It is an object of the present invention to provide an upper electrode which is prevented from being contaminated with an impurity, has a sufficient adhesive strength between the pedestal and electrode plate of silicon, secures high-precision parallelism with the lower electrode, and hence improves the etching characteristics and silicon wafer yield. It is another object of the present invention to provide a dry etching device equipped with the upper electrode. The present invention provides an upper electrode for dry etching devices, comprising an electrode plate of silicon which is supported by a pedestal, wherein (a) the pedestal is made of graphite, and (b) the electrode plate of silicon is joined to the pedestal by an organic adhesive containing a filler having a Young""s modulus of 6xc3x97109 to 68xc3x97109N/m2.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an upper electrode for dry etching devices for production of semiconductor devices and the dry etching device including the same, more particularly to an upper electrode which is prevented from being contaminated with an impurity, has a sufficient adhesive strength between the pedestal and electrode plate of silicon, secures high-precision parallelism with the lower electrode, and hence improves the etching characteristics and silicon wafer yield, and to the dry etching device including the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As information devices represented by computers advance, the semiconductor integrated circuit as the main component of these devices is increasingly required to have a higher degree of integration. In the production of a semiconductor device, its components as well as the stock materials are handled in a clean working atmosphere, e.g., in a clean room, for securing the performance requirements, because the device is extremely sensitive to contamination with an impurity. It is needless to say that each component is required not to produce an impurity.
The wafer treatment processes, represented by ion implantation, dry etching and sputtering, are effected in a reaction chamber, frequently referred to simply as a chamber, which can be evacuated to a high degree of vacuum. The chamber is increasingly required to meet the higher purity standards, as degree of integration increases for semiconductor integrated circuits.
Taking dry etching as an example, the component members inside of the chamber are described by referring to FIG. 3. The chamber normally includes a pair of electrodes, i.e., upper and lower electrodes, facing each other, the lower electrode being connected to an RF power source to produce a plasma between the counter electrodes. A silicon wafer is set immediately above the lower electrode via a mounting member, to be etched with an etchant gas in a plasma atmosphere.
The conventional upper electrode for a dry etching device is composed of an electrode plate of silicon which is joined to a pedestal (or support ring) of metal or metal oxide by brazing with indium or the like.
However, pedestals of metal or metal oxide tend to be contaminated with an impurity, and graphite has been investigated as a substitute for the metal or metal oxide. Joining the electrode plate to a graphite pedestal by brazing with indium or the like, although securing the necessary adhesive strength, not only requires time-consuming pretreatment and work at high temperature during the production period but also causes distribution of joint layer thickness, making it difficult to have the sufficient parallelism between the upper and lower electrodes necessary for uniform etching treatment, and hence this method is unsuitable for joining members required to have highly precision parallelism. The brazing metal itself may cause contamination of the silicon wafer. Therefore, the joining method rarely gives good etching characteristics for dry etching, and tends to lower the yield of the semiconductor device or silicon wafer.
Several attempts have been made to solve these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,456 proposes an upper electrode joined using metal-filled epoxies, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,577 proposes an upper electrode joined using a metal particle-containing elastomeric materials.
These references state that the electrode plate and pedestal can be joined to each other more precisely, because of decreased thickness of the adhesive layer to a size of the metal particles, keeping good parallelism between the upper and lower electrodes and avoiding contamination with an impurity.
However, these inventions have a lower thermal conductivity between the electrode plate and pedestal, in spite of the metallic filler present in the adhesive layer, than the case where they are joined by a brazing material, possibly causing a temperature distribution between the electrode plate periphery and center, and hence deteriorating the etching characteristics.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an upper electrode which is prevented from being contaminated with an impurity, secures not only high-precision parallelism with the lower electrode but also good thermal conductance between the electrode plate and pedestal, and hence improves the etching characteristics and silicon wafer yield by solving the problems involved in the conventional upper electrode for dry etching devices, and also to provide the dry etching device including the same.
The inventors of the present invention have found, after extensive study to develop the optimum upper electrode for dry etching devices in order to solve the above problems, that good thermal conductance can be realized between the electrode and pedestal when graphite, which is prevented from being contaminated with an impurity, is used as the material for the pedestal and joined to the electrode plate of silicon by an organic adhesive containing a specific filler, reaching the present invention.
The first invention provides an upper electrode for dry etching devices, comprising an electrode plate of silicon which is supported by a pedestal, wherein
(a) the pedestal is made of graphite, and
(b) the electrode plate of silicon is joined to the pedestal by an organic adhesive containing a filler having a Young""s modulus of 6xc3x97109 to 68xc3x97109 N/m2.
The second invention provides an upper electrode which is the same as that of the first invention except that the pedestal is coated with glass-like carbon for the portion not joined to the electrode plate of silicon.
The third invention provides an upper electrode which is the same as that of the first invention wherein the electrode plate of silicon is pressed to the pedestal via the organic adhesive containing beforehand an electrically and thermally conductive filler of uniform particle size at a pressure determined by the correlation between adhesion pressure and filler particle size, in order to control the joint layer at a uniform thickness.
The fourth invention provides an upper electrode which is the same as that of one of the first to third first inventions wherein the filler is of graphite and contained in said organic adhesive at 5 to 30% by weight.
The fifth invention provides an upper electrode which is the same as that of one of the first to fourth inventions wherein the organic adhesive is a silicone-based one.
The sixth invention provides a dry etching device which includes the upper electrode of one of the first to fifth inventions.
The present invention relates to an upper electrode which is prevented from being contaminated with an impurity, secures not only high-precision parallelism with the lower electrode but also good thermal conductance between the electrode plate and pedestal, and hence improves the etching characteristics and silicon wafer yield, and also to provide the dry etching device including the same as described above. The preferred embodiments of the invention includes the followings:
(1) The upper electrode for dry etching devices according to one of the first through fifth invention, wherein the organic adhesive is an epoxy-base or a silicon-base adhesive.
(2) The upper electrode of the above for dry etching devices, wherein the organic adhesive is an epoxy- or silicone-based one incorporated with at least one type of filler having a Young""s modulus of 6xc3x97109 to 68xc3x97109 N/m2.
(3) The upper electrode of the above for dry etching devices, wherein the organic adhesive is of the one-pack type.
(4) The upper electrode of the above for dry etching devices according to the second invention, wherein the pedestal is coated with glass like carbon to a thickness of at least 1 to 3 xcexcm.


A process of extruding a blend of an irradiated first propylene polymer and a non-irradiated second propylene polymer, where the first propylene polymer comprises a non-phenolic stabilizer. The irradiation of the first propylene polymer extrudate is conducted in a reduced oxygen environment, and the irradiated first propylene polymer and the non-irradiated second propylene polymer are blended at a temperature below their respective melting points. The blend has a viscosity retention of 20 to 35%.

The use of low density polyethylene in extrusion coating onto substrates such as paper and metal foils has historically been favored over that of polypropylene. This is a result of the relative poor extrusion coating characteristics of conventional polypropylenes at high throughput rates, where extension of the polymer melt through the extruder die increases. Conventional polypropylenes don't well-tolerate the higher extension, which adversely affects the orientation of the polymer melt, as evidenced by neck-in, draw resonance, edge weave and poor film quality.
Stabilizing additives are typically added to propylene polymer compositions to protect against degradation due to oxidation involving heat, UV radiation, ionizing radiation and transition metal impurities. In particular, in extrusion coating, fouling of the die or nip roll due to degradation products can occur if an appropriate level of stabilization is not present, potentially resulting in a shutdown of the extrusion coating product line. This is particularly important at higher extrusion temperatures. In addition to unit downtime, degradation can result in color development, undesirable taste or odor in the resulting polypropylene. Finally, appropriate stabilization levels are important to prevent large melt flow shifts at the operating temperature and residence time of the extruder, and to reduce the sensitivity of the extrusion coating operation to changes in operating conditions, e.g., extruder temperature, screw rpm, backpressure at the die, etc. Additives to inhibit degradation include free radical traps, the so-called primary antioxidants, and peroxide decomposers, sometimes referred to as secondary antioxidants. Hindered phenols and hindered amines are typical free-radical traps. Phosphites and thioesters are examples of peroxide decomposers. Phosphites are effective in the melt phase, and are used to prevent color generation. Thioesters are used for thermal stabilization to control undesirable taste and odor development in the resulting polypropylene. They are effective in the solid phase.
Increasing the melt strength of the polypropylene is known to improve melt orientation. Techniques to improve melt strength in polypropylene have included irradiation of conventional flake polypropylene in reduced-oxygen environments, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,916,198, 5,047,485, 5,414,027, 5,541,236, 5,554,668, 5,591,785, 5,731,362, and 5,804,304. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,318 discloses compounded blends of irradiated and non-irradiated olefin polymer materials suitable for extrusion coating applications requiring low gloss. These irradiation methods increase propylene polymer melt strength by creating polymer radicals during irradiation which then re-combine to form long-chain branches in the reduced oxygen environment. Conventionally, phenolic antioxidants have long been used to improve polymer stability under elevated temperature conditions, such as those typically experienced during extrusion, or during extended periods of storage. However, their use in irradiated compositions undermines enhanced melt strength by scavenging free radicals, thereby reducing the number of polymeric free radicals available to recombine to form long-chain branches. Moreover, irradiation of phenolic antioxidant-containing polymers can result in the formation of degradation products that impart undesirable color. Non-phenolic stabilizers have been used in the irradiation of conventional polyolefin materials to avoid such problems, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,317. International Publication No. WO 2009/003930 discloses irradiation of high melt strength polypropylene in the form of pellets containing non-phenolic antioxidants. However, a continuing need exists for extrusion coating processes that provide good film quality at high line speeds.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Controlled rheology formulations containing high melt strength polypropylene for extrusion coating


