A rubber vibration insulator for use in a vibration insulation device integrated into precision instruments such as acoustic, computer-associated and game instruments, which insulator has a low hardness, a small compression set, a large loss tangent and a small temperature dependence and can be prepared by curing a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber and 50 to 200 parts by weight of an extender component as well as a vulcanizing agent.

The present invention relates to rubber vibration insulators having an ultra-low hardness which are used for vibration insulation of precision instruments such as acoustic, computer-associated and game instruments.
Recently, precision instruments such as acoustic, computer-associated and game instruments are often loaded with a laser disk device. The laser disk device is very sensitive to vibration, and therefore, the device is equipped with a material for vibration insulation, vibration damping or shock absorption.
In general, it is desirable for such a vibration insulator to have a low hardness, a small compression set (c-set), a large loss tangent (tan-xcex4) and a small temperature dependence (for example, indicated by a variation of Young""s modulus in the range of 0xc2x0 C. to 80xc2x0 C.). Also, a raw composition used for preparing such a vibration insulator should be easily prepared (in particular, it must have a good kneading property), and should have excellent processability.
Such a vibration insulator is usually prepared from a thermoplastic or thermosetting composition. Vibration insulators prepared from a thermoplastic composition are described, for example, in JP-A-235477/1997 and JP-A-263702/1997, but the insulators have drawbacks such as a large compression set and a large temperature dependence.
On the other hand, a vibration insulator containing a butyl rubber as a major component is known as that prepared from a thermosetting composition (JP-A-3278/1997 and JP-A-71700/1997). However, the insulator has a limit in obtaining a low hardness. Thus, in order to obtain a vibration insulator having a low hardness, a large amount of an extender component such as a process oil should be added to the raw composition for the insulator. However, this measure deteriorates the kneading property of the raw composition (the raw composition adheres to rolls), and causes the bleeding of the process oil. Even if a vibration insulator having a low hardness is prepared from a raw composition using a special method, the resulting insulator has a large compression set.
Also, a vibration insulator containing polynorbornene as a major component is known as that prepared from a thermosetting composition (JP-U-72795/1988 and JP-Y-52435/1995). However, the insulator has an inferior thermal property. In addition, the kneading property of the raw composition and the bleeding property of the insulator are not satisfactory.
Furthermore, JP-B-43865/1985 discloses a vibration damper which is obtained by press molding a composition comprising a silicone rubber, a partially crosslinked butyl rubber, an extender oil and a reinforcing filler. However, the vibration dampers disclosed in this document have a hardness of 18 to 25.5 measured by a spring-type hardness tester, and therefore, the dampers do not aim at an insulator having a durometer hardness (JIS K6253) of not greater than A15 as defined by the present invention.
Moreover, JP-A-324167/1995 discloses a vibration damper which is obtained by previously mixing a low-molecular material such as a process oil and a medium material such as a thermoplastic organic polymer to prepare a first mixture containing the low-molecular material and the medium material, then mixing the first mixture with a polymer such as natural rubber to prepare a second mixture, and then vulcanizing the second mixture in the presence of a curing agent such as sulfur. Although a low hardness of 15 measured by Asker-C type hardness tester (25xc2x0 C.) is realized in this vibration damper, it does not have a satisfactory compression set property.
As described above, it is desirable for a vibration insulator used in precision instruments such as acoustic, computer-associated and game instruments to have a low hardness, a small compression set, a large loss tangent and a small temperature dependence. Also, a raw composition used for preparing a vibration insulator should be easily prepared and have an excellent processability. However, conventional vibration insulators do not meet all the above requirements. Accordingly, the present inventors intended to provide a vibration insulator which meets all the above requirements.
Intensive investigation has been made in order to solve the above problem. As a result, it has been found that a partially crosslinked butyl rubber shows a good kneading property even if a large amount of an oil is added to the rubber. Also, it has been found that a partially crosslinked butyl rubber shows a high retention of the oil and can inhibit its bleeding. Furthermore, it has been found that, on crosslinking and curing such a partially crosslinked butyl rubber containing a large amount of an oil, a vibration insulator having a very low hardness, a small compression set, a large loss tangent and a small temperature dependence is obtained.
Thus, the present invention provides a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber and 50 to 200 parts by weight of an extender component.
The rubber composition according to the present invention may further contain fillers, vulcanizing agents, processability-improving polymers and/or other additives for rubber.
Also, the present invention provides a rubber vibration insulator which is obtainable by crosslinking and curing the above rubber composition and which has a durometer hardness (JIS K6253) of not greater than A15 and preferably of not greater than A10, an Asker-C hardness of at least 10 and preferably of at least 15, a compression set (JIS K6262; 70xc2x0 C.xc3x9724 hrs) of not greater than 20% and a loss tangent (25xc2x0 C., 30 Hz) of at least 0.1.
A partially crosslinked butyl rubber used in the present invention is, for example, one obtained by adding a vinyl aromatic compound (styrene, divinylbenzene, etc.) and an organic peroxide to a butyl rubber and partially crosslinking the butyl rubber, as described in JP-A-107738/1994, or one obtained by adding an electron withdrawing group-containing polyfunctional monomer (ethylene dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, N,Nxe2x80x2-m-phenylene dimaleimide, etc.) and an organic peroxide to a butyl rubber and partially crosslinking the butyl rubber, as described in JP-A-172547/1994.
The degree of crosslinking of these partially crosslinked butyl rubbers may be expressed as the amount of insoluble residues (gel content) not dissolved in a solvent such as diisobutylene or cyclohexane which can completely dissolve a butyl rubber in an unvulcanized state. The partially crosslinked butyl rubbers used in the present invention have a gel content in the range of 5% to 95% when using the above solvent. Among others, butyl rubbers having a higher gel content are more preferable because they can retain a larger amount of an extender component. Accordingly, the gel content of the partially crosslinked butyl rubbers is preferably in the range of 50% to 95%, and more preferably in the range of 65% to 95%.
One preferable example of partially crosslinked butyl rubber is a terpolymer comprised of isobutylene, isoprene and divinylbenzene which is partially crosslinked with divinylbenzene. Such a partially crosslinked butyl rubber is commercially available as Polysar Butyls XL 10000, XL 68102, XL 30102 and XL 40302 (Polysar International Co.). Among them, xe2x80x9cPolysar Butyl XL 10000xe2x80x9d which is of a highly crosslinked grade (having a gel content of 70% to 85% as measured using cyclohexane) is preferable.
An extender component used in the present invention is a softening agent for lowering the hardness of a rubber and a plasticizer usually added to a rubber composition.
Softening agents such as process oils (for example, of paraffin, naphthene and aromatic series) and vegetable oils (for example, castor, rapeseed, soybean, palm, coconut, peanut, cottonseed, pine and olive oils and Japan wax), as well as synthetic softening agents may be used in the present invention.
Plasticizers such as derivatives of phthalic, adipic, azelaic, sebacic, maleic, fumaric, trimellitic, citric, itaconic, oleic, ricinoleic, stearic, phosphoric, glutaric and glycolic acids as well as glycerin and epoxy derivatives may be used in the present invention.
Among these extender components, those having a good compatibility with the partially crosslinked butyl rubber, i.e. those having a small solubility parameter are preferable. It is also possible to use a mixture of two or more of the above components for the present invention.
An extender component is preferably a softening agent, more preferably a process oil, and most preferably process oils of a paraffin series.
The extender component is used in an amount of 50 to 200 parts by weight and preferably 70 to 150 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber. A desired low hardness is not accomplished if the amount of the extender component is less than 50 parts by weight. On the other hand, a kneading property is deteriorated and the extender component tends to easily bleed if the amount of the extender component is greater than 200 parts by weight.
A rubber composition according to the present invention may further contain fillers, vulcanizing agents, processability-improving polymers and/or other additives for rubber in addition to the above components.
Fillers are used for reinforcing a rubber material and include inorganic fillers such as carbon black, clay, talc, calcium carbonate and silica, organic fillers such as powdered cork, cellulose and ebonite, and other fillers, and reinforcing agents usually added to a rubber composition. These fillers may be used in an amount of 10 to 100 parts by weight and preferably 10 to 50 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber.
Vulcanizing agents include organic peroxides as well as vulcanizing systems usually used for vulcanization of a butyl rubber such as sulfur, quinoids, resins, sulfur donors and low-sulfur high-performance vulcanization accelerators. However, sulfur is not desirable because it corrodes other parts of instruments. On the other hand, organic peroxides provide a rubber material having a small compression set, and therefore, they are preferably used in the present invention. If the peroxides are used for crosslinking and curing conventional butyl rubbers, the main chains of the rubbers degrade and satisfactorily cured products are not obtained. Accordingly, a sulfur type vulcanizing agent was hitherto used for the vulcanization. Since, however, the present rubber composition contains a partially crosslinked butyl rubber as a main component, it is possible to use peroxides as vulcanizing agents.
Organic peroxides include, for example, 1,1-bis(t-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane and dicumyl peroxide. These organic peroxides may be used in an amount of 2 to 10 parts by weight and preferably 2 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber.
Processability-improving polymers are, in particular, those for improving the kneading property of a rubber composition. Such polymers include natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers (for example, IR, BR, SBR, CR, NBR, IIR, EPM, EPDM, acrylic rubber, EVA, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, and fluororubber) and thermoplastic elastomers (for example, of styrene, olefin, vinyl chloride, ester, amide, and urethane series). These processability-improving polymers may be used in an amount of 0 to 100 parts by weight, preferably 0 to 50 parts by weight and most preferably 0 to 30 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber.
Other additives for rubber include conventional additives for rubber such as anti-aging agents, anti-oxidants, lubricants and flame retarders. These additives may be used in an amount usually used.
The rubber composition of the present invention can be prepared by kneading the above components in any known manner. For example, it can be prepared using an open roll or an enclosed kneader (for example, internal mixer, kneader or Banbury mixer) by firstly masticating a partially crosslinked butyl rubber, then adding a polymer for improving the kneading property to the butyl rubber, further adding fillers, extender components, vulcanizing agents and other additives for rubber to the mixture, and kneading the resulting mixture. Kneading temperatures may be in the range of 25xc2x0 C. to 120xc2x0 C.
A rubber vibration insulator can be prepared from the rubber composition, for example, by compression press molding and preferably by transfer molding. Molding temperatures may be in the range of 130xc2x0 C. to 170xc2x0 C., and molding periods may be within 20 minutes and preferably in the range of 4 to 10 minutes.

