Techniques of frequency spectrum usage in a wireless communication system include configuring two or more downlink carriers, each having a downlink carrier center frequency, to have a total occupied bandwidth that is constrained within an allocated downlink frequency spectrum. Further, the techniques include transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), two or more downlink carrier center frequency indicators that each identify a downlink carrier center frequency of each of the two or more downlink carriers. Also, the present techniques may include transmitting, to the UE, at least one uplink carrier center frequency indicator that at least relatively identifies at least one uplink carrier center frequency of at least one uplink carrier that is configured to have an independent, variable offset relative to one or more of the more than two downlink carriers. As such, these aspects allow new ways of squeezing carriers into the downlink while not impacting UE transmitter complexity.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to apparatus and methods of frequency spectrum usage for communications in a wireless communication system.
Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, broadcasts, and so on. Such networks, which are usually multiple access networks, support communications for multiple users by sharing the available network resources. One example of such a network is the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN). The UTRAN is the radio access network (RAN) defined as a part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a third generation (3G) mobile phone technology supported by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The UMTS, which is the successor to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technologies, currently supports various air interface standards, such as Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA), and Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA). The UMTS also supports enhanced 3G data communications protocols, such as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), which provides higher data transfer speeds and capacity to associated UMTS networks.
As the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there is an ever increasing desire to maximize the use of allocated spectrum. While a great deal of focus has been in areas of carrier aggregation (e.g., multi-carrier), related to both the downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), packing that spectrum into an operator's allocated spectrum has not received as much attention.
Thus, there is a desire for further improvements in the use of allocated spectrum.

Apparatus and methods of frequency spectrum usage in a wireless communication system


A cooling-fan control device for a vehicle that increases the cooling capacity of a cooling oil that cools a brake rapidly and inhibits a brake damage in a case where the brake is applied during traveling or, in addition to the above-described problem-to-be-resolved, suppresses engine horsepower consumption and avoids consumption increase, while increasing the cooling capacity of the brake cooling oil. The rotation speed of the cooling fan is controlled to obtain the higher target rotation speed of a first target rotation speed corresponding to a detected cooling oil temperature and a second target rotation speed corresponding to a detected brake operation amount. The present invention is applicable to a vehicle in which an engine power is distributed to a travel power train and a hydraulic pump, drive wheels are operated via the travel power train, and the cooling fan is actuated via the hydraulic pump.

A dump truck is provided with a variety of brakes such as a foot brake, a retarder brake, a parking brake, an exhaust brake, and an emergency brake.
The front brake of a dump truck is constituted, for example, by a caliper brake. Furthermore, the rear brake is constituted by a wet multiplate brake and forcibly cooled by oil for cooling (cooling oil). A brake cooling circuit of the rear brake is so configured that the cooling oil circulates between the rear brake and the water-cooled oil cooler. The configuration is also such that cooling water of the oil cooler circulates between the oil cooler and the radiator. Hydraulic oil is supplied from a hydraulic pump that is driven by an engine to a hydraulic motor, and the rotation of the hydraulic motor drives the hydraulically driven fan for cooling the radiator.
The cooling oil in the brake cooling circuit absorbs the heat generated from the brake disk in the rear brake, and the absorbed amount of heat is dissipated by heat exchange with the cooling water in the water-cooled oil cooler. The cooling water is cooled in the radiator by a flow of air blown by the hydraulically driven cooling fan, and the heat of the cooling water is emitted into the atmosphere. Alternatively, this heat is directly dissipated into the atmosphere in an air-cooled oil cooler.
In the foot brake, the front brake and rear brake are actuated in accordance with the depression of a pedal.
In the retarder brake, only the rear brake is actuated in accordance with the operation of a retarder control lever.
Where the foot brake is continuously or repeatedly used when a dump truck descends a long slope, while carrying a heavy load, it is possible that the front brake will be overheated, the friction coefficient will be decreased, a fade effect will occur, and a brake efficiency will be degraded. Therefore, during downhill movement, the retarder brake is applied by operating the retarder control lever. With the retarder brake, braking is performed only with the rear brake that is forcibly cooled by cooling oil, the heat generated by the disk of the rear brake is absorbed by the cooling oil, and the occurrence of the fade effect or the like is inhibited.
The capacity of the retarder is typically determined by the cooling capacity of the cooling oil that is forcibly circulated. For this reason, the cooling capacity of the cooling oil has to be increased in order to increase the retarder capacity.
(Conventional Art 1 that has been Used)
In the conventional control of rotation speed of the aforementioned hydraulically driven cooling fan that has been heretofore performed in dump trucks, the cooling oil temperature and engine cooling water temperature are detected by respective sensors installed on the vehicle, the fan rotation speed is adjusted so that the rotation speed of the hydraulically driven cooling fan increases as the detected cooling oil temperature and cooling water temperature rise, the cooling capacity of the cooling oil rises, and the cooling oil is prevented from overheating.
The below-described patent documents relate to rotation speed control of a hydraulically driven cooling fan in the field of vehicles other than a dump truck, for example, a hydraulic shovel and a bulldozer.
(Conventional Art 2 Disclosed in a Patent Document)
Patent Document 1 describes an invention according to which in a configuration provided with an oil cooler that cools hydraulic oil for driving a working machine and a hydraulically driven cooling fan that cools the hydraulic oil that passes through the oil cooler, the temperature of the engine cooling water, temperature of the hydraulic oil, and rotation speed of the engine are detected by respective sensors, and the rotation speed of the hydraulically driven cooling fan is controlled correspondingly to the detected values of the sensors.
(Conventional Art 3 Disclosed in a Patent Document)
Patent Document 2 describes an invention according to which in a configuration provided with an oil cooler that cools hydraulic oil for driving a working machine and a hydraulically driven cooling fan that cools the hydraulic oil that passes through the oil cooler, the temperature of the engine cooling water, temperature of the hydraulic oil, and temperature of an intake air are detected by respective sensors, and the rotation speed of the hydraulically driven cooling fan is controlled correspondingly to the detected values of the sensors.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-182535
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-110779

Control device for cooling fan for vehicle


A method for synthesizing high-content NaY molecular sieves with kaolin sprayed microspheres includes adding functional components and deionized water into kaolin so as to be pulped into a mixed slurry. The slurry is sprayed into microspheres. The microspheres are calcined at a temperature between 700 and 1,000° C. and mixed with a directing agent for crystallization. The resultant solid is filtrated and washed with water and then dried to obtain a final in-situ crystallized product with high content of molecular sieves.

NaY molecular sieves are generally synthesized from an alkaline silicon-aluminum gel system. The raw materials are generally water glass, aluminum sulfate, sodium meta-aluminate, and a directing agent. The molecular sieves synthesized with these materials are characterized by a high content of molecular sieves and a high silicon/aluminum ratio. Different modification methods enable such molecular sieves to have diversified reaction characteristics. NaY molecular sieves are the major source of the active components in the field of catalytic cracking.
A new NaY molecular sieve synthesis method, referred to as the kaolin in-situ crystallization method, was first developed in the 1970s. The in-situ crystallization zeolite technologies disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,506,594, 3,503,900, and 3,647,718 take kaolin as a raw material for simultaneous preparation of active component and matrix, wherein FCC catalysts obtained by in-situ crystallization are called kaolin-based catalysts. The main preparation process thereof involves spraying kaolin into microspheres fit for a Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit. After the microspheres undergo calcinations, a portion of the microspheres are subsequently transformed into NaY molecular sieves in alkali system, and then, after modification, are prepared into FCC catalyst.
Compared to FCC catalyst prepared by semi-synthesis technology with gel-synthesized Y-type molecular sieves as active component, kaolin-based FCC catalysts have an advantage of stronger resistance to heavy metal, higher activity, excellent hydrothermal stability, and structural stability.
In the early phase, meta-kaolin microspheres are generally used for synthesizing NaY molecular sieves. United Kingdom Document UK1271450 discloses kaolin calcined into meta-kaolin at temperature of below 704° C. and then reacted with sodium silicate to synthesize Y zeolite. U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,006 discloses the synthesis of Y zeolite with specially fine meta kaolin powder.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,367,886, 3,367,887, 3,506,594, 3,647,718, 3,657,154, 3,663,165, and 3,932,268 disclose that, in in-situ crystallized products prepared with kaolin calcined at high temperatures above 900° C. (hereafter referred to as "kaolin calcined"), Y zeolite has a high ratio of silicon to aluminum, but crystallinity is less than 30%, and generally in the range of between 20% and 30%.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,902 discloses a process for the production of a crystallized product with high content of zeolite using microspheres with the coexistence of meta kaolin, kaolin calcined and crystal seeds in a same microsphere. The crystallinity of the crystallized product is greater than 40%. However, the disclosed process places substantial requirements on the raw materials used for spray shaping in that such raw materials should be super fine kaolin calcined Satone No. 2 and super fine raw kaolin clay ASP-600. Such super fine materials are very expensive and are difficult to obtain from commercial sources.
European Document EP369629 discloses increasing microsphere pore volume by increasing fine powder kaolin calcined, so as to increase the zeolite content in the microsphere. The disclosed process can increase the crystallinity of products to 70%. However, such super fine powder of kaolin calcined is very expensive. In addition, substantial amounts of kaolin calcined with low adhesive property are present in the sprayed microspheres, resulting in microspheres of poor attrition resistance.
Peoples Republic of China Document CN1232862 discloses a method for the preparation of high-content in-situ crystallized molecular sieve. Pore structure of the crystallized product prepared by the disclosed method is not ideal and adversely affects the selectivity for heavy oil and coke.
Peoples Republic of China Document CN1429883 discloses a preparation method of in-situ crystallized product with high content of molecular sieves possessing strong resistance to heavy metals. The specific surface areas of the disclosed examples show that the method fails to achieve the objective of increasing molecular sieve content in the crystallized products.