An electrophysiology catheter suitable for radiofrequency ablation of cardiac tissues comprises a proximal section, a catheter shaft section and a distal section whereby a distal loop electrode having a temperature sensor and a close-loop temperature control. A conducting wire extends through the lumen and is connected to the loop electrode. The steerable catheter having a loop electrode is inserted into the chambers of the heart to create a continuous, non-linear lesion by supplying radiofrequency energy to said conducting wire.

Symptoms of abnormal heart rhythms are generally referred to as cardiac arrhythmias, with an abnormally rapid rhythm being referred to as a tachycardia. The present invention is concerned with the treatment of tachycardias which are frequently caused by the presence of an "arrhythmogenic site" or "accessory atrioventricular pathway" close to the inner surface of the chambers of a heart. The heart includes a number of normal pathways which are responsible for the propagation of electrical signals from upper to lower chamber necessary for performing normal systole and diastole function. The presence of arrhythmogenic site or accessory pathway can bypass or short circuit the normal pathway, potentially resulting in very rapid heart contractions, referred to here as tachycardias.
Treatment of tachycardias may be accomplished by a variety of approaches, including drugs, surgery, implantable pacemakers/defibrillators, and catheter ablation. While drugs may be the treatment of choice for many patients, they only mask the symptoms and do not cure the underlying causes. Implantable devices only correct the arrhythmia after it occurs. Surgical and catheter-based treatments, in contrast, will actually cure the problem, usually by ablating the abnormal arrhythmogenic tissue or accessory pathway responsible for the tachycardia. It is important for a physician to accurately steer the catheter to the exact site for ablation. Once at the site, it is important for a physician to control the emission of energy to ablate the tissue within the heart.
Of particular interest to the present invention are radiofrequency (RF) ablation protocols which have proven to be highly effective in tachycardia treatment while exposing a patient to minimal side effects and risks. Radiofrequency catheter ablation is generally performed after conducting an initial mapping study where the locations of the arrhythmogenic site and/or accessory pathway are determined. After a mapping study, an ablation catheter is usually introduced to the target heart chamber and is manipulated so that the ablation tip electrode lies exactly at the target tissue site. Radiofrequency energy or other suitable energy is then applied through the tip electrode to the cardiac tissue in order to ablate the tissue of arrhythmogenic site or the accessory pathway. By successfully destroying that tissue, the abnormal signal patterns responsible for the tachycardia may be eliminated. However, in the case of atrial fibrillation (AFib), multiple arrhythmogenic sites and/or multiple accessory pathways exist. The conventional catheter with a single ablation tip electrode can not effectively cure the symptoms.
Atrial fibrillation is believed to be the result of the simultaneous occurrence of multiple wavelets of functional re-entry of electrical impulses within the atria, resulting in a condition in which the transmission of electrical activity becomes so disorganized that the atria contracts irregularly. Once considered a benign disorder, AFib now is widely recognized as the cause of significant morbidity and mortality. The most dangerous outcome from AFib is thromboembolism and stroke risk, the latter due to the chaotic contractions of the atria causing blood to pool. This in turn can lead to clot formation and the potential for an embolic stroke. According to data from the American Heart Association, about 75,000 strokes per year are AFib-related.
A catheter utilized in the radiofrequency ablation is inserted into a major vein or artery, usually in the neck or groin area. The tip section of a catheter is referred to here as the portion of that catheter shaft containing the electrode or electrodes which is deflectable. The catheter is then guided into chambers of the heart by appropriate manipulation through the vein or artery. The tip of a catheter must be manipulatable by a physician from the proximal end of the catheter, so that the electrode at the tip section can be positioned against the tissue site to be ablated. The catheter must have a great deal of flexibility in order to follow the pathway of major blood vessels into the heart. It must permit user manipulation of the tip even when the catheter body is in a curved and twisted configuration. The tip section of a conventional electrophysiology catheter that is deflectable usually contains one large electrode about 4 mm in length for ablation purpose. A temperature sensor is usually attached on that electrode.
Imran in U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,218 teaches a needle electrode attached on a catheter for radiofrequency ablation. Though a needle like electrode is beneficial to ablate a tissue point for deep lesions, it is not possible to ablate the tissue in a long continuous non-linear curve or a close-loop circular fashion. For atrial fibrillation treatment, its limitation of a point ablation is obvious.
While a radiofrequency electrophysiology ablation procedure using an existing catheter has had promising results, the tip section of a known catheter usually have only one large electrode for ablation purpose. Recently a non-steerable ablation catheter having multiple large electrodes were introduced to treat the AFib symptoms. The resulting contiguous lesion proves to be a useful, but not optimal, treatment for AFib patients. It is hypothesized that a continuous lesion, rather than a contiguous lesion, is the key for an effective therapy of the cardiac ablation. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a steerable loop electrode to create a continuous non-linear lesion for cardiac ablation.

Steerable catheter having a loop electrode


In a parameter setting method, when a wireless communication device has wired connection to a different device, the wired connection is used to acquire wireless setting values. If the wireless communication device has no wired connection to the different device, short distance wireless communication is used to acquire the wireless setting values from the different device. When the wireless setting values are acquired, notifying to the user is performed depending on an acquisition method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology by which, among computer devices for use in a wireless network such as a wireless LAN (local area network), even a computer device that only has limited operating units can easily configure various types of settings for connecting to the wireless LAN.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, wireless LANs that use wireless communication to connect devices, such as personal computers and digital cameras, have been in widespread use. In order for each device to access a wireless LAN network, for the device, it is necessary to configure wireless LAN settings such as a communication mode (ad hoc mode/infrastructure mode), a communication channel, an extended service set identifier (ESS-ID), and a wired equivalent privacy key (WEP key).
However, when using a portable apparatus such as a digital camera, it is very cumbersome to input the above setting values since such a portable apparatus has limited operating units.
Accordingly, a method in which the above setting values are input by a device such as a personal computer having various input units and are transmitted to a portable apparatus by wired communication has been proposed. In addition, a secure method for transmitting the above setting values to a portable apparatus by short distance wireless communication has also been proposed.
In addition, portable apparatuses in recent years include a type of device having both a wired connection interface and a wireless connection interface for establishing connection to external devices. When settings for connecting to the wireless LAN are configured by using such a type of device, either of the above two methods can be used.
Accordingly, when a portable apparatus requests acquisition of wireless setting values, it is desirable that the portable apparatus automatically select and execute a method for the acquisition depending on the status of the portable apparatus at the time.
In general, when the above two methods for setting value acquisition differ in process, a user who configures the settings by using a method different from that at the previous time may be confused. Thus, usability needs to be improved.

Communication apparatus and communication method capable of wired and wireless communication


An antifuse memory cell includes an antifuse element and a gate PN diode. The antifuse element includes a gate terminal coupled to a word line, a drain terminal coupled to a bit line, and a body terminal. The gate PN diode is coupled between the word line and the gate terminal.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to nonvolatile memory devices and, more particularly, to antifuse memory cells and arrays thereof.
2. Related Art
Nonvolatile memory devices retain their stored data even without a constant source of power. Examples of nonvolatile memory devices include read only memory (ROM) devices, one-time programmable (OTP) memory devices and rewritable memory devices. Nonvolatile memory devices have been produced using a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible process.
The OTP memory devices may be categorized as either fuse-type OTP memory devices or antifuse-type OTP memory devices. Each memory cell in the fuse type OTP memory devices begins as a short circuit (i.e. there is a current path) before it is programmed. And, when programmed, can remain a short or be changed to an open circuit, depending on how it is programmed. In contrast, each memory cell in an antifuse-type OTP memory device begins as an open circuit before it is programmed and, when programmed, is a short or open circuit depending on the data that it stores. Considering the characteristics of MOS transistors, the CMOS processes may be suitable for fabrication of antifuse-type OTP memory devices.

