The invention relates to a paging receiver comprising a receiving circuit for the receiving and detecting of a first data block transmitted by a transmitting device, of which a second data block represents an address code for one or more receivers;
a first memory in which a received first data block is stored;
a first comparator which detects a first equality if the received address code is equal to an address code assigned to the receiver;
a second memory with two or more memory locations which are each suitable for the storing therein of a third data block of various first data blocks;
a first control circuit which, when the first equality occurs, scans locations of the second memory, compares by means of a second comparator the contents of corresponding sections of third data blocks which are present in the first memory and in the scanned location respectively, and alters the content of the scanned location depending on a second equality detected by the second comparator;
a second control circuit for the selection of a location of the second memory;
and an indicating element for the indication of a section of the third data block which is present in a location selected by the second control circuit.
A paging receiver of this type is known from British Pat. No. GB.2,101,779. In the known paging receiver the first, second and third data blocks are equal to each other and equal to the section of the third data block which is read out of the second memory and which can be displayed as a message on a window of the indicating element. On receipt of the data block the first control circuit will scan all the locations of the second memory and compare the content of each scanned location with the information content of the received data block. If an equality is detected in this process, the storage of the received data block in the second memory is prevented. If, after scanning all the locations, no equality is detected the oldest message present in the second memory is erased and the memory space which becomes available as a result of this is used for the storage of the newly received data block.
In the known paging receiver a newly received data block cannot be stored in a random location of the second memory. This is in particular troublesome if the oldest message recorded in the second memory contains more important information for the carrier of the paging receiver than the other messages recorded in the first and second memories. The importance of this drawback becomes particularly obvious in paging receiver systems with which emergency calls can be sent to service personnel such as in a nurse paging system.
Another important drawback of the known paging receiver is that a message no longer considered of importance by a user of the transmitting device is maintained in the second memory of the receiver so that the carrier of the receiver is inaccurately informed and may take an incorrect action.
The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the known paging receiver.


In implementing belt or strap type restraining systems, it is sometimes necessary to provide an attachment device to make a connection between an anchoring member and the restraining belts. For instance, the commonly used shopping cart having a child seat (such as might be found at a supermarket or grocery store) may employ a belt restraining system to prevent a child from climbing out of the child seat and causing injury. The restraining system is commonly implemented using belts having opposing buckle pieces attached at an end of each belt. When the buckle pieces are engaged, the belts are fitted tightly around the child's waist, thus restraining the child from exiting the child seat. The buckle pieces can then be disengaged when it is desired to remove the child from the seat.
In order to create the restraining effect, the belts used in this system must themselves be anchored to a portion of the shopping cart in order to withstand the applied forces of the restrained object (e.g. a child). It is preferred, however, that the restraining belts of the restraining system not need to be altered in the attachment process, as this adds considerable time and cost to the manufacturing process, and may result in a weak connection. For example, it is uneconomical to stitch the restraining belts to surround an anchoring member of the shopping cart. Also, attaching a restraining belt using a hook and loop connector may result in a weak or easily removed attachment.
As a result of these deficiencies, attachment devices are generally used to accomplish the desired anchoring. Attachment devices generally allow the belts or straps of the restraining system to be anchored to the shopping cart by engaging a loop at an end of the restraining strap and by surrounding an anchoring member in the shopping cart. The attachment device creates the connection between the shopping cart and the restraining strap when an interlocking mechanism on the attachment device is engaged, causing the attachment device to completely surround the anchoring member. It is generally desirous that the attachment device provide the strongest possible connection between the shopping cart and the restraining belts or straps in order to prevent failure of the restraining system.
Attachment devices have been constructed in various forms. For example, an attachment device presently available is constructed from molded plastic and has a V-shaped surrounding member, with two opposing straight bars each attached to either end of the surrounding member. All pieces of the attachment device are solid and cylindrical. The two straight bars terminate with mating portions of an interlock mechanism, such that the straight bars may be locked together to form a connection. When connected, the straight bars form a straight belt member for engaging a loop of a restraining belt, and also thereby surround an anchoring structure within the attachment device.
Also available is an attachment device of molded plastic design, formed in approximately a D-shape. A straight bar is used as a belt member to engage a loop at the end of a restraining belt, and a D-shaped surrounding member is coupled at one end to the straight bar such that the attachment device can surround the anchoring structure. A snap interlock is provided on opposite mating ends of the surrounding member and the belt member to lock the attachment device closed once it has been engaged with the restraining strap and the anchoring member of the shopping cart. As with the previous attachment device, the members are also solid.
Difficulties may arise with these designs which can degrade their effectiveness. The straight bar typically used as a belt member is relatively inflexible, such that when a strong, sharp force is applied by the belt to the attachment device, the attachment device is prone to fracture. Also, cracks can develop in the solid members of the attachment device from other sources (for example from age, weathering, improper use, or manufacturing defects). Whatever the source, cracks can spread through the solid member when force is applied to the attachment device, eroding its resistive properties. Once a crack has extended completely through the solid member, catastrophic failure occurs, and the device must be replaced.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to a power semiconductor device having adjustable output capacitance and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Power semiconductor devices are typical semiconductor devices in power management applications, such as a switching power supply, a power control IC of a computer system or peripherals, a power supply of a backlight, motor controller, etc. Power semiconductor devices can include various kinds of transistors, such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of a trench MOSFET device according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional trench MOSFET device 10 of the prior art includes a drain metal layer 12, an N-type substrate disposed on the drain metal layer 12, an N-type epitaxial layer 16 disposed on the N-type substrate 14, two P-type doped base regions 18 disposed in the N-type epitaxial layer 16, two N-type doped source regions disposed in the P-type doped base regions 18, an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer 22 and a source metal layer 24. The N-type epitaxial layer 16 has a trench 26, and an insulating layer 28 and a gate conductive layer 30 are sequentially disposed in the trench. The gate conductive layer 30 serves as a gate of the trench MOSFET device 10. In addition, each N-type doped source region 20 and each P-type doped base region are disposed at a side of the trench 26. The N-type doped source region 20 is regarded as a source of the trench MOSFET device 10, and each P-type doped base region 18 adjacent to the insulating layer 28 serves as a channel of the trench MOSFET device 10. The N-type epitaxial layer 16 serves as a drain of the trench MOSFET device 10. The ILD layer 22 is disposed on the gate conductive layer 30 and a part of the N-type doped source region 20, and the source metal layer 24 covers the ILD layer 22, each N-type doped source region 20 and each P-type doped base region 18, so that the source metal layer 24 is electrically connected to the each N-type doped source region 20 and each doped base region 18. The gate conductive layer 30, the ILD layer 22 and the source metal layer 24 form a first gate-source capacitor Cgs1, and the gate conductive layer 30, the insulating layer 28 and each P-type doped base region 18 form a second gate-source capacitor Cgs2. In addition, the gate conductive layer 30, the insulating layer 28 and the N-type epitaxial layer 16 form a gate-drain capacitor Cgd, and a depletion region between the P-type doped base region 18 and the N-type epitaxial layer 16 forms a drain-source capacitor Cds.
The desire for ever more compact electronic devices has pushed for size reductions in integrated circuits. Therefore, higher integrations and higher densities are developed continuously. The layout design for the conventional trench MOSFET device 10 has been investigated to reduce the trench width and the trench pitch. However, when the width of the trench 26 is reduced, the coupled area between the gate conductive layer 30 and the N-type epitaxial layer 16 is also reduced, and the contact area of the P-type doped base region 18 and the N-type epitaxial layer 16 is also reduced. Thus a capacitance of the gate-drain capacitor Cgd and a capacitance of the drain-source capacitor Cds are reduced, and an output capacitance of the trench MOSFET device 10 formed by the capacitance of the gate-drain capacitor Cgd and the capacitance of the drain-source capacitor Cds is reduced accordingly. In addition, the capacitance of the drain-source capacitor Cds is far larger than the capacitance of the gate-drain capacitor Cgd.
Generally speaking, the conventional trench MOSFET device is usually used in the converter, such as synchronous buck converter, of power management circuit, and is used to be a switching element of the converter, so that the conventional trench MOSFET device usually needs to perform an action of turning on or turning off. When the conventional trench MOSFET device is turned off, the output capacitance of the conventional trench MOSFET device is charged to a same voltage as an outside transformer. However, the converter further includes an inductor device, and the output capacitor and the inductor device form an LC oscillating circuit. Voltage spikes are generated accordingly, and the output capacitance of the conventional trench MOSFET device is reduced with decrease of the total device size and the trench width. Therefore, the voltage spikes caused by turning off the conventional trench MOSFET device are increased, and higher power loss is generated.
Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional circuit for reducing the voltage spikes. As shown in FIG. 2, a conventional method for reducing the voltage spikes is to electrically connect a snubber circuit 12 in parallel between the source S and the drain D of the conventional trench MOSFET device 10, and the snubber circuit 12 is formed by connecting a capacitor C and a resistor R in series. The capacitor C outside the conventional trench MOSFET device can be used to increase the output capacitance of the conventional trench MOSFET device 10 and reduce the voltage spikes. However, the extra electronic device generates extra circuit cost, and increases extra manufacturing process of welding. Thus the manufacturing cost is increased.
Accordingly, it is still needed for a novel manufacturing method of power semiconductor device to conveniently and economically resolve or mitigate the problem of the voltage spikes as aforesaid.


