variable-length code decoder (to be simply referred to as a variable-length decoder hereinafter) requires a large circuit scale. When the plurality of such variable-length decoders are included, the processing performance improvement and a very large increase in circuit scale are required at the same time.
A decoding apparatus described in patent literature 2 has a variable-length decoder and Flexbits decoder. Furthermore, a start code of a tile header included in an encoded stream is identified, and the start position of the variable-length code and that of the Flexbits are specified based on this information. Then, the variable-length code and Flexbits are parallelly decoded, thereby speeding up the decoding processing. However, this technique is premised on decoding of the stream encoded in a frequency mode of the JPEG XR, which has two types of encoding modes (spatial mode and frequency mode). Since an encoded stream encoded in the spatial mode does not include any header required to identify the start positions of the variable-length code and Flexbits, the start positions of respective codes cannot be specified.
As described above, when the related arts are applied to decoding of a JPEG XR encoded stream, parallel decoding processing of the variable-length code and Flexbits can be executed. However, the circuit scale is greatly increased, or the decoding processing is limited to the specific encoding mode, thus posing problems.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method


A mapping application that intelligently places distance labels along a route in a map is disclosed. A distance label placed at a particular position of the route shows the distance to the particular location from the starting point of the route. Distance labels allow the user of the map to quickly appreciate the distances between the various points of interest (e.g., maneuvers) along the route. In some mapping applications that display the route as a list of driving directions, the distance labels are placed alongside the list of driving directions, and each distance label is associated with a maneuver in the list of directions.

Many map-based applications available today are designed for a variety of different devices (e.g., desktops, laptops, tablet devices, smartphones, handheld global positioning system (GPS) receivers, etc.) and for various different purposes (e.g., navigation, browsing, sports, etc.). In addition to presenting two-dimensional (2D) maps or three-dimensional (3D) maps, these applications generally have the capability of computing, when given a starting location and a destination location, one or more routes. Such a route generally consists of a number of driving directions or traffic maneuvers that a driver or a traveler can follow in order to reach the destination. These directions or maneuvers are usually presented graphically within the map (2D or 3D), and/or in a list of directions.
Many mapping applications use both map and list of directions to present the route to the user. Presenting the route in a 2D or 3D map is advantageous because a user can quickly and easily visualize his journey spatially by viewing the map. However, a map is generally not the best setting for presenting all of the necessary information of the route, since these information may clutter the view of the map and visually overload the user. Many mapping applications therefore relay on the list of directions to present all of the necessary information regarding each step or maneuver of the route.
Most mapping applications present the list of directions as a series of textual items. However, these textual items are usually difficult to follow visually, especially when the user of the application is driving while trying to follow the route. Furthermore, the user of the list of directions often finds it difficult to correlate the information on the list of directions with information presented graphically in the map. This is especially problematic for the user of the map, who often needs to turn to the list of directions in order to find out the distances between the various points of interest on the route.


A composite film is provided by providing a poly-propylene or other base resin layer, laminating a first covering layer of a resin composition (1) comprising the following components (A), (B), (C) and (D) to one side of the base resin layer and a second covering layer of a resin composition (2) comprising the components (A) and (D) to the other side of the base resin layer, which composite film is optionally stretched. The resin composition (2) may contain component (C).

This invention relates to a composite film suited for overwrap packaging and a method for producing the film.
As packaging materials, a variety of types of film, particularly polypropylene film and polyethylene terephthalate film, both of which are particularly satisfactory in clarity, rigidity and other characteristics, are in use today. Furthermore, a film coated with a vinylidene chloride copolymer which has a heat sealing property as well as a gas barrier property with respect to oxygen and water vapor is in use for the overwrap packaging of various commercial items such as food products, tobacco products, cassette tapes and so on.
Meanwhile, a stretched film such as biaxially oriented polypropylene film is poor in heat sealability. Therefore, development work is in progress on a stretched laminated film comprising a base polymer layer composed of polypropylene or the like and a heat-sealable surface polymer layer of an olefinic polymer. However, the laminate film having an olefinic polymer ply is unsatisfactory in mechanical properties so that it is hardly compatible with an automatic overwrapping machine which is operated at a high speed of, for example, not less than 300 units of packaging load per minute. Thus, if such a laminated film is fed to an automatic overwrapping machine, where it is exposed to both heat and pressure, the slidability and releasability of the film with respect to the machine hardware such as the metal guide plate are markedly decreased. Therefore, overwrap packaging cannot be carried out at a high speed so that the packaging efficiency is remarkably sacrificed.
To improve the slidability of film, it is practiced to add an antiblocking agent, e.g. microfine particles of an inorganic substance such as silica, alumina, synthetic zeolite, etc., those of an organic substance such as polyethylene, or a mineral or petroleum wax to the olefinic polymer [cf. Japanese Patent application No. 71830/1991 (JP-A-3-71830)].
However, even when such an additive is incorporated, the releasability of film with respect to the metal guide plate is unsatisfactory in the sealing stage where the film is subjected to both heat and pressure. Therefore, packaging at a speed over 300 units of packaging load/minute is not feasible.
Also known is a film comprising a polypropylene base layer and an ethylene homopolymer or copolymer covering layer containing a fatty acid amide as a slidability improver or lubricant. However, even with the formation of such a fatty acid amide-containing covering layer, the releasability of film with respect to the metal guide plate in the heat-sealing stage is poor and, therefore, high-speed packaging can not be realized.
To overcome the above disadvantages, Japanese Patent Publication No. 56864/1988 (JP-B-63-56864) proposes a multi-layer film comprising a polypropylene layer and a laminatable layer made of ethylene homopolymer or copolymer, the laminatable layer containing a higher fatty amine, a dispersed thermoplastic resin incompatible with ethylene homopolymer or copolymer and a dialkylpolysiloxane. This film is suited for wrapping cigaret cartons.
Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 133050/1984 (JP-A-59-133050) discloses an oriented or a stretched multi-layer polypropylene film comprising a polypropylene base layer containing a C8-24 monocarboxylic acid amide and a polyolefin surface or skin layer containing a finely divided powder of silica and silicone oil.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 60745/1990 (JP-A-2-60745) discloses a biaxially oriented film comprising a polypropylene-containing base layer and, as laminated to at least one side thereof, a surface layer made from a random copolymer containing ethylene and propylene as constituent units and a diorganopolysiloxane gum. Japanese Patent application Laid-open No. 205440/1991 (JP-A-3-205440) discloses a biaxially oriented film comprising the same base layer as above and, as laminated thereto, a surface layer containing the same copolymer as above, finely divided insoluble silicone rubber and a diorganopolysiloxane gum.
