A recording medium includes a substrate, and a recording layer formed on the substrate having (a) a recording track band, and (b) recording cells regularly arrayed in the recording track band to form a plurality rows of sub-tracks. The recording cells included in each sub-track are formed apart from each other at a pitch P in the track direction. Nearest neighboring two recording cells, each positioned on adjacent two sub-tracks in the track band, are formed apart from each other at a pitch P/n in the track direction, where 2≦n≦5.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium capable of high-density recording, a method of manufacturing a recording medium, and a recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information handled by users is being markedly increased by drastic improvement in functions of information apparatuses such as personal computers. Under the circumstances, demands for an information recording-reproducing apparatus with a drastically improved recording density are being made higher and higher. In order to improve the recording density, it is necessary to miniaturize the size of a single recording cell or a recording mark, which constitutes the writing unit of recording on the recording medium. However, the miniaturization of the recording cell or the recording mark faces a series difficulty in the conventional recording medium.
For example, in a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk, a polycrystalline material having a wide grain size distribution is used for forming the recording layer. However, the recording is rendered unstable in the recording layer formed of small polycrystalline grains because of thermal fluctuations of the crystal. Therefore, if the recording cell is small, recording is rendered unstable and noise generation is increased, though a problem is not generated in the case where the recording cell is large. The unstable recording and the increased noise generation are brought about because, if the recording cell is small, the number of crystals contained in the recording cell is rendered small and interaction among the recording cells is rendered relatively large.
This is also the case with an optical recording medium using a phase change material. Specifically, recording is rendered unstable and medium noise is increased in a recording density not lower than several hundred gigabits per square inch, in which the recording mark size is substantially equal to the grain size of the phase change material.
In order to avoid the difficulties pointed out above, proposed in the field of the magnetic recording is a patterned media, in which a recording material is divided in advance by a non-recording material so as to carry out a recording-reproducing by using a single recording material particle as a single recording cell, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,587,223, 5,956,216 and 6,162,532.
However, a lithography technique is used in the conventional method of forming the structure in which the recording material particles are isolated. It is certainly possible for optical lithography to cope with the requirement of a high recording density in terms of throughput because single step exposure can be employed. However, the optical lithography is hard to process recording cells sufficiently small in size. Electron beam lithography or a focused ion beam permit fine processing of about 10 nm. However, it is difficult to put these techniques into practical use in view of the processing cost and the processing speed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 10-320772 discloses a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium having isolated magnetic fine particles formed on a substrate by lithography technology using a mask of fine particles having a size of several nanometers to several micrometers, which are two-dimensionally arrayed on a substrate. The method provides a cheap manufacturing method of a patterned media.
A method of ordering fine particles two-dimensionally on a substrate is proposed in, for example, S. Hung et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 38 (1999) pp. L473–L476. It is proposed that a substrate is coated with fine particles covered with long-chain alkyl groups so as to permit a relatively uniform single particle layer to be formed to cover a large area by utilizing autoagglutination of the fine particles during drying.
Also known is a method of forming a regular array structure on a substrate by utilizing a self-ordering phase separation structure formed by a block copolymer, as reported in, for example, M. Park et al., Science 276 (1997) 1401. It is reported that, in a block copolymer such as polystyrene-block-polybutadiene or polystyrene-block-polyisoprene, it is possible to leave the polystyrene block alone by ozone treatment, and to form a structure of holes or a line-and-space on the substrate by using the left polystyrene block as an etching mask.
In a film-forming method in which self-ordering particles such as fine particles or block copolymer are arrayed two-dimensionally on a substrate, it is possible to obtain a structure in which the self-ordering particles are microscopically arrayed to form a lattice. However, many defects and crystal boundaries are present macroscopically so as to form a lattice directed at random, resulting in failure to achieve practical recording/reproducing.
Also, in the conventional magnetic recording medium having a uniform structure, signals are written at a predetermined interval. Therefore, even if a write error takes place, the recording cells are rendered defective only partly, making it possible to read out the written information at the same time interval in the entire system. On the other hand, when it comes to the patterned media in which the recording cells are formed in advance, it is necessary to perform the processing such that the distances between the adjacent recording cells are rendered constant. Even if it is possible to manufacture a patterned media utilizing the self-ordering particles, it is necessary to form a single regular array free from an internal disturbance or defect in the entire region. However, where ordering processes have taken place from two different sites within the same region, a regular triangular lattice is formed inside each of the self-ordering array. However, the lattice position of one of these two self-ordering arrays does not match with the lattice position of the other self-ordering array. As a result, discontinuity of the lattices is generated in the connecting area of the adjacent self-ordering arrays. Since the read interval of the recording cells differs in the discontinuous portion of the lattices, reproduction of information is rendered difficult. As described above, a region where the array is disturbed is generated as a defect inherent in the recording medium utilizing the self-ordering array, with the result that it is necessary to establish a method of avoiding read errors for using the particular recording medium.
It should also be noted that the track density is increased with increase in the recording density so as to make it very difficult to write servo marks for tracking. A method of achieving a high track density is proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 6-111502. It is proposed that a servo pattern for tracking is formed in advance in the disk as a physical irregular pattern. In this method, formed is a track close to a true circle, making it possible to increase the track density, compared with the conventional HDD. However, when it comes to a high recording density such as 100-giga(G) bpsi to 1-tera(T) bpsi, it is difficult to form the servo pattern by cheap lithography. Further, in the recording medium utilizing the self-ordering, a regular array structure inherent in the self-ordering particles is formed in the track. It follows that it is impossible for the conventional tracking method to access the recording cells formed of self-ordering particles.
As described above, patterned media are an effective means for realizing a high recording density of the order of Tbpsi. However, a method that permits the manufacture of a pattern with a low cost and with a high throughput has not yet been established. Also, the method using the self-ordering of a material permits the manufacture of a pattern with a low cost and with a high throughput. However, a medium having an entirely arrayed structure to permit access to recorded data has not yet been obtained.

Method of manufacturing recording medium


A discharge circuit for an EMI filter capacitor, wherein the EMI filter capacitor is coupled between input terminals of a switching converter. The discharge circuit has a detecting circuit and a current source. The detecting circuit is configured to detect whether an electrical source is coupled to the input terminals of the switching converter. The current source is coupled between the input terminals of the switching converter and a power supply capacitor, and is configured to provide a power supply voltage across the power supply capacitor. When the electrical source is uncoupled from the input terminals of the switching converter, the EMI filter capacitor is discharged by the current source.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters are often used in switching converters to reduce the amount of EMI. The EMI filter often includes capacitors, such as X capacitors, coupled between the input terminals of the switching converter. When an electrical source is uncoupled from the input terminals of the switching converter, the voltage across the X capacitor may be maintained high and be risky to persons who touch the switching converter after the electrical source has been uncoupled.
To minimize the risk, one or more discharge resistors are normally coupled across the X capacitor to reduce the voltage of the X capacitor to a safe threshold value (e.g. 50V) when the electrical source is uncoupled from the switching converter. However, power is continually dissipated on the discharge resistors even when the electrical source is coupled to the switching converter, which definitely reduces the efficiency of the switching converter, especially under light load and no load conditions.

Discharge circuits for EMI filters capacitors and methods thereof

Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.


A system and method for authenticating a caller may include receiving an incoming call from the caller, determining a gender of the caller, and selecting, based on the determined gender, to search for the caller in one of: a watchlist of untrustworthy female callers, and a watchlist of untrustworthy male callers.

