Abstract: A sensor control circuit includes an acceleration sensor which detects acceleration and generates a detection signal. The sensor control circuit also includes a processing section which generates a calculation result by calculating the acceleration in accordance with the detection signal, and generates an interrupt notification. The sensor control circuit also includes an interrupt output circuit. The interrupt output circuit has a threshold value determination section which generates a detection result by determining a change condition. The change condition is determined by comparing the calculation result with the threshold value. The interrupt output circuit also has a plurality of INT terminals and a selection section. The selection section selects the detection result or the interruption notification in accordance with mode information which is set from a host CPU and sends the selected signal from the INT terminal through the associated INT terminal.

Abstract: A decoding device comprises a cache memory for temporally storing video image data, a unit for determining a position of a reference macroblock corresponding to a macroblock to be decoded based on a motion vector obtained by analyzing an encoded bitstream, and a unit for determining whether or not a reference macroblock includes a cacheline boundary when data of the reference macroblock is not stored in the memory and for specifying the position of the boundary as a front address for the data preload from a memory storing the data of the reference macroblock.

Abstract: An intercooler has a case through which supercharging air passes, and a heat exchanger 4 mounted inside the case which allows heat exchange between the supercharging air and a cooling fluid. A frame body 15 is provided at the circumferential edges of air passage portions of the heat exchanger 4 on a supercharging air intake side and a supercharging air outlet side to reduce the gap between the heat exchanger and the inner wall of the case. The heat exchanger 4 has a pair of tanks 43 and 44, tubes communicating between the tanks, and a plurality of fins 46 set along the tubes, and assumes a structure that allows the supercharging air to pass through the heat exchanger a plurality of times by sequentially passing through blocks formed by dividing a heat exchanging unit 4A into a plurality of blocks with partitioning plates 15d.

Abstract: First, an undercoating film made of silicon nitride or silicon nitride oxide is formed on a substrate. Then the undercoating film is subjected to both/either process A of wet-cleaning the undercoating film with a cleaning liquid and/or process B of irradiating ultraviolet light onto the undercoating film. Afterward, an organic thin film is formed on the undercoating film by providing a liquid organic material (a specific organic material is used if only either process A or process B has been performed).

Abstract: A torque converter with a lockup damper is provided to improve the vibration damping function. The torque converter 1 has the lockup device 7 for mechanically connecting and disconnecting a front cover 11 and a turbine 22, which includes a clutch mechanism and a damper mechanism. A friction generating mechanism 45 is a mechanism that generates friction resistance when the lockup damper operates, and includes a friction washer 52, which constitutes a friction surface, and a micro twisting angle adjustment gap 56, which is arranged to prevent the friction washer 52 from operating within a range of micro twisting angles.

Abstract: In order to provide an intercooler assuming a simple structure that enables cooling of supercharging air and absorption of any expansion/contraction of the cooling water pipe and the casing attributable to the heat of the supercharging air, intake/outlet pipes of a heat exchanger housed inside a cooling space formed within a case are inserted at cylindrical pipe insertion portions formed at the case, and any gap present between the intake/outlet pipes and the insertion portions are sealed by seal members each constituted of an elastic material formed in a staged cylindrical shape having a first cylindrical portion placed in complete contact with one of the pipe insertion portions and a second cylindrical portion placed in complete contact with either one of the intake/outlet pipes, which are also utilized to fit the heat exchanger in the case with a gap.

Abstract: A torque converter with a lockup damper is provided to improve the vibration damping function. The torque converter 1 has the lockup device 7 for mechanically connecting and disconnecting a front cover 11 and a turbine 22, which includes a clutch mechanism and a damper mechanism. A friction generating mechanism 45 is a mechanism that generates friction resistance when the lockup damper operates, and includes a friction washer 52, which constitutes a friction surface, and a micro twisting angle adjustment gap 56, which is arranged to prevent the friction washer 52 from operating within a range of micro twisting angles.

