Abstract: There is provided an RF sputtering film forming method of forming a compound film having a stable composition by use of stable plasma with a broad process window to thus facilitate composition control of the compound film. In the RF sputtering film forming method, an alternating voltage or alternating current is applied to a part or all of walls positioned on the outside of a space formed between a wafer and a target, or an electron temperature in the plasma is reduced by oscillating the RF power in a pulse fashion, or a sputtering gas is composed of at least one kind of gases of helium, neon, xenon, and krypton, or a minus voltage is applied to a part or all of the walls positioned on the outside of the space formed between the wafer and the target.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a memory cell, a column switch for transmitting data to a bit line, a sense amplifier for amplifying data, a precharging circuit for charging the bit line, and a control unit. The control unit controls the transfer switch in the memory cell, the column switch, the sense amplifier, and the precharging circuit so as to differentiate the control timings of these circuits between a write operation and a read operation. For example, the column switch is turned on after the transfer switch is turned on and before the amplification of the sense amplifier is started in a write operation. Here, the data retained in the memory cell are rewritten into write data before amplified by the sense amplifier. This minimizes the data inversion time and heightens the speed of write operations. The power consumption can be reduced since the circuits optimally operate in accordance with the operating modes.

Abstract: An exchange identifies a destination telephone number dialed by a subscriber, accesses a database access unit to determine whether the subscriber performs data communication or speech communication based on the identified destination telephone number, suspends a call waiting service when the subscriber performs data communication service and activates the call waiting service when the subscriber performs speech communication.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cell units each of which includes a plurality of non-volatile memory cells capable of having data electrically rewritten; a storage unit; and an access inhibiting circuit. The storage unit stores therein the defect information of the memory cell unit not normally operating. The access inhibiting circuit judges the condition of the memory cell unit within the device according to the defect information stored in the storage unit. Access to the memory cell unit not normally operating is inhibited in accordance with the result of the judgement. Since the device can control the information of the memory cell unit not normally operating by itself, users of the device need not manage the defective memory cell unit. Consequently, the usability of the device is enhanced and the cost of a system mounting the device is curtailed.

Abstract: A wave receiving apparatus has a receiver unit for receiving a wave arrived at a predetermined aperture, together with information as to a position inside the aperture. A weighting processing unit performs a weighting process for received signals derived in the receiver unit with a plurality of types of weighting functions where a position inside the aperture is given in the form of a variable. An arithmetic unit performs an operation including an arithmetic operation in which a travelling direction of the wave arriving at the aperture, or a position of a generating source of the wave, is evaluated in accordance with a plurality of weighted receive signals derived through the weighting process of the weighting processing unit.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a polycrystalline semiconductor layer includes the steps of: preparing a base substrate; forming a first semiconductor layer on a surface of the base substrate; forming a first polycrystalline semiconductor layer by applying an energy beam to the first semiconductor layer; etching a surface layer of the first polycrystalline semiconductor layer; and after the etching process, forming a second semiconductor layer on a surface of the first polycrystalline semiconductor layer without exposing the surface of the first polycrystalline semiconductor layer to an atmospheric air. The final polycrystalline semiconductor layer has a high film quality.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical amplifier and an optical communication system applied to WDM (wavelength division multiplexing). The optical amplifier includes an optical amplifying medium to which WDM signal light obtained by wavelength division multiplexing a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths is supplied, a pumping unit for pumping the optical amplifying medium such that the medium gives a gain to the WDM signal light, a feedback loop for controlling the pumping unit so that the gain is maintained constant, and an optical attenuator for giving a variable attenuation to the WDM signal light. Through the structure of the present invention, it becomes possible to provide an optical amplifier which can maintain constant the optical output level per channel of WDM and can maintain the gain characteristic constant.

Abstract: A data reproducing unit reproduces data read by a first reading unit from a storage medium. A storage unit stores additional information corresponding to data stored on the storage medium. The additional information is read by the second reading unit and reproduced by an additional information reproducing unit. A control unit controls such that the data is reproduced by the data reproducing unit in synchronism with the reproduction of the additional information by the additional information reproducing unit.

Abstract: A distance measuring device using markers and capable of accurately measuring distance irrespective of the distance to an object. An optical system converges light from markers affixed to an object on the light receiving surface of a light receiving section. The light receiving section generates an image signal by photoelectric conversion and outputs the generated signal. First marker image acquiring means acquires images of markers, and second marker image acquiring means also acquires images of markers. Selecting means selects the output of the first marker image acquiring means if the distance to the object is short, and selects the images acquired by the second marker image acquiring means if the distance to the object is large. Based on the distance between the marker images selected by the selecting means, computing means computes the distance to the object by trigonometry.

Abstract: In a training method in a time domain equalizer provided in a digital data transmission system for updating tap coefficients in the time domain equalizer so that an error between the tap coefficients and channel target characteristic becomes zero, the training method includes steps of: obtaining a first sum of the tap coefficients of the channel target characteristic before a rectangular window is provided to the tap coefficients, and storing the first sum in a memory; obtaining a second sum of the tap coefficients of the channel target characteristic after the rectangular window was provided to the tap coefficients; subtracting the second sum from the first sum, and dividing a resultant value of subtraction by the numbers of the tap coefficients existing within the rectangular window; and obtaining each of tap coefficients of the channel target characteristic by adding a divided value to each tap coefficient existing within the rectangular window.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical subscriber network system which can secure dual construction of optical transmission/reception sections of optical network units, specification of a failed faulty point in optical transmission lines and reception circuits of the optical network units and regular timing transmission of upstream data. The optical subscriber network system has a passive optical network construction wherein a plurality of network units are accommodated in a station apparatus through an optical transmission line using a passive optical element, and includes bypass transmission lines for mutual supervision control between the network units. A network unit mutual supervision control signal is communicated between the network units through the bypass transmission lines.