Call or contact centers need to validate and/or authenticate callers. For example, prior to disclosing sensitive (e.g., medical or financial) information to a caller, an agent needs to be sure that s/he is speaking to the owner of the information, e.g., by authenticating or validating the identity of the caller. For example, voice biometrics (VB) technology is used by call centers in order to authenticate callers. VB is a technology that verifies an identity (e.g., of a caller) based on a recognition of voice patterns which are particular to each individual. For example, in order to verify that a caller is indeed who s/he says s/he is, a VB engine in a call center may match a stored voice print (voiceprint) of a caller with the caller's voice or audio content as captured during a call, if the caller's voice attributes match the stored voice print, then the caller is considered validated and/or authenticated, otherwise, the caller may be considered untrustworthy.
However, current systems and methods suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, a watchlist including voice prints of known hackers or attackers may be maintained by current or known systems, and an incoming call is matched against the watchlist in order to identify attackers. However, a list of known attackers may be very long, accordingly, matching a call against the watchlist becomes a problem e.g., increasing authentication delay and/or computational requirements.
Another drawback of current and/or known systems and methods relates to accuracy of results, e.g., the accuracy with which systems and methods identify frauds or attacks. As watchlists in which callers are searched for grow bigger, the accuracy with which attackers are identified is decreased since as the number of comparisons done increases, the accuracy of results decreases, at least statistically speaking.
Yet another drawback of current and/or known systems and methods relates to searching for an attacker in recorded calls. For example, calls may be recorded according to (or in association with) an account, e.g., a bank account. In order to search for an attacker who tried to attack a number of accounts, current systems and methods need to match a voice print of the attacker with each of the recorded calls in a system, accordingly, when the number of recorded calls in a system is large (e.g., millions of recorded calls) searching for an attacker in a database may require substantial time and computation resources.

System and method for gender based authentication of a caller


A cylinder manufacturing process including the steps of: pressing an annular member of steel onto the outer circumference of one end of a cylindrical tube, which is made of steel and cut to a desired length in advance, and soldering it with a metal solder to form a flange wall; inserting the cylindrical tube portion into that portion of a mold, which has an internal diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of the tube; pressing the tube radially, while being set by fixing the flange wall, to increase the diameter of the tube with a plug which is made movable while being fitted therein and which has a slightly larger diameter than the internal diameter of the tube; and finishing the other end of the tube to product sizes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a process for manufacturing a cylinder liner forming the sliding wall of a piston in an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a manufacturing process of this kind of the prior art, a thick cylinder is prepared of cast iron by a centrifugal casting method and is largely cut at its inner and outer circumferences-and at its end faces to form the cylinder and a flange wall on the outer circumferential portion at its one end. In another method using a steel pipe, the cylindrical tube is formed with the flange wall by folding one end of the tube outward.
In the former method of the prior art, however, a substantial material is cut at the inner and outer circumferences and so on to invite a drop of the yield, and there arises a problem of deteriorating the productivity. In the latter method, on the other hand, the width of the flange wall cannot be enlarged because the flange wall is formed by folding the cylinder outward, and the thickness is smaller at the flange wall than at the cylindrical tube body so that the flange wall has a tendency to have an insufficient mechanical strength. At the same time, the flange wall obtained is insufficient due to the fine cracking in the circumference thereof. Moreover, the cylindrical tube is liable to be bent inward at the folded portion or in the vicinity of the inner circumference of the cylindrical tube. This raises a problem that the portion in the vicinity of the inner circumferential portion has a tendency of being thinned by the subsequent honing step.


A server stores multiple configuration data. A tester hardware is configured to be capable of changing at least a part of its functions according to configuration data stored in rewritable nonvolatile memory, to supply a power supply voltage to a DUT, to transmit a signal to the DUT, and to receive a signal from the DUT. An information technology equipment is configured such that, (i) when the test system is set up, the information technology equipment acquires the configuration data from the server according to the user's input, and writes the configuration data to the nonvolatile memory. Furthermore, the information technology equipment is configured such that, (ii) when the DUT is tested, the information technology equipment executes a test program so as to control the tester hardware, and to process data acquired by the tester hardware.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various kinds of semiconductor devices are known which are employed in various kinds of electronic devices. Examples of such semiconductor devices include: (i) memory devices such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), flash memory, and the like; (ii) processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), a micro-controller, and the like; and (iii) multifunctional devices such as a digital/analog mixed device, SoC (System On Chip), and the like. In order to test such semiconductor devices, a semiconductor test apparatus (which will also be referred to simply as "test apparatus") is employed.
The test items for such semiconductor devices can be broadly classified into (i) functional verification tests (which will also be referred to simply as the "functional tests") and (ii) DC (Direct Current) tests. With a functional verification test, judgment is made whether or not a DUT (device under test) operates normally according to its design. Examples of such a functional verification test include identification of defect positions, and acquisition of evaluation values which indicate the performance of the DUT. Examples of such a DC test include DUT leak current measurement, operation current (power supply current) measurement, breakdown voltage measurement, and the like.
The functional verification test and the DC test have various kinds of specific content for each of the various kinds of semiconductor devices. For example, in the memory functional verification test, first, a predetermined test pattern is written to the memory. Subsequently, the data thus written to the DUT is read out from the memory, and the data thus read out is compared with an expected value so as to generate pass/fail data which represents the comparison result. Although RAM and flash memory are both memory devices, different test patterns are written to the RAM and the flash memory. Furthermore, there is a difference in the writing/readout data units and the writing/readout sequence between the RAM test and the flash memory test.
In a D/A converter functional verification test, a digital signal is supplied to the input terminal of the D/A converter while sweeping the digital signal value in a predetermined range. With such an arrangement, an analog voltage is output from the D/A converter according to the respective digital values, and the analog voltage values thus output are measured. As a result, the offset voltage or the gain is measured.
On the other hand, in an A/D converter functional verification test, an analog voltage is supplied to the input terminal of the A/D converter while sweeping the analog voltage in a predetermined range. With such an arrangement, digital values are output from the A/D converter according to the respective analog voltage values, and the digital values thus output are measured. As a result, the INL (Integral Nonlinearity) or DNL (Differential Nonlinearity) is measured.
Micro-controllers, digital/analog mixed devices, SoC, and the like, each include various kinds of built-in components such as RAM, flash memory, a D/A converter, and an A/D converter. Thus, there is a need to perform respective functional verification tests for the built-in components.
Furthermore, in many cases, a boundary scan test is executed for such a semiconductor device.
In the present specification, the test item, test pattern format, test sequence, test condition, and the like, are included in the concept that will be referred to as the "test algorithm".
With conventional techniques, there are commercially available test apparatuses each designed as a dedicated test apparatus or an optimized test apparatus for each kind of such a semiconductor device, or for each test item. Thus, the user, i.e., the designer or the manufacturer of such a semiconductor device must purchase a test apparatus configured to support a particular kind of DUT and particular test items. Furthermore, in order to execute a test item which is not supported as a standard test item by a given test apparatus, the user must purchase an additional hardware component required for the test item, and must install the additional hardware component on the test apparatus.
In addition, the test apparatus cannot operate on its own. That is to say, there is a need to install a test program on the test apparatus so as to control the test apparatus. With conventional techniques, in order to execute the user's desired test, the user must develop a test program for controlling the test apparatus using a software development support tool, which is a burden on the user.
In particular, in many cases, the format is modified when the generation changes. In some cases, the test algorithm must be changed every time the standard is changed. In other words, the user must personally modify an enormous amount of test programming every time the standard is changed.
Furthermore, conventional test apparatuses are designed mainly for the purpose of testing during mass production. Thus, such conventional test apparatuses have a problem of a large size and a problem of an extremely high cost. This prevents such a test apparatus from effectively being applied to the design phase and the development phase before the mass production phase. Conventionally, in order to test a semiconductor device in the development phase, the user must separately prepare a power supply apparatus, an arbitrary waveform generator, an oscilloscope, a digitizer, and the like, and must combine these components so as to construct a test system of the user's own before the user measures the desired characteristics. For example, let us consider a case in which the user desires to test only a leak current of a processor. Conventional processor test apparatuses each have a function for measuring the leak current. However, it is unrealistic to purchase and employ such a large-size and high-cost test apparatus only for the leak current measurement. Thus, conventionally, the user must construct a measurement system using a power supply apparatus configured to generate a power supply voltage for a processor, an ammeter configured to measure a leak current, and a controller configured to control the processor to be set to a desired state (vector).
On the other hand, in a case in which the user desires to evaluate an A/D converter, the user must construct a measurement system using a power supply configured to generate a power supply voltage for the A/D converter, and an arbitrary waveform generator configured to control the input voltage to be input to the A/D converter.
Such a test system thus constructed for particular purposes has a problem of poor versatility. Furthermore, such a test system leads to a problem of complicated control operations and a problem of complicated data processing.
It should be noted that the problems described above have been uniquely studied by the present inventors, and are by no means within the scope of common and general knowledge of those skilled in this art.