The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines draw air into an intake manifold through an induction system that may be regulated by a throttle. The air in the intake manifold is distributed to a plurality of cylinders and combined with fuel to create an air/fuel (NF) mixture. The NF mixture is combusted within the cylinders to drive pistons which rotatably turn a crankshaft and generate drive torque. The drive torque is then transferred to a driveline of a vehicle via a transmission. Exhaust gas produced during combustion may be expelled from the cylinders into an exhaust manifold and then treated by an exhaust treatment system before being released into the atmosphere.
Gases within a cylinder (i.e., the NF mixture and/or the exhaust gas) may enter a crankcase of the cylinder. For example, excessive wear to the cylinder wall and/or the piston ring may allow the gases to enter the crankcase. Gases that enter the crankcase may also be referred to as “blow-by vapors.” The crankcase includes the crankshaft which is connected to the piston. The crankcase also includes oil for lubricating the movement of the crankshaft and the piston. Blow-by vapors may contaminate the oil which may result in damage to the cylinder and/or its components.


The present invention relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to bipolar transistors.
Bipolar transistors are widely used in both digital and analog circuits including computer processors, memories, power supplies, and others. Bipolar transistors are utilized for signal amplification, switching, bias generation, and for other purposes. While bipolar transistors are generally larger and less power efficient than their MOS counterparts, bipolar transistors are typically faster, and consequently bipolar transistors are widely used in fast memories, fast logic arrays, and many other super fast products for data- and telecommunications.
Typical goals in a bipolar transistor design include a low transistor-generated noise, a high current and power gain (which allow low-power operation), and a high frequency range (which permits a high speed). Another goal is good matching of the electrical characteristics of similar transistors, and in particular good VBE matching measured as the difference between the base-emitter voltages at equal collector currents. VBE matching is particularly important for monolithic circuit design which relies on similar transistors having similar electrical characteristics. These goals are advanced by reducing the transistor base resistance, the emitter resistance, the collector resistance, and the base-collector capacitance. The base resistance, in particular, is a major contributor to transistor-generated noise. Moreover, the base resistance decreases the frequency range of the transistor the transistor unity-power-gain frequency f.sub.max is inversely proportional to the base resistance. See, G. Gonzales, Microwave Transistor Amplifiers (Prentice-Hall, 1984), incorporated herein by reference, page 33. The emitter and collector resistances also contribute to noise and, further, they reduce the current gain and the power gain. In addition, the emitter resistance makes good VBE matching more difficult to obtain, particularly at high transistor currents. Further, the emitter and collector resistances and the base-collector capacitance decrease the transistor frequency range as they reduce both f.sub.max and the unity-current-gain frequency f.sub.T. Thus, reducing the base, emitter and collector resistances and the base-collector capacitance are important goals in transistor design.
Another goal is a small size which is needed to obtain a high packing density in the integrated circuit. In addition, reducing the base size decreases the base-collector capacitance.
FIG. 1 shows in plan view a prior art transistor 110 having three emitters 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 extending across the underlying base 130. The collector (not shown) underlies the base and electrically contacts the collector contact regions 140-1, 140-2. Emitter contact region 150 interconnects the emitters. Base contact region 160 made from doped polysilicon overlying the base surrounds the emitters and extends between the emitters. Contact openings 164-1 through 164-6, 170-1 through 170-8, 180-1 through 180-6 in an insulating layer overlying the transistor allow the emitters, the base and the collector o be contacted by conductive layers overlying the insulating layer.
The emitters 120-i are made narrow, i.e., the emitter width WE is made small, in order to reduce the intrinsic base resistance RBI, i.e. the resistance to base current of the base portions underlying the emitters. Of note, base portions underlying the emitters (the "intrinsic base") are typically thinner in the vertical cross section and they are typically lighter-doped than the remaining ("extrinsic") base portion, and hence the intrinsic base resistance is a significant component of the total base resistance. The number of the emitters--three--is chosen to obtain a desired base-emitter junction area in accordance with the desired emitter current. Emitter contact openings 164-i are positioned away from the emitters not to restrict the emitter width--the contact openings are typically made wider than the emitters to obtain a low contact resistance in the openings. Base contact region portions 160-1, 160-2 extend between emitters 120-i to reduce the base resistance.
Reducing the base, emitter and collector resistances and providing a small size and a low base-collector capacitance are often conflicting goals requiring careful balancing. For example, making the emitters narrow reduces the base resistance but increases the emitter resistance. The base size becomes also increased as more emitters are needed to achieve the desired base-emitter area. Base contact region portions 160-1, 160-2 which extend between the emitters reduce the base resistance but increase the base size. Increased base size leads to a higher base-collector capacitance. The base and collector resistances can be reduced by increasing the base and collector width in the direction along the emitters, but the base size, the base-collector capacitance and the emitter resistance will suffer. Thus, there is a need for a transistor which simultaneously provides low base, emitter and collector resistances, a small base size, a small overall size, and a low base-collector capacitance.


When running electrical or communication lines underground, these lines are often passed through conduits or pipes to help protect the lines from electrical short, fire, explosion, or deterioration or damage due to moisture, rodents, human activity such as digging, shifts in surrounding dirt, gravel or other granular fill and other adverse conditions or activities. In some cases, the pipes may be arranged in an excavation and may further be encased in cast-in-place concrete. That is, an assembly of pipes may be placed in an excavation, formwork may be placed around the assembly of pipes, and cast-in-place concrete may be poured into the formwork to encase the pipes, allowing for electrical or communication lines to be run through the encased pipes.
This cast-in-place approach often results in delays in the construction of facilities, due to the need to arrange and wait for the delivery of concrete to the project site. The assembly of pipes may be disturbed between the time of their placement and the concrete pour. If not well-anchored, the pipe assembly may be disturbed by the pour, or poured concrete may enter and occlude the interior of a pipe. In some situations, relatively expensive pump trucks may be required to reach the locations where the cast-in-place concrete is to be placed. Moreover, once the concrete has been placed, the concrete may need to be allowed to cure to reach a specified strength prior to backfilling an excavation, causing further delay. Waiting for concrete test results may also delay the backfilling of an excavation and create additional down time for the contractor.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an article of manufacture and to a method. More specifically, this invention relates to a foam tile roof panel and system; and, to a method for fabrication thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of the synthetic (polymeric) materials as a replacement for more traditional construction materials has and continues to evolve, as the sources of the more traditional materials (wood) increase in costs and will become increasingly scarce.
Accordingly, plastic or synthetic based building products (once reserved primarily for decorative or cosmetic applications) are, and continue to find uses as structural materials as building codes become more relaxed, or in recognition of the functional equivalency or superiority of the engineering component prepared from the synthetic material.
Structural foam panels from closed cell expanded foam polystyrene and other common polymers have and continue to be used in lieu of plywood in the construction industry as underlayment for house siding and other construction applications where enhanced energy conservation is desired.
The following patents are represented of a use of foam materials (both polymer and concrete) in the fabrication of and in situ manufacture of construction materials: U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,841 (to Carol); U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,614 (to Self); U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,984 (to Larrow); U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,554 (to Riley); U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,794 (to Grieb); U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,349 (to Riley); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,982 (to Vicino).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,841 (to Carol) describes an insulating decking structure utilizing a sheet metal structural shape (envelope) containing a perforated foam synthetic board (16) having vertical holes to allow penetration of concrete through the foam board. In brief, the structure of the Carol system comprises a wire reinforced sub-purlin, or purlin, structure that includes a sheet metal envelope (12) or form, containing gypsum foam board (12), a perforated formed synthetic polymer board (13) and poured concrete (15) which penetrates through the polymer board (13) to the gypsum board (12). The exterior surface of the foregoing composite is finished with alternating layers of roofing felt and tar (16) and a waterproof wearing surface of tar and gravel (17).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,614 (to Self) describes a method for preparation of spray-up laminates by foaming-in-place an unsaturated polyester resin (hereinafter "synthetic resin"). The synthetic resin can be applied on both sides of expanded metal lathe (Example 3) and applied directly to corrugated metal building panels having a spray applied polyurethane base (example 4). The fabrication of laminated panels (in accordance with the teachings of Example 4) further contemplate a sequential application of these materials to the structure of metal panel (column 5, lines 36-58).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,984 (to Larrow) describes a structure, such as a house, assembled from pre-fabricated panels. The wall panels of the structure comprise a laminate, or composite, structure having an interior section of foamed material, such as polystyrene or urethane foam, with another surface comprising wood, aluminum or plastic. The apparent invention resides in the configuration of the panels to allow for their interlocking or integration with one another in the construction of a shelter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,554 (to Riley) describes an insulated roofing system in which a waterproof plastic film or membrane is bonded to the under surface of a panel to positively exclude water. The panels to which this membrane is applied are preferably foam can be provided on a its upper surface with integral ribs, such as grooves, and of sufficient structural integrity to support concrete panels which can be placed upon and supported by the integral ribs. The integral ribs which are positioned between the foam panel and the concrete surface member provide (what is referred to in the Riley patent) "channels" for ventilation and moisture removal on hot, dry days. The concrete panels are not, according to Riley, are "simply abutted against one another, and preferably are laid so that the butted junctions do not coincide with the butted junctions of the underlying foam panels" (column 3, lines 31-34). Thus, it is apparent from Riley that the waterproof membrane on the interior of the composite is necessary to exclude water which penetrates between the concrete block and is not otherwise carried away by the ribs (16) which are intermediate between the concrete and the styrofoam panels. To the extent that any moisture does intrude beyond the interior ribs, the waterproof membrane (12), positioned between the ribs and the foam will presumably prevent any further intrusion thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,794 (to Grieb) describes a foam cement building having walls, roof and/or floor formed from a plurality of self-supporting foam building blocks of varying densities. The exterior surface from the foam building blocks are coated with an architectural finish-such finish being formed from cement, reinforced with fiberglass mesh or fiberglass rovings or strands. The blocks are connected to one another by a "tongue and groove" arrangement which provides, once assembled, a monolithic structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,349 (to Riley) is essentially the same, (at least in relation to the instant invention), as U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,544 (discussed above).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,982 (to Vicino) describes a method and system for the manufacture of a modular, monolithic molded building structure from a dismantleable mold. The Vicino patent describes the sequential application of an expandable foam to various mold components along with reinforcing materials. The purpose and effect of the process described by Vicino is to provide a seamless building structure, (with the exception of windows and doors).
As is evident from the foregoing discussion, the techniques utilized in the past for the fabrication of foam based building products, including those prepared from synthetic polymers and concrete, has involved a variety of different expedients to accomplish the specific objective of their respective inventors. As is further apparent, none of the art discussed above provides a building product having both structural and finished features incorporated into a single panel, or panel array, suitable for use as a roofing material. In virtually all of the structures described above in the prior art, the use of an expandable foam has been simply to provide an insulating element without appreciation of its versatility; specifically the combination of its aesthetic and structural properties in a single element, while at the same time eliminating other unnecessary components which can reduce costs, construction complexities and weight, (which can be a material factor in engineering the trusses and other load bearing components).