Vibration insulator from partially crosslinked butyl rubber


A device for preventing loss of golf tees in which, using a crude rubber or elastic resin material component, an upper side male bushing, which is provided at the center with a through hole into which a golf tee is inserted and held therein, and a bottom side female bushing, which can be fit on the shaft part of the above-described upper side male bushing, are provided; and one sheet of or a plural sheets of overlapping waterproof, lightweight loss prevention components, each of which is formed in a flower petal shape or wing shape or the like and has a through hole for the shaft part of the upper side male bushing, is/are provided between the upper side male bushing and the bottom side female bushing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for preventing loss of golf tees.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf tees in golf matches are used when hitting the ball on the teeing ground or the playing ground.
At the teeing ground or playing ground, the tip of the golf tee is inserted into the ground, a golf ball is placed on its top end, and the ball placed on it is hit with a wood or iron club.
However, there are disadvantages that the golf tee goes flying forward, backward, to the left or right when the ball is hit, and it is difficult to find it, resulting in a waste of time looking for it, delays the play as a result, and causes trouble for the party behind.
Because of this, there is a device for preventing loss of golf tees for which a ring is provided that is fitted on the golf tee, and for which a ribbon-shaped band is attached to this ring. However, this tool does not have a feeling of stability, and in fact the band flaps around in the wind, so that it is nothing more than a hindrance to the player's concentration (for example, see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. H7-021072).


A unit cell is formed by a ferroelectric capacitor and first MOS transistor, and a block is formed by connecting a plurality of unit cells in series. The gates of the first MOS transistors in the individual unit cells are connected to word lines, which are selectively driven by a word line driver on the basis of a row address signal. A plate line is connected to one terminal of the block, and driven by a plate line driver. A bit line is connected to the other terminal of the block via a second MOS transistor for block selection, and selected by a column decoder on the basis of a column address. A driver/controller controls the plate line driver and column decoder to apply a potential difference between the plate line and bit line, while a plurality of word lines are kept off.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ferroelectric memory and a method of testing the same and, more particularly, to a ferroelectric memory which is tested by application of a disturbance voltage in order to test, e.g., the hysteresis characteristic of a ferroelectric cell, and a method of testing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional tests of the hysteresis characteristics of ferroelectric cells are proposed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,661,730, 5,991,189, and 5,822,237.
The test methods disclosed in these patent references, however, do not define that after data is written in a ferroelectric cell, data read should wait until depolarization well advances. Therefore, data may be read out immediately after it is written or before depolarization well occurs, so hysteresis characteristics corresponding to actual uses cannot be tested. It is also impossible to screen a ferroelectric cell having a hysteresis curve with a low coercive voltage.
FIG. 1 of J. Appl. Phys. 75(1), 1 Jan. 1994 shows changes in PZT film with time caused by depolarization. According to the measurement results, after data is written in a ferroelectric cell, read should wait for 10−3 to 100 sec to allow attenuation of the amount of polarization to stop. Accordingly, a test by which data is written and then read out requires a long time if the data is read out after depolarization well advances, and this increases the cost.
The present applicant has proposed a test method capable of reducing the test time in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-313100. This test sequence is executed following the procedures indicated by steps 1 to 8 below.    (1) Conduct a function test, and calculate the yield    (2) Write initial pattern data    (3) Bake    (4) Calculate the SS yield (same state yield) by reading out the initial pattern data    (5) Write reverse pattern data    (6) Apply a microvoltage equal to or lower than a coercive voltage to a cell capacitor in a direction to weaken polarization    (7) Read out the reverse data pattern, and calculate the OS yield (opposite state yield)    (8) Write the next pattern
In the above test sequence, before the test of reading out the reverse data pattern in step 7, step 6 of applying the microvoltage equal to or lower than the coercive voltage in the direction to weaken the polarization of the cell capacitor is executed. A hysteresis curve immediately after the reverse data pattern is written in step 5 has a sufficiently large amount of residual polarization (or remnant polarization). Since step 6 is executed, however, even a large amount of residual polarization which requires a long time to depolarize attenuates, and this is effectively equivalent to performing depolarization within a short time period. Accordingly, a low read potential equivalent to the amount of polarization after depolarization is output to a bit line.
Note that it is experimentally known that this test does not reduce the amount of polarization of a cell which depolarizes within a short time. That is, even when cells requiring long and short time periods to depolarize are mixed, the addition of step 6 makes it possible to read out, from all cells on the surface of a chip, a bit line potential corresponding to the amount of residual polarization after depolarization within a short time period.
Also, a cell having a low coercive voltage fails by polarization reversal when the microvoltage is applied in step 6. Accordingly, a ferroelectric cell having a hysteresis curve with a low coercive voltage can be screened.
As described above, in the test sequence described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-313100, the addition of the process in step 6 makes it possible to give the amount of polarization equal to that after a cell capacitor has depolarized within a short time period, and conduct the test in step 7 for polarized data which has effectively depolarized.
In the technique described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-313100, however, a disturbance voltage can be applied to only one cell at one time, and it is necessary to form a circuit which generates a microvoltage for disturbance.
Accordingly, there is still room for improvement in respect of the speed and simplicity of the test.

Ferroelectric memory to be tested by applying disturbance voltage to a plurality of ferroelectric capacitors at once in direction to weaken polarization, and method of testing the same


A polymerization process is provided. For example, a polymerization process is described, including contacting olefin monomers with a supported metallocene catalyst to polymerize the olefin monomers and form a product mixture that includes polyolefins macromers or polymers, unreacted or partially reacted olefin monomers, alcohols and organohalides. The polymerization process further includes removing a portion of the product mixture to form a recycle stream and passing the recycle stream through a removal device comprising zeolite particles having pore size of from 6 to 16 Å to transfer at least a portion of the alcohols and organohalides from the recycle stream to the removal device providing a purified recycle stream having alcohols and organohalides in an amount of 1 ppm or less. The polymerization process may further include contacting at least a portion of the purified recycle stream with the supported metallocene catalyst to form polyolefins.

Methods for forming polyolefins can include passing a stream having olefin monomers to a polymerization reactor to contact a catalyst and form the polyolefin. However, problems may arise that reduce the catalyst efficiency. For example, high efficiency catalysts may experience a reduced efficiency when exposed to poisons that may be present in polymerization reactors. Therefore, it is desirable to remove a significant portion of the poisons from an input stream prior to the input stream entering the reactor.

Methods of feed purification for olefin polymerization


A thin-film structural body formed by using a semiconductor processing technique and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly a thin-film structural body constituting a semiconductor acceleration sensor and a manufacturing method thereof. The thin-film structural body allows the thin-film member to be easily stress-controlled, and easily makes the film-thickness of the thin-film member thicker. The thin-film member forms a mass body and, beams and fixed electrodes of the semiconductor acceleration sensor are constituted by a plurality of doped polysilicon thin-films that are laminated by performing a step of film deposition of polysilicon while, for example, phosphorous is being doped as impurities plural times.

In a conventional thin-film structural body, a conductive thin-film member which is placed on a substrate with a gap from the substrate is formed as described below. That is, a polysilicon film which is used for forming a thin-film member is formed on a sacrifice film formed on a substrate through a single film deposition step without doping impurities therein. Subsequently, impurities having a desired conductive type are introduced to the polysilicon film from its surface through an ion injection method or the like, so that the polysilicon film is made to be conductive. Then, the polysilicon film is introduced to a diffusion furnace with the substrate, and after a high-temperature annealing process is carried out on the polysilicon film, the sacrifice film is removed to form the thin-film member.
In above said conventional thin-film structural body, the polysilicon film used for forming the thin-film member is formed through the single film deposition step without doping any impurities therein, and the impurities are then introduced therein from the surface so as to make the polysilicon film conductive; therefore, the impurity concentration tends to become uneven in the thickness direction. This tendency becomes more conspicuous in particular as the film thickness of the polysilicon film becomes thicker. When the impurity concentration becomes uneven in this manner, a residual stress, a stress gradient and the like in the thickness direction tend to generate in the thin-film member to be formed, resulting in deformation and the like in the thin-film member. For this reason, in the conventional thin-film structural body, complex annealing treatment processes are carried out so as to reduce the residual stress, the stress gradient and the like.
In this manner, the conventional thin-film structural body is accompanied with a problem that complex annealing treatment processes are required so as to reduce the residual stress, the stress gradient and the like, and another problem is that it is difficult to make the film thickness of the thin-film member thicker.