A capacitor structure including a substrate, a butting conductive layer, a second dielectric layer, a plurality of openings, a bottom electrode layer, a capacitor dielectric layer, a top electrode layer, and a second metal interconnect layer is provided. The substrate has a first dielectric layer and a first metal interconnect layer located in the first dielectric layer in a non-capacitor region. The butting conductive layer is disposed over the first dielectric layer in a capacitor region. The second dielectric layer is disposed over the first dielectric layer and covers the butting conductive layer. The openings include a first opening exposing a portion of the butting conductive layer and a second opening exposing the first metal interconnect layer. The bottom electrode layer, the capacitor dielectric layer, and the top electrode layer are conformally stacked in the first opening sequentially. The second metal interconnect layer is disposed in the openings.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device structure and a fabricating method thereof, and more particularly to a capacitor structure and a fabricating method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Capacitors are indispensable components in an integrated circuit. In the design and process of the capacitors, capacitance and disposal area of the capacitors must be taken into account. Therefore, it is an important topic in the integrated circuit design to propose a capacitor structure having a high integrity and high capacitance in the current integrated circuit process, so as to increase the effective surface area and improve the capacitor performance when the area occupied by the capacitor is gradually reduced.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional capacitor structure.
Referring to FIG. 1, the capacitor structure includes dielectric layers 100, 108, 122, barrier layers 102, 124, metal interconnects 104a, 104b, 126a, 126b, etching stop layers 106, 110, and a capacitor pattern 120. The etching stop layers 106, 110 are respectively disposed between the dielectric layers 100 and 108 and between the dielectric layers 108 and 122. The metal interconnects 104a, 104b are disposed in the dielectric layer 100, and the barrier layer 102 is disposed between the metal interconnects 104a, 104b and the dielectric layer 100. The bottom electrode layer 114, the capacitor dielectric layer 116, and the top electrode layer 118 are disposed in the opening 112 in the dielectric layer 108 sequentially, so as to form a capacitor pattern 120, and the bottom electrode layer 114 is electrically connected to the metal interconnect 104a. The metal interconnect 126a is disposed in the dielectric layer 122, and is electrically connected to the top electrode layer 118 through a barrier layer 124. The metal interconnect 126b is disposed in the dielectric layers 122, 108, and is electrically connected to the metal interconnect 104b through the barrier layer 124. The surface area of the bottom electrode layer 114 and the top electrode layer 118 of the capacitor pattern 120 is increased, thereby increasing the capacitance of the capacitor.
However, in the above conventional capacitor structure, the openings used to form the capacitor pattern 120, metal interconnects 126a and 126b are accomplished by use different photo masks respectively, and the metal interconnect 104a is electrically connected to a bias via other external lead wire design. Therefore, the conventional fabricating method of the capacitor structure is quite complex and more photo masks are used, and thus the manufacturing cost is high.

Capacitor structure having butting conductive layer


Described are optical fibers and scanning fiber displays comprising optical fibers. The disclosed optical fibers include a plurality of mass adjustment regions, such as gas-filled regions, positioned between a central waveguiding element and an outer periphery for reducing a mass of the optical fiber as compared to an optical fiber lacking the plurality of mass adjustment regions.

Optical fibers have been employed for a variety of uses, including communication, sensors, and imaging. Optical fibers of various constructions exist and generally include a waveguide structure, such as a waveguide made of a central core and a surrounding cladding layer, with additional buffer and jacket layers optionally included to provide protection during handling or exposure to environmental conditions. Additional optical fiber designs and optimizations are needed to improve and expand the variety of applications that optical fibers are or can be employed in.

Microstructured fiber optic oscillator and waveguide for fiber scanner


A method of producing long size preform is disclosed in which: a long size cylindrical collector extended in a manner penetrating a chamber is moved lengthwise thereof while it is rotated; a preheated metal layer is formed on the outer periphery of the collector by adhering a molten metal to the collector within the chamber at the upstream side in the traveling direction of the collector; and a molten metal is caused to be cumulated by spray deposit on the metal layer formed on the outer periphery of the collector by spraying the molten metal from the ceiling within the chamber at the downstream side in the traveling direction of the collector by way of an atomizer which ejects an inert gas. By using this method, porosity occurring on the collector side of the preform may be inhibited.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to manufacturing methods of a long size round preform (including clad material) and sheet preform (including clad material) by means of spray deposit.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a forming method of preform (preliminarily shaped material), spray deposit method is conventionally known in which a molten metal is atomized using an inert gas so that the finely broken droplets are rapidly cooled and solidified while they are sprayed to be deposited on a collector. (See, for example, Japanese patent Examined Publication Nos. 54-29985, 56-12220 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 64-15264). In comparison to an ordinary casting, the spray deposit method is characterized for example by: formation of uniform microstructure due to rapid cooling and solidification; free from macrosegregation; and excellent workability and forgeability.
Further, production methods with simplified rolling process are generally known in production of sheet preform (strip), i.e., such as single roll system, roll belt system, twin roll system, and twin belt system are known as special types of continuous casting facility where melting .fwdarw. continuous casting .fwdarw. rolling are consistently performed.
When a long size round preform is formed by a conventional spray deposit method, less porosity is achieved and a preform with higher density is obtained and at the same time productivity is higher comparing to thermal spraying in which a laminated coat is formed by spraying particle groups of a molten metal to the surface of a clad material.
If such rapid cooling and solidification are excessively performed, however, porosity appears and a high density preform is hardly obtained. Presumably, the cause of such porosity is that, if cooling by gas is excessively performed, the ratio of solid phase particles to the particles to be cumulated on the preform is increased and the number of liquid phase and semi-liquid particles that are to fill the gap between the solid phase particles is reduced whereby the gap between the solid phase particles remains as it is to cause porosity. Further it is presumed that, when the temperature of a particle is relatively low, the particle is less likely to be flattened at the time of its collision and a part is formed which is hidden from the particles that will come next. Such hidden part is filled if those particles coming next are at a sufficiently high temperature to have proper liquid area. But porosity appears if particles temperature is too low or if the density of the particles is relatively low, because the particles coming next are unable to completely fill the gap between former particles.
Although, as described, the cause of occurrence of porosity in a preform is presumably related to temperature, its cause is not yet clear-cut. For example, when a round preform is manufactured, porous layer often appears in the interface of a tube-forming collector. From this analysis, it is assumed that the particles contacting the collector are lowered in temperature and porosity is caused due to the reason as described above.
Thus, preheating of the collector is to be considered. Application of such as high-frequency heating or plasma heating as the method of preheating, however, causes discontinuity of preheating (i.e. temperature difference in the longitudinal direction) in the case of a tube-like long size article and the occurrence of local porosity still remains as a problem.
On the other hand, use of the above-described single-roll type continuous casting (single roll type strip caster) as the method for obtaining a sheet preform is simple in structure and at the same time is capable of providing a relatively large cooling area. It thus has an advantage of higher productivity for example comparing to a twin roll type strip caster. It is difficult, however, to control the thickness, and, since the cooling rate at the roll side and the cooling rate at surface side of the strip are different, defects are easily caused at the superficial portion of the strip.
Moreover, there is also a problem that its productivity is significantly lower comparing to an ordinary continuous casting facility which produces cast pieces such as of slab or billet.
Further, spray deposit method is also known as a manufacturing method of sheet preform. With the spray deposit method, however, porosity appears and a preform having high density cannot be obtained when rapid cooling and solidification are excessively performed, as is the case as described in forming a long size round preform.
Thus, the present inventor has already proposed a manufacturing method of composite metal material using spray deposit method, as described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 64-15264. The manufacturing method is thereby disclosed in which a separately prepared molten metal to be used for preheating is caused to flow down on a plate base metal to form a coating layer on the base metal prior to spray deposit for a different metal and spray flow is then cumulated on this coating layer for the different metal. In such manufacturing method, a coating layer of preheating molten metal is interposed to increase the joining force between the different metal and the base material. Thus, while formation of a preform integrally incorporated into the base material is possible, there is a problem that it is impossible to continuously obtain a formed product having a plate preform layer.

Method of producing long size preform using spray deposit


An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is described for performing nonlinear echo signal imaging with intermodulation product (sum or difference frequency) components. The system includes a digital transmitter which develops digital waveforms for two frequencies of a transmit beam. The digital waveforms are combined, converted to analog waveforms, and applied as transmit signals to the elements of a transducer array. In an alternate embodiment, a library of digital, multifrequency waveforms is maintained, from which a desired digital waveform is selected, converted to an analog waveform, and applied as transmit signals to the elements of a transducer array.