Antifuse memory cells and arrays thereof


A wafer heating apparatus can be obtained which prevents formation of a local gap caused by deflection or distortion, and the like, of a wafer at the time of heating the wafer so as to improve production yield of the heat treatment of the wafers. The apparatus includes a ceramic substrate, a heat generating resistive element embedded in the ceramic substrate, a film electrode formed on a front surface of the ceramic substrate, and a ceramic dielectric layer formed on the front surface of the ceramic substrate to coat the film electrode. A direct current power source is provided to generate Coulomb's force between the wafer and the film electrode via the dielectric layer to attract the wafer to a wafer-attracting surface of the dielectric layer, while heating the wafer attracted to the wafer-attracting surface by energizing the heat generating element through application of an electric current therethrough. A method of producing the wafer heating apparatus is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wafer heating apparatus for use in semiconductor producing systems, and methods for producing the same.
2. Related Art Statement
Heretofore, chlorine series gases, fluorine series gases, and similar corrosive gases have been used as deposition, etching, or cleaning gases in semiconductor producing systems which necessitate super clean states. For that purpose, when a conventional heating apparatus having a heat-generating resistive element coated with stainless steel, inconell, or the like, metal is used as a wafer heating apparatus at a state of the wafer contacting with such a corrosive gas, the metal coated on the heat-generating resistive element produces undesirable particles of chloride, oxide or fluoride of diameters of a few .mu.m due to exposure to the gas.
Therefore, a wafer heating apparatus of an indirect heating system has been developed which provides an infrared radiation arranged outside of a container wherein a wafer is exposed to the deposition gas, etc., a window on an outside wall of the container for permeating an infrared radiation emitted from the lamp therethrough into the container, and a heating body made of a highly corrosion resistant material, such as graphite, for irradiating a wafer mounted on the upper surface of the heating body by the infrared radiation to heat the wafer. However, as compared with direct wafer heating apparatuses, this type of wafer heating apparatus has problems in that a large heat loss and a long heating time are required for temperature elevation, permeation of the infrared radiation is gradually prevented by a CVD film deposited on the window which causes the window to heat due to heat absorption thereof, and homogeneity and response of heating become bad due to the separate provision of the heating source lamp and the heating body mounting the wafer.
In order to solve the above problems, we studied arranged on a wafer heating apparatus having a heat-generating resistive element embedded in a dense ceramic disc. As a result, we have found out that this type of wafer heating apparatus is a superior apparatus which eliminates the above problems. However, we have also found out by further studies that there still remains a problem in holding and fixing the semiconductor wafer to the heating apparatus.
Namely, as conventional techniques of fixing a semiconductor wafer, there are known a mechanical fixing system, a vacuum chuck system, and an electrostatic system, which are used, for example, in transportation, light-exposure, film formation, fine machining, rinsing, dicing, etc., of semiconductor wafers. Meanwhile, in heating a semiconductor wafer under a controlled temperature at CVD, sputtering, epitaxial or the like, film preparing, processes, productivity, i.e., yield of production of semiconductors is decreased at the time of producing the semiconductor wafers, if a surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer is not heated homogeneously. In such a case, we have found out that, if a mechanical fixing system is adopted for fixing the semiconductor wafer, the formed film becomes uneven due to contact of a pin or a ring to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. If the semiconductor wafer is arranged at a heating surface of a disc-shaped ceramic heater, the whole surface of the semiconductor wafer is not uniformly urged against the flat surface of the heater disc, so that the semiconductor wafer is deflected and distorted to form a local gap between a portion of the semiconductor wafer and the flat heating surface of the ceramic heater disc. In a medium or a high vacuum of a pressure of not more than 10.sup.-3 Torr, a heat transfer due to gas convection is minor, so that a very large temperature difference is caused between the gap-formed portion of the semiconductor wafer and the portion of the semiconductor wafer contacting the surface of the ceramic heater disc. Namely, behavior of gas molecules at the wafer-mounted surface is in a viscous flow region at a pressure of not less than 1 Torr to allow heat flow (heat transfer) of the gas molecules. Therefore, the wafer temperature is not so considerably decreased as compared with the heater temperature even at the portion having the above gap, and shows a good followability or response to the heater temperature. However, at a medium or a high vacuum range of not more than 1 Torr, the behavior of decreased number of the gas molecules changes to a molecules-flowing region to widely decrease the heat flow due to the heat transfer of the gas molecules, so that the wafer temperature is decreased as compared with the heater temperature to worsen homogeneity and the response property of the heating.
If a vacuum chuck system is adopted for fixing the wafer, the system can not be used for sputtering, CVD or the like processes which are used under a condition of medium or high vacuum.
Though there is an electrostatic chuck using a polyimide film as a dielectric film in the so-called electrostatic chucks, a usable temperature range of conventional electrostatic chucks is around 80.degree.-200.degree. C. at the maximum. Therefore, the electrostatic chuck can not be adopted for fixing the wafer in a sputtering or a CVD process wherein the wafer is heated by a heating element up to a temperature of about 600.degree. C.

Wafer heating apparatus and with ceramic substrate and dielectric layer having electrostatic chucking means


Policy deviations for distributed computing environments are detected and recorded an immutable ledger of transaction provenance from end to end transactions performed in the distributed computing environment. From the immutable ledger, persona data for transaction types is plotted as an bipartite graph. Edge weights of the bipartite graphs are correlated to trust levels between personas from the persona data and the transaction types from the immutable ledger. Trust levels from the edge weights are correlated to rules illustrating when the transaction provenance indicate a policy deviation in the distributed computing environment. The rules are then employed to detect in real time end to end provenance when a policy deviation in the distributed computing environment is occurring. An alert of policy deviations may be sent to stakeholders for the distributed computing environment.

The present invention generally relates to distributed computing environments, and more particularly to including hybrid cloud environments.
With the rapid adoption of private, public, hybrid and distributed cloud services, the maintenance and management of data governance and audit trails for the multiple parties concerned in providing such services is of increasing interest. Some of the parties involved in maintenance and management of data governance in cloud computing may include the platform service provider, facilities provider, infrastructure services vendors, network providers, administrators for the operating systems, applications administrators, database administrators, and network administrators. With multiple parties involved in the maintenance and management of a computing environment, there is a possibility of one of those parties performing an action, e.g., unintended action, that can negatively impact the cloud/IT services even outside of their intended roles.

Provenance based identification of policy deviations in cloud computing environments


The present invention discloses a packing box of liquid crystal panel. The packing box of liquid crystal panel comprises a box body, on at least two adjacent side walls of the box body respectively being provided with several grooves; the packing box further being provided with an elastic buffer part and a rigid part, the elastic buffer part being provided in the grooves, a first terminal of the elastic buffer part being close to the liquid crystal panel, there being a gap between the inner wall of the groove and a second terminal of the elastic buffer part, the rigid part being mounted on the groove through the position of the gap. In the packing box of liquid crystal panel, the content closely contacts with the packaging material, which avoids the displacement of the content generating secondary impacts during transportation and decreases the damages of the external impacts to the package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fields of packing technology, and in particular to a packing box of liquid crystal panel.
2. the Related Arts
In the production of the liquid crystal display device, it comprises an assembly process, which is to assemble the liquid crystal panel, the main control circuit, housing and other parts. Each part is produced and well-sealed up in advance and waits to be assembled to the entire liquid crystal display. Wherein, the liquid crystal panel is sealed in a packing box of liquid crystal panel after being produces, and then is delivered to the appropriate assembly station in box. Currently, there are many packing methods of the liquid crystal panel for industry, the most common type is using a tray made of foaming mold cushioning material to place the liquid crystal panel, or using an injection/blow mold rigid packing box. Relatively, the foaming tray has the advantages of light weight, good cushioning effect, etc., and the liquid crystal panel can contact directly with the outer box; while the rigid strength of the injection/blow mold rigid packing box is better than the foaming box body, but the body basically has no cushioning properties, which needs a soft retaining wall with cushioning effects.
In the traditional packing box mentioned above, the liquid crystal panel is directly put into the box body, the gap between the box body and one side of the panel ranges from 2 to 8 mm. The placement of the gaps is restricted by the precision degree of the packing process. The more precise process tolerance is, the smaller default gap can be, but the gap can not be zero. The assembly of two things must have a matching gap. If there is a gap between the contents and the outer box, the package may produce secondary impact during dropping, which generates multiple destructive impacts to the contents. The larger box manufacturing tolerance is, the gap generated when matching the contents is more uncontrollable, the protective properties of the package to the contents can not be estimated. Therefore, according to the existing packing method of the liquid crystal panel, it has risks of secondary impact damaging the liquid crystal panel. If the gap between the liquid crystal panel and the box body can be zero after packing, it can avoid the secondary impacts as much as possible, which efficiently protects the liquid crystal panel.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


An anti-reflective composition used in manufacturing integrated circuit devices comprises a silicon-added germanium nitride material. The composition is present in a solid solution.