Method for the preparation of high-content NaY molecular sieves synthesized from kaolin sprayed microspheres


A label-free RF MEMS-based biosensor is described for detecting biomarkers in a given environment. The biosensor is capable of sensing the presence of biomarkers by exploiting both its mechanical and electrical characteristics. In addition, the method employed for detecting mechanical deflections due to antigen-antibody binding uses a simple electrical circuitry which allows the sensor to be used at any location and time. Such a sensor, when placed in a matrix like structure allows for the detection of multiple biomarkers simultaneously.

Genomics and proteomics research has elucidated many new biomarkers that have the potential to greatly improve disease diagnosis [2-3]. The development of rapid and inexpensive diagnostic assays adapted for point-of-care (PoC) applications would aid in the control of diseases [1]. The availability of multiple biomarkers is believed to be critical in the diagnosis of complex diseases like cancer [4], for which disease heterogeneity make tests of single marker inadequate. Hence, real-time detection of multiple biomarkers associated with different stages of disease pathogenesis could facilitate early detection of diseases [5]. However, widespread use of such biomarkers in disease diagnosis ultimately depends upon the development of field deployable biosensor devices. For PoC applications, biosensors are expected to allow real-time, rapid, label-free and multiplexed detection of biomarkers with high selectivity and sensitivity. Such devices would not only reduce time between sampling and responses but will also reduce costs by making tests available in environments where laboratory testing is unavailable or impractical [6].
Prevailing bio-detection systems mainly rely on fluorescence methods (label-based detection) to detect the binding of biomarkers to a biorecognition element. This includes the commonly used clinical approach for protein marker detection, enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). Though past research has demonstrated detection limits as low as few femtamolar concentrations (pg/ml) using fluorescence based detection, the need for sophisticated and costly instruments, long detection time and complicated process steps make label-based detection methods incompatible for hand-held portable biosensing applications [7]. Rapid, multiplexed, detection has not been attained with any existing label free detection schemes including surface plasmon resonance (SPR) [8-10], microcantilevers [11-14], carbon nanotubes [15-16] and quartz crystal microbalance [17]. Fan et al [18] reported an integrated microfluidic system which they called the integrated blood barcode chip (IBBC) to address the issue of multiplexed detection of protein in microliter quantities of blood. Though the chip proved to be a new approach for multiplexed immunoassays, it ultimately depends on fluorescent labels to detect the proteins of interest which makes it not suitable for portable and remote health monitoring application. A similar approach was used by Zheng et al [19] where nanowire sensor arrays were used for multiplexed electrical detection of cancer biomarkers.
Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology holds the potential to allow integrated sensors for the detection of biomarkers in hand held devices. Miniaturized sensor size aids in reducing measurement time and minimizing invasiveness. Recently, MEMS and related technologies have found interest in rapid label-free detection of biomarkers. Kim et al [20] demonstrated a detection method based on RF electric signals and MEMS to detect Glucose oxidase (GOx). Dalmay et al [21] developed a detection method using microwave frequencies to study cell electrical parameters.

3D RF MEMS biosensor for multiplexed label free detection


Devices and methods are presented to fabricate diffusion barrier layers on a substrate. Presently, barrier layers comprising a nitride layer and a pure metal layer are formed using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process that requires multiple ignition steps, and results in nitride-layer thicknesses of no less than 2 nm. This invention discloses devices and process to produce nitride-layers of less than <1 nm, while allowing for formation of a pure metal layer on the nitride-layer without re-igniting the plasma. To achieve this, the flow of nitrogen gas is cut off either before the plasma is ignited, or before the formation of a continuous-flow plasma. This ensures that a limited number of nitrogen atoms is deposited in conjunction with metal atoms on the substrate, thereby allowing for controlled thickness of the nitride layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication. More particularly, the present invention relates to the creation of a diffusion barrier layer on a substrate using physical vapor deposition (PVD).
2. Background of the Invention
As microelectronics continue to miniaturize, interconnection performance, reliability, and power consumption have become increasingly important. Interest has grown in replacing aluminum alloys with lower resistivity and higher reliability metals. Copper offers a significant improvement over aluminum as a contact and interconnect material. For example, the resistivity of copper is about half of the resistivity of aluminum. However the use of copper as an interconnect material present various problems not encountered with the use of aluminum because of the inherent properties of copper and its reaction with silicon and other various dielectrics employed in semiconductor fabrication. One of the problems is that copper will likely result in diffusion in the silicon or dielectric layer when placed in contact with silicon or dielectric. This diffusion can lead to the destruction of the underlying circuitry as well as an increase in electromigration. In addition copper does not bond well with the silicon or most dielectrics.
To solve the problem associated with the use of copper, manufactures of semiconductors have employed the use of a metal barrier layer between the copper contacts and interconnects and underlying material layers. Typically the metal barrier layer has two layers composed of a barrier layer to prevent the diffusion of copper and electromigration, and a wetting layer to enhance the adhesion of copper to the substrate. While a single layer of metal could serve to prevent diffusion and increase wettability, commonly a metal nitride is used for the barrier layer. This is because an increase in the nitrogen content of the metal nitride increases the protection against diffusion of copper into the substrate and electromigration. However, nitride layers do not provide the wettability of a pure metal. As such, dual layers are used to form the metal barrier layer. For instance the metal barrier layer could be composed of layers of titanium nitrate (TiN) and titanium (Ti). Typically metal barrier layers are composed of TiN/Ti, TaN/Ta, WN/W, and MoN/Mo. In addition, the use of a metal nitrate layer provides good adhesion to the silicon or dielectric medium.
One method of manufacturing the metal barrier layer is through physical vapor deposition (PVD), or more specifically through a form of PVD called sputtering. Deposition through sputtering is accomplished in an enclosed chamber, with a target electrode composed of at least part of the material to be sputter deposited and a substrate. A noble non-reactive gas such as argon is streamed through the chamber and is ignited to provide a plasma source. Sputtered particles traverse the chamber and stick to the substrate, forming a metal layer. To deposit the compound material, the chamber is additionally filled with a reactive gas to provide the additional compound elements. Sputtered particles chemically react with the reactive gas and are together deposited on the substrate as the compound material. For instance, to deposit Tantalum Nitride (TaN), the target would be formed from Ta and the chamber would be filled with a mixture of nitrogen gas and argon. The metal barrier layer is typically formed by repeating the sputtering process twice. The first time, nitrogen gas is introduced into the chamber with a metal target to produce a metal nitrite layer. The second time, the nitrogen is removed and a non-reactive gas such as argon is introduced, to produce a pure metal layer.
The metal barrier layer, while necessary when using copper, presents problems since it is more resistive than copper and hence leads to slower signal propagation and a slower device. This is particularly true of the nitrite layer as an increase of nitrogen cause the metal nitrate to be more resistive. As such, the thickness of the nitrite layer needs to be kept to a minimum to reduce the resistance. Also as chips become more miniature and smaller process are used in fabricating the chips, thinner metal barrier layers are need. For instance, in a 65 nm process, it is desirable for the nitrate layer to have a thickness of 1 nm or less.
However, when using sputtering, it is often difficult to consistently produce a layer of either metal or metal nitrate that is less than 2 nm in thickness. Nitrogen flows during and after ignition limit the minimum thickness, resulting in different nitrogen incorporation and properties. Thus, the typical 2-step sputtering is not a reliable process in manufacturing metal nitrates layers that are loss than 1 nm thick as needed for 65 nm and smaller process used to fabricate semiconductors. There exist other methods for manufacturing a thin film of a metal nitrite that is less than 1 nm thick. For instance, a thin film metal nitrate can be deposited using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). However this process is much more expensive than sputtering. In addition, the use of ALD to produce a barrier layer has not been proven in terms of reliability. What is needed is a reliable, inexpensive and effective method to produce a barrier layer consisting of a metal nitride whose thickness is less than 1 nm.