This invention relates to ultrasonic diagnostic imaging systems and, in particular, to ultrasonic diagnostic imaging systems which transmit different ultrasonic frequencies for ultrasonic sum and difference frequency imaging.
Harmonic imaging is in widespread use in ultrasonic imaging today because of the advantages in signal segmentation and image clarity which it provides. Harmonic imaging at present has two applications: harmonic contrast imaging and tissue harmonic imaging, both of which involve nonlinear signal components. Examples of these two types of harmonic imaging may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,833,613 (for harmonic contrast) and 5,879,303 (tissue harmonic) of which I am a co-inventor. Harmonic contrast imaging provides the advantage of sharp signal segmentation and signal-to-clutter improvement due to the fact that harmonic contrast agents return relatively strong harmonic signals in response to fundamental frequency insonification. These relatively strong harmonic contrast signals are readily distinguished from the fundamental frequency and relatively low level harmonic signals returned from tissue and other substances in the body. Tissue harmonic imaging, while having a signal-to-noise deficit as compared to fundamental frequency imaging, provides an advantage in image clarity through a reduction in image clutter. Since the distortion of acoustic waves passing through tissue which gives rise to the harmonic components only begins to develop and build as the waves travel deeper into the body, near field scatterers which are a source of image clutter can scatter only the low or insignificant levels of harmonic energy present at shallow depths. Thus, tissue harmonic images will exhibit reduced clutter as compared to fundamental frequency images, although at reduced signal levels due to the lower level of the harmonic components and by reason of depth dependent attenuation of the higher frequency harmonic signals. It would be desirable to utilize nonlinear signals which afford the foregoing advantages but with greater signal levels, better signal-to-clutter ratios, broader bandwidths, and reduced depth dependent attenuation.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, ultrasonic imaging is performed by transmitting an ultrasound beam with two or more different frequency components. When the beam passes through a nonlinear transmission medium or encounters a nonlinear scatterer the different frequency components intermodulate and develop sum and difference frequencies, which are contained in returning echo signals, detected and used to form an ultrasonic image. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a multiple frequency beam transmitter is provided with multiple digital transmit signal generators producing signals of different frequencies which are combined digitally to form a composite transmit signal. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, composite multiple frequency transmit signals are digitally stored, then selected and converted to analog form for transmission. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the transmitted frequency components are located on opposite sides of the transducer peak response (center) frequency, with a received difference frequency signal located in the vicinity of the peak response point of the transducer characteristic. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the amplitudes of the transmitted frequencies are chosen in consideration of the effects of depth dependent attenuation and/or the properties of contrast agent microbubbles.

Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system transmitter for sum and difference frequency imaging


A method and device for video conferencing between first and second conference locations. Each conference location is provided with a video camera and a video image monitor to carry the image of a video conferee to a remote location. The video cameras are located proximate the video monitors such that each video camera is placed upon an emotionally neutral field of the image of the remotely located conferee and aimed substantially at the eyes of the local conferee facing the conferee's monitor in order to create eye-to-eye contact between conferees while positioning the video camera as to not interfere with said conference.

Although video teleconferencing offers an attractive alternative to face-to-face meetings, its adoption has not been as pervasive as predicted. Certainly with the cost and inconvenience of air travel, being able to conduct conferences through electronic video conferencing provides a low cost and convenient alternative. However, the ergonomics inherent in video conferencing to date have limited its application.
It is well known that in addition to what is said at a meeting, emotional signals which are non-verbally communicated between parties can be very important. In the human body, muscle is the tissue that is specialized for the production of movement. Every muscle in the body connects to other structures via tendons, except in the human face. There, muscles connect directly to the skin. The musculature of the human face has evolved for a particular purpose, that is, to produce a variety of movements in the surface of the face, movements that are elements of a signaling system between human beings. The visible movements in the skin produced by facial muscles are called facial expressions. All human beings share an identical facial anatomy; they all have the same facial movements arranged in the same manner. Further, as demonstrated by various research practitioners, all human beings generate the same invariant group of facial expressions. In addition, all human beings are born with systems necessary to interpret those facial expressions.
Facial expressions therefore constitute an innate communication system, the evolutionary roots of which far predate spoken or written language. All written language is at most ten thousand years old, and spoken language a few hundred thousand years old. By contrast, the signaling system of which facial expressions are a part is approximately one hundred million years old. It is noted that specific areas of the human brain are dedicated to the processing of human facial expressions. Neural systems in the brain that decode facial expressions are significantly older than those responsible for conscious and voluntary behaviors. The decoding of facial expressions is part of an inherited neural architecture in the brain—it is invariant and involuntary.
The eyes are of particular importance in emotional signaling. Not only do the eyes contribute to the display of emotions such as fear or surprise, but human beings also use eye contact and the direction of gaze to communicate signals about the emotional context of an interaction. Eye contact and gaze direction impart information about the participants' perceptions of their relative social rank, personal power, trustworthiness, mutual liking, and assertiveness. Eye contact signals are also crucial in coordinating the exchange of speaking and listening roles, which occurs rapidly and fluently within normal conversational speech. Not surprisingly, research has demonstrated that human beings are highly proficient at making precise determinations about gaze direction in others. This function, as well as the decoding of complex signals inherent in eye contact, occurs on an involuntary basis.
Unfortunately, video teleconferencing involves an inherent lack of eye contact as part of the overall conferencing experience. Eye contact is not promoted by current terminal configurations because, generally, the video camera necessary to feed the video portion of the conference is placed either at the top or sides of the video monitor so as not to obstruct the image of the remotely located conferee. Typically, the camera is placed somewhere above the display monitor such as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,907. If the conferee looks directly at the monitor in conversing with the remotely located conferee, the conferee is captured at an angle above the conferee's viewing level or head. Thus, when an image of that participant is displayed at the remote station, it appears as if the participant is looking down toward the ground. This can perhaps be best appreciated in viewing FIG. 1 whereby conferee 10 is shown looking directly into viewing area 21 as part of monitor 20. However, camera 22, perched above monitor 20 captures the face of conferee 10 at a parallax angle making it seem as if conferee 10 is looking down by that same angle to the counterpart of conferee 10 at the remote location. Without suitable eye contact, the potential of video conferencing is greatly reduced.
There has been a plethora of suggestions to correct the above-noted deficiency. For example, previously mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,907 suggests placing a camera atop the video monitor with a bracket and housing that enables the camera to extend below the top edge of the monitor and onto the upper region of the image field. However, such a configuration does not enable the camera lens to extend far enough within the image to reduce the parallax angle a sufficient amount to cure the problem. In addition, the camera housing clearly obstructs the image field and detracts from the video conferencing experience.
Others, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,665, have used beam splitters, prisms and optical refraction devices enabling the camera to be placed outside the field of vision. However, these approaches require bulky equipment and are distracting in presenting a certain amount of visual obstruction. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,069 suggests the use of a half-silvered mirror as a projection screen with a camera placed behind the apparent location of the face of the remotely located conferee. Such devices are necessarily large and cumbersome. Moreover, because the conferee cannot see the camera filming the event, the conferee never actually looks at the camera, but merely in the general direction of the eyes of the remote conferee.
Another approach was suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,671. In this instance, it was suggested that computer software be employed to manipulate video images on the fly so that instead of an actual face, the viewer looks at a "virtual" face in which various facial features have been altered and reconstructed to simulate eye contact. This approach is obviously hardware and software intensive and is thus expensive to construct and employ and thus somewhat impractical.
As a fall back position in light of the seeming shortcomings of the prior art, the most common practice in the video conferencing industry today is to simply place the conferee at a remote distance from the camera and associated monitor in order to reduce the parallax angle. Although by doing so, the parallax angle is, in fact, reduced, this "solution" sacrifices the participants' ability to discern the details of each other's faces and encourages them to raise their voices to tiring levels in an unconscious reaction to the distance. Ideally, each conferee should be between 2 and 8 feet from the video monitor such that the size of the face of the remote conferee is "life-size."
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for conducting video conferencing which avoids the problems associated with such prior art devices.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method and associated apparatus for conducting video conferencing which promotes eye contact between conferees without the need for engaging in complicated and expensive peripheral equipment in order to achieve this goal.
These and further objects will be more readily apparent when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.