Abstract: A systematic yield Ysi is obtained from a yield Yi, Wafer data through are sorted in numeric order of a monitored quantity X, the sorted data is classified into m groups each having approximately equal number of data, the central value is obtained for each of X and Ys in the respective wafer groups, a correlation coefficient between X and Ys is calculated for the central values, and if the coefficient is greater than a predetermined value, a regression equation of Ys with respect to X is determined. The processes of the steps 30 through 34 are performed for a number of monitored quantities. In a case where the coefficient of the correlation between X and Ys is more than a predetermined value, this X is selected and a multiple regression equation of Ys with respect to only the selected ones is determined.

Abstract: Disclosed are a plasma display capable of preventing deterioration of display contrast deriving from priming discharge, and of minimizing a power consumption, and a driving method therefor. The plasma display comprises: a plasma display panel in which first, second, and third electrodes are arranged alternately parallel to one another on a first substrate, and fourth electrodes are arranged orthogonally to the first electrodes on the first substrate or a second substrate; a first electrode selection driver for selectively driving the first electrodes; a second electrode driver for driving the second electrodes, and a third electrode driver for driving the third electrodes. First display cells are formed at intersections between the first electrodes and second electrodes and the fourth electrodes, and second display cells are formed at intersections between the first electrodes and third electrodes and the fourth electrodes.

Abstract: A variation in substrate voltage VBB caused by a reduction of power supply voltage VDD when an operation mode is shifted to a data retention mode is detected, and a cycle of refresh operation during this varying period is shortened or a plurality of memory cells are refreshed simultaneously, thereby enhancing the electric charge retention ability of the memory cells during this transient period. After the transient period is elapsed, the refresh cycle is returned to the original operating cycle, and the power consumption during the data retention mode can be effectively reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control copying of a group of data stored in an original information-storing medium into a destination information-storing medium. The method includes a step of reading attribute information of a first zone storing the group of data, where the attribute information indicates whether the zone is a ROM area or a RAM area, and a step of copying the attribute information to a second zone to which the group of data is to be copied. The method further includes a step of copying the group of data stored in the said first zone in the original information-storing medium to the second zone in the destination information-storing medium.

Abstract: Upon restarting a printer, current is fed to a charge roller for charging a transfer belt, a drum charger for charging a photosensitive drum and a developing unit for developing a latent image on the photosensitive drum, while prohibiting current feed to an LED head. Then, the transfer belt is caused to abut upon the photosensitive drum, driven in a given direction and cleaned at a downstream side by a belt cleaner.

Abstract: In an optical subscriber network system which connects plural optical network units to an optical service unit using passive optical elements through an optical transmission line, the optical transmission line is duplexed with a lower cost. The optical service unit and the optical network units each have plural transmission-reception portions the wavelengths of which are different from each other, and the inputs and outputs of the plural transmission-reception portions are multiplexed with the wavelengths (WDM) into a single optical transmission line to form a pseudo redundant communication path between the optical service unit and the optical network units. The communication which uses a certain wavelength between the optical service unit and the optical network units is active, and the communication which uses another wavelength is a standby. When the active communication has a fault, a switchover operation to the standby communication is performed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a plurality of chip units each defined by a side wall and arranged in a state such that a side wall of a chip unit abuts a corresponding side wall of an adjacent chip unit, and an interconnection structure for interconnecting a plurality of terminals of a side wall of a chip unit to corresponding terminals of a side wall of an adjacent chip unit that abuts the chip unit at the respective side walls.

Abstract: An optical amplifier for amplifying light in a longer wavelength band. The optical amplifier includes first and second optical fibers doped with a rare earth element and optically connected so that a signal light travels through the first optical fiber and then through the second optical fiber. Excitation light causes the signal light to be amplified in both the first and second optical fibers. Spontaneous emission lights are generated in the first optical fiber. An oscillation generator causes the spontaneous emission lights to oscillate in the first optical fiber, to thereby generate laser oscillation. Light generated by the laser oscillation is supplied to the second optical fiber as excitation light in the second optical fiber. The oscillation generator can be formed by fiber gratings along the first optical fiber and which reflect spontaneous emission light at a predetermined wavelength, thereby causing spontaneous emission lights to oscillate between the fiber gratings in the first optical fiber.

Abstract: An encoder for an A/D converter includes a plurality of ROM cells connected between bit lines and word lines. Each of the ROM cells is responsive to a word line select signal supplied to a word line associated with each of the ROM cells for supplying a digital output signal according to the word line select signal to a bit line associated with each of the ROM cells. A logic processor is coupled to one of the bit lines and to two of the word lines used to select a ROM cell connected to the bit line. The logic processor produces an output signal indicative of a selection of the ROM cell connected to the bit line, based on word line select signals supplied on the two word lines.