Hybrid pepper cultivar designated ‘E 499524’ which is a Sweetbite type and suitable for covered cultivation and open field, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of hybrid pepper cultivar ‘E 499524’ and to the plants of hybrid pepper cultivar ‘E 499524’. The invention also relates to methods for producing a pepper plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing the hybrid cultivar ‘E 499524’ with itself or another pepper cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing other pepper cultivars derived from the hybrid ‘E 499524’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive pepper (Capsicum annuum) hybrid designated 'E 499524'. Pepper hybrid 'E 499524' produces fruit which is very small (jalapeno pepper size) but mild. In addition, the plants are suitable for covered cultivation and open field growing. All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated by reference.
There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. The selected germplasm is crossed in order to recombine the desired traits and through selection varieties or parent lines are developed. The goal is to combine in a single variety or hybrid an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. These important traits may include higher yield, field performance, fruit and agronomic quality such as fruit shape and length, resistance to diseases and insects, and tolerance to drought and heat.
The bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) originated in Mexico and the neighboring areas of Central America. Soon after Columbus' discovery of this plant, it was grown worldwide and used as a spice and a medicine. Today, pepper plants can be found growing wild in tropical areas around the world. Many countries grow it as a crop. Many of the hot peppers can be found in Latin America and China, but the US prefers sweet bell peppers. Peppers are used for fresh consumption, and they are processed into powders, sauces, and salsas. Many of the new cultivars grown today can be traced back to the early plants.
The genus Capsicum and species annuum includes most of the peppers grown in the U.S. These can be further grouped into two broad categories: chile peppers which are pungent (hot) and sweet peppers which are non-pungent (mild). The U.S. produces 4 percent of the world's capsicum peppers (sweet and hot), ranking sixth behind China, Mexico, Turkey, Spain and Nigeria. Bell peppers are the most common sweet pepper and are found in virtually every retail produce department. Grown commercially in most states, the U.S. industry in largely concentrated in California and Florida, which together accounted for 78% of output in 2000. New Jersey, Georgia and North Carolina round out the top five producing states. (Economic Research Service, USDA. Vegetables and Melons Outlook/VGS-288/Dec. 14, 2001. )
Bell peppers are eaten raw, cooked, immature and mature. Often nutritional content is altered by the changes in the way they are consumed. Per capita consumption of bell peppers in 1995 was 6.2 pounds. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Calcium. Red peppers have more of these qualities than the immature green peppers.
Peppers grown in temperate regions are herbaceous annuals, but are herbaceous perennials where temperatures do not drop below freezing. Pepper plants' growth habit may be prostrate, compact, or erect, but it is determinate in that after it produces nine to eleven leaves a single stem terminates in flowers. These plants are grown for the edible fleshy fruit produced by this dichotomous growth. Peppers are non-climacteric which means they do not produce ethylene. They need to stay on the vine to continue the ripening process. A deep taproot will form if the plant root system is uninjured during transplanting. The spindle root will develop fibrous secondary root systems spreading laterally and downward. On the soil surface the stem will produce adventitious roots, but not as easily as tomatoes. The leaves of the pepper plant arise singly and are simple, entire, and asymmetrical. Typical of all Solanaceous plants, the leaves are arranged alternately on the stem. They are shiny and glabrous and vary in shape from broadly ovate to ovate lanceolate. The flowers develop singly or in twos or threes continuously as the upper structure of the plant proliferates. The corolla is white and five lobed while the anthers are bluish or yellowish in color. The flowers have an open anther formation and will indefinitely self-pollinate. They are also pollinated by insects, which increases the chances of cross-pollination. Unlike tomatoes, whose pollen becomes nonviable in high temperatures, the pepper flowers' pollen is not extremely heat sensitive and it remains viable up to 100° Fahrenheit producing fruit throughout the season.
The fruit of a pepper plant is classified as a berry with colors from green, yellow, red, purple, black, brown, white and orange. Green is an immature fruit, yet commonly eaten this way, and as the fruit matures it changes color. In most commercial cultivars color changes are from green to red, green to yellow or green to orange. Usually, fruits of the purple and white varieties have these colors as they develop, and therefore do not have a green stage. For fruit to set, the ovaries need to be fertilized. Auxin is then produced by the seeds, which determine fruit cell elongation. The number of seeds fertilized will determine the size and shape of the fruit. The seed develop on the interior and attach to the veins. Fully developed seed is kidney shaped. There are about 4,500 seeds per ounce.
Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plant reproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and the type of cultivar used commercially (e.g., F1 hybrid cultivar, pureline cultivar, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superior individual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective, whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based on mean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of related plants. Popular selection methods commonly include pedigree selection, modified pedigree selection, mass selection, and recurrent selection.
The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method. Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes for a highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach has been used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars. Various recurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitatively inherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use of recurrent selection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination, the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and the number of hybrid offspring from each successful cross.
Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation of the efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria vary depending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain from selection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard, overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of successful cultivars produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollar expended, etc.).
Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared to appropriate standards in environments representative of the commercial target area(s) for three years at least. The best lines are candidates for new commercial cultivars; those still deficient in a few traits are used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.
These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution, usually take from five to ten years from the time the first cross or selection is made. Therefore, development of new cultivars is a time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficient use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.
A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that are genetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic value is masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors. One method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performance relative to other experimental plants and to a widely grown standard cultivar. If a single observation is inconclusive, replicated observations provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.
The goal of pepper plant breeding is to develop new, unique and superior pepper cultivars. The breeder initially selects and crosses two or more parental lines, followed by repeated selfing and selection, producing many new genetic combinations. The breeder can theoretically generate billions of different genetic combinations via crossing, selfing and mutations. The breeder has no direct control at the cellular level. Therefore, two breeders will never develop the same line having the same pepper traits.
Each year, the plant breeder selects the germplasm to advance to the next generation. This germplasm is grown under different geographical, climatic and soil conditions, and further selections are then made, during and at the end of the growing season. The cultivars that are developed are unpredictable. This unpredictability is because the breeder's selection occurs in unique environments, with no control at the DNA level (using conventional breeding procedures), and with millions of different possible genetic combinations being generated. A breeder of ordinary skill in the art cannot predict the final resulting lines he develops, except possibly in a very gross and general fashion. The same breeder cannot produce the same line twice by using the exact same original parents and the same selection techniques. This unpredictability results in the expenditure of large research monies to develop superior pepper cultivars.
The development of commercial pepper cultivars requires the development of pepper parental lines, the crossing of these lines, and the evaluation of the crosses. Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are used to develop cultivars from breeding populations. Breeding programs combine desirable traits from two or more varieties or various broad-based sources into breeding pools from which lines are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. The new lines are crossed with other lines and the hybrids from these crosses are evaluated to determine which have commercial potential.
Pedigree breeding is used commonly for the improvement of self-pollinating crops or inbred lines of cross-pollinating crops. Two parents which possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed to produce an F1. An F2 population is produced by selfing one or several F1s or by intercrossing two F1s (sib mating). Selection of the best individuals is usually begun in the F2 population; then, beginning in the F3, the best individuals in the best families are selected. Replicated testing of families, or hybrid combinations involving individuals of these families, often follows in the F4 generation to improve the effectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability. At an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F6 and F7), the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for potential release as new cultivars.
Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations of either self-or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variable population of heterozygous individuals is either identified or created by intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selected based on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellent combining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a new population in which further cycles of selection are continued.
Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genes for a simply inherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivar or line that is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait to be transferred is called the donor parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. After the initial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parent are selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent.
The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to planting a segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, and using the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When the population has been advanced from the F2 to the desired level of inbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace to different F2 individuals. The number of plants in a population declines each generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plants to produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F2 plants originally sampled in the population will be represented by a progeny when generation advance is completed.
In addition to phenotypic observations, the genotype of a plant can also be examined. There are many laboratory-based techniques available for the analysis, comparison and characterization of plant genotype; among these are Isozyme Electrophoresis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), Arbitrarily Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNA Amplification Fingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs), Amplified Fragment Length polymorphisms (AFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs—which are also referred to as Microsatellites), and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs).
Isozyme Electrophoresis and RFLPs have been widely used to determine genetic composition. Shoemaker and Olsen, (Molecular Linkage Map of Soybean (Glycine max) p 6.131-6.138 in S. J. O'Brien (ed) Genetic Maps: Locus Maps of Complex Genomes, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., (1993)) developed a molecular genetic linkage map that consisted of 25 linkage groups with about 365 RFLP, 11 RAPD, three classical markers and four isozyme loci. See also, Shoemaker, R. C., RFLP Map of Soybean, p 299-309, in Phillips, R. L. and Vasil, I. K., eds. DNA-Based Markers in Plants, Kluwer Academic Press, Dordrecht, the Netherlands (1994).
SSR technology is currently the most efficient and practical marker technology; more marker loci can be routinely used and more alleles per marker locus can be found using SSRs in comparison to RFLPs. For example, Diwan and Cregan described a highly polymorphic microsatellite locus in soybean with as many as 26 alleles. (Diwan, N. and Cregan, P. B., Theor. Appl. Genet. 95:22-225,1997.) SNPs may also be used to identify the unique genetic composition of the invention and progeny varieties retaining that unique genetic composition. Various molecular marker techniques may be used in combination to enhance overall resolution.
Molecular markers, which include markers identified through the use of techniques such as Isozyme Electrophoresis, RFLPs, RAPDs, AP-PCR, DAF, SCARs, AFLPs, SSRs, and SNPs, may be used in plant breeding. One use of molecular markers is Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping. QTL mapping is the use of markers which are known to be closely linked to alleles that have measurable effects on a quantitative trait. Selection in the breeding process is based upon the accumulation of markers linked to the positive effecting alleles and/or the elimination of the markers linked to the negative effecting alleles from the plant's genome.
Molecular markers can also be used during the breeding process for the selection of qualitative traits. For example, markers closely linked to alleles or markers containing sequences within the actual alleles of interest can be used to select plants that contain the alleles of interest during a backcrossing breeding program. The markers can also be used to select toward the genome of the recurrent parent and against the markers of the donor parent. This procedure attempts to minimize the amount of genome from the donor parent that remains in the selected plants. It can also be used to reduce the number of crosses back to the recurrent parent needed in a backcrossing program. The use of molecular markers in the selection process is often called genetic marker enhanced selection or marker-assisted selection. Molecular markers may also be used to identify and exclude certain sources of germplasm as parental varieties or ancestors of a plant by providing a means of tracking genetic profiles through crosses.
Mutation breeding is another method of introducing new traits into pepper varieties. Mutations that occur spontaneously or are artificially induced can be useful sources of variability for a plant breeder. The goal of artificial mutagenesis is to increase the rate of mutation for a desired characteristic. Mutation rates can be increased by many different means including temperature, long-term seed storage, tissue culture conditions, radiation (such as X-rays, Gamma rays, neutrons, Beta radiation, or ultraviolet radiation), chemical mutagens (such as base analogs like 5-bromo-uracil), antibiotics, alkylating agents (such as sulfur mustards, nitrogen mustards, epoxides, ethyleneamines, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfones, or lactones), azide, hydroxylamine, nitrous acid or acridines. Once a desired trait is observed through mutagenesis the trait may then be incorporated into existing germplasm by traditional breeding techniques. Details of mutation breeding can be found in Principles of Cultivar Development by Fehr, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1993.
The production of double haploids can also be used for the development of homozygous lines in a breeding program. Double haploids are produced by the doubling of a set of chromosomes from a heterozygous plant to produce a completely homozygous individual. For example, see Wan et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 77:889-892, 1989.
Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used for different traits and crops can be found in one of several reference books (e.g., Principles of Plant Breeding John Wiley and Son, pp.115-161, 1960; Allard, 1960; Simmonds, 1979; Sneep et al., 1979; Fehr, 1987; "Carrots and Related Vegetable Umbelliferae", Rubatzky, V. E., et al., 1999).
Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level of superiority or improvement over current cultivars. In addition to showing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new cultivar that is compatible with industry standards or which creates a new market. The introduction of a new cultivar will incur additional costs to the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer for special advertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial production practices, and new product utilization. The testing preceding release of a new cultivar should take into consideration research and development costs as well as technical superiority of the final cultivar. For seed-propagated cultivars, it must be feasible to produce seed easily and economically.
Pepper is an important and valuable field crop. Thus, a continuing goal of plant breeders is to develop stable, high yielding pepper hybrids that are agronomically sound. The reasons for this goal are obviously to maximize the amount of fruit produced on the land used as well as to improve the fruit agronomic qualities. To accomplish this goal, the pepper breeder must select and develop pepper plants that have the traits that result in superior parental lines for producing hybrids.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.


