External connection terminals A to D of an integrated circuit are connected to each terminal of elements 1 to 5 to be measured for a process parameter using interconnections. Among the interconnections, one to connect the base of a bipolar transistor 1 and external connection terminal B for example is provided with a switch 6. A terminal of a particular element and an external connection terminal are connected by turning on of the switch 6. Thus, a process parameter of the bipolar transistor 1 is measured using the external terminals to which each terminal of the bipolar transistor is connected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit device having a process parameter measuring circuit to evaluate the characteristic of elements formed in a semiconductor fabrication process, and more particularly, to an integrated circuit device having a process parameter measuring circuit used for in-process evaluation and permitting the characteristic of finished elements after assembly to be evaluated.
2. Description of the Related Art
To trial-manufacture a device element, there has been a conventional semiconductor device having a TEG (Test Element Group) portion provided separately from the internal circuits in the integrated circuit to perform functions essential to the semiconductor device and used only for measuring electrical characteristics. The TEG portion is a circuit for testing which is used only for measuring electrical characteristics. A semiconductor device provided with this TEG portion is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-138189 (conventional device 1). FIG. 1 is a plan view of the semiconductor device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-138189.
In this conventional technique, for an internal circuit 19 and a TEG portion 20, there are provided a connection selecting circuit 30 including field effect transistors 21 to 28 and an inverter 29, and an input terminal 31 for a selecting signal to input a control signal. An input terminal 32 to input an operation signal of the internal circuit 19 and an output terminal 33 to output the operation result are also used in common as an input terminal for a measurement signal to the TEG portion 20 and an output terminal to output a measurement result from the TEG portion 20. More specifically, depending upon whether a selecting signal input to the input terminal 31 is at an H level or an L level, the input terminal 32 and the output terminal 33 are selectively connected to the internal circuit 19 or the TEG portion 20. Thus, a signal can be transmitted/received to/from the internal circuit 19 or the TEG portion 20 without providing respective separate terminals for the internal circuit 19 and the TEG portion 20. Therefore, one input terminal and one output terminal for one of the internal circuit 19 and the TEG portion 20 can be omitted. Thus, the total number of terminals can be reduced.
Meanwhile, in the process of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a check transistor is provided on a wafer, and process parameters including, for example, the DC current amplification factor hFE and threshold voltage Vt of the check transistor and the resistance of a polysilicon film forming an electrode are measured. Then, these measurement values are used to examine whether or not desired elements are formed.
Such a conventional check transistor is generally provided independently from other circuits and external connection terminals, using an unoccupied space on the wafer. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of this conventional process parameter measuring element (conventional device 2). As shown in FIG. 2, a bipolar transistor 1, an n-channel MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor 2, a p-channel MOS transistor 3, a capacitor 4 and a resistor 5 are connected with dedicated terminals E to Q, respectively, and using these terminals E to Q, the characteristic of each element is measured. These terminals E to Q are independent from the other circuits and bonding pads, and process parameters of each element can be measured using these terminals only in a wafer (pellet) state.
In recent years, there has been a demand for smaller and more densely integrated semiconductor integrated circuit devices. According to conventional device 1, the total number of terminals can be reduced, but the TEG portion 20 only for measuring electrical characteristics must be provided on the substrate separately from the internal circuit 19. This disadvantage impedes the size of the device from being further reduced.
According to conventional device 2, the check transistor operates together with the internal circuit in a normal operation state. The check transistor is however formed independently from the other circuits and external connection terminals. As a result, in order to measure the process parameters, a dedicated probe (terminal) should be used in a step separate from the sorting-out step. Also, in recent years, as the diffusion technique has developed, the size of each element has been gradually reduced. There exists a technical limit to the method of measuring process parameters by contacting the probe to the check transistor.
Note that a pad may be provided to allow the probe to abut upon the check transistor. The method is however against the trend of reduced chip size and higher density integration, and a certain area on the substrate could be wasted.
Furthermore, a main reason for measuring the values of process parameters after the assembly process is the necessity of analyzing defective products. In general, the defective product analysis must be quickly performed. However, in order to know the process parameter values after assembly, the upper part of a sample must be opened for measuring. This method not only requires time for opening the sample, but also the elements could be destroyed at the time of thus opening the sample.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an integrated circuit device having a process parameter measuring circuit which ensures measuring of process parameters in sorting-out step between mass products or the like, regardless of the chip size (element size) or regardless of whether the measurement takes place before or after the process of assembly.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit device having a process parameter measuring circuit comprises an integrated circuit, an element to be measured for a process parameter, external connection terminals for connecting said integrated circuit and an external circuit, interconnections for connecting terminals of said element and said external connection terminals, a control switch provided to the interconnection connected to the terminal of the element which control the on/off of the element, and a control circuit for controlling the on/off of the switch, said control circuit turning on said switch to measure a process parameter of said element using said external connection terminals and turning off said switch to disconnect said element from said external connection terminals.
According to another aspect of the invention, an integrated circuit device comprises an integrated circuit, a plurality of elements to be measured for process parameters, the element being the same type or the different type, external connection terminals for connecting said integrated circuit and an external circuit, interconnections for connecting terminals of said elements and said external connection terminals, a plurality of control switches provided to the interconnections connected to the terminals of the elements which control the on/off of the elements, and a control circuit for controlling the on/off of the switches, said control circuit turning on said switches to measure process parameters of said elements using said external connection terminals and turning off said switches to disconnect said elements from said external connection terminals.
According to the present invention, the control circuit turns on the control switch, so that the process parameter of the particular element can be measured using the external connection terminals. After the measurement, the control switches are all turned off, and then these terminals of the element can be disconnected from the external connection terminals.
According to the present invention, the external connection terminals are bonding pads in a wafer state before assembly.
Said element is for example a bipolar transistor. In this case, the transistor has its emitter connected to a first terminal of said external connection terminals, its base connected to a second terminal of said external connection terminals, and its collector connected to a third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the base and the second terminal. Thus, the control switch provided at the second external connection terminal can be turned on to measure parameters such as the DC current amplification factor hFE and base-emitter voltage VBE, using the first to third external connection terminals.
Furthermore, said element is for example an n-channel MOS transistor. In this case, the transistor has its source connected to the first terminal of said external connection terminals, its gate connected to the second terminal of said external connection terminals, and its drain connected to the third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the gate and the second terminal. Furthermore, said element is for example a p-channel MOS transistor. In this case, the transistor has its drain connected to the first terminal of said external connection terminals, its gate connected to the second terminal of said external connection terminals, and its source connected to the third terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the gate and the second terminal. Thus, the control switch provided at the second external connection terminal can be turned on to measure a parameter such as threshold voltage using the first to third external connection terminals.
Said element is for example a capacitor. In this case, the capacitor has its one terminal connected to the first terminal of said external connection terminals, and the other terminal connected to the second terminal of said external connection terminals, and said control switch is provided between the other terminal and the second terminal. Thus, the control switch provided at the second external connection terminal can be turned on to measure a parameter such as a capacitance value using the first and second external connection terminals.
Furthermore, said element is for example a resistor. In this case, one of the terminals of said resistor is connected to one of said external connection terminals through said control switches. Thus, the control switch provided at one of said external connection terminals can be turned on to measure a parameter such as a resistance value using the first and second external connection terminals.
The nature, principle, and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Integrated circuit device having process parameter measuring circuit


The disclosure relates to a glass substrate coated with a silver-based deposit, with a nitride-based barrier interposed between the glass-substrate and the silver-based deposit to prevent a yellow coloring of the glass prompted by the diffusion of silver in the glass. Application to silver panels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of the metallization of glass substrates for the manufacture of flat display screens. This metallization is used to form electrode arrays. These electrodes are opaque. They are generally made of silver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Up till now, the metallization of the glass substrates designed for dense arrays of electrodes, with pitch values of less than 500 micrometers, have been made under vacuum by cathode spraying or vapor deposition. The deposited layer is relatively thick, ranging from one micrometer to a few micrometers, and the time taken for deposition in a vacuum chamber is relatively lengthy. The cost of such metallized substrates is relatively high, and this cost rises very quickly with the surface area of the substrates.
Novel methods of metallization that are less costly have been explored. These include, in particular, the photo-etching of layers of photosensitive or non-photosensitive silver composition. This method is not compatible with use on the front face of a display panel for it produces a yellow coloring in the glass substrate.
This is because there is a yellow-tinted zone located beneath the electrode and extending on either side of the electrode by about 30 to 50 micrometers. This zone is yellow-tinted because of the diffusion of silver in the glass.
The light received by the observer comes, on the one hand, from the light, produced by the electrical discharges within the panel, that is transmitted by the glass substrate and, on the other hand, from the light reflected by the electrodes. It is at the diffusion zones that the greatest part of the light perceived by the observer emerges.
This coloring, as in a yellow filter, greatly degrades the colorimetry of the color display panel. It is therefore not desirable that the light perceived should undergo yellow filtering.

