327 results about "Fixed charge" patented technology

Systems and method for selecting points-of-presence (POPs) to be used by client systems when accessing network resources from the Internet are disclosed. An access monitoring system capable of monitoring client system usage compiles usage profiles for each of a plurality of client systems as POPs are used to access the Internet. The POPs may charge for Internet access according a flat periodic fee, hourly rates, per-port rates, or other arrangements. Periodically, the access monitoring system evaluates the usage profiles to determine whether the client systems could have obtained access to the Internet for lower access costs if different POPs had been used. If so, the access monitoring system identifies the appropriate, cost-effective POPs and generates one or more scripts instructing the client systems to use the appropriate POPs. To subsequently access the Internet, the client systems execute the scripts and establish communication with the appropriate POPs. The process of monitoring usage and reevaluating which POPs should be used continues as desired. POP selection can also be conducted to balance load between various POPs based on the usage patterns described by the usage profiles.

The present invention provides a method for dielectric passivating the surface of a solar cell by accumulation of negative fixed charges of a first type at the interface between semiconductor material and a passivating material. According to the invention the passivating material comprises an oxide system, for example a binary oxide system, comprising Al₂O₃ and at least one metal oxide or metalloid oxide which enhances the tetrahedral structure of Al₂O₃, for example, an (Al₂O₃)_x(TiO₂)_1-x alloy. In this way it is possible to combine the desirable properties from at least two different oxides, while eliminating the undesirable properties of each individual material. The oxide system can be deposited onto the semiconductor surface by means of a sol-gel method, comprising the steps of formation of the metal oxide and/or metalloid oxide sol and the aluminum solution and then carefully mixing these together under stirring and ultrasonic treatment. Thin films of the oxide system can then be deposited onto the semiconductor surface by means of spin coating followed by a temperature treatment.

A web-based data processing system is used in a Business-to-Business (B2B) exchange for providing one-stop manufacturing solutions. In a B2B exchange, this system provides a moderator desktop for project planning, quoting, coordination and supervisory of all web-based business transactions from mechanical/electronic design and production of first article, tooling, production, financing, insurance, warehousing to end-product delivery. Also, this system provides a machine web communication desktop for web-based maintenance and support to members, process lines, systems and machines, and web-based resource sharing to "pay as you go" members and "flat fee" members. Likewise, this system provides dedicated desktops for other participants in the B2B exchange for direct and critical communication, collaboration and commerce transaction with moderator and machine web communication center. Said participants include Customers, Process lines/systems/machines, Strategic Partners, Suppliers and Management team/account/audit/administrator. This system also distributes and manages Request for Quotations (RFQs) for said B2B exchange in NAFTA, Asia Pacific and Europe data servers. Besides, the web-based data processing system provides a direct communication with a collaborative platform. Said collaborative platform may be integrated with existing web-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Supply Chain Management (SCM).

A semiconductor device has an MIS (metal-insulating film-semiconductor) structure, and a film mainly containing Al, O, and N atoms is used on a semiconductor. Alternatively, a semiconductor device has an MIS structure, and a film mainly containing Al, O, and N atoms is provided as a gate insulating film on a channel region between a source and a drain. Characteristics required of a gate insulating film of a 0.05 μm-gate-length-generation semiconductor transistor are satisfied. In particular, no fixed charge is included in the film, and impurity diffusion is reduced.

The invention provides methods, reagents and kits for amino acid, peptide and protein identification, differential quantitation and for the analysis of post translational modification and cross-linking status, comprising: derivatizing a mixture of amino acids peptides or proteins, to form at least one amino acid peptide or protein containing a fixed-charge ion, other than at the C-terminal or N-terminal end thereof; introducing the mixture of amino acids peptides or proteins containing the fixed charge derivatized amino acid peptide or protein to a mass spectrometer; passing the mixture of amino acids peptides or proteins containing the fixed charge derivatized amino acid peptide or protein through a first mass resolving spectrometer to select precursor protein or peptide ions having a first desired mass-to-charge ratio; subjecting the precursor ions of the first mass to charge ratio to dissociation to form a product ion having a second mass-to-charge ratio that is characteristic of a fragmentation occurring at a site adjacent to the fixed charge; and detecting the product ions having the second mass-to-charge ratio. The product ion having the second mass-to-charge ratio may be either a product ion formed by neutral loss of the fixed charge from the precursor ion, or a product ion formed by charged loss of the fixed charge from the precursor ion.