A method of forming a patterned material layer on a substrate. A photoresist layer is formed on the substrate followed by an image modifying material formed on the photoresist. The image modifying material is patterned to form an image modifying pattern. The image modifying pattern and underlying photoresist are then exposed to suitable radiation. The image modifying pattern modifies the image intensity within the photoresist layer beneath the image modifying pattern. The resulting pattern is then transferred into the substrate.

Semiconductor device manufacturing places high demands on the lithographic processes that are the means by which the submicron features are generated. New geometries and ever-shrinking dimensions of microelectronic devices dictate increased resist performance in terms of ability to produce higher resolution features with higher aspect ratios and the ability to image over topography.
The dramatic increase in performance and cost reduction in the electronics industry can be attributed in large parts to innovations in the field of optical lithography. Optical projection step-and-scan machines offer significantly higher throughput as compared to other patterning techniques and are the overwhelming choice for patterning advanced integrated circuits in manufacturing. The minimum printable feature size (resolution) has also decreased by orders of magnitude enabling more complex and higher density circuitry.
In optical projection lithography, resolution is typically governed by the equation.W=k1λ/NA
where W is the minimum printable feature size, λ is the exposure wavelength, NA is the numerical aperture and k1 is constant representing the lithography process. To improve resolution, exposure wavelength has steadily decreased from mercury lamp G-line (436 nm) to H-line (405 nm) to I-line (365 nm) to deep UV (248 nm and 193 nm) while the numerical aperture of the optics has steadily increased.
Advances in resist materials, processes and mask making, and innovations such as reticle enhancement techniques (RET) and use of off-axis illumination (OAI) have also reduced k1 to a point where its values in the range of 0.30-0.45 are typical in manufacturing today. Considering 0.25 is the theoretical limit of diffraction optics this is truly remarkable. Future gains in resolution will be achieved through enhancements such as immersion lithography. In immersion lithography, a fluid with an index of refraction greater than air (n=1.0) is introduced between the imaging surface and the last lens element of the imaging optics. This enables the numerical aperture of optical lithography systems to exceed 1.0 and possibly approach values close to the index of refraction of the immersion fluid. Using water as the immersion fluid, lithography systems with numerical apertures as high as 1.35 may be possible.
Further reduction in wavelength is yet another method to improve resolution. Possible options include F2 excimer laser (157 nm) and extreme UV (13 nm) light. However, as wavelength becomes shorter, the light source becomes more complex and expensive. In addition, the technological complexity with imaging materials, processes, optics and masks required to support imaging using the shorter wavelength also increases dramatically. It is conceivable that the cost of migrating to a new wavelength may be prohibitive and unjustifiable from a fiscal perspective. Thus, it is conceivable that optical lithography using ArF excimer laser (193 nm) may be the only cost-effective optical lithography option available for some time to come. To extend ArF lithography for sub-wavelength patterning beyond the 90 nm half-pitch, process and material innovations will be crucial.
Near field imaging has been reported in recent years as a method to print features smaller than the diffraction limit of optical lithography. Researchers have reported printing of patterns as small as λ/40 where λ is the wavelength of the incident radiation. Most optical near field lithography applications rely on placing an image transducer such as a conformal light-coupling mask or a solid immersion lens in very close proximity to the imaging photoresist layer while it is being irradiated. As the imaging radiation interacts with the image transducer it is altered. If the image transducer is of very small dimension then the alteration is only experienced within a very short distance from the transducer. Thus such effects are often classified as Near Field effects. The physical phenomenon behind the image alteration can be complex. Near field effect, phase shifting and evanescent wave effects are some of the complex explanations that have been provided. All near field imaging references in literature propose the utilization of a detached image modifying layer which is placed in close proximity to the imaging resist. See, for example, M. Paulus, B. Michel, O. Martin, "Near-field distribution in light-coupling masks for contact lithography", J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 17, 6, p 3314-3317 (1999); T. Milster: T. Chen, D. Nam, E. Schlesinger, "Maskless Lithography with Solid Immersion Lens Nano Probes", Proc. SPIE, 5567: p 545 (2004); J. Rogers, K. Paul, R. Jackman: G. Whitesides, "Using an elastomeric phase mask for sub-100 nm photolithography in the optical near field", Appl. Phys. Lett., 70, 20, p 2658-2660 (1997); H. Schmid, Hans Biebuyck, B. Michel, O. Martin, "Light-coupling masks for lensless, sub-wavelength optical lithography", Appl. Phys. Lett., 72, 19, p 2379-2381 (1998); T. Ito, M. Ogino, T. Yamada, Y. Inao, T. Yamaguchi, N. Mizutani, R. Kuroda "Fabrication of sub-100 nm Patterns using Near-field Mask Lithography with Ultra-thin Resist Process", J. Photopolym. Sci. Technol., 18, 3, p 435-441 (2005); and Ong et al (J. Vac. Sci. Technol, B, v1, 4, 1983), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
There are several ways in which a single resist layer can be patterned using multiple exposures. Such methods typically utilize one resist and two masks. The two exposures can be complementary or may be overlapping. In the case of overlapping exposures, the resist is exposed with the first mask with a dose which is the same or smaller than the required dose to print an image, then the second exposure is done with second mask with the same or smaller than the required dose. With this one resist approach, some double exposures are used to enhance resolution such as to print gates as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,168, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, some are used to correct features which are hard to correct with OPC such as to fix line end shortening as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,019, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. When two resists are introduced in the double exposure approach, prior arts do not use the patterned top layer to modify the images of the bottom resist layer. The two layers are patterned independently to form additive features such as the applications for dual damascene processes as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,242,344 and 5,877,076, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, or to form subtractive features such as the application to contact holes with packing and unpacking scheme as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,011, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Accordingly, it is a purpose of the invention to have high resolution imaging of semiconductor features.
It is another purpose of the present invention to have high resolution imaging of semiconductor features in which an image modifying layer is utilized.
It is yet another purpose of the present invention to have high resolution imaging of semiconductor features in which the image modifying layer conforms to the topography of the underlying surface.
These and other purposes of the invention will become more apparent after referring to the following description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