Use of nitride barrier to prevent the diffusion of silver in glass


A water tank is divided into a heated compartment and a cooled compartment by an insulated baffle. A perforated cylinder is mounted within the tank and has a first segment which extends within the heated tank compartment and a second segment which extends within the cooled tank compartment. Portions of a helical auger extend within each cylinder segment. Heated water is supplied to the heated compartment by a heated water manifold, and cooled water is supplied to the cooled compartment by a cooled water manifold. Mixing of the heated and cooled water is prevented by the insulating baffle. Food product is caused to traverse the length of the heated compartment by the auger, and is transferred over the baffle into the cooled compartment by a lifting flight which elevates food product from the water into a chute which discharges into the cooled compartment. A single, self-contained apparatus thus blanches and cools food product in a continuous process.

In response to competitive pressures and the demands of continual product improvement philosophies such as Total Quality Management, food product manufacturers in the food processing industry are striving to increase production quality and production rates without significantly increasing costs. Food products which are manufactured in a continuous line often require treatment at various temperatures for prescribed periods of time. To increase a manufacturer's output it is necessary to increase the speed of treatment or to increase the capacity of treatment equipment. Increased treatment speed requires increasingly efficient heat transfer processes, and may effect the taste and texture attributes of the final product. One way to increase capacity is to add additional treating units to an existing line. Installation of new machines, however, may require the relocation of numerous apparatus, and in some cases may require costly expansion of plant facilities. Ideally, increased capacity treatment equipment should take up no greater floor space than the equipment it replaces.
Typically products which are cooked or blanched must be cooled prior to final packaging and storage or transport. Bagged soup in pouches and pie fillings are examples. It is known to first blanch or cook the product in a rotary drum blancher which advances the food product through a heated water tank with a helical auger, and then discharge the food product onto a belt or other type of conveyor and advance the food product to a rotary drum cooler to reduce the treated product to an acceptable lowered temperature.
What is needed is a single compact apparatus which both heats and subsequently cools food product in a continuous flow.


A sample analyzer cartridge for use at a point of care of a patient such as in a doctor's office, in the home, or elsewhere in the field. By providing a removable and/or disposable cartridge with all of the needed reagents and/or fluids, the sample analyzer can be reliably used outside of the laboratory environment, with little or no specialized training.

The present invention generally relates to sample analyzers, and more particular, to sample analyzers and cartridges that can be used at the point of care of a patient, such as in a doctor's office, in the home, or elsewhere in the field.
Particle discrimination methods are useful in a variety of clinical assays, such as in determining the number and types of cells in a blood sample, detecting bacterial or virus particles in a body fluid sample, and assaying cell volumes and density. Detection of non-cellular particles, such as proteins and analyte in for example, a urine sample, is also valuable in certain clinical tests. Analysis of crystals and other particles in fluid suspension also has important industrial uses.
One method which allows rapid and efficient particle discrimination in a particle-suspension sample is flow cytometry. In this method, a suspension of particles, typically cells in a blood sample, is transported through a flow channel where the individual particles in the sample are illuminated with one or more focused light beams. The interaction of the light beam(s) with the individual particles flowing through the flow channel is detected by one or more light detectors. Commonly, the detectors are designed to measure light absorption or fluorescence emission, at specific beam or emission wavelengths, and/or light scattering at specific scattering angles. Thus, each particle that passes through the flow channel can be characterized as to one or more features related to its absorption, fluorescence, light scattering or other optical or electrical properties. The properties that are measured by the detectors may allow each particle to be mapped into a feature space whose axes are the light intensities or other properties which are measured by the detectors. In the ideal, the different particles in the sample map into distinct and non-overlapping regions of the feature space, allowing each particle to be analyzed based on its mapping in the feature space. Such analysis may include counting, identifying, quantifying (as to one or more physical characteristics) and/or sorting of the particles.
Two general types of light scattering measurements are routinely made in flow cytometry. Light intensity measurements made at small angles (about 1.5-13 degrees with respect to the incident light beam), usually called forward or small-angle scattering, give information on cell size. Forward scattering also strongly depends on the difference of refraction between cells and the extra-cellular medium, so that cells with damaged membranes, for example, can be distinguished. Light intensity measurements made at an angle of about 65 degrees-115 degrees from the incident light, usually referred to as orthogonal or large angle scattering, can provide information about the size and degree of structure of particles.
Simultaneous light scattering measurements at different angles or in combination with absorption or fluorescence measurements have been proposed in flow cytometry methods. For example, absorption of light in combination with light scattering can be used in flow cytometry to distinguish between erythrocytes and thrombocytes, and between lymphocytes, monocytes, basophilic granulocytes, eosinophilic granulocytes, and neutrophilic granulocytes. However, this method sometimes requires staining of the cells, and is therefore rather complex and may preclude using the cells for further study after cell sorting.
Light scattering measurements combined with circular dichroism (CD) and optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) also have the potential for particle discrimination in suspensions of virus particles or cells. Studies of the effect of Mie (isotropic particle) scattering on the CD and ORD spectra of DNA in viral particles suggest that scattering measurements can be used to correct ORD and CD measurements in larger biological structures, such as virus particles and cells, to allow particle discrimination on the basis of characteristic ORD and CD characteristics. Differential scattering of right and left circularly polarized light, for discrimination of a number of different microorganisms, has also been demonstrated. The circular intensity differential scattering (CIDS) method is like CD, which exploits the differential absorption of left and right circularly polarized light, but takes advantage of differential scattering by helical structures, such as DNA, of right and left circularly polarized light.
Typically, such particle discrimination methods are implemented, at least in part, using one or more pieces of equipment, collectively herein called a sample analyzer. Many sample analyzers are rather large devices that are used in a laboratory environment by trained personnel. To use many sample analyzers, a collected sample must first be processed, such as by diluting the sample to a desired level, adding appropriate reagents, centrifuging the sample to provide a desired separation, etc., prior to providing the prepared sample to the sample analyzer. To achieve an accurate result, such sample processing must typically be performed by trained personnel, which can increase the cost and time required to perform the sample analysis.
Many sample analyzers also require operator intervention during the analysis phase, such as requiring additional information input or additional processing of the sample. This can further increase the cost and time required to perform a desired sample analysis. Also, many sample analyzers merely provide raw analysis data as an output, and further calculations and/or interpretation must often be performed by trained personnel to make an appropriate clinical decision.


Accordingly, a method and apparatus are provided wherein a receiver system selects a pre-coding matrix, comprising eigen-beamforming weights, to use and provides rank value and matrix index associated with the selected matrix to the transmitter system. The transmitter system upon receiving the rank value and matrix index, determine if the matrix associated with the matrix index provided by the receiver system can be used. If not, them transmitter system selects another matrix for determining eigen-beamforming weights.

Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, data, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communication system can simultaneously support communication for multiple wireless terminals. Each terminal communicates with one or more base stations via transmissions on the forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from the base stations to the terminals, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from the terminals to the base stations. This communication link may be established via a single-in-single-out, multiple-in-signal-out or a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) system.
A MIMO system employs multiple (NT) transmit antennas and multiple (NR) receive antennas for data transmission. A MIMO channel formed by the NT transmit and NR receive antennas may be decomposed into Nsindependent channels, which are also referred to as spatial channels, where Ns<min{NT, NR}. Each of the Ns independent channels corresponds to a dimension. The MIMO system can provide improved performance (e.g., higher throughput, greater reliability, best spectral efficiency, etc.) if the additional dimensionalities created by the multiple transmit and receive antennas are utilized.
A MIMO system supports a time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) systems. In a TDD system, the forward and reverse link transmissions are on the same frequency region so that the reciprocity principle allows the estimation of the forward link channel from the reverse link channel. This enables the access point to extract transmit eigen-beamforming gain on the forward link when multiple antennas are available at the access point. However, in a frequency division duplex (FDD) system, the forward and reverse link transmissions are on widely separated frequencies. As a result, the forward link channel and the reverse link channel may fade independently. A direct consequence is that the reverse link channel estimates do not provide instantaneous channel knowledge of the forward link. This problem is further complicated in a system with multiple transmit and multiple receive antennas, also known as MIMO.
Thus, there is a need for method of pre-coding wherein the receiver transmits beam vector information over the reverse link and then the transmitter uses this information to transmit data in the preferred direction to receiver.

Method and apparatus for pre-coding frequency division duplexing system


Medical devices are described that comprise surface capillary (SCF) fibers, which can impart desirable properties to the devices. For example, implantable prostheses are described comprising SCF fibers. In other embodiments, catheters are described having SCF fibers along the surface of the catheters. In addition, SCF fibers can be useful for the delivery of bioactive agents in association with the fibers. Due to the fluid flow capabilities of the fibers, medical devices are described that incorporate fiber matrices to facilitate blood delivery to cells within the structure.

A variety of medical devices/medical articles are designed particularly for contact with a patient's bodily fluids. The duration of this contact may be relatively short, as is typical with devices used in endovascular procedures, or may be long term, which is typical with artificial organs implanted into the body of a recipient and with other implanted prostheses. Some devices, such as catheters, other percutaneous devices or components thereof, can have either short term or relatively long-term contact.
Prostheses, i.e., prosthetic articles, are used to repair or replace damaged or diseased organs, tissues and other structures in humans and animals. Prostheses generally are bio-compatible since they are typically implanted for extended periods of time. Examples of prostheses include, without limitation, prosthetic hearts, prosthetic heart valves, ligament repair materials, vessel repair and replacement materials, stents, and surgical patches. Development of artificial organs has been spurred by the sever shortage of donor organs. To date, artificial heart (implants), artificial liver (extracorporeal) and artificial kidney (extracorporeal) have been used in the clinic.
Contact of articles with bodily fluids creates a number of functional and biocompatibility challenges. Some challenges associated with these medical devices are as follows; blood compatibility, infection control, rejection, and nutrient transfer (i.e. passing oxygenated blood to devices, or transport of fluid on blood for bio-active benefit). All these challenges can reduce the relative degree of success of the medical articles and corresponding medical procedures, for example, to repair, treat or replace an injured or diseased native structure.
When blood compatibility is not achieved, an interaction between a medical device and the patient's bodily fluids can result in a complex cascade of events creating a biological reaction, such as aggregated thrombus formation or "clot." Thrombus formation can be the first event a medical device experiences when placed into contact with the blood. This biological reaction can be in response to a toxic substance or to an irregular surface structure, which causes red blood cells to lyse thereby inducing a nexus for blood clotting and non-specific fibrin aggregation on the material. This primary event can precipitate secondary diseases states such as embolization, fibrolitic overgrowth, restenosis, and calcification. The secondary diseases can be a relatively early event occurring within minutes to hours after implantation. While very important, blood compatibility is not the only biological complication that can result from use of a medical article. For example, devices that are very blood compatible may still be faced with problems relating to infection.
Introduction of medical articles or devices into contact with bodily fluids creates an increased a risk of bacterial colonization. These infections can affect the function of the medical article and may cause increased morbidity and mortality, which may or may not be related to the function of the medical device. For example, infection can affect the adhesive properties of a glue, which can result in failure of a medical device. Beyond mechanical and functional considerations, often contaminated devices and the surrounding tissue are removed to prevent pailure of the device and/or spread of the infection. In the worst cases, sepses sets in and the entire system is compromised. If the patient contracts sepses, the patient can die of secondary organ failure. These concerns are further propagated by the existence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.
The body uses the biological mechanisms brought to bear by the immune system to deal with infections. Unfortunately, the immune system cannot necessarily distinguish harmful foreign invaders from helpful medical articles. The attack of medical devices or prosthetic organs by the immune system is termed "rejection".
In the immune system, each protector cell (e.g., B cells, Macrophages, and T cells) in the body is genetically programmed to recognize a specific molecular marker on an invading material or organism (antigens). When one of these cells encounters a mismatched antigen, the cell attempts to engulf the foreign material and expresses the antigen motifs on its cell surface. When the response is complete, suppressor T cells help shut down the immune response, but when the material is not resorbable or too large, a chronic immune reaction or rejection of the material can ensue. Rejection can necessitate treatment with expensive drugs that also may have undesirable side effects. In extreme cases, rejection can necessitate removal of the medical device.
Another challenge of device implantation can be lack of nutrient transport. This is a particular challenge for tissue engineering and organogenesis where complex three dimensional structures are fabricated that may require not only structural integrity and functioning architecture but also require delivery of biologically essential fluids, e.g., oxygenated blood to the cells integral to the structure. Efforts to promote vascularization or other types of fluid transport systems for medical devices has seen limited success.
These challenges are at the corner stone of device and materials interaction, and the appropriate handling of these challenges can be helpful in making better, longer lasting, more successful devices to provide treatment or to replace diseased or injured body parts.

Medical articles incorporating surface capillary fiber


The present invention improves an S/N ratio and light intensity resolution provided by an A/D converter, and an analyzer includes: a measurement cell irradiated with light during sample measurement; a dimming element irradiated with the light during reference measurement; an amplifier configured to amplify an analog light intensity signal outputted from a light detector; an A/D converter configured to convert the analog light intensity signal into a digital light intensity signal; and an arithmetic device configured to calculate absorbance using a digital sample light intensity signal outputted from the A/D converter during the sample measurement and a digital reference light intensity signal outputted from the A/D converter during the reference measurement, wherein an amplification factor of the amplifier is set such that the analog reference light intensity signal and the analog sample light intensity signal become less than or equal to a full scale of the A/D converter.