Thin-film structure and method for manufacturing the same, and acceleration sensor and method for manufacturing the same


A self-drilling screw is in particular to a drill portion having a non-threaded first drilling section connecting with the shank and a second drilling section connecting with said first drilling section and forms two grooves therein. Moreover, the whole first drilling section is formed as an oval-shaped pillar and it has two ridges extending therefrom. Furthermore, the diameter of the first drilling section is smaller than the diameter of the second drilling section, and the length of the second drilling section is between the length of one-third drill portion and the length of two-thirds drill portion. Therefore, due to the aforesaid features and the two drilling sections, the molds for manufacturing the screws suffer less damage while in operation and the manufacturing cost is therefore reduced. The present invention is also good at increasing the screwing speed. Moreover, the surface of the first drilling section also has the function of allowing the user to engrave a mark thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-drilling screw. In particular, it relates to a self-drilling screw with the function of reducing the manufacturing cost, increasing the screwing speed and allowing the user to engrave a mark on it.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the length of the drilling portion of a self-drilling screw is designed according to the thickness of the object that the self-drilling screw is going to penetrate. An example of long drilling portion of self-drilling screw is described below.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional self-drilling screw 1 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,452 B2 comprises a head 11, a shank 12 extending from the head 11 and having a plurality of threads 121, a cutting member 13 extending from the shank 12, and an annular groove 14 provided between the shank 12 and the cutting member 13. Moreover, the cutting member 13 has a plurality of lengthwise cutting grooves 131 and a plurality of lengthwise wings 132 projecting therefrom. The annular groove 14 provides a volume to contain the debris from the cut object. While in operation, the conventional self-drilling screw 1 penetrates into an object with the cutting member 13 cutting said object. Meanwhile, the debris from said object temporarily accumulates in the annular groove 14.
However, the conventional self-drilling screw has several defects:    1. Due to the cutting member is long, the mold for making the cutting member of the self-drilling screw will be easily destroyed. The longer the cutting member is, the more serious damage the mold suffers. The life of the mold therefore shortens, and the manufacturing cost therefore increases.    2. Although the annular groove can help to contain the debris, it is not really benefit at obviating the debris. Since the debris is not easily obviated, it will be accumulated in the room between the screw and the object. Therefore, while in operation, the user suffers more resistance from the object. Therefore, while in operation, it wastes the user much labor to screw said self-drilling screw.
The present invention intends to provide an improved self-drilling screw which can efficiently drill into the object with less resistance and reduce the damage to the mold when shaping its cutting member.


A transmitter housing apparatus for the containment of a probe in a directional underground drilling device, the transmitter housing having a housing with first and second ends and a longitudinally extending bore for receiving the probe, the housing having a first detent near the first end. A cover member is slidingly engaged by the first by the first detent to cover the bore and to secure the probe in the housing. A sub member engages the second end of the housing to secure the cover member on the housing. A positioning member is disposed in the bore and engages the probe for rotationally positioning the probe in a desired orientation in the bore of the housing. A plurality of slots or the like are provided in the housing for selectively orienting the probe. Also, the housing has a passageway for fluid flow, and has a plurality of slots to permit signal transmission by the probe.

This invention relates generally to the field of subterranean horizontal and directional drilling, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a transmitter housing for supporting a transmitting probe or sonde used to steer and direct a drilling apparatus.
Recent advances in directional underground drilling offers significant advantages over earlier methods in a number of applications. Underground directional drilling eliminates the need for trenching and backfilling in laying pipeline and other utilities. Underground directional drilling furthermore provides greater flexibility and increased opportunities for subterranean drilling, such as in the drilling for subterranean fluids and in core sampling.
Many differing approaches have been undertaken in the development of underground directional drilling. Generally, a cutting tool is advanced at a distal end of a drill string. A drilling fluid, such as water, is flowed through the drill string, over the cutting tool, and back up the bore hole in order to remove cuttings and debris as the bore is created. A transmitting probe typically is employed in the drill string near the cutting tool in order to monitor the location of the cutting tool, and to steer and direct the cutting tool.
The type of transmitting probe employed varies, depending on the nature of the boring environment and the relative boring accuracy needed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,463 issued to Geller, for example, teaches the use of an active beam radio transmitter in conjunction with a tracking receiver above ground. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,354 issued to Stump teaches a ground penetrating radar unit wherein the transmitter generates a specific signature signal in response to a probe signal from the radar unit above ground.
The type of cutting action employed also varies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,941 issued to Ritter teaches the widely used impact method for directional tunneling. Numerous improvements to this early teaching have been made in the art, such as provided in the hammering method of directional drilling wherein the cutting head is not rotated, such as is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,913 issued to McDonald, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,932 issued to Breter.
Where these general advancements in the art generally require the support of a transmitter near the impact-cutting head of the drilling apparatus, such a requirement presents challenging difficulties. The rotational and axial position of the transmitter must be provided for and maintained, without damaging the relatively delicate transmitter. Conventional fasteners, also, have demonstrated the propensity to vibrate loose during the repeated impact cycles of hammering, resulting in erroneous readings, as well as lost and damaged transmitters.
There is a need in the industry for a transmitter housing that is disposable in the drill string and that, in turn, receivingly supports a conventional transmitting probe in a reliable manner, not relying on conventional fasteners such as threaded screws to support or enclose the transmitting probe.
The present invention provides a transmitter housing for the containment of a probe in a directional underground drilling device, the transmitter housing having a housing with first and second ends and a longitudinally extending bore for receiving the probe, the housing having a first detent near the first end. A cover member is slidingly engaged by the first by the first detent to cover the bore and to secure the probe in the housing. A sub member engages the second end of the housing to secure the cover member on the housing.
A positioning member is disposed in the bore and engages the probe for rotationally positioning the probe in a desired orientation in the bore of the housing. Preferably, the housing has a plurality of slots or the like for selectively orienting the probe.
The housing has a passageway for fluid flow, and has a plurality of slots to permit the signal transmission.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clear upon reading the description provided together with the drawings and appended claims.

Transmitter housing for probe in a directional underground drilling apparatus


A processing speed can be improved while the accuracy of AD conversion is enhanced. An AD converter includes: a higher-order DAC that samples an analog input signal and performs DA conversion corresponding to higher-order bits of a digital output signal; an extension DAC that performs DA conversion to positive and negative polarities on an extension bit for expanding bits of the higher-order DAC; a lower-order DAC that performs DA conversion corresponding to lower-order bits of the digital output signal; a comparator that compares a comparison reference voltage with output voltages of the higher-order DAC, the extension DAC, and the lower-order DAC; and a successive approximation logic that controls successive approximation performed by the higher-order DAC, the extension DAC, and the lower-order DAC based on a comparison result of the comparator and generates the digital output signal.

The present invention relates to an AD converter, an AD convert apparatus, and an AD convert method. For example, the present invention relates to an AD converter, an AD convert apparatus, and an AD convert method which perform successive approximation.
A successive approximation register (SAR) ADC (SAR-ADC) is known as an ADC (an A/D converter: an analog/digital converter) that converts an input analog signal into a digital signal. The SAR-ADC mainly includes a DAC (a D/A converter: a digital/analog converter), a comparator, and a successive approximation logic circuit. The SAR-ADC performs AD conversion by sampling and holding an input analog signal and performing a successive approximation operation on the input analog signal, and outputs a digital signal as a result of the successive approximation. As a related art of the SAR-ADC, for example, H. Lee et. al., "A Self-Calibrating 15 bit CMOS A/D Converter", IEEE Solid State Circuits, vol. sc-19, No. 6, December 1984 (hereinafter referred to as "Non Patent Literature 1"); Hideo Nakane et. al., "A Fully Integrated SAR ADC Using Digital Correction Technique for Triple-Mode Mobile", ASSOC, Session 5-2 November 2013 (hereinafter referred to as "Non Patent Literature 2"); Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H05-167449; and Japanese Patent Nos. 3224808, 4806021, 4890561, and 5565169 are known.
To achieve an accuracy required for a high-accuracy SAR-ADC, a high relative accuracy is required for analog elements (capacitors and resistors) constituting a built-in DAC. However, to achieve, for example, a 14-bit or higher ADC, the device size necessary for securing the relative accuracy (pair accuracy) of the analog elements increases. Accordingly, in the ADC of the related art, it is necessary to increase the relative accuracy by increasing the element area.
Non Patent Literature 1 discloses an ADC that calibrates errors in analog elements so as to increase the relative accuracy of the analog elements. Non Patent Literature 1, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H05-167449, and Japanese Patent No. 5565169 employ a technique in which a mismatch between elements is obtained as a digital value and the digital value is fed back in an analog fashion during AD conversion processing.
Non Patent Literature 2 discloses a digital correction ADC that uses a non-binary-weighted capacitive DAC and an LMS (Least Mean Square) engine. Non Patent Literature 2 and Japanese Patent. No. 3224808 employ a technique in which a result of a mismatch between elements is obtained as a digital value and the digital value is corrected in a digital fashion after AD conversion. Japanese Patent No. 3224808 discloses an example of the digital correction in which the technique disclosed in Non Patent Literature 1 is applied to a non-binary-weighted DAC with redundancy.
In addition, Japanese Patent Nos. 4806021 and 4890561 disclose an ADC to reduce thermal noise.

