1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealed container, a manufacturing method therefor, a gas measuring method, and a gas measuring apparatus for implementing the gas measuring method. More specifically, the invention relates to a sealed container used for a flat panel display, a manufacturing method for the sealed container, a gas measuring method used for measuring a gas rate of an emission gas, a leakage gas, or the like or measuring a life of a getter, and a gas measuring apparatus for implementing the gas measuring method.
2. Related Background Art
Examples of self-light emitting flat panel displays include a plasma display, an EL display device, and an image display device using an electron beam. An image display device using a sealed container that maintains its inside to a lower pressure than the atmospheric pressure is represented by a cathode ray tube (hereinafter, referred to as “CRT”) of a television set, but devices and apparatuses including the plasma display and a flat panel display using an electron beam also utilize the sealed container that has a pair of plates and maintains its inside to a lower pressure than the atmospheric pressure. Currently, there are increasing demands for the display devices to have a larger screen and a higher definition, and there are ever-growing needs for the self-light emitting flat panel displays.
Such image display devices face a major problem of an image display life. This is because, while having a gas source that may be hit by electrons and ions, the image display device must maintain a high vacuum for as long as several tens of thousands of hours by limited exhaust means, making it necessary for electron radiation from an electron source to be conducted in a stable manner over a long period of time. The radioactivity of the electrons from the electron source is largely influenced by an emission gas inside the image display device. For example, the CRT may involve a problem of damage caused by Ar (JP 10-269930 A).
Accordingly, it is necessary to grasp types of gases causing damage to an electron source in an operation state and a gas generation rate (gas emission from a member) to reduce the damage to the electron source.
Further, in order to maintain a pressure inside a panel by the limited exhaust means, it is necessary to exhaust the emission gas emitted from the member. As the exhaust means, a barium getter is conventionally known, and almost all of its basic properties have become apparent. However, a gas absorbing power of the barium getter inside an actual panel is hard to estimate from the basic properties. This is because the absorbing power of a getter film largely differs according to a fine structure of the getter film inside the panel, the amount and type of the emission gas inside the panel (generation of a reaction product), and the like. Therefore, the absorbing power of a getter inside an actual panel can be only directly measured with respect to a subject panel.
Accordingly, as a method of measuring a life of an image display device, it is a problem of urgency to establish a method of measuring a life of a getter, in which an influence of a gas exerted to a device when an image is displayed is evaluated (an emission gas rate is accurately measured for each type of gas) while a vacuum state of the image display device is maintained.
On the other hand, known as a conventional gas measuring method is a method of measuring a gas partial pressure using a quadrupole mass spectrometer (Q-Mass) as a mass spectrometer for analyzing gases inside a vacuum apparatus and a process chamber (JP 2952894 B).
Proposed as a method of measuring an emission gas rate and an adsorption gas rate for each gas is a measuring method using a partial pressure gauge provided to each of two chambers that are connected to each other through an orifice (JP 05-072015 A). Also, for a CRT, plural methods of measuring an emission gas rate and an adsorption gas rate are proposed as the method of measuring a life of a getter. Examples of the proposed plural methods include: a method of heating a CRT to 150° C. to 250° C. and measuring an emission gas rate while cooling the CRT (JP 07-226159 A); a method of measuring a gas absorbing power of a getter film after the CRT is caused to run for a predetermined period of time, calculating an amount of an emission gas from a built-in member of the CRT, and estimating a long-term life of a getter based on the calculated amount (JP 10-208641 A); and a method of finding a relationship between an amount of a getter and a life of a CRT by setting the amount of the getter to a small amount (JP 2000-076999 A).
Further, JP 2000-340115 A discloses a manufacturing method for an image display device in which a manufacturing process is performed while a state of an atmosphere is being monitored by using an orifice having a known conductance and installed in part of an exhaust channel of a manufacturing apparatus for vacuum pumping.
According to the gas measuring methods disclosed in JP 2952894 B and JP 05-072015 A, a gas measurement is performed by placing a measurement sample inside a vacuum chamber and using a mass spectrometer, enabling the measurement for each type of gas. Particularly in JP 05-072015 A, a vacuum chamber having an orifice is used, enabling the measurement of an emission gas rate for each type of gas as well. However, it is difficult to place a large apparatus such as a flat panel display inside the vacuum chamber for the measurement. If the measuring apparatus is manufactured to be adapted for such a large apparatus, a huge manufacturing cost is required, making it hard to implement such arrangement.
The gas measurement for a CRT has long been performed. However, in JP 07-226159 A, a mass spectrometer is not used for the gas measurement, thereby making it impossible to measure an emission gas rate for each type of gas, and a gas to be adsorbed to a getter cannot be supplied, thereby making it impossible to accurately evaluate a life of a CRT. Further, in JP 10-208641 A, there are included an orifice and a total pressure gauge for measuring an emission gas rate, and a gas supply system for measuring a gas adsorbing power of a getter. However, a mass spectrometer is not used for a partial pressure measurement, thereby making it impossible to measure an emission gas rate for each type of gas. Also, it is possible to supply to the CRT a gas to be adsorbed to a getter through the orifice at a constant rate. However, lack of a chamber for adjustment of a pressure makes it difficult to adjust a pressure of the supplied gas, resulting in a long-time measurement. Further, according to the method of JP 2000-076999 A, which serves to measure the relationship between an amount of a getter and a life of a CRT by setting the amount of the getter to a small amount, the measurement requires a long period of time, and the gas measurement cannot be performed for a type of gas that is actually generated in the CRT. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately predict the life of the CRT.
The manufacturing method for an image display device disclosed in JP 2000-340115 A is suitable for a gas measuring method during the manufacturing, but is difficult to use as a gas measuring method for an image display device that has become a vacuum container.
Alternatively, as the gas measuring method for a CRT that has been manufactured, there is a method in which a hole is opened by a punch when a pipe for a measurement is connected to a funnel of the CRT.
However, according to this method, in the case of an apparatus using a thin glass plate such as a flat panel display, a crack easily develops, increasing the possibility of generating a leak.


Handheld computers are common electronic devices primarily functioning to provide a user with mobile computing services. Early handheld computers were limited to basic calendaring and phonebook applications. Now handheld computers are capable of nearly the same tasks as desktop or laptop computers, although memory capacity and processing speed may be limited.
Handheld computers are often used in conjunction with a docking station to synchronize data files with a host computer and recharge the batteries of the handheld computer. These docking stations facilitate the connection of the handheld and host computer. A cradle or wired plug provides the electrical and structural elements of the docking station to dock a handheld computer. Once docked, data connectivity is established between the host and handheld computer. Optionally, an electrical connection is established to recharge the handheld computer's batteries. Other handheld computers utilize infrared or radio, particularly cellular telephone signals, to perform data exchanges with a host computer.


This invention relates to a reference clock architecture for an integrated circuit device, and particularly for types of integrated circuit devices, such as programmable devices, where a user may specify a clock rate.
Certain types of integrated circuit devices allow users to specify various settings, such as clock rates. In particular, programmable devices, including, for example, programmable logic devices such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), may allow a user to specify a complete logic configuration, various portions of which may require different clock rates, none of which are known with any certainty at the time of device manufacture. Such devices have been manufactured with circuitry to allow various clock rates to be selected by the user, which may have resulted in overly complex clock networks, including many components that may never be used by a particular user.
For example, such devices may incorporate high-speed serial interfaces to accommodate high-speed (i.e., greater than 1 Gbps) serial I/O standards. Because there are multiple different standards, which may operate at multiple different rates, and because a user may elect to use more than one standard and/or rate, the ability to provide multiple reference clocks may be desirable. Heretofore, this has required the provision of multiple reference clock sources such as phase-locked loops (PLLs) or delay-locked loops (DLLs), with a clock network capable of routing a reference clock signal from any one of those sources to any one of a number of interface circuits.


Most specimens that are observed with a microscope have small variations in height across their surfaces. While these variations are frequently not visible to the human eye, they can cause images of a portion of a specimen captured by a microscope to be out of focus.
The range in which a microscope can create a usable focused image is known as the depth of field. The microscope must keep a portion of a specimen within its depth of field to generate useful images. However, when transitioning from observing a first portion of a specimen to observing a second portion of the specimen, the small variations in height of the specimen may cause the second portion to be outside the depth of field.
Different sharpness measurements such as image contrast, resolution, entropy and/or spatial frequency content, among others, can be used to measure the quality of focus of images captured by a microscope. Generally, when a specimen is in focus, the captured image will exhibit the best sharpness quality (e.g., large contrast, a high range of intensity values and sharp edges). The different sharpness measurements that can be used to determine when a specimen is in focus usually require capturing a series of images and increasing or decreasing the distance between the microscope objective lens and the specimen until the image appears in focus. This increases the total microscopic scan time of each specimen, making methods using such measurement prohibitively slow for high throughput scanning applications.
Accordingly, it is desirable to find a suitable in-focus plane of a specimen using a smaller number of images.