Recently, a large-capacity magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) using a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element has been expected and attracted attention. In the MTJ element used for the MRAM, one of the two ferromagnetic layers that sandwich a tunnel barrier layer is set as a magnetization fixed layer (reference layer) where the direction of magnetization is fixed, and the other layer is set as a magnetization free layer (storage layer) where the direction of magnetization is made to be easily inverted. In this structure, information can be stored by associating, with binary numbers “0” and “1,” a state in which the direction of magnetization is parallel between the reference layer and the storage layer, and a state in which the direction of magnetization is opposite between them.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery remaining amount warning circuit applicable to an electrical product or electronic device using a battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, many electrical products and electronic devices use batteries. As a conventional method for warning about a remaining amount of a battery, it is a general practice that a battery voltage is measured and a warning about the remaining amount is issued when the battery voltage falls below a specified value or DC resistance of the battery increases.
There are a variety of types of battery such as alkaline cell, nickel hydrogen cell, nickel cadmium cell, and there are also a variety of battery characteristics. However, with a monitoring of the battery voltage alone, depending on the type of the battery, the battery power may not be used to the full because a considerable amount of the battery can still be used after the warning is given about the insufficient remaining amount of the battery.
Furthermore, there is also a proposal of a method for constantly measuring a battery voltage by providing a dummy-load circuit (Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-3538). However, this method increases unnecessary power consumption.
There is also a proposal of a method for deciding whether a camera operates normally or not based on a boosting operation of a booster circuit when a flash capacitor is charged (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-56370), but when no flash is used or can be used, there is no way to decide it.
Furthermore, when the remaining amount of the battery is predicted from the battery voltage, the voltage varies depending on the type of the battery and when the battery voltage is low because of the nature of the type of the battery, a warning is issued earlier. For example, a warning is issued with an alkaline cell at 1.5 V/cell and with a NiCd cell at 1.2 V/cell.


The information provided below is not admitted to be prior art to the present invention, but is provided solely to assist the understanding of the reader. All U.S. patents and patent applications and other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The family of semi-automatic firearms based on the original ARMALITE AR-15 and COLT M16 rifles has achieved significant success with military, law enforcement and civilian shooters alike and is currently one of the broadest and most popular in the world. improvements to the AR-15/M16 platform are diverse in their purpose, with new embodiments and aftermarket parts and accessories continually being developed due to the overwhelming popularity and inherent modularity of the base platform. Although the template firearm design itself has undergone many refinements to improve its functional reliability, to expand its mission roles, and to reduce its manufacturing costs, the design's principles of operation have not been significantly improved. In fact, firearms patterned after the reputable AR-15/M16 template using the same basic design features and specifications are currently produced in numerous calibers and countless versions and configurations by different manufacturers throughout the world.
The term “AR-15®” as used herein refers to the rifle manufactured by COLT DEFENSE LLC or its licensees at the time of invention. Semi-automatic variants and derivatives of the AR-15/M16 produced by other manufacturers are usually termed “AR-15 type” or “AR-15 style” regardless of caliber and are sold under various proprietary model designations. The term “AR type” is used in this disclosure to refer to authentic semi-automatic COLT firearms based on the AR-15/M16 platform such as the AR-15, AR-15 Sporter SP1, AR-15A2 Match Target and AR6720, as well as semi-automatic versions of AR-15 type firearms such as the ARMALITE AR-10, REMINGTON R-15 and the BUSHMASTER XM-115 rifles at the time of invention.
The use of lighter weight synthetic materials such as reinforced composites and polymers (collectively, “polymers” or “synthetics”) to form various parts of a firearm such as a receiver or frame for a handgun or rifle has increased significantly in recent years. Lighter weight synthetic materials provide the firearm with a reduced weight for ease of carrying, handling and use in the field, on the range and during combat. For example, by reducing the weight of a firearm, the user generally is able to manipulate the firearm faster and easier, such as while tracking moving targets. The lighter weight also means less load that must be borne by the user during transport and use, which conserves the user's energy, reduces fatigue and increases accuracy. Additionally, most lighter weight synthetic materials now being used for firearms are typically less susceptible to corrosion and damage resulting from exposure to water, salt, dirt, and other environmental hazards. Moreover, many modern polymers are easier and less costly to manufacture into firearm components than traditional metal substrates such as forged aluminum, aluminum billet or steel, making components formed from synthetic materials more affordable.
A major problem associated with the use of lighter weight polymer materials to form parts of a firearm, particularly receivers and actions, is that such materials sacrifice strength and the ability to withstand the extreme pressures and stresses created upon firing a round of ammunition in exchange for lighter weight. For example, upon discharge of an AR type firearm, the basic design of which is well known in the art, the bolt is forced rearward to an open position to eject the spent cartridge and ready the chamber to receive a new round, after which the new round is loaded in the chamber by the capture and backflow of gases created upon the firing of the previous round of ammunition. The extreme chamber pressures and recoil forces resulting from the travel of the bolt are primarily borne by the receiver of the firearm. Over time, such extreme stresses can cause cracking and potentially failure in a receiver formed from some lighter weight synthetic materials. For example, the primary point of stress and the most likely point of failure in an all polymer lower receiver for an AR type firearm is around the threaded ring or collar disposed at the rear end of the lower receiver body that is configured to accept and connectively engage with a threaded receiver extension (also commonly and interchangeably known as a “buffer tube”). Much of the stress caused by the recoil force of a discharging AR type firearm is focused around the point where these two components engage.
A further related consequence of using lighter weight, polymer-based materials such as plastics and reinforced composites to form synthetic firearm receiver bodies has been that such materials typically are not as durable as conventional forged steel or aluminum, the traditionally preferred substrates for firearm receivers. More pointedly, the threaded portions of all-polymer receivers tend to wear out more quickly, especially when connectively engaged by conventional metal screws or screw threads, which leads to a higher chance of failure and thus an increased risk of firearm malfunction and shooter injury during use. This defect is of particular concern to users of AR type polymer lower receiver bodies (as used herein, the term “lower receiver body” means a lower receiver stripped of all its operational components, also commonly known in the art as a “stripped” lower receiver) because many of the currently available parts, components and accessories for AR type firearms, such as the buffer tube and pistol grip retaining screw, are still made from one or more types of metal and are configured to engage the lower receiver body using screw threads. No suitably strong, yet lightweight AR type stripped lower receiver durable enough to lastingly withstand recoil stress and engagement with metal screws is currently available.
More durable, lighter weight AR type stripped receivers, including upper and lower receivers and lower receiver assembly kits are still being sought. As a result, it is desirable to provide a threaded metal insert for a polymer lower receiver body, particularly for an AR type polymer lower receiver such as that of an AR-15 or AR-10, that provides the greater durability and increased strength and longevity of traditional metal alloys but which does not substantially affect the lighter weight imparted by the polymer. It is also desirable to provide an inexpensive, hybrid polymer and metal stripped lower receiver for an AR type firearm such as an AR-15 or AR-10 that overcomes the foregoing shortcomings of the prior art to deliver a lighter weight, corrosion resistant, stripped lower receiver having superior strength and durability that functions with substantially all high quality conventional AR type (upper and lower) receiver parts kits, yet does not require the use of any specific caliber, brand or type of parts. It is also desirable to provide methods for economically manufacturing such threaded metal inserts and hybrid polymer lower receivers. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved polymer lower receiver for AR type firearms that addresses the foregoing and other related problems in the art to combine the lighter weight and corrosion resistance of all-polymer lowers with the greater strength and durability of traditional metal components. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following disclosure.