AD converter, AD convert apparatus, and AD convert method


A customizable armrest includes a cushioning pad and a rigid, single support unit being configured to couple the cushioning pad. The rigid, single support unit includes an armrest retention protrusion pivotably coupled to the single support unit. Furthermore, the armrest retention protrusion is configured to be mounted in a window orifice of a vehicle.

Many drivers of automobiles tend to place their elbow or arm on the door of their vehicle while operating the vehicle. When asked, many drivers who have this tendency agree that after a short time that their elbow and/or arm becomes sore or fatigued from resting on the hard plastic that usually makes up the vehicle door.
A number of systems have been developed to increase the comfort for vehicle operators that tend to place their elbow or arm on the door of their vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,401 discloses a vehicle arm rest that latches to the underside of a door panel between the window and panel weather stripping by use of a strap with projections which leans against the interior of a door panel. Other similar devices have been proposed with varied attaching methods. There are apparent drawbacks to these types of devices. Particularly, the majority of vehicles are excluded from the use of such devices. Traditional designs do not accommodate a variety of vehicles because they fail to provide means to properly flush or level their frames against the interior door/window panel of the vehicles due to the vast variation in contours, thickness and geometric shapes of the panels.


The present invention relates to a method and a device for a first device setting the address of a second device through a Bluetooth mesh network wherein a setting message for setting the address is transmitted to the second device, and a first status message is received from the second device as a response to the setting message, the first status message comprising status information indicating whether the setting of the address was successful, and the setting message comprises at least one among an address field comprising an address value to be used by the second device in the Bluetooth mesh network or a first identifier indicating a request or no request for a response to the setting message.

Bluetooth is an NFC technology standard allowing various devices to be wirelessly connected in a near field to exchange data. If two devices attempt to perform wireless communication using Bluetooth communication, a user may perform a procedure for discovering a Bluetooth device with which he or she wants to communicate and requesting a connection. In the present invention, the device may refer to equipment or an apparatus.
In this case, the user may discover a Bluetooth device according to a Bluetooth communication method intended to be used using the Bluetooth device, and subsequently perform a connection.
The Bluetooth communication method may be classified as a BR/EDR method and an LE method. The BR/EDR method may be termed Bluetooth Classic. The Bluetooth Classic method includes a Bluetooth technology led from Bluetooth 1.0 and a Bluetooth technology using an enhanced data rate (EDR) supported by Bluetooth 2.0 or a subsequent version.
A Bluetooth low energy (LE) technology applied, starting from Bluetooth 4.0, may stably provide information of hundreds of kilobytes (KB) at low power consumption. Such a Bluetooth low energy technology allows devices to exchange information with each other by utilizing an attribute protocol. The Bluetooth LE method may reduce energy consumption by reducing overhead of a header and simplifying an operation.
Among the Bluetooth devices, some products do not have a display or a user interface. Complexity of connection, management, control, and disconnection among various types of Bluetooth devices and Bluetooth device employing similar technologies has increased.
Bluetooth supports a high speed at relatively low power consumption and at relatively low cost. However, since the transmission distance of Bluetooth is limited to a maximum of 100 m, Bluetooth is suitable for being used within a limited space.

Method and device for allocating address of device in Bluetooth mesh network


Apparatus and associated methods relate to an online ordering/takeout system for customers to place orders with a variety of merchants, where a customer can let a merchant know that the customer is on their way, and in response, the status of the order is updated in a locker-tracking system. In an illustrative example, a customer device may allow for customers to communicate an in-transit status to the merchant. A merchant device may, for example, allow a customer to gain access to a locker that stores the customer's order. In response to milestone events, such as placing a food item in a locker or the customer indicating they are “on their way,” the system may update a status of the locker to reflect a current status of the locker/order. Some embodiments may advantageously provide confirmation to the merchant that the customer is in route to the merchant's location.

In the past, humans acquired sustenance through the practice of foraging and hunting. A forager may look for plants that produce edible food, such as nuts, berries, or fruit. A hunter may track various animals to consume their meat and make clothing from the animals' fur. With the advent of agriculture, humans began to harvest food from planted crops. Ranching also allowed humans to domesticate animals in an enclosed space for consumption. The farming and ranching lifestyle replaced the foraging and hunting lifestyle for many humans.
As civilization further developed, people began to live in larger towns and cities that had higher population densities. In these cities, many people began to acquire food and drink indirectly from farms and ranches. These people no longer lived directly from the land, but rather, acquired food and drink from establishments such as grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers markets. More recently, grocery delivery services have started delivering food and drink directly to customer's residences (e.g., AmazonFresh, DoorDash).

Item ordering, pickup, and notification methods


An apparatus includes a base layer; and a superconducting nanowire disposed on the base layer in a continuous meander pattern and including an amorphous metal-metalloid alloy such that the apparatus is configured to detect single photons, and the continuous meander pattern includes: a plurality of parallel line segments; and a plurality of curved segments, wherein adjacent parallel line segments are joined by a curved segment. A method for making an apparatus for detecting single photons includes forming a base layer; forming a superconducting layer on the base layer; patterning the superconducting layer; and forming a continuous meander pattern from the superconducting layer, the continuous meander pattern includes a plurality of parallel line segments; and a plurality of curved segments, wherein adjacent parallel line segments are joined by a curved segment; and forming a dielectric layer on the continuous meander pattern, the dielectric layer including a dielectric material that is substantially transparent to a predetermined photon wavelength, wherein the apparatus is configured to detect single photons.

Measurement of the timing and characteristics of photonic emissions is critical to many scientific applications. Photons are characterized by their wavelength, their polarization, and by their location in time and space.
A single photon detector (SPD) is a device that produces an electrical signal when a single photon is absorbed by the detector. SPD's include a single photon detector component that absorbs the photon and undergoes a change in state that produces the electrical signal. Recently single photon detector components have taken the form of solid state microelectronic circuits made using fabrication methods known in the art of solid state microelectronics. SPD devices also include optical components necessary to direct the light to the SPD microelectronic circuit and electrical components to amplify and process the electrical signals produced by the microelectronic circuit.
SPD's are widely used in scientific research in the fields of medicine, biology, astronomy, physics, chemistry, electrical and chemical engineering, material science, and aeronautics. Additionally, single-photon detectors are an essential tool for a wide range of applications in quantum information, quantum communications, and quantum optics.
The effectiveness of a photon detection device is measured in terms efficiency. Ideally, the detector should produce a signal every time a single photon enters the device. The probability that an electrical signal will be produced when a photon enters the SPD (expressed as a percent) is referred to as the system efficiency. The probability that a photon contacting the SPD microelectronic circuit will produce an electrical signal is known as the quantum efficiency of the microelectronic circuit. The wavelength, polarization, and the position of the light all affect the system efficiency of the SPD device, and quantum efficiency of the microelectronic circuit. The system efficiency can be no greater, and is frequently less, than the quantum efficiency of the microelectronic circuit.
Other characteristics of SPD's used to determine their suitability for certain applications are: signal-to-noise ratio, timing jitter, reset times, and dark count rate. Signal to noise ratio is the ratio of magnitude of the electrical signal produced from the device to the magnitude of electrical noise of the device. Timing jitter is the deviation of the measured photon arrival time from the actual photon arrival time. Reset time is the time it takes for the device to be reset to receive another photon after an initial photon is detected. Dark count rate is the number of (false) detection signals produced per unit time when no photons are entering the device. For SPD's to be useful in the widest possible applications they should have high signal-to-noise, low timing jitter, fast reset times, and low dark count rates.
There are numerous types of photon detector microelectronic circuits known in art. One type of SPD known in the art is an avalanche photodiode (APD). APD's are highly sensitive semiconductor electronic devices that exploit the photoelectric effect to convert light into electricity. An APD can be thought of as a photo-detector with a built-in first stage of gain through avalanche multiplication. From a functional standpoint, they can be regarded as the semiconductor analog to photomultipliers. Over the past decade, superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SN-SPDs) have become promising alternatives to conventional semiconductor avalanche photodiodes in the near-infrared region of the spectrum. In particular, SN-SPDs based on niobium nitride (NbN) superconducting nanowires have demonstrated desirable properties 30 picoseconds timing jitter, fast reset times on the order of 10 nanoseconds, and low dark count rates below 1 kcps (thousand counts per second), but generally suffer from low system detection efficiencies of less than 20%. In addition, the efficiency of these detectors depends strongly on the polarization of the incident light.
Another problem known in the art is that the quantum efficiency of SN-SPD's degrades as the width of the nanowires increase, and therefore microelectronic circuits in the prior art have been limited to the use of extremely narrow nanowires. The quantum efficiency and sensing area of the microelectronic circuit are affected by the width of the nanowires and the width of channel spaces between the nanowires. NbN nanowires known in the art are arranged in a continuous meander pattern across the surface of the detector microelectronic circuit. In theory, larger geometric area covered by the nanowires should translate into a proportionately larger quantum efficiency of the microelectronic circuit. However, nanowires frequently have width dimensions of the order of the channels separating the nanowires from each other. Nanowires may have an approximate thickness of 5 nm and an approximate width of 100 nm. Current electron beam fabrication methods make it extremely difficult to create nanowires and channel features smaller than 100 nanometers. A limiting factor governing the quantum efficiency of SN-SPD microelectronic circuits based on NbN is that they have a relatively small area where absorption of photons may take place.
Another problem known in the art is that SPD devices experience decreased quantum efficiencies for photons having longer wave lengths. SPD devices currently known in the art, which utilize NbN, have achieved extremely high quantum efficiencies for photons whose wavelength is in the UV, visible, and for some wavelengths in the near infrared region of the spectrum.
Another problem known in the art is that the detection efficiency of SNSPD's depends upon the polarization of the light. There is an unmet need for superconducting SPDs that can detect photons with close to 100% efficiency for any photon wavelength, and any photon polarization. It is desirable to have SN-SPD technologies that provide larger areas for the absorption of photons within a designated physical area of the microelectronic circuit. It is desirable to have SN-SPD's with high signal-to-noise.

