Author: claimsbot

1. Locking pliers, comprising:
a first handle and a second handle;
a pair of interconnected jaws slidably coupled to the handles, wherein the pair of jaws are configured to slide between a retracted position within the handles and an extended position extending from the handles, wherein the pair of jaws comprise a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein the first jaw is coupled to the first handle via a first sliding mechanism that permits the first jaw to slide, but not pivot, relative to the first handle, and the second jaw is coupled to the second handle via a second sliding mechanism that is pivotally coupled to the second jaw, wherein the second sliding mechanism comprises a link pivotally coupled to the second jaw and a pair of pawls slidably and pivotally coupled to the second handle; and
wherein when the jaws are in the extended position, the jaws have an unclamped configuration in which the jaws are adjustable by a user to permit the jaws to lock onto objects of various sizes and a clamped configuration in which the jaws are releasably locked onto an object.
2. The locking pliers of claim 1, further comprising a lock configured to lock the jaws in the extended position until manually released by a user.
3. The locking pliers of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism located between the handles to permit the adjustment of the jaws with a single hand when the jaws are in the extended and unclamped configuration.
4. The locking pliers of claim 1, further comprising an ancillary tool pivotally coupled to one of the handles and configured to pivot between a stored position within the handle and a deployed position extending from the handle.
5. The locking pliers of claim 4, further comprising a lock configured to lock the ancillary tool into the deployed position.
6. The locking pliers of claim 1, wherein the pawls are each pivotally coupled to the link whereby the link pivots with respect to the second handle as the pair of jaws are opened and closed.
7. The locking pliers of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment linkage connected between the first sliding mechanism and the second sliding mechanism, the adjustment linkage comprising an adjustment wheel.
8. A multi-function tool, comprising:
a first handle;
a second handle;
an ancillary tool pivotally coupled to a first end of the first handle;
a first jaw having a tang coupled to the first handle via a first sliding mechanism;
a second jaw pivotally coupled to the first jaw and having a tang coupled to the second handle via a second sliding mechanism; and
an adjustment linkage connected between the first sliding mechanism and the second sliding mechanism;
wherein the jaws are configured to slide between a retracted position within the handles and an extended position extending from the handles; and
wherein when the jaws are in the extended position, the jaws have an unclamped configuration in which the jaws are adjustable by a user to permit the jaws to lock onto objects of various sizes and a clamped configuration in which the jaws are releasably locked onto an object.
9. The multi-function tool of claim 8, further comprising a lock configured to lock the jaws in the extended position relative to the handles until manually released by a user.
10. The multi-function tool of claim 8, further comprising an adjustment mechanism located between the handles to permit the adjustment of the jaws with a single hand when the jaws are in the extended and unclamped configuration.
11. The multi-function tool of claim 8, wherein the ancillary tool pivots between a stored position within the handle and a deployed position extending from the handle.
12. The multi-function tool of claim 11, further comprising a lock configured to lock the ancillary tool into the deployed position.
13. The multi-function tool of claim 8, wherein the adjustment linkage comprises an adjustment wheel.
14. A multi-function tool, comprising:
a pair of handles, each having a first end and a second end;
a pair of jaws slidably coupled to the handles via a pair of sliding mechanisms, wherein the jaws have an unclamped configuration in which the jaws are adjustable by a user to permit the jaws to lock onto objects of various sizes and a clamped configuration in which the jaws are releasably locked onto an object; and
an adjustment mechanism connected between the pair of sliding mechanisms and located between the handles and between the first end and the second end to permit the adjustment of the clamped configuration distance between the jaws.
15. The multi-function tool of claim 14, wherein the pair of jaws are slidably coupled to the handles and configured to slide between a retracted position within the handles and an extended position extending from the handles.
16. The multi-function tool of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of ancillary tools pivotally coupled to the handles.
17. The multi-function tool of claim 14, further comprising a lock configured to lock at least one of the ancillary tools into an open position.