In forming devices on integrated circuit substrates (e.g., semiconductor substrates), the substrates are typically etched using photoresist patterns as masks for ion implantation. During these processes, various problems may result when radiation light reflected from underlayers in the substrates becomes incident in photoresist films.
The incident light can generate multiple interferences inside the photoresist films and form ripples in the photoresist patterns. The ripples are typically undesirable in that they may make it difficult to precisely control line widths. Additionally, even though the ripples may be removed by post-exposure bake (PEB), "tails" or "undercuts" are often generated. Moreover, it may be difficult to control the line widths within a desired scope due to the presence of "swing effects". In particular, "swing effects" typically occur when quantities of light which may be absorbed in the photoresists periodically change according to the thicknesses of the photoresists. These periodic changes may occur even though similar exposure energies are used with the photoresists. The "swing effects" are typically attributable to the multiple interference phenomena.
Disadvantageously, notching or bridging may occur in the photoresist patterns as a possible result of the reflected light which may be generated in step difference portions of the underlayers in the integrated circuit devices. This problem may become more severe for highly integrated devices, since the devices often have varying topographies.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate conventional methods for forming patterns of integrated circuit devices. As shown, layer 3 which may insulate a lower structure including, for example, a transistor, is formed on an integrated circuit (e.g., semiconductor) substrate 1, along with a material layer 5 which is used to form a pattern. A photoresist film 7 is formed on the material layer 5. As depicted in FIG. 2, a photoresist pattern is subsequently formed by exposing the photoresist film 7, typically by employing photomask 9, and then developing the film.
As shown in FIG. 1, a step difference is formed on the surface of the insulating layer 3. The step difference may be attributable to the lower structure which may cause the thickness of the photoresist film 7 to be non-uniform over the surface of the material layer 5. Moreover, subsequent to the exposing and developing steps, the line width of the photoresist pattern in a portion which has a low step difference may be different from the line width in a portion which has a high step difference. This may be attributable to the multiple interference effect. As a result, notching or bridging often occurs. The above problems may become more serious in the event that a highly reflective material such as aluminum is used in the layer which forms the pattern.
In view of the above, it has been proposed to employ an anti-reflective layer between the photoresist and the material layer to potentially minimize light impacting the photoresist film. Conventional anti-reflective layers typically include organic and inorganic layers. A conventional organic anti-reflective layer is typically formed by coating an organic material using a spin coating method. The inorganic anti-reflective layer is usually formed by coating a material such as TiNx, SiNx, and the like by employing a sputtering method, a CVD method, or a PECVD method.
Both types of layers may potentially address problems attributable to light reflected on the photoresist. In addition, the layers may have other advantages and disadvantages. The organic anti-reflective layer, for example, may be advantageous in that remaining anti-reflective layer and photoresist materials can be readily removed using a photoresist ashing process employing O.sub.2 plasma. This removal typically occurs after an etching or ion implantation process which uses a photoresist pattern as a mask. Nonetheless, the organic anti-reflective layer is potentially disadvantageous in that it is typically difficult to obtain a uniform anti-reflective layer in the step portion presumably since a spin coating method is employed. Moreover, etching the organic anti-reflective layer may damage the photoresist pattern because the etching selectivity between the photoresist and the organic anti-reflective layer may not be favorable. Utilizing an inorganic anti-reflective layer may not be desirable since the remaining anti-reflective layer is often difficult to remove.
Anti-reflective layers formed from germanium and nitrogen has been proposed in an attempt to address the above problems. This anti-reflective layers may possess desirable optical properties. These layers, however, may be soluble in water. Aqueous-based solutions are employed in conjunction with manufacturing, developing, and cleaning processes involving integrated circuit devices. In many conventional processes, tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) is used as a developing solution, an aqueous alkaline solution is used in manufacturing, and water is used as a cleaning solution. As a result, the anti-reflective layers may be dissolved during processes which use these solutions. A photoresist lifting phenomenon can occur when the germanium and nitrogen material is removed after being dissolved in water. The photoresist pattern thus may drift from the lower film, which is potentially undesirable.
There remains a need in the art to address the problems associated with conventional anti-reflective layers.

(Ge,Si) Nx anti-reflective compositions and integrated circuit devices comprising the same


A geomagnetic direction sensor has a plurality of magnetic cores for converging terrestrial magnetism arranged circumferentially with pre-set gaps, and magneto-resistive effect devices in the gaps so as to lie substantially at right angles to the direction of the magnetic field in the gaps. The geomagnetic direction sensor has at least a pair of magneto-resistive effect devices lying substantially at right angles to each other. The magnetic core is formed of a magnetic material having soft magnetic properties. The current is supplied to the excitation coils placed around the magnetic core for applying a bias magnetic field to the magneto-resistive effect devices. Another set of magneto-resistive effect devices are connected in series with the magneto-resistive effect devices arranged within the gap so as to be substantially parallel to the direction of the magnetic field.

This invention relates to a geomagnetic direction sensor employing a magneto-resistance effect device.
In a color cathode ray tube, for example, the trajectory of an electron beam outgoing from an electron gun is occasionally bowed by terrestrial magnetism so that the electron beam is changed in its landing position on the fluorescent surface. In a high-definition cathode ray tube, changes in the landing (position deviation) tends to raise the problem of deteriorated color purity because of the small landing allowance.
For compensating these changes, a landing compensation coil is usually mounted on a cathode ray tube. An optimum current required for landing correction is caused to flow in the landing compensation coil, depending on the direction of the terrestrial magnetism, for controlling the trajectory of the electron beam for preventing mistaken landing.
Thus it is necessary to correctly detect the direction of the terrestrial magnetism. For this reason, a so-called geomagnetic direction sensor has been employed.
Such geomagnetic direction sensor is also employed as a goniometer in substitution for a conventional magnet goniometer (magnetic compass).
Among known types of the construction of the geomagnetic direction sensor, employed for a variety of usages, there are a so-called flux gate type and a magneto-resistive effect type.
The former construction of the geomagnetic direction sensor has a permalloy core 101 on which are wound a coil 102 for outputting electrical signals and an excitation coil 103, as shown in FIG. 1. The terrestrial magnetism is concentrated by the permalloy core 101 and thence transmitted to the coil 102 for outputting electrical signals.
With such flux gate type geomagnetic direction sensor, an ac bias magnetic field H.sub.B is generated by the excitation coil 103 in the permalloy core 101 and a pulsed electrical voltage generated on inversion of the bias magnetic field is detected as a signal. The voltage value of such pulsed electrical voltage is changed with the direction of terrestrial magnetism and hence may be utilized as a terrestrial magnetism sensor.
However, since the flux gate type geomagnetic direction sensor converts the terrestrial magnetism into an electrical signal by a coil, it is necessary to increase the number of windings of the coil for outputting electrical signals 102 for improving sensitivity or to increase the size of the permalloy core 101 for improving the effect of concentration. Thus it is difficult to reduce the size or production cost of the sensor.
The latter construction of the geomagnetic bearing sensor has a magneto-resistive sensor chip 110 having a magneto-resistive effect device 111 and an air-core coil 112 within which an MR sensor chip 110 is introduced, as shown in FIG. 2. An ac bias magnetic field H.sub.B is applied in a 45.degree. direction with respect to the MR sensor chip 110. FIG. 3 shows an equivalent circuit of the sensor. When the sensor is employed as the geomagnetic direction sensor, a set of the assemblies shown in FIG. 2 are used so that directions of the air-core coils are at right angles to each other.
Since the MR type geomagnetic direction sensor utilizes the magneto-resistive effect device, it is higher in sensitivity than the flux gate type geomagnetic direction sensor. However, since it senses geomagnetism only by the MR sensor chip 110, the direction of terrestrial magnetism on the order of 0.3 Gauss can be detected only insufficiently.
On the other hand, since the MR type geomagnetic direction sensor applies the bias magnetic field HB in a 45.degree.-direction with respect to the MR sensor chip 110, and an intentionally acute curve for MR characteristics is used for improving the detection sensitivity, the MR characteristics exhibit hysteresis, which has to be resolved by a complicated signal processing circuit. In addition, the direction detection accuracy is a low as .+-.10.degree..
Thus the conventional geomagnetic direction sensor leaves much to be desired in detection sensitivity, while it can be reduced in size and production cost only with considerable difficulties.


A computer-implemented method to identify unauthorized use of a device based on a usage pattern. The method includes tracking usage of a device, wherein the usage includes activity by a user interacting with the device. The method includes identifying a usage pattern, wherein the usage pattern is based on usage data. The method further includes generating, based on the usage pattern, a heatmap. The method includes predicting future usage of the device by the user, wherein the predicting includes generating a Markov chain of the predicted future usage. The method also includes determining actual usage is different than the predicted usage. The method further includes calculating, in response to determining the actual usage is different than the predicted future usage, a difference score. The method includes determining the difference score is above a difference threshold, and activating, in response to the difference score being above the difference threshold, an alert.

