Author: claimsbot

1. A method for fabricating a thin film pattern, comprising:
forming sequentially a first film and a second film on a substrate;
applying a layer of photoresist on the second film;
exposing and developing the photoresist layer with a double tone mask to form a photoresist pattern comprising a totally left region, a partially left region and a totally removed region;
performing a first wet etching on the second film in the totally removed region;
performing a first dry etching on the first film in the totally removed region to form a first pattern, and etching the photoresist layer to remove the photoresist in the partially left region and reduce the photoresist of the totally left region in thickness so as to expose the second film in the partially left region;
performing a second wet etching on the second film in the partially left region;
performing a second dry etching for etching entire or a part of the first film in the partially left region to form a second pattern; and
removing the residual photoresist.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first film comprises a semiconductor material and the second film comprises a metal material.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein SF6, O2, He and CF4 as well as Cl2 or HCl are used as reactive gases to perform the first dry etching.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the volume flow rate of SF6 is 30 to 500 sccm, the volume flow rate of O2 is 500 to 3000 sccm, the volume flow rate of He is 100 to 1000 sccm, the volume flow rate of CF4 is 40 to 500 sccm, and the volume flow rate of Cl2 or HCl is 100 to 2000 sccm; and
the reactive conditions of the first dry etching comprise a vacuum degree of 50 to 1000 mTorr, a RF power is 500 W to 7000 W, and a temperature of 23\xb0 C. to 150\xb0 C.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the totally left region has an area beyond that of the first pattern to be formed, so that the time of etching the photoresist is equal to the time of the first dry etching on the first film when the first dry etching is performed.
6. A method for fabricating an array substrate, comprising forming patterns of data lines, active layers, source electrodes and drain electrodes, comprising:
forming sequentially an active layer film and a data line metal film on a substrate;
applying a layer of photoresist on the data line metal film;
exposing and developing the photoresist layer with a double tone mask to form a photoresist pattern comprising a totally left region, a partially left region and a totally removed region;
performing a first wet etching on the data line metal film in the totally removed region;
performing a first dry etching on the active layer film in the totally removed region to form the patterns of data lines, source electrodes, drain electrodes and active layers, and etching the photoresist layer to remove the photoresist in the partially left region and reduce the photoresist of the totally left region in thickness, so as to expose the data line metal film in the partially left region;
performing a second wet etching on the data line metal film in the partially left region;
performing a second dry etching for etching entire or a part of the active layer film in the partially left region to form a channel pattern on the active layer; and
removing the residual photoresist.
7. The method for fabricating an array substrate according to claim 6, wherein SF6, O2, He and CF4 as well as Cl2 or HCl are used as reactive gases to perform the first dry etching.
8. The method for fabricating an array substrate according to claim 7, wherein the volume flow rate of SF6 is 30 to 500 sccm, the volume flow rate of O2 is 500 to 3000 sccm, the volume flow rate of He is 100 to 1000 sccm, the volume flow rate of CF4 is 40 to 500 sccm, and the volume flow rate of Cl2 or HCl is 100 to 2000 sccm; and
the reactive conditions of the first dry etching comprise a vacuum degree of 50 to 1000 mTorr, a RF power is 500 W to 7000 W, and a temperature of 23\xb0 C. to 150\xb0 C.
9. The method for fabricating an array substrate according to claim 8, wherein the data line metal film is made of Aluminum (Al), Al alloy, Molybdenum (Mo), MoAl, MoAlNd, MoAl or Al alloyMo, Copper (Cu), Titanium (Ti), TiAl(AlNd)Ti, CuMo or Mo alloy.
10. The method for fabricating an array substrate according to claim 9, wherein the data line metal film is made of Al or Al alloy or Nd.
11. The method for fabricating an array substrate according to claim 8, wherein the active layer film comprises laminated layers a semiconductor film and an impurity-doped semiconductor film.
12. The method for fabricating an array substrate according to claim 6, wherein
the totally left region has an area beyond that of the patterns of the data lines, the source electrodes and the source electrodes to be formed, so that the time of etching the photoresist is equal to the time of the first dry etching on the active layer film when the first dry etching is performed.

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 camera module comprising: a first case and a second case both made from a synthetic resin, the first case and the second case being joined together in a water tight manner to form a housing part,
the housing part including a lens unit having an objective lens at a top thereof, an imaging element, and a printed wiring board, which are accommodated therein, the first case having an upper face in which an opening is formed for exposing the objective lens, wherein
joint surfaces of the first case and the second case where both are joined together in a direction having a component in an optical axis direction of the lens unit are inclined relative to a plane orthogonal to the optical axis direction of the lens unit.
2. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein the joint surfaces between the first case and the second case are joined together by ultrasonic welding.
3. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein any of the first case and the second case has an opening for external connection, and
the camera module further comprises external connection means that is held in a water tight manner relative to a peripheral part of the opening for external connection, the external connection means for connection with an external circuit.
4. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein: the second case has an opening for external connection;
the camera module further comprises external connection means that is held in a water tight manner relative to a peripheral part of the opening for external connection, the external connection means for connection with an external circuit; and
the external connection means is protruded from an area defined by an extension of a side wall of the first case.

1. A computer-based method of computing a similarity function from a data set of objects, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a training set of objects;
presenting a user with one or more subsets of objects based on the training set of objects, each subset comprising at least two objects of the data set;
receiving user feedback regarding similarity between the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more sets of feature variables based on features in the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more class variables in accordance with the user feedback; and
constructing a similarity function which relates the one or more sets of feature variables to the one or more class variables;
wherein each of the sets of feature variables is defined by a pairwise subtraction of the features in the corresponding subset of objects.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more class variables are based on one or more similarity values returned by the user.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the sets of feature variables is defined as a parametric function of the features in the corresponding subset of objects.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein one or more parameters of the function are determined in accordance with the user feedback.
5. A computer-based method of computing a similarity function from a data set of objects, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a training set of objects;
presenting a user with one or more subsets of objects based on the training set of objects, each subset comprising at least two objects of the data set;
receiving user feedback regarding similarity between the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more sets of feature variables based on features in the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more class variables in accordance with the user feedback; and
constructing a similarity function which relates the one or more sets of feature variables to the one or more class variables;
wherein the similarity function is constructed for subsequent use in automatically determining the similarity between two or more objects of substantially unknown similarity.
6. Apparatus for computing a similarity function from a data set of objects, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor operative to: (i) obtain a training set of objects; (ii) present a user with one or more subsets of objects based on the training set of objects, each subset comprising at least two objects of the data set; (iii) receive user feedback regarding similarity between the one or more subsets of objects; (iv) define one or more sets of feature variables based on features in the one or more subsets of objects; (v) define one or more class variables in accordance with the user feedback; and (vi) construct a similarity function which relates the one or more sets of feature variables to the one or more class variables; and
memory, operatively coupled to the at least one processor, for storing at least one of the data set of objects and the constructed similarity function;
wherein each of the sets of feature variables is defined by a pairwise subtraction of the features in the corresponding subset of objects.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more class variables are based on one or more similarity values returned by the user.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the sets of feature variables is defined as a parametric function of the features in the corresponding subset of objects.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein one or more parameters of the function are determined in accordance with the user feedback.
10. Apparatus for computing a similarity function from a data set of objects, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor operative to: (i) obtain a training set of objects: (ii) present a user with one or more subsets of objects based on the training set of objects, each subset comprising at least two objects of the data set; (iii) receive user feedback regarding similarity between the one or more subsets of objects; (iv) define one or more sets of feature variables based on features in the one or more subsets of objects; (v) define one or more class variables in accordance with the user feedback; and (vi) construct a similarity function which relates the one or more sets of feature variables to the one or more class variables; and
memory, operatively coupled to the at least one processor, for storing at least one of the data set of objects and the constructed similarity function;
wherein the similarity function is constructed for subsequent use in automatically determining the similarity between two or more objects of substantially unknown similarity.
11. An article of manufacture for computing a similarity function from a data set of objects, the article comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:
obtaining a training set of objects;
presenting a user with one or more subsets of objects based on the training set of objects, each subset comprising at least two objects of the data set;
receiving user feedback regarding similarity between the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more sets of feature variables based on features in the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more class variables in accordance with the user feedback; and
constructing a similarity function which relates the one or more sets of feature variables to the one or more class variables;
wherein each of the sets of feature variables is defined by a pairwise subtraction of the features in the corresponding subset of objects.
12. The article of claim 11, wherein the one or more class variables are based on one or more similarity values returned by the user.
13. The article of claim 11, wherein each of the sets of feature variables is defined as a parametric function of the features in the corresponding subset of objects.
14. The article of claim 13, wherein one or more parameters of the function are determined in accordance with the user feedback.
15. An article of manufacture for computing a similarity function from a data set of objects, the article comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:
obtaining a training set of objects;
presenting a user with one or more subsets of objects based on the training set of objects, each subset comprising at least two objects of the data set;
receiving user feedback regarding similarity between the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more sets of feature variables based on features in the one or more subsets of objects;
defining one or more class variables in accordance with the user feedback; and
constructing a similarity function which relates the one or more sets of feature variables to the one or more class variables;
wherein the similarity function is constructed for subsequent use in automatically determining the similarity between two or more objects of substantially unknown similarity.