There is a conventional spectroscopic analyzer which includes: as shown in Patent Literature 1, a light source; a condensing lens condensing light from this light source; a spectroscopic analysis unit having a multi-channel detector (light detector) and which performs spectroscopic analysis of the light from the light source; and a measurement cell being arranged between the condensing lens and the spectroscopic analysis unit (see FIG. 9).
An absorption spectroscopy method is used for concentration measurement in this spectroscopic analyzer. Typically, in this absorption spectroscopy method, concentration cj is typically calculated by multiplying an absorbance spectrum Abs (λi) by a calibration curve Mij previously obtained through calibration (see equation below). λ1, λ2, . . . λn are measurement wavelengths and cj is concentration of the j-th component.
                              [                      Equation                                                                          1                    ]                                                                                cj        =                              ∑                          i              =              1                        n                                          Mij            ×                          Abs                                            (                                  λ                                                                                i                                )                                                                        (                  Equation                                                              1                )
The absorbance spectrum Abs (λi) can be expressed by the following equation based on intensity I0 (λi) of light entering the measurement cell and intensity Is (λi) of light transmitted through the measurement cell.
                              [                      Equation                                                                          2                    ]                                                                                Abs                                (                          λ                                                                                i                        )                          =                  log                                                                                I                0                                                          (                                  λ                                                                                i                                )                                                                    I                S                                                          (                                  λ                                                                                i                                )                                                                        (                  Equation                                                              2                )
Here, it is difficult to directly measure the intensity I0 (λi) of the entering light, and with the conventional spectroscopic analyzer, in a state in which a measurement lens is removed from between the condensing lens and the spectroscopic analysis unit (reference measurement), intensity of light measured by the spectroscopic analysis unit, that is, intensity IR (λi) of reference light is substituted. That is, with the following equation, the absorbance spectrum Abs (λi) is obtained. In the spectroscopic analyzer of Patent Literature 1, optical glass of, for example, quartz is arranged for the purpose of correcting a change in a focal position caused by the presence or absence of the measurement cell on a light path (see FIG. 9).
                              [                      Equation                                                                          3                    ]                                                                                Abs                                (                          λ                                                                                i                        )                          =                  log                                                              I                R                                                          (                                  λ                                                                                i                                )                                                                    I                S                                                          (                                  λ                                                                                i                                )                                                                        (                  Equation                                                              3                )
Moreover, with the spectroscopic analyzer of this kind, a measurement wavelength and a light path length of the measurement cell are typically set so that absorbance when a liquid sample is stored in the measurement cell becomes approximately 1 Abs to 2 Abs (transmittance of approximately 10% to 1%) where absorbance reference (an absorbance of zero) is provided for the case where air is stored in the measurement cell. This is because for an absorbance of 1 or below (transmittance of 10% or above), absorbance variation corresponding to concentration variation of the liquid sample is small and thus concentration measurement cannot be performed with high accuracy. On the other hand, for an absorbance of 2 or above (transmittance of 1% or below), an intensity of transmitted light is small and thus it is difficult to perform accurate light intensity measurement and also perform concentration measurement with high accuracy.
However, transmittance of optical glass used for the reference measurement is approximately 90%, and thus a ratio of intensity of the reference light (an output value of an analog-to-digital [A/D] converter) with respect to intensity of the sample light (an output value of the A/D converter) becomes approximately ten times to hundreds of times as shown in FIG. 2. The sample light and the reference light are detected by the same optical detector, and their light intensity signals are amplified by the same amplifier and are converted by the same A/D converter, and thus as a result of a large difference in light intensity signals between the sample light intensity and the reference light intensity, disadvantages arise in both the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and the light intensity resolution.
Specifically, since the intensity of the sample light is small, the light intensity signal outputted from the optical detector is small, deteriorating the S/N ratio due to an influence from disturbance noise such as electromagnetic noise. Moreover, a full scale of the A/D converter is set in accordance with the reference light with large intensity, and thus the sample light with small intensity needs to be subjected to A/D conversion within a narrow range of the A/D converter. This means that the intensity of the sample light needs to be measured with a rough bit, and light intensity resolution provided by the A/D converter decreases.

Spectroscopic analysis method and spectroscopic analyzer


An end closure fabrication for a generally cylindrical non-metallic pressure vessel having an opening at one end thereof which includes a collar which is adhesively bonded to sides of the vessel adjacent to the open end of the vessel. A circular end pressure plate equipped with an annular seal is inserted in the end of the vessel and an end cap to secure the pressure plate is attached over the collar.

The present invention finds its application with respect to non-metallic (i.e. plastic) pressure vessels of the type used to provide continuous separation of contaminants from liquids. Such systems usually employ osmotic separation under high pressure, utilizing a long chamber or pipe which is packed with a membrane or thousands of filters which act to separate the contaminant, for example salt, from the liquid carrier, for example sea water. These principles have been well developed and the filtering or osmotic functions do not per se form part of the present invention.
Pressure chambers for the above purpose have generally been constructed of metallic components which are made and assembled by the manufacturing source. Special orders require customization and take time to fill. Inventories of stock items must be carried at considerable expense.
In addition, metallic pressure chambers, even stainless steel or those specially treated against corrosion, will over a period of time nevertheless deteriorate when subjected continuously to the effects of corrosive liquids such as seawater. It is the purpose of the present invention to disclose a non-metallic pressure chamber which incorporates a unique and extremely versatile end closure construction which solves the problems inherent hereto in the design and fabrication of prior equipment of this type.

End closure method and construction for non-metallic pressure vessels


Methods and systems for structural and component health monitoring are provided. A system includes a plurality of sensor systems positioned about an object to be monitored and a processing system communicatively coupled to at least one of said plurality of sensor systems wherein the processing system includes an ontology and reasoning module configured to model the object to be monitored, reason about the received sensor data associated with the object to be monitored and reason about the relationships between the received sensor data to fuse the data into contextual information for the overall object to be monitored and a contextual analyzer configured to transmit the received sensor data to said ontology and reasoning module and to store the information into a contextual information database.

This invention relates generally to structure and system health monitoring and more particularly, to methods and systems for monitoring structure and system health using networked smart wireless sensor devices.
At least some known applications for wireless communication networks include industrial control and monitoring, intelligent agriculture, asset and inventory tracking, and security. Typical wireless sensing systems comprise wireless sensors that passively gather large amounts of data from an environment, which is typically transmitted to a host node for evaluation by an individual specifically trained to manually evaluate the information as time permits. This typical sensor system sometimes includes conversion of the signal from analog to digital and/or signal conditioning. The raw time-series data is typically transmitted in its entirety to a host node where it is sometimes stored indefinitely and analyzed very infrequently.
A conventional system comprises a plurality of sensors coupled to an interface which sends the information via a wired, large bandwidth transmission to a computer at a remote location. Installation of the wires themselves are cost-prohibitive due to the distances over which the wires must pass, weight prohibitive due to the amount of the wiring, or infeasible in many other situations due to the environment where the sensor itself and respective wiring are located. Low-power wireless technology has proved to be an enabler for wireless sensing in areas that were previously unattainable, due to the 'difficult-to-reach' or 'difficult-to-wire' nature of the installation or retrofit process. However, transmitting the raw data via a large bandwidth wireless system may consume significant amounts of power and create unnecessary network traffic.
Preprocessing is sometimes used to reduce the amount of network traffic using compression technology or by intelligently sending only the most pertinent data. However, reducing the data available for analysis also reduces the effectiveness of the analysis.