Anti-fuse is one of the One-Time Programmable (OTP) devices that can only be programmed once. Particularly, an anti-fuse has a high impedance state after fabrication and a low impedance state after being programmed. On the contrary, a fuse has a low impedance state after fabrication and a high impedance state after being programmed. The most commonly used anti-fuses are based on MOS gate oxide breakdown, metal-dielectric-metal breakdown, metal-dielectric-silicon breakdown, or silicon-dielectric-silicon breakdown, etc. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) is the most commonly used dielectric for breakdown in anti-fuses. However, Silicon-Oxide-Nitride (SON), Silicon Nitride (SiNx), Oxide-Nitride-Oxide (ONO), or other type of metal oxides, such as Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3), MgO, HfO2, or Cr2O3, can also be used.
MOS gate oxide breakdown is based on applying a high voltage to break down the gate oxide to create a programmed state. However, there is a mechanism called soft-breakdown, other than the desirable hard-breakdown, which makes the dielectric film appear to be broken down, but the film may heal by itself after cycling or burn-in. The reliability may be a concern for practical applications.
Dielectric breakdown anti-fuses have been proven in manufacture. One of conventional dielectric breakdown anti-fuse is shown in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c). This anti-fuse is based on metal-dielectric-silicon with a diode constructed by P+ active region over N+ bar as program selector. FIG. 1(a) shows a portion of process steps by using a first Local Oxidation (LOCOS) to define an N+ bar area. FIG. 1(b) shows a second LOCOS step to further define active regions within each N+ bar in a perpendicular direction. The cell is patterned by two LOCOS steps so that the cell size is determined by the pitches of active regions in the X- and Y-directions. The cell size is generally referred to 4F2, where F stands for figure size. After the active region of the cells is determined, a P type dopant is implanted, a thin silicon dioxide is grown, and then a metal is built on top of each cell as shown in FIG. 1(c). The equivalent circuit of the anti-fuse cell is a capacitor in series with a diode at an X and Y cross-point as shown in FIG. 1(d). For additional information see, e.g., Noriaki, et. al, “A New Cell for High Capacity Mask ROM by the Double LOCOS Techniques,” International Electronics Device Meeting, December, 1983, pp. 581-584.
The anti-fuse cell in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c) is very complicated to fabricate, as it requires three more masks and two LOCOS steps over standard CMOS processes. Fabricating LOCOS requires a mask for field implant, nitride deposition, and a long thermal cycle to grow field oxide. Accordingly, there is a need for an anti-fuse cell that is more compatible with standard CMOS process to save costs.


Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computing systems and more particularly to data storage solutions within such computing systems.
Description of Related Art
Computers are known to communicate, process, and store data. Such computers range from wireless smart phones to data centers that support millions of web searches, stock trades, or on-line purchases every day. In general, a computing system generates data and/or manipulates data from one form into another. For instance, an image sensor of the computing system generates raw picture data and, using an image compression program (e.g., JPEG, MPEG, etc.), the computing system manipulates the raw picture data into a standardized compressed image.
With continued advances in processing speed and communication speed, computers are capable of processing real time multimedia data for applications ranging from simple voice communications to streaming high definition video. As such, general-purpose information appliances are replacing purpose-built communications devices (e.g., a telephone). For example, smart phones can support telephony communications but they are also capable of text messaging and accessing the internet to perform functions including email, web browsing, remote applications access, and media communications (e.g., telephony voice, image transfer, music files, video files, real time video streaming. etc.).
Each type of computer is constructed and operates in accordance with one or more communication, processing, and storage standards. As a result of standardization and with advances in technology, more and more information content is being converted into digital formats. For example, more digital cameras are now being sold than film cameras, thus producing more digital pictures. As another example, web-based programming is becoming an alternative to over the air television broadcasts and/or cable broadcasts. As further examples, papers, books, video entertainment, home video, etc. are now being stored digitally, which increases the demand on the storage function of computers.
A typical computer storage system includes one or more memory devices aligned with the needs of the various operational aspects of the computer's processing and communication functions. Generally, the immediacy of access dictates what type of memory device is used. For example, random access memory (RAM) memory can be accessed in any random order with a constant response time, thus it is typically used for cache memory and main memory. By contrast, memory device technologies that require physical movement such as magnetic disks, tapes, and optical discs, have a variable response time as the physical movement can take longer than the data transfer, thus they are typically used for secondary memory (e.g., hard drive, backup memory, etc.).
A computer's storage system will be compliant with one or more computer storage standards that include, but are not limited to, network file system (NFS), flash file system (FFS), disk file system (DFS), small computer system interface (SCSI), internet small computer system interface (iSCSI), file transfer protocol (FTP), and web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV). These standards specify the data storage format (e.g., files, data objects, data blocks, directories, etc.) and interfacing between the computer's processing function and its storage system, which is a primary function of the computer's memory controller.
Despite the standardization of the computer and its storage system, memory devices fail; especially commercial grade memory devices that utilize technologies incorporating physical movement (e.g., a disc drive). For example, it is fairly common for a disc drive to routinely suffer from bit level corruption and to completely fail after three years of use. One solution is to utilize a higher-grade disc drive, which adds significant cost to a computer.
Another solution is to utilize multiple levels of redundant disc drives to replicate the data into two or more copies. One such redundant drive approach is called redundant array of independent discs (RAID). In a RAID device, a RAID controller adds parity data to the original data before storing it across the array. The parity data is calculated from the original data such that the failure of a disc will not result in the loss of the original data. For example, RAID 5 uses three discs to protect data from the failure of a single disc. The parity data, and associated redundancy overhead data, reduces the storage capacity of three independent discs by one third (e.g., n−1=capacity). RAID 6 can recover from a loss of two discs and requires a minimum of four discs with a storage capacity of n−2.
While RAID addresses the memory device failure issue, it is not without its own failure issues that affect its effectiveness, efficiency and security. For instance, as more discs are added to the array, the probability of a disc failure increases, which increases the demand for maintenance. For example, when a disc fails, it needs to be manually replaced before another disc fails and the data stored in the RAID device is lost. To reduce the risk of data loss, data on a RAID device is typically copied on to one or more other RAID devices. While this addresses the loss of data issue, it raises a security issue since multiple copies of data are available, which increases the chances of unauthorized access. Further, as the amount of data being stored grows, the overhead of RAID devices becomes a non-trivial efficiency issue.


1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to display units such as used by retail establishments for merchandising various wares. More particularly, this invention relates to a vertically extensible bar and a clutch mechanism for holding it in adjusted position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A vertically extensible bar of a display rack may have an arm for supporting a series of hangers for clothes or other merchandise. Optionally, it may cooperate with a companion bar for supporting a shelf. The typical prior art structure for holding the bar in an extended position is a series of holes in the standard and a spring detent in the bar. There are several drawbacks to this arrangement. One disadvantage is that the series of holes in the standard are unsightly. Merchandisers appreciate more elegance in the display units for their merchandise.
Other disadvantages include the inability to achieve infinite adjusted positions, the possibility of the coupling inadvertently slipping, the necessity of performing fabrication steps both on the standard and the bar.


1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to hinge assemblies and, particularly, to a hinge assembly used in a foldable electronic device having a top cover and a main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Foldable electronic devices, such as notebook computers, are popular for their portability. In the foldable electronic device, a cover is rotatably connected to a main body via a typical hinge assembly.
The typical hinge assembly often includes a shaft, a friction member fixed on the shaft, and a rotary member rotatably sleeved on the shaft. The rotary member and the shaft are fixed to the cover and the main body. The rotary member is capable of being positioned in any position relative to the friction member and the shaft because of friction created between the friction member and the rotary member. Thus, the cover can be opened to any angle relative to the main body, and remain in any position.
However, over time, the friction causes the engaging surfaces of the rotary member and the friction member to become abraded, resulting in little or no friction between the rotary member and the friction member. Thus, the cover would be incapable of remaining in any desired position. Therefore, the hinge assembly has a relatively short service life.
Therefore, a new hinge assembly is desired to overcome the above-described shortcomings.