Abstract: First, an undercoating film made of silicon nitride or silicon nitride oxide is formed on a substrate. Then the undercoating film is subjected to both/either process A of wet-cleaning the undercoating film with a cleaning liquid and/or process B of irradiating ultraviolet light onto the undercoating film. Afterward, an organic thin film is formed on the undercoating film by providing a liquid organic material (a specific organic material is used if only either process A or process B has been performed).

Abstract: In order to suppress any backfire with a high degree of reliability and reduce the required mounting space and the weight of an intercooler by achieving a flame arrester function in the intercooler mounted to cool supercharging air without having to provide a separate arrester device, the intercooler having a case through which the supercharging air passes through and a heat exchanger 4 that is mounted inside the case and engages in heat exchange between the supercharging air and a cooling fluid includes a frame body 15 provided at the circumferential edges of air passage portions of the heat exchanger 4 on a supercharging air intake side and a supercharging air outlet side to reduce the gap between the heat exchanger and the inner wall of the case.

Abstract: In order to provide an intercooler assuming a simple structure that enables cooling of supercharging air and absorption of any expansion/contraction of the cooling water pipe and the casing attributable to the heat of the supercharging air, intake/outlet pipes of a heat exchanger housed inside a cooling space formed within a case are inserted at cylindrical pipe insertion portions formed at the case, any gap present between the intake/outlet pipes and the insertion portions are sealed by seal members each constituted of an elastic material formed in a staged cylindrical shape having a first cylindrical portion placed in complete contact with one of the pipe insertion portions and a second cylindrical portion placed in complete contact with either one of the intake/outlet pipes, which are also utilized to fit the heat exchanger in the case with a gap.

Abstract: A semiconductor test system for efficiently testing a semiconductor device (DUT) having a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit therein. The semiconductor test system includes a first clock and waveform generator for supplying a clock signal to the PLL circuit at a start of the first pattern block, a second clock and waveform generator for supplying pattern data to the DUT during each of the pattern blocks, a pattern generator for generating pattern data, and a timing generator for generating a tester rate signal, a clear signal, and a gate signal for controlling the tester rate signal and the clear signal in the first and second clock and waveform generators. The clock signal is continuously provided to the PLL circuit until the end of the last pattern block while the pattern data to the data pin is reset between the end of the current pattern block and the start of the next pattern block.

Abstract: A lockup device 6 is provided for a torque converter 1 that allows for the use of larger torsion springs 50. The lockup device 6 of the torque converter 1 includes a piston 8 and a damper mechanism 13. The piston 8 constitutes a clutch together with a front cover 3. The damper mechanism 13 includes a drive plate 9, a driven plate 10 and coil spring assemblies 12. The drive plate 9 is secured to one axial side surface of the piston 8. The coil spring assemblies 12 couple the drive plate 9 and the driven plate 10 in a rotational direction. Cutouts 41 are formed in the drive plate 9 at positions corresponding to positions of the coil spring assemblies 12. Each coil spring assembly 12 is received within the corresponding one of the cutout 41 and is axially supported by the one axial side surface of the piston 8.

Abstract: An object is to enable accurate measurement of dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly. A measuring device measures an angular speed (d&thgr;1/dt) of an input rotary member, an angular speed (d&thgr;2/dt) of an output rotary member and a torque (T1) transmitted to the input rotary member. A torsion angle (&thgr;) of a damper unit is calculated by integrating the angular speeds (d&thgr;1/dt) and (d&thgr;2/dt) of the input and output rotary members. A torque (T) acting on the damper unit is calculated by subtracting a product of an angular acceleration (d2&thgr;1/dt2) of the input rotary member calculated by differentiating the angular speed (d&thgr;1/dt) of the input rotary member and a moment of inertia (I1) of the input rotary member from the torque (T1) transmitted to the input rotary member.

Abstract: A viscous damper mechanism 5 includes first and second input plates 18 and 19, a driven member 30, a spring chamber 17 and a undulated plate spring 23. The spring chamber is formed between the first and second input plates 18 and 19 and the driven member 30. The undulated plate spring 23 is disposed in the spring chamber, and is operable to connect elastically the first and second input plates 18 and 19 to the driven member 30 in the rotation direction and damp a torsional vibration. The spring chamber 17 is filled and sealed with powder solid lubricant.