Methods and systems for monitoring structures and systems


A phase change memory device has a memory cell that uses a phase change film as a storage element, and includes: a first phase change region formed on a side of one face of the phase change film; and a second phase change region formed on a side of another face of the phase change film in a position that corresponds to the first phase change region, wherein the phase change memory stores two-bit data using combinations of a high resistance state due to amorphization and a low resistance state due to crystallization in the first phase change region with the high resistance state and the low resistance state in the second phase change region, the resistance value of the low resistance state being lower than that of the high resistance state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phase change memory device capable of retaining two-bit data in one memory cell.
The present invention can be applied to fields including a phase change memory (PRAM), and MARAM and RRAM (Resistive RAM) that are capable of controlling (changing) resistance values.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-049947, filed on Feb. 28, 2007, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
As a method of realizing a multi-level memory cell (for example, two bits per one memory cell) that uses a phase change film as a storage element (i.e., phase change memory cell) there has been proposed a storage method in which the resistance value of a memory cell is controlled in four levels. In this case, in order to perform writing of an intermediate level resistance value, the resistance value is controlled by controlling the amount of electric current to be applied to an element when writing, thereby creating a resistance value in an intermediate state. Data reading is performed by comparing the resistance value with three types of reference potentials (or reference currents). Such a method has been proposed as a method for storing multi-level data.
FIG. 8A shows a distribution of resistance of a variable-resistance type multi-level memory cell. Since one memory cell retains two-bit data, writing is controlled so that the memory cell has a resistance distribution corresponding to four-levels. FIG. 8B shows a relationship between writing electric current and resistance value of the phase change memory. The resistance value after writing changes in accordance with the electric current values on the horizontal axis. The resistance value increases from the point where the electric current is approximately 500 microamperes, and the phase change memory starts to become amorphous after writing.
In order to control the resistance value, the writing electric current is controlled to change the resistance value. In the case of this example, a resistance distribution shown in FIG. 8A can be created by applying electric currents (1) to (4).
As a multi-level writing method, there have been proposed: a method of controlling the voltage or electric current when writing is performed; and a method of controlling the resistance value by changing the number of application of writing pulses. However, both of the writing methods are still a method for storing data by changing the resistance value of a single phase change region.
Furthermore, FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B respectively show a cross-sectional structure and a schematic circuit diagram of a conventional one bit per memory cell. FIG. 9A is an example of the structure of the phase change memory cell.
In FIG. 9A, a gate electrode 2 is arranged on a silicon (Si) substrate 1, a memory cell transistor is formed, and a VSS contact 3 and a D contact 5 are connected to the memory cell transistor. The VSS contact 3 is connected to a ground line 4. Moreover, a Mid contact 6 is formed on the D contact 5, a lower electrode 7b is arranged on the Mid contact 6, and a heater 9 for creating phase changes is formed on the lower electrode 7b. In order to reduce the writing electric current of the heater 9, after forming an opening, a dielectric film (side wall) 8 is formed in the opening so as to reduce the size of the lower electrode 7b to smaller than the diameter of the opening. A phase change film (GST) 10 is formed on the heater 9, and an upper electrode (bit line BL) 11, which is a metal wiring, is formed thereon.
FIG. 9B shows an equivalent circuit of a conventional memory cell. A single resistance element (phase change element) R is connected to a single transistor (MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor). A phase change region is created in the contact portion between the lower electrode 7b and the phase change film 10. That is, in the case where an electric current is applied to this circuit, the electric current density in this portion becomes the highest, and the temperature of this portion is likely to become the highest due to its heat generation. As described above, the conventional multi-level memory cell employs a method in which the degree of crystallization of a single phase change region is controlled to change resistance values in an analog manner, and four-level data or eight-level data is stored (refer to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B).
The advantage of the above conventional method is that reading is performed non-destructively and the number of bits to be stored can be increased, for example, to two or four, as long as the resistance value can be controlled accurately. On the other hand, the disadvantage of this method is that the accuracy of the resistance value after writing needs to be improved because the range of the resistance value becomes narrower. To this end, there has been proposed a method of controlling the resistance accurately while performing a verifying operation (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-155700 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1)).
However, in this method, writing requires a long period of time because the verifying operation needs to be performed, and the accuracy of the resistance and the value of the reference potential (reference current) used for reading need to be controlled at a high level of precision because the resistance has a temperature dependency.
Moreover, pp. 89-90 of "Technology and Materials for Future Optical Memories", edited by Masahiro Okuda, CMC Publishing Co., Ltd., Jan. 31, 2004 (hereinafter referred to as Non-Patent Document 1) discloses the result of 16-level recording of a phase change ovonic memory, and it describes the result of 16-level writing between 5 kilo-ohms to 500 kilo-ohms by controlling the writing electric current.
Furthermore, an example of a phase change memory device of a conventional technique is disclosed in Published Japanese Translation No. 2005-522045 of PCT International Publication (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2). In this conventional phase change memory device, variable resistance elements formed from four phase change layers are commonly connected to a word line WL via a selection transistor, while the bit line BL is connected to each of the resistance elements, and sixteen-level data are expressed in accordance with the electric current applied to each of the bit lines.
However, this conventional phase change memory device has a problem in that a high level of accuracy is required in electric current detection after writing, and its circuit configuration and writing sequence becomes complex.
Moreover, an example of a semiconductor device of a conventional technique is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-317713 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 3). However, the object of this conventional semiconductor device is to change the crystalline state of a phase change film by heat application after forming a circuit, to thereby change the connection state of the circuit connected to the phase change film, and its object and configuration are therefore different from those of the present invention.
As described above, in the conventional method, a higher level of accuracy is required for the resistance value after writing because the range of the resistance value becomes narrower. As a result, there has been proposed a method of controlling the resistance at a high level of accuracy while performing a verifying operation.
However, there is a problem in this method in that writing requires a long period of time because a verifying operation needs to be performed, and the accuracy in the resistance and the value of reference potentials (reference currents) used when reading need to be controlled at a high level of precision because the resistance has a temperature dependency.
The present invention takes the above circumstances into consideration. and an object of the present invention is to provide a phase change memory device that: requires only one type of a reading reference potential; does not require a verifying operation; enables simplification of its circuit configuration and writing sequence; and is capable of performing writing two bits into a conventional one bit memory cell region.
A phase change memory device of the present invention has a memory cell that uses a phase change film as a storage element, and includes: a first phase change region formed on a side of one face of the phase change film; and a second phase change region formed on a side of another face of the phase change film in a position that corresponds to the first phase change region, and the phase change memory stores two-bit data using combinations of a high resistance state due to amorphization and a low resistance state due to crystallization in the first phase change region with the high resistance state and the low resistance state in the second phase change region, the resistance value of the low resistance state being lower than that of the high resistance state.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, two phase change elements (resistance elements) formed by the two phase change regions are connected in series, and these two phase change elements are capable of being brought into one of two states respectively, namely a high resistance state and a low resistance state, and two-bit data (four-level data) is recorded using combinations of these states.
As a result, it becomes possible to record two-bit data using combinations of the two phase change elements (resistance elements). Moreover, since data reading is performed while judging whether the resistance value of the entire phase change elements (resistance elements) connected in series is a high resistance or a low resistance, the reference potential for reading needs to be only one type, a verifying operation is not required, and the circuit configuration and writing sequence can be simplified. Furthermore, it is possible to perform writing of two-bit data into a conventional one bit memory cell region.
Preferably, in the phase change memory device, the first phase change region is formed in a close vicinity of a contact face between the phase change film and a first electrode that is arranged so as to contact the one face of the phase change film or a recess section on the one face, the second phase change region is formed in a close vicinity of a contact face between the phase change film and a second electrode that is arranged so as to contact the other face of the phase change film or a recess section on the other face, an area of the contact face between the first electrode and the phase change film differs from an area of the contact face between the second electrode and the phase change film, and a common electric current is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode through a transistor that forms the memory cell.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, an electric current is applied to the first phase change region through the first electrode, and the electric current is applied to the second phase change region through the second electrode. In this case, the contact area between the first electrode and the phase change film is made different from that between the second electrode and the phase change film. The electric currents applied to the first electrode and the second electrode are the same electric current. It is a commonly known characteristic that the electric current required for making a phase change film into amorphous (making it a high resistance) or crystallizing the phase change film (making it a low resistance) is proportional to the contact area. Therefore, this characteristic is used to create a difference between the characteristics of the first phase change region and the second phase change region.
Accordingly, the difference between the characteristics of the first phase change region and the second phase change region (difference in the characteristic due to the applied electric current) is utilized, and recording of two-bit data (four-level data) can be realized by making use of combinations thereof.
Preferably, in the phase change memory device, a first heater is formed in a portion where the first electrode and the phase change film are in contact with each other, and a second heater is formed in a portion where the second electrode and the phase change film are in contact with each other.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, the first heater is formed in a portion where the first electrode and the phase change film are in contact with each other, and the second heater is formed in a portion where the second electrode and the phase change film are in contact with each other.
As a result, transition of the phase change film into a crystallized state or into an amorphous state can be carried out efficiently.
Preferably, in the phase change memory device, the first electrode is arranged on a side of a metal wiring on which a bit line of the memory cell is formed, and the second electrode is arranged on a side of the transistor of the memory cell.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, the first electrode is provided on the metal wiring side on which the bit line is formed, and the second electrode is provided on the transistor side.
Therefore, the phase change film having the first phase change region and the second phase change region can be arranged between the second electrode connected to the transistor formed on a silicon substrate or the like and the first electrode connected to the metal wiring that forms the bit line. Thereby, writing of two bits into a conventional one bit memory cell region can be realized, and a memory cell region required for storing one bit can be made smaller.
Preferably, in the phase change memory device, the first phase change region is brought from the high resistance state into the low resistance state by an electric current of a first electric current level Ireset1 applied through the first electrode, and the first phase change region is brought from the low resistance state into the high resistance state by an electric current of a third electric current level Ireset3 applied through the first electrode, and the second phase change region is brought from the high resistance state into the low resistance state by an electric current of a second electric current level Ireset2 applied through the second electrode, and the second phase change region is brought from the low resistance state into the high resistance state by an electric current of a fourth electric current level Ireset4 applied through the second electrode, where Ireset1<Ireset2<Ireset3<Ireset4.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, the range of the electric current for bringing the first phase change region into a low resistance state (Ireset1 to Ireset3) is made to be different from the range of the electric current for bringing the second phase change region into a low resistance state (Ireset2 to Ireset4), and only some portions of these ranges overlap with each other.
As a result, by controlling the electric current to be applied to the first phase change region and the second phase change region, setting (data writing) for bringing each of the first phase change region and the second phase change region into either a high resistance state or a low resistance state can be performed.
Preferably, the phase change memory device further includes: a first resistance value writing device that sets the first phase change region to the high resistance state and to set the second phase change region to the high resistance state by applying an electric current of the fourth electric current level Ireset4 to the first electrode and the second electrode; a second resistance value writing device that sets the first phase change region to the low resistance state and to set the second phase change region to the high resistance state by applying an electric current of the first electric current level Ireset1 to the first electrode and the second electrode after an electric current of the fourth electric current level Ireset4 has been applied to the first electrode and the second electrode; a third resistance value writing device that sets the first phase change region to the low resistance state and to set the second phase change region to the low resistance state by applying an electric current of the second electric current level Ireset2 to the first electrode and the second electrode after an electric current of the fourth electric current level Ireset4 has been applied to the first electrode and the second electrode; and a fourth resistance value writing device that sets the first phase change region to the high resistance state and to set the second phase change region to the low resistance state by applying an electric current of the third electric current level Ireset3 to the first electrode and the second electrode after an electric current of the fourth electric current level Ireset4has been applied to the first electrode and the second electrode.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, when performing setting (data writing) for bringing each of the first phase change region and the second phase change region into either a high resistance state or a low resistance state, an electric current is applied (for example, a pulse voltage is applied) once or twice.
In the case where the first phase change region and the second phase change region are set to a high resistance state, an electric current of Ireset4 is applied once.
In the case where the first phase change region is set to a low resistance state and the second phase change region is set to a high resistance state, an electric current of Ireset1is applied after the electric current of Ireset4 has been applied.
In the case where the first phase change region is set to a low resistance state and the second phase change region is set to a low resistance state, an electric current of Ireset2is applied after the electric current of Ireset4 has been applied.
In the case where the first phase change region is set to a high resistance state and the second phase change region is set to a low resistance state, an electric current of Ireset3is applied after the electric current of Ireset4 has been applied.
As a result, by performing writing once or twice, writing of two bits into a conventional one bit memory cell region can performed.
Preferably, the phase change memory device further includes: a first resistance value reading device that determines whether an entire resistance value of the first phase change region and the second phase change region is in a high resistance state that is higher than a predetermined resistance value or in a low resistance state that is lower than the predetermined resistance value, by applying a voltage within a range in which the crystalline state of the first phase change region and the second phase change region is not changed; a first electric current application device that applies an electric current of the first electric current level Ireset1 to the first phase change region and the second phase change region while limiting a voltage to be applied to the first electrode and the second electrode so as not to exceed a voltage twice a threshold voltage of each phase change region, in the case where the first resistance value reading device determines that the entire resistance value is the high resistance state; a second resistance value reading device that determines whether the entire resistance value is in the high resistance state or in the low resistance state, after the first electric current application device has applied the electric current; a second electric current application device that applies an electric current of the second electric current level Ireset2 to the first phase change region and the second phase change region while limiting a voltage to be applied to the first electrode and the second electrode so as not to exceed the voltage twice the threshold voltage of each phase change region, in the case where the second resistance value reading device determines that the entire resistance value is the high resistance state; and a third resistance value reading device that determines whether the entire resistance value is in the high resistance state or in the low resistance state, after the second electric current application device has applied the electric current.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, the following steps are performed in reading of whether each of the first phase change region and the second phase change region is in a high resistance state or a low resistance state.
First, with a first resistance value reading device, the resistance value of the entire region including the first phase change region and the second phase change region is read. At this time, if the entire resistance value is a low resistance, the first phase change region is judged to be in a low resistance state and the second phase change region is judged to be in a low resistance state.
If the first resistance value reading device judges the resistance as a high resistance, a first electric current application device applies the Ireset1 electric current to the first phase change region and the second phase change region, and then a second resistance value reading device reads the entire resistance value. At this time, if the entire resistance value is a low resistance, the first phase change region is judged to be in a high resistance state and the second phase change region is judged to be in a low resistance state. When applying an Ireset1 electric current, the voltage to be applied in between the first electrode and the second electrode is limited so as not to exceed a voltage twice the threshold (the voltage at which the electric current starts to flow) of each of the phase change regions, and if the first and second phase change regions are in a high resistance state, then this state is maintained.
If the second resistance value reading device judges the resistance as a high resistance, a second electric current application device applies the Ireset2 electric current, and then a third resistance value reading device reads the entire resistance value. At this time, if the entire resistance value is a low resistance, the first phase change region is judged to be in a low resistance state and the second phase change region is judged to be in a high resistance state. When applying an Ireset2 electric current, the voltage to be applied in between the first electrode and the second electrode is limited so as not to exceed a voltage twice the threshold (the voltage at which the electric current starts to flow) of each of the phase change regions, and if the first and second phase change regions are in a high resistance state, then this state is maintained.
If the third resistance value reading device judges the resistance as a high resistance, the first phase change region is judged to be in a high resistance state and the second phase change region is judged to be in a high resistance state.
As a result, it can be read whether each of the first phase change region and the second phase change region is in a high resistance state or in a low resistance state.
Preferably, in the phase change memory device, the first electric current application device and the second electric current application device are provided with a device for performing rewriting for bringing the first phase change region and the second phase change region into their original states, if an electric current has been applied to the first phase change region and the second phase change region.
In the phase change memory device of the present invention configured as described above, since reading of whether each of the first phase change region and the second phase change region is in a high resistance state or in a low resistance state is performed destructively, rewriting for bringing the first phase change region and the second phase change region into their original states is performed in accordance with the read data (high resistance state or low resistance state).
As a result, having read whether each of the first phase change region and the second phase change region is in a high resistance state or in a low resistance state, each of the first phase change region and the second phase change region can be restored to their original states (high resistance state or low resistance state).
Preferably, the phase change memory device, the area of the contact face between the first electrode and the phase change film is set so as to be substantially two thirds of the area of the contact face between the second electrode and the phase change film, and the first electric current level Ireset1, the second electric current level Ireset2, and the third electric current level Ireset3 are respectively set approximately as follows: Ireset1=(⅓)×Ireset4, Ireset2=(½)×Ireset4, and Ireset3=(⅔)×Ireset4.
As a result, the electric current to be applied to the first phase change region and the second phase change region, can be set in a good balance.
A first effect of the phase change memory device of the present invention is that in a phase change memory cell, in order to realize multi-level states of the phase change films (GST) in the close vicinity of the upper electrode and the lower electrode using four combinations of the set state and the reset state, the reading reference potential need be only one type, and since a resistance difference in the case of a high resistance and a low resistance can be large, the reading reference potential can be similar to that in the case of a generic one bit per memory cell.
A second effect is that since there are only two types of states of the resistance of the memory cell, that is, "high resistance in a reset state" and "low resistance in a set state", the level of accuracy in resistance value control in writing may be low. Therefore, a verifying operation is not required and the circuit configuration and writing sequence can be simplified.
Moreover, a third effect of the present invention is that a multi-level state can be realized by forming the phase change regions in two locations, that is, the upper electrode and the lower electrode. As a result, writing of two bits into a conventional one bit memory cell region can be performed, and a memory cell region required for storing one bit data can be made smaller.