Golf is enjoyed by people of all ages throughout the world. It is played and enjoyed by both athletic types and non-athletic types of people. It is one of the few athletic activities that can be played and enjoyed by people with handicaps, such as a missing limb, a bad back, sight problems, and the like. The game is very challenging and requires mental concentration as well as athletic ability. Fortunately it does not require the athletic ability of a good or better athlete to play a decent round of golf. Through lessons and practice almost anyone can learn to play to a level that makes the game enjoyable and challenging. One of the greatest aspects of golf is that the golfer is playing against him or her self. A good golfer concentrates on his or her game, not the game or score of others he or she is playing with or against. This is a lesson that all great golf pros know.
There are typically four aspects to the game: the driving, the short game, getting out of trouble, and putting. Each aspect has its own challenges and requires practice to master, if ever mastered.
Putting appears deceptively simple. It seems like anybody could grab a putter, i.e., the putting golf club, and putt or hit the golf ball to have the ball roll to the cup or hole and roll in it. Unfortunately putting is not simple and requires practice, more practice and even more practice. There is an old golf adage: golfers drive for show and putt for money. Great golf pros are great putters. They know the speed or condition of the putting green surface and their caddie, a professional just as much as the pro golfer, has read and recorded the green slope[s] from many different directions. This information is imparted to the pro by the caddie. It is very common to see the golf pro conferring with his or her caddie when the pro has to putt. The caddie frequently refers to a notebook that they prepare prior to the tournament regarding their readings of the putting green. These readings refer to the slope of the green surface or grass and the slope[s] of the green between the golf ball and the cup or hole.
Most golfers cannot afford a full time caddie who reads the course for them before they begin a round of golf or who is familiar with the course from caddying on and playing on the course. At those golf courses and clubs that still make available experienced caddies, the golfer can learn about a putting green from the experienced caddie during a round of golf.
There are three conditions that must be taken into account when putting: (1) the rolling speed of the golf ball on the putting surface, (2) the slope[s] of the putting surface between the golf ball and the hole, and (3) the condition of the putting surface, such as, type and condition of the surface. For purposes of this patent, a course means a golf course or any practice facility, a ball means a golf ball, a putting surface means the putting green or practice surface, a cup or hole means the hole in the green which the golfer is attempting to get his or her ball into, a putter is the golf club that the golfer uses to hit a ball on the green in an attempt to roll the ball to and into the cup or hole, ‘to putt’ or ‘putting’ or ‘putt’ means to hit the ball on the green with the putter in an attempt to have the ball roll to and into the cup or hole, and ‘to sink a putt’ or ‘sinking a putt’ means to putt the ball and to successfully have the ball roll to and in the cup or hole. The direct putting path is the line of sight straight line between the hole and the ball. As most golfers know, a putt attempted along the direct putting path will in most instances, except for short putts, miss the hole for reasons set forth below. A short putt is normally a putt made three feet or less from the cup. The slope means a portion of the surface of a green that deviates from being parallel to the true level, true horizon or true level of the Earth (collectively “true level” herein). As used herein, putting green means putting surface. Most putting surfaces are closely cropped grass. However, synthetic putting surfaces, such as Astroturf® synthetic turf, packed oiled sand surfaces, dead grass surfaces, rug surfaces, exist.
A spirit level is used to determine when an object, normally a surface of the object is parallel to true level or perpendicular to it. Some spirit levels are the arc of a circle and have a scale to give readings, in degrees, of the slope of the object to true level. To take, or to determine, or to measure a slope means to determine the angle of the surface of the green to the true horizon or true level of the Earth. The angle can be measure in degrees or it can be measured as an aiming point for the indicated putting path. Some slopes or breaks are perpendicular to the direct putting path; however most slopes or breaks intersect the direct putting path at angles other than 90 degrees. The actual putting path is the line, normally curved, between the ball and hole that will sink a putt when the ball is correctly hit or putted. The indicated putting path is the putting path indicated by the training device of the present invention. When the ball is properly putted, it will track the indicated putting path to sink a putt. The indicated putting path is determined by the measured slope and is the line of sight straight line between the ball and an aiming point on the training device.
A golfer putts to the aiming point and because of the slope of the green and gravity the ball will normally roll along a curved path, the actual putting path. Because of the slope, the face of the putter must be square or perpendicular to the indicated putting path and gravity, the ball rolling along the indicated putting path will curve into the actual putting path which may have the ball curve away from the aiming point before the ball reaches the aiming point. No putt can be made if the golfer does not correctly hit the ball, i.e. impart the right amount of energy to the ball to roll to the cup, and address the putter face squarely to the aim point so the ball rolls, at least initially, towards the aiming point. The indicated putting path is normally a curved path between the ball and cup. To correctly putt, the face of the putter at impact must be square, i.e. perpendicular to the straight line intersecting the ball and the aim point
In most courses the hole is changed daily before the course is open to the public. In most courses the speed of each green, i.e. stimp rating, is taken daily and the stimp readings are available at the golf shop or pro shop. Where weather conditions can change dramatically during the course of the day, e.g. dewy or misty mornings and hot dry afternoons, the stimp readings may be taken two or three times a day. To successfully putt, a golfer must learn to adjust their putting or hitting of the golf ball to accommodate different green conditions which are indicative of different stimp readings. Every golfer has putted a ball to hard for the green conditions (a fast green-normally quiet dry) and has had the ball fly off the green and similarly every golfer has putted a ball too softly for the green conditions (a slow green-normally wet or moist grass, or dew) and had ball roll to only half as far as he she wanted or required to sink a putt.
Although stimp readings are normally available for green conditions, readings on the lay of a green are not available. Greens are normally laid out and maintained with immaculate care. Some greens are as flat as a pancake and horizontal. If the ball is putted directly towards the hole on such greens, i.e. along the direct putting path, the ball will normally roll to and in the cup without deviation, assuming the ball was hit with the right amount of energy. However, most greens are sloped. Thus on a sloped green, even if the green is flat, gravity will effect the ball as it rolls placing a downhill force on the ball and the path of the ball will curve downhill. When putting on such greens, the golfer must compensate for the slope. Thus the putting path is a curved path on such greens. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on the golfer's point of view, skill and experience, many greens have several slopes running in different directions. Thus as the hole is moved day to day and the ball most always lies in a new position on the green during each round, the golfer must learn to read the slope[s] of a green and adjust his or her putting to accommodate for the slope. As a rule, when putting at distances of less than twenty five feet, the golfer will only have a single slope to contend with. With longer putting distances, and even with shorter putting distances on some greens, the golfer may have contend with two or more slopes between the ball and the hold. These are very difficult putts and a lot of luck is required to make the putt.
Most golfers after a little experience will attempt to read green slope[s]. Normally if the putt is a long one the golfer will walk the length of the distance between the ball or around the path, but observing golf etiquette-no walking on the path between the hole and another player's ball, and view the putting path both from the ball and the cup. The golfer will frequently squat down and attempt to read, or at least observe, the slope[s] of the green along the putting path. This can be difficult when the light is even, especially when the sun is overhead or the sky is clouded over, because shadowing is minimal. It is normally easier to read the slope[s] when the sun is low and the sun rays effect shadowing on the surface of green. As mentioned above, the professional caddie will have mapped out the slopes of the green before a tournament and an experience caddie at the courses that have them available, a rarity today, will have mentally mapped the slopes of the greens from experience on the course. However for the great majority of golfers in this world, the use of such caddie's is a rarity and the golfers must learn to read the slopes on their own. It even takes golfers who play the same course week end and week out at least six months to memorize the breaks on the course greens.
The object of the present invention is to provide a golfer with a device that can measure the slope of a particular area of a green. The training device can be used to confirm a golfer's slope reading of a particular area of the green.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for a golfer to read an indicated slope of a particular area of the green and then confirm the reading by measuring the slope with the device of the present invention.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that can give the golfer an aim point for putting to give the indicated putting path so the golfer learns to determine the aim point upon determining the slope. Most golfers will not determine slope in degrees. Most golfers will develop an intuition about the slope and correlate the aim point to the slope. With experience, the golfer will correlate the speed or slowness of the surface and the conditions of the putting surface into his or her determination of the aim point.
A still further object of the present invention is provide a means for a golfer to read the slope of a particular area of the green, to determine the indicated putting path based on the slope reading, and then confirm the slope reading by measuring the slope and confirm the indicated putting path by attempting the putt along the indicated putting path.
A golfer can meet the present objectives by employing the device on a practice putting green to learn how to read green slopes, and/or to determine the indicated putting path, and then confirming slope readings with the device and/or confirming the indicated putting path by putting. A golfer can also use the device during a game assuming his or her partners don't object.


1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates in general to a memory device and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly to a memory device having a reduced size as well as an excellent operating performance and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a manufacturing process for forming a memory device, a whole polysilicon film is deposited and then etched to form word lines. Next, dielectric materials are filled into the spaces between the word lines. However, as the reduction of the sizes of memory devices, the widths of word lines and between which the gaps are reduced as well. As such, the word lines may be short-circuited due to the residual polysilicon between the word lines manufactured by etching processes, caused by an incomplete etching between the word lines, or the widths of word lines are not uniform, resulting in lower reliability of the memory devices. In addition, the reduction of widths of word lines results in poor performances of memory devices.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop memory devices with improved reliability and operating performance.