High resolution imaging process using an in-situ image modifying layer

International Business Machines Corporation


A cable, which includes a plurality of tubes disposed continuously in the height direction, has one end which is fixed to a first cable-connecting section disposed at one end of a body of an electric actuator. The cable has the other end which is connected to a second cable-connecting section connected to a slider which is displaceable along the axis under the driving action of a rotary driving source. The cable is installed substantially horizontally with respect to the body. The dimension in the height direction is large, and the dimension in the thickness direction is small.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable structure to be connected between a fixed member such as an actuator body and a displaceable member such as a slider.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 26, for example, a second actuator 3, which is constructed as a separate body, is connected to a slider 2 of a first actuator 1. The slider 2 is displaceable in a substantially horizontal direction. A plurality of cables 4 including a lead wire for an electric signal and a tube for a pressure fluid have first ends which are connected to an upper portion of a second actuator body 3a of the second actuator 3. Second ends of the cables 4 are connected to an upper portion of a first actuator body 1a.
The plurality of cables 4 are arranged in a cable guide mechanism 5 of a resin material. The cables 4 are flexed together with the cable guide mechanism 5 when the cable guide mechanism 5 is flexed.
In the cable guide mechanism 5, a plurality of brackets 6, which are made of a resin material, are connected rotatably and continuously to one another by pins 7. The cable guide mechanism 5 is connected to the upper portion of the first actuator body 1a and the upper portion of the second actuator body 3a. The cable guide mechanism 5 is provided to extend flexibly in only the axial direction of the first actuator body 1a.
The cable guide mechanism 5 includes certain clearances, for example, at joined portions between the adjoining brackets 6 and between the pins 7 and the brackets 6 so that the cable guide mechanism 5 is capable of being smoothly flexed while the plurality of cables 4 are arranged.
However, for example, when the conventional cables 4 are applied to an actuator which is arranged substantially horizontally, or when the space in a substantially vertical direction (height direction) of an actuator is restricted, then the brackets 6, the pins 7, and other components are undesirably displaced under the gravity from their original attachment positions due to the clearances provided for the cable guide mechanism 5, if the cables 4 are connected by the cable guide mechanism 5. That is, the cable guide mechanism 5 is bent downwardly approximately about the center of a substantially central portion between the fixed member and the displaceable member of the actuator.
Therefore, when the cables 4 are used for the actuator which is arranged substantially horizontally, it is necessary to provide some additional space in the height direction considering the bending amounts of the cables 4 arranged in the cable guide mechanism 5.
As a result, when the installation space for the actuator is restricted in the height direction, the cable guide mechanism 5 may be abraded by the contact, for example, with the floor surface or another apparatus provided under the actuator. Therefore, the durability of the cables 4 is deteriorated due to the abrasion, and the resistance arises because of the contact of the cables 4 when the actuator is axially displaced.


A magnetic recording and reproducing device according to the present invention is designed such that when a holding, moving and driving unit is pivoted for recording or reproducing operation which is of frequent occurrence, a pivot shaft of metal which drives for rotation the holding, moving and driving unit is rotated by being supported by and in friction contact with a bearing which is formed of a portion of a base of metal for the sake of driving for pivotal movement, thereby reducing changes with time to members which changes are produced by forces on the pivot shaft which forces, in turn, are caused by reaction forces from the cassette.

A videotape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR) which has heretofore been used in homes as a magnetic recording and reproducing device for recording and reproducing images is, in use, loaded with a videotape cassette (hereinafter referred to simply as cassette) to record or reproduce images such as television programs. As for cassette loading systems, almost all VTR's have recently employed the front loading system.
In such conventional VTR, an outline will now be given of the cassette loader for loading a cassette in the recording and reproducing position so as to record or reproduce information or images such as television programs.
FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view showing the vicinity of the cassette loader of a VTR which is a conventional magnetic recording and reproducing device. As shown in FIG. 3, the cassette loader 1 comprises a cassette holder 6 which is disposed inwardly of a cassette insertion port 3 formed in a front panel 2 and which, while holding on a mechanism base of metal 4 a cassette 5 containing a recording medium for recording visual information and acoustic information thereon, moves the cassette to a recording and reproducing position where recording and reproducing is allowed, and a holding, moving and driving unit 9 adapted to be pivoted around the axis J1 of a pivot shaft 7 to thereby drive the cassette holder 6 such that the cassette holder 6 moves in the direction of arrow Y1 through engaging portion 8 which engages a projection 6a formed on the cassette holder 6, the arrangement being such that the movement of the cassette holder 6 in the direction of arrow Y1 results in loading the cassette 5 in the recording and reproducing position.
In the above arrangement, the holding, moving and driving unit 9 is engaged with a drive transmission bar 12 through a gear 10 formed on the axis j1, said drive transmission bar 12 being formed with an arcuate rack 11 which meshes with said gear 10, said drive transmission bar 12 being driven by a motor in the direction of arrow y2 to drive the gear 10 for rotation, thereby pivoting the holding, moving and driving unit 9 around the axis J1 of the pivot shaft 7.
In this case, the pivot shaft 7 around whose axis j1 the holding, moving and driving unit 9 is pivoted is directly supported by bearings 15 and 16 formed as holes in lateral plates 13 and 14 attached to the opposite sides of the mechanism base 4, said lateral plates 13 and 14 being provided in recent years in the form of resin moldings for the sake of reducing the weight and cost of the device.
Referring to the cassette loader 6 constructed in the manner described above, its operation will now be described. The outline of the operation of the cassette loader 1 to be given herein extends from the initial state prior to cassette loading to the cassette loading completion state, i.e., the final phase in which a cassette 5 has been loaded in the recording and reproducing position.
FIG. 4 shows a state prior to the loading of a cassette by the cassette loader 1 and FIG. 5 shows a cassette loading completion state.
As shown in FIG. 4, when the cassette 5 is loaded in the cassette holder 6 as shown by an arrow Y3, this loaded state is detected to rotate a motor (not shown), whereby the drive transmission bar 12 is slid in the direction of arrow Y4. This slide movement of the drive transmission bar 12 effects the rotation of the gear 10 of the holding, moving and driving unit 9 meshing with the arcuate rack 11 of the drive transmission bar 12 and concurrently therewith the holding, moving and driving unit 9 is pivoted around the axis j1 of the pivot shaft 7 in the direction of arrow Y5.
As a result of this pivotal movement of the holding, moving and driving unit 9, the cassette holder 6, with the cassette 5 held therein, is moved in the direction of arrow Y6 while sliding the projections 6a and 6b along guide grooves 13a and 13b formed in the lateral plate 13, because the projection 6a is engaged with the engaging portion 8 of the holding, moving and driving unit 9.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the drive transmission bar 12 is slid in the direction of arrow Y7, the holding, moving and driving unit 9 is further pivoted in the direction of the direction of arrow Y8, and the cassette holder 6 is moved in the direction of arrow Y9 while further sliding the projections 6a and 6b engaging the engaging portion 8 of the holding, moving and driving unit 9 along the guide grooves 13a and 13b.
In this manner, the cassette holder 6 comes to be disposed in the recording and reproducing position, and hence the cassette held in this cassette holder 6 is loaded in the recording and reproducing position, so that the magnetic tape which is a recording medium held in the cassette is ready to record or reproduce visual and acoustic information contained in television programs.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, cassette pressers 20 are installed on both sides of the cassette holder 6 to press the upper surface of the cassette 5 held therein so as to prevent the cassette 5 from slipping off, and a spring member 20a having an elastic force is attached to the region of each cassette presser 20 which abuts against the cassette.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the holding, moving and driving unit 9 has projection pressing springs 21 attached thereto 21 for pressing the projections 6a to prevent the latter from rattling.
This known type of magnetic recording and reproducing device has the following drawback.
In the conventional examples shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, when the cassette holder with a cassette 5 held therein is moved to the recording and reproducing position where the cassette 5 is loaded for recording or reproducing purposes, pressing forces exerted by the cassette pressers 20 act on the cassette 5 through the spring members 20a in the direction of arrow Y9.
Owing to these pressing forces, reversely, reaction forces exerted by the cassette 5 act on the cassette pressers 20 through the spring members 20a in the direction of arrow Y10, and concurrently with these reaction forces there occur reaction forces exerted by the projections 6a of the cassette holder 6 to which the cassette pressers 20 is attached which reaction forces act on the projection pressing springs 21 in the direction of arrow Y11, these reaction forces being followed by forces exerted by the pivot shaft 7 which act on the bearing portions 15 and 16 of the lateral plates 13 and 14 in the direction of arrow Y12.
If, therefore, the situation in which the cassette 5 is held in its loaded state in the recording and reproducing position for a long time occurs frequently, this leads to the result that the portions of the inner surfaces of the bearing portions 15 and 16 of the lateral plates 13 and 14 of resin which are acted on by the forces in the direction of arrow Y12 are deformed in the direction of arrow Y12. That is, the lateral plates 13 and 14 including the bearing portions 15 and 16 are deformed in the direction of arrow Y12 and the engaging portion 8 of the holding, moving and driving unit 9 is moved in the direction of arrow Y11 and so the cassette holder 6 is moved also in the direction of arrow Y11. Therefore, the reel (not shown) of the cassette 5 placed in the cassette holder 6 is disengaged from reel blocks R1, so that the driving forces exerted by the reel blocks R1 are not fully transmitted to the reel of the cassette 5, thus detracting from the reliability of the device itself.