An image forming apparatus includes a roller shaft, a paper-transporting which is coupled to the roller shaft and transports a document, a driving part to supply a rotational driving force to the paper-transporting roller, a driving wheel which is coupled to the roller shaft and rotates along with the roller shaft, and a clutch unit which includes a clutch shaft having an axial line deviated from an axial line of the roller shaft, a transmission wheel connected with the clutch shaft and which transmits the driving force to the driving wheel, and a rotation connecting part to selectively transmit the rotational driving force to the transmission wheel.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an auto document feeder and an image forming apparatus including the same, and more particularly, to an auto document feeder having a compatible driving module and an image forming apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an auto document feeder is used as a kind of a document feeder, includes a scanning part to scan image data recorded on a document stacked in a document stacking stand, and is applied to apparatuses having an information inputting function, such as a scanner, a facsimile, a multi-functional device, and a photocopier. Auto document feeders are classified as a low speed auto document feeder or a high speed auto document feeder according to the document feeding speed. An auto document feeder includes a driving part to generate a driving force and a driving force generating unit having a driving force switching device to switch the driving force of the driving part in order to selectively feed documents. In conventional auto documents feeders, a one-way gear or a swing gear is used as the driving force switching device for the low speed auto document feeder, and an electronic clutch is used as the driving force switching device for the high speed auto document feeder.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional high speed auto document feeder 10 includes a driving motor 30 as a driving force generating device and an electronic clutch 20 as a driving force switching device. A driving force of the driving motor 30 is transmitted to an electronic clutch gear 20a via a driving pinion 41 and a transmission gear 42 engaged with the driving motor 30. The electronic clutch 20 transmits the driving force transmitted from the electronic clutch gear 20a to a rotating shaft 13 of an auto document feed roller 11 when power is turned on by a controller (not shown). The auto document feed roller 11 and a pickup roller 12, of which the mutual rotating shafts thereof are connected to each other by a pickup gear 32, rotate in the same direction 31a, thereby feeding the stacked document.
After the document is fed, the electronic clutch 20 is powered off and the rotating shaft 13 is kept idle. Then a bracket 50 accommodating the auto document feed roller 11 and the pick up roller 12 tends to rotate downward with respect to the rotating shaft 13 as a result of its own weight. A spring 60 connects a frame (not shown) with the bracket 50 and supports the bracket 50 by an elastic force to form a predetermined document stacking space.
However, a one-way gear used with the conventional low speed auto document feeder is not directly connected with the rotating shaft of the auto document feed roller, unlike the electronic clutch 20 which is directly connected to the rotating shaft of the conventional high speed auto document feeder. Instead, the one-way gear has a separate rotating shaft which engages a gear connected with the rotating shaft of the auto document feed roller.
In the high speed auto document feeder, since the electronic clutch 20 is directly connected with the rotating shaft 13 of the auto document feed roller 11, the low and the high speed auto document feeders have rotating shafts of the auto paper feed rollers with mutually different lengths. Also, since the electronic clutch 20 is directly connected with the rotating shaft of the auto paper feed roller, but the one-way gear has a separate rotating shaft, low and high speed auto document feeders are not mutually compatible.
Also, in the case of the high speed auto document feeder 10, it is not easy to detach the bracket 50, for example, after a paper jam, since the electronic clutch 20 is directly connected with the rotating shaft 13 by a power cable. Furthermore, since the elastic member 60 is connected with the bracket 50, it is exceedingly difficult to detach the bracket 50.