Many articles of furniture are costly to ship because they are by nature bulky and prone to damage during transport. Therefore, it has been common to make knock down type mass-market furniture. Knock down furniture is fabricated as components, or sub-assemblies, which can be compactly packaged and economically shipped. The furniture is subsequently assembled by a retailer or a consumer using simple tools, such as common wrenches, screwdrivers, hexagonal wrenches, and the like. Most often such furniture can be subsequently disassembled, if desired. However, the advantages of knock down design will not be realized if such a design compromises the article's appearance or function, or if the article is too hard to assemble.
What constitutes a compromise in appearance for a knock down article depends on an esthetic judgment, and that may vary with the individual. Nonetheless, there are some general principles which may be stated. For example, most people would conclude it is esthetically undesirable to have exposed industrial-type metal fasteners on a wooden chair. Similarly, if the knock down design involved significant changes in the proportions or shapes of the parts of a chair, compared to a traditional chair design which was obviously being emulated, then there would be a high risk that consumers would think the chair looked strange, and they would not purchase it.
A knock down design which compromises function becomes evident when the piece of furniture is put into use. A chair may be subjected to very high loads. For instance, the chair may set on an uneven surface, a user may tilt the chair backward on the rear legs, or the chair may fall over onto a hard floor. Consequently, a knock down chair must not only have strength and rigidity when first assembled, but it must maintain such during its lifetime.
In furniture which is factory-assembled, it is possible to use heavy machinery and special processes. It is possible to use tight fits, diverse fasteners, and special adhesives; all to obtain the strength and durability the product demands. In contrast, by the nature of knock down furniture, there will be joints which must be made by unskilled consumers using simple hand tools. Thus, in some poorly designed knock down furniture the joints will be weak and furniture will be flimsy when initially assembled. In other such furniture, joints will loosen with time or even fail during use. In still other furniture, the knock down design may provide good strength, but be too complex for unskilled consumers to assemble correctly. And of course, a piece of knock down furniture has to be economic to manufacture, otherwise the advantage produced by lower packaging and transport costs, compared to a one-piece factory assembled chair, will be offset.
So, it is not easy to make a piece of knock down furniture which satisfactorily meets all the requirements. Of course, there have been many successful designs of knock down furniture. Specialized fasteners have been developed. However, certain designs of furniture by their nature still present problems which are more difficult to overcome than others. For example, joints which are made at obvious locations can be subject to inherently high stresses, as is the case when a cantilevered back rest of a chair is joined to the chair seat. Therefore, there is a continuing search for new knock down concepts and joint designs.


The present invention is directed to a three dimensional (3-D) graphics application programming interface (API) that provides new and improved methods and techniques for communications between application developers and procedural shaders, such as vertex and pixel shaders.
Computer systems are commonly used for displaying graphical objects on a display screen. The purpose of three dimensional (3-D) computer graphics is to create a two-dimensional (2-D) image on a computer screen that realistically represents an object or objects in three dimensions. In the real world, objects occupy three dimensions. They have a real height, a real width and a real depth. A photograph is an example of a 2-D representation of a 3-D space. 3-D computer graphics are like a photograph in that they represent a 3-D world on the 2-D space of a computer screen.
Images created with 3-D computer graphics are used in a wide range of applications from video entertainment games to aircraft flight simulators, to portray in a realistic manner an individual""s view of a scene at a given point in time. Well-known examples of 3-D computer graphics include special effects in Hollywood films such as Terminator II, Jurassic Park, Toy Story and the like.
One industry that has seen a particularly tremendous amount of growth in the last few years is the computer game industry. The current generation of computer games is moving to 3-D graphics in an ever increasing fashion. At the same time, the speed of play is driven faster and faster. This combination has fueled a genuine need for the rapid rendering of 3-D graphics in relatively inexpensive systems.
Rendering and displaying 3-D graphics typically involves many calculations and computations. For example, to render a 3-D object, a set of coordinate points or vertices that define the object to be rendered must be formed. Vertices can be joined to form polygons that define the surface of the object to be rendered and displayed. Once the vertices that define an object are formed, the vertices must be transformed from an object or model frame of reference to a world frame of reference and finally to 2-D coordinates that can be displayed on a flat display device, such as a monitor. Along the way, vertices may be rotated, scaled, eliminated or clipped because they fall outside of a viewable area, lit by various lighting schemes and sources, colorized, and so forth. The processes involved in rendering and displaying a 3-D object can be computationally intensive and may involve a large number of vertices.
To create a 3-D computer graphical representation, the first step is to represent the objects to be depicted as mathematical models within the computer. 3-D models are made up of geometric points within a coordinate system consisting of an x, y and z axis; these axes correspond to width, height, and depth respectively. Objects are defined by a series of points, called vertices. The location of a point, or vertex, is defined by its x, y and z coordinates. When three or more of these points are connected, a polygon is formed. The simplest polygon is a triangle.
3-D shapes are created by connecting a number of 2-D polygons. Curved surfaces are represented by connecting many small polygons. The view of a 3-D shape composed of polygon outlines is called a wire frame view. In sum, the computer creates 3-D objects by connecting a number of 2-D polygons. Before the 3-D object is ultimately rendered on a 2-D display screen, however, the data of sophisticated graphics objects undergoes many different mathematical transformations that implicate considerably specialized equations and processing unique to 3-D representation.
As early as the 1970s, 3-D rendering systems were able to describe the xe2x80x9cappearancexe2x80x9d of objects according to parameters. These and later methods provide for the parameterization of the perceived color of an object based on the position and orientation of its surface and the light sources illuminating it. In so doing, the appearance of the object is calculated therefrom. Parameters further include values such as diffuse color, the specular reflection coefficient, the specular color, the reflectivity, and the transparency of the material of the object. Such parameters are globally referred to as the shading parameters of the object.
Early systems could only ascribe a single value to shading parameters and hence they remained constant and uniform across the entire surface of the object. Later systems allowed for the use of non-uniform parameters (transparency for instance) which might have different values over different parts of the object. Two prominent and distinct techniques have been used to describe the values taken by these non-uniform parameters on the various parts of the object""s surface: procedural shading and texture mapping. Texture mapping is pixel based and resolution dependent.
Procedural shading describes the appearance of a material at any point of a 1-D, 2-D or 3-D space by defining a function (often called the procedural shader) in this space into shading parameter space. The object is xe2x80x9cimmersedxe2x80x9d in the original 1-D, 2-D or 3-D space and the values of the shading parameters at a given point of the surface of the object are defined as a result of the procedural shading function at this point. For instance, procedural shaders that approximate appearance of wood, marble or other natural materials have been developed and can be found in the literature.
The rendering of graphics data in a computer system is a collection of resource intensive processes. The process of shading i.e., the process of performing complex techniques upon set(s) of specialized graphics data structures, used to determine values for certain primitives, such as color, etc. associated with the graphics data structures, exemplifies such a computation intensive and complex process. For each application developer to design these shading techniques for each program developed and/or to design each program for potentially varying third party graphics hardware would be a Herculean task, and would produce much inconsistency.
Consequently, generally the process of shading has been normalized to some degree. By passing source code designed to work with a shader into an application, a shader becomes an object that the application may create/utilize in order to facilitate the efficient drawing of complex video graphics. Vertex shaders and pixel shaders are examples of such shaders.
Prior to their current implementation in specialized hardware chips, vertex and pixel shaders were sometimes implemented wholly or mostly as software code, and sometimes implemented as a combination of more rigid pieces of hardware with software for controlling the hardware. These implementations frequently contained a CPU or emulated the existence of one using the system""s CPU. For example, the hardware implementations directly integrated a CPU chip into their design to perform the processing functionality required of shading tasks. While a CPU adds a lot of flexibility to the shading process because of the range of functionality that a standard processing chip offers, the incorporation of a CPU adds overhead to the specialized shading process. Without today""s hardware state of the art, however, there was little choice.
Today, though, existing advances in hardware technology have facilitated the ability to move functionality previously implemented in software into specialized hardware. As a result, today""s pixel and vertex shaders are implemented as specialized and programmable hardware chips. Exemplary hardware designs of vertex and pixel shader chips are shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and are described later in more detail. These vertex and pixel shader chips are highly specialized and thus do not behave as CPU hardware implementations of the past did.
Thus, a need has arisen for a 3-D graphics API that exposes the specialized functionality of today""s vertex and pixel shaders. In particular, since present vertex shaders are being implemented with a previously unheard of one hundred registers, it would be advantageous to have a register index for indexing the registers of the vertex shader. Also, since realistic simulations require the precision of floating point numbers, it would be advantageous to provide specialized vertex shading functionality with respect to the floating point numbers at a register level. For example, it would be desirable to implement an instruction set that causes the extremely fast vertex shader to return only the fractional portion of floating point numbers. Similarly, with respect to pixel shaders, it would be desirable to provide specialized pixel shading functionality as well. More particularly, it would be desirable to provide a function that performs a linear interpolation mechanism. Furthermore, it would be desirable to use operation modifiers in connection with an instruction set tailored to pixel shaders. For example, negating, remapping, biasing, and other functionality would be extremely useful for many graphics applications for which efficient pixel shading is desirable, yet as they are executed as part of a single instruction they are best expressed as modifiers to that instruction. In short, the above functionality would be advantageous for a lot of graphics operations, and their functional incorporation into already specialized pixel and vertex shader sets of instructions would add tremendous value from the perspective of ease of development and improved performance.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides a three-dimensional (3-D) API for communicating with hardware implementations of vertex shaders and pixel shaders having local registers. With respect to vertex shaders, API communications are provided that may make use of an on-chip register index and API communications are also provided for a specialized function, implemented on-chip at a register level, which outputs the fractional portion(s) of input(s). With respect to pixel shaders, API communications are provided for a specialized function, implemented on-chip at a register level, that performs a linear interpolation function and API communications are provided for specialized modifiers, also implemented on-chip at a register level, that perform modification functions including negating, complementing, remapping, biasing, scaling and saturating. Advantageously, the API communications of the present invention expose very useful on-chip graphical algorithmic elements to a developer while hiding the details of the operation of the vertex shader and pixel shader chips from the developer.
Other features of the present invention are described below.