The present invention relates to a novel dendrimer. The present invention also relates to formulations comprising the dendrimer with improved characteristics. For instance, the present invention relates to formulations comprising pesticides such as 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid with improved characteristics such as reduced crystallisation, compatibility with hard water and an extended shelf life at low temperatures.

The occurrence of pests is a constant problem facing farmers in crops, pastures, and other settings. For instance, weeds compete with crops and negatively impact crop yield, whereas some insect species eat crops and others negatively impact animal health. The use of chemical pesticides is an important tool in controlling undesirable species such as plants and insects. In an effort to overcome this issue, researchers have developed multiple lines of attack, including the production of new synthetic compounds, and combining these with either known or novel pesticides to yield new formulations that display a high efficacy in the eradication of unwanted plants and insects.
Dendrimers are highly branched, often spherical molecules, in which terminal branches can be tailored to include an array of functional groups, for example charged amino groups. These groups can be adapted for specific applications. Due to their controlled chemical synthesis, dendrimers have a very precise size and defined shape.
There is a need for the identification of novel dendrimers which have desirable enhanced characteristics. Furthermore, there remains a need for chemical compositions for controlling pests with improved properties.


An apparatus for audio signal rendering, the apparatus including at least one processor configured to: receive at least one microphone audio signal captured by at least one microphone within a capture environment; receive at least one projection audio signal, wherein the at least one projection audio signal is a room-impulse-response filtered at least one microphone audio signal within the capture environment; receive at least one residual audio signal, wherein the at least one residual audio signal is a result of removing the at least one projection audio signal from at least one audio signal captured by a microphone array within the capture environment; and generate at least two volumetric audio signals based on the at least one microphone audio signal, the at least one projection audio signal and the at least one residual audio signal.

Capture of audio signals from multiple sources and mixing of audio signals when these sources are moving in the spatial field requires significant effort. For example the capture and mixing of an audio signal source such as a speaker or artist within an audio environment such as a theatre or lecture hall to be presented to a listener and produce an effective audio atmosphere requires significant investment in equipment and training.
A commonly implemented system is where one or more 'external' microphones, for example a Lavalier microphone worn by the user or an audio channel associated with an instrument, is mixed with a suitable spatial (or environmental or audio field) audio signal such that the produced sound comes from an intended direction.
The general field of the technology is spatial sound capture from OZO or a similar capture device or a group of capture devices. In particular there is known and implemented spatial sound capture which, for a dedicated decoder, enables 3 degrees of freedom (3DOF) audio reproduction using headphones, a head-mounted display (HMD), and a computer (or any similar configuration such as a smart phone attached to a VR mount).
The 3DOF consists of 3 orthogonal rotations. Sensors in present HMDs can provide this 3DOF information to existing systems such as OZO Software Suite or YouTube 360. The user can then rotate the head to view different angles of the captured VR content. A 3DOF system is one therefore where head rotation in three axes yaw/pitch/roll can be taken into account. This facilitates the audiovisual scene remaining static in a single location as the user rotates their head.
An improvement or the next stage could be referred as 3-DoF+, where the system facilitates limited movement (translation, represented in Euclidean spaces as x, y, z). For example, the movement might be limited to a range of some tens of centimetres around a central location.
From existing VR applications it is evident that 6DOF greatly improves the immersion to the VR environment. 6DOF video capture and reproduction for other VR/MR/AR applications is thus expected. Thus a current research target is 6-DoF volumetric virtual reality, where the user is able to freely move in a Euclidean space (x, y, z) and rotate his head (yaw, pitch, roll). 6-DoF volumetric VR/AR (Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality) is already supported in some of the current HMDs (Head Mounted Devices) (e.g., HTC Vive).
In the following discussions "user movement" is used as a general term to cover any user movement i.e. changes in (a) head orientation (yaw/pitch/roll) and (b) any changes in user position (done by moving in the Euclidian space or by limited head movement).
One of the issues associated with volumetric audio is the generation of suitable volumetric content and the presentation of such content. In other word the problems associated with capturing and reproducing volumetric audio.
A specific problem is how to capture an audio experience within a large space using a single microphone array and still produce a high quality experience able to render a 6 degree of freedom (6-DoF) volumetric audio signal to the listener.
When recording a sound scene with a microphone array it is possible to provide the user with a 3 degree of freedom (3-DoF) experience when the listener/user turns their head to hear the sound scene around themselves. However, when the target is to produce a 6-DoF experience, a single microphone array audio is not sufficient. If the user is able to move around the scene, the relative directions (and distances) of the sounds should change during audio rendering according to the user's position. This is very difficult to achieve from a microphone array recorded signal.
Some systems propose attempting to use a close-up microphone (otherwise known as an external microphone) to record the most important sound sources in the scene (for example a direct instrument channel or vocalist microphone channel) and track their positions over time. These can then be later rendered to the user in a 6-DoF experience from the correct direction (and distance with gain attenuation and artificial reverb). This method, however, has the drawback that the 'acoustic space' of the sound scene is missing in the close mic signals. In other words the close microphone signals when spatially processed are missing reverberation caused by walls and objects in the recorded space. Moreover, sound sources that are not represented by the close microphones are not being captured.
Where the room geometry and surface materials are known, the close microphone audio signals could be reverberated using audio processing techniques similar to those applied in computer games and simulations to produce a more realistic experience. However, simulating the acoustic characteristics of a space may be computationally demanding and may not lead to sufficient perceptual similarity of the reproduced audio to the actual space.


There is provided a highly water-absorptive polymer composition comprising:. (A) 100 parts by weight of a highly water-absorptive polymer having a crosslinked structure, comprising as its constituent a carboxyl group and/or a carboxylate group; and PA1 (B) 0.05 to 10 parts by weight of an additive selected from the group consisting of an oxalic acid (salt) compound, a sulfate of a metal selected from titanium, zirconium and vanadium, and a crystalline or noncrystalline, high-purity particulate titania having a mean particle diameter of 1 .mu.m or less, a specific surface area of 10 m.sup.2 /g or more as determined by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, and, when crystalline, a crystal structure of a mixed type of rutile and anatase.. There is also provided a method for producing a highly water-absorptive polymer having enhanced gel strength, which comprises treating with an alkoxytitanium a highly water-absorptive polymer having a crosslinked structure, comprising as its constituent a carboxyl group and/or a carboxylate group.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to highly water-absorptive polymers having enhanced gel strength. More particularly, this invention relates to highly water-absorptive polymer compositions exhibiting enhanced strength and stability of a gel impregnated with water, especially with a body fluid such as urine, and a method for producing highly water-absorptive polymers having such excellent gel properties.
2. Background Art
In recent years, highly water-absorptive polymers have been practically used not only in the field of sanitary goods such as sanitary napkins and disposable paper diapers but also for a variety of industrial materials such as water-retaining materials, dew condensation-preventing materials freshness-preserving materials and solvent-dehydrating materials. They have been put to practical use also in the fields of afforestation, agriculture and horticulture. Thus, their application is now becoming wider.
Of these application fields, sanitary goods such as sanitary napkins, disposable paper diapers and pads for those who are suffering from incontinence have been improved in a feeling upon use due to improvements in the materials used, various types of gathers, and the like. Therefore, the time during which the sanitary goods can be comfortably used is becoming longer. Also, a case where the highly water-absorptive polymers are used under extremely severe conditions is now being increased in the fields of industrial materials, agriculture and horticulture.
A highly water-absorptive polymer takes the form of a gel when it absorbs body fluids such as urine, menstrual blood and sweat. Such a gel deteriorates and decomposes with time and loses its strength, and, at the same time, the surface and inner part of the gel become sticky. Namely, the liquid-retaining properties of the gel become worse with time. Such problems caused by this that a liquid runs out without being absorbed in a sanitary good upon use, and that a feeling upon use of a sanitary good becomes worse with time, are becoming more serious as the time during which a sanitary good is used is now becoming longer.
Reasons for the deterioration and decomposition of the gel are not fully clarified so far. It is however assumed that an extremely small amount of active impurities contained in body fluids such as urine accelerate the decomposition of a highly water-absorptive polymer gel in accordance with a single mechanism or a plurality of mechanisms. The degree of and the behavior in the decomposition of the polymer gel vary widely depending upon the state of the gel when a liquid is absorbed therein and individuals' differences in a body fluid.
Under these circumstances, there has been demanded a highly water-absorptive polymer having gel properties of excellent strength and stability with time, which is always stable to body fluids such as urine regardless of individuals' differences.
As a method for improving the strength and stability of a gel, it may be considered to increase the crosslinking density of a highly water-absorptive polymer. This method, however, entails a problem of decrease in the water absorption capacity of the polymer.
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-118375 proposes a method in which an oxygen-containing reducing inorganic salt and/or an organic antioxidant is incorporated into a polymer; Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-153060 proposes a method in which an oxidizing agent is incorporated into a polymer; Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-127754 proposes a method in which an antioxidant is incorporated into a polymer; Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-272349 proposes a method in which a sulfur-containing reducing agent is incorporated into a polymer; Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-146964 proposes a method in which a metal chelating agent is incorporated into a polymer; Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-15266 proposes a method in which a radical chain inhibitor is incorporated into a polymer; Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 1-275661 proposes a method in which a phosphinic acid group- or phosphonic acid group-containing amine compound or a salt thereof is incorporated into a polymer; Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 64-29257 proposes a method in which a polyvalent metal oxide is incorporated into a polymer; and Japanese Patent Kokai Publications Nos. 2-255804 and 3-179008 propose a method in which a water-soluble chain transfer agent is allowed to coexist when polymerization is conducted. However, all of the above-enumerated methods have problems such that the deterioration of a gel cannot be sufficiently prevented, or that an effect on preventing the deterioration of a gel is largely dependent upon individuals' differences in body fluids. Moreover, the gel strength is hardly improved when any of the above methods is employed.
In view of the aforementioned situations in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide highly water-absorptive polymers which are improved both in the strength and stability of a gel after when water, in particular, a body fluid such as urine which is very different between individuals, is absorbed therein, without the water absorption capacity inherent in highly water-absorptive polymers being impaired.