Abstract: An overlay measurement pattern, which is formed in a master pattern of a mask, is selectively transferred by exposure processing onto a resist film on a wafer of semiconductor material. This is followed by detecting, by means of a two-beams interference method, a reference position for the overlay measurement pattern formed by the variation in film thickness occurring at an exposed resist region, with performing no development processing. A reference position for an overlay reference pattern, which is pre-formed in the semiconductor wafer, is detected using an interference pattern produced by white light, to detect an overlay difference between the patterns. Since neither a test exposure process nor a development process is needed to be carried out, this results in not only providing a higher throughput rate but also eliminating factors that contribute to degradation of the accuracy of overlay caused by base line stability and mask alignment repeatability. A higher overlay accuracy is achieved accordingly.

Abstract: A resist composition for deep ultraviolet light comprising (a) one of the following resin components (i)-(iii): (i) a resin which becomes alkali-soluble by eliminating protective groups by the action of an acid, (ii) a combination of an alkali-soluble resin and a dissolution-inhibiting compound, and (iii) a combination of an alkali-soluble resin and a crosslinkable compound, (b) an acid generater, (c) a special anthracene derivative, and (d) a solvent, is suitable for forming a pattern using deep ultraviolet light, KrF excimer laser light, etc., on a highly reflective substrate having level differences due to absorption of undesirable reflected deep ultraviolet light.

Abstract: A resist film is formed on a semiconductor substrate by using a chemical amplification resist which generates an acid in response to the radiation of KrF excimer laser light and which reacts with the acid. If the resist film is irradiated with the KrF excimer laser light through a mask, the acid is generated in the surface of an exposed portion of the resist film, so that the surface of the exposed portion is made hydrophilic by the acid. If water vapor is supplied to the surface of the resist film, water is diffused from the surface of the exposed portion into a deep portion. If vapor of methyltriethoxysilane is sprayed onto the surface of the resist film in air at a relative humidity of 95%, an oxide film with a sufficiently large thickness is selectively formed on the surface of the exposed portion.

Abstract: A resist composition for deep ultraviolet light comprising (a) one of the following resin components (i)-(iii): (i) a resin which becomes alkali-soluble by eliminating protective groups by the action of an acid, (ii) a combination of an alkali-soluble resin and a dissolution-inhibiting compound, and (iii) a combination of an alkali-soluble resin and a crosslinkable compound, (b) an acid generater, (c) a special anthracene derivative, and (d) a solvent, is suitable for forming a pattern using deep ultraviolet light, KrF excimer laser light, etc., on a highly reflective substrate having level differences due to absorption of undesirable reflected deep ultraviolet light.

Abstract: A resist film is formed on a semiconductor substrate by using a chemical amplification resist which generates an acid in response to the radiation of KrF excimer laser light and which reacts with the acid. If the resist film is irradiated with the KrF excimer laser light through a mask, the acid is generated in the surface of an exposed portion of the resist film, so that the surface of the exposed portion is made hydrophilic by the acid. If water vapor is supplied to the surface of the resist film, water is diffused from the surface of the exposed portion into a deep portion. If vapor of methyltriethoxysilane is sprayed onto the surface of the resist film in air at a relative humidity of 95%, an oxide film with a sufficiently large thickness is selectively formed on the surface of the exposed portion.

Abstract: A relatively thick metal oxide film of 100 nm or more is formed in the exposed portion of a resist film by supplying water and a metal alkoxide thereto, and then evaporating the alcohol generated by the supply of metal alkoxide to form a precise resist pattern from the metal oxide film. Water is absorbed into the exposed portion of the resist film in which the acid has been generated and the water is diffused deeper into the surface thereof. The growth of the metal oxide film proceeds toward the interior of the resist film. The water absorbed by the resist film is prevented from being evaporated, thereby forming a metal oxide film with a sufficiently large thickness to withstand dry etching.