The present disclosure relates to device security, and, more specifically, identifying anomalous behavior based on usage patterns.
Smartphones and other portable computing devices are becoming commonplace. There is an ever-growing number of applications that can be used for recreation, business, communications, and more all from a single device. Some of these applications require the device to be unlocked for long periods of time.

Identifying anomolous device usage based on usage patterns

International Business Machines Corporation


This invention relates to novel pharmaceutical compositions and methods for their preparation containing conjugated estrogens for the treatment of peri-menopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal disorders in women. The novel pharmaceutical compositions comprise a carrier base material and conjugated estrogens formed into a solid unit dosage form possessing a regular incremental release of the medicament upon oral administration. Further, the invention comprises the combination of conjugated estrogens with progestogens in a solid, shaped dosage unit. Specifically, the invention comprises the use of an organic excipient such as high molecular weight hydroxyalkyl alkylcelluloses. The use of an organic excipient such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose in a stable, solid dosage formulation containing either conjugated estrogens alone or in combination with a progestogen is described.

Steroids are used extensively in the treatment of human disease processes. One of the most common classes of steroids are those compounds known as conjugated estrogens. Peri-menopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal women frequently experience a large variety of conditions and disorders related to the decrease of estrogen levels in the body. The decrease in estrogen levels is primarily responsible for hot flashes, vaginal atrophy, osteoporosis (Garraway et al, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 54, 701-707, (1979)) and the loss of protection against heart attacks in women (Havlik, R. J. and Manning-Feinleid, P. H. 1979, NIH Publication No. 79-1610, U.S. Department of HEW).
It is generally known that estrogen replacement therapy is the most effective method for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes and vaginal atrophy. It is also effective in retarding or preventing osteoporosis. A number of therapeutic regimes for estrogen replacement therapy are known. Plunkett and Wolfe (U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,831) disclose a method of hormonally treating menopausal disorders in women. The administrative regimen comprises the continuous and uninterrupted administration of a progestogen to a woman while cyclically administering an estrogen by using a repetitive dosage regimen. The regimen calls for administering the estrogen continuously for a period of time between about 20 and 120 days, followed by terminating the administration of the estrogen for a period of time between about 3 and 7 days.
The estrogens used in the present disclosure may be those which are orally active and are selected from the group of natural estrogens such as equilin, estrone, 17-.alpha.-dihydroequilin, 17-.beta.-dihydroequilin and 17-.alpha.-estradiol and their corresponding sulfate esters.
The progestogens useful in this invention are selected from the group comprising medroxyprogesterone acetate, medroxyprogesterone, norethindrone, and progesterone. Other progestogens include, but are not limited to, norethindrone acetate, ethynodiol diacetate, dydrogesterone, norethynodrel, allyl estrenol, lynoestrenol, quingestanol acetate, medrogestone, norgestrienone, dimethisterone, ethisterone, cyproterone acetate, chlormadinone acetate, dl-norgestrel, levo-norgestrel and megestrol acetate.
The present invention provides a novel pharmaceutical composition using low dose estrogens alone or in combination with a progestogen in a continuous uninterrupted fashion where the frequency of administration is at least once daily. The term "continuous" as applied in the specification means that the dosage is administered at least once daily. The term "uninterrupted" means that there is no break in the treatment, and that the treatment is administered at least once daily in perpetuity until the entire treatment is ended.
The carrier base material used in the invention comprises a hydroxyalkyl cellulose and/or a hydroxyalkyl alkylcellulose. The hydroxyalkyl cellulose and/or the hydroxyalkyl alkylcellulose employed in the present invention is exemplified by hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxybutylethylcellulose, hydroxybutylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylethylcellulose, hydroxyethylmethylcellulose, and mixtures thereof.
Hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses are commercially available in various grades as described by Schor, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,172). Commercial designations of the various hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses are based on the viscosities of 2% aqueous solutions at 20.degree. C. The viscosities range from 15 cps to 30,000 cps and represent number average molecular weights (Mn) ranging from about 10,000 to over 150,000.
Christenson and Dale (U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,143) disclose the use of certain hydrophilic gums, including hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses, in the preparation of "sustained release" formulations. The tablet disclosed consisted essentially of a drug mixed with a hydrophilic mucilaginous gum which swells when hydrated forming a "soft mucilaginous gel barrier" on the surface of the tablets when brought into contact with the aqueous fluids of the gastrointestinal tract.
The ability to form a mucilaginous gel barrier is dependent upon the molecular weight of the hydrophilic gum. The need to use high molecular weight hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses for this purpose is evident from the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,143. Other hydrophilic gums having high molecular weights such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose and carboxypolymethylene are effective hydrophilic gums.
Schor, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,172) describes the use of a carrier base material combined with a therapeutically active medicament which is shaped and compressed to a solid unit dosage form having a regular and prolonged release pattern upon administration. The carrier base is comprised of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or a mixture of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and up to 30% by weight of the mixture of ethylcellulose and/or up to 30% by weight of the mixture of sodium carboxymethylcellulose. The hydroxypropylmethylcellulose has a hydroxypropoxyl content of 9-12 weight percent and a number average molecular weight of less than 50,000. Notably, the formulations described do not form a soft mucilaginous gel. Also, the moisture content of the carrier consisting of: (1) the hydroxypropylmethylcellulose having a hydroxypropoxyl content of 9-12 weight percent, having (2) a number average molecular weight of below 50,000 and, (3) the medicament and other ingredients, if any, has little or no influence on the sustained release characteristics. Further, the moisture content of the finished dosage form plays a minor role as compared to chemical structure of the carrier on the rate of release of the medicaments. The medicaments disclosed do not include conjugated estrogens. Therefore, the sustained release of medicaments depends on the chemical structure of the carrier and is not dependent on the formulation of a soft mucilaginous gel barrier on the surface of the tablet as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,143 or the moisture content of the tablet.
Schor et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,393) also describes the use of a carrier base material combined with a therapeutically active medicament which is shaped and compressed to a solid unit dosage form having a regular and prolonged release pattern upon administration. The carrier base is comprised of material being one or more hydroxypropyl methylcelluloses or a mixture of one or more hydroxypropyl methylcelluloses and up to 30% by weight of the mixture of methylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose and/or other cellulose ethers, and wherein at least one of the hydroxypropyl methylcelluloses has a methoxy content of 16-24 weight %, a hydroxypropoxyl content of 4-32 weight percent and a number average molecular weight of at least 50,000. Notably, the carrier base material constitutes less than about one third of the weight of the solid unit dosage form. Thus, an object of U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,393 is to provide a carrier base which comprises less than about one third of the weight of the solid unit dosage form. Additionally, the moisture content of the finished dosage form has little or no influence on the sustained release characteristics and plays a minor role as compared to the chemical structure of the carrier and its concentration on the rate of release of medicaments. The medicaments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,393 do not include conjugated estrogens.
Dopper et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,627) discloses a process for the preparation of a granule comprising (a) a carrier comprising a diluent and binder and (b) a film coating the carrier wherein the film comprises desogestrel and a lubricant. The stability of the finished granulate is not dependent on its moisture content. Further, the medicaments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,627 do not include conjugated estrogens.
In sharp contrast to the aforementioned patents, the formulations described herein are dependent on the formation of a soft, mucilaginous gel for optimum controlled release of the conjugated estrogens. Furthermore, the stability of the formulations described herein are dependent upon the moisture content of the finished dosage form.