These films are generally well slidable and compatible with high-speed packaging. However, when any of these films is fed to an automatic overwrapping machine for packaging the load at a speed of 300 units of load/minute, the following troubles are encountered. Thus, because of its low-temperature slidability or insufficient antistatic property, the film tends to be electrostatically stuck to a member such as the metal guide plate of the automatic overwrapping machine and cannot be cut to the required size and, hence, cause a jam in the machine, thus preventing high-speed continuous packaging. If an attempt is made to improve the slidability of film by increasing the amount of the incompatible thermoplastic resin or silica powder to the copolymer containing ethylene and propylene as constituent units, the clarity of the film is sacrificed. On the other hand, an organopolysiloxane of high degree of polymerization can hardly be dispersed uniformly in the copolymer so that the film quality as a whole cannot be critically controlled.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a composite film with which product s can be packaged at high speed.
It is a further object of this s invention to provide a composite film which is remarkably improved in clarity, slidability, releasability and antistaticity and with which products can be packaged on an automatic overwrapping machine at high speed.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a method for producing a composite film having the above-mentioned desirable characteristics.
The inventors of this invention found after a great deal of research done to accomplish the above objects that when a first covering layer on one side and a second covering layer on the other side of a base resin layer of a laminate film are respectively formed from resin compositions comprising herein-defined components, there is obtained a composite film which is improved markedly in slidability, releasability, clarity and antistaticity and compatible with high-speed packaging.
Thus, the composite film of the present invention comprises a base resin layer, a first covering layer of a resin composition (1) comprising the following components (A), (B), (C) and (D) as laminated to one side of the base resin layer and a second covering layer of a resin composition (2) comprising the following components (A) and (D) as laminated to the other side of the base resin layer.
(A) a heat-sealable olefinic polymer
(B) a diorganopolysiloxane
(C) a fine-powdered heat-resistant resin
(D) a higher fatty acid amide
The method for producing a composite film according to the present invention comprises laminating a first covering layer of a resin composition (1) comprising the following components (A), (B), (C) and (D) to one side of a base resin layer and a second covering layer of a resin composition (2) comprising the following components (A) and (D) to the other side of the base resin layer.
(A) a heat-sealable olefinic polymer
(B) a diorganopolysiloxane
(C) a fine-powdered heat-resistant resin
(D) a higher fatty acid amide
The resin which constitutes the above-mentioned base resin layer includes, for example, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, etc.; vinyl alcohol series polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, etc.; polyvinyl chloride; vinylidene chloride series polymers; styrenic polymers such as polystyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styreneacrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, etc.; polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, etc.; nylons or polyamides such as nylon 6, nylon 11, nylon 12, nylon 66, nylon 6/66, nylon 66/610, nylon 6/11, etc.; polyacrylonitrile; and polycarbonates.
The base resin layer is preferably made of polyolefin resin (particularly a polypropylene series resin) or polyester resin (particularly polyethylene terephthalate). The preferred base resin layer is formed from a polypropylene series resin which is generally satisfactory in clarity, rigidity and packaging machine compatibility.
The polypropylene series resin is preferably a crystalline polypropylene series resin. The polypropylene series resin may be a copolymer predominantly composed of propylene, such as copolymers of propylene with xcex1-olefins such as ethylene, butene-1, 3-methyl-pentene-1, 4-methylpentene-1, etc.; although propylene homopolymer is preferred.
The isotactic index (II) of polypropylene series resin should be not less than 92%, preferably not less than 94%, and more preferably not less than 96%. The film produced from a polypropylene series resin having such an isotactic index (II) value does not curl in the course of travel but travels rectilinearly so that it is well adapted to automatic machine packaging.
The intrinsic viscosity [xcex7] of polypropylene series resin is generally about 0.8 to 4 dl/g and preferably about 1 to 2.5 dl/g.
The base resin layer may be a single-layer film or a laminate film composed of two or more resin layers. The thickness of the base resin layer is not restricted but may for example be about 1 to 250 xcexcm and preferably about 5 to 100 xcexcm.
Unless the compatibility of film with a high-speed packaging machine is adversely affected, the base resin layer may contain a variety of additives, for example, various stabilizers such as antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, heat stabilizers, etc.; antistatic agents such as cationic antistatic agents (e.g. polyoxyethylenealkylamines, quaternary ammonium salts, hydantoin derivatives, etc.), anionic antistatic agents (e.g. sulfuric acid derivatives, alkyl sulfonates, phosphoric acid derivatives, etc.), nonionic antistatic agents (e.g. fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols, such as diols, glycerin, sorbitol, etc., adducts of fatty acid esters to alkylene oxides such as ethylene oxide, etc., polyoxyethylene alkyl phenols, etc.), amphoteric antistatic agents (e.g. alkyl betaines); nucleating agents; hydrocarbon polymers such as styrenic resins, terpene resin, petroleum resin, dicyclopentadiene resin, chroman resins such as chroman-indene resin, phenolic resin, rosin and its derivatives and the corresponding hydrogenated resins; plasticizers; fillers; higher fatty acids and their salts, higher fatty acid esters, waxes such as natural waxes of the mineral or plant origin, and synthetic waxes such as polyethylene; finely divided powdery substances such as powdered silica; etc.
For preventing static adherence of the film to the packaging machine hardware during packaging and further improving its high-speed packaging compatibility, the base resin layer, in particular, preferably contains an antistatic agent. The amount of such antistatic agent may for example be about 0.01 to 5 parts by weight, preferably about 0.1 to 2.5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the base resin.
For increasing the rigidity or stiffness of film, the base resin layer preferably contains any of the hydrocarbon polymers such as hydrogenated terpene resin, hydrogenated petroleum resin, dicyclopentadiene resin and so on. The amount of the hydrocarbon polymer may for example be generally about 1 to 30 weight % and preferably about 5 to 15 weight %.
The base resin layer may further contain a wax. The amount of the wax is about 0.01 to 5 parts by weight, preferably about 0.1 to 2.5 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the base resin.