The background art discussed in this section includes information disclosed under 37 CFR §1.97 and §1.98.
The performance of current directional measurement instruments, such as network analyzers, is inadequate for many possible applications that extend significantly above one hundred gigahertz. Existing and proposed directional measurement systems that form the cores of directional measurement instruments suffer from limited directivity or bandwidth at frequencies above one hundred gigahertz.
A lightwave is modulated by a modulation wave in an optical modulator. The modulation wave is often in the form of a radio wave, microwave, or millimeter wave and guided by a modulation waveguide of the optical modulator. A travelling-wave optical modulator may be employed in an optical system having modulation in the microwave or millimeter-wave frequency range. In a travelling-wave optical modulator, the modulation wave is substantially coherent with the lightwave modulation over the length of the modulator, and operation is said to be phase-matched.


High speed, high density, and high endurance memory device are desired in a modern computer system in order to improve the overall performance of the computer system. Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) has low latency, short access time, and high endurance. However, the size of DRAM in a computer system is generally limited due to, for example, relatively high cost and difficulty in making large DRAM chips or modules. An electrically accessible non-volatile or persistent memory, often referred to as storage-class memory (SCM), that combines the benefits of DRAM, such as high performance and robustness, with the persistent capabilities and low cost of conventional solid-state storage has been developed and is beginning to be used in modern computer systems.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to packaging, and particularly to a packaging arrangement for securely containing one or more light-sensitive articles in a light-tight environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Packaging arrangements for containing various types of articles are well known in the prior art. Examples may be found in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,768 (McCall)--discloses a rectanguloid box made from a single blank of cardboard folded to form a box body and a foldable lid, the lid comprising a top-wall section whose opposite ends overhang the body end walls and a narrower, foldably depending tucker section that closely faces the inside surface of the body front wall and whose opposite ends lie close to the end walls, each end wall comprising outer, intermediate, and inner end-wall panels, the outer end-wall panel having an inwardly folded extension thereof that passes beneath the intermediate and inner end-wall panels toward the body interior and overlies the bottom wall.
U.S Pat. No. 3,269,638 (Forbes)--discloses a rectanguloid box made from a single blank of cardboard folded to form a box body and a foldable lid, the lid comprising a top-wall panel whose opposite ends overhang the body end walls and a narrower, foldably depending tucker panel that closely faces the inside surface of the body front wall and whose opposite ends lie close to the inside surfaces of the body end walls, each end wall comprising outer, intermediate, and inner end-wall panels, each outer end-wall panel having an inwardly folded bottom panel that extends therefrom beneath the adjacent intermediate and inner end-wall panels, toward the body center, and overlies the body bottom wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,599 (Locatelli et al.)--discloses a rectanguloid box made from a single blank of cardboard folded to form a box body and a foldable lid, the lid comprising a top cover panel, whose opposite ends overhang opposing body end walls, and a narrower, beveled, foldably depending flap panel that frictionally bears against the inside surface of the body front wall, and whose opposite ends frictionally bear against the inside surfaces of the body end walls, to effect a seal between the cover panel and the front wall and to keep the cover panel closed, each of the body end walls comprising an inverted-U-shaped continuum of outer, upper, and inner end-wall panels extending from and secured to the adjacent end of the body bottom wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,794 (Olson)--discloses a rectanguloid container for shipping a cylindrical object having an axially disposed core, the container comprising a rectanguloid inner box including complemental base and cover sections that enclose the object and a mating outer box that is bottomless and telescopes downward over the inner box.
While prior-art arrangements such as those described above may have sufficed for their own particular purposes, there has remained, nonetheless, a need for an improved packaging arrangement that is especially adapted to light-tightly secure a light-sensitive article, such as a photosensitive web roll, especially such a roll that is of relatively large size, without requiring a separate opaque wrapper around the light-sensitive article itself.
An overall object of this invention, therefore, has been to provide a packaging arrangement that meets the foregoing need, and to do so in an efficient, reliable, and convenient manner.


Photography and moviemaking have become staples in modem society. A photograph is typically a single image frame of a real scene. Movies can be described as a series of frames that together form what appears to the human eye to be a continuously moving image. Both photographs and movies are now found in both physical and digital formats.
Image processing software is currently used by millions of people worldwide to perform a variety of image processing functions, perhaps the most typical of which is manually changing colors of pixels to make the image appear more realistic. Examples include removal of “red-eye” from human subjects, and touching up of edges.
However, image processing software has heretofore been unable to accurately identify shadows in an image. Nor has it been able to accurately tie shadowed portions of an object to nonshadowed portions of the same object. As such, the ability to work with shadows in image processing software is limited and inaccurate at best.
What is therefore needed is a way to automatically and accurately identify shadows in an image, and tie shadowed portions of objects to nonshadowed portions. This would open the door for improved photo processing capabilities, and allow automation of features that now require the manual user input. Such a solution would also reduce the inherent flaws in the effects heretofore manually created by human users.
It would also be desirable to accurately remove, lighten, or darken shadows from images. Prior methods of removing or lightening shadows merely lighten the entire image, giving the image a “washed out” look. Similarly, prior methods of darkening shadows darken the entire image. These methods fail to maintain the integrity of the nonshadowed portion of the image. Accordingly, the user is often required to revert to manual tools to adjust any shadowing.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a clutch release arrangement, particularly for a clutch in a motor vehicle, including a master cylinder for a hydraulic system, a pedal for actuating the master cylinder to disengage the clutch, and an articulated energy accumulator which stores energy when the clutch is engaged and provides a boosting force which reduces the actuating force when the clutch is disengaged.
2. Description of the Related Art
Release arrangements of this type are frequently used in modern hydraulically actuated clutches and are known from practice. The energy accumulator has a spring which holds the pedal in its basic position or at least reinforces a force holding the pedal. When the pedal is depressed, the spring is pretensioned slightly. In so doing, the spring swivels until its point of application of force at the pedal goes beyond a dead center and reinforces the movements of the pedal by an added force on the pedal path following the dead center. This enables a reduction in the force expended when depressing the pedal, at least along the path following the top dead center, where the energy accumulator adds its energy as a boosting force to the pedal force.
Due to the articulation of the energy accumulator at the pedal, in particular as an over-center spring, the pedal force on the second half of the pedal path can be noticeably reduced in order to be able to overcome more easily the spring acting in the clutch of the motor vehicle, particularly at the end of the pedal path. However, known kinematic couplings of energy accumulators with a clutch pedal have shown themselves to be in need of improvement for certain applications. Above all, it is disadvantageous that the path of the force reinforcing the pedal force can not only be adjusted in height with sufficient accuracy, the variability of the reinforcement force along the pedal path can also not be adapted to the requirements of the pedal force on the pedal path. For example, when the maximum force should be further reduced, this can only be done in the known solution by increasing the force for depressing the pedal.