Pharmaceutical compositions of conjugated estrogens and methods for their use


An electric-current biosensor has a support, an electrode film, a conductive film, a bioactivity layer, and an adhesive layer. The support has a first support and a second support with a concave having a testing port therein. The electrode film has a first electrode film disposed on the first support and a second electrode film disposed on the second support. The first electrode film has a positive electrode film and a negative electrode film, which are formed with an interval slit therebetween. The conductive film has a positive and negative conductive films electrically connecting with the positive and negative electrode films, respectively. The bioactivity layer is disposed on the first electrode film and forms an activity area. The activity area covers at least some portions of the positive and negative electrode films. The adhesive layer is disposed between the first and second supports for bonding together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric-current biosensor, and particularly to an electric-current biosensor that can increase electric-current on a conductive film for testing blood glucose concentration more accurately.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present simple way of blood glucose determination usually uses an electric-current biosensor and applies a blood sample on the biosensor. The biosensor will accrue oxidation-reduction reaction with the sample and produce electric ions. The ions accrue an electric current on the electric-current biosensor. Then, the electric-current biosensor is inserted into a meter for comparing and analyzing the current, thereby determining the blood glucose concentration.
The applicant has received R.O.C. Patent No. 541942 for an electric-current biosensor. It improved the disadvantage of small reaction area and provided a larger electrode contacting area for lifting the determination accuracy. Referring to the FIGS. 1 and 2, unfolded top and folded top views of biosensors according to the prior art are shown. The biosensor has a support 10, electrode film 20, conductive film 30, bioactivity layer 40, and an adhesive layer 50. The biosensor 10 has a first support 11′ a second support 12, and a folding line 13′ is formed between the first support 11′ and the second support 12 for covering the second support 12 on the first support 11′. The second support 12 is shorter than the first support 11′ and is formed with a testing opening 121. The electrode film 20 has a first electrode film 21 and a second electrode film 22. The first electrode film 21 is disposed on the first support 11′ and has a positive electrode film 23 and a negative electrode film 24. The second electrode film 22 is disposed on the second support 12 and around the testing opening 121. The conductive film 30 is disposed on the first support 11′, and has a positive conductive film 31 and a negative conductive film 32 separate from the positive conductive film 31. The positive and negative conductive films are electrically connected to the positive electrode film 23 and the negative electrode film 24, respectively. The bioactivity layer 40 is disposed on the first electrode film 21, and formed with an activity area 41. The activity area 41 covers at least some portions of the first positive electrode film 23 and the negative electrode film 24. The second support 12 is formed with a mating activity area 16 corresponding to the activity area 41, and the mating activity area 16 is against and close to the activity area 41 when the second support 12 covers the first support 11′. The adhesive layer 50 is disposed on the second support 12 and does not cover the mating activity area 16 and an operating area 51 formed on an end of the second support 12.
When applying the blood sample into the testing opening 121, the sample and the activity area 41 of the bioactivity layer 40 will causes a reaction and release electric ions. The ions will act between the electrode film 20 and the conductive film 30, then the biosensor further cooperates with a meter for comparing the current and analyzing the glucose concentration to get the blood glucose concentration.
Although the prior art raises the accuracy of blood glucose determination, it still has areas, which could be improved. For example, it is not so easy to apply the blood sample into the testing opening 121. Application of the blood sample to the biosensor rather than into the testing opening 121 is a source of inconvenience to the user. Moreover, after the blood sample is applied into the testing opening 121, it mainly spreads vertically toward the positive electrode film 23 and the negative electrode film 24. The ions spread less in the horizontal direction. However, the positive electrode film 23 and the negative electrode film 24 are arranged parallel along a horizontal direction, and the spreading direction of the ions results in a weak current in the horizontal direction.
Therefore, the electric-current biosensor of the prior art still has some inconveniences and disadvantages to be improved. The inventor, after investigation and research, thus provides the present invention of logical design for improving the above-mentioned imperfections.

Foldable, electric-current conductivity biosensor


An electron gun comprising at least one cathode for emitting electrons, a cylindrical device, a first electrode layer provided on the cathode side of inner surface of the cylindrical device, a second electrode layer provided on a panel side of inner surface of the cylindrical device, and a third electrode layer provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, a ratio of a gap between the second electrode and the third electrode to a gap between the first electrode and the third electrode being defined more than 1, wherein the ratio of the gap between the second electrode and the third electrode to the gap between the first electrode and the third electrode is 1:1 to 2, the cylindrical device is made of ceramic, and further comprising at least one resistive layer provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical device, and at least one conductive layer provided between the adjacent electrode layers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electron gun for a cathode ray tube used in a projector tube, a color TV tube and an index tube and the like, for example.
2. Description of Related Art
As the related art electron gun for a cathode ray tube, the gun shown in FIG. 33, for example, is well known in the art.
This electron gun is of a uni-potential type, wherein the first to fifth grids acting as accelerator electrodes and focusing electrodes are coaxially (a Z-axis) arranged against a cathode K for discharging electrons. Then, electron beams discharged from the cathode K are focused on a fluorescent surface under an action of pre-focusing lens formed by the second and third grids G.sub.2, G.sub.3 and an action of a main lens formed by the third to fifth grids G.sub.3 to G.sub.5. These cathode K and the first to fifth grids G.sub.1 to G.sub.5 are fixed to a beading glass through melting and integrally assembled. In addition, the first to fifth grids G.sub.1 to G.sub.5 are made of metal such as stainless steel, for example.
However, such electron gun had some problems as described below.
That is, in the aforesaid configuration, a certain displacement may easily occur in a degree of concentricity of electrodes, the third to the fifth grids G.sub.3 to G.sub.5, resulting in that the electron beams may be moved away from an axis to cause a blooming of the electron beams to be easily generated.
In addition, since there was a high potential gradient between the electrodes, an electrical discharging was apt to occur among the third to the fifth grids G.sub.3 to G.sub.5, a spherical aberration of a lens diameter was increased to cause a beam spot diameter to be increased.
In addition, when a gap between the third grid G.sub.3 and the fourth grid G.sub.4 and another gap between the fourth grid G.sub.4 and the fifth grid G.sub.5 are widened by more than a certain space, this operation shows a problem that the electron beams are leaked out and a charge-up occurs at the neck part or the beading glass. These gaps are related to a performance of an electron gun (in particular, a coefficient of spherical aberration) and so it is desired to make the most suitable gap.

Method of manufacturing an electron gun for a cathode ray tube


A bed warmer apparatus including box-like housing member that has a pair of elongated side walls with a pair of short side walls therebetween. The pair of elongated side walls and the pair of short side walls are interconnected to a top wall. The top wall has a cylindrical coupler extending therefrom and defining an opening in the top wall. The housing member is sized for positioning around an air vent and receiving air therein to pass through the cylindrical coupler. Also, a fluted nozzle with a first end and a second end is provided. Lastly, an elongated flexible hose is included and has a first hose end coupled with the coupler and a second hose end coupled with the first end of the fluted nozzle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bed warmer apparatus and more particularly pertains to providing an apparatus that will couple with wall and floor air vents to force air between a blancket and bed for warming the mattress.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of an air directing device is known in the prior art. More specifically, air directing devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of controlling the flow of air are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,992 to Yu discloses an air cooled/heating seat cushion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,230 to Spitalnick discloses air conditioned cushion covers. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 297,158 to Marton discloses an air delivery duct. U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,401 to Chesnut and Parrigin discloses a fireplace heat exchanger. U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,328 to Bouverie discloses a wall-mounted hair dryer. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,800 to Brockmeyer discloses an outlet tube for air conditioning systems.
In this respect, the bed warmer apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing an apparatus that will couple with wall and floor air vents to force air between a blancket and bed for warming the mattress.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved bed warmer apparatus which can be used for providing an apparatus that will couple with wall and floor air vents to force air between a blancket and bed for warming the mattress. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

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A plasma lamp and method having high efficacy, high color rendering index, and a desirable correlated color temperature with improved color consistency from lamp to lamp. The lamp may include a vaporizable fill material comprising halides of sodium and scandium and a filter formed from a vitreous material containing a dopant. In one aspect, the filter is formed by a glass shroud containing neodymium oxide that reduces the transmission of yellow light.

