Abstract: A track ball device includes a ball, a roller rotating according to rotation of the ball, a detector for detecting rotation of the roller, and a switch being activated when being depressed with the ball. The ball is made of polyether urethane resin material having a hardness ranging from JIS K7311 JISA80 to JISA99. The roller is spaced from the ball when the ball is not activated. The switch is activated and generating a click feel when being depressed with the ball. The track ball device provides a clear click feel through the ball from the push switch.

Abstract: A method of generating a slope compensation signal for use in a current mode switching regulator.

Abstract: A method of regulating an output voltage by utilizing a switching regulator, where the switching regulator includes a high side switch, a low side switch having an active diode, a controller coupled to the high side switch and the low side switch, and a current measuring circuit coupled to the high side switch.

Abstract: A current sensing circuit for use in a switching regulator having a high-side switch. The current sensing circuit includes a first sensing circuit coupled to the high-side switch for measuring current flowing in a positive direction through the high-side switch. The first sensing circuit includes a first replica device for generating a current which is a scaled version of the positive current flowing through the high-side switch. The current sensing circuit further includes a second sensing circuit coupled to the high-side switch for measuring current flowing in a negative direction through the high-side switch. The second sensing circuit includes a second replica device for generating a current which is a scaled version of the negative current flowing through the high-side switch.

Abstract: A dispersion-type EL device includes a short-bar contact, a first insulating layer, a back electrode layer, a dielectric layer, a luminescent layer, and an optically transparent electrode layer, which are sequentially formed on a temporary substrate that has been processed with an exfoliation treatment. This configuration realizes a reduction in size in a thickness direction. Furthermore, an illuminated switch unit is provided, in which a dispersion-type EL device peeled off from a temporary substrate and a wiring board having a comb-like contact are connected to each other.

Abstract: Provided is a remote controller in which a ring-shaped operating part is structured rotatable and capable of making rocking motion by pressing, a first remote-control signal responsive to rotation of the operating part allows sound volume adjustment, a second remote-control signal responsive to a switch signal supplied by pressing the operating part changes the function to channel selection, a third remote-control signal responsive to rotation of the operating part within a predetermined period of time allows channel selection. This structure can reduce the number of separate operating keys and allows a simple successive operation of the operating part to control a receiver.

Abstract: A switching regulator circuit with improved slope compensation for providing a regulated voltage to a load. The regulator circuit includes a power source and a switch circuit configured to control the coupling of the power source to the load. The operation of the switch circuit is controlled by a control signal generated by a control circuit. A feedback circuit is provided for generating a feedback signal indicative of the regulated voltage provided by the switching regulator circuit to the load. A circuit is provided to generate a sensed signal indicative of the current supplied by the power source. The regulator circuit further includes a timing signal generator for generating a timing signal, a ramp signal generator for generating a ramp signal, and a current source controlled by the ramp signal for generating a compensation signal indicative of the ramp signal. The control circuit generates the control signal based on the compensation signal, the timing signal, the sensed signal and the feedback signal.

Abstract: A power supply switching regulator including a common terminal; an input terminal for supplying a direct current input; an output terminal; a recirculating diode having a first terminal connected to the common terminal; an inductor having a first terminal connected to a second terminal of the recirculation diode and a second terminal connected to the output terminal; a capacitor having a first terminal connected to the output terminal and a second terminal connected to the common terminal; a switch connected between the input terminal and the first terminal of the inductor, the switch operable for switching between an ON state in which the direct current input is coupled to the inductor, and an OFF state in which the direct current input is isolated from the inductor; and a controller coupled to the switch and operable for controlling the amount of time the switch is in the ON state and the OFF state such that the duration of time the switch is in the ON state is inversely proportional to the difference betwe

Abstract: An active diode including a NMOS transistor having a source terminal, a drain terminal, a gate terminal and a back gate terminal, where the source terminal is connected to the back gate terminal and forms the anode terminal of the active diode, and the drain terminal forms the cathode terminal of the active diode. The active diode further includes an offset bias voltage source having a first terminal and a second terminal; and an amplifier having a non-inverting input terminal and an inverting input terminal, and an output terminal, where the inverting input terminal is connected to the drain terminal of the transistor, the non-inverting input terminal is connected to the first terminal of the offset bias source, the output terminal is connected to the gate terminal of the transistor, and the second terminal of the offset bias source is connected to the source terminal of the transistor.