Efficient polarization independent single photon detector

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE


An apparatus for inspecting a pattern to detect a small pattern defect has an illuminating light source, as illuminating optical system having a plurality of illuminating portions for switching an optical path of illuminating light flux to a surface of board constituting the inspected object from a plurality of directions different from each other, a detecting optical system having a variable magnification using an object lens for condensing reflected diffracted light from the illuminated board, a focusing optical system having a variable magnification capable of focusing an optical image by converged reflected diffracted light with a desired focusing magnification and an optical detector for detecting the optical image focused by the focusing optical system to convert it into an image signal, an A/D converter for converting the image signal into a digital image signal, and an image signal processor for processing the digital image signal to detect the defect.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting a particle present on a thin film board, a semiconductor board or a photomask in the process of fabricating a semiconductor chip or a liquid crystal product. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus for detecting a defect produced at a circuit pattern and inspecting the situation which may have caused production of a particle or a defect in a step of fabricating a device which is subjected to a measurement by analyzing the detected particle or defect.
In a step of fabricating a semiconductor device, when a particle is present on a semiconductor board (wafer), the particle may constitute the cause of an insulation failure or a shortcircuit of the wiring. Further, in accordance with the demand for miniaturization of a semiconductor element, a fine particle also constitutes a cause of an insulation failure of a capacitor or the destruction of a gate oxide film. The particles are mixed at various stages due to various causes, and they may be produced from a movable portion of a carrying apparatus, produced from the human body, produced by a reactor in a processing apparatus by a process gas, or mixed with a drug or a material.
Similarly, also in a step of fabricating a liquid crystal display element, when a particle is mixed on a pattern or some defect is produced, the display element cannot be used. The situation stays the same also in a step of fabricating a printed board, and a shortcircuit of a pattern or a failure in a connection may be caused by such a particle.
As one of the technique for detecting a particle on a semiconductor board, JP-A-62-89336 (Patent publication 1), discloses a method of effecting a highly sensitive and highly reliable inspection of a product for a particle or other defect by eliminating false information in a pattern by irradiating a laser beam onto a semiconductor board, detecting light scattered from a particle produced when the particle is adhered onto the semiconductor board, and comparing a result of inspecting a semiconductor board of the same kind that was inspected immediately therebefore. Further, JP-A-63-135848 (Patent publication 2) discloses a method which involves irradiating laser light onto a semiconductor board, detecting light scattered from a particle which is adhered on the semiconductor board and analyzing the detected particle by laser photoluminescence or an analyzing technology of secondary X-ray analysis (XMR).
Further, as a technique for inspecting a wafer to detect the presence of a particle, there is a method which involves irradiating coherent light to the wafer, removing light emitted from a repeated pattern on the wafer using a spatial filter and emphasizing the received pattern to detect a particle or a defect which is not provided with repeatability. Further, a particle inspecting apparatus is described in JP-A-1-117024 (Patent publication 3) in which a circuit pattern formed on a wafer is irradiated from a direction which is inclined relative to a main group of linear lines of the circuit pattern by 45 degrees to prevent 0-order diffracted light from the main group of linear lines from being incident on an aperture of an object lens. According to this technique, it is also proposed to block light from other groups of linear lines, which are not the main group of linear lines using a spatial filter.
Further, an apparatus and a method of inspecting an object for a defect in the form of a particle or the like is described in, for example, JP-A-8-271437 and JP-A-2000-105203 (Patent publications 4). Particularly, in JP-A-2000-105203, it is proposed to change the size of a detected pixel by switching the detecting optical system. Further, a technique for measuring the size of a particle is described in, for example, JP-A-2001-60607 (Patent publication 5).
However, according to the techniques proposed in the above-cited publications, consideration is not given to a constitution capable of detecting a fine particle or a defect, on a board on which a repeated pattern are mixed, and a nonrepeated pattern with high sensitivity and at high speed. That is, according to the technologies disclosed in the above-described publications, consideration is not given to a constitution capable of achieving a detection sensitivity (minimum detected particle dimension) equivalent to that of a repeated pattern even at areas other than the repeated pattern portion of, for example, a memory cell portion.
Further, according to the technologies disclosed in the above-described publications, consideration is not given to a constitution capable of promoting a good sensitivity in detecting a small particle or a defect at the 0.1 μm level in a region having a high pattern density. Further, according to the technologies disclosed in the above-described publications, consideration is not given to a constitution capable of promoting a good sensitivity in detecting a particle or a defect that produces a shortcircuiting of wirings or a good sensitivity in detecting a particle in the shape of a thin film.
Further, according to the technology disclosed in JP-A-2001-60607, consideration is not given to a constitution capable of promoting an increased accuracy in the measurement of a particle or a defect.
Further, according to the technology disclosed in JP-A-2001-60607, consideration is not given to a constitution capable of promoting a good sensitivity in detecting a particle on a surface of a wafer formed with a transparent thin film.

Method of apparatus for detecting particles on a specimen


The present invention relates to a hybrid burner (1) for a combustor (7), in particular of a power plant, comprising a housing (2), in which a full oxidation catalyst (9) and a partial oxidation catalyst (10) are arranged. An inlet side of the housing (2) is connected to at least one oxidizer supply (3) and to at least one fuel supply (4, 5). An outlet side of the housing (2) is connected to a combustion chamber (7).

It is fundamentally known from EP 0 767 345 A2 to use a hydrogen generator to generate a hydrogen-containing gas from a fuel-oxidizer mixture and to admix this hydrogen-containing gas with a fuel-oxidizer mixture. The hydrogen increases the reactivity of the fuel-oxidizer mixture, enabling the combustion in a catalytic burner stage to be improved. The hydrogen generator used fractionates the associated fuel and thereby generates the hydrogen, preferably with the aid of a catalyst.
EP 0 849 451 A2 has disclosed a method for stabilizing combustion, in which a standard premix burner is supplied with a fuel-oxidizer mixture and the ignited mixture is introduced into a combustion chamber of a combustor for complete combustion. In parallel with this, another fuel-oxidizer mixture is fed to a catalyst, which generates a hydrogen-containing flue gas. This hydrogen-containing flue gas is then injected directly into the combustion chamber, specifically into zones which are particularly suitable for flame stabilizing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,040 B1 shows a method in which a hydrogen-containing flue gas can be generated from a rich fuel-oxidizer mixture by means of a catalyst. This hydrogen-containing flue gas is diluted with preheated oxidizer to such an extent that a lean fuel-oxidizer mixture is formed, which is completely burnt in a subsequent burner stage.
EP 0 710 797 B1 shows a premix burner with a lance arranged in its head. This lance includes a catalyst at its exit end.

