Author: claimsbot

1. A semiconductor device of complementary structure comprising:
a semiconductor substrate including: (i) a first planar semiconductor region whose major surface is formed into a shape of a rectangle or a parallelogram and having compressive stress in a first direction along the major surface of the semiconductor region and tensile stress in a second direction along the major surface different from the first direction; and (ii) a second planar semiconductor region whose major surface is parallel to the major surface of the first planar semiconductor region and formed into a shape of a rectangle or a parallelogram and having tensile stress in the first direction along the major surface and compressive stress in the second direction along the major surface;
a field effect transistor of a first conductivity type formed on each major surface of the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region and including source and drain regions separately arranged along the direction of compressive stresses; and
a field effect transistor of a second conductivity type formed on each major surface of the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region and including source and drain regions separately arranged along the direction of tensile stresses.
2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region are identical in shape and a plurality of first semiconductor regions and a plurality of second semiconductor regions are alternately arranged adjacent to each other on the semiconductor substrate.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the field effect transistor of the first conductivity type or the second conductivity type is formed across the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region.
4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a groove is formed around each of the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region and filled with a first material except for four corners of each of the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region, the first material being higher in elastic modulus than the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region, and filled with a second material at two diagonally opposite corners of the four corners of each of the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region, the second material formed of a material obtainable by a chemical change causing volumetric expansion.
5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the first material is silicon nitride, and the second material is an oxide of silicon or a mixture of silicon and germanium.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein remaining two corners of the groove other than the two corners of the groove which are filled with the second material in each of the first planar semiconductor region and the second planar semiconductor region are filled with a third material which differs from the second material and is obtainable from a volume changing chemical reaction different from the volumetric expansion of the second material.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first planar semiconductor region and the planar second semiconductor regions is made of silicon, the first conductivity type is p type, and the second conductivity type is n type.

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 ASE light source that uses rare earth-doped optical fibers as an optical amplification medium to output spontaneous emission light from the optical fibers, into which excitation light is introduced, said ASE light source is characterized that:
spontaneous emission light generated from Tm-doped optical fibers is inputted to said optical amplification medium.
2. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an excitation light source that inputs, to said Tm-doped optical fibers, excitation light corresponding to energy between a 3F4-3H4 level of Tm ions and excitation light corresponding to energy between a 3H6-3F4 level.
3. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an excitation light source that inputs excitation light of wavelength 1,360 to 1,445 nm to said Tm-doped optical fibers.
4. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 1, wherein excitation lights of different intensities are inputted to said Tm-doped optical fibers through their opposite ends, and said Tm-doped optical fibers generate spontaneous emission light.
5. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 1, wherein said Tm-doped optical fibers are made of fluoride glass as a base material in which Tm ion is doped.
6. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 2, wherein excitation lights of different intensities are inputted to said Tm-doped optical fibers through their opposite ends, and said Tm-doped optical fibers generate spontaneous emission light.
7. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 3, wherein excitation lights of different intensities are inputted to said Tm-doped optical fibers through their opposite ends, and said Tm-doped optical fibers generate spontaneous emission light.
8. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 5, wherein said Tm-doped optical fibers have a concentration length product of at least 30,000 ppmm and at most 100,000 ppmm and a Tm concentration of at least 1,000 ppm and at most 8,000 ppm.
9. An ASE light source that uses rare earth-doped optical fibers as an optical amplification medium to output spontaneous emission light from the optical fibers, into which excitation light is introduced, said ASE light source is characterized by comprising:
first emission means for outputting spontaneous emission light generated from the Tm-doped optical fibers; and
second emission means for outputting amplified light obtained by using the Er-doped optical fibers to amplify the output from the first emission means and spontaneous emission light generated from said Er-doped optical fibers so that the amplified light and the spontaneous emission light are superimposed on each other.
10. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an excitation light source that inputs, to said Tm-doped optical fibers, excitation light corresponding to energy between a 3F4-3H4 level of Tm ions and excitation light corresponding to energy between a 3H6-3F4 level.
11. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an excitation light source that inputs excitation light of wavelength 1,360 to 1,445 nm to said Tm-doped optical fibers.
12. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 9, wherein excitation lights of different intensities are inputted to said Tm-doped optical fibers through their opposite ends, and said Tm-doped optical fibers generate spontaneous emission light.
13. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 9, wherein said Tm-doped optical fibers comprise fluoride glass as a base material in which Tm ion is doped.
14. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 10, wherein excitation lights of different intensities are inputted to said Tm-doped optical fibers through their opposite ends, and said Tm-doped optical fibers generate spontaneous emission light.
15. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 11, wherein excitation lights of different intensities are inputted to said Tm-doped optical fibers through their opposite ends, and said Tm-doped optical fibers generate spontaneous emission light.
16. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 13, wherein said Tm-doped optical fibers have a concentration length product of at least 30,000 ppmm and at most 100,000 ppmm and a Tm concentration of at least 1,000 ppm and at most 8,000 ppm.
17. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 9, wherein said Er-doped optical fibers of said second emission means is made of any one of quartz glass, fluoride glass, and tellurite glass as a base material in which Er ion is doped.
18. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 9, comprising:
third emission means for outputting spontaneous emission light generated from the Er-doped optical fibers; and
first multiplexing means for multiplexing the output from said second emission means and an output from said third emission means to provide a multiplexed output.
19. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 18, wherein said Er-doped optical fibers of said third emission means is made of any one of quartz glass, fluoride glass, and tellurite glass as a base material in which Er ion is doped.
20. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 18, comprising:
fourth emission means for outputting spontaneous emission light generated from the Er-doped optical fibers; and
second multiplexing means for multiplexing the output from said third emission means and an output from said fourth emission means to provide a multiplexed output.
21. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 18, wherein said second emission means has an excitation light source that inputs excitation light corresponding to energy between a 4I152-4I132 level of Er ions, to said Er-doped optical fibers, and
comprises a splitter that splits an output from said second emission means and inputs the split output to said third emission means as excitation light.
22. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 18, wherein said second emission means has an excitation light source that inputs excitation light of wavelength 1,350 to 1,455 nm to said Er-doped optical fibers, and
comprises a splitter that splits an output from said second emission means and inputs the split output to said third emission means as excitation light.
23. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 19, comprising:
fourth emission means for outputting spontaneous emission light generated from the Er-doped optical fibers; and
second multiplexing means for multiplexing the output from said third emission means and an output from said fourth emission means to provide a multiplexed output.
24. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second emission means has an excitation light source that inputs excitation light corresponding to energy between a 4I152-4I132 level of Er ions, to said Er-doped optical fibers, and
comprises a splitter that splits an output from said second emission means and inputs the split output to said third emission means as excitation light.
25. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second emission means has an excitation light source that inputs excitation light of wavelength 1,350 to 1,455 nm to said Er-doped optical fibers, and comprises a splitter that splits an output from said second emission means and inputs the split output to said third emission means as excitation light.
26. An ASE light source as claimed in claim 23, wherein said Er-doped optical fibers of said fourth emission means is made of any one of quartz glass, fluoride glass, and tellurite glass as a base material in which Er ion is doped.
27. An ASE light source that uses rare earth-doped optical fibers as an optical amplification medium to output spontaneous emission light from the optical fibers, into which excitation light is introduced, said ASE light source is characterized by comprising:
first emission means for outputting spontaneous emission light generated from the Tm-doped optical fibers;
second emission means for outputting amplified light obtained by using the Er-doped optical fibers to amplify one of the outputs from the first emission means and spontaneous emission light generated from said Er-doped optical fibers so that the amplified light and the spontaneous emission light are superimposed on each other; and
multiplexing means for multiplexing the other output from said first emission means and the output from said second emission means to provide a multiplexed output.
28. An optical amplifier which uses rare earth-doped optical fibers as an optical amplification medium and which introduces signal light and excitation light into the optical amplification medium to amplify the signal light, said optical amplifier is characterized by comprising:
first amplifying means for using Er-doped optical fibers to amplify said signal light and then output the amplified signal light; and
second amplifying means for using Tm-doped optical fibers to amplify the output from the first amplifying means and then output the amplified output.
29. An optical amplifier as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first amplifying means has an excitation light source that inputs excitation light corresponding to energy between 4I152-4I112 level of Er ions, to said Er-doped optical fibers, and
said second amplifying means has an excitation light source that inputs, to said Tm-doped optical fibers, excitation light corresponding to energy between a 3F4-3H4 level of Tm ions and excitation light corresponding to energy between a 3H6-3F4 level.
30. An optical amplifier as claimed in claim 28, wherein said Tm-doped optical fibers have a Tm concentration of 500 to 3,000 ppm.
31. An optical amplifier as claimed in claim 28, further comprising third amplifying means for amplifying an output from said second amplifying means using the Er-doped optical fibers and outputting the amplified output.
32. An optical amplifier as claimed in claim 29, wherein said Tm-doped optical fibers have a Tm concentration of 500 to 3,000 ppm.
33. An optical amplifier as claimed in claim 31, wherein the Er-doped optical fibers of said first amplifying means has a concentration length product smaller than that of the Er-doped optical fibers of said third amplifying means.