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 reconfigurable, multi-user optical communications network, with low latency time, comprising:
a first transmitter configured to generate a first brightness-modulated light signal from a first digital data signal,
a second transmitter configured to generate a second brightness-modulated light signal from a second digital data signal
optical means configured to combine and transport the first and second light signals to at least one receiver, wherein
each of the first and second transmitters comprise,
a pseudo-random code generator configured to transmit a code generated from a predetermined software key,
means to encode the data signal with said code and configured to output an encoded digital signal,
light emission means, comprising a multimode light source whose optical power is directly modulated by a signal consisting of the encoded digital signal to generate a corresponding encoded light signal, and wherein
the at least one receiver comprises,
direct optical detection means configured to generate an analog electrical signal characteristic of the sum of the combined first and second light signals transmitted,
a pseudo-random code generator identical to the pseudo-random code generator of either the first and second transmitter, and
means to decode said analog signal using a code transmitted by said code generator with a key identical to the predetermined software key associated with at least one of the first and second transmitters and configured to recreate the data signal intended for the user.
2. The optical communications network according to claim 1, wherein said multimode light source is a laser diode.
3. The optical communications network according to claim 1, wherein said direct optical detection means comprise a photodiode associated with a transimpedance amplification stage and an amplification stage.
4. The optical communications network according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the optical transport of the encoded light signal is carried out in free propagation.
5. The optical communications network according to claim 1, wherein the encoding means of each of the first and second transmitters comprise digital multiplication means between the data signal and the code generated using said key.
6. The optical communications network according to claim 1, wherein the decoding means of the at least one receiver comprises:
first analog signal formatting means,
analog multiplication means between said formatted analog signal and said code configured to obtain a decoded signal, and
low-pass filtering means applied to the decoded signal configured to recreate at least one of the first and second data signals.
7. The optical communications network according to claim 6, wherein the decoding means further comprises:
means for thresholding, after the filtering means, configured to recreate at least one of the first and second data signals in a digital format.
8. The optical communications network according to claim 1, wherein the codes generated by the pseudo-random code generators are Gold type codes.
9. The optical communications network according to claim 1, wherein the codes generated by the pseudo-random code generators are M-sequence type codes.
10. The optical communications network according to claim 1, applied to a data distribution system with several transmitters and several receivers, wherein the light emission means of each transmitter are virtually identical and comprise a multimode light source whose optical power is modulated according to the encoded digital signal, and wherein each transmitter is associated with a specific software key, network reconfiguration being carried out by the decoding means of the receivers by selecting the key identical to the key specific to each transmitter with which the user wants to communicate.
11. The optical communications network according to claim 1, applied to a system for distribution of data between at least one of the first transmitter and the second transmitters and several receivers, wherein each receiver is associated with a specific software key, network reconfiguration being carried out by the encoding means of the at least one of the first transmitter and the second transmitter by selecting the key identical to the key specific to each receiver whose associated user wants to communicate with the at least one of the first transmitter and the second transmitter.
12. The optical communications network according to claim 11, wherein the propagation of the encoded light signal transmitted by each of the first and second transmitters is carried out in free propagation to the receivers.
13. The optical communications network according to claim 12, wherein the light transmission means of each of the first and second transmitters comprise a flash lamp whose optical power is modulated according to the encoded light signal.
14. A reconfigurable, multi-user optical communications network, comprising:
a first transmitter configured to generate first a brightness-modulated light signal from a first digital data signal,
a second transmitter configured to generate a second brightness-modulated light signal from a second digital data signal,
an optical coupler configured to combine and transport the first and second light signals to at least one receiver, wherein
each of the first and second transmitters comprise,
a first pseudo-random code generator configured to transmit a code generated from a predetermined software key,
an encoder configured to encode the data signal with said code and configured to output an encoded digital signal,
a light emitter, comprising a multimode light source whose optical power is directly modulated by a signal consisting of the encoded digital signal, to generate a corresponding encoded light signal, and wherein
the at least one receiver comprises,
an optical detector configured to generate an analog electrical signal characteristic of the sum of the first and second light signals transmitted,
a second pseudo-random code generator, and
a decoder configured to decode said analog signal by using a code transmitted by said first pseudo-random code generator with the predetermined software key of either the first or second transmitter and configured to recreate at least one of the first and second data signals.