The present invention relates to a system of locating and identifying underground pipes, such as those which carry gas, water and waste to/from homes and building so that, among other things, these pipes can be avoided by excavating equipment or the like. More particularly, the system of the present invention enables the detection of such objects utilyzing, in combination with other novel elements of this invention, ground-probing RADAR.
This invention further relates to the RADAR detection of underground pipes, for example, and more particularly relates to a system which focuses a characteristic hyperbolic RADAR response received from an underground object, such as a pipe or other object, utilizing synthetic aperture type technologies, and further processes same to accurately determine said object's underground position.
Accurate RADAR-based underground object detection has always been an elusive goal because of the variability of the ground as a conducting medium in three dimensions, i.e., inherent variations in ground layers, density, obstructions, dielectric constant, etc. Water content, in particular, acutely varies the ground's dielectric constant which correspondingly attenuates RADAR signals making consistent detection of targets underground difficult at best. Electromagnetic signals transmitted into the ground and reflected from an object buried therein tend to suffer high signal attenuation resulting in low signal-to-clutter and signal-to-noise ratio. Efforts to improve detection ability have found that while a single frequency of operation may be desirable in a particular type soil, the same frequency may be undesirable in another, frequently misinterpreting said objects as ground clutter by conventional underground radar systems.
In an effort to overcome inadequacies of conventional underground RADAR detection, U.S. Pat. No.3,831,173 discloses a ground radar system which utilizes a transient signal comprising a wide variety of radiated frequencies, Due to the use of the transient signal, effective reflections are received from a wide variety of underground objects such as pipes, utility lines, culverts, ledges, etc., to depths around 10 feet. The '173 system, however, while appropriate for detecting small conducting objects, is basically unable to accurately detect non-conducting objects with cross-sections of less than one or two feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,282 discloses a detector for detecting both metallic and non-metallic objects, based on differences in the dielectric constants of the object and its surrounding medium, in order to give a location of the object. The '282 invention, however, is burdened with difficulty in processing the received data such that accurate object detection and positioning is not achieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,031 discloses a method and apparatus for identifying a target object located in the ground, in the air or under water. The basis within the disclosure for detection and target identification resides in the apparatus use of the phase deviation between the transmitted and received (echo) radio-wave signals. A signal containing a mixture of various frequencies is transmitted and the return signal or signals are analyzed. A detected difference in phase deviation between the particular frequencies received is used to identify the material properties of the object from which the energy is reflected. The '031 apparatus, however, is still plagued with problems when it comes to detecting small non-conducting objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,055 discloses a ground probing RADAR which includes means for displaying echo images of a buried material. The displayed images are capable of providing a depth direction of the buried material and a movement direction of a moving vehicle carrying the RADAR. The RADAR includes first means for forming a hyperbolic echo image of the material, and causing a hyperbolic echo image to be displayed on the display means, second means for forming a false echo image and causing the false echo image to be displayed on the display means, third means for inputting data to the second means to cause a displayed position of the false echo image to be shifted so that a vertex position of the false echo image and expansion opening thereof coincide with those of the echo image of the buried material, and fourth means for calculating a propagation velocity of the electromagnetic waves in the ground on the data indicative of the vertex position and opening expansion of the false echo image when the two displayed echo images coincide with each other. A position of the buried material is detected on the basis of the propagation velocity value calculated by the fourth means.
That is, when electromagnetic waves are emitted from a plurality of points on the ground surface above a buried material, an echo image formed on the basis of data of propagation times of reflected waves at their respective points describes a hyperbola as a result of expansion of the transmitted electromagnetic waves. An operation is carried out to overlap, on the echo image, a false echo image lying in the same coordinate system and consisting of a similar hyperbolic image. If the two echo images are overlapped, a vertex position and an expansion of the opening of the echo image can be determined from the data of the false echo image. Thus, the propagation velocity of electromagnetic waves are calculated from the data that represents the vertex position and the expansion of the opening. The position of the material under the ground is then calculated in relation to the data of propagation time in any position.


The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and a log management method for storing logs of jobs into a storage portion.
In image processing apparatuses such as printers, scanners, or the like, logs of various types of jobs, such as a print job, a scan job, or the like, are stored and accumulated in a storage portion. The logs may include image logs generated based on image data which is the processing target of the job. In this type of image processing apparatus, it is known that, when the storage capacity of the storage portion in which the logs are stored has become equal to or lower than a predetermined amount, logs are deleted in order from the oldest log.


The majority of the papermaking pulp produced in the world today is produced by the so-called kraft method. Kraft pulping produces strong fibers, a fact that has given the method its name. This method, however, has the drawback of being very capital intensive. This is due to the need for a very complex system for chemicals recovery and very large unit sizes in the reactors. The reactors have in fact become so big that controlling the actual reactions and liquor circulations has become extremely difficult. The huge unit sizes in all parts of the process also leads to very large in-process inventory and a process that reacts very slowly to e.g. grade changes, etc. Any improvement that would lead to a faster process with shorter in-process delays would therefore have to be seen as a big step forward.
Another problem regarding the kraft method is the use of sulfur, which leads to larger amounts of chemicals being in circulation, odor problems, as well as making the recovery of spent chemicals extra complicated. A process without sulfur would make it possible to have much more efficient burning processes for the dissolved organic material in the process.
In order to address the problems of slow and cumbersome processes and to get rid of the sulfur, and often all inorganic chemicals in the process, several researchers have proposed the use of organic solvents to act as a cooking chemical and dissolve the lignin that holds the cellulose fibers together in wood.
According to J. Gullichsen, C-J Fogelholm, Book 6A, Papermaking Science and Technology, Fapet, 1999, Helsinki, Finland, p. B411, the pulping methods using organic solvents can be classified as follows:                Autohydrolysis methods, in which organic acids released from the wood by thermal treatment act as delignification agents        Acid catalyzed methods, in which acid agents are added to the material        Methods using phenols        Alkaline organosolv methods        Sulfite and sulfide cooking in organic solvents        Cooking using oxidation of lignin in organic solvent
The basic idea in autohydrolysis, as explained for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,104 (Kleinert), is to cook the wood in a solvent at high temperature. The high temperature leads to hydrolysis of sugars present in the wood, thus releasing acids. These acids are then supposed to break down and dissolve lignin together with the solvent. The drawback of this process is that very harsh conditions are needed in order to properly delignify the wood. This leads to yield losses and low pulp quality. Others have attempted to improve on the basic idea in order to improve the pulp quality. One such attempt is the so-called IDE process described in EP 0 635 080. The idea is to limit the drop in pH in order to salvage pulp quality. The process is proposed to achieve this by cooking using solvent in a countercurrent manner, thus removing the acids as they are formed early in the cook, and by adding alkali to maintain the pH as desired. The method has never been possible to implement on a commercial scale, possibly due to the large amount of solvent needed to maintain the proposed countercurrent flow. Further, even in the laboratory it is not well suited for all wood species.
If pulp quality is not seen as a major criteria (emphasis on by-product value), acid can be added to the system to increase the speed of the pulping process. Processes have for instance been developed that use acetic and formic acid as delignification agents. The drawback for these processes is that there is no market for the inferior quality pulp, and that severe corrosion problems arise in the equipment.
The so-called Organocell process has been closest to large-scale commercialization of the solvent-using pulping methods. This process is a variant of alkaline organosolv pulping, using simultaneous action of soda-anthraquinone and organic solvent on the lignin. The process seemed to give acceptable pulp quality in the laboratory, but when tried on mill scale the results were not satisfactory.
All prior pulping methods employing organic solvents have been attempts to develop substitutes for the presently dominating kraft pulping method. However, kraft pulping has been constantly improved upon for the last 100 years and is today quite efficient and thus hard to compete with. This can be seen from the fact that no solvent pulping method has proven to be commercially viable. There is, however, still room for improvement in the kraft process itself. For example, the odors of the process are seen as a problem, as is the fact that the reactors are becoming increasingly large and hard to control. Steps have been taken to improve alkaline kraft pulping. One such method is rapid steam phase pulping. The idea is to impregnate the wood with all the alkaline chemicals needed for the reactions in an impregnation stage, followed by heating in a water steam phase. This would make the reactors smaller and partly remedy the problems with odor as described in Canadian Patent No. 725,072. However, this method has not demonstrated enough improvement over the kraft process in liquid phase—yield increase has been very small and reactors still very big, leading to too high chip columns in vapor phase, in turn leading to compaction and collapsing of the digester content, thus plugging flows and destroying pulp quality.
In light of the current research it is clear that the previous research has failed largely because the true role of the organic solvent was not identified. In the current research it has been clearly seen that organic solvents do not participate in the reactions themselves as a solvent of lignin or active chemical, but in fact only have the impact of providing such a reaction environment as to boost the efficiency of other delignifying chemicals.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-reflection film which is arranged for the purpose that external light is prevented from the reflection on the surface of a window, a display, and the like. Particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-reflection film which is arranged on the surface of a display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a CRT display, an organic electroluminescence display (ELD), a plasma display (PDP), a surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED), and a field-emission display (FED).
Particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-reflection film which is arranged on the surface of a liquid crystal display (LCD). Further, the present invention relates to an anti-reflection film which is arranged on the surface of a transmission type liquid crystal display (LCD).
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, displays are used in the environment into which external light and the like enter regardless of whether displays are used in indoor or outdoor. The incident light such as the external light causes regular reflection on the display surface and the like so that the reflected image is mixed with the displayed image and the quality of display screen is reduced. Therefore, it is essential to provide a display surface and the like with an anti-reflection function, and further, improvements of the anti-reflection function as well as a complex of functions other than the anti-reflection function are being demanded.
In general, an anti-reflection function is obtained as a result of the formation of an anti-reflection layer with a multilayer structure which repeatedly has high refractive index layers and low refractive index layers that are made of a transparent material such as metal oxide on a transparent substrate. The anti-reflection layer composed of the multilayer structure can be formed by a dry film-forming method such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD).
In the case where an anti-reflection layer is formed by a dry film-forming method, while there is an advantage of finely controlling the thickness of a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer, there is a problem of low productivity since the film is formed in a vacuum, which is thus unsuitable for mass production. On the other hand, as a method of forming an anti-reflection layer, the production of anti-reflection film by a wet film-forming method with the use of a coating liquid in which a large area, continuous production, and cost reduction are possible, has been attracting attention.
In addition, in an anti-reflection film in which such anti-reflection layer is arranged on a transparent substrate, the surface is relatively flexible, therefore, in order to give hardness to the surface, a technique in which a hard coat layer that is obtained by curing of an acrylic-based material is arranged and an anti-reflection layer is formed on the hard coat layer is generally used. This hard coat layer is provided with a high level of surface hardness, luster, transparency, and excoriation resistance by the acrylic-based material.
In the case where an anti-reflection layer is formed by a wet film-forming method, the anti-reflection layer is produced with the application of at least a low refractive index layer on a hard coat layer that is obtained by curing of the ionizing radiation curable materials, and the wet film-forming method has a merit of inexpensive production in comparison with a dry film-forming method, and thus, anti-reflection layers produced by such a wet film-forming method are widely distributed in the market.
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With the arrangement of an anti-reflection film onto a display surface, by the anti-reflection function of the anti-reflection film, the reflection of external light can be suppressed to improve the contrast of the display in a bright place. Further, the transmittance can be improved at the same time, therefore, an image can be displayed brighter than usual. In addition, the anti-reflection film is also expected to have an energy-saving effect that can suppress the power consumption of the backlight, and the like.
As for an anti-reflection film, an anti-reflection film with low production costs is demanded. Further, an anti-reflection film having excellent anti-reflection performance or excellent optical properties free from interference irregularity is demanded. In addition, an anti-reflection film with high excoriation resistance is demanded since the anti-reflection film is arranged on a display surface. In addition, an anti-reflection film having antistatic function for the prevention of dust adhesion is demanded. In the present invention, the problem to be solved is to provide an anti-reflection film with low production costs, having excellent optical properties and excellent excoriation resistance and antistatic function.