In the manufacture of liquid crystal panel elements and semiconductor elements such as IC and LSI, a chemically vapor-deposited (CVD) electroconductive metal film and an insulating film such as SiO2 film are firstly prepared on a substrate such as silicon wafer or glass. After that, a photoresist is uniformly applied on the electroconductive metal film and the insulating film and then selectively exposed to light and developed to form a resist pattern. Then the substrate is selectively subjected to a dry etching process using the resist pattern as a mask whereupon a fine circuit is formed. After that, photoresist film residue and etching residue which are no longer necessary are washed and removed using a stripping liquid.
Although some stripping effects are achieved when an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide or a common organic solvent is used solely as the stripping liquid, the resulting stripping effect is not sufficient. Accordingly, various stripping liquids for the photoresist have been proposed already for enhancing the stripping property. One of the common methods among them is a method where a solution of quaternary ammonium hydroxide such as tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) is used.
In that method, preparation of a stripping liquid is usually carried out in such a manner that a solution prepared from commercially available water-containing crystals of quaternary ammonium hydroxide or a commercially available aqueous solution of quaternary ammonium hydroxide is diluted with an organic solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol (MMB) down to a desired concentration.
On the other hand, it has been known that the stripping property of a stripping liquid is also dependent upon the amount of water contained in the stripping liquid and that the lower the water content, the higher the stripping property. Since a stripping liquid is prepared by diluting a quaternary ammonium hydroxide solution with an organic solvent as mentioned above, it is necessary for lowering the water content in the stripping liquid that a quaternary ammonium hydroxide solution is concentrated so as to make the water content therein low.
With regard to a method for concentrating a quaternary ammonium hydroxide solution to make the water content low, there is a known method whereby a pentahydrate of TMAH (ratio by weight of TMAH to water is 1:1) is dissolved in methanol and concentrated in vacuo according to a batch system and also a method whereby a DMSO solution containing TMAH pentahydrate is dried by adding molecular sieves thereto (please see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
However, in the former method, there are disadvantages that heating for long time is necessary whereby TMAH is apt to be decomposed and that, since the product obtained after the concentration is a solid, its handling is difficult. On the other hand, in the latter method, there are disadvantages that, due to the use of molecular sieves, the cost is high and the operation is complicated. Further, since the presence of fine particles in the concentrated solution and in the stripping liquid is not preferred, there is a disadvantage that the molecular sieves must be removed after drying. Furthermore, the water content in the concentrated solution prepared by such a method is not satisfactorily low. Accordingly, the conventional process for producing a concentrated solution of quaternary ammonium hydroxide still needs to be improved.