34. A laser oscillator comprising:
an optical amplifier having first amplifying means for using Er-doped optical fibers to amplify signal light and then output the amplified signal light and second amplifying means for inputting the output from the first amplifying means to Tm-doped optical fibers to amplify the output from the first amplification means using excitation light and then output the amplified output;
a filter connected to an output of the optical amplifier; and
splitting means connected to an output of the filter to input one of its outputs to the optical amplifier.

1. A system of the type including gaming terminals, the system including a processor in communication with the terminals to interact therewith and with an employee workstation, said workstation configured to require a log on input to enable the workstation to be operated by an authorized person and a log out input to disable the workstation, the system comprising:
(i) an electromagnetic signal transmitter in position of each employee authorized to operate the workstation, each transmitter configured to issue a unique signal;
(ii) a receiver configured to at least periodically receive an electromagnetic signal from a transmitter when an authorized person is proximate the workstation; and
(iii) an interface for an authorized person to input password data at the workstation, one of said workstation and central processor configured to, from the electromagnetic signal and input of password data place said workstation in an enabled condition and place the workstation in a disabled condition to said authorized person when said signal is not received by said receiver.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said workstation and processor is configured to place the workstation in a disabled condition to said authorized person when said signal is not received by said receiver for a time period.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter and receiver are a transceiver.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter comprises a transponder in possession of the authorized person and said receiver is configured to periodically issue an interrogation signal, said transponder configured to send said electromagnetic signal in response to said interrogation signal.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said authorized person is authorized to access administrative functions at the workstation when said signal is at least periodically received by said receiver.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a central authority for verifying at least one of said signal and said password data to authorize access by said authorized person to said workstation.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said disabled condition comprises a log out of said workstation.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein access to administrative functions at a gaming terminal by said authorized person is facilitated by said transmitter and said receiver.
9. In a system of the type including gaming terminals linked to a central processor and a secure system workstation, a method for an authorized person to enable the workstation for the person to interface with the system and to disable the workstation, the method comprising:
(i) issuing an electromagnetic transmitter to each authorized person, each transmitter configured to issue a unique signal;
(ii) at least periodically receiving at a receiver proximate the workstation said transmitter signals when an authorized person is proximate the workstation;
(iii) the authorized person inputting password data at the terminal to, in combination with receipt of a corresponding signal, place the workstation in an enabled condition; and
(iv) placing the workstation in a disabled condition upon non-receipt of said signal by said receiver.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising placing the workstation in a disabled condition upon non-receipt of said signal by said receiver for a predetermined time period.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising issuing an electromagnetic signal transponder to each authorized person, each transponder configured to issue a unique signal and periodically sending from said receiver an interrogation signal, said transponder in response to said interrogation signal issuing said electromagnetic signal.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein said disabled condition comprises a log out of said workstation.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising authorizing access to a gaming terminal by said authorized person based on said signal.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising verifying at least one of said signal and said password data via an external system to authorize access by said authorized person to said workstation.
15. A method for allowing access in a gaming environment, said method comprising:
transmitting an interrogation signal;
generating an identification signal in response to said interrogation signal;
authorizing access to a gaming system based on said identification signal; and
maintaining said access to said gaming system based on presence of said identification signal.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said interrogation signal comprises a radio frequency interrogation signal and said identification signal comprises a radio frequency identification signal.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising obtaining at least one of a pass code and biometric identification for access to said gaming system.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising authorizing access to administrative functions at said gaining system.
19. The method of claim 15, further comprising termination of access to said gaming system after an interval without receiving an identification signal.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein said authorizing step further comprises authorizing access to said gaming system based on a plurality of identification signals.

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 method for use by a client system including or coupled to a display device, the method for presenting content to a user via the display device, the method comprising:
(a) obtaining video content data and obtaining or determining corresponding video time data;
(b) obtaining contextual content data and corresponding contextual time data;
(c) identifying portions of the contextual content data that are temporally related to portions of the video content data based on the contextual time data and the video time data;
(d) displaying a portion of the video content data on the display device; and
(e) based on results of the identifying, while displaying the portion of the video content data on the display device, also displaying, alongside the portion of the video content data, a portion of the contextual content data that is relevant to the portion of the video content data being displayed on the display device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the (a) obtaining video content data and obtaining or determining corresponding video time data comprises:
(a.1) receive a selection of content that the user wants to view;
(a.2) sending a request for the selected content to a remote system; and
(a.3) receiving the video content data from the remote system in response to the request.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the (a) obtaining video content data and obtaining or determining corresponding video time data further comprises:
(a.4.i) receiving the video time data along with the video content data from the remote system in response to the request; or
(a.4.ii) determining the video time data using a timer of the client system.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the (b) obtaining contextual content data and corresponding contextual time data includes:
(b.1) sending a request for the contextual content data to a remote system;
(b.2) receiving the contextual content data and the corresponding contextual time data from the remote system in response to the request; and
(b.3) storing the contextual content data and the corresponding contextual time data at least until the contextual content data is displayed.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the (b) obtaining contextual content data corresponding to a particular point in time occurs prior to the (a) obtaining video content data corresponding to the particular point in time.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the (c) identifying portions of the contextual content data that are temporally related to portions of the video content data comprises:
(c.1) tracking a time associated with a portion of the video content data being displayed or about to be displayed; and
(c.2) identifying that a portion of the contextual content data is temporally related to a portion of the video content data by identifying when a time associated with a portion of the contextual content data is substantially the same as the tracked time associated with the portion of the video content data being displayed or about to be displayed.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein the (b.1) sending a request for the contextual content data to a remote system comprises periodically sending requests for contextual content data to the remote system.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual content data, that is displayed alongside the portion of the video content data being displayed, includes at least one interactive element relevant to the portion of the video content data being displayed on the display device.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein a said interactive element of the contextual content data comprises a polling question.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein a said interactive element of the contextual content data comprises an option to display additional contextual content data not currently being displayed.