Support bearing for a pivot shaft of a cassette loader

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


.beta.-adrenergic agonists for the treatment of diseases/conditions such as obesity and diabetes. The compounds have formula (I), wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, W, X, Y and Z are as defined in the specification.

The present invention relates to certain compounds of the formula (I) depicted below, which are .beta.-adrenergic receptor agonists and accordingly have utility as, inter alia, hypoglycemic and antiobesity agents. The invention also relates to methods for the compounds use and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them. The compounds of the present invention also possess utility for increasing lean meat deposition and/or improving the lean meat to fat ratio in edible animals, i.e. ungulate animals and poultry.
The compounds of this invention further possess utility in the treatment of intestinal motility disorders, depression, prostate disease, dyslipidemia, and airway inflamatory disorders such as asthma and obstructive lung disease.
The disease diabetes mellitus is characterized by metabolic defects in production and utilization of carbohydrates which result in the failure to maintain appropriate blood sugar levels. The result of these defects is elevated blood glucose or hyperglycemia. Research in the treatment of diabetes has centered on attempts to normalize fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels. Current treatments include administration of exogenous insulin, oral administration of drugs and dietary therapies.
Two major forms of diabetes mellitus are recognized. Type I diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes, is the result of an absolute deficiency of insulin, the hormone which regulates carbohydrate utilization. Type II diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, often occurs with normal, or even elevated levels of insulin and appears to be the result of the inability of tissues to respond appropriately to insulin. Most of the Type II diabetics are also obese.
The compounds of the present invention and the pharmaceutically active salts thereof effectively lower blood glucose levels when administered orally to mammals with hyperglycemia or diabetes.
The compounds of the present invention also reduce body weight or decrease weight gain when administered to mammals. The ability of these compounds to affect weight gain is due to activation of .beta.-adrenergic receptors which stimulate the metabolism of adipose tissue.
.beta.-Adrenergic receptors have been categorized into .beta..sub.1, .beta..sub.2 and .beta..sub.3 -subtypes. Agonists of .beta.-receptors promote the activation of adenyl cyclase. Activation of .beta..sub.1 -receptor receptors invokes increases in heart rate while activation of .beta..sub.2 -receptors induces relaxation of skeletal muscle tissue which produces a drop in blood pressure and the onset of smooth muscle tremors. Activation of .beta..sub.3 -receptors is known to stimulate lipolysis (the breakdown of adipose tissue triglycerides to glycerol and free fatty acids) and metabolic rate (energy expenditure), and thereby promote the loss of fat mass. Compounds that stimulate .beta.-receptors are therefore useful as anti-obesity agents, and can also be used to increase the content of lean meat in edible animals. In addition, compounds which are .beta..sub.3 -receptor agonists have hypoglycemic or anti-diabetic activity, but the mechanism of this effect is unknown.
Until recently .beta..sub.3 -adrenergic receptors were thought to be found predominantly in adipose tissue. .beta..sub.3 -receptors are now known to be located in such diverse tissues as the intestine (J. Clin. Invest., 91, 344 (1993)) and the brain (Eur. J. Pharm., 219,193 (1992)). Stimulation of the .beta..sub.3 -receptor has been demonstrated to cause relaxation of smooth muscle in colon, trachea and bronchi. Life Sciences, 44(19), 1411 (1989); Br. J. Pharm., 112, 55 (1994); Br. J. Pharmacol., 110, 1311 (1993). For example, stimulation of .beta..sub.3 -receptors has been found to induce relaxation of histamine-contracted guinea pig ileum, J.Pharm.Exp.Ther., 260, 1, 192 (1992).
The .beta..sub.3 -receptor is also expressed in human prostate. Because stimulation of the .beta..sub.3 -receptor causes relaxation of smooth muscles that have been shown to express the .beta..sub.3 -receptor (e.g. intestine), one skilled in the art would predict relaxation of prostate smooth muscle. Therefore .beta..sub.3 -agonists will be useful for the treatment or prevention of prostate disease.
European Patent publication 516,349, published Dec. 2, 1992, refers to certain 2-hydroxyphenethyl amines which possess antiobesity, hypoglycemic and related utilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,455 is concerned with certain heterocyclic compounds of the formula Het-CHOH-CH.sub.2 -NH-aralkyl, useful for treating glaucoma and cardiovascular disorders.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,640 concerns certain .alpha.-heterocyclic ethanol amino alkyl indoles, useful as growth promoters, bronchodilators, antidepressants and antiobesity agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,578 concerns certain .alpha.-heterocyclic ethanol amines useful as growth promoters.


A device includes a spacer, which includes a recess extending from a top surface of the spacer into the spacer, and a conductive feature including a first portion and a second portion continuously connected to the first portion. The first portion extends into the recess. The second portion is on the top surface of the spacer. A die is attached to the spacer, and a lower portion of the first die extends into the recess.

Spacer is an important component for System-in-Package (SIP) application. Spacers may have various functions. For example, spacers may be inserted between stacked dies, so that the spacing between the stacked dies is increased for wire bonding request. The spacers may be plated with conductive layers, which may further be grounded. Accordingly, the spacers may be used for electrical shielding. When formed of or including thermal conductive materials, the spacers may also be used for dissipating the heat generated in the stacked dies. In addition, the spacers in the SIP packages may also be used for conducting electrical signals.

Functional spacer for SIP and methods for forming the same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A debarking device includes a drum having a radically outer peripheral surface, the drum being arranged to be rotated about a longitudinal axis. Two bogies, spaced from one another in the circumferential direction of said outer peripheral surface of said drum support the drum from a foundation. Each bogie includes a travelling wheel and a driving wheel, these being spaced from one another in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the drum, and each journalled on respective axles for rotation about a respective axis which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. A respective structure is interposed between each said bogie and the foundation, and supports the drum supported by the respective bogie on the foundation. Each structure includes three elastic elements each having a respective cushion. The cushions are located beside one another in the circumferential direction, with spacing therebetween, so as to include an intermediate cushion and two outer cushions. The intermediate cushions are more rigid than said intermediate cushion. Each structure further includes a plate arrangement supporting a respective bogie and being supported by the cushions of a respective three elastic elements.

This invention relates to a device in a barking unit, which comprises a barking drum which is placed on two bogies, positioned at a distance from each other, each bogie comprising a travelling wheel and a driving wheel, positioned at a distance from each other along the periphery of the barking drum, and being arranged in a foundation. (The purpose of a barking unit is to remove bark from logs or other pieces of wood having adhering bark. Sometimes the process involved is called "debarking", in which case the device can be called a debarking device.
This type of barking unit is previously known. The problem with known constructions has been the fastening of the bogies to the foundation and has resulted in operational disturbances in the barking unit.