Hybrid burner and associated operating method


A turn-off power semiconductor component subdivided into unit cells (EZ), including between an anode (A) and a cathode (K) in a semiconductor substrate (1) five layers in p-n-p-n-p sequence, namely an anode layer (10) an n-type base layer (9), a p-type base layer (8), a turn-off region (6), a cathode region (7) adjoining the turn-off region, and a p-doped short-circuit region (5). On the cathode side in every unit cell (EZ), a first MOSFET (M1) which can be driven via a first insulated gate electrode (G1) is provided for the purpose of switching between the five-layer structure and a conventional thyristor four-layer structure. A second MOSFET (M2) having a second gate electrode (G2) prevents a breakdown between the p-type short-circuit region (5) and the turn-off region (6) during turn-off. p-Type short-circuit region (5), turn-off region (6) and cathode region (7) are introduced in a self-aligning manner into the semiconductor substrate (1) through the windows (F1, F2) between the gate electrodes (G 1 and G2, respectively). Current filamentation during turn-off is effectively avoided by the switchable five-layer structure. The self-aligning production makes possible a component having precise patterning.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of power electronics. It relates to a turn-off power semiconductor component comprising
(a) a planar semiconductor substrate having two oppositely situated principal surfaces, of which the first is designed as anode and the second as cathode; PA1 (b) in the semiconductor substrate between the anode and the cathode, a laterally continuous, n.sup.- -doped n-type base layer, a p.sup.+ -doped anode layer which is embedded in the n-type base layer from the anode side and is provided with an anode contact on the first principal surface, and a p.sup.+ -doped p-type base layer which is embedded in the n-type base layer from the cathode side; PA1 (c) a multiplicity of unit cells arranged alongside to one another and electrically connected in parallel in the semiconductor substrate between the anode and the cathode; and PA1 (d) a first MOSFET, which is provided for the purpose of turning off the component, arranged inside each unit cell on the cathode side. PA1 (e) an n.sup.+ -doped turn-off region is embedded in the p-type base layer, a p-type short-circuit region which is p.sup.+ -doped is embedded in its turn in the turn-off region, and an n.sup.+ -doped first cathode region is embedded in its turn in the p-type short-circuit region, all from the cathode side, the p-type short-circuit region and the first cathode region being provided with a cathode contact on the second principal surface; PA1 (f) an n.sup.++ -doped second cathode region which adjoins the turn-off region is embedded in the p-type base layer on one side of the turn-off region from the cathode side; PA1 (g) first gate electrode and a second gate electrode are arranged alongside one another and in an insulated manner above the semiconductor substrate on the cathode side and are isolated from one another by a first window, PA1 (h) the p-type short-circuit region and the turn-off region have been introduced into the semiconductor substrate through the first window. PA1 (a) first introducing the p-type base layer into an n.sup.- -doped semiconductor substrate forming the n-type base layer from the second principal surface; PA1 (b) then coating the entire area of the second principal surface of the semiconductor substrate with a gate electrode layer having an insulated structure; PA1 (c) then opening the first windows in the gate electrode layer, which windows isolate the first and second gate electrodes from one another in the gate electrode layer; and PA1 (d) finally, successively embedding the turn-off regions and the p-type short-circuit regions in the underlying p-type base layer through the first windows. PA1 (a) the various regions and gate electrodes are arranged in each case in mirror-image fashion in adjacent unit cells; PA1 (b) the second gate electrodes of every two adjacent unit cells are combined to form a common second gate electrode; PA1 (c) the p-type base layer and the n-type base layer are brought to the second principal surface between the second cathode regions of two adjacent unit cells; PA1 (d) an insulated third gate electrode is arranged above the parts of the p-type base layer and the n-type base layer emerging at the second principal surface, which gate electrode is in each case isolated from the adjacent first gate electrodes by a second window, through which second window the second cathode region has in each case been introduced into the semiconductor substrate; PA1 (e) the second cathode region, the p-type base layer, the n-type base layer and the third gate electrode form a third MOSFET which produces a switchable connection between the n-type base layer and the turn-off region and serves to turn on the component.
Such a component is disclosed, for example, in a paper by V. A. K. Temple, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. ED-33, No. 10, October 1986, pages 1609-1618 as an MOS-controlled thyristor (MCT).
The invention furthermore relates to a process for producing such a component.

Turn-off power semiconductor component, and also process for producing it


Provided herein is a system, apparatus, and method for continuous casting of metal, and more particularly, to a mechanism for controlling the shape of a direct chill casting mold to dynamically control a profile of an ingot cast from the mold during the casting process. Embodiments may provide an apparatus for casting material including: first and second opposing side walls; first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls, where the first and second opposing side walls and the first and second opposing end walls form a generally rectangular shaped mold cavity. At least one of the first and second opposing side walls may include two or more contact regions, where each of the two or more contact regions may be configured to be displaced relative to a straight line along the side wall.

Metal products may be formed in a variety of ways; however numerous forming methods first require an ingot, billet, or other cast part that can serve as the raw material from which a metal end product can be manufactured, such as through rolling or machining, for example. One method of manufacturing an ingot or billet is through a semi-continuous casting process known as direct chill casting, whereby a vertically oriented mold cavity is situated above a platform that translates vertically down a casting pit. A starting block may be situated on the platform and form a bottom of the mold cavity, at least initially, to begin the casting process. Molten metal is poured into the mold cavity whereupon the molten metal cools, typically using a cooling fluid. The platform with the starting block thereon may descend into the casting pit at a predefined speed to allow the metal exiting the mold cavity and descending with the starting block to solidify. The platform continues to be lowered as more molten metal enters the mold cavity, and solid metal exits the mold cavity. This continuous casting process allows metal ingots and billets to be formed according to the profile of the mold cavity and having a length limited only by the casting pit depth and the hydraulically actuated platform moving therein.

Dynamic mold shape control for direct chill casting


A method provides automated testing of a network. The method comprises controlling an originating mobile communication device by a server and commanding origination of a call from the originating mobile communication device to a destination communication device. The call is associated with a raw call detail record that is unprocessed. The raw call detail record is monitored on a raw call detail record storage. The method also comprises confirming the raw call detail record accounts for origination of the call from the originating mobile communication device. The destination communication device is controlled by the server, and control is confirmed based on a communication log. The method captures the confirmation that the raw call detail record accounts for the origination of the call and the confirmation that the destination communication device is controlled by the server. Based analysis of the captured confirmations, a baseline metric of expected test results is generated.

Communication devices are being used to influence societal norms and further economic developments across the globe. Yet the devices themselves must rely on a stable and functional network infrastructure that provides service of network calls in varying scenarios. Despite providing a range of call features for network use, network subscribers may discover that a particular sequence of calls yields a failure or service error of network functionality. But prior to accessing and understanding the call sequence leading up to the failure, a communication service provider may have to wait for information about a call sequence to be compiled and processed; thereby increasing the time of identifying and resolving the issue. Experiencing repeated failures can frustrate subscribers because of a perception that they are paying for a service that the communication service provider is unable to effectively provide. Because customers may readily switch communication service providers, quickly minimizing and preventing user frustration is a concern of network operators.

Automated network testing using in-progress call detail records


A stacking machine is provided, which comprises a body and a translational mechanism for driving the body to make a translational motion. The synchronous belt used in the translational mechanism can effectively resolve the problem of slipping caused by wheel rolling, and thus enables the movement of the stacking machine to be more accurate, with the highest speed of the movement also increased significantly. Besides that, the synchronous belt mechanism is more accurate in positioning, which reduces the number of times of repeated adjustments and maintenance caused by bigger positioning errors.

In the automatic warehouse system, a stacking machine transports the cartridge inside the automatic warehouse system. The stacking machine is used for transporting the cartridge from the upstream transportation system to the warehouse system, transporting the cartridge to a temporary position at a plurality of processing machines, transporting the loaded cartridge back to the warehouse system, transporting the cartridge to the temporary position in the downstream transportation system, etc. Thus, the stacking machine needs to complete many actions and travel a long route, sometimes over 150 m.
Currently, aiming at the problem of long route and low speed of the stacking machine, the most primitive method is adopted, i.e. two stacking machines are arranged in the automatic warehouse system, which alleviates the contradiction between the transportation speed and the production efficiency to some extent. However, the following problems still exists: the cost is increased by two stacking machines; the two stacking machines have different routes and need handover.
However, in a warehouse system with only one stacking machine, with the limited space and route, the improvement in the transportation speed of the stacking machine and the production efficiency is limited, and the following defects still exists:
1. The power supply system of the stacking machine has high costs, and the power source of the motion mechanism for moving the stacking machine is a four-wheel drive servomotor on the stacking machine;
2. the stacking machine is moved by rolling of the wheel on the guide rail, and thus inclined to slip, especially when running at a high speed or when performing a common actuation and brake, which makes the motion positioning not accurate and limits the increase in speed;
3. because the stacking machine is moved by rolling of the wheel on the guide rail and thus inclined to slip, an acceleration and deceleration control method is used as the motion control method, which increases the motion time but is not significant in increasing the speed; and
4. when moved by rolling of the wheel on the guide rail, because the location at the connection of one guide rail with another guide rail is not smooth, the wheel is inclined to be damaged, with the addition of the normal abrasion of the wheel, making the motion not accurate.

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


There is disclosed a battery charging device for charging a battery pack having a battery cell, the battery pack being capable of storing an information for a maximum charging current and a maximum charging voltage of the battery cell and communicating the information with the battery charging device, which includes a communication means for receiving the information indicative of the maximum charging current and the information indicative of the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell which is transmitted from the battery pack, and a control means for controlling charging current and voltage upon charging so as not to exceed the maximum charging current and the maximum charging voltage of the battery cell. Further, in accordance with the present invention, there are disclosed a method for charging the battery pack, and the battery pack capable of being mounted to various electronic apparatuses.