11. A system for presenting content to a user, comprising:
a network interface that receives video content data and corresponding video time data, and receives contextual content data and corresponding contextual time data;
a display interface that interfaces with a display device capable of displaying video content; and
one or more storage devices that store the received video content data and corresponding video time data, and store the received contextual content data and corresponding contextual time data;
one or more processors in communication with the one or more storage devices, the network interface, and the display interface, wherein the one or more processors
identify portions of the contextual content data that are temporally related to portions of the video content data based on the contextual time data and the video time data;
cause a portion of the video content data to be displayed on the display device; and
while the portion of the video content data is being displayed on the display device, also cause a portion of the contextual content data that is relevant to the portion of the video content data being displayed on the display device display, to be displayed alongside the portion of the video content data being displayed.
12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:
a user interface that enables a user to select content that the user wants to view;
wherein the network interface sends a request for the selected content to a first remote system, and receives the video content data along with the video time data from the first remote system in response to the request;
wherein the network interface sends a request for the contextual content data to a second remote system, and receives the contextual content data and the corresponding contextual time data from the second remote system in response to the request;
wherein the contextual content data corresponding to a particular point in time is received prior to the video content data corresponding to the particular point in time; and
wherein the first and second remote systems can be a same remote system or different remote systems.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein, in order to identify portions of the contextual content data that are temporally related to portions of the video content data based on the contextual time data and the video time data, the one or more processors:
track a time associated with a portion of the video content data being displayed or about to be displayed; and
identify that a portion of the contextual content data is temporally related to a portion of the video content data by identifying when a time associated with a portion of the contextual content data is substantially the same as the tracked time associated with the portion of the video content data being displayed or about to be displayed.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the contextual content data, that is displayed alongside the portion of the video content data being displayed, includes at least one interactive element relevant to the portion of the video content data being displayed on the display device.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein a said interactive element of the contextual content data comprises a polling question.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein a said interactive element of the contextual content data comprises an option to display additional contextual content data not currently being displayed.
17. One or more processor readable storage devices having instructions encoded thereon which when executed cause one or more processors of a client system to perform a method for presenting content to a user via a display device, the method comprising:
obtaining video content data and obtaining or determining corresponding video time data;
obtaining contextual content data and corresponding contextual time data;
identifying portions of the contextual content data that are temporally related to portions of the video content data based on the contextual time data and the video time data;
displaying a portion of the video content data on the display device; and
based on results of the identifying, while displaying the portion of the video content data on the display device, also displaying, alongside the portion of the video content data, a portion of the contextual content data that is relevant to the portion of the video content data being displayed on the display device.
18. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 17, wherein the obtaining contextual content data and corresponding contextual time data includes:
sending a request for the contextual content data to a remote system;
receiving the contextual content data and the corresponding contextual time data from the remote system in response to the request; and
storing the contextual content data and the corresponding contextual time data at least until they are displayed;
wherein the obtaining contextual content data corresponding to a particular point in time occurs prior to the obtaining video content data corresponding to the particular point in time.
19. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 18, wherein the identifying portions of the contextual content data that are temporally related to portions of the video content data comprises:
tracking a time associated with a portion of the video content data being displayed or about to be displayed; and
identifying that a portion of the contextual content data is temporally related to a portion of the video content data by identifying when a time associated with a portion of the contextual content data is substantially the same as the tracked time associated with the portion of the video content data being displayed or about to be displayed.
20. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 17, wherein the contextual content data, that is displayed alongside the portion of the video content data being displayed, includes at least one interactive element relevant to the portion of the video content data being displayed on the display device.