Auto document feeder and image forming apparatus including the same


A 3D display apparatus (2) is provided with: a plurality of displaying devices (11, 12) which are arranged on a visual line of a viewer (10) in series at a predetermined interval; and a controlling device (31–39) for controlling the displaying devices to respectively display images, so as to show a three dimensional image for the viewer. At least one (11) of the displaying devices except for a displaying device (12) which is positioned farthest from the viewer has an image displaying surface having both of a self-emitting property and a light transparency property.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a 3D (three dimensional) display apparatus and method of a brightness modulation type (i.e., a luminance or intensity modulation type), which can show a 3D) image for a viewer by displaying a plurality of images of an object with changing the brightness of the images and overlapping the images on each other from a view point of the viewer.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a LC (Liquid Crystal) shutter glass method or the like as a 3D display apparatus, which can show a 3D image of motion picture and can electrically rewrite the 3D) image. This LC shutter glass method shows the 3D image by inputting an image signal, which is composed of image data including parallax information obtained by shooting a picture of a 3D object from several directions, into a 2D display apparatus. A viewer or observer wears a pair of LC shutter glasses. When an odd field image is on the 2D display, the LC shutter for a right eye becomes to be able to transmit a light therethrough and the LC shutter for a left eye becomes to be able to cut off the light. On the other hand, when an even field image is on the 2D display, the LC shutter for a right eye becomes to be able to cut off the light and the LC shutter for the left eye becomes to be able to transmit the light therethrough. In this case, by displaying an image for the right eye in the odd field and displaying an image for the left eye in the even field with two images synchronized, the viewer can perceive the 3D image by watching the two images, including the parallax for the right eye and the left eye, with his eyes.
According to this LC shutter glass method, it is necessary for the viewer to use the pair of LC shutter glasses. For example, it is unnatural to use the pair of LC shutter glasses in a television conference. In physiological factors of 3D viewing, a big contradiction between (i) parallax of two eyes or congestion and (ii) focusing may happen. That is to say, although the LC shutter glass method can satisfy the parallax of two eyes and the congestion since there is a focusing face on a surface of the image, this contradiction makes the viewer's eyes so tired.
On the account, a cubic-volume method which shows the 3D image by placing a plurality of the 2D display apparatuses in front of the viewer is proposed to solve a problem about the above described contradiction between (i) the parallax of two eyes or the congestion and (ii) the focusing. The cubic-volume method can show the 3D image between two of the 2D display apparatuses by displaying a gathering of several 2D images, which are sampled to a depth direction from a view point of the viewer, on two pieces of the 2D display apparatuses which are arranged at a predetermined interval for example. According to this method, which is different from the LC shutter glass method, it is possible to ease the contradiction between (i) the parallax of two eyes or the congestion and (ii) the focusing. However, according to the cubic-volume method, it is difficult to show an object, which is placed at a middle position of the two of the 2D display apparatuses or changes its position in a great magnitude toward the depth direction from the viewer, because the several 2D images are discretely positioned in the depth direction from the viewer.
On that account, a 3D display method of a brightness modulation type is proposed, which can interpolate the interval, even if showing positions of the several 2D images are discrete, by giving a variation to the brightness of the 2D image which is shown on each of two pieces of the 2D display apparatuses. According to this brightness modulation method, it is possible to ease the contradiction between (i) the parallax of two eyes or the congestion and (ii) the focusing, and is possible to ease eyestrain or the like. Also, the brightness modulation method has an advantage, which is to decrease an amount of data in showing the 3D image, because it is possible to make the viewer perceive the object existing in the middle position of the two image surfaces three-dimensionally and further to show objects existing on a plurality of surfaces.
However, this brightness modulation method has such a problem that the 3D display apparatus cannot show the image of a semitransparent object or the image through which the viewer can watch an object at the back of the image.
To this problem, the brightness modulation method which can show the image of a semitransparent object and the image through which the viewer can watch the object at the back of the image, by overlapping and showing the images of the object on several 2D display apparatuses by using a plurality of half mirrors, is proposed by the Japanese Patent Application Laying Open NO. 2000-115812.
However, in this method, the 3D display apparatus is large in scale and is so complicated that the 3D display apparatus cannot meet general requirements of miniaturization, lightweight and cost reduction in the concerned technical field because the 3D display apparatus includes a plurality of optical elements such as half mirrors and the like.