Abstract: A multilayer interconnection structure includes a first interlayer insulation film, a second interlayer insulation film formed over the first interlayer insulation film, an interconnection trench formed in the first interlayer insulation film and having a sidewall surface and a bottom surface covered with a first barrier metal film, a via-hole formed in the second interlayer insulation film and having a sidewall surface and a bottom surface covered with a second barrier metal film, an interconnection pattern filling the interconnection trench, and a via-plug filling the via-hole, wherein the via-plug makes a contact with a surface of the interconnection pattern, the interconnection pattern has projections and depressions on the surface, the interconnection pattern containing therein oxygen atoms along a crystal grain boundary extending from the surface toward an interior of the interconnection pattern with a concentration higher than a concentration at the surface.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a multilayer wiring structure in which at least one insulating film is formed with a set of conducting portions which are electrically connected to each other to have a surface area of no less than 500 ?m2 and which include a wiring having a width of no more than 1.0 ?m. The method includes a polishing step for flattening the conducting portions together with the insulating film by chemical mechanical polishing, a chemical cleaning step for cleaning the flattened surface of the insulating film with a cleaning liquid, and a rising step for removing the cleaning liquid using a rinsing liquid. The rinsing step is performed using water with a dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to no more than 6 ppm by weight as the rinsing liquid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of washing the surface of a substrate having insulation areas and metal areas exposed to the surface by using organic cleaning solvent, and radiating ultra-violet ray on the surface of the washed substrate, whereby the accumulation of a residue on the surface of the substrate can be suppressed.

Abstract: An electric conductive film is formed on the insulating surface of a substrate, the substrate having a trench formed on the insulating surface, and the conductive film being filled in the trench. Chemical mechanical polishing is executed to expose the insulating surface of the substrate and leave a portion of the conductive film in the trench. The surface of the substrate having the exposed conductive film in the trench and the exposed insulating surface is exposed to first liquid. After being exposed to the first liquid, the surface of the substrate is exposed to second liquid. The first liquid is either solution which contains at least one first substance selected from a first group consisting of benzotriazole, derivative of benzotriazole and interfacial active agent, or water. The second solution is solution which contains the first substance at a density higher than a density of the first liquid.

Abstract: Relating to a track ball device for manipulating a cursor moving on a display screen of an electronic apparatus, a track ball device being manipulated precisely while generating a click feel when a ball is rotated, having a small play angle and small size is presented. Beneath the center of the ball, the ball is rotatably supported by four rollers. The section of a contacting portion of the rollers contacting with the ball is a circular sawtooth profile, and the directions of the sawtooth serrations of opposite rollers are reverse to each other. Rollers 2 to 5 have switches as rotation amount detecting units. Further, X roller and Y roller contacting with the outer circumference in the orthogonal direction as seen from above the ball, and third roller hold the ball rotatably. Plural undulations are formed on the outer circumference of large-diameter contacting portions of the X roller and Y roller 3 of circular shaft shape. Rotary encoders are coupled to individual rollers.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: forming interconnection grooves 38 in an inter-layer insulation film 34; forming an interconnection layer 44 of Cu as the main material in the interconnection grooves 38; and concurrently injecting nitrogen gas and water to the surface of the interconnection layer 44 buried in the interconnection groove 38.

Abstract: Relating to a track ball device for manipulating a cursor moving on a display screen of an electronic apparatus, a track ball device being manipulated precisely while generating a click feel when a ball is rotated, having a small play angle and small size is presented. Beneath the center of the ball, the ball is rotatably supported by four rollers. The section of a contacting portion of the rollers contacting with the ball is a circular sawtooth profile, and the directions of the sawtooth serrations of opposite rollers are reverse to each other. Rollers 2 to 5 have switches as rotation amount detecting units. Further, X roller and Y roller contacting with the outer circumference in the orthogonal direction as seen from above the ball, and third roller hold the ball rotatably. Plural undulations are formed on the outer circumference of large-diameter contacting portions of the X roller and Y roller 3 of circular shaft shape. Rotary encoders are coupled to individual rollers.

Abstract: When a control lever is slid to move a driver housed in a quadrangular case in a given direction, the movement of the driver allows the driver to push one of resilient legs of movable contacts corresponding to the direction of movement. This movement resiliently slides the corresponding movable contact along an inner surface of the sidewall of the case and brings the movable contact into contact with a corresponding fixed contact. This structure can provide a multi-directional slide switch of low profile that has a small number of members and is easily assembled.

Abstract: Disclosed is a switch, which comprises an insulative plastic case having a cavity formed therein, a metal cover joined to the case to cover over the cavity, and a switching contact section contained in the cavity. In this switch, a surface of the cover opposed to the case has an insulative film formed on at least a region of the surface facing to the cavity. The switch can prevent an externally-originated static elasticity from adversely affecting on the switching contact section to protect a circuit section of a device connected to the switching contact section.

Abstract: A switch includes a housing, an operating member placed in the housing, and contacting sections accommodated in the housing. The operating member has an operating section made of elastic material to be bowed in every direction and an operating unit coupled to the operating section. When greater force than necessary for changing a state of the contacting sections is applied to the operating section along an operating direction, or when force directed to another direction than the operating direction is applied to the operating section, the operating section bows for itself to absorb extra force.

Abstract: A rotary manipulation type input device obtains a specified output by detecting intensity changes of magnetic field due to rotation of an operating element by a detecting element disposed on a substrate beneath a base, using a ring-shaped magnet disposed at the lower side of the operating element disposed rotatably on the base. By rotary manipulation of the operating element, an attractive and repulsive force is generated between the ring-shaped magnetic and the magnetic disposed on the base, so that an operation contact click-feeling is obtained, and therefore the rotary click-feeling and signal output can be synchronized easily, and deterioration of rotary click-feeling is very rare.