Highly water-absorptive polymers having enhanced gel strength


A series of plated through hole (PTH) vias are interconnected by traces that alternate between a top surface and a bottom surface of a dielectric board. The PTH vias in the series can be positioned to create a collinear inductive filter, a coil-type inductive filter, or a transformer. Multiple, electrically isolated series of interconnected PTH vias can be used as a multi-phase inductive filter in one embodiment. In another embodiment, multiple series of interconnected PTH vias are electrically connected by a linking portion of conductive material, resulting in a low-resistance inductive filter. Ferromagnetic material patterns can be embedded in the dielectric board to enhance the inductive characteristics of the interconnected via structures. In one embodiment, a closed-end pattern is provided with two series of interconnected vias coiling around the pattern, resulting in an embedded transformer structure. A method of producing an interconnected series of PTH vias includes providing a dielectric board having a series of holes. In some embodiments, the board includes an embedded ferromagnetic material pattern. The holes and the top and bottom surface of the dielectric board have a conductive material thereupon. Portions of the conductive material are selectively removed, resulting in the embedded inductive filter and/or transformer structure.

The present invention relates generally to microelectronic structures and fabrication methods, and more particularly to microelectronic structures having inductive characteristics and methods of fabricating the same.
A requirement of most electronic systems is a regulated source of direct current (DC) voltage. Whether the DC power originates with a battery or has been converted from alternating current (AC) power, a voltage regulator circuit is usually required to provide a steady DC voltage.
FIG. 1 illustrates a simple power supply circuit 100 that includes a voltage regulator. In power supply circuit 100, the voltage provided by AC voltage source 110 is increased or decreased by transformer 112 to a voltage having a magnitude that is required by the load. The transformed voltage passes through rectifier 114, which is a set of diodes in FIG. 1. The voltage is then filtered by capacitive filter 116. The resulting voltage is regulated by voltage regulator 118, which can be a discrete component circuit or an integrated circuit voltage regulator. Either way, the output voltage is filtered through inductive filter 120. The filtered voltage is then supplied to load 122, which could be, for example, an integrated circuit such as a microprocessor.
To supply voltage to an integrated circuit, transformer 112, rectifier 114, capacitive filter 116, and voltage regulator 118 are typically consolidated into a voltage regulator module (VRM), which is a discrete component that is mounted on a printed circuit (PC) board. Inductive filter 120 typically is a separate component, due to the relatively large size of the inductor.
FIG. 2 illustrates a VRM 202 and an inductive filter 204 located on a PC board 206 of a computer system in accordance with the prior art. To supply power to an integrated circuit, electrical current first travels from the VRM 202 through the inductive filter 204. The current then travels through traces (not shown) in PC board 206, and up through socket 208 to pins 210 of an integrated circuit (IC) package 212. The current continues along traces (not shown) in IC package 212 to connections 214. Connections 214 make electrical contact with pads (not shown) on the integrated circuit 216.
The scale and/or location of pins 210 on an IC package 212 may be different from the scale and/or location of pin holes on the socket 208. Thus, in some systems, an interposer (not shown) exists between the IC package 212 and the socket 208. The interposer essentially is a small printed circuit board that provides a dimensional interface between the IC package pins 210 and the pin holes of the socket 208. When an interposer is present, the supplied current must also travel through the interposer to reach the integrated circuit.
A voltage drop occurs between VRM 202 and integrated circuit 216, due to losses along the path between VRM 202 and integrated circuit 216. All other things being equal, the farther the distance between VRM 202 and integrated circuit 216, the larger the voltage drop. At relatively low voltages, this voltage drop is a tolerable effect that is compensated for by providing a VRM that supplies a higher voltage than is actually needed by the integrated circuit. A negative side effect of this strategy, however, is that the VRM may need to be larger than necessary, and power is inefficiently consumed.
Technological advancements in integrated circuit technologies are driving frequency requirements higher, and driving voltages and voltage margins lower. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the inefficient power consumption caused by the voltage drop between the VRM and the integrated circuit. This reduction in voltage drop can be achieved by moving the VRM and inductive filter as close as possible to the integrated circuit. However, the proximity of the VRM and inductive filter to the integrated circuit is limited by the fact that the VRM and inductive filter must be located on the PC board in prior art systems.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a circuit configuration enabling a VRM and inductive filter to be placed closer to the integrated circuit than is possible in prior art systems.
In one embodiment, a method for forming an interconnected series of plated through hole (PTH) vias begins by providing a dielectric board with a series of PTH vias formed therein. The PTH vias are electrically connected on a top surface and a bottom surface of the dielectric board by a conductive material. Portions of the conductive material are then selectively removed so that adjacent PTH vias are electrically connected by a trace of the conductive material on either the top surface or the bottom surface. The adjacent PTH vias in the series alternate between being electrically connected by a trace on the top surface or electrically connected by a trace on the bottom surface.
In another embodiment, a series of interconnected PTH vias forms an inductive filter that includes a dielectric board having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a series of PTH vias formed in the dielectric board. Conductive material traces exist on the top surface and the bottom surface that electrically connect the PTH vias. Adjacent PTH vias are electrically connected by a trace on either the top surface or the bottom surface, and the adjacent PTH vias in the series alternate between being electrically connected by a trace on the top surface or electrically connected by a trace on the bottom surface.
In yet another embodiment, two series of interconnected PTH vias forms a transformer that includes a dielectric board having a top surface and a bottom surface. A ferromagnetic material pattern forming a core is embedded in the dielectric board, and has a closed-end shape. A first series of interconnected PTH vias is formed in the dielectric board. The PTH vias in the first series and traces of conductive material on the top surface and bottom surface form a first coil-like structure that winds around the core. A second series of interconnected PTH vias is also formed in the dielectric board. The PTH vias in the second series and additional traces of conductive material on the top surface and bottom surface form a second coil-like structure that winds around the core. The first coil-like structure, the second coil-like structure, and the coil form the transformer.
One embodiment can be, an integrated circuit package includes a package having a first series of PTH vias that provide electrical connections between a top surface of the package and a bottom surface of the package. The PTH vias in the first series are electrically connected by conductive material traces on the top surface and the bottom surface, and adjacent PTH vias in the first series alternate between being electrically connected by a trace on the top surface or electrically connected by a trace on the bottom surface. The integrated circuit package also includes an integrated circuit located on the top surface of the package. The integrated circuit contains a circuit which is electrically connected to a PTH via of the first series.
An interposer designed to provide a dimensional interface between an integrated circuit package and a printed circuit board includes a first series of PTH vias that provide electrical connections between a top surface of the package and a bottom surface of the package is provided in one embodiment. The interposer also includes conductive material traces on the top surface and the bottom surface that electrically connect the PTH vias in the first series, where adjacent PTH vias in the first series alternate between being electrically connected by a trace on the top surface or electrically connected by a trace on the bottom surface.
A computer system embodiment is positioned on a printed circuit board includes a bus, a memory coupled to the bus, and an integrated circuit package coupled to the bus. The integrated circuit package includes a package having a first series of PTH vias that provide electrical connections between a top surface of the package and a bottom surface of the package. The PTH vias in the first series are electrically connected by conductive material traces on the top surface and the bottom surface, and adjacent PTH vias in the first series alternate between being electrically connected by a trace on the top surface or electrically connected by a trace on the bottom surface. The integrated circuit package also includes a microprocessor located on the top surface of the package, the microprocessor containing a circuit which is electrically connected to a PTH via of the series of PTH vias.