Three-dimensional display apparatus and method


A fax and phone combination device. The combination device is coupled to an external phone. From a phone line, the combination device receives a call signal, a fax signal, and an information signal. The call signal precedes the fax signal and the information signal. The combination device comprises a fax, an internal phone, and a call signal processor. The call processor processes the call signal received by the combination device and produces a first ringing signal from the call signal. The first ringing signal is intended for the internal phone. The combination device further comprises a ringing signal generator for generating a second ringing signal that is intended for the external phone, and a switch coupled to the fax, the internal phone, and the call processor. A call pulse in the call signal causes the switch to switch the combination device in a simulated receiving mode. In the simulated receiving mode, the fax signal detector detects whether the fax signal is present. If the fax signal is present, the fax signal is routed to the fax. If no fax signal is present, the second ringing signal is routed to the external phone.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a combination device comprising an input terminal to which a telephone line can be connected and on which the combination device can receive an input signal formed by a call signal made up of call signal pulses and, subsequently, an information signal or a fax signal, and comprising fax means adapted to process a received fax signal, and comprising internal telephone means adapted to process a received information signal and to supply a first activation signal for activating a receiving mode of the combination device, to which telephone means an information signal received in the receiving mode can be applied in order to process this signal, and comprising an output terminal via which external telephone means can be connected to the combination device, and comprising call signal processing means connected to the input terminal and arranged to receive an input signal in a standby mode of the combination device and adapted to detect call signal applied to the combination device before an information signal or before a fax signal, which call signal processing means include an electroacoustic transducer for producing an acoustic ringing signal after detection of a call signal pulse of the call signal and are adapted to supply a second activation signal after the occurrence of a given number of call signal pulses in order activate the receiving mode, and which are adapted to produce acoustic ringing signals by means of the electroacoustic transducer in the absence of fax signal detection information in the receiving mode, and comprising fax signal detection means arranged to receive an input signal in the receiving mode and adapted to supply the fax signal detection information when the input signal is a fax signal, and comprising first switching means arranged to receive an input signal from the input terminal in the receiving mode and adapted to supply an input signal from a first output terminal of the first fax means to the fax means when fax signal detection information occurs and to supply an input signal from a second output terminal of the first switching means to the internal telephone means in the absence of a fax signal detection information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a combination device of the type defined in the opening paragraph is commercially available from the Applicant under the type designation HFC 8 and is consequently known. In this known combination device both the internal telephone means and the fax means, which are accommodated in a common housing, have an electrical construction as known per se from the apparatuses when they are each accommodated in a separate housing, i.e. from a separate telephone set and a separate fax apparatus. In addition, the known combination device includes a fax switch, which in the present case includes the call signal processing means, the fax signal detection means and the first switching means. In the standby mode of the known combination device the fax switch connects the input terminal of the known combination device to the output terminal of the known combination device, which output terminal can be connected to external telephone means, which may be formed by a so-called cordless telephone. When an input signal formed by a call signal is applied to the input terminal of the combination device the call signal is detected by the call signal processing means of the combination device, a loudspeaker provided as an electroacoustic transducer of the combination device producing an acoustic ringing signal, and is also detected by a further call signal processing stage provided in the external telephone means, as a result of which a further acoustic ringing signal is produced by a further loudspeaker of the external telephone means. In this standby mode the user of the combination device can lift the receiver of the external telephone means or the receiver of the internal telephone means, which lifting is detected by the telephone exchange which is connected to the combination device via the telephone line, upon which a generator stage provided in the telephone exchange to generate the call signal terminates the supply of the call signal, after which the speech signal as an information signal or the fax signal from the other subscriber is supplied to the combination device via the telephone line as the input signal for the combination device.
When in the standby mode of the known combination device the call signal processing means has detected a given number of call signal pulses in the call signal it activates the receiving mode of the combination device, which is detected by the telephone exchange which in response thereto supplies a speech signal or a fax signal from the other subscriber to the input terminal of the combination device. As a result of the activation of the receiving mode the above-mentioned connection between the input terminal and the output terminal of the combination device established in the standby mode is interrupted. Subsequently, the fax signal detection means check whether the input signal is a fax signal. If the input signal is a fax signal the known fax switch connects the input terminal to the fax means, upon which the fax means produce a fax message corresponding to the received fax signal on a record carrier formed by a paper sheet. When the fax signal detection means do not detect a fax signal and the input signal is consequently a speech signal, the call signal processing means are adapted to again produce acoustic ringing signals by means of the loudspeaker. Unfortunately, the known combination device has the problem that in the receiving mode, when the fax signal detection means have not detected a fax signal and the input signal is consequently a speech signal, the external telephone means cannot produce an acoustic ringing signal and it is therefore not possible to answer a telephone call with the external telephone means.

Combination device including fax means and telephone means and including an active fax switch


A resistance exerciser for the vaginal muscles having a first member, a second member, an adjustment and locking apparatus and a system to provide bias. The first member and second member are joined together at a rear ends of both members by a hinge to form the overall unit. Bias is provided between the members to bias the members from a closed position to an open position. The adjustment and locking apparatus controls the opening width between the first and second members and is used to maintain the exerciser in a closed position for insertion and storage.. The first member has a tapered head region for ease of insertion into the orifice of the vagina. The second member is joined with the first member from just behind the head region and extends to the rear of both the first and second members where they are attached with a hinge. Just behind the head region is a muscle positioning region consisting of an abrupt inward tapering, a flattened portion and an abrupt outward tapering. The virginal muscles contract onto the muscle positioning portion. The abrupt tappers prevents the exerciser from slipping inward or outward during use.. Once inserted, the exerciser is adjusted such that the first and second members can open due to the bias. The adjustment of the width of the opening also adjusts the amount of bias being applied. The muscles are then contracted about the flattened portion to close the first and second members. When the muscles are relaxed, the bias again spreads or opens the first and second members. This cycle is repeated to exercise the virginal muscles.

The present invention relates to a contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser and more particularly to an exercise device that provides contractual resistance to exercise and tone the muscles of the urogenital triangle of the female.
Currently, there is much interest in health and fitness in both men and women. People are becoming more heath conscience. Those that are taking action to improve their health are beginning various exercise programs, in addition to eating better and taking better care of their bodies in general.
There are two basic types or methods of exercise, isometric and isotonic methods. Isometric, in a broad sense, is the contraction, relaxation and stretching of muscles without any external forces. Isotonic methods utilize external forces that act against or with specific muscles in particular directions. Both isometric and isotonic methods can bring about significant gains in strength within muscles in various lengths of time.
One of the greatest advantages of the isotonic method is that there are significant strength gains in specific relation to the angles at which resistance is applied. The isotonic exercise, as such, can be designed to work an entire range of motions and muscles in one contraction. Whereas, an isometric method may take several different contractions to work the same muscles and range of motion. It has also been generally stated the isotonic methods build larger muscles, provides greater muscle mass, longer endurance, and better motor ability.
The chief advantage of the isometric method is that no or very little external equipment is needed. This means that it is very handy and convenient, in that they can be performed any time at almost any location. Since the isotonic method typically builds larger and stronger muscles somewhat quicker, the isotonic method may also have psychological advantages, in that the person can see and feel the results of the exercise more readily and quicker.
Within the perineum or urogenital region of the female there are several muscles, including the traverse superficial, bulbocavernosus, ischiocavernosus, traverse profundus and the sphincter urethrae. These muscles are all joined and are generally continuous with the urogenital diaphragm. These muscles are used for many different functions. These muscles provide muscle control of the orifice of the vagina. The contractions and relaxation control blood flow to the clitoridis. Contribute to the erection of the clitoris, and provide control of the urethra. These are just a few of many functions controlled by these muscles.
The toning and muscle development of these muscles are beneficial in both bladder and virginal control. In addition, muscle tone and development often result in better and more fulfilling sexual relationships. This is due to better blood flow to the clitoridis and constriction of the veins thereof. Without muscle toning and control, the deep dorsal vein cannot be completely constricted and blood is allowed to return through veins. As such, an erect clitoris during a sexual relationship cannot be maintained. Muscle toning and development results in controlling an erect and sensitive clitoris that can be maintained to provide a more satisfying experience and/or organism. Plus, virginal control allows the women better feel and control for both herself and her partner during intercourse.
Typically, to address these and other problems physicians and other professionals recommended kegel exercises. The kegel exercise is an isometric method of contracting and relaxing the muscle of the urogenital region. There is no resistance or isotonic methods involved. Although this exercise improves muscle tone and strength, the results are not very apparent. The muscles are developed very slowly and the results are not readily observed or felt. As a result, women are discouraged and are not prone to maintain a regular exercise routine.
The invention herein described overcomes these problems. The contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser of this invention provides an isotonic method of exercising the muscles of the urogenital region or the perineum. Muscle development occurs relatively rapid. Larger muscles are developed with better control and longer endurance in a relatively shorter time. Therefore, women can observe and feel the results. As such, women are more apt to continue an exercise routine, maintain better muscle control, are encouraged by the results and just feel better about themselves. Therefore, this invention provides a means in exercising muscles that otherwise are often ignored to the determent of the women themselves, and often to their partner.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser constructed to provide a force or resistance for the isotonic exercise of the muscles of the urogenital region of the perineum.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser that is constructed to provide an alternative to the kegel exercises currently used by women and recommended by physicians and other professionals.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser adapted for contractual resistance to thereby substantially improve the development and toning of the transversus perinei superficial, bulbocavernosus, ischiocavernosus, traverse perinei profundus and the sphincter urethrae muscles.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser adapted for obtaining better vagina and urethra control. It has been found that muscle development using the contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser results in better urethra control very rapidly. Typically, after child birth, and in particular after the birth of the second, third or more children, the muscles are in a condition that urethra control may be difficult. This problem is overcome using the contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser of this invention.

Contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser