Author: claimsbot

1. A differential transmission line comprising:
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface that are substantially parallel to each other,
a first grounding conductor disposed on the second surface of the substrate;
a dielectric layer disposed on the first grounding conductor;
a second grounding conductor disposed on the dielectric layer; and
first and the second signal conductors disposed so as to be parallel to each other on the first surface of the substrate;
wherein the first signal conductor and the first and second grounding conductors constitute a first transmission line, and the second signal conductor and the first and second grounding conductors constitute a second transmission line;
wherein a slot is disposed in the first grounding conductor so as to three-dimensionally intersect with the first and second signal conductors and to be substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the first and second signal conductors;
wherein a connecting conductor connects the first grounding conductor with the second grounding conductor;
wherein the slot is disposed so as to penetrate the first grounding conductor in a thickness direction of the first grounding conductor; and
wherein the first grounding conductor is divided into two parts so as to be completely separated apart by the slot.
2. The differential transmission line as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said slot is one of a plurality of slots formed in the first grounding conductor.
3. The differential transmission line as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the slot comprises a bend provided between the first signal conductor and the second signal conductor.
4. The differential transmission line as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the slot includes:
a first slot having a first width, the first slot being provided so as to intersect with the first signal conductor; and
a second slot having a second width different from the first width, the second slot being provided so as to intersect with the second signal conductor.
5. The differential transmission line as claimed in claim 4,
wherein a difference between the first width and the second width is set to be larger than a difference between a length of the first signal conductor and a length of the second signal conductor.
6. The differential transmission line as claimed in claim 5,
wherein said slot is one of a plurality of slots formed in the first grounding conductor.
7. The differential transmission line as claimed in claim 4,
wherein said slot is one of a plurality of slots formed in the first grounding conductor.
8. The differential transmission line as claimed in claim 3,
wherein said slot is one of a plurality of slots formed in the first grounding conductor.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A semiconductor device, comprising a substrate, and a thin film transistor and a diode which are provided on the substrate, wherein
the diode includes
a gate electrode provided on the substrate,
a gate insulating layer provided on the gate electrode,
at least one semiconductor layer provided on the gate insulating layer, the at least one semiconductor layer including a first region, an intermediate region, and a second region,
a first electrode provided on the first region, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first region and the gate electrode,
a second electrode provided on the second region, the second electrode being electrically coupled to the second region, and
an intermediate electrode provided in the intermediate region between the first region and the second region, the intermediate electrode being electrically coupled to the intermediate region,

the at least one semiconductor layer includes a channel region between the first region and the intermediate region which extends above the gate electrode with the gate insulating layer intervening therebetween, and a resistor region which does not extend above the gate electrode with the gate insulating layer intervening therebetween,
the resistor region is arranged between the intermediate region and the second region and is arranged such that the resistor region is not overlapped by any of the first electrode, the intermediate electrode, or the second electrode, and
when the diode is in an ON state, an electric current path is defined from the first electrode, through the intermediate electrode, and into the second electrode, the electric current path including the channel region and the resistor region.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein
the diode further includes a conductive layer which is provided between the substrate and the gate insulating layer and which is separated from the gate electrode, and
the resistor region is arranged so as to extend above the conductive layer with the intervention of the gate insulating layer therebetween.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein
the at least one semiconductor layer is a plurality of semiconductor layers including a first semiconductor layer which includes the first region and a second semiconductor layer which includes the second region,
the intermediate electrode couples the plurality of semiconductor layers in series, and
the plurality of semiconductor layers includes a semiconductor layer which does not extend above the gate electrode.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor layer includes one semiconductor layer which includes the first and second regions, the channel region, and the resistor region.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein
the diode further includes another gate electrode provided at a position which is closer to the second electrode than the gate electrode is,
the one semiconductor layer further includes another channel region provided at a position which is closer to the second electrode than the channel region is,
the another channel region extends above the another gate electrode with the intervention of the gate insulating layer therebetween, and
the resistor region is provided between the channel region and the another channel region.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor layer and the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor are defined by the same semiconductor film.