Axle driving units incorporating hydraulic stepless transmissions have been used to drive the axles of self-propelled vehicles for many years. Generally such units include a hydraulic pump driven by an input shaft and a hydraulic motor having an output shaft drivingly connected through a differential to a pair of oppositely disposed axles. An example of such a unit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,907. However, certain self-propelled vehicles perform tasks which require tight turning capabilities and conventional hydraulic transmissions which drive a pair of axles through a differential gear assembly are not particularly suited for such purposes. Instead, vehicles have been provided with axles which are independently driven by separate axle drive units such that turns are accomplished by rotating drive wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle at different speeds and/or in different directions. Further, certain such axle driving units for independently driving single axle have incorporated hydraulic transmissions. However, such axle driving units have required housings which are of substantial height and substantial width in order to accommodate the hydraulic pump and motor and the other necessary components. Accordingly, vehicles have required large body frames in order to accommodate two such axle driving units in a side-by-side disposition, thus ruling out use of the units on many small vehicles. Further, even where a large body frame is provided, the center of gravity of the vehicle tends to be higher than is desirable for good roadability due to the height of the axle driving units and the need to dispose the prime mover of the vehicle in an elevated position to efficiently drive the units. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,215 a dual hydrostatic drive walk-behind mower is disclosed, but it can be readily seen that the axle driving units of this mower require substantial vertical and lateral space such that a large body frame is required. It will also be noted that due to the height of the transmission housings, the engine must be disposed in an elevated position which results in the vehicle having an undesirably high center of gravity. Moreover, multiple driving belts are required to drive the input shafts of the axle driving units. (See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,809,796 and 5,078,222). In U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,508, a transmission system for working vehicles is disclosed which partially solves the problem of an undesirable center of gravity by reorienting the engine such that the crank shaft is horizontally disposed. However, the axle driving mechanism still occupies substantial vertical space on the body frame, making the center of gravity undesirably high. Further, reorientation of the engine complicates the drive belt systems for driving both the axle driving units and the mower blades.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an axle driving apparatus for independently driving axles on opposite sides of a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an axle driving apparatus which includes side-by-side axle drive units incorporating hydraulic transmissions which require limited vertical or lateral space such that the axle driving apparatus can be used by small self-propelled vehicles, and such that vehicles utilizing such axle driving apparatus define low centers of gravity for improved roadability.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an axle driving apparatus having input shafts and a drive belt system which facilitates drivingly connecting the apparatus to the prime mover of the vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an axle driving apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.


Voltage sampling is traditionally used for analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion. In a voltage sampler, a sampling switch is placed between a signal source and a capacitor. Between two sampling moments, the capacitor voltage tracks the signal voltage accurately. At the sampling moment, the switch is turned off to hold the capacitor voltage. The two processes become increasingly difficult when the signal frequency increases. For a given accuracy, thermal noise and switching noise set a minimum allowable capacitance while the tracking speed set a maximum allowable capacitance or switch resistance. It becomes impossible when the maximum is smaller than the minimum. Moreover, the clock jitter and finite turning-off speed (nonzero sampling aperture) make the sampling timing inaccurate. In fact, the bandwidth of a voltage sampling circuit must be much larger than the signal bandwidth. This makes direct sampling of high frequency radio signal extremely difficult. Sub-sampling can reduce the sampling rate but not the bandwidth of the sampling circuit and not the demands on small clock jitter and small sampling aperture.


Flame safeguard systems that utilize a flame sensor and amplifiers for control of valve means in a burner system have been utilized for many years. Typically these systems use discrete component electronic systems in their amplifiers, and the amplifiers in turn ultimately control a relay. The relay in turn is used to switch power for an electromagnetically operated fuel valve. As the electronic and electromechanical types of flame safeguard systems evolved, the reliability and safety of the systems has been of prime concern. As a result of this concern, systems and equipment have been developed which are very reliable and allow the flame safeguard system to accurately and reliably control the operation of the main fuel valve to a burner in response to the presence or absence of flame at the burner.
In recent years microcomputer based systems have evolved. These systems utilize very small and complex integrated circuits. The microcomputers, while having many capabilities, have a frailty in that they are subject to many more types of failures than discrete component electronic circuits. The utilization of a microcomputer in a flame safeguard control system requires a high degree of care, and the use of special safety systems. In a prior art type of microcomputer based flame safeguard system as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,334, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the microcomputer and flame amplifier both controlled power to the main fuel valve relay. This type of redundant circuitry is expensive, and may be improved upon by the present invention.


The invention relates to a high-pressure fan which comprises an electric motor provided with a shaft that goes through it; blade wheels which are mainly made of a carbon fibre-based composite material, arranged on both sides of the electric motor and mounted directly on the shaft of the electric motor; fan housings surrounding the blade wheels; and an intermediate channel which connects a pressure opening of one fan housing to a suction opening of the other fan housing, the intermediate channel being integrated into the base structure of the high-pressure fan and located substantially below the electric motor and the blade wheels mounted to it.
This type of compact high-pressure fan except for the intermediate channel structure integrated to the base structure is known from FI patent 101564. When the blade wheels are made of a mainly carbon fibre-based composite material, the weight of the blade wheel is considerably reduced in comparison with the conventional steel and aluminium blade wheels. In spite of this, it has been possible to design the blade wheels at least as strong as when using the conventional materials. Due to the light weight of the blade wheels, they also do not require separate bearings and the bearings of the electric motor suffice. Due to the light weight of the rotating parts and the possibility to use smaller slide bearings instead of roller bearings, it has also been possible to raise considerably the rotation rate of the fan. The first critical rotation rate of the high-pressure fan is at the same time also at a higher level than that of the conventional solutions, which facilitates the use of rotating control in the entire area of operation, the control being easy to implement by means of a frequency converter.
The two series-connected steps of the high-pressure fan, i.e. the entities formed by each blade wheel and fan housing, are in this solution according to FI patent 101564 connected to each other by means of an intermediate channel running over the entire fan structure.
Even though this known high-pressure fan structure provides the significant advantages listed above, problems are still caused by said intermediate channel that requires a lot of space and causes vibration especially at high rotation rates.
An intermediate channel structure integrated to the base structure is in turn known from SU invention report 1710849.