Interconnected series of plated through hole vias and method of fabrication therefor


A method for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit, includes: disposing a plurality of cells in a cell layout region on the basis of a net list indicating connection relations of the plurality of cells to satisfy a setup timing condition; generating a plurality of power regions dividing the cell layout region into plurality; calculating a consumption current of each of the power regions by using a cell power file indicating a consumption current of each of the cells; adjusting layout positions of the temporarily disposed cells with reference to the consumption current of each of the power regions in a range that the setup timing condition is not violated; and optimizing hold timing of the cells after the position adjustment of the cells.

This invention relates to a method for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit.
In a layout phase of laying out a net list generated by logically synthesizing, for example, HDL (hardware Description Language) description data in designing a semiconductor integrated circuit, optimization of timing is considered (for example, JP-A 2003-330986 (Kokai))
In the semiconductor integrated circuit, in recent years, the scale thereof has become large and the circuit has become fine, and furthermore, by lowering of the power voltage, IR drop (voltage lowering) has become large, and in the cell layout only considering timing, it is feared that the IR drop varies among the regions in the chip and that the maximum IR drop value becomes large. If the maximum value and the variation of the IR drop in the chip are large, difficulty of design or period for design increases and the circuit operation becomes unstable.

Method for designing semiconductor integrated circuit


Methods and systems are shown which may enable users to create custom playback schemes for sensory works, including television shows, where a community of users may share thin time-based metadata edit control structures that are processed to enable playback devices to reproduce reference programming material according to the edits or cuts made any user.

Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) have revolutionized the way many consumers watch television. Similar to a video cassette recorder (VCR), a PVR allows a user to record shows for viewing at a later time; however, PVRs offer many additional features including the ability to pause and rewind a live television broadcast.
With many cable companies and satellite providers offering over 100 channels of programming, it can be a daunting task to find the programming that a subscriber would like to watch. Many PVRs offer ways to manage or reduce complexity. For example, a PVR may allow subscribers to record shows by title whenever they are shown so that a subscriber does not need to be concerned when a favorite program moves from Monday night to Thursday night. Some PVRs allow programs to be recorded by categories and/or keywords. For example, this allows someone interested in remodeling a bathroom to record home improvement television programs with "bathroom" in their title description.
PVRs reduce the complexity and improve the ability to record shows that a subscriber desires to watch; however, PVR functionality stops there. Once a subscriber has recorded shows, they can be played back, paused, fast forwarded, rewound, and the like; however, the viewer typically manually controls this functionality.
Television programs are recorded on PVRs (and otherwise) by individuals with different tastes, preferences, purposes, and the like For example, one person may record the Super Bowl to watch football, while another may record it to watch the pre-game and half-time programming, and another may record it to watch new commercials. Each of these individuals, using a conventional PVR would desire to playback the show in a different manner.
It is desirable to provide a mechanism to create, use, and/or share different playbacks of television programs and other sensory works. For example, it is desirable to provide an individual who has recorded the Super Bowl only to watch the commercials with the ability to playback his recording of the Super Bowl on his PVR such that only the commercials are shown. Similarly, an individual who has recorded the Super Bowl only for the football may desire to only see each football play during playback.
This disclosure discusses techniques and systems that may be used to create metadata or the like that controls, interprets, translates or varies the playback of a sensory work, such as, a television program.

Variation and control of sensory work playback


A solid-state image sensor includes, in each pixel, a p-type well provided on a semiconductor substrate, a photodiode provided in the p-type well, a transfer gate for transferring photocharges accumulated in the photodiode, and an n-type diffusion region for receiving the transferred photocharges. The photodiode includes a first n-type accumulation region, and a second n-type accumulation region having a concentration higher than that of the first accumulation region and provided at a position deeper than the first accumulation region. The first accumulation region extends toward an end of the transfer gate, and the second accumulation region is separate from the transfer gate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state image sensor, a production method therefor, and a camera using a solid-state image sensor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a solid-state image sensor having a signal amplifier in each pixel, a production method therefor, and a camera including such an image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical examples of solid-state image sensors are CCD sensors including photodiodes and CCD shift registers, and CMOS sensors in which a pixel section is constituted by active pixels each composed of a photodiode and an MOS transistor. CMOS sensors have the following advantages over CCD sensors:    (1) The power consumption is low.    (2) Since peripheral circuits can be mounted on a single chip, a signal-processing circuit can be provided on the same chip, and compact solid-state image sensors can be produced at low cost.    (3) Since the process design can be made based on a known MOS process, solid-state image sensors can be provided without using a special production line.
In order to obtain the above advantages, it is preferable that the power voltage does not substantially deviate from, for example, 5 V or 3.3 V that is standardized in the normal CMOS process. For this reason, there is a restriction on the gate voltage during a transfer operation for reading signal charges accumulated in a photodiode in each pixel, and it is not always easy to design a transfer structure for the signal charges accumulated in the photodiode. In particular, when a buried photodiode structure is adopted to limit dark current, and when a photodiode is completely depleted at the time of reset, in order to cancel the influence of reset noise, a structure for transferring charges in the photodiode cannot be easily achieved.
This problem will be described with reference to FIG. 7, which graphically illustrates a known solid-state image sensor. Referring to FIG. 7, the solid-state image sensor includes, in each pixel, a semiconductor substrate 701, a well 702 made of a p-type semiconductor in an image pickup region, a transfer gate 703 for transferring signal charges accumulated in a pixel to a diffusion region 704, a gate oxide 705, a p-type high-concentration layer 706, and an accumulation region 707 of a photodiode that is made of an n-type semiconductor and that is covered with the p-type high-concentration layer 706. The p-type high-concentration layer 706 is provided to prevent a depletion layer extending from the accumulation region 707 from reaching the gate oxide 705, and to thereby limit dark current. In such a buried photodiode, when being transferred to the diffusion region 704, charges in the accumulation region 707 must be transferred from a position deeply recessed from the gate oxide 705. In order to enable such transfer, a charge-transfer region 708 is provided. The gate voltage necessary for transfer is restricted by the concentration and width of the charge-transfer region 708. That is, as long as the concentration and width of the charge-transfer region 708 are satisfactory, the charges in the photodiode can be completely transferred at a desired power voltage, the photodiode can be completely reset, and the signal charges can be completely transferred.
A method for forming the above-described structure is proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-274454. The abstract and example of the proposal will be described briefly as follows:    (1) Stable production is allowed by forming a charge-transfer region with respect to a transfer gate in a self-alignment manner.    (2) The charge transfer region can be formed by thermally diffusing phosphorus as an ion species at the angle shown by arrow 709 in FIG. 7 during ion implantation for an accumulation region.    (3) As an example, an n-layer (accumulation region) and a charge-transfer region in the photodiode are formed by two ion implantation operations that are different in angle and energy. This can optimize the characteristics.
A structure capable of complete transfer can be achieved by forming a wide, high-concentration charge-transfer region by the above method. In this case, however, the following problem occurs. When the concentration and width of the charge-transfer region are excessively large, a depletion layer of the photodiode reaches the interface of a gate oxide during accumulation, in spite of the buried photodiode structure for reducing dark current, and dark current markedly increases. In order to solve this problem, an inversion layer is formed on the charge-transfer region by decreasing the voltage of the transfer gate electrode below the well voltage during accumulation (hereinafter, referred to as "transfer-gate low-level voltage"), as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-245216.
As described above, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-274454, when the concentration and width of the charge transfer region are excessively large, a depletion layer of the photodiode reaches the interface of the gate oxide during accumulation, in spite of the buried photodiode structure for reducing dark current, and dark current markedly increases.
While the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-245216 is highly effective, it is preferable, for lower power consumption and lower voltage, that the low-level voltage of the transfer gate be as close to the well voltage as possible.