A sealing mechanism comprises a support member forming part of the semiconductor producing apparatus which has a vacuum chamber, a rotation shaft rotatably received in the support member, and at least three seal rings axially spaced apart from each other between the support member and the rotation shaft to form a first fluid chamber close to the atmosphere and a second fluid chamber close to the vacuum chamber. The first fluid chamber is vacuumized to have a first pressure, and the second fluid chamber is also vacuumized to have a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure. The first and second fluid chambers work together to enhance the sealing performance of the sealing mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing mechanism for sealing a vacuum chamber, and more particularly to a sealing mechanism for sealing a vacuum chamber formed in the semiconductor producing apparatus to be shut down from its exterior.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the semiconductor producing apparatus of this kind is maintained vacuumized and highly pure in air for producing such products because dusts and other foreign materials are detrimental to wafers and other semiconductor materials in the process of producing the semiconductor producing apparatus. The semiconductor producing apparatus is usually required to be operated by some kinds of driving mechanism such as a manipulator driven by a drive shaft to handle semiconductor devices, LCD base plates and other objects to be treated. The drive shaft has axial portions extending inside and outside of a vacuum chamber formed in the semiconductor producing apparatus. This means that the gaps between the axial portions of the drive shaft and the other parts around the axial portions of the drive shaft are required to be tightly sealed to have the vacuum chamber maintained at a constant vacuum level.
In recent years, meanwhile, the process of producing semiconductors has remarkably been progressed to obtain more excellent performance, higher density and integration for the products. The process, however, tends to have a relatively low productivity as compared with other industrial products. This is due to the fact that dusts and foreign materials detrimental to wafers and other semiconductor materials are apt to enter the vacuum chamber of the semiconductor producing apparatus. The dusts and foreign materials which may cause inferior products are each made of a particle generally larger than the thickness of an insulator layer to be turned into a semiconductor. At the present time, strenuous efforts continue to be made for reducing to as a lowest level as possible such dusts and foreign materials each having a size larger than the thickness of the insulator layer. These strenuous efforts have not yet become successful.
The typical conventional semiconductor producing apparatus is partly shown in FIG. 15 and comprises a manipulator 210 drivably installed in the vacuum chamber 261 of the semiconductor producing apparatus which is vacuumized through an aperture 201 formed in the wall of the semiconductor producing apparatus.
The manipulator 210 is shown in FIG. 16 as having a drive shaft 250 which is rotatably supported on a support member 240. The portion 202 of the semiconductor producing apparatus is formed with a hole 202a having the support member 240 fixedly received therein. The drive shaft 250 shown in FIG. 15 has a forward end portion extending in the vacuum chamber 261 to pivotally support first and second arms 213 and 214, and a handling member 215 operatively coupled with the first and second arms 213 and 214 so that the handling member 215 can be operated to handle semiconductor devices, LCD base plates and other objects to be treated. Also, the drive shaft 250 has a rear end portion extending in the atmosphere 260 and drivably connected with driving means constituted by an electric motor and reduction gears which are not shown in the drawings.
The drive shaft 250 is shown in FIG. 16 as comprising a first cylindrical shaft 230 rotatably received in the support member 240 through bearings 216a and a second cylindrical shaft 220 rotatably received in the first cylindrical shaft 230 through bearings 216b.
One typical example of the conventional sealing mechanisms is also shown in FIG. 16 to comprise a first group 218 of magnetic fluid seals axially arranged between the support member 240 and the first cylindrical shaft 230, and a second group 219 of magnetic fluid seals axially arranged between the first and second cylindrical shafts 230 and 220. The two groups 218 and 219 of magnetic fluid seals can function to maintain the vacuum chamber 261 in a hermetically sealed state, resulting in the fact that dusts and foreign materials, i.e., fine particles generated from frictional contacts between elements or parts outside of the vacuum chamber 261 can be prevented from entering the vacuum chamber 261.
The conventional sealing mechanism mentioned in the above is of a performance having a resistant pressure of 0.2 atmospheric pressure for each of the magnetic fluid seals 218 and 219. From this reason, the conventional sealing mechanism is required to comprise a plurality of magnetic fluid seals 218 axially disposed in a series between the support member 240 and the first cylindrical shaft 230, and a plurality of magnetic fluid seals 219 also axially disposed in a series between the first and second cylindrical shafts 230 and 220 as described in the above.
The above known sealing mechanism, however, encounters such a problem that the dusts and foreign materials cannot fully be prevented from entering the vacuum chamber and that the vacuum chamber thus cannot be maintained at a constant vacuum level.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a sealing mechanism suitable for sealing a vacuum chamber formed in the semiconductor producing apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealing mechanism having an excellent sealing performance to seal a vacuum chamber formed in the semiconductor producing apparatus.

Sealing mechanism for sealing a vacuum chamber


An ultrasonic calculus treatment apparatus includes a longitudinal-vibration piezoelectric oscillator for vibrating in the axial direction of an ultrasonic transmitting member and a torsional-vibration piezoelectric oscillator for vibrating about the axial direction, and further includes driving circuits for driving the piezoelectric oscillators at respective resonance frequencies and a mode selection switch for permitting the oscillators to vibrate independently or in combination, so that lithotripsy can be performed effectively in accordance with the size of a calculus or a function of an operating tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical apparatus using an ultrasonic transducer and, more particularly to an ultrasonic calculus treatment apparatus for breaking a calculus into pieces to remove the calculus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various surgical apparatuses for endoscopically treating a calculus formed in a urinary passage or the like are being developed. Among the apparatuses, there is an ultrasonic lithotriptor (or an ultrasonic treatment apparatus) for transmitting ultrasonic vibrations to a probe (ultrasonic transmitting member) to break a calculus into pieces using the tip of the probe. Since the ultrasonic lithotriptor has characteristics that an ultrasonic energy acts only on a calculus and does not exert an influence on any biological tissue around the calculus, it is generally used. It is known that for the ultrasonic lithotriptor, a soft object such as biological tissue absorbs vibration and is not influenced by the vibration but a hard object such as a calculus is remarkably affected by a vibration energy.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-298346 (Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 06-087856) discloses an example. There is disclosed an apparatus in which a cover is disposed around a probe for transmitting ultrasonic vibrations in order to protect an inner portion of a channel of an endoscope, and the distal end of the probe is exposed from the end of the cover so that a calculus can be shattered.
In such an ultrasonic lithotriptor, as the probe for transmitting the ultrasonic vibration, a wire-shaped or pipe-shaped probe is used. Only substantially longitudinal vibration in the axial direction of ultrasonic vibration produced by an ultrasonic transducer is transmitted to the distal end of the probe, thereby shattering a calculus.
At this time, by only using the longitudinal vibration, the calculus may not be completely and efficiently shattered. For example, the calculus may be pierced in the longitudinal direction but it cannot be shattered. Accordingly, the calculus may not be easily removed from a body. Thus, it may take long time for treatment.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 5,116,343, there is proposed a device in which vibration rotated about the axial direction, namely, twisted vibration (torsional vibration) is generated at the distal end of a probe to efficiently disintegrate a calculus. In the device, such a technique that torsional depressions are formed on the surface of a horn of a transducer or the distal end of the probe and simple longitudinal vibration produced by the transducer is transformed to torsional vibration at the distal end of the probe is disclosed.
However, the above-mentioned related art has a disadvantage in that the generation of the torsional vibration at the distal end of the probe is limited. In other words, when longitudinal vibration of the transducer has a phase in the extending direction, the vibration is rotated clockwise, and when the transducer has a phase in the contracting direction, the vibration is rotated counterclockwise. Namely, only the simple torsional vibration is generated.
Due to the structure, such a problem that the amplitude of the longitudinal vibration cannot be obtained enough occurs, resulting in a deterioration in efficiency of disintegration of a calculus.
U.S. Pat No. 6,161,545 discloses a surgical treatment instrument having an element for longitudinal vibration and an element for torsional vibration.
However, since means for freely changing and setting longitudinal vibration and torsional vibration is not disclosed, a function for effectively shattering a calculus may not be completed.


A cup structure for bras includes an inner layer, a middle layer and an outer layer, wherein the middle layer is sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer. The inner layer and the outer layer are connected with each other by heat-pressing or gluing so as to form non-seam cups.

A conventional bra generally includes two cups connected by a connection plate and two side plates respectively extend from the two cups so as to be hooked with each other on the back of the wearers. Two shoulder straps are connected between the corresponding pair of cup and side plate. The cups each include a foam lining, a shape wire located at a lower edge of each cup, an inner layer and an outer layer. The foam lining is sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer which is sewed to the outer layer. Although the sewing provides better connection to the inner layer and the outer layer, seams are visible if the wearers wear a tight top and the threads could be loosened or broken after repeatedly washing.
The present invention intends to provide a cup structure of a bra and the inner layer and the outer layer are connected with each other by way of heat-pressing which creates a non-seam outer surface for the cups.