When the first covering layer of resin composition (1) is formed on either side (i.e. both surfaces) of the base resin layer, the tendency of the film towards static charge build-up is increased, possibly due to bleeding of the diorganopolysiloxane (B) out onto the surface of the covering layer so that automatic packaging at high speed will be hindered. Therefore, the other side or surface of the base resin layer is preferably covered with a second covering layer formed from the resin composition (2) which may contain diorganopolysiloxane (B) in an amount less than 0.5 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the heat-sealable or -bondable olefinic polymer or particularly the resin composition (2) which does not contain diorganopolysiloxane (B).
The heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A) which can be incorporated in the resin compositions (1) and (2) includes, for example, homopolymers of olefins such as ethylene, propylene, butene-1, 3-methylpentene-1, 4-methylpentene-1, etc. and copolymers containing any of such olefins as a constituent unit.
The preferred olefinic polymer (A) includes heat-sealable polymers, for example, olefinic copolymers such as propylene-ethylene copolymer, propylene-butene-1 copolymer, propylene-ethylene-butene-1 copolymer, ethylene-butene-1 copolymer, ethylene-3-methylpentene-1 copolymer, ethylene-propylene-3-methylpentene-1 copolymer, ethylene-4-methylpentene-1 copolymer, ethylenepropylene-4-methylpentene-1 copolymer, ethylene-butene-1-3-methylpentene-1 copolymer, and so on. The olefinic copolymer may be random copolymers or block copolymers, although random copolymers are more practically employed.
Among particularly preferred species of olefinic polymer (A) are propylene series copolymers such as propylene-ethylene copolymer, propylene-butene-1 copolymer and propylene-ethylene-butene-1 copolymer. Among them, propylene-ethylene-butene-1 copolymer is practically recommendable.
The propylene content of such propylene series copolymers may for example be generally about 68 to 99 weight % and preferably about 70 to 96.5 weight %. The ethylene content of propylene-ethylene-butene-1 copolymer may for example be generally about 0.3 to 8 weight % and preferably about 0.5 to 5.0 weight %, while the butene-1 content of this copolymer is about 1 to 30 weight % and preferably about 3 to 25 weight %.
The olefinic polymer (A) is possessed of heat-sealability, particularly low-temperature sealability, which is required in the heat sealing stage of high-speed overwrap packaging. Thus, the olefinic polymer (A) is useful for forming a sealant layer. However, if both sides of the resin base layer are covered with surface plies composed exclusively of olefinic polymer (A), the slidability of the film against the metal guide plate of a high-speed overwrapping machine, where both heat and pressure are affect on the film, is unsatisfactory.
In contrast, when one side of the base resin layer is covered with a first covering layer of resin composition (1) comprising the heat-sealable (or heat-bond-able) olefinic polymer (A), diorganopolysiloxane (B), fine-powdered (or finely divided) heat-resistant resin (C) and higher fatty acid amide (D) and the other side of the same base resin layer is covered with a second covering layer formed from the resin composition (2) comprising the heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A) and higher fatty acid amide (D) or, preferably, the resin composition (2) which contains the components (A) and (D) and does not contain diorganopolysiloxane (B), there is obtained a composite film having excellent slidability and releasability with respect to the metal guide plate and other hardware in the heat-sealing stage of a high-speed overwrapping machine as well as a high degree of clarity. This composite film is capable of overlap-packaging at least 300 units of packaging load/minute without trouble.
The diorganopolysiloxane (B) mentioned above includes, among others, polysiloxanes having aliphatic hydrocarbon groups such as dimethylpolysiloxane, diethylpolysiloxane, methylethylpolysiloxane, etc.; polysiloxane having aromatic hydrocarbon groups such as diphenylpolysiloxane etc.; and polysiloxanes having both an aliphatic and an aromatic hydrocarbon group, such as methylphenylpolysiloxane. These polysiloxanes can be used alone or in combination. Among the above-mentioned polysiloxanes, dimethylpolysiloxane is practically preferred.
The average molecular weight of diorganopolysiloxane (B) is about 1xc3x97104 to 18xc3x97104. If the average molecular weight is less than 1xc3x97104, no remarkable enhancement of slidability can be expected, and when it exceeds 18xc3x97104, such a diorganopolysiloxane cannot be uniformly compounded with the heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A), for instance. The viscosity of diorganopolysiloxane (B) at 25xc2x0 C. is generally about 1xc3x97104 to 2 x 106 centistokes and preferably about 1xc3x97105 to 1xc3x97106 centistokes.
The diorganopolysiloxane (B) may be used in combination with modified silicones such as carboxyl-modified silicone, polyether-modified silicone, etc.
The proportion of diorganopolysiloxane (B) in resin composition (1) is about 0.5 to 3 parts by weight, preferably about 0.7 to 1.2 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A). If the diorganopolysiloxane content is less than 0.5 part by weight, the slidability and releasability of the film will not be adequate, and when it exceeds 3 parts by weight, both clarity and heat sealability tend to be sacrificed.
As mentioned above, the resin composition (2) may contain not more than 0.5 part by weight of diorganopolysiloxane (B) based on 100 parts by weight of heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A) but preferably does not contain the component (B).
The fine-powdered or powdery heat-resistant resin (C) mentioned above functions as an antiblocking agent as well as a lubricant. Powders of inorganic substances such as silica have only low affinities for the polymer and if such inorganic powders are added to the covering layer, the clarity of the film is decreased due probably to gaps between the fine inorganic particles. In contrast, the fine-powdered heat-resistant resin (C) has a high affinity for the polymer and, therefore, no gaps are formed between the particles so that the clarity of the film is not sacrificed and is improved in comparison with a film used a powdery inorganic substance. Moreover, compared with microfine powders of random configuration, spherical particles are conducive to high slidability at a low level of addition and contribute more to film clarity.
It is sufficient that fine-powdered heat-resistant resin (C) be contained at least in the first covering layer but it is preferably incorporated in both the first and second covering layers. When the powdery heat-resistant resin (C) is contained in both the first and the second covering layers, both high clarity and high slidability are insured.