Field
The disclosed technology relates generally to semiconductor devices and more particularly to three dimensional semiconductor memory devices, such as vertical three dimensional non-volatile memory devices.
Description of the Related Technology
Recently, ultra-high density storage devices have been proposed. Some of the proposed devices are formed using a process architecture comprising a vertical channel three-dimensional (3D) stacked memory structure. One of the process architectures is referred to in the relevant industry as Bit Cost Scalable (BiCS) architecture. Some 3D NAND stacked memory devices are formed using a process architecture comprising a stack of alternating conductive and dielectric layers.
However, various process architectures for forming 3D NAND stacked memory devices take into account a fundamental trade-off: in order to maximize the density, one should share as many gates of memory cells in a given word plane as possible. In this regard, some process architectures use a stack of alternating polysilicon layers and dielectric layers, which are sometimes referred to as a polysilicon-oxide-polysilicon-oxide (POPO) approach, where P stands for polysilicon and O stands for silicon oxide (e.g., SiO2). However, one of the main drawbacks of the POPO approach is the relatively high resistance of the word lines formed by the alternating polysilicon layers. Alternatively, some process architectures contemplate using a metal gate electrode instead of a polysilicon gate electrode. This approach is sometimes referred to as a metal-oxide-metal-oxide (MOMO) approach, where M stands for metal and O for silicon oxide (e.g., SiO2). However, the MOMO approach has been hampered because of the relatively high stress in the stack.
Another approach is to apply replacement gate processes in which a sacrificial gate layer, e.g., a layer of silicon nitride, is used to form the alternating stack. Afterwards this sacrificial gate layer is replaced with the desired gate electrode material. This so-called nitride-oxide-nitride-oxide (NONO) approach however, where N stands for silicon nitride (e.g., Si3N4) and O for silicon oxide (e.g., SiO2), sometimes limits the width of the word plane to a few, e.g., four, cell strings. Such replacement gate processes have limited capability in filling the cavities of the removed replacement gate layer. This limited filling capacity can decrease the memory density because slits, through which the desired gate electrode material is provided, are formed every few rows. In addition, these slits have to go all the way down to the substrate which results in a large area. US2015/0079742 (see FIG. 6) discloses such a vertical channel-type three-dimensional semiconductor devices having replacement gates.
Thus, there is a need for novel and improved three-dimensional non-volatile memory devices, and fabrication methods thereof, with a reduced resistance-capacitor time constant of the word line, but still having a high memory density.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a device for assistance with interception by an aircraft for a flight path segment located in a horizontal plane, and a system for assistance with the interception and follow-up of such a segment.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, when an aircraft pilot, for instance flying a helicopter, wishes to intercept a flight path in the horizontal plane, he has to perform the following operations:                identify the flight path part (segment) to be reached, and take a heading for its interception allowing for the effect of wind, if known;        anticipate the turning of the aircraft to join the flight path without overshoot, depending on the speed of the aircraft and the angle of interception; and        ensure that the interception flight path is reliable with respect to ground and any nearby obstacles.
The precision required to follow an intercepted flight path, including a multitude of segments, varies along said flight path. Accordingly, the flight path monitoring accuracy is far greater during final approach than during cruise flight phases.
It is known that the pilot in the approach phase in a horizontal plane uses ILS (Indicator Landing System) type information, displayed by dedicated symbology of varying sensitivity, which is constantly increasing as the aircraft approaches the touchdown point. Conversely, during the cruise phase, in order to provide sufficient accuracy, a flight path segment monitoring procedure in the horizontal plane requires the pilot to select the most appropriate scale at a given moment, so as to comply with the required precision and/or use flight path deviation digital information combined with another dedicated symbology, for instance an HIS (Horizontal Situation Indicator).
Accordingly, the pilot following the current flight phase must make various selections and gather appropriate flight path deviation information to follow at various positions of the display screen (and even on two different screen pages), which information is generally presented using different formalisms.
Furthermore, during the periods of intense workload encountered by the pilot, omitting to modify a scale can have damaging consequences. Indeed, the pilot may believe erroneously that the aircraft is properly aligned on the flight path to follow whereas, in reality, the selected scale is too large.
Finally, in order to accomplish with satisfactory accuracy, the complete procedure demands a great deal of know-how and also intense attention and activity (high workload) throughout the interception and follow-up duration. Note that organization and dosing difficulties are essentially due to the fact that the customary instruments and/or symbologies used are not organized to present an obvious synthesis of the effective situation.
This invention concerns a device assisting with interception by an aircraft of a flight path segment located in a horizontal plane designed to remedy these drawbacks.
Indeed, according to the invention, said device assisting with interception by an aircraft of a flight path segment located in a horizontal plane, said device being brought abroad the aircraft and including:                initial resources for determining the values of the aircraft parameters; and        initial display resources to present on at least one display screen:                    at least said flight path segment in the horizontal plane to be intercepted; and            an initial symbol illustrating the position of the aircraft in the horizontal plane with respect to said flight path,is outstanding in that the initial resources determine at least one ground speed vector representative of the speed of the aircraft with respect to the ground and in that said initial display resources are liable to present, in addition, on said display screen:                        a first means of indicating the ground speed corresponding to a first rectilinear section in said horizontal plane connected to said symbol whose angular orientation corresponds to the direction of said ground speed vector and whose length:                    is proportional to the ground speed vector module when said ground speed is greater than a predetermined value; and            is fixed and proportional to the module of said predetermined value when said ground speed is less than or equal to this predetermined value;                        a second means of interception approach indication, corresponding to a second rectilinear in said horizontal plane, in the direction of said flight path segment to be intercepted and whose length adjusts automatically so that said second rectilinear section extends at one of its ends, said first rectilinear section and at the other of its ends, a third means of indication; and        said third means of interception turn indication, corresponding to a curve portion including at least one circle arc in said horizontal plane, one end of said curve portion extending at a tangent into second rectilinear section and, at the other end, connected at a tangent to said flight path to be intercepted.
All this graphic information forms the flight path interception path which ends, if there is no flight path overshoot, in an interception turn (circle arc more or less deformed to allow for wind effect) in the horizontal plane. This graphic representation enables the pilot to see and act early enough to adjust his approach, then his interception turn. This results in a gain in terms of efficiency and availability because, in particular, it relieves the pilot of the need to release the controls.
In addition, thanks to the first means of indication, the pilot is given graphic information supplying him both with the real direction toward which the aircraft is moving and a first estimation of the ground speed vector module at which it is moving. In addition, this indication offers the advantage of being displayed close to a screen position used by the pilot a great deal during the pre-defined flight path interception/monitoring phase, i.e. said first symbol indicating the current position of the aircraft.
In an advantageous embodiment, said first means of display present the second means of indication on said display screen only:                if a segment of the flight path is in the direction of said first rectilinear section of first indication resources; and        if this segment is at a distance less than a predetermined distance with respect to said first rectilinear section,
Thanks to said second means of indication, the pilot has synthetic graphic information giving him the future rectilinear interception flight path if he continues to fly with the same current ground speed vector (module and direction). As soon as the ground speed vector varies, said graphic information is updated in real time.
In addition, in an advantageous embodiment, said circle arc of the third means of indication includes a radius depending on the speed of the aircraft and/or the aircraft capacities. Furthermore, said circle arc may be deformed to allow for the intensity and direction of the wind.
Furthermore, in an advantageous embodiment,                if a flight path segment is in the direction of said second rectilinear section of the second indication resource;        if this segment is located at a distance less than a predetermined distance from said second rectilinear section; and        if the flight plan requirements make an interception maneuver possible.
Thanks to the third indication resource, the pilot has synthetic graphic information supplying him with the future turn to be made to intercept with and align on the flight path if the aircraft continues to fly along the same ground speed vector (module and direction).
In one specific embodiment, said interception assistance device includes, in addition, second means for detecting an obstacle and the first means of display are liable to present, in addition, on said display screen, at least a second symbol illustrating the position of said obstacle in said horizontal plane.
This invention also concerns an on-board system for assistance with the interception and monitoring by an aircraft of a flight path segment located in a horizontal plane. According to the invention, said system is outstanding in that it includes:                an interception aid device as specified above; and        a flight path follow-up aid device.
In addition, according to the invention, said flight path monitoring assistance device includes:                third means of determining:                    a lateral deviation of the aircraft from a segment of the flight path in the horizontal plane; and            lateral margins tolerated either side of said flight path segment in the horizontal plane; and                        second means of display liable to appear on the display screen:                    a fixed (immobile) lateral deviation scale;            a fourth means of effective lateral deviation indication corresponding to a straight line segment provided for on said scale and illustrating the effective lateral deviation of the aircraft from the flight path segment to be followed; and            a fifth means of indicating excessive lateral deviation appearing on said scale when the aircraft approaches at a predetermined distance, one of said lateral margins.
In an advantageous embodiment, the size of the fixed scale remains constant thanks to the automatic adjustment of the proportion between the real deviation and its representation on the display screen. Accordingly, whatever the aircraft flight phase, the fixed scale preserves the same size on the display screen.
In addition, in an advantageous embodiment:                said straight line segment of said fourth means of indication is inclinable; extraordinary; and/or        when said fourth means of indication reaches its stop, it changes form and remains at the stop; and/or        said fifth means of indication is flashing.
To assist with the interception of a flight path including a multitude of segments, advantageously, said second means of display will also present on said display screen a sixth means of indicating a change in flight path segment to follow.
In addition, advantageously, said second means of display will present on said display screen a seventh means of indicating the lateral velocity tendency.
In a simplified and preferred embodiment, said first display resources for the device providing interception assistance and said second means of display of the second monitoring assistance device will be part of one and the same display unit.
Furthermore, the system in accordance with the invention will also include means of transmitting information liable to connect said first means of said interception aid device and said third means of said monitoring aid device to an acceptance autopilot for the transmission of information. Accordingly, all the data generated by the first and third means can be transmitted to an autopilot, which deals with automatic aircraft guidance.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vaporizing and supplying method intended for supplying a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with a gaseous CVD (chemical vapor deposition) material. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a vaporizing and supplying method which is intended for supplying a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with a liquid CVD material by controlling the flow rate of a liquid CVD material with an extremely high accuracy and vaporizing the liquid CVD material, and is also intended for enabling the production of a semiconductor thin film with an extremely high accuracy of film thickness.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Along with the development of semiconductor industries in recent years, there has been much progress in enhancement of performance and integration for a semiconductor device. Thus, a variety of organometal compounds in liquid form come to be used as materials for metallic films and insulation films to take the place of gaseous hydrides and halides that have heretofore been employed.
For instance, there are employed in metallic films for a semiconductor device, dimethyl aluminum hydride {(Al(CH3)2H} as CVD materials of aluminum films; hexafluoroacetylacetone copper vinyl trimethylsilane {(CF3CO)2CHCu.CH2CHSi(CH3)3} as CVD materials of copper films; bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium {(Ru(C5H4C2H5)2} as CVD materials of ruthenium films; etc.
With regard to an insulated film for a semiconductor device, there are known SiO2 as a gate insulating film, Si3N4 as a capacitor insulating film and PSG (phosphorus/silicon/glass) and BPSG (boron/phosphorus/silicon/glass) as an interlaminar insulating film. In addition, there are used tetraethoxysilicon {Si(OC2H5)4} as a CVD material for SiO2 film, trimethoxyboron {B(OCH3)3}, trimethoxyphosphorus {P(OCH3)3} and the like as a CVD materials for PSG and BPSG films.
On the other hand, as a method for vaporizing a liquid CVD material and supplying a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the resultant gaseous CVD material, there has been used a method in which a carrier gas is introduced in a liquid CVD material so as to vaporize part of the liquid CVD material, and the mixed gas of the carrier gas and the CVD material is subjected to flow rate control with a mass flow controller and is supplied to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. However, this method is difficult to stabilize vaporization conditions and produce a feed gas at a definite concentration and a flow rate. Accordingly, there is prevailingly employed at the present time, a method in which a liquid CVD material is subjected to flow rate control with a liquid flow controller, and supplied to a vaporizer, where it is vaporized, and the resultant gaseous CVD material is supplied to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
As a method for subjecting a liquid CVD material to flow rate control, there are available a method in which an inert gas is pressurized into a liquid CVD material vessel, whereby the liquid CVD material is introduced into a liquid mass flow controller, and is subjected to flow rate control; and a method in which the flow rate of a liquid CVD material is controlled with a flow variable micropump. In any of the above-mentioned methods, a CVD material is supplied to a vaporizer after the flow rate thereof is measured in the state of liquid. Among the methods, there is generally carried out a vaporizing and supplying method using a liquid mass flow controller which is relatively easy in maintenance work.
A mass flow controller for general purpose used for the flow rate control of a liquid CVD material is constituted of a flow rate sensor, an electrical circuit, a control valve and the like. The flow rate sensor is of such a constitution that two self-heating type resistors wound on the outside of CVD material piping are incorporated in a bridge circuit, and is in such a state that the resistors are heated by a current flowing at all times. The bridge circuit is constituted so that voltage is generated when the balance of the self-heating type resistors is lost. The voltage of the bridge circuit which is caused by the heat transfer due to the flowing of a CVD material in piping is directly proportional to the mass flow rate of the CVD material, and accordingly the flow rate control of the CVD material with the mass flow controller is carried out, for instance, by measuring the flow rate of the CVD material through measurement of electric output, and thus controlling the flow rate to a prescribed level.
However, in the case of measuring the flow rate of liquid CVD material by means of the liquid mass flow controller, a large error exists between the true and measured values because of much difference in specific heat and volume per unit time each of the CVD material flowing inside the piping as compared with the measurement of the flow rate of a gaseous CVD material with a gas mass flow controller. Hence it has been impossible to produce a semiconductor thin film with a very high accuracy of film thickness. On the other hand, a method in which the flow rate is measured with flow variable micropump involves a large error on account of pulsation flow of the liquid CVD material.
In such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a vaporizing and supplying method for subjecting a liquid CVD material to flow rate control with a liquid flow rate controller, supplying a vaporizer with the material, vaporizing the same, and supplying a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the vaporized material, characterized in that the method enables a semiconductor thin film to be manufactured with an extremely high accuracy, while controlling the flow rate of the liquid CVD material with a high accuracy.
Other objects of the present invention will become obvious from the text of this specification hereinafter disclosed.
Under such circumstances, intensive extensive research and development were accumulated by the present inventors in order to solve the above-described problems involved in the prior arts. As a result, the following has been found. Specifically, by installing in parallel, a plurality of liquid flow rate controllers, preferably at least two types of liquid flow rate controllers each having a different controllable range of flow rate and by using in combination so as to enable any of the aforesaid controllers to be used alone, or in plurality at the same time, or switchingly one after another, it is made possible to supply a vaporizer with the liquid CVD material in a wide range of capacity including a small to large capacity with a high accuracy, vaporize the material and supply a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the vaporized material. Thus, the present invention has been accomplished by the foregoing findings and information.
That is to say, the present invention is related to a vaporizing and supplying method for subjecting a liquid CVD material to flow rate control with a liquid flow rate controller, supplying a vaporizer with the material, vaporizing the same, and supplying a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with the vaporized material, which comprises installing in parallel, a plurality of liquid flow rate controllers for the same type of liquid CVD material, and supplying the vaporizer with the material at a variable flow rate thereof by altering the single use of any of the controllers to simultaneous use of a plurality thereof or vice versa, and/or switching any of the controllers one after another.