The invention relates generally to dielectric materials, and, in particular, to rare-earth-element-based titanate systems.
A dielectric material is an insulating material that does not conduct electrons easily and thus has the ability to store electrical energy when a potential difference exists across it. Common dielectric materials include glass, mica, mineral oil, paper, paraffin, polystyrene, plastics, phenolics, epoxies, aramids, and porcelain. In electronic circuits, dielectric materials may be employed as capacitors. High dielectric constant materials may be used in radar or microwave applications and for circuit miniaturization as the speed of propagation of signal is related to the dielectric constant of the medium through which it passes. If the loss tangent for a material of a given frequency signal is very low, the electrical loss related to the hysteresis decreases resulting in an efficient signal transmission.
There is a need for a dielectric material that has one or more desirable characteristics, such as, a high dielectric constant, a low loss tangent, the ability to withstand a wide range of temperatures, the ability to operate in wide range of frequencies, voltages, atmospheric conditions, and pressures, and the capability for use in the manufacture of composite structures that can be used alone or in combination with other materials.


The present invention relates to a green concrete saw, or a saw for use in cutting grooves into wet concrete. The saw includes a base onto which a circular saw blade and engine are mounted, with a control handle that allows an operator control over the moving direction of the saw. The circular saw blade is rotated by the engine so as to cut grooves along a path of movement of the saw in the green or wet concrete. Accordingly, the base generally includes wheels that allow for easier movement of the saw.
However, conventional green concrete saws are generally limited in their ability to adjust the height of circular saw blade relative to the ground or the wet concrete. As such, it is difficult to control the quality of the grooves cut into the wet concrete. Thus, there is a need for a green concrete saw with improved precision in setting the elevation of the circular saw blade relative to the wet concrete.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of fabricating a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET), and more particularly to a method of forming a field oxide film which provides hyperfine device isolation on a Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) substrate by means of Local Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS).
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent remarkable progress in semiconductor devices, demand is increasing for an LSI on which both digital and analog circuits are mounted, and which performs at high speed and with reduced power consumption. To meet this demand, semiconductor devices are required to be integrated more densely. As the devices to be mounted increase in number, isolation regions must be narrower and smaller.
A conventional method of fabricating a MOSFET in an SOI substrate by means of LOCOS is illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2F, each of which schematically shows a cross-section of the MOSFET at a fabrication step. Descriptions of the steps are as follows:
a) A pad oxide film 52 of about 5-10 nm is deposited on an SOI substrate 51. Then an active nitride film 53 of about 50-150 nm is deposited on the pad oxide film 52 as an oxidation-resistant mask (see FIG. 2A).
b) Openings are formed in the laminated layers of the pad oxide film 52 and the active nitride film 53 at positions where field oxide films 54 are to be provided, by a conventional lithography technique (see FIG. 2B).
c) The field oxide films 54 are formed on the SOI substrate 51 by dry oxidation (a heat treatment conducted in a dry oxygen atmosphere) (see FIG. 2C).
d) The remaining portions of the active nitride film 53 and the pad oxide film 52 are removed (see FIG. 2D).
e) Gate electrodes 55 are provided by a conventional process for fabricating MOSFETs (see FIG. 2E).
f) SiO2 side walls 57 are formed by first providing an SiO2 film on the substrate and then etching back. Impurities are then introduced into the substrate by means of ion implantation to form source/drain regions 58. Finally, the impurities in the source/drain regions 58 are activated by RTA (rapid thermal annealing) and a MOSFET with low source/drain resistance is obtained (see FIG. 2F).
In the above-described conventional method, when the width of a field oxidation region (i.e., the distance between adjacent devices (Wi in FIG. 2B)) is reduced to 0.2 xcexcm or less (xe2x80x9csub-quarter micronxe2x80x9d), there arises a problem of insufficiency of an oxidation amount in the dry oxidation process and a resultant insufficiency in thickness of the thermal oxidation film. One of the reasons for this insufficiency in the oxidation amount is stress generated in the SOI substrate at the time of forming the openings for the field oxidation regions (in the step b).
To obtain a sufficient amount of oxidation, an oxidizing temperature may be increased and oxidizing time may be lengthened. However, thermal oxidation at a high temperature for a long time will cause stress in the whole SOI substrate (i.e., in the wafer). This stress may induce defects in crystals in the substrate or cause warping of the substrate. Thus, if the oxidation is conducted at high temperature for a long time to ensure a sufficient amount of oxidation in hyperfine isolation regions of about 0.2 xcexcm, the amount of oxidation will be excessively increased at areas where the design rules are less strict (e.g., peripheral circuits); i.e., the device isolation regions at those areas may be relatively wide. The thickness of the silicon layer of the SOI substrate is thinner than the conventional silicon substrate (silicon wafer). For example, the typical thickness of the silicon layer of the SOI substrate is about several nm, while the typical thickness of the conventional silicon substrate is, for example, about 625 xcexcm. Therefore, the increase of amount of oxidation may significantly cause stress in the peripheral circuit regions of the LSI, in particular, formed in the SOI, and thus cause increases in leakage currents, for example. Such effects may adversely affect the operating characteristics of the LSI which is formed on an SOI substrate.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to obtain a sufficient amount of oxidation, without changing oxidation conditions such as temperature or time, during forming of device isolation regions of 0.2 xcexcm or less by thermal oxidation.
To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a method of fabricating a MOSFET, the method comprising:
(a) preparing an SOI substrate;
(b) depositing an oxide film on the SOI substrate;
(c) depositing a nitride film on the oxide film;
(d) forming an opening in the nitride film and oxide film at a predetermined region, at which a device isolation region is to be formed, by lithography for exposing a surface of the SOI substrate;
(e) irradiating the substantially the entire area of the silicon substrate with Ar ions;
(f) forming a field oxide film by dry oxidation; and
(g) removing remaining portions of the nitride film and the oxide film.
In a second aspect of the present invention, Si ions are used in place of the Ar ions in the first aspect.
A third aspect of the present invention is a method for fabricating a MOSFET, the method comprising:
(a) preparing an SOI substrate having a structure of silicon layer/buried oxide/substrate;
(b) depositing an oxide film on the SOI substrate;
(c) depositing a nitride film on the oxide film;
(d) forming an opening in the nitride film and oxide film at a predetermined region, at which a device isolation region is to be formed, by lithography for exposing a surface of the SOI substrate;
(e) irradiating substantially the entire area of the SOI substrate with at least one of Ar ions and Si ions for implanting the at least one of Ar ions and Si ions into the silicon layer of the SOI substrate in the vicinity of the surface exposed by the step of forming the opening, the nitride film and the oxide film serving as a mask;
(f) forming a field oxide film by dry oxidation; and
(g) removing remaining portions of the nitride film and the oxide film.
In each aspect, the thickness of the oxide film is preferably about 5-10 nm, and the thickness of the oxidation-resistant nitride film provided on the oxide film is preferably about 50-150 nm. The ion implantation is preferably conducted at an implantation energy of 40-50 keV, and implantation dose of 1xc3x971014 to 5xc3x971015 cmxe2x88x922.
Through the ion implantation under these conditions, the regions of the substrate where the openings are formed become amorphous, while defects in the substrate at the regions where devices are to be mounted can be avoided. Therefore, the field oxidation is enhanced, and the thickness of the thermal oxidation film will be sufficient even at the device isolation regions having openings of 0.2 xcexcm or less. Further, no harmful effects will be caused to the electric characteristics of the device.


According to the prior art of a wrench holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,063, it comprises a flat main frame which has two pieces of plates protruded from its both sides on the front. There is a plurality of recesses symmetrically defined on the two plates for wrenches to be placed. Each opening of the recess has a hook, and the wrenches are prevented falling from the recesses by the hooks. There are certain disadvantages from the prior art:
1. Wrenches are not able to be firmly held in the recesses with only two plates and simple-designed recesses on the main frame.
2. The holder can only be laid down due to the flat design of the main frame. Because the wrench holder is not standable, it causes inconvenient for users to choose proper wrenches.


1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments relate to a method of displaying information or a user interface (UI) by a device, and the device, and more particularly, to a method of displaying appropriate information or an appropriate UI on a user device and the user device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When using various appliances such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet personal computer (PC), a handheld PC, an electronic book terminal, a digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device, or a smart television (TV), a user may arrange a widget or an application execution icon on a background screen or a home screen.
However, according to the related art, a user background screen or a home screen of a user device is fixed regardless of information desired by a user, thus providing unwanted information or an unwanted UI to a user.