A computing system for validating repeating data is described. The computing system includes at least one computing device including at least one processor communicatively coupled to a database. The at least one processor is programmed to receive a first instance of data, the first instance of data including first repeating data elements, and store, in the database, the first repeating data elements. The at least one processor is also programmed to receive a second instance of data, the second instance of data including second repeating data elements, determine the second instance of data includes the second repeating data elements, and compare the second repeating data elements to the first repeating data elements. The at least one processor is further programmed to determine the second repeating data elements are inconsistent with the first repeating data elements and transmit a signal associated with the second repeating data elements.

The field of the invention relates generally to validating repeating data, and more specifically, systems and methods for monitoring repeating data, such as installment payments, and triggering events that may cause alerts to be transmitted and/or declines to be initiated.
In today's world there are many forms of repeating data that need to be validated. Many users associated with repeating data are only given the choices of verifying the repeating data manually, or not verifying it at all. Repeating data may include, for example, repeated payments, such as for a gym membership, and installment payments for goods and/or services. It is a hassle for users to remember to check repeating data. If users do remember to check repeating data it is also inconvenient to manually check the repeating data and verify that the repeating data is correct. Thus, systems and methods are needed for validating repeating data and prompting a user when the repeating data is not valid or is otherwise inconsistent with what it should be.
Consumers today often have various payment options to pay merchants for goods and/or services. One such option is to set up installment payments, wherein a consumer pays a fixed amount at a fixed frequency for a fixed period of time in order to pay the merchant. The fixed period of time during which payments are made may last over several months, or even years. Over time, some customers, who are used to being billed for the installments, may stop monitoring the installment payments to ensure the correct amount is being charged at the proper frequency. This may lead to overbilling, double-billing, and/or billing after installment payments should have stopped.
Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods that can alert customers to inconsistent payment requests and/or block unauthorized installment payments, and more specifically, systems and methods for monitoring installment payments and/or installment payment requests and triggering events based on installment payment (IP) data.

Systems and methods for validating repeating data


A vehicle panel handle lever and a vehicle panel handle for opening a panel of an automotive vehicle having such a lever is disclosed. The handle lever has a lever body, a handle lever cover intended to be received on the lever body, and a mobile trigger part, which cooperates with a latch mechanism to actuate the handle and which is able to be mobile in rotation between a resting position where the mobile trigger part does not activate the latch mechanism, and an activating position where the mobile trigger part activates the latch mechanism enabling the opening of the vehicle panel. The trigger part includes an inner volume designed for receiving at least one electrical element.

The invention relates to a vehicle panel handle lever comprising a lever body, a handle lever cover intended to be received on the lever body, and a mobile trigger part, intended to cooperate with a latch mechanism to actuate the panel handle and which is able to be mobile in rotation between a rest position wherein the said mobile trigger part does not activate the said latch mechanism and an activating position wherein said mobile trigger part activates the said latch mechanism enabling the opening of the vehicle panel. The invention also relates to a vehicle panel handle for opening a panel of an automotive vehicle comprising such lever.
An handle for an automotive vehicle panel, specifically a side door, usually comprises a lever being fixed in a support but able to rotate when pull by the user. The support is mounted in the panel.
Some handle lever comprises a mobile trigger part which is a part capable of rotating for coming inside the cover of the lever. The said lever is intended to receive the hand of the user.
The mobile trigger part is also intended to cooperate with a latch mechanism to actuate the handle. The lever cover is, in such handle, fixed on the vehicle panel, specifically on a bracket, and can thus not be moved by the user. The mobile trigger part is mobile in rotation thanks to a rotation axis located into the handle inner volume. The trigger part passes through the lever cover in the grip area in order to be actuated by the user. The Bowden cable connection enabling the opening of the panel is placed onto the opposite side of the lever rotation axis. Thus by pushing the trigger part, the Bowden cable is moved which leads to the opening of the latch.
Another handle lever comprises a mobile lever cover for receiving the mobile trigger part. The trigger part is pushed in the same time that the user grips the lever cover to generate the rotation of the assembly comprising the lever cover and the trigger part.
This kind of handle usually needs no inertial system to lock the kinematics during the crash event due to the weak weight of the lever cover and the trigger part.
Nowadays a lot of automotive vehicles are equipped with one or several electrical elements, such as Hall effect sensor, reed relay, microswitch, antenna or capacitive sensor for detecting the presence of at least a part of an authorized user, for example the hand.
Therefore, there is a need for providing a vehicle panel handle with a handle lever comprising at least one electrical element which is efficient and easy to manufacture.


A method of calibrating a hydraulically operated park brake of a continuously variable transmission of a vehicle. With the vehicle moving at a set, slow speed within a specified range, and the park brake off, a search technique is used, wherein the brake hydraulic pressure is reduced by application of a control signal of a selected test value to apply the brake. When the selected test value is reached, it is held constant, and a condition in a HSU of the transmission is monitored for a change indicative of engagement of the park brake. This will expectedly be in the form of a pressure change and more particularly an increase indicating initial contact between the plates of the brake, and if the HSU change is not detected, the step will time out and another control signal value will be tested.

The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/527,530, filed Aug. 25, 2011, is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Transmissions with hydraulically operated park brakes need to consistently operate such that the timing of brake engagement and disengagement can be controlled precisely. This can be difficult, since the brakes are mechanically applied by springs, the brakes typically have multiple plates, and there is variation between springs and other component tolerances, such that the pressure needed to move the piston to the point at which the plates touch and the brake begins to engage and effect torque transmission can vary quite a bit.
Most transmissions up to now in tractors have been power shift. Continuously variable transmissions or CVTs are becoming more popular and have significantly different architectures, often using a hydrostatic pump and motor. The pressure between the pump and motor is a direct indication of the torque through the hydrostatic unit, and in turn an indication of the torque absorbed, and the effect on torque transmission, by the park brake. In some designs, the hydraulic pump and motor can be in separate housings, connected with tubes or hoses, but they may be in the same housing (a hydrostatic unit or HSU), which typically increases efficiency.
Typically, known electronically controlled transmissions with clutches use a calibration routine. A searching method is used to determine the current needed to provide the pressure to just start to engage the clutch. This point is usually determined by when the engine speed reduces or engine torque changes, indicating that the clutch is beginning to engage. However, a shortcoming with this approach is that engine speed can vary as a result of other reasons, such as when other loads on the engine change, such as hydraulic or PTO loads, and various drags on the engine vary and such. Also, tractor engines have a governor that is quite complex, and may change engine speeds due to complex algorithms to manage emissions, efficiency and other factors. As a result, how much the engine speed dips cannot always be a direct indication of the level of torque on a park brake, which can result in different calibration values. Park brake calibration done using engine torque would have similar shortcomings. A torque sensor could also be used for calibration, but such torque sensors are expensive and add complexity. Optionally, adding another torque sensor might be one costly option. Also, engine torque could be estimated from fuel consumption, but this would be a slower signal, and again subject to other loads on the engine.
Thus, what is sought is a manner of hydraulic park brake calibration that does not rely on engine speed, torque or separate torque sensors, and overcomes one or more of the shortcomings set forth above.

Method of calibration of a park brake of a continuously variable transmission


A disk management method and apparatus in an advanced reduced instruction set computing (RISC) Machine (ARM) device and an ARM device, where the method includes receiving, by the ARM device, configuration information, where the configuration information includes a mapping data between a startup sequence of each of a plurality of disks and a respective slot number, creating a device tree block (DTB) file including the configuration information, and starting each of the disks in a sequence based on the DTB file. Hence, problems of inflexible configuration and poor versatility in disk management method in an ARM device are resolved.

An ARM) processor is a processor featuring small size, low power consumption, low costs, and high performance. The ARM processor supports two instruction sets Thumb (16-bit) and ARM (32-bit), is well compatible with 8-bit and 16-bit devices, and has a flexible and simple addressing manner and another advantage, and therefore an ARM device in which an ARM processor is configured is more widely used.
The ARM processor integrates functions of a serial attached Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) (SAS) controller. The SAS controller is configured to manage disks using the SAS protocol. To simplify a design of the SAS controller and control costs, the SAS controller does not have functions provided by firmware of a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) card in a conventional X-86 server. That is, the SAS controller cannot save a startup sequence of the disks. Consequently, in a power-on or restart scenario of the ARM device, the startup sequence of the disks cannot be controlled, leading to a series of read and write errors caused by a drive letter change.
In other approaches, a startup sequence of disks is ensured using a manner of starting all the disks according to a fixed sequence. However, on different ARM devices using ARM chips of a same model, different quantities of disks and startup sequences are presented. Different types of SAS drives need to be developed for different hardware forms, and each type of SAS drive needs to be specific to a reporting sequence and a quantity of disks of an ARM device, resulting in inflexible configuration and poor versatility. Therefore, the other approaches disk management manner in an ARM device has problems of inflexible configuration and poor versatility.

Disk management method and apparatus in ARM device and ARM device