The present invention generally relates to electric lamps and methods of manufacture. More specifically, the present invention relates to lamps wherein the light source includes a light emitting plasma contained within an arc tube (i.e. plasma lamps) having a filter for improving the operating characteristics of the lamp formed from a glass containing a dopant.
Plasma lamps such as mercury lamps or metal halide lamps have found widespread acceptance in lighting large outdoor and indoor areas such as athletic stadiums, gymnasiums, warehouses, parking facilities, and the like, because of the relatively high efficiency, compact size, and low maintenance of plasma lamps when compared to other lamp types. A typical plasma lamp includes an arc tube forming a chamber with a pair of spaced apart electrodes. The chamber typically contains a fill gas, mercury, and other material such as one or more metal halides, which are vaporized during operation of the lamp to form a light emitting plasma. The operating characteristics of the lamp such as spectral emission, lumens per watt ("LPW"), correlated color temperature ("CCT"), and color rendering index ("CRI") are determined at least in part by the content of the lamp fill material.
The use of plasma lamps for some applications has been limited due the difficulty in realizing the desired spectral emission characteristics of the light emitting plasma. For example, metal halide lamps were introduced in the United States in the early 1960's and have been used successfully in many commercial and industrial applications because of the high efficiency and long life of such lamps compared to other light sources. However, metal halide lamps have not as yet found widespread use in general interior retail and display lighting applications because of the difficulty in obtaining a spectral emission from such lamps within the desired range of CCT of about 3000°–5000° K and CRI of greater than about 80.
Relatively high CRI (>80) has been realized in metal halide lamps having a CCT in the desired range by the selection of various metal halide combinations comprising the lamp fill material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,002 to Krasko et al. discloses a metal halide lamp having a quartz arc tube with a fill of halides of sodium, scandium, lithium, and rare earth metals, which operates at a CCT of about 3000° K and a CRI of about 85. U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,111 to Stoffels et al. discloses a metal halide lamp having a ceramic arc tube with a fill of halides of sodium, thallium and rare earth metals which operates at a CCT of about 3000° K and a CRI of about 82. However, the quartz lamps disclosed by Krasko et al. have a relatively low LPW, the ceramic lamps disclosed by Stoffels et al. are relatively expensive to produce, and both types of lamps have a relatively high variability in operating parameters and a relatively diminished useful operating life.
The use of a sodium/scandium based halide fill in plasma lamps has addressed the efficiency and variability problems by providing improved efficiency and lower variability in operating parameters relative to metal halide lamps having other fill materials. However, such lamps have a relatively low CRI of about 65–70 and thus are not suitable for many applications.
One known approach in improving certain operating characteristics of plasma lamps is to filter the light emitted from the plasma using thin film coatings. It is a characteristic of such coatings that they selectively reflect and/or absorb radiation at selected wavelengths. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,671 to Parham et al. discloses a multilayer UV radiation absorbing coating on the arc tubes of metal halide lamps to block UV radiation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,472 to Horikoshi discloses a metal halide lamp having a dysprosium based fill with a multilayer coating on the arc tube for reflecting light at wavelengths shorter than nearly 600 nm while transmitting light at longer wavelengths to lower the CCT of the lamp. However, the optimal utilization of thin film coatings to control certain operating characteristics of plasma lamps often requires that a significant portion of the light that is selectively reflected by the coating be absorbed by the plasma, and there remains a need for thin film coatings for plasma lamps directed to plasma absorption.
One known approach in improving certain operating characteristics of filament lamps such as tungsten halogen lamps is to filter the light emitted from the filament using glass containing filtering dopants. U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,585 to Crane et al. and assigned to Corning Incorporated discloses a family of glasses that absorb ultraviolet ("UV") radiation and filter yellow light in the visible spectrum. These glasses have found utility in forming lamp envelopes and filters in filament lamps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,186 to Hirano et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,491 to Karpen also disclose the use of doped glass for forming the front lens in filament automobile headlamps. However, the filters formed by these doped glasses actually reduce the CRI of the light emitted by the filament lamps. There is no known use prior to the present invention of these glasses to filter the light generated from plasma lamps generally, and specifically metal halide lamps having a sodium/scandium fill.
There remains a need for plasma lamps with high efficacy, high CRI, and a desirable CCT with improved color consistency from lamp to lamp.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to obviate many of the deficiencies of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to improve the CRI of plasma lamps by using filters formed from doped glass.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel lamp components in plasma lamps formed from doped glass.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel plasma lamp with improved operating characteristics and method of manufacturing such plasma lamps.
Still yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel plasma lamp and method using doped glass to obtain the desired spectral emission characteristics for the lamp.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel plasma lamp and method of making plasma lamp with operating characteristics suitable for indoor retail and display lighting.
Yet a further object of the present invention to provide a novel metal halide lamp and method having a highly selective notch in transmissivity.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel sodium/scandium lamp and method.
These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.


This invention relates to attachment chemistries for binding macromolecules to a substrate surface or to other conjugation targets. More particularly, this invention relates to attachment chemistries involving branched or linear structures having one or more hydrazide attachment moieties for binding the macromolecules to a substrate surface, or for other conjugation reactions. Novel modifying reagents are provided for the introduction of protected hydrazide attachment moieties or precursor forms of such hydrazides to the macromolecule, either as a single hydrazide or as multiple hydrazides.

The following description provides a summary of information relevant to the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art to the presently claimed invention, nor that any of the publications specifically or implicitly referenced are prior art to the invention.
The immobilization of oligonucleotides on substrates is an important and necessary step for many applications such as DNA chip technology, surface plasmon resonance experiments, or other bio-sensor applications. Classically, oligonucleotides are immobilized onto substrates by modification of the 3′- or 5′-end with one reactive group. Oligonucleotides have been modified with a terminal amine, thiol or aldehyde (for covalent attachment) or a group capable of forming stable complexes e.g. biotin, phenylboronic acid etc. (for noncovalent attachment). The modified oligonucleotides are then placed at the location where the immobilization is desired and reacted with an appropriate functional group on the substrate, such as an aldehyde, maleimide, etc., or complexed with a binding molecule such as streptavidin, etc. Placing at specific locations on a substrate can be done by mechanical spotting or spraying (pin or drop deposition), by electronic addressing, or by a variety of other processes. In some cases the reaction for the immobilization is slow and requires long (overnight) incubation of the oligonucleotides on the substrate. These immobilization reactions may also be reversible, resulting in the release of the macromolecule over time.
In other contexts, dendrimeric structures on macromolecules has been described (e.g., WO 99/10362, WO 96/19240, and WO 99/43287). However, these uses of dendrimeric structures have focused on providing signal sites, such as for detection, while the macromolecule itself is simply attached to any substrate present by using classical means.

Hydrazide building blocks and hydrazide modified biomolecules


A thin client device for use in a home network includes a network port by which the device connects to the home network and a data/memory port by which a data interface such as a memory card or communications port may be connected to the device. The device is configured such that data from the data interface is transferred to a server that is coupled to the home network. The transfer may be automatic or it may be controlled by a user. Where the thin client device includes signal processing hardware, the data from the data interface may be processed by the signal processing hardware and presented to the user.

Computer Networks are gaining foothold in the home. Today home networks are used mainly to connect multiple computers to the Internet. The anticipation is, however, that home networks will soon be used for a variety of new applications. Several networking options are available to the consumer: Ethernet, Wireless technologies (802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11 g, BlueTooth), HPNA (Home Phone line Networks), Home Plug (Electrical wiring) and lately even cable coax networking. Prices are falling and penetration of networks into the home is dramatically increasing.
One use of home networking will certainly be for entertainment. The connected home will enable a variety of new capabilities such as streaming music from a storage location in the home (or the Internet) to anywhere in the house. Likewise, home networks will allow any television receiver in the home to view any content available anywhere in the house (or accessible through the Internet/Cable/Satellite).
The connected home may include multiple servers and thin clients. The major function of the server would be data storage and content distribution to clients. Thin clients are typically limited in functionality and lack independent storage such as a hard disk drive (HDD). Many of the consumer electronic devices around the home will become the thin clients of the future. Some consumer devices already have the ability to read Flash cards directly. For example, one can find a Flash card interface in DVD players. This feature allows the user watch either pictures or movies directly from a digital camera without the need to download the Flash card data to a PC, burn it into a CD and only then watch it on the TV.
It may be desirable for the information used by the thin client to be permanently retained for future use without the inconvenience of "going" to the server connecting a USB (or similar) cord to the PC and downloading the data into its designated database.

Networked thin client with data/memory interface


A handover handling method and apparatus applied to a scenario in which user equipment (UE) is handed over from a first access and management function (AMF) to a second AMF, and where the method includes receiving, by the UE, a handover command message from a first access network device, wherein the handover command message carries a Non-Access Stratum container (NASC), performing, by the UE, integrity verification on the NASC, and continuing, by the UE, to use a first NAS security context when the integrity verification performed on the NASC fails, wherein the first NAS security context is a security context used between the UE and the first AMF.

In a 5th generation (5G) communication scenario, due to movement of user equipment (UE), an access network device handover scenario may exist. For example, a position change of the UE causes a change of an access network device serving the UE. Two types of access network device handovers are defined in a current communications protocol: an Xn handover and an N2 handover. The Xn handover means that an Xn interface exists between access network devices before and after an access network device handover occurs, and the access network device handover is performed based on the interface. The N2 handover means that an access network device handover is performed based on an N2 interface between an access network device and a core network element, namely, an access and mobility management function (AMF).
In an existing N2 handover scenario, when an access network device handover fails, a key on UE may be different from a key on a first AMF in a handover procedure. Consequently, after the access network device handover fails, the UE cannot re-establish a connection to the first AMF.


An audio coder/decoder ("codec") that is suitable for real-time applications due to reduced computational complexity, and a novel adaptive sparse vector quantization (ASVQ) scheme and algorithms for general purpose data quantization. The codec provides low bit-rate compression for music and speech, while being applicable to higher bit-rate audio compression. The codec includes an in-path implementation of psychoacoustic spectral masking, and frequency domain quantization using the novel ASVQ scheme and algorithms specific to audio compression. More particularly, the inventive audio codec employs frequency domain quantization with critically sampled subband filter banks to maintain time domain continuity across frame boundaries. The input audio signal is transformed into the frequency domain in which in-path spectral masking can be directly applied. This in-path spectral masking usually results in sparse vectors. The ASVQ scheme is a vector quantization algorithm that is particularly effective for quantizing sparse signal vectors. In the preferred embodiment, ASVQ adaptively classifies signal vectors into six different types of sparse vector quantization, and performs quantization accordingly. The ASVQ technique applies to general purpose data quantization as well as to quantization in the context of audio compression. The invention also includes a "soft clipping" algorithm in the decoder as a post-processing stage. The soft clipping algorithm preserves the waveform shapes of the reconstructed time domain audio signal in a frame- or block-oriented stateless manner while maintaining continuity across frame or block boundaries. The invention includes related methods, apparatus, and computer programs.