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 semiconductor substrate of a first general conductivity type;
an epitaxial layer of a second general conductivity type formed on the semiconductor substrate;
a buried layer of the second general conductivity type formed in a boundary region between the semiconductor substrate and the epitaxial layer;
an element isolation layer of the first general conductivity type formed in the epitaxial layer;
a body layer of the first general conductivity type formed in a surface portion of the epitaxial layer;
a source layer of the second general conductivity type formed in a surface portion of the body layer;
a drift layer of the second general conductivity type formed in a surface portion of the epitaxial layer surrounded by the element isolation layer and comprising a first region and a second region adjoining the first region and extending deeper into the epitaxial layer than the first region, the first region being disposed between the body layer and the second region, the first region comprising a first high impurity concentration region having an impurity concentration higher than the rest of the first region, the second region comprising a second high impurity concentration region having an impurity concentration higher than the rest of the second region, the second high impurity concentration region being deeper than the first high impurity concentration region;
a drain layer of the second general conductivity type disposed in a surface portion of the second region;
a drain isolation layer of the first general conductivity type formed in the epitaxial layer so as to be in contact with the body layer and to surround the drift layer;
a gate insulation film disposed on the epitaxial layer; and
a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulation film.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the drain layer is disposed away from the first region.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the gate insulation film comprises a thin gate insulation film and a thick gate insulation film adjoining the thin gate insulation film, and an end portion of the body layer overlaps the thin gate insulation film and an end portion of the first region overlaps the thick gate insulation film.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the drain layer is disposed away from the first region.
5. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate of a first general conductivity type;
forming an epitaxial layer of a second general conductivity type on the semiconductor substrate;
forming an element isolation layer of the first general conductivity type formed in the epitaxial layer;
forming a drain isolation layer of the first general conductivity type in the epitaxial layer surrounded by the element isolation layer;
forming a thick gate insulation film and a thin gate insulation film on the epitaxial layer in a region of the epitaxial layer surrounded by the drain isolation layer so that the thick and thin gate insulation films are in contact with each other;
forming a gate electrode so as to cover the thick gate insulation film and the thin gate insulation film;
forming a first resist layer on the semiconductor substrate so as to have an opening to expose the thin gate insulation film;
ion-implanting impurities of the first general conductivity type into a surface portion of the epitaxial layer using the first resist layer as a mask so as to form a body layer of the first general conductivity type extending under the thin gate insulation film and under the gate electrode;
forming a second resist layer on the semiconductor substrate so as to have an opening to expose the thick gate insulation film;
ion-implanting impurities of the second general conductivity type into a surface portion of the epitaxial layer using the second resist layer as a mask so as to form a drift layer of the second general conductivity type, the drift layer comprising a first region and a second region adjoining the first region and extending deeper into the epitaxial layer than the first region, the first region being disposed between the body layer and the second region, the first region comprising a first high impurity concentration region having an impurity concentration higher than the rest of the first region, the second region comprising a second high impurity concentration region having an impurity concentration higher than the rest of the second region, the second high impurity concentration region being deeper than the first high impurity concentration region;
forming a source layer of the second general conductivity type in a surface portion of the body layer; and
forming a drain layer of the second general conductivity type in a surface portion of the second region of the drift layer.

1. A method for transmitting a downlink signal in a substantially non directional manner from a communication station to a first remote communication device on a downlink channel, the communication station including a smart antenna system having an array of antenna elements, the method comprising:
determining a first downlink smart antenna processing strategy for transmitting in a first non-directional manner;
transmitting a first downlink message from the communication station in the first non-directional manner using the first downlink smart antenna processing strategy; and
repeating transmitting the first downlink message from the communication station in a second non-directional manner,
wherein the repeated transmitting of the first downlink message in the second non-directional manner produces non-identical repetition from the communication station to facilitate the interference environment being different in the repetition.
2. A method as describe in claim 1, wherein the first substantially non-directional manner differs from the second substantially non-directional manner.
3. A method as describe in claim 1, further comprising:
determining at the communication station whether or not the first remote communication device successfully received the first transmitted first downlink message,
wherein the repeated transmitting is if the first remote communication device did not successfully receive the first transmitted first downlink message.
4. A method as describe in claim 1, further comprising:
receiving one or more signals at the communication station from one or more other remote communication devices known to the communication station to be undesired in that any other remote communication device might receive one or more signals during, and on the same downlink channel as, the transmitting of the first downlink message and the repeated transmitting of the first downlink message,
wherein the determining of the first and second downlink processing strategies use the signals received from the other remote communication device.
5. A method as described in claim 4,
wherein the communication station is a first base station of a communication system and the first remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with the first base station, and
wherein each other remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with one or more other base stations distinct from the first base station.
6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first communication station is able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional TDMA channel.
7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first communication station is able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional CDMA channel.
8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first communication station is able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional FDMA channel.
9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first communication station comprises a cellular base station.
10. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second plurality of antenna elements.
11. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second smart antenna system that includes the second plurality of antenna elements.
12. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the communication station is coupled to an external data andor voice network.
13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the external network includes the Internet.
14. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first remote communication device includes a first remote user terminal.
15. A method as described in claim 14, wherein the first remote user terminal is mobile.
16. A method as described in claim 4, wherein the steps of transmitting in the first and second non-directional manners include mitigating interference towards the undesired communication devices.
17. A method as described in claim 4,
wherein the first smart antenna processing strategy is for transmission in a first direction wherefrom there were no substantial signals received at the communication station in the receiving step,
wherein the second smart antenna processing strategy is for transmission in a second direction wherefrom there were no substantial signals received at the communication station in the receiving step, and
wherein the first and the second directions differ.
18. A method as described in claim 17, wherein the first and second smart antenna processing strategies are determined from the received signal covariance of the signals received at the communication station in the receiving step.
19. A communication station comprising:
a smart antenna system to communicate with a first remote communication device according to a smart antenna processing strategy, the smart antenna system including a plurality of antenna elements;
a processor to determine a first downlink smart antenna processing strategy;
a downlink transmission unit, coupled to the antenna element plurality and to the processor, to transmit a first downlink message from the communication station in the first non-directional manner using the first downlink smart antenna processing strategy;
the downlink transmission unit further to repeatedly transmit the first downlink message from the communication station in a second non-directional manner, the repeated transmitting of the first downlink message in the second non-directional manner producing non-identical repetition to facilitate the interference environment being different in the repetition.
20. A communication station as describe in claim 19, wherein the first substantially non-directional manner differs from the second substantially non-directional manner.
21. A communication station as describe in claim 19, further comprising:
an uplink reception unit, coupled to the antenna element plurality, to receive an uplink response signal from the first remote communication device in response to the first downlink message, and
wherein the downlink transmission unit repeats transmitting the first downlink message if the first remote communication device did not successfully receive the first transmitted first downlink message.
22. A communication station as describe in claim 19, further comprising:
an uplink reception unit, coupled to the antenna element plurality and to the processor, to receive one or more signals from one or more other remote communication devices known to the communication station to be undesired in that any other remote communication device might receive one or more signals during, and on the same downlink channel as, the transmitting of the first downlink message and the repeated transmitting of the first downlink message,
wherein the processor further is to determine a second downlink smart antenna processing strategy, and wherein the processor determines the first and second downlink strategies using the signals received from the other remote communication device.
23. A communication station as described in claim 22,
wherein the communication station is a first base station of a communication system and the first remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with the first base station, and
wherein each other remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with one or more other base stations distinct from the first base station.
24. A communication station as described in claim 19, able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional TDMA channel.
25. A communication station as described in claim 19, able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional CDMA channel.
26. A communication station as described in claim 19, able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional FDMA channel.
27. A communication station as described in claim 19, comprising a cellular base station.
28. A communication station as described in claim 19, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second plurality of antenna elements.
29. A communication station as described in claim 28, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second smart antenna system that includes the second plurality of antenna elements.
30. A communication station as described in claim 19, coupled to an external data andor voice network.
31. A communication station as described in claim 30, wherein the external network includes the Internet.
32. A communication station as described in claim 19, wherein the first remote communication device includes a first remote user terminal.
33. A communication station as described in claim 32, wherein the first remote user terminal is mobile.
34. A communication station as described in claim 22, wherein first and second non-directional manners include mitigating interference towards the undesired communication devices.
35. A communication station as described in claim 22,
wherein the first smart antenna processing strategy is for transmission in a first direction wherefrom there were no substantial signals received at the communication station in the receiving step,
wherein the second smart antenna processing strategy is for transmission in a second direction wherefrom there were no substantial signals received at the communication station in the receiving step, and
wherein the first and the second directions differ.
36. A communication station as described in claim 35, wherein the first and second smart antenna processing strategies are determined from the received signal covariance of the signals received at the communication station in the receiving step.
37. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon information representing a set of machine-executable instructions, that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method for transmitting a downlink signal in a substantially non directional manner from a communication station to a first remote communication device on a downlink channel, the communication station including a smart antenna system having an array of antenna elements, the method comprising:
determining a first downlink smart antenna processing strategy for transmitting in a first non-directional manner;
transmitting a first downlink message from the communication station in the first non-directional manner using the first downlink smart antenna processing strategy; and
repeating transmitting the first downlink message from the communication station in a second non-directional manner,
wherein the repeated transmitting of the first downlink message in the second non-directional manner produces non-identical repetition from the communication station to facilitate the interference environment being different in the repetition.
38. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the first substantially non-directional manner differs from the second substantially non-directional manner.
39. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37,
wherein the method further includes:
determining at the communication station whether or not the first remote communication device successfully received the first transmitted first downlink message, and

wherein the repeated transmitting is if the first remote communication device did not successfully receive the first transmitted first downlink message.
40. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37,
wherein the method further includes:
receiving one or more signals at the communication station from one or more other remote communication devices known to the communication station to be undesired in that any other remote communication device might receive one or more signals during, and on the same downlink channel as, the transmitting of the first downlink message and the repeated transmitting of the first downlink message, and

wherein the determining of the first and second downlink processing strategies use the signals received from the other remote communication device.
41. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 40,
wherein the communication station is a first base station of a communication system and the first remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with the first base station, and
wherein each other remote communication device is a remote user terminal associated with one or more other base stations distinct from the first base station.
42. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the communication station is able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional TDMA channel.
43. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the communication station is able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional CDMA channel.
44. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the communication station is able to communicate with the first remote communication device on a conventional FDMA channel.
45. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the communication station comprises a cellular base station.
46. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second plurality of antenna elements.
47. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 46, wherein the first remote communication device includes a second smart antenna system that includes the second plurality of antenna elements.
48. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the communication station is coupled to an external data andor voice network.
49. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 48, wherein the external network includes the Internet.
50. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 37, wherein the first remote communication device includes a first remote user terminal.
51. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 50, wherein the first remote user terminal is mobile.
52. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 40, wherein the steps of transmitting in the first and second non-directional manners include mitigating interference towards the undesired communication devices.
53. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 40,
wherein the first smart antenna processing strategy is for transmission in a first direction wherefrom there were no substantial signals received at the communication station in the receiving step,
wherein the second smart antenna processing strategy is for transmission in a second direction wherefrom there were no substantial signals received at the communication station in the receiving step, and
wherein the first and the second directions differ.
54. A machine-readable medium as described in claim 53, wherein the first and second smart antenna processing strategies are determined from the received signal covariance of the signals received at the communication station in the receiving step.

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 field-effect transistor comprising at least one lower substrate having two electrodes deposited thereon, respectively a source electrode and a drain electrode, a dielectric layer made of a dielectric material, and a gate electrode deposited on the dielectric layer,
wherein the field-effect transistor comprises an intermediate layer, made of a material comprising molecules having a dipole moment complying with specific direction criteria, deposited between the gate electrode and the dielectric layer, said intermediate layer extending at least under the entire surface area taken up by the gate electrode,
wherein the intermediate layer is made of an organic compound comprising at least one binding function for the gate electrode,
wherein the organic compound forming the intermediate layer further comprises a spacer formed of a linear, branched, or cyclic carbon chain and also capable of comprising at least one heteroatom; and
wherein at least part of the molecules of the material forming the intermediate layer have a dipole moment directed towards the gate electrode when the transistor is of type N or at least part of the molecules of the material forming the intermediate layer have a dipole moment directed towards the dielectric layer when the transistor is of type P.
2. The field-effect transistor of claim 1, wherein the gate electrode is metallic and wherein the organic compound comprises at least one organosulfur compound.
3. A method of manufacturing a field-effect transistor comprising:
at least depositing two electrodes, respectively a source electrode and a drain electrode, on a substrate,
depositing a dielectric layer, and
depositing a gate electrode on the dielectric layer,
wherein, prior to the deposition of the gate electrode, it comprises depositing on the dielectric layer an intermediate layer made of a material comprising molecules having a dipole moment and formed of an organic compound comprising at least one binding function for the gate electrode, said gate electrode being deposited on said intermediate layer so that the entire lower surface of the gate electrode is in contact with the intermediate layer,
wherein material forming the intermediate layer is made of an organic compound comprising a spacer formed of a linear, branched, or cyclic carbon chaing and also capapble of comprising a heteroataom, and
wherein at least part of the molecules of the material forming the intermediate layer have a dipole moment disposed towards the gate electrode when the transistor is of type N or at least part of the molecules of the material forming the intermediate layer have a dipole moment directed towards the dielectric layer when the transistor is of type P.
4. The method of manufacturing a field-effect transistor of claim 3, wherein the intermediate layer is deposited on the dielectric layer by inkjet.
5. The method of manufacturing a field-effect transistor of claim 3, wherein the material forming the intermediate layer is made of at least one organosulfur compound and in that the gate electrode is metallic.