A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter layer, of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, positioned at one surface of the substrate, a first electrode electrically connected to the emitter layer, a first protective layer positioned on a front surface of the emitter layer where the first electrode is not positioned, a back surface field layer positioned at another surface of the substrate, a second electrode electrically connected to the back surface field layer, and a second protective layer positioned on a back surface of the substrate where the second electrode is not positioned. Each of the first and second protective layers is formed of a material having fixed charges of the first conductive type.

Thin film transistors and arrays having controlled threshold voltage and improved I_ON/I_OFF ratio are provided in this invention. In one embodiment, a thin film transistor having a first gate insulator of high breakdown field with positive fixed charges and a second gate insulator with negative fixed charges is provided; said negative fixed charges substantially compensate said positive fixed charges in order to reduce threshold voltage and OFF state threshold voltage of said transistor. In another embodiment, a thin film transistor having a first passivation layer with negative fixed charges is provided, the negative charges reduce substantially unwanted negative charges in the adjacent active channel and hence reduce the OFF state current and increase I_ON/I_OFF ratio, which in turn reduce the threshold voltage of the transistor.

The invention relates to a method of simulation of semiconductor devices, such as wide-bandgap devices. The method employs a device substitution technique and involves simulation of a device which is structurally similar to the target device, and for which it is relatively easy to compute a model. Such a device may have a reduced material bandgap or a different doping/fixed-charge concentration. Based on the model of the simplified device, a model of the device under consideration is produced via a sequence of simulation steps, wherein simulated intermediate devices eventually transform into the target device for which a model is sought.

A software brokering method and framework are presented. The software brokering method includes a step of establishing a use-based pricing scheme for a set of software modules that are utilized at a customer's site. By pricing software according to its use rather than a set fee, flexible pricing is facilitated for meeting the broad spectrum of customers needs. The software modules are distributed to customers. The software modules are preferably downloaded from an e-commerce site, but may also be mailed or distributed from conventional retail outlets. Use of the software at a customer's site is monitored by processes integrated into the deployment and execution components of a software module integration platform residing at the customer's site. Customers are charged based upon their actual use of the software modules, as registered by the software module integration platform, in view of the software pricing scheme established for the downloaded software modules.

In a preferred embodiment, the software modules are distributed and monitored through an e-commerce site.

The present invention is directed to a process or method for Trust Vendors, Independent Trust Companies, State and Federal Bank Trust Departments and other financial institutions. The system includes the steps of: matching a potential prospect and or trust vendor with a financial institution for trust, estate and investment management products or services and other traditional trust services and products through a website; company, individual, professional organization or entity that referred business is tracked; prospective client fills out a contact form and background information; matching predetermined criteria is supplied by financial institution/other potential client and prospective/potential client, respectively, to match each party, up to five matches are determined and then each party is electronically notified that a match has occurred; financial institution reviews the contact form and background information supplied by prospective client; an approval form is then filled out with greater detailed information sent electronically to financial institution; trust agreement terms and conditions as well as transfer documents are analyzed information electronically sent to checklists used as part of the account opening policies and procedures regulatory process for a potential client trust committee to accept, if financial institutions agrees to accept business and prospective client wants to open account with financial institution additional information is obtained; the additional information is electronically sent to an Account Open Form. Individual, Company or Professional Organization or "Party" that referred business is notified that an account agreement or trust agreement has been signed by prospective client; referring party receives monthly, quarterly or flat fee based on type of account or assets referred or nature of relationship; process, method or system tracks the dollar amount of fee that will be received by referring party and makes sure that payment is made; further facilitate the account opening process and system by tracking the transfer of assets into the account.

A method including establishing a commission-free fee-based brokerage account for a client and maintaining a balance between the account's fee, its investment activity and services received, and compensation to a financial advisor of the client. Customized flat fee pricing can be calculated based on investment objectives, risk tolerances, asset mix, asset size, expected trading patterns, utilization of other firm services and the client account relationship (the existence of other accounts of that client with the firm). Systems calculate and recommend a fee to the financial advisor, who then negotiates with the client and determines a final fee. This dynamic pricing process includes a compensation adjustment to the financial advisor under certain pricing and trading scenarios.

The invention discloses a hazardous chemical substance transport scheduling method based on multi-target modeling optimization. The hazardous chemical substance transport scheduling method includes the steps of respectively building a path length model, a building time model, a vehicle fixed cost model and a risk model, carrying out per-unit and weighted processing on the four sub-models to obtain an evaluation function of hazardous chemical substance transport optimized scheduling, solving the models through an improved genetic algorithm including natural number coding, initial population recursion generation, an optimal storage strategy, improved matched intersecting and continuous three-time intersecting, and finally obtaining a hazardous chemical substance transport optimal path which is short in transport path, high in distribution efficiency, few in distribution vehicle and small in risk. According to the hazardous chemical substance transport scheduling method, four targets are considered at the same time, a decision maker can set different weight values according to self requirements, the searching direction of the genetic algorithm is determined through the weight values, fitness values are continuously iterated to be finally converged, and therefore the optimal path is obtained.