The present invention relates to a battery pack used as a power source for video cameras, portable telephones or personal computers, a battery charging device for charging the battery pack and a method for charging the battery pack.
Hitherto, there are known battery packs constituted by secondary batteries such as lithium-ion batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries or the like.
These known battery packs incorporate, for example, a microcomputer for calculating a residual capacity thereof and conducting communications with electronic apparatuses using the battery pack as a power source, peripheral devices, a detection circuit for detecting conditions of a battery cell which are required for the microcomputer to calculate the residual battery capacity, or the like.
In conventional battery charging devices for these battery packs, for example, constituted by lithium-ion batteries, there has been used a constant-voltage charging system in which a predetermined constant voltage is continuously applied when the battery is charged. In addition, the respective battery packs have often been different in charging voltage (which means a maximum charging voltage which can be applied to the battery pack to be charged, and is hereinafter referred to merely as "maximum charging voltage") per one battery cell depending upon kinds of electrodes used in the respective battery cells. For this reason, many of the conventional battery charging devices have been used only for charging limited kinds of battery packs compatible thereto.
However, from the standpoint of costs, it has been inconvenient to prepare many battery charging devices compatible with various types of battery packs. Accordingly, many of recent battery charging devices are obliged to have such a function by which various types of battery packs having different maximum charging voltages can be charged.
However, such battery charging devices capable of charging plural kinds of battery packs have been so designed, from the viewpoint of safety, as to operate in conditions for charging the battery packs having the lowermost maximum charging voltage among those of all the compatible battery packs. Similarly, the battery charging devices have been so designed as to provide such a charging current (which means a maximum charging current which can flow through the battery pack, and is hereinafter referred to merely as "maximum charging current") identical to the lowermost maximum charging current among those of all the compatible battery packs.
Thus, in these conventional battery charging devices, it is impossible to equally supply an optimum charging energy to all the compatible battery packs intended, so that there arise inconveniences that 100% charging cannot be attained or it takes a considerably long time to attain 100% charging.

Battery charging device, method for charging battery pack and battery pack


A production line for manufacturing absorbent disposable articles, such as diapers, sanitary napkins and incontinence guards includes a conveyor path (3, 14, 15) which functions to move a web of material through the production line, and a row of devices (1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13) which are arranged sequentially in the direction of movement of the conveyor path and which function to perform different working operations in the manufacture of the absorbent articles. The working devices are carried by rectangular carrier plates (29, 34, 35, 39) which are fastened to vertical posts (17) which, in a framework (16), are placed on the same side of the conveyor path and sequentially in a direction parallel with the direction of conveyor path movement. The production line includes carrier plates (29, 34, 35, 39) of mutually different sizes, wherein the length of each side of a carrier plate is essentially a multiple of the length of the smallest side of the smallest carrier plate (34, 35).

Absorbent disposable articles are typically produced by taking a web of material from a storage reel and moving the web past a number of devices which perform different operations in sequence, such as placing absorbent bodies on the web, laying-out elastic, applying glue, applying further webs of material, compressing absorbent bodies, and heat-welding or ultrasonic-welding devices, and so on. In production of this nature, the production line has been traditionally constructed as one single unit. In recent times, production development has accelerated within this particular technical field, necessitating comprehensive reconstruction of the production lines. However, production lines of unit construction are less suitable for reconstruction and as a result, it has taken much too long to introduce new or modified products onto the market, and it has often been necessary to refrain from making small improvements to existing products, because of the radical changes in the production lines that such an improvement would occur, while, at the same time, the long nonproductive times caused by such reconstruction would prevent the demand of such products on the market being met, resulting in loss in profits and, in the longer term, perhaps also a loss in the share of the market.
The European Patent Application No. 93850174.9 teaches a production line for the manufacture of absorbent disposable articles which overcomes these drawbacks to a great extent. The various working devices of the production line are carried by mutually identical module plates which can be mounted in any desired position in a framework which extends along the production line. This design greatly facilitates reconstruction of the production line, while enabling the production line to be radically increased by adding further working devices thereto, without needing to make large modifications.

Process line for the production of absorbent disposable articles


A conductive roller in which dripping of a water-based coating during the manufacture thereof is restrained, and a manufacturing method thereof. The conductive roller includes a shaft, at least one elastic layer formed on the outer periphery of the shaft and a surface layer formed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The elastic layer is formed by using a coating for elastic layers containing a liquid absorbing agent, and the surface layer is formed by using a coating for surface layers. The method comprises forming an elastic layer by applying a coating for elastic layers containing a liquid absorbing agent on the outer periphery of the shaft and drying to form the elastic layer; and forming a surface layer by, after forming the elastic layer, applying a coating for surface layers on the formed elastic layer and drying to form the surface layer.

Generally, in an image forming apparatus using a xerography such as a copier, a printer or a facsimile, in the image forming steps, a roller to which a conductivity is imparted such as a transfer roller, a developing roller, a toner supply roller, a charging roller, a cleaning roller, an intermediate transfer roller or a belt driving roller is used.
As the roller members used as developing rollers, charging rollers and transfer rollers (toner supply and cleaning) or the like, ones provided with a basic structure having an elastic layer comprising a conductive rubber, polymeric elastomer, polymeric foam or the like given electric conductivity by blending a conductive agent therein, which elastic layer is formed on the outer periphery of the shaft; and further with a single or multiple water-based coating layers on the outer periphery of the layer to attain a desired surface roughness, conductivity, hardness and the like; have been conventionally used.
However, there is a problem in that a surface layer using a water-based coating sticks to an image carrier due to having an excess amount of water when left under high temperature and high humidity, and thereafter, the layer is peeled off. For this reason, Patent Document 1 proposes a charging member in which the mass change of the material which forms the surface layer thereof due to water absorption accompanied by the environmental change from a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50% to a temperature of 40° C. and a relative humidity of 95% is set to be 3.0% or less. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a conductive member in which, for the purpose of obtaining a stable conductivity without being affected by the temperature or the humidity, a conductive fiber is planted on a substrate via an adhesion layer, and the conductive fiber has a structure in which a conductive polymer layer and a water-retaining layer are laminated.

Conductive roller and manufacturing method thereof


A multi-stack power supply clamp circuit for providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection to enhance performance of advanced submicron processes is provided. The clamp circuit includes a bias voltage generator with low leakage and high current drive capabilities, and means to lighten current load on the voltage generator through reduced gate leakage. The bias voltage generator has includes a differential amplifier. The multi-stack clamp circuit provides voltage-tolerant ESD protection with optimized leakage, reduced sensitivity to operating conditions, and tolerance of increased gate current in new process technologies.

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) refers to the phenomenon of electrical discharge of high current for a short time duration resulting from a build up of static charge on a particular integrated circuit package, or on a nearby human handling that particular IC package. ESD events can have serious detrimental effects on manufacture and performance of integrated circuits (ICs) and other microelectronic devices, systems that contain such devices and manufacturing facilities that produce them. Advances in silicon process technology have led to the development of increasingly smaller sizes for transistors in integrated circuits. In turn, the decreasing size of transistors has made the circuits increasingly susceptible to damage from ESD events.
As we enter the new millennium, the electronic industry continues to scale microelectronic structure to achieve faster devices, new devices, and more per unit area. ESD continues to be a threat for scaled structures produced using various new technologies used in the electronic industry, such as, submicron device technologies, high system operation speeds, higher levels of factory automation, etc. As integrated circuit devices increase in density and their operating supply voltages decrease, the integrated circuits become more sensitive to the effects of ESD. Especially, ESD is a serious problem for semiconductor devices since it has the potential to destroy an entire IC. Because ESD events occur often across the silicon circuits attached to IC package terminals, circuit designers have concentrated their efforts on developing adequate protection mechanisms for these sensitive circuits.
One solution is the use of a grounded gate transistor as a simple ESD protection circuit. The transistor is configured as a diode and has a drain junction breakdown voltage lower than the gate dielectric breakdown voltage. While this circuit provides some protection from ESD events, an ESD protection circuit should also be able to protect an IC against static discharge by non-destructively passing large currents through a low impedance path in a short time.
Electronic circuits known as power supply clamps have long served the function of protecting power rails during ESD events. FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary integrated circuit which is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. FIG. 1 shows an integrated circuit 10 which has a voltage supply input connection 12 for receiving an externally provided high supply voltage from supply circuit 14. An ESD protection circuit 16 is provided to protect internal circuitry 18, designed to perform a predetermined function, from an electrostatic discharge. The ESD protection circuit 16 is described in detail below. The integrated circuit 10 can be any type of integrated circuit which receives a supply voltage, including, but not limited to, processors, controllers, memory devices, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), etc.
Because certain standardized or legacy supply voltages can be high enough to cause premature failure in metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices used in integrated circuits, redesigned clamp circuits are needed to provide ESD protection to high voltage pins. Such circuits, known as voltage-tolerant clamps or multi-stack claims, are able to withstand high voltages by self-generating bias voltages that are low enough for MOS devices to attach to without causing damage.
A desirable bias voltage circuit should have the characteristics of low power consumption, strong current drive, and limited degradation of the ESD performance of the clamp. Low power consumption may be defined as being negligible compared to the overall power consumption of the clamp. Strong current drive must be measured by its ability to drive large loads while keeping the bias voltage on target. On the other hand, limited degradation of ESD performance should be proven by a negligible shift in the pulse current-voltage characteristics of the clamp under various operating conditions.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary prior art implementation of a voltage tolerant clamp circuit 20. The clamp circuit 20 includes a voltage divider 22 formed by devices 24 and 26 between nodes 28 and 30, a controller circuit 32 including, among other devices, a device 34, and a current sinking device 36 having current sinking device transistors 38 and 40. The transistors 38 and 40 used by the current sinking device 36 may be any of the commonly used transistors. For example, the transistors 38 and 40 of the exemplary implementation of the current sinking device 36 are p-Channel transistors.
A voltage divider of a clamp circuit, such as the voltage divider 22, generates a bias voltage or a reference voltage, and therefore, is also referred to as a reference voltage generator or a bias voltage generator. As shown in FIG. 2, the simple voltage divider 22 of the prior art is used to reduce the high supply voltage on the node 28 to a smaller voltage on the node 30. For the clamp circuit 20, the major load on the voltage divider 22 is the sub-threshold leakage through the n-channel device 34. For a resistive voltage divider, this load should be small compared to the current consumption of the divider itself in order to maintain good voltage division. This requirement is relaxed in the case of the voltage divider 22, where diode-connected p-channel devices 24 and 26 with non-linear current-voltage characteristics are used instead of resistive elements. Reasonable voltage division can be achieved when the current consumption of the voltage divider 22, defined as the current through device 26 is comparable or even less than the current consumption of a load. Because the device 34 is usually much smaller than the devices 24 and 26, and because the current consumption of the voltage divider 22 is comparable to the leakage through the device 34, the voltage divider 22 can be optimized to consume leakage current that is small compared to the total clamp leakage.
The controller circuit 32 is coupled to a control node of the current sinking device 36 such that the controller circuit 32 couples the control node to a ground potential such that a voltage drop from the control node to the ground potential is less than a threshold voltage of an n-channel transistor, such as the controller transistor 34, during an ESD event on the power supply connection 28. The operation of the controller circuit 32 is explained in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,219, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
One of the problems associated with using the clamp circuit 20 is that the leakage of the voltage divider 22 can only be optimized based on a particular loading condition. Whereas the sub-threshold leakage of the device 34 is a strong function of temperature and other process variation, these changes do not affect the devices in the voltage divider 22 to the same extent. In order to assure satisfactory voltage division across all reasonable usage conditions, the current drive of the voltage divider 22 has to increase to meet the worst case conditions of changes in room temperature, fast process skew, etc. Unfortunately, this may result in significant over-design, which may force current consumption of the voltage divider 22 to become a significant portion of the total clamp leakage under typical operating conditions.
Similarly, it is also desirable to have an improved voltage generation sub-circuit for overall reduction of power consumption of a clamp circuit. A prior art clamp circuit 50 disclosed in FIG. 3 attempts to address this problem by using a low-leakage voltage divider 52 buffered by an analog voltage follower 54 and followed by a controller circuit 56. In the clamp circuit 50, the voltage follower 54 provides low output resistance to drive the leakage through the controller device 56, and furthermore presents only a small load to the voltage divider 52, such that the current consumption of the voltage divider can afford to stay low. Unfortunately, for the voltage follower 54 to work effectively, the input and the output of the voltage follower 54 must differ by one threshold voltage plus an unspecified amount of voltage necessary to turn on one of the transistors in the voltage follower 54. As a result it is difficult to generate highly precise bias voltage using the clamp circuit 50. This is an increasingly important problem with the advances in circuit technology because, as the maximum voltage that transistors in ICs can withstand decreases with each process generation, precision in the voltage reference becomes more critical.
To address the above problems, it is desirable to provide an improved ESD clamp circuit where the internal bias voltage of the clamp tracks the power supply accurately over the entire range of process variations and where the clamp operates with minimal leakage current over a wide range of operating conditions.