Currently, most of price tags, price shelf labels, tickets, mass transportation passes and small signage are printed on paper. The disadvantage of displaying information on paper obviously is the consumption of paper, which not only is an environmental issue, but also a cost concern as the paper with information printed on must be discarded or recycled when the information needs to be updated. In addition, for certain time-sensitive systems, such as a pricing label or tag system, using paper to display information is labor intensive and often causes time delays and errors.
The concept of an electronic display device may be applied to these products. However, the high cost associated with an electronic display device prevents it from being widely used, especially for signs, labels, tickets and price tags which have to be regularly updated.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to construction tools, and more particularly to a tool used to brace a masonry or other walls during construction.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that until a masonry wall is permanently supported, it is unstable and can fall, especially if wind loads on it are substantial. Thus, during the construction process braces and other devices are used to support the walls until the building is completed or the walls are at least self-supporting. Many devices used for supporting masonry walls are cumbersome and heavy, and they only adjust to walls that are certain heights, require forklifts or several laborers to install, require extra space to store and use parts that are only useful for one particular purpose. Thus, when a wall supporting apparatus is being installed, there is very little flexibility as to how these braces can be installed.
Additionally, existing wall bracing devices are made in certain sizes that are not flexible for use by contractors. Contractors must purchase different length braces for different wall heights. The bracing devices also have end pieces that are fixed to the poles, thereby making the bracing device suitable only to install after the wall is built and not while the wall is being constructed. Furthermore, since most bracing devices are long enough to be installed at high points in the wall, such as heights above 10′, they are conventionally too long and cumbersome to be transported easily.
The need exists for a wall bracing apparatus with parts that are easily adaptable to any height and for use in many circumstances, thereby eliminating searching effort, simplifying the installation process, and making the apparatus easily transported and stored when the apparatus is not being used.


The invention relates to a wheel suspension system for steerable rear wheels of a motor vehicle.
Rear wheel suspension systems of the generic type are known. For example, German Patent Document DE-OS 36 30 984, discloses an arrangement in which an arm connected at one end with the wheel carrier extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and is connected at its other end with a hydraulically operable adjusting element. The wheel carrier is pivotally supported between joints of transversely aligned control arms which are held on the vehicle body side. In such an arrangement, because of the arm connected with the wheel carrier, the position of the adjusting element is fixed with respect to the vehicle, and can be changed only at a relatively high cost.
Due to space limitations (and also for kinematic and elastokinematic reasons), it may be necessary, particularly in the case of a double wishbone axle having an additional separate rod link, that the adjusting element not be connected directly with the wheel carrier.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wheel suspension for steerable rear wheels of motor vehicles in which direct control of a wheel suspension link is made possible for achieving a rear-wheel locking angle. This object is achieved according to the invention, in a double-wishbone suspension system wherein the wheels are adapted to react resiliently as a result of longitudinal or lateral forces and which, at the same time, can be controlled for the adjustment of a rear wheel steering angle by way of an adjusting element, such as a hydraulic control cylinder, a motor operator or similar devices. The two wishbones arranged in planes situated above one another, are pivotally connected to the wheel carrier as well as to the vehicle body and, either in the lower plane or in the upper plane, are supplemented by an additional rod link. The arrangement of the wheel suspension links and bearing members is such that a resilient rotating axis is established outside the wheel center longitudinal plane and-with respect to the driving direction--behind the wheel center transverse plane. (The words "front", "rear" and "behind" are used herein relative to the forward driving direction F as shown in FIG. 1.) Under the influence of outside forces and torques in the wheel contact area, the wheel rotates around this axis in the wheel contact surface. The extent of the rotation, for example in the case of a bump toe-in, is essentially a function of the elasticity of a control bearing between the adjusting element and a control arm, and the elasticity of the additional rod link. The control bearing also has an advantageous effect on the active adjustment of the rear-wheel locking angle by way of the adjusting element and, for this purpose, has a correspondingly defined marking.
Depending on the construction of the double-wishbone axle and the connection of the adjusting element with one of the control arms, a corresponding active center of rotation for the wheel is disposed either in the intersecting point of the longitudinal axes of the control arms of the wheel suspension links or directly in the wheel-carrier-side joint of the wheel suspension link. As noted previously, the passive center of rotation of the wheel suspension system is determined by the elastic swivel axis and by the wishbones.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


This invention relates to wireless data communications networks, and in particular to arrangements for communications between mobile data handling units and a central computer using wireless data communications.
The assignee of the present invention supplies a wireless data communications system known as the Spectrum 24 System, which follows the radio data communications protocol of IEEE Standard 802.11. In the system as implemented, mobile units are in data communication with a central computer through access points. The access points may communicate with a central computer or computers over a wired network. Each of the mobile units associates itself with one of the access points. The access points in this system are functional to perform all the implemented requirements of the standard protocol, including, association and roaming functions, packet formulation and parsing, packet fragmentation and re-assembly encryption and system access control. In order to maintain order and reduce radio communications each access point must determine which of the data communications received over the wired network from the central computer is destined for a mobile unit associated with that particular access point. This requirement adds significant computational capacity to the access point, increasing the cost thereof.
In addition, in applications that must support a high volume of data communications from multiple users, such as systems supporting a self-service shopping system, hospital systems, systems that include paging or voice data links to many users, or systems supporting communicating with electronic shelf labels, additional access points are required to support the data communications traffic, increasing the overall system cost.
The cost of an operational access point is dependent not only on the complexity thereof and the requirement for high speed processing of data pockets for purposes of selecting those destined for mobile units associated with an access point, but the additional cost of the installation of electrical power to the location of the access point, and the cost of a power supply to convert AC electrical power to DC power for the circuits of the access point. Further cost may be involved in physically mounting the access point hardware and antenna.
In prior systems each access point is connected on an Ethernet wired network to the central computer. The access points are required to determine the identity of mobile units which have become associated with them and to extract from the data packets on the Ethernet network those packets addressed to a mobile unit associated with the access point. This requirement has led to significant processing burden for the access points and led to increased cost for the access points.
In the system described in my prior published International Patent Application WO 099 37047, published Jul. 22, 1999, the central computer communicates over an Ethernet wired network with an intelligent switching hub. Alternately a token ring network can be used. The switching hub determines the destination of each packet and routes packets to an access point if the destination of the packet is a mobile unit associated with the access point. To achieve this function, the hub is an intelligent hub which maintains a routing list of mobile units and their associated access point according to the port of the hub.
In practice, the hub need only maintain a source list for those access points connected to the hub and mobile units associated with the access points connected to the hub. Thus, if a packet is received at a hub over the Ethernet with a destination address which is not associated with that hub, the packet is ignored. The hub will route the packet to an access point only if the destination address of the packet is identified on the list. When a packet is received on a hub port associated with a communications line connected to an access point, the source address is associated with the hub port in the list. The packet is routed either to the Ethernet connection or to another port according to the destination address.
By determining destination address in the hub and maintaining the association of a mobile unit address with an access point connected to a port of the hub in a routing list of the hub, the functionality required of the access points is greatly reduced. The access point acts merely as a conduit sending RF transmissions of packets received on its communication line, and receiving transmissions from associated mobile units and providing Ethernet packets to the hub. In addition, the access point must provide mobile unit association functions and other 802.11 protocol functions, as provided in the Spectrum 24 system, and may also provide proxy polling responses for associated mobile units that are in power saving mode.
The prior system may have a large number of access points, each with a memory containing program instructions for carrying out the various required functions. This distribution of processing makes it difficult to upgrade a system or to provide changes in system configuration because any upgrade or change may require changes to the program code in each of the access points. Such distribution of processing functions also makes system management functions, such as load balancing or access control more difficult.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved wireless data communications methods and systems having lower cost, to enable the economical provision of reliable wireless data communications with increased capacity in complex installations or at reasonable cost or simple installations.