Solid-state image sensor, production method for solid-state image sensor, and camera using solid-state image sensor


A method for fabricating a radiation-cured structure is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a first radiation-sensitive material and applying a second radiation-sensitive material to the first radiation-sensitive material. The first radiation-sensitive material has a first sensitivity. The second radiation-sensitive material has a second sensitivity different from the first sensitivity. At least one mask is placed between at least one radiation source and the first and second radiation-sensitive materials. The mask has a plurality of substantially radiation-transparent apertures. The first and second radiation-sensitive materials are then exposed to a plurality of radiation beams through the radiation-transparent apertures in the mask to form a first construct in the first radiation-sensitive material and a second construct in the second radiation-sensitive material. The first construct and the second construct cooperate to form the radiation-cured structure.

Radiation-cured microstructures have been described by Jacobsen et al. in "Compression behavior of micro-scale truss structures formed from self-propagating polymer waveguides", Acta Materialia 55, (2007) 6724-6733, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. One method and system of creating polymer materials with ordered microtruss structures is disclosed by Jacobsen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,382,959, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The system includes at least one collimated light source selected to produce a collimated light beam; a reservoir having a photo-monomer adapted to polymerize by the collimated light beam; and a mask having at least one aperture and positioned between the at least one collimated light source and the reservoir. The at least one aperture is adapted to guide a portion of the collimated light beam into the photo-monomer to form the at least one polymer waveguide through a portion of a volume of the photo-monomer. Microtruss materials produced by the method and system are further disclosed by Jacobsen in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/801,908, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. A polymer material that is exposed to radiation and results in a self-focusing or self-trapping of light by formation of polymer waveguides is also described by Kewitsch et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,288, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Products formed by bilayer resist processes have also been described, for example, by Orvek et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,739, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. A first resist material sensitive to near UV or violet light is deposited over the top surface of a body. A second resist material sensitive to deep UV light is deposited over the first resist material. The second resist material is exposed to patterned illumination of deep UV light, and then exposed areas removed. The first resist material is illuminated by a flood or blanket exposure of near UV or violet light. The bilayer resist product is thereby formed.
Further known methods for fabricating microstructures include rapid prototyping technology, such as stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, and LIGA (a German acronym for Lithography, Electroplating, and Molding). A particular rapid prototyping technology for manufacturing microstructures is known as electrochemical fabrication, for example, EFAB™ developed by Microfabrica Inc. located in Van Nuys, Calif. The electrochemical fabrication process typically begins by depositing a sacrificial material onto a blank substrate in a desired pattern. The sacrificial material supports the microstructure, like scaffolding, during the fabrication process. A structural material is then deposited onto the sacrificial material. The sacrificial and structural materials are then precisely planarized, and the process repeated until the microstructure is fully assembled. The sacrificial material is ultimately removed, for example, by a highly selective etching procedure to leave the completed microstructure formed from the structural material. The use of electrochemical fabrication facilitates the manufacturing of microstructures with an extraordinary level of geometrical complexity, including the ability to create assemblies out of separate, independently-formed components. However, electrochemical fabrication and other conventional rapid prototyping methods are undesirably expensive and time consuming, particularly for applications such as automotive fuel cells.
There is a continuing need for a method for fabricating radiation-cured structures that is less expensive and time consuming in comparison to conventional rapid-prototyping methods. Desirably, the method facilitates the cost-effective formation of radiation-cured components for fuel cell and other applications.

Layered radiation-sensitive materials with varying sensitivity


A device for lining container closures in which a punch cuts undivided lining pieces from a strip of web material and pushes the piece through a die to seat the same within an individual closure. The closures are advanced by a pocket wheel having two oppositely disposed pockets driven through 180 degree increments in alternate directions to discharge lined closures from either side of the pocket wheel enclosure. The pocket wheel is driven by a rotary actuator which may be electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically powered.

This invention relates generally to the field of closure lining machines used for placing a circular liner of resilient material on an inner surface of an end wall of a closure, typically, a threaded cap used for sealing soft drink containers and the like. In such machines, it is conventional to provide a continuous web of material from which the liners are cut by a punch and die mechanism, the punch pushing the cut liners through the die and into a cavity in the cap. The caps are incrementally advanced using a pocket wheel within an enclosure, the pocket wheel serially advancing pockets to present a fresh cap beneath the punch and die mechanism for cyclic operation.
Typically, the pocket wheel is advanced a short angular distance for each cycle using a globoidal indexer, or a Geneva cam. These devices are operated by a motor driven drive shaft which drives the input shaft of the indexer, using a chain or a timing belt, a relatively expensive construction.


The present invention relates to a compound represented by the formula (I),

Bronchial asthma is a pathological symptom, in which airway is contracted by airway contraction and inflammation, causing paroxysmal cough, stridor, and breathing difficulty. The drugs for treatment of it include steroidal agents for inhalation, which have a strong antiinflammatory effect, P stimulants and theophyllines which are bronchodilating agents, antiallergic agents which inhibit the effect of chemical mediators, etc.
Histamine, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, TNF-α, etc. are known as various chemical mediators which are released from mast cells or basophils which are concerned in bronchial asthma. Among leukotrienes (LTs), cysteinyl leukotrienes (abbreviated cysLTs hereinafter) represented by LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 have approximately 1000 times stronger contractile effect on airway as compared to histamine. Moreover, cysLTs promote induction of airway inflammation, typically inflammation cell invasion, airway hypersensitivity and mucus secretion in airway, and they are deeply involved in basic pathology of bronchial asthma.
The leukotriene receptor antagonists which are clinically used, e.g. pranlukast hydrate represented by the formula (A) (See Patent Document 1), montelukast sodium represented by the formula (B) (See Patent Document 2) and zafirlukast represented by the formula (C) (See Patent Document 3) are widely used as useful agents for the treatment of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis, which improves various kinds of symptoms and respiratory functions.

However, it is known these leukotriene receptor antagonists are more effective for mild or moderate symptoms than for severe symptoms. It is also known that there exist some non-responders with mild or moderate symptoms on whom the pharmaceutical agent does not have effect. So agents having higher efficacy than the existing agents have been desired.
Pranlukast hydrate has a strong antagonistic activity against leukotriene receptor, but it also has problems of physical property and systemic absorption.
It is known that a compound represented by the formula (D)

wherein all symbols have the same meanings as described in the document, has an antagonistic activity against cysLT2 receptor.
Pranlukast hydrate which is a leukotriene antagonist is useful for sinusitis (See Patent Document 5), headache such as migraine, migrainous neuralgia or tension-type headache (See Patent Document 6), endometriosis (See Patent Document 7), dysmenorrhea (See Patent Document 8), Meniere's disease, etc.
Patent Document 1: Japan Patent No. 1741466
Patent Document 2: Japan Patent No. 2501385
Patent Document 3: Japan Patent No. 1955810
Patent Document 4: WO2000/18399
Patent Document 5: JP-A-2004-168718
Patent Document 6: JP-A-2002-187855
Patent Document 7: WO2005/058878

Abstract: wherein all symbols are as defined in the description,a salt thereof, a solvate thereof, or a prodrug thereof, which has a leukotriene receptor antagonistic activity which is expected to be more effective than those of the leukotriene receptor antagonists currently used in clinical trials. Therefore, it is useful as an agent for the prevention and/or treatment of a leukotriene-mediated disease such as a respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia (e.g. interstitial pneumonia etc.), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), allergic rhinitis, sinusitis (e.g. acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, etc.), or the like, or as an expectorant or an antiitussive.