Multi-stack power supply clamp circuitry for electrostatic discharge protection


Calls (ar) directed to wireless communication terminal equipment (KE) wirelessly connected to base stations (BS-H) of a home area (H) and to a communication network (KN) are switched to the appertaining base station (BS-H) in the home area (H) using the communication network (KN). The availability of the called wireless communication terminal equipment (KE) is determined using the base station. Given non-availability of the called wireless communication terminal equipment (KE), the calls (ar) are rerouted to the communication network (KN) using the performance feature of “call deflection” provided in the base station (BS-H) in the home area (H). The method can be integrated into existing communication networks (KN) with minimal outlay.

Wireless communication terminal equipment (also known in the technical field as "cordless" or as cordless terminal equipment) that are wirelessly connected to base stations arranged in the home area are utilized in home areas or, respectively, residential areas. The air interface is thereby realized according to the DECT standard (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) further standards such as, for example, the GAP standard (Generic Access Profile) are provided for future wireless communication terminal equipment and base stations, whereby these further standards are based on the DECT standard and respectively provide additional application-specific functions. Advantageously, the base stations are connected via an ISDN basic access to an ISDN communication network, whereby the ISDN basic access comprises two message channels with a bandwidth of 64 kbit/s for two connections for a data or voice information communication and one signaling channel for the communication of signaling information. The wireless communication terminal equipment are thereby called with a telephone number of the public ISDN communication network, whereby a call is switched to the appertaining base station or, respectively, to the wireless communication terminal equipment.
Further, sub-communication networks or, respectively, offering networks wherein wireless communication terminal equipment are wirelessly or, respectively, cordlessly connected to base stations are planned for communication networks, particularly public ISDN communication networks. The air interface of the wireless connections is likewise realized according to the DECT standard. The wireless communication terminal equipment as well as the base stations are realized according to the GAP standard or a CAP standard (CTM (cordless terminal mobility) access profile) currently being standardized, whereby these standards are based on the DECT standard for the air interface. Special mobile telephone numbers with whose assistance connections can be set up from the ISDN communication network to the wireless communication terminal equipment can be provided for such wireless communication terminal equipment. A call with, for example, a mobile telephone number, initiated in the public communication network is switched via the corresponding offering network or, respectively, the base station thereof involved, being switched to the wireless communication terminal equipment identified by the mobile telephone number. The wireless communication terminal equipment thereby represents a communication terminal equipment of the public communication network, particularly of a public ISDN communication network.
It is also provided that a wireless communication terminal equipment is employable both in the home region as well as in the public communication network, whereby wireless communication terminal equipment are multiply present in the home region and a use in the public communication network represents an advantageous expansion. Since the home at the public area can overlap in view of the radio areas, the wireless communication terminal equipment will often be located in two areas in which they can be reached or, respectively, from which connections can be set up into the respective areas.

Method for call control of communication terminal equipment wirelessly connected to communication networks


The invention is directed to a system and method comprising a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device, wherein the first semiconductor device comprises a voltage supply means, characterized in that the voltage supply means of the first semiconductor device is connected to the second semiconductor device, so that the voltage supply means of the first semiconductor device can provide a supply voltage for the second semiconductor device.

Semiconductor devices, in particular memory devices such as DRAMS (DRAM=Dynamic Random Access Memory or dynamic read-write-memory, respectively) in general comprise one or several voltage supply means.
A voltage supply means serves to generate, from an—externally provided—voltage, a voltage used internally in the semiconductor device.
The voltage level of the internal voltage generated by the semiconductor device voltage supply means may differ from the level of the external voltage.
In particular, the internally used voltage level may be lower than the externally used voltage level.
An internal voltage level that is reduced vis-à-vis the externally used voltage level has, for instance, the advantage that the power loss in the semiconductor device can be reduced.
Furthermore, the external voltage may be subject to relatively strong fluctuations. Therefore, a so-called voltage regulator is frequently used as voltage supply means, which—in order that the device may be operated without fault—converts the external voltage into an internal voltage that is subject to relatively minor fluctuations only and is regulated at a particular, constant (possibly reduced) value.
Conventional voltage regulators may, for instance, comprise a differential amplifier and a field effect transistor. The gate of the field effect transistor may be connected to an output of the differential amplifier, and the source of the field effect transistor may e.g. be connected to the external voltage.
A reference voltage—which is subject to relatively minor fluctuations only—is applied to the positive input of the differential amplifier. The voltage output at the drain of the field effect transistor may be fed back to the negative input of the differential amplifier directly, or e.g. by the interposition of a voltage divider.
The differential amplifier regulates the voltage available at the gate connection of the field effect transistor such that the (fed back) drain voltage—and thus the voltage output by the voltage regulator—is constant and as high as the reference voltage, or e.g. by a certain factor higher.
Semiconductor devices are usually incorporated in appropriate housings, e.g. appropriate surface mountable housings (SMD housings) or plug mountable housings (e.g. corresponding Dual-In-Line (DIL) housings, Pin-Grid-Array (PGA) housings, etc.).
In one single housing, there may also be arranged two or more semiconductor devices instead of only one single semiconductor device.
In the case of memory devices, in particular DRAMs for increasing the storage density, several semiconductor devices may, for instance, be mounted in a stacked manner in one single housing.
For instance, two 256 Mbit memory devices may be provided in one single housing, this effecting a 512 Mbit chip.
The semiconductor devices, in particular memory devices, provided in one single housing comprise voltage supply means that are independent of one another.
When a memory device is accessed (i.e. when corresponding external data are stored on the memory device, or when data that are stored on the memory device are read out), there will flow, in general, relatively high currents that are generated by the corresponding voltage supply means.
Contrary to this, only relatively low currents will flow in standby or refresh operaation (e.g. for supplying leakage currents or operating currents).
The standby or refresh currents each may, for instance, be in the range of apporx. 50 μA—i.e. amount to a total of 100 μA in the case of e.g. two stacked memory devices (with the operating currents of the respective voltage supply means constituting the major part of these currents).

Semiconductor device voltage supply for a system with at least two, especially stacked, semiconductor devices