The invention provides a method and a system for providing charge service to electric vehicles. The method includes acquiring residual electric quantities of the electric vehicles; judging whether the residual electric quantities are lower than warning electric quantities or not; acquiring current locations of the electric vehicles when the residual electric quantities are lower than the warning electric quantities and marking the electric vehicles as target electric vehicles; determining a service vehicle for charging the electric vehicles as a charge service vehicle; planning charge routes for the target electric vehicles and planning service routes for the charge service vehicle. The system comprises the electric vehicles, the service vehicle and service stations for dispatching the service vehicle and charging the electric vehicles. The method and the system for providing the charge service to the electric vehicles have the advantages that the electric vehicles can be charged by the aid of the charge stations and also can be charged by the aid of the service vehicle, accordingly, a fixed charge mode can be combined with a mobile charge mode, the electric vehicle charging flexibility can be greatly improved, the endurance of the electric vehicles can be effectively enhanced, and the method and the system are favorable for popularizing and applying the electric vehicles to cities.

Provided is a plug test fixing device of a lamp charging plug. The fixing device comprises a pedestal. The pedestal is provided with a first clamping device which is used for fixing charging plugs with different sizes, and a second clamping device which is used for fixing lamps with different sizes. The first clamping device is connected with a drive device which can drive the first clamping device and can move upward and downward along a vertical direction. Compared with the prior art, the plug test fixing device of the lamp charging plug utilizes the drive device to conduct the plug test on the charging plug so that an automated test is realized. The test is high in efficiency and solves problems that a low efficiency and a high labor intensity caused by adopting manual manner to test the service life of the charging plug in the prior art. Besides, the first clamping device of the invention can clamp and fix the charging plugs with different sizes. Therefore, the plug test on the charging plugs with different sizes can be conducted. The plug test fixing device is high in universality and solves a problem that the plug test fixing device of the conventional charging plugs cannot be universally used.

Disclosed herein is a solid-state image pickup element, including: a semiconductor layer in which a photodiode for carrying out photoelectric conversion is formed; a first film containing negative fixed charges and formed on the semiconductor layer in a region in which at least the photodiode is formed by utilizing either an atomic layer deposition method or a metal organic chemical vapor deposition method; a second film containing the negative fixed charges and formed on the first film containing therein the negative fixed charges by utilizing a physical vapor deposition method; and a third film containing the negative fixed charges and formed on the second film containing therein the negative fixed charges by utilizing either the atomic layer deposition method or the metal organic chemical vapor deposition method.

A technique for forming a plurality of MISFETs having desired threshold voltages on a SOI substrate is provided. Each gate electrodes of pMIS and nMIS is made of a metal film having a work function approximate to that of a channel region of the pMIS, such as a molybdenum or ruthenium film, and a rise of the threshold voltage due to the metal film is reduced by inducing a positive fixed charge in a BOX layer. Thereby, the pMIS and nMIS having the desired threshold voltages can be formed on the SOI substrate.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor which enables heat treatment aimed at improving characteristics of a gate insulating film such as lowering of an interface level or reduction in a fixed charge without causing a problem of misalignment in patterning due to expansion or shrinkage of glass. A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor of the present invention comprises the steps of heat-treating in a state where at least a gate insulating film is formed over a semiconductor film on which element isolation is not performed, simultaneously isolating the gate insulating film and the semiconductor film into an element structure, forming an insulating film covering a side face of an exposed semiconductor film, thereby preventing a short-circuit between the semiconductor film and a gate electrode. Expansion or shrinkage of a glass substrate during the heat treatment can be prevented from affecting misalignment in patterning since the gate insulating film and the semiconductor film are simultaneously processed into element shapes after the heat treatment.

Image sensors are provided including a substrate defining a plurality of pixel regions, the substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface of the substrate is configured to receive light incident thereon and the substrate defines a deep trench extending from the second surface of the substrate toward the first surface substrate and separating the plurality of pixel regions from each other. In each of the plurality of pixel regions of the substrate, a photoelectric conversion region is provided. A gate electrode is provided on the photoelectric conversion region and a negative fixed charge layer covering the second surface of the substrate and at least a portion of a sidewall of the deep trench is also provided. The image sensors further include a shallow device isolation layer on the first surface of the substrate. The shallow device isolation layer defines an active region in each of the pixel regions and the negative fixed charge layer contacts the shallow device isolation layer.