Audio compression techniques have been developed to transmit audio signals in constrained bandwidth channels and store such signals on media with limited capacity. In audio compression, no assumptions can be made about the source or characteristics of the sound. Algorithms must be general enough to deal with arbitrary types of audio signals, which in turn poses a substantial constraint on viable approaches. (In this document, the term "audio" refers to a signal that can be any sound in general, such as music of any type, speech, and a mixture of music and voice). General audio compression thus differs from speech coding in one significant aspect: in speech coding where the source is known a priori, model based algorithms are practical.
Many audio compression techniques rely upon a "psychoacoustic model" to achieve substantial compression. Psychoacoustics describes the relationship between acoustic events and the resulting perceived sounds. Thus, in a psychoacoustic model, the response of the human auditory system is taken into account in order to remove audio signal components that are imperceptible to human ears. Spectral "masking" is one of the most frequently exploited psychoacoustic phenomena. "Masking" describes the effect by which a fainter, but distinctly audible, signal becomes inaudible when a louder signal occurs simultaneously with, or within a very short time of, the lower amplitude signal. Masking depends on the spectral composition of both the masking signal and the masked signal, and on their variations with time. For example, FIG. 1 is plot of the spectrum for a typical signal (trumpet) 10 and of the human perceptual threshold 12. The perceptual threshold 12 varies with frequency and power. Note that a great deal of the signal 10 is below the perceptual threshold 12 and therefore redundant. Thus, this part of the audio signal may be discarded.
One well-known technique that utilizes a psychoacoustic model is embodied in the MPEG-Audio standard (ISO/IEC 11172-3; 1993(E)) (usually designated MPEG-1 but here, simply "MPEG"). FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional MPEG audio encoder. A digitized audio signal (e.g., a 16-bit pulse code modulated--PCM--signal) is input into one or more filter banks 20 and into a psychoacoustic "model" 22. The filter banks 20 perform a time-to-frequency mapping, generating multiple subbands (e.g., 32). The filter banks 20 are "critically" sampled so that there are as many samples in the analyzed domain as there are in the time domain. The filter banks 20 provide the primary frequency separation for the encoder; a similar set of filter banks 20 serves as the reconstruction filters for the corresponding decoder. The output samples of the filter banks 20 are then quantized by a bit or noise allocation function 24.
The parallel psychoacoustic model 22 calculates a "just noticeable" noise level for each band of the filter banks 20, in the form of a "signal-to-mask" ratio. This noise level is used in the bit or noise allocation function 24 to determine the actual quantizer and quantizer levels. The quantized samples from the bit or noise allocation function 24 are then applied to a bitstream formatting function 26, which outputs the final encoded (compressed) bitstream. The output of the psychoacoustic model 22 may be used to adjust bit allocations in the bitstream formatting function 26, in known fashion.
Most approaches to audio compression can be broadly divided into two major categories: time and frequency domain quantization. An MPEG coder/decoder ("codec") is an example of an approach employing time domain scalar quantization. In particular, MPEG employs scalar quantization of the time domain signal in individual subbands (typically 32 subbands) while bit allocation in the scalar quantizer is based on a psychoacoustic model, which is implemented separately in the frequency domain (dual-path approach).
MPEG audio compression is limited to applications with higher bit-rates, 1.5 bits per sample and higher. At 1.5 bits per sample, MPEG audio does not preserve the full range of frequency content. Instead, frequency components at or near the Nyquist limit are thrown away in the compression process. In a sense, MPEG audio does not truly achieve compression at the rate of 1.5 bits per sample.
Quantization is one of the most common and direct techniques to achieve data compression. There are two basic quantization types: scalar and vector. Scalar quantization encodes data points individually, while vector quantization groups input data into vectors, each of which is encoded as a whole. Vector quantization typically searches a codebook (a collection of vectors) for the closest match to an input vector, yielding an output index. A dequantizer simply performs a table lookup in an identical codebook to reconstruct the original vector. Other approaches that do not involve codebooks are known, such as closed form solutions.
It is well known that scalar quantization is not optimal with respect to rate/distortion tradeoffs. Scalar quantization cannot exploit correlations among adjacent data points and thus scalar quantization yields higher distortion levels than vector quantization for a given bit rate. Vector quantization schemes usually can achieve far better compression ratios at a given distortion level. Thus, time domain scalar quantization limits the degree of compression, resulting in higher bit-rates. Further, human ears are sensitive to the distortion associated with zeroing even a single time domain sample. This phenomenon makes direct application of traditional vector quantization techniques on a time domain audio signal an unattractive proposition, since vector quantization at the rate of 1 bit per sample or lower often leads to zeroing of some vector components (that is, time domain samples).
Frequency domain quantization based audio compression is an alternative to time domain quantization based audio compression. However, there is a significant difficulty that needs to be resolved in frequency domain quantization based audio compression. The input audio signal is continuous, with no practical limits on the total time duration. It is thus necessary to encode the audio signal in a piecewise manner. Each piece is called an audio encode or decode frame. Performing quantization in the frequency domain on a per frame basis generally leads to discontinuities at the frame boundaries. Such discontinuities result in objectionable audible artifacts (e.g., "clicks" and "pops"). One remedy to this discontinuity problem is to use overlapped frames, which results in proportionally lower compression ratios and higher computational complexity. A more popular approach is to use "critically filtered" subband filter banks, which employ a history buffer that maintains continuity at frame boundaries, but at a cost of latency in the codec-reconstructed audio signal. Another complex approach is to enforce boundary conditions as constraints in audio encode and decode processes.
The inventors have determined that it would be desirable to provide an audio compression technique suitable for real-time applications while having reduced computational complexity. The technique should provide low bit-rate compression (about 1-bit per sample) for music and speech, while being applicable to higher bit-rate audio compression. The present invention provides such a technique.

Audio codec using adaptive sparse vector quantization with subband vector classification


A thin film transistor panel, a liquid crystal display having the same, and a method of manufacturing the thin film transistor panel are provided. The thin film transistor includes a gate line formed on an insulating substrate in a predetermined direction, a data line crossing the gate line, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, a black matrix formed to overlap at least a portion of the gate line, the data line, and the thin film transistor, a color filter formed in a region partitioned by the black matrix, and a pixel electrode formed on the color filter and electrically connected to the thin film transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as a TFT) panel, a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as an LCD) having the same, and a method of manufacturing the TFT panel, and more particularly, to a TFT panel for an LCD, which has an improved structure and a simpler and cheaper manufacturing process, an LCD having the same, and a method of manufacturing the TFT panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, LCDs have been widely used as display units.
In a liquid crystal display device, when a voltage is applied to a liquid crystal cell, a molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal is changed to cause a change in optical properties. As a result, visual properties are changed to display various images. A liquid crystal display device has various advantages, including lightweight and compactness. As a result, the liquid crystal display device is widely used for a monitor of a computer, a mobile communications terminal, and so on.
Liquid crystal display devices are divided into to a TN (Twisted Nematic) type and an STN (Super-Twisted Nematic) type. The liquid crystal devices are also divided according to the driving type into an active matrix display type that uses a switching device, and a TN liquid crystal and a passive matrix display type using an STN liquid crystal.
The active matrix display type is used in a TFT-LCD and drives an LCD by using a TFT as a switching device. The passive matrix display type does not use any transistor and does not need a complex circuit.
In particular, due to the expanding range of applications for active-matrix LCDs and tremendous growth in the number of users, new technologies for reducing the number of production process steps, reducing the manufacturing cost, increasing yield, and improving quality have been continuously developed.
Representative technologies that have been recently developed and widely applied are called a patterned vertical alignment (PVA) mode LCD and a color-filter on array (COA) mode LCD.
COA is advantageous in reducing the number of process steps and increasing the open ratio of an LCD panel by forming a color filter, which is conventionally formed on an upper panel, on a lower panel. However, COA is disadvantageous in that a process of forming the color filter on the lower panel requires high precision, expensive exposure equipment.
In addition, when red (R), green (G), and blue (B) materials used in forming the color filter overlap with one another, a step difference such as a protrusion occurs in a region in which red (R), green (G), and blue (B) materials are bonded to one another, and when a margin is reduced to prevent overlapping, a valley occurs in the bonding region, so that the quality of image information displayed on an LCD is lowered.

Thin film transistor panel having passivation layer overlapping TFT with color filter and black matrix formed on passivation layer where black matrix partitions color filter