The heat-resistant resin that can be used includes a variety of resins whose thermal deformation temperatures are higher than the film forming temperature, for example, thermosetting resins such as crosslinked acrylic resin, amino resins (e.g. crosslinked melamine-formaldehyde resin, benzoguanamine resin, urea resin and the like), furan resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, unsaturated polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, diallyl phthalate resin, polyimide resin, etc., and thermoplastic resins such as polyethersulfone, polyetherimide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetheretherketone, polyamideimide and so on. The thermosetting resin may have been hardened. These powdery heat-resistant resins may be used alone or in combination.
The powder morphology of the fine-powdered heat-resistant resin (C) is preferably spherical and, for still better results, true round (closed to sphere) in profile. When microspheres are used, the desired degree of slidability develops at a low level of addition without sacrificing the clarity of film. The mean particle diameter of powdery heat-resistant resin (C) may be within the range not adversely affecting the slidability and clarity of film and may for example be about 1 to 6 xcexcm and preferably about 1.5 to 5 xcexcm.
The proportion of powdery or fine-powdered heat-resistant resin (C) is, for example, about 0.1 to 1 part by weight and preferably about 0.2 to 0.7 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A). If the proportion of heat-resistant resin (C) is less than 0.1 part by weight, slidability will not be appreciably improved, and when the amount of the heat-resistant resin (C) exceeds 1 part by weight, it may happen that clarity is decreased.
As the higher fatty acid amide (D) mentioned above, there may be mentioned saturated higher fatty acid amides such as lauroamide (lauric acid amide), myristamide (myristic acid amide), palmitamide (palmitic acid amide), stearamide (stearic acid amide), behenamide (behenic acid amide), etc.; unsaturated higher fatty acid amides such as oleamide (oleic acid amide), erucamide (erucic acid amide) etc.; and alkylenebisstearamides such as methylenebisstearamide, ethylenebisstearamide, etc., among others. These higher fatty acid amides (D) can be used singly or in combination.
The higher fatty acid amide (D) is preferably a higher fatty acid amide of 16-24 carbon atoms and, for still better results, a monocarboxamide (monocarboxylic acid amide).
The proportion of higher fatty acid amide (D) is generally about 0.01 to 1.0 part by weight and preferably about 0.1 to 0.8 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A). If the amount of higher fatty acid amide (D) is less than 0.01 part by weight, the low-temperature slidability with respect to the packaging load is poor so that smooth packaging may not be achieved. On the other hand, if the proportion exceeds 1 part by weight, film clarity tends to be sacrificed. Incidentally, higher fatty acid amide (D) contributes greatly to low-temperature slidability, for example at temperatures up to 100xc2x0 C.
The first covering layer and/or the second covering layer may contain a variety of additives, for example, stabilizers such as antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, heat stabilizers, etc.; antistatic additives; plasticizers; inorganic fillers such as silica, talc, etc.; and waxes, among others.
The thickness of the first covering layer may for example be not greater than about 1 xcexcm, preferably about 0.1 to 0.7 xcexcm and more preferably about 0.3 to 0.7 xcexcm. If the thickness of the first covering layer exceeds 1 xcexcm, tackiness may be increased to sacrifice releasability from the metal guide plate, with the result that high-speed packaging may not be feasible.
The thickness of the second covering layer can be liberally selected within the range not adversely affecting the heat-sealability and other characteristics of the film and may for example be about 0.1 to 5 xcexcm and preferably about 0.5 to 2.5 xcexcm.
The composite film comprising the base resin layer, first covering layer and second covering layer may be an non-oriented film but is preferably an oriented film. The oriented film may be a uniaxially oriented film but is preferably a biaxially oriented film, particularly a biaxially oriented composite film having a biaxially oriented polypropylene series polymer layer(s). If necessary, the oriented film may have been heat-treated.
The surface of the composite film may be subjected to the conventional surface treatment such as corona discharge treatment, flame treatment, plasma treatment or the like. The preferred composite film has a surface-treated second covering layer (particularly, a diorganopolysiloxane (B)-free second covering layer surface-treated) to present a surface tension of not less than about 38 dyne/cm, preferably about 40 to 42 dyne/cm. The composite film of the present invention can be manufactured by a method which comprises laminating a first covering layer of a resin composition (1) comprising the heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A), diorganopolysiloxane (B), the fine-powdered heat-resistant resin (C) and higher fatty acid amide (D) to one side or surface of a base resin layer and a second covering layer of a resin composition (2) comprising the heat-sealable olefinic polymer (A) and higher fatty acid amide (D) to the other side or surface of the same base resin layer. As pointed out above, resin composition (2) preferably does not contain the diorganopolysiloxane (B) but contains the fine-powdered heat-resistant resin (C).
The composite film can be manufactured by the dry laminating technique which comprises laminating the covering layers to the base resin layer with the aid of an anchor coating agent, e.g. a titanium type, polyethyleneimine type or urethane type anchor coating composition, but is preferably manufactured by the coextrusion molding technique.
By the coextrusion molding technique, the composite film can be produced by co-extruding a resin composition for the base resin layer, the first resin composition (1) and the second resin composition (2). Preferably, the extrusion-molded composite film may be subjected to orientation.
For coextrusion molding, a molding machine equipped with a T-die, ring die or the like can be employed. When the base-layer-forming resin composition, the first layer-forming resin composition (1) and the second layer-forming resin composition (2) are independently fed to such a molding machine and melt-extruded concurrently into the die, these three resin compositions converge or meet in the passageway within the die to lie upon one another. As the multi-layer film emerging from the die is cooled, the desired composite film is obtained.
The stretching of the composite film can be performed after the composite film extruded from the die has cooled in the case of the T-die process, while it can be done simultaneously with melt-extrusion from the die in the inflation process.
The technology for stretching or orientation includes, for example, the conventional techniques such as roll stretching, tenter stretching, tube stretching and combinations of these stretchings. The stretching or draft ratio can be appropriately set according to the desired characteristics of composite film. The draft ratio at least in one direction should be generally not less than about 2 and preferably about 5 to 10. The second covering layer of the oriented film may usually be surface-treated to enhance a surface tension.
Despite the formation of a surfacing layer containing a higher fatty acid amide which is generally believed to be incompatible with high-speed packaging, the composite film of this invention is capable of high-speed overwrap packaging. Thus, the composite film is suited to the packaging of various articles, especially for automatic packaging of tobacco cartons and the like at a high speed of 300 units/minute. This specification further discloses an overwrapping method for packaging articles with the above-described composite film at a high speed of not less than 300 units per minute.
Since the surface layers of the composite film of the present invention are formed with compositions comprising defined component materials in defined proportions, the film is able to package articles at high speed. Moreover, this composite film is remarkably high in clarity, slidability, releasability and antistaticity. Therefore, articles can be packaged with this film at high speed using an overwrap packaging machine where both heat and pressure are involved.
In accordance with the method of this invention, the composite film having the very desirable characteristics described above can be easily manufactured.

Abstract: (A) a heat-sealable olefinic polymer (e.g. a propylene series copolymer such as propylene-ethylene copolymer, propylene-butene-1 copolymer or propylene-ethylene-butene-1 copolymer)

Abstract: (B) a diorganopolysiloxane (e.g. dimetylpolysiloxane)

Abstract: (C) a fine-powdered heat-resistant resin (e.g. microspheres of a thermosetting resin)

Abstract: (D) a higher fatty acid amide

Abstract: This composite film is excellent in slidability, antistaticity, releasability and clarity and compatible with a high-speed automatic overwrap packaging machine.


A nutrition indicator device includes a plurality of discs mounted on a pin, some of the discs being removable from the pin. Each side of each disc has an empty circular central area, and radially extending rows of numerical nutritional values for foods and the names of foods radially outwardly of such values. An opaque mask with a radially extending window is mounted on the pin for displaying the name of a single food and the nutritional values for a serving of the food when a disc below the mask is rotated to align a food name with the window.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an informational device and in particular to a nutrition indicator device for providing nutritional information with respect to a variety of foods.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There are many people for whom it is important to watch their diets. Such people include diabetics and dieters. In fact, people suffering from diabetes mellitus must constantly monitor their intake of carbohydrates. Doctors and dieticians also find use for a list of foods and their nutritional values when advising patients or others. Accordingly, a need exists for some form of device for providing a quick indication of the nutritional value of foods. Our society indulges in a wide variety of foods on a regular basis. Thus, a booklet or other form of list of foods and their nutritional values could be quite bulky.
3. General Description of the Invention
The object of the present invention is to meet the above-defined need by providing a relatively simple, compact, nutrition indicator device, which, despite its small size, is adapted to carry a large quantity of information.
Accordingly, the invention relates to a nutrition indicator device comprising a pin; a plurality of discs on said pin, said discs having two sides, each of said sides having the names of foods and nutritional information for each of the foods, each food name being radially aligned with the nutritional information, the nutritional information being arranged in a plurality of concentric annular rows nearest the center of the disc, and the names of the foods being arranged in a first annular area externally of and concentric with said annular rows; a radially extending slot in at least some of said discs permitting removal of selected of said discs from the pin, whereby the food names and nutritional information on a disc beneath a removed disc can be viewed; a circular, opaque mask for covering only the nutritional information in said annular rows; an arm extending radially outwardly from said mask for covering a plurality of food names, a window extending radially of said arm a distance sufficient to expose only one food name and the nutritional information with respect to said one food, whereby, when a disc immediately beneath said mask is rotated relative to the mask, the name and nutritional information of only one food appears in said window.


The object of the invention is to prevent reduction of the system capacity caused by the use of a channelization code belonging to the secondary scrambling code. Instead of trying to select a channelization code belonging to each of the primary and secondary scrambling codes for one cell in a conventional manner, selection of a channelization code belonging to the primary scrambling code is tried sequentially for a plurality of cells (S02, S04). If the selection of the code has been failed, it is determined whether selection is tried again under a different condition (S06). Then, when trying again, selection of a channelization code belonging to the secondary scrambling code is tried sequentially for the plurality of cells (S07, S09).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of selecting a spread code in a radio communication system where multiple radio access using spectrum spread is made between a mobile station and a base station and a plurality of cells with different frequency bands exist at the same location, and relates to a radio control device for controlling a plurality of base stations forming a plurality of cells in the radio communication system.
2. Related Background Art
A typical example of a mobile radio communication system where multiple radio access is made using spectrum spread is the W-CDMA (Wideband—Code Division Multiple Access) system in IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunications-2000). In the downlink communication of the W-CDMA system, a cell is identified by a spread code called scrambling code, and a channel is identified by a spread code called channelization code subsidiary to the scrambling code. The spread is a double spread based on these two codes. In addition, channelization codes subsidiary to the same scrambling code can be generated by a rule called OVSF (Orthogonal Variable Spreading Factor), and the orthogonality as OVSF is maintained if there is no time shift. On the other hand, channelization codes subsidiary to different scrambling codes have a correlation with each other regardless of time shift.
Although there is typically one scrambling code for each cell, a method of assigning a plurality of different scrambling codes to the same cell has been devised in order to expand the channelization code resource. Here, the first scrambling code is called "primary scrambling code", and the second and subsequent scrambling codes are called "secondary scrambling codes". In this situation, in general, channelization codes subsidiary to the primary scrambling code are preferentially selected, and only if they are no more available, channelization codes subsidiary to the secondary scrambling code are selected. This is because it is desirable to use channelization codes subsidiary to the same scrambling code as many as possible in order to prevent increase of interference components due to the correlation of the channelization codes and to attempt to secure the system capacity, since channelization codes subsidiary to different scrambling codes, as mentioned above, have a correlation with each other regardless of time shift.
Now, a plurality of frequency bands can be used by direct spread in the W-CDMA system. For example, if a frequency band f1 and a frequency band f2 exist, a cell of f1 and a cell of f2 can be used at the same location as overlaid distinct cells. Here, Japanese patent laid-open publication Heisei 7-23447 proposes the following control. When a mobile station which can use only f2 and a mobile station which can use both f1 and f2 are located together in the same service area, in order to reserve the channelization code resource of f2 for the mobile station which can use only f2, the mobile station which can use both f1 and f2 is allowed to select preferentially channelization codes of the cell of f1, and only when they are no more available, select channelization codes of the cell of f2.
As a method of carrying out such control, a method as shown in FIG. 3 can be contemplated. First, a radio resource selection unit for frequency band f1 tries to select a channelization code belonging to the primary scrambling code of f1 (S31, S32). If the selection has been successful, the selected channelization code is outputted (S40). Otherwise, if the selection has been failed, the same radio resource selection unit for frequency band f1 tries to select a channelization code belonging to the secondary scrambling code of f1 (S33, S34). If the selection has been failed here again, a radio resource selection unit for frequency band f2, in the same way as described above, tries to select a channelization code belonging to the primary scrambling code of f2 (S35, S36) and tries to select a channelization code belonging to the secondary scrambling code of f2 (S37, S38). Nevertheless if the selection has been failed, information indicating "selectable channelization code not found" is outputted (S39).

Radio control device and method of selecting spread code


An electrolyte-gated field effect transistor is disclosed, the transistor comprising an electrolyte including a polymeric ionic liquid analogue. In a preferred embodiment, the transistor further comprises a source electrode, a drain electrode disposed so as to be separated from the source electrode, forming a gap between the source and drain electrodes, a semiconductor layer bridging the gap between the source and drain electrodes and thus forming a transistor channel, and a gate electrode positioned so as to be separated from the source electrode, the drain electrode and the semiconductor layer. In this embodiment, the electrolyte is disposed so as to contact at least a part of both the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer.

In "electronic paper" displays, an active matrix backplane based on Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) is used to address the display front-plane that contains the active display medium, which changes its optical properties in response to the application of an electric field (e.g. in liquid crystalline (LCD) or electrophoretic (EPD) displays), or the passage of electric current (e.g. in electrochromic displays, ECD).
Electrophoretic displays (EPDs) are electric field-driven, i.e. switching requires relatively large voltages (approx. 10V), but only very low current levels. An EPD based on a low-temperature polycrystalline silicon active matrix backplane has recently been presented [see SID International Symposium, Seminar, and Exhibition 2005, Boston, USA; paper 54.3: "A Flexible 2-in. QVGA LTPS-TFT Electrophoretic Display"; H. Kawai, M. Miyasaka, A. Miyazaki, T. Kodaira, S. Inoue, and T. Shimoda of Seiko-Epson Corp., Nagano, Japan, and K. Amundson, R. J. Paolini, Jr., M. D. McCreary, and T. H. Whitesides of E-Ink Corp., MA, USA].
An alternative technology for realizing active matrix backplanes is Organic Field Effect Transistor (OFET) technology, which is based on polymeric, oligomeric, or small molecular semiconducting organic materials. The charge carrier mobility in such organic semiconductors is several orders of magnitude lower than in high-performance inorganic semiconductors such as silicon, which results in correspondingly lower source-drain current levels. Furthermore, due to the larger thickness and lower dielectric constant of the polymeric dielectric layers in OFETs, the gate voltages required for turning the transistor on are higher as compared to silicon TFTs with thin SiO2 dielectric layers. However, the performance of OFETs matches the requirements for driving electrophoretic displays in terms of driving voltage and current levels. Furthermore, an important advantage of OFETs as compared to silicon TFTs is that they can be produced using cost-effective printing technologies (pad, screen, or inkjet printing) for the additive patterning of device components. An example is the inkjet printing of semiconducting polymers to form a transistor channel between source and drain electrodes, and the inkjet printing of silver colloid to form gate electrode lines in top-gate polymer OFETs.
OFETs work in an accumulation mode, i.e. the charge carriers accumulate in the transistor channel in response to the gate voltage applied in the ON-state. In the OFF-state, when no gate voltage is applied, the residual charge carrier concentration (due to unintentional doping of the semiconductor) should be as low as possible in order to avoid cross-talk between neighboring pixels, and in order to maximize the bi-stability of the display pixel switching states.
In contrast to EPDs, electrochromic displays (ECDs) operate at very low driving voltages (0-2V), but require relatively high current levels for switching the pixel coloration states. An active matrix ECD demonstrator comprising inkjet-printed TiO2-particle pixel electrodes, a viologen-based electrochrome, and a polycrystalline silicon TFT back-plane has recently been presented [see SID International Symposium, Seminar and Exhibition 2006, San Francisco, USA; paper 4.5: "The Design and Driving of Active-Matrix Electrochromic Displays Driven by LTPS TFTs", S. W-B. Tam, B. McGregor, and M. Ishida of Cambridge Research Laboratory of Epson, Cambridge, U.K., H. Kawai, S, Nebashi, and T. Shimoda of Seiko-Epson Corp., Nagano, Japan, and D. Corr, U. Bach, N. Leyland, F. Pichot, and P. Brien of NTERA, Ltd., Dublin, Ireland].
A major obstacle in using OFETs as switching transistors for ECDs is the low current output of OFETs. This results in prohibitively long switching times for updating the information content in ECDs based on OFETs.
As discussed above, the low current levels in OFETs are due to the low charge carrier mobility in most organic semiconductors, combined with a relatively low charge carrier concentration in the transistor ON-state. The latter is partly due to the large thickness and low dielectric constants of the dielectric polymer layers commonly used in OFETS. These factors lead to the specific capacitance of the transistor channel in OFETs being small in comparison to silicon TFTs, which also results in high gate voltages of the order of several tens of Volts being required for turning the transistor channel on. Lowering the gate voltage by reducing the thickness of the dielectric layer in an OFET is difficult because a thinner dielectric polymer layer results in increased leakage currents and the risk of a dielectric breakdown. Furthermore, whilst increasing the dielectric constant of the dielectric polymer results in an increased gate capacitance, it generally decreases the charge carrier mobility at the semiconductor-dielectric interface [see "Low-k Insulators as the Choice of Dielectrics in Organic Field-Effect Transistors", J. Veres, S. D. Ogier, S. W. Leeming, D. C. Cupertino, S. Mohialdin Khaffaf, Adv. Funct. Mat. 13, 199 (2003)].
Another problem encountered with OFETs is the fact that the charge carrier mobility of the organic semiconductor material is often decreased by the occurrence of a mixed semiconductor-insulator region at the semiconductor-dielectric interface. Thus, the solvents used for depositing successive layers of an OFET during device fabrication have to be carefully selected in order to minimize the intermixing at the interfaces (i.e. by choosing "orthogonal solvents"). Specifically, during the fabrication of OFETs, orthogonal solvents must be used for successively depositing the semiconductor layer (e.g. aromatic solvents for ADS2008 as supplied by "American Dye Source, Inc.", ADS), the dielectric layer (e.g. alcohol-based solvents for polyvinylphenol), and the gate electrode (e.g water-based PEDOT-PSS or silver colloids), without dissolving the preceding layers.
The above problem is particularly acute when the semiconductor material is soluble in a wide range of organic solvents. In this case, the formation of a sharp interface between the semiconductor and the dielectric layer, which is a pre-requisite for achieving high charge carrier mobility in OFETs, may be impossible.
Whereas the low current levels provided by OFETs are presently not sufficient to drive ECD pixels, an alternative technology based on electrochemical transistors (ECTs) has been demonstrated to provide high current levels. In such ECTs, the transistor channel is bridged by an electrochemically active, conducting polymer such as p-doped PEDOT-PSS. Adjacent to the conducting polymer layer, an electronically insulating but ionically conducting electrolyte layer in contact with a counter electrode ("gate electrode") allows an electric field to be applied to the electrochemically active material in the transistor channel (the "working electrode", in terms of electrochemistry), thus changing its oxidation state. When the conducting polymer is reduced from its p-doped (conducting) form to its neutral (semiconducting) form, the conductivity drops drastically.
ECTs based on conducting polymers, which are stable in their p-doped state, operate in a depletion mode. Prior to application of the gate voltage, the transistor is in an electrochemically stabilized ON-state, where negatively charged counterions are present in the bulk of the conjugated polymer, balancing the positive charges on the polymer chains, and thereby allowing for much higher charge carrier densities as compared to conventional OFETs in their ON-state. Due to this increased charge carrier density, ECTs can deliver much higher current levels than OFETs. Application of a positive gate voltage relative to the source contact switches the transistor channel from its initially p-doped ON-state to its electrochemically reduced OFF-state [see US2006202289, WO03047009, WO02071505 and SE0100748].
For p-doped PEDOT-PSS, conductivities in excess of 500 S/cm can be achieved [see H. Elschner of H. C. Starck GmbH, Germany, "High conductive PEDOT/PSS—a polymeric alternative to inorganic TCO"; presented at the "XIIIth. International Seminar: Commercial Applications of Conductive Polymers", Oct. 9-11, 2006, at the Villa La Pietra, Florence, Italy], while the conductivity drops to below 0.01 S/cm upon reduction to the neutral state of PEDOT [see J. R. Reynolds, and M. C. Morvant, Synth. Met. 92, 57 (1998)]. For ECTs based on PEDOT-PSS and operating with highly resistive electrolytes, ON/OFF ratios exceeding 105 have been reported [see D. Nilsson, M. Chen, T. Kugler, T. Remonen, M. Armgarth, and M. Berggren, Adv. Mater. 14, 51 (2002)].
Another variant of ECTs is based on organic semiconductors that are stable in their neutral, non-doped state, i.e. the same organic semiconductor materials as are commonly used in OFETs [see T. Masateru and K. Tomoji, "Vertical electrochemical transistor based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and cyanoethylpullulan", Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 3298 (2004); S. Chao and M. S. Wrighton, "Solid State Microelectrochemistry: Electrical Characteristics of a Solid State Microelectrochemical Transistor Based on Poly(3-methylthiophene)", J. Am. Chem. Soc. 109, 6627 (1987); and T. G. Bäcklund, H. G. O, Sandberg, R. Österbacka, and H. Stubb, "Current modulation of a hygroscopic insulator organic field-effect transistor", Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 3887 (2004)].
Furthermore, an electrochemical transistor based on a hydrogen-terminated diamond layer as an inorganic semiconductor which is gated by a water-based liquid electrolyte has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,833,059.
As in ECTs based on conducting polymers, the neutral organic semiconductor in the transistor channel is gated electrochemically with an electrolyte comprising mobile ions. However, these devices work in an accumulative mode, i.e. prior to the application of the gate voltage, the transistor is in its non-doped OFF-state. Applying a negative voltage to the gate (counter) electrode then results in electrochemical doping of the transistor channel and switching to the ON-state.
Both variants of ECTs have the benefit of operating at very small gate voltages (0V to −2V). The electrochemical doping and de-doping processes of the material in the transistor channel are driven by the potential applied between the gate (counter) electrode and the polymer in the transistor channel (working electrode). In contrast to OFETs, where the electric field extends throughout the dielectric layer between the transistor channel and the gate electrode, the electric field in electrolyte-gated ECTs is confined to the electrolytic double layer capacitances formed at the interfaces between the electrolyte and the transistor channel and gate electrode, respectively. As the specific capacitance of electrolytic double layers (μF/cm2) is far larger than the specific capacitance in conventional OFETs (nF/cm2), the gate voltages required for switching ECTs are drastically reduced as compared to OFETs [see M. J. Panzer, C. R. Newman, and C. D. Frisbie, "Low-voltage operation of a pentacene field-effect transistor with a polymer electrolyte gate dielectric", Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 103503 (2005)].
Furthermore, the amplitude of the conductivity change in ECTs is independent of the distance between the gate electrode and the transistor channel, i.e. the thickness of the electrolyte layer. This allows lateral transistor configurations to be used, where the gate electrode is patterned from the same PEDOT-PSS layer as the source and drain contacts, at a distance of millimeters from a conjugated polymer channel [see D. Nilsson, M. Chen, T. Kugler, T. Remonen, M. Armgarth, and M. Berggren, "Bi-stable and Dynamic Current Modulation in Electrochemical Organic Transistors", Adv. Mater. 14, 51 (2002)].
The doping state within a conjugated polymer in the transistor channel of an ECT depends on its electrical potential relative to the potential of the surrounding electrolyte (which is controlled by the gate counter electrode). When a voltage is applied between the source and drain contacts, the difference between the electrical potential within the conjugated polymer and the surrounding electrolyte changes along the transistor channel. Consequently, the degree of doping within the transistor channel becomes a function of the position relative to the source and drain electrodes. This variation of the doping degree as a function of position results in a concomitant change of the local conductivity within the transistor channel, and the occurrence of current saturation (pinch-off) at low source-drain voltages (i.e. when the magnitude of the source-drain voltage |VDS| less than the magnitude of the gate voltage |VG|) in the output characteristics of ECTs [see N. D. Robinson, P.-O. Svensson, D. Nilsson, and M. Berggren, "On the Current Saturation Observed in Electrochemical Polymer Transistors", J. Electrochem. Soc. 153H39 (2006)].