7. The semiconductor device of claim 6, wherein the at least one semiconductor layer and the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor are defined by a microcrystalline silicon film which includes a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase.
8. The semiconductor device of claim 7, wherein a volume fraction of the amorphous phase in the microcrystalline silicon film is not less than 5% and not more than 95%.
9. The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the volume fraction of the amorphous phase in the microcrystalline silicon film is not less than 5% and not more than 40%.
10. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor layer contains a metal oxide semiconductor.
11. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bus lines, the bus lines including a gate bus line and a source bus line which are in a lattice arrangement on the substrate,
wherein the first electrode of the diode is electrically coupled to any one of the plurality of bus lines, the second electrode of the diode is electrically coupled to another one of the plurality of bus lines.
12. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising a display region which is provided on the substrate and which includes a plurality of pixels, and a driver circuit which is provided on part of the substrate other than the display region,
wherein the driving circuit includes the thin film transistor and the diode.

1. A system for providing location based ratings services to a device operating on a communications network, the system comprising:
a location based ratings server comprising a memory for storing computer-readable instructions, executable by a processor to make the location based ratings server operable to:
recognize received data as ratings data submitted by a device;
determine if location information associated with the device can be obtained;
obtain location information associated with the device, if the location based ratings server so determines;
associate the location information with the ratings data; and
store the ratings data and the location information in a storage location associated with the system.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions, executable by a processor to make the location based ratings server operable to obtain location information associated with the device by making the location based ratings server operable to:
pass an identification string associated with the device to a location server; and
recognize received data as location information associated with the device.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise computer-readable instructions, executable by a processor to make the location based ratings server operable to obtain location information associated with the device by making the location based ratings server operable to:
pass an identification string associated with the device to a user identification server;
recognize received data as identification data associated with the device;
pass the identification data to a location server; and
recognize received data as location information associated with the device.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user identification server comprises a home location register (HLR) of a cellular network.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer-readable instructions, executable by a processor to make the location based ratings server operable to:
recognize received data as a request for location information.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer-readable instructions that make the locations based ratings server operable to determine if location information is available comprise computer-readable instructions, executable by a processor to make the location based ratings server operable to:
examine device data received from a ratings server, the device data comprising an identification string associated with the device; and
determine, based on the device data, if the device is capable of providing the requested location information.
7. The system of claim 6, further comprising computer-readable instructions, executable by a processor to make the location based ratings server operable to:
retrieve account information associated with the device, the account information comprising a city and a state.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions that make the locations based ratings server operable to associate the location information with the ratings data further comprise computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to make the locations based server operable to:
format the locations information as a data field in a database entry for the ratings data received from the device.
9. The system of claim 8, further comprising computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to make the locations based server operable to:
organize two or more ratings based upon the location information associated with the ratings.
10. A method for providing location based ratings services to a device operating on a communications network, the method comprising:
recognizing data received at a location based ratings server as ratings data submitted by the device;
determining, at the location based ratings server, if location information associated with the device can be obtained;
obtaining location information associated with the device, if the location based ratings server so determines;
associating the location information with the ratings data; and
storing the ratings data and the location information in a storage location.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining location information further comprises:
passing an identification string associated with the device to a location server; and
recognizing data received from the location server as location information, the location information comprising data indicating the location of the device.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
passing an identification string associated with the device to a user identification server;
recognizing data received from the user identification server as identification data associated with the device;
passing the identification data to a location server; and
recognizing data received from the location server as location information, the location information comprising data indicating the location of the device.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising recognizing data received by the locations based ratings server as a request for location information.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining if location information associated with the device can be obtained comprises:
examining, at the location based ratings server, device data received from a ratings server, the device data comprising an identification string associated with the device; and
determining at the location based ratings server, based on the device data, if the device is capable of providing the requested location information.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising retrieving account information associated with the device, the account information comprising a city and a state.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein associating the location information with the ratings data further comprises formatting the location information as a data field in a database entry for the ratings data received from the device.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising organizing two or more ratings based upon the location information associated with the ratings.
18. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions, executable by a processor to perform the steps of:
recognizing data received at a first node of a communications network as ratings data submitted by the device;
determining, at the first node of the communications network, if location information associated with the device can be obtained;
obtaining location information associated with a device in communication with the first node of the communications network, if the first node of the communications network determines that location information associated with the device can be obtained;
associating the location information with the ratings data;
storing the ratings data and the location information in a storage location; and
storing the ratings data without location information if the location information associated with the device can not be obtained.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the computer-readable instructions for obtaining location information further comprise computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to perform the steps of:
passing an identification string associated with the device to a second node of the communications network; and
recognizing data received from the second node of the communications network as location information, the location information comprising data indicating the location of the device.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to perform the steps of:
passing an identification string associated with the device to a third node of the communications network;
recognizing data received from the third node of the communications network as identification data associated with the device;
passing the identification data to a second node of the communications network; and
recognizing data received from the second node of the communications network as location information, the location information comprising data indicating the location of the device.
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the computer-readable instructions for determining if location information associated with the device can be obtained comprise computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to perform the steps of:
examining, at the first node of the communications network, device data received from a ratings server, the device data comprising an identification string associated with the device; and
determining at the first node of the communications network, based on the device data, if the device is capable of providing the requested location information.
22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to perform the step of retrieving account information associated with the device, the account information comprising a city and a state.
23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer-readable instructions for associating the location information with the ratings data further comprise computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to perform the step of formatting the locations information as a data field in a database entry for the ratings data received from the device.
24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising computer-readable instructions, executable by the processor to perform the step of organizing two or more ratings based upon the location information associated with the ratings.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus for interconnecting two connection pads in a head-gimbal assembly, comprising:
a conveyer for conveying a metallic slug;
a nozzle for ejecting said metallic slug toward said two connection pads, said nozzle comprising:
a receiving portion for receiving said metallic slug from said conveyer;
a gas release opening through a sidewall of said nozzle for enabling gas to escape said nozzle; and
a straight guide, said straight guide disposed downstream of said receiving portion, and said straight guide having a maximum inner diameter such that said maximum inner diameter is smaller than a minimum inner diameter of said receiving portion, wherein without requiring an inner diameter of said straight guide to be greater than an outer diameter of said metal slug; and

a laser for applying a laser beam from an inlet side of said nozzle to said metallic slug as said metallic slug passes along a path that comprises a first portion through said straight guide and a second portion between said straight guide and said two connection pads, said laser configured to melt said metallic slug for attaching said molten metallic slug to said two connection pads.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said laser is configured to apply said laser beam to said metallic slug while said metallic slug is passing through said straight guide.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
an optical sensor for detecting said metallic slug;
wherein said laser is configured to apply said laser beam to said metallic slug in response to detection of said metallic slug by said optical sensor.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said optical sensor is configured to detect said metallic slug inside said nozzle.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said nozzle further comprises:
a flat surface in an area which is configured to receive light for detecting said metallic slug by said optical sensor.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nozzle further comprises:
a gas release hole, other than an orifice for ejection of said metallic slug, in a side surface; and wherein said conveyer is configured to convey said metallic slug to said nozzle with gas flow.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said gas release hole is disposed upstream from an inlet to said straight guide.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said straight guide is formed at an end portion of said nozzle and an outlet of said straight guide comprises an orifice of said nozzle.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said laser is configured to start applying said laser beam after said metallic slug has entered said straight guide.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said metallic slug comprises a metal ball, and a cross-section of said straight guide is circular and said inner diameter of said straight guide is greater than or equal to a diameter of said metallic slug.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said laser is configured to provide said laser beam with a minimum diameter that is larger than said inner diameter of said straight guide.