The disclosed technology relates to halogenated polymer compounds, such as chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) compounds, being free of heavy metals, particularly heavy metals in the form of stabilizer additives, the most common heavy metals being lead, tin, zinc, cadmium, and barium.
Halogen containing polymers tend to degrade or deteriorate when processed. Generally, the difference between the processing temperature and the degradation temperature is very small. Therefore, there is a risk that during the processing these halogen containing polymers will degrade. When such polymers degrade, it is believed that the halide acid generated by the polymer attacks the components of the processing equipment. Also, this acid further catalyzes de-hydrohalogenation reactions, such as HCl elimination, and additional degradation of the polymer.
Stabilizers have been developed to help deter such degradation. For example, heavy metal compounds such as tin are commonly used. However, heavy metal compounds are considered environmentally unfriendly, and there is a move to limit their use in many jurisdictions. In anticipation of increased regulation of heavy metal stabilizers in halogenated polymers, there is a desire in the industry to discover replacement stabilizers.
Zeolites and metal carboxylates have been taught as co-stabilizers in halogen containing polymers, generally in addition to heavy metal stabilizers, but also in combination with other types of stabilizers.
Zeolites are effective acid scavengers for halogen containing polymers and can enhance the polymer's thermal stability. Acid scavengers are compounds that react with acid groups in the polymer reaction mixture to form compounds that are typically chemically inert. Such acid scavengers are often required as co-stabilizers in halogenated polymers to neutralize the acid generated during melt processing. However, the use of zeolites as acid scavengers in halogen containing polymer compounds has been limited for several reasons. First, the zeolites generally have a large particle size, generally in the range of about 3 to about 6 microns. The large size of the zeolite particles is thought to not only cause surface blemishes on the finish of the end product made from such a polymer but also to diminish the physical properties, for example impact strength, of such polymers. Further, outgassing occurs frequently with polymers containing zeolites due to the evolution of water from the zeolite from the heat generated during melt processing. Such outgassing can cause foaming and affect the physical properties of the final product.
Metal carboxylates are also mentioned as potential co-stabilizers. However, when included at too high a concentration metal carboxylates have a tendency to plate-out (separate from the halogen polymer containing compound).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,656 describes an “improved” metal substituted zeolite covered by an organic substance and having a water content of 8 weight percent (wt %) or less for use as a stabilizer for halogen containing resins. The zeolite is taught to be suitable as it is, but that it may function more effectively when used in combination with other stabilizers.
A number of references teach the use of zeolite as a stabilizer in combination with other stabilizers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,873 discloses a composition comprising a halogen containing polymer, a zeolite as the acid scavenger and a heat stabilizer selected from the group consisting of mixed metal stabilizers (such as calcium/zinc or calcium/barium), organotin stabilizers, lead stabilizers, metal free stabilizers or any combination thereof. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,071, to Wypart et al., issued Jul. 2, 2002 teaches a stabilized halogenated polymer wherein the stabilizer is a synthetic crystalline aluminosilicate of formula M2/nO.Al2O3.ySiO2.wH2O. For CPVC resins, the patent teaches and exemplifies the synthetic crystalline aluminosilicate in use with heavy metal stabilizers, including tin.
Other references teach the use of zeolite in combination with sodium carboxylate. However, no references have been found that do not include other stabilizers with the zeolite/sodium carboxylate combination. For example, EP2083044A1 to Reagens S.p.A. teaches a composition for stabilizing halogen-containing polymers comprising disodium adipate and a compound selected from the group consisting of M(ClO4) and (CF3SO3)nM. Zeolite and carboxylates are also taught as additives that can optionally be included in the EP′044 composition. However, the patent discourages the use of zeolites by noting that zeolites tend to release water, which prevents their use as stabilizers in some rigid or semi-rigid PVC applications. The patent does not teach or exemplify a formulation containing CPVC, a zeolite and a carboxylate. Similarly, EP2363431A1 to Reagens S.p.A. teaches a composition for stabilizing halogen-containing polymers comprising an alkali metal salt of adipic acid and an alkali metal salt of a carboxylic acid. Zeolite is taught as an optional additional additive in the EP′431 composition, in an amount from 0.1 to 3 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of polymer. The patent does not teach or exemplify a formulation containing CPVC and a stabilizer package consisting of a zeolite and a carboxylate.
It would be beneficial to the industry to prepare an inexpensive and readily available alternative to current stabilizer systems for halogenated polymers, such as CPVC resins, without the need for a heavy metal stabilizer.


The popularity of commercial wireless communications services (e.g., wireless telephony, wireless network access, and wireless email) has substantially increased during recent years. In many cases, users, such as consumers, mobile workers, emergency response personnel, and/or the like, now utilize these services for both personal and business communications. Likewise, users are increasingly relying on these services. For example, some households forgo wired telephone service in favor of wireless telephone service, some government agencies rely on these services for both routine and emergency communications, and businesses rely on these services to communicate with customers and mobile workers. Correspondingly, the cost (both financial and nonfinancial) of outages is also increasing.
Typical commercial wireless communications service (CMRS) providers rely on remote facilities to facilitate the provision of services. For instance, CMRS providers rely on cell sites (e.g., base stations, radio repeaters, wireless to backhaul interfaces, etc.) to facilitate some communications services. If a cell site experiences a loss of commercially-provided electrical power, users near the cell site may experience a service outage. Power outages are an example of a common cause for cell site failures. For example, natural disasters, rolling brownouts, accidents, and/or the like may result in power outages. While most cell sites include some form of back-up power (e.g., generators and/or batteries), these forms of back-up power may not provide sufficient power during lengthy power outages and may require servicing, monitoring, and on-site maintenance. During lengthy power outages, use of commercial wireless communications services may increase due to users' needs and/or desires. Further, pending regulations may require commercial wireless communications service providers to provide cell sites with at least seven days of back-up power.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to test systems, and more specifically, to test systems in the automatic test equipment (ATE) area.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Today, most test equipment in the ATE area involves one or more computer systems. A computer system that implements testing steps must be reliable and must generate test steps in a deterministic way. That is, the computer systems must be capable of producing consistent results. One problem with such a computer is cost—design of a complete computing system suitable for use in testing (e.g., one that produces consistent results) requires not only the expensive hardware design and maintenance but also expensive software design involving operating system, user interface, drivers, tools, etc. More particularly, deterministic execution can be achieved using expensive computing hardware and software and/or distributed hardware within the tester, such as individual control processors within the instrument or other testing resource. As a result, computer systems suitable for ATE are prohibitively expensive for most companies to purchase and maintain.
Automated test equipment (ATE) is computer-controlled equipment that tests electronic devices for functionality and performance. ATE devices also conduct stress testing with minimal human interaction. A typical ATE tester includes control hardware, sensors, and software that collects and analyzes the test results. Such an ATE tester relies on particular test instruments to perform the testing and return results to the control software. Conventional ATE testers and methodologies are widely considered to only be cost efficient for high-volume testing.
This widely held belief stems, in part, from the design and operation of conventional ATE testers. As it stands now, a manufacturer can create a new device or system. A key element in the design and construction of any new device or system is the ability to test the device or system for quality, functionality, and serviceability. The first step in testing that new device is to determine if anyone already has a tester designed and working that may cover the new device. If one does not exist, the only option is to have a suitable tester built. The current marketplace takes a long time to determine if a new tester should be built, let alone to begin actual construction of such a tester. Determining whether or not a new tester covering the new device would have wide demand, or any at all beyond the single use, ultimately determines whether the new tester will be made. If it does not, that often ends the possibility of getting a new tester. If it does, the new tester still must be designed and fabricated. An average time for completing such a process is on the order of years. For instance, it is not uncommon for it to take two or more years to produce a new tester. In that time frame, most manufacturers are already looking to test a newer device, so such tester may be obsolete even before it is released.


Fibers with diameters less than a micron can be formed using electrospinning processes where a droplet of polymer solution or melt is elongated by a strong electrical field. The resulting fibers are collected as non-woven mats with extremely large surface to volume ratio; which are useful for various applications including filtration. Most previous studies on electrospinning have focused on fibers from polymer solutions, i.e., are directed to solution electrospinning. Current solution electrospinning apparatus and processes have the disadvantages of requiring a dissolving step, of requiring solvent recovery and disposal or complete recycling if the process is to be environmentally friendly, of having low production rates because of the dissolving and solvent recovery/recycling steps detracting from obtaining high throughput, of not being adaptable to polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, which are not dissolvable in acceptable solvents at room temperature, of requiring regulation of a plurality of parameters to adjust molecular properties and solidification and of requiring apparatus not readily provided by adaptation of conventional existing facilities for fiber/non-woven production for most polymers since these are based on melt treatment. Melt electrospinning apparatus and process which would avoid these disadvantages and provide useful production of fibers/non-wovens have not heretofore been developed. Moreover, no attempts have been made to provide solution electrospinning apparatus and processes which are suitable for operation on polymers which are not dissolvable in acceptable solvents at room temperature.


Pelargonium hortorum.
xe2x80x98Clips Red IIxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium hortorum Bailey, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Clips Red IIxe2x80x99. The new cultivar is propagated from a seedling resulting from the cross of an unnamed and unpatented proprietary line known as 7108-1 which is a red single flowered geranium and an unnamed and unpatented proprietary line known as 6087-4 which is a red semi-double geranium flower.
xe2x80x98Clips Red II xe2x80x99is a product of a planned breeding program intended to create new geranium cultivars with red colored flowers, semi-double flower form, dark green foliage, vigorous growth and superior cutting productivity.
The new cultivar was created in 1997 in Gilroy, Calif. and has been repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings in Gilroy, Calif. and Guatemala over a three year period. It has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif. and Andijk, The Netherlands. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations; and this novelty is firmly fixed.