The use of electrolytes for addressing the transistor channel in ECTs, replacing the dielectric layer of OFETs, solves the problems of the low charge carrier concentrations and current levels of OFETs. Instead of dropping over the entire thickness of the dielectric layer, the potential difference between the gate electrode and the semiconductor material in the transistor channel of an ECT drops within the electrolytic double layer capacitances that are formed at the interfaces between the electrolyte and the gate electrode, and the electrolyte and the semiconductor in the transistor channel. As the thickness of these electrolytic double layer capacitances is far less than the thickness of the dielectric polymer layers commonly used in OFETs, the electric field strength within the electrolytic double layers, and hence the specific capacitance of the electrolytic double layers, are far larger than the electric field and the gate capacitance in conventional OFETs (of the order of μF/cm2 instead of nF/cm2). Correspondingly, the charge carrier concentration for a given gate voltage is drastically increased by the use of ECTs, and the gate voltages required for switching ECTs are drastically reduced as compared to OFETs.
Furthermore, the influx of counter-ions from the electrolyte into the bulk of the semiconductor in the transistor channel of an ECT during electrochemical doping stabilizes the charge carriers in the semiconductor material and thereby allows for even higher charge carrier concentrations.
However, a problem arises in the use of ECTs due to the electrochemical degradation of organic semiconductors in common electrolytes. The accumulation of holes (i.e. the formation of reactive carbo-cations, in chemical terminology) in the semiconductor material of an ECT at highly positive potentials often results in chemical reactions with species in the electrolyte, resulting in the disruption of the conjugated system and the irreversible loss of electrochemical activity. An example is the electrochemical degradation of polyaniline, which may occur very rapidly in aqueous electrolytes, due to nucleophilic attacks that result in the hydrolysis of the polymer chain.
Likewise, polythiophene films are easily "over-oxidised" in water-containing electrolytes, with both the degree of "over-oxidation" and the potential at which it occurs being highly dependent on the amount of water present in the electrolyte. The mechanism proposed to explain the "over-oxidation" of polythiophenes involves the oxidation of the sulphur atoms in the thiophene rings, followed by elimination of SO2 [see "Anodic overoxidation of polythiophenes in wet acetonitrile electrolytes", Barsch, U. and F. Beck, Electrochimica Acta 41, 1761 (1996)].
In addition, the stability of the electrolyte itself is a major problem for electrochemical transistors (ECTs). Electrolytes need to have a constant, high ionic conductivity, a large electrochemical window within which the electrolyte is neither reduced nor oxidized at the cathode or anode, fast ion mobility during the redox intercalation/de-intercalation reactions, low volatility, and environmental stability.
Whilst proton-conductors allow for high ionic conductivities (e.g. Nafion displays 0.1 S/cm), acidic electrolytes are easily reduced at the cathode and result in the formation of hydrogen. Another issue with both water-based and organic solvent-based electrolytes is that they will eventually dry out and therefore require hermetic encapsulation to ensure a long device lifetime. The problem of solvent evaporation can be circumvented by using polymer-based solid electrolytes (such as Li salts dissolved in polyethylene oxide (PEO)). However, such solid electrolytes display comparatively low ionic conductivities.
A further problem with ECTs relates to their low operation frequencies and the occurrence of hysteresis during switching. The influx of counter-ions from the electrolyte into the bulk of the semiconductor in the transistor channel during the electrochemical doping of ECTs stabilizes the charge carriers in the semiconductor material. This provides the advantage of high charge carrier concentrations and high source-drain current levels in ECTs.
However, the disadvantage is that the diffusion of the counter-ions into the bulk of the semiconductor material limits the switching speed of ECTs. Furthermore, the electrochemical doping of the semiconductor in the transistor channel results in a memory effect, i.e. the ECT remains in the ON-state when a negative gate bias is first applied and then disconnected [see D. Nilsson, M. Chen, T. Kugler, T. Remonen, M. Armgarth, and M. Berggren "Bi-stable and Dynamic Current Modulation in Electrochemical Organic Transistors", Adv. Mater. 14, 51 (2002)].
Still another problem with electrolyte-gated ECTs is that ions can diffuse from the electrolyte into other device components. The performance of electric field-driven devices such as electrophoretic displays (EPDs) deteriorates in the presence of mobile ions, which result in ionic leakage currents and hysteresis effects. Therefore, great care has to be taken to encapsulate the electrolytes of ECTs when they are used in combination with electric field-driven devices.
Recently, an electrolyte-gated field-effect transistor based on a p-type semiconducting polymer that is gated via a polyanionic proton conductor has been developed [see E. Said et al., "Polymer field-effect transistor gated via a poly(styrenesulfonic acid) thin film, Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 143507 (2006)]. In analogy to the ECTs based on semiconducting polymers described above, the application of very small gate voltages (less than 1V) is sufficient to result in the formation of large electrolytic double layer capacitances at the interfaces between the semiconductor-electrolyte and electrolyte-gate electrode interfaces. Hence the gate voltage required to switch the transistor on is very small.
However, as the electrolyte in this prior art transistor only comprises immobile polymeric anions that cannot diffuse into the bulk of the semiconductor layer, the (rate limiting) electrochemical doping and de-doping of the semiconductor layer that occurs in ECTs is prevented. This device is therefore not an electrochemical device, but rather a Field Effect Transistor (FET) gated by an electrolyte.
In combination with the high ionic conductivity of the proton conducting electrolyte, the prevention of electrochemical doping and de-doping allows for fast response times of the order of milliseconds, and corresponding device operation in the kHz frequency range, whilst maintaining the low driving voltages commonly observed for electrochemical transistors (ECTs). However, as the electrochemical doping of the transistor channel is prevented, the current levels in electrolyte-gated FETs are comparable to the low current levels in conventional OFETs.
The prior art electrolyte-gated FET suffers from very low charge carrier mobility. Furthermore, the transistor is limited to using a p-type semiconductor to form the transistor channel because the electrolyte is polyanionic. Hence, using an n-type semiconductor would allow electrochemical doping to occur in the channel, making the transistor an ECT rather than a FET. Finally, the acidic poly(styrenesulfonic acid) electrolyte used in the prior art electrolyte-gated FET tends to be reduced at the part of the transistor forming the cathode in use, forming hydrogen. This effect decreases the lifetime of the transistor.