Development of substances used in a variety of applications often requires an understanding of how the substances move through materials. For example, an ability of a substance (e.g., drugs, chemicals treatments, and various particulates) to diffuse through a semi-permeable material construct can provide insight into an effectiveness or a toxicity of the substance, as well as characteristics of the material construct. In some implementations, diffusion cells can be used to examine such parameters.


This invention concerns the temperature measurement of hot gases within a vessel having a hot surface which radiates microwave energy. The method is particularly suited to gases laden with entrained solids.
Generally temperatures inside of furnaces, reactors, incinerators, and the like are measured by optical or infrared pyrometers since the temperatures involved may exceed the capabilities of, e.g., thermocouples. These optical or infrared pyrometers are aimed at the point of interest through a sight hole or inspection door. In the case of modern coal gasification reactors which operate under significant pressure, transparent windows of quartz and the like, can be used. However the harsh environment within the reactor makes it extremely difficult to keep these transparent windows clear for extended periods.
Many of the problems of such prior art are overcome by the use of a microwave radiometer to sense microwave energy emitted from a heated vessel. As described, e.g., in U.S. 4,568,199, incorporated herein by reference, the sensed energy is converted into a signal indicative thereof, and the amplitude of the signal is measured as an indication of the general temperature inside the vessel. This signal measures not only the temperature of the gases within the vessel, but is influenced by the temperature and microwave absorption properties of any suspended solids, and also by the radiation from any refractory or slag lining in the vessel which will have a temperature which will decrease as the distance increases from the hottest surface of the refractory. These influences tend to dampen the ability to measure rapid temperature fluctuations as may occur within the vessel, not only with regard to actual temperature of the gases, but also in creating a time lag as the temperatures within the entrained solids and in the refractory equilibrate with the temperature of the gases at their surface. For some applications, such as chemical conversion processes, it would be highly desirable to obtain a signal that would indicate the temperature of the gases and just the surface, of any entrained solids in contact with such gases (which surfaces would virtually be at the same temperature), and wherein such signal is capable of tracking rapid fluctuations in said temperature. Such a method has now been found.


The present invention is a continuation-in-part application of my application Ser. No. 750,171, filed Dec. 13, 1976 and now abandoned.
This invention relates generally to portable containers for food and more particularly to an insulated, pliable lunch bag adapted for carrying food and drinks while protecting them from deterioration.
Portable containers for carrying food have been known for many years. The most popular containers still widely in use today are lunch boxes. Containers of this type, while somewhat satisfactory in some instances, are characterized by a disadvantage in that their body is of a rigid metallic or plastic construction and in that the food items placed therein are frequently susceptible to deterioration or soft drinks become undesirably warm in a relatively short period of time, especially in hot weather. Other types of food containers in form of bags or the like receptacles constructed from fabric or plastic materials which constitute the closest prior art of which I am aware have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,289,254 to Eagles and 2,667,198 to Klein. However, such bags have the common disadvantage of lacking pliability necessary for being folded or rolled up when empty. Consequently their overall size remains substantially the same after the food items have been removed which renders such bags somewhat cumbersome and inconvenient as they require to be hand-carried in empty condition. Moreover, the constitutional features of such bags are distinct from those of the lunch bag of this invention.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to packaging of electronic devices in the form of semiconductor dice. More particularly, the present invention relates to embodiments of an interposer for mounting a semiconductor die, wherein the interposer includes flexible solder pad elements configured for attachment to a carrier substrate or to the semiconductor die. The present invention further relates to materials and methods for forming the interposer.
2. State of the Art
An electronic device in the form of a semiconductor die or chip is conventionally manufactured of materials such as silicon, germanium, or gallium arsenide. Circuitry is formed on an active surface of the semiconductor die and may include further levels of circuitry within the die itself. Due to the materials used and the intricate nature of construction, semiconductor dice are highly susceptible to physical damage or contamination from environmental conditions including, for example, moisture. In order to protect a semiconductor die from environmental conditions, it is commonly enclosed within a package that provides hermetic sealing and prevents environmental elements from physically contacting the semiconductor die.
In recent years, the demand for more compact electronic devices has increased, and this trend has led to the development of so called “chip-scale packages” (CSPs). One exemplary CSP design is typified by mounting a semiconductor die to a substrate, termed an interposer, having substantially the same dimensions as the semiconductor die. Bond pads of the semiconductor die are electrically connected to bond pads on a first surface of the interposer, and the semiconductor die is encased within an encapsulant material. Conductive pathways, which may comprise a combination of traces and vias, extend from the interposer bond pads to a second, opposing side of the interposer where they terminate in external electrodes to which further electrical connections are made. Typically, a CSP is then mounted to a carrier substrate, such as a circuit board having a number of other electronic devices attached thereto.
Electrically connecting the bond pads of a semiconductor die to the bond pads of a CSP interposer generally involves using one of two types of interconnection methods, depending on the manner in which the semiconductor die is mounted. As shown by FIG. 1, a CSP 2 is configured with the first interconnection method by mounting a semiconductor die 4 to an interposer 6 with die bond pads 8 in a face-up orientation, and electrically connecting die bonds pads 8 to interposer bond pads 10 with bond wires 12. As shown by FIG. 2, CSP 2′ is configured with the second interconnection method by mounting semiconductor die 4 with die bond pads 8 in a face-down or flip-chip orientation, and electrically connecting die bond pads 8 directly to interposer bond pads 10 with conductive elements, such as bumps 14, formed of solder or a conductive adhesive material. Once the interconnection method used for CSP 2 or CSP 2′ is complete, semiconductor die 4 is encased within an encapsulant material 15 such as a polymer-based molding compound.
Further, FIGS. 1 and 2 show there are generally two types of external electrode structures used for mounting CSPs to a carrier substrate 16. CSP 2 of FIG. 1 is configured as a land grid array (LGA) type package, wherein the external electrodes comprise solder pads 18 that are intended to be directly attached to corresponding solder pads 20 on a carrier substrate 16. In FIG. 2, CSP 2′ is configured as a ball grid array (BGA) type package, wherein the external electrodes comprise solder ball pads 22 having solder balls 24 formed thereon, such that solder balls 24 will be attached to the solder pads 20 on carrier substrate 16.
Although CSPs of the type described above have provided a compact and economical approach to packaging of semiconductor dice, they still present certain disadvantages, especially in terms of the LGA or BGA electrode structures used for mounting CSPs to a carrier substrate.
During the operation of an electronic device configured as a CSP, for example, the functioning of the circuits within the semiconductor die and resistance in the circuit connections of the semiconductor die, interposer, and carrier substrate generate heat. This heating results in the expansion and contraction of all of these components as temperatures rise and fall. Because the semiconductor die, interposer, and carrier substrate are made of different materials exhibiting different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), they expand and contract at different rates during thermal cycling. This mismatch in thermal expansion rates places stress on the electrode structures joining the CSP interposer to the carrier substrate, and may eventually cause cracks in the electrode structures leading to the failure of electrical connections.
This thermal stress may be especially problematic with a CSP configured as an LGA type package as in FIG. 1, because the stress is concentrated within the relatively small thickness H of the solder pads 18 between interposer 6 and carrier substrate 16. With a CSP configured as a BGA type package as in FIG. 2, the thermal stress may be more effectively absorbed by being spread across the increased thickness H′ provided by the solder balls 24. However, because modem circuitry layouts tend to require increasing numbers of I/Os, the external electrodes on a CSP must be very densely spaced, and there are physical limits to the minimum spacing that may be attained when forming solder balls 24. The conventional process of printing and reflowing solder paste on solder ball pads 22 to form solder balls 24, for example, requires that solder ball pads 22 must be spaced at a pitch of about 0.4 mm to ensure reliable formation without bridging. Furthermore, high I/O CSPs require the use of smaller diameter solder balls that may not provide a thickness H′ sufficient to overcome thermal induced stress failures. Forming a CSP as a BGA type package also includes the additional processing required to form solder balls 24, which is undesirable in terms of mass-scale production.
Another problem associated with prior art package interposers is that the LGA or BGA type external electrode structures are typically formed entirely of metal or metal alloys and are, therefore, rigid. In many cases, one or both of the interposer and the carrier substrate to which it is to be mounted may have uneven surfaces or may become warped by thermal stresses during attachment of a CSP by solder reflow. When this occurs, the space between the interposer and the carrier substrate may vary, and the rigid construction of LGA or BGA type external electrodes in contact with the carrier substrate at narrower spaces may prevent contact by external electrodes at wider spaces.
In view of the foregoing, what is needed is an interposer for a semiconductor die package such as a CSP that is simple and inexpensive to produce and overcomes the problems associated with the prior art external electrode structures used to mount the interposer to a carrier substrate.


This invention relates to embossing devices, specifically to a method for placing embossed braille markings on currency notes by marking labels to affix to currency notes. Applications could include, but are not limited to, marking United States currency notes, the currency notes of other nations, and currency note substitutes such as checks, coupons, travelers checks, and money orders for the benefit of visually challenged people.