A method to recover olefins and C2+ fractions from refineries gas streams. The traditional recovery methods employed at refineries are absorption with solvents and cryogenic technology using compression and expansion aided by external refrigeration systems. In contrast to known methods, there is provided first a pre-cooling heat exchanger on a feed line feeding the gas stream to a in-line mixer, secondly by injecting and mixing a stream of LNG to condense the C2+ fractions upstream of the fractionator. The temperature of the gas stream entering the fractionator is monitored downstream of the in-line mixer. A LNG stream is temperature controlled to flow through the injection inlet and mix with the feed gas at a temperature which results in the condensation of the C2+ fractions before entering the fractionator. A LNG reflux stream is temperature controlled to maintain fractionator overhead temperature. The fractionator bottoms temperature is controlled by a circulating reboiler stream.

Refineries process crude oil by separating it into a range of components, or fractions, and then rearranging those into components to better match the yield of each fraction with market demand. Petroleum fractions include heavy oils and residual materials used to make asphalt or petroleum coke, mid range materials such as diesel, heating oil, jet fuel and gasoline, and lighter products such as butane propane and fuel gases. Refineries are designed and operated so that there will be a balance between the rates of gas production and consumption. Under normal operating conditions, essentially all gases that are produced are routed to the refinery fuel gas system, allowing them to be used for combustion equipment such as refinery heaters and boilers. Before the fuel gas is consumed at the refinery it is first amine treated to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide before combustion. The treated typical refinery fuel gas systems are configured so that the fuel gas header pressure is maintained by using imported natural gas to make up the net fuel demand. This provides a simple way to keep the system in balance so long as gas needs exceeds the volume of gaseous products produced.
A typical refinery fuel gas stream is rich in hydrogen, C2+ and olefins. It is well known that gas streams can be separated into their component parts, involving chilling, expansion and distillation, to separate methane from heavier hydrocarbon components. Cryogenic processing of refinery fuel gas to recover valuable products (hydrogen, olefins and LPG) are a standard in the refining industry. Cryogenic processes in practice provide refrigeration by turbo-expansion of fuel gas header pressure re-compression and or mechanical refrigeration. Others have employed the use of membranes to first separate and produce a hydrogen stream and a hydrocarbon stream. In these cryogenic mechanical processes, there is a need for compression since typical fuel gas header pressures vary between 60 to 200 psi.
It is desirable therefore to have a process wherein the C2+ fractions from refinery fuel gas streams are efficiently and effectively separated as value added products. Cryogenic separation is typically viewed as being the most thermodynamically efficient separation technology. It is one of the first choices when higher value can be obtained from other products (olefins, LPG), especially when BTU removal from the fuel gas header system is of high priority. As will be discussed, the present process may be used to achieve high product recoveries from refinery fuel gases economically, both in capital and operating costs. The process does not require feed or product compression, so it is very reliable; pumps are the only rotating equipment. In addition, the present process offers the ability to regulate a refinery gas variable pressure and composition.

Method to recover LPG and condensates from refineries fuel gas streams


For the production of a shoe upper by cutting out of the shoe upper in the form of a layout from a web of material, shaping of the shoe upper with connection of material parts of the layout with formation of seams, a process is used by which such shoe uppers can be produced in a timesaving and efficient manner despite the many individual parts present or to be made visible. For this purpose, a web of material (1) is used to produce layouts (2) by different production measures, such as different styles, yarn material, color, material thickness, single layer or multilayer type of material or the like, at the same time with the production of web of material (1), and with a sole part attached to the layout. The layout is cut from the web as a unit with the sole part and processed into a shoe part having an upper and sole part.

This invention relates to a process for the production of a shoe shaped part using a web of material with a plurality of patterns in the form of the layout of a shoe upper, cutting out these layouts from the web of material and stitching the parts of the shoe upper to a top part, and fastening the related part of the sole to the edge area of the cut-open outside edge of the assigned layout and to a shoe shaped part produced according to this process.
A process according to this general type is known from German Patent No. 627 878. There, a web of material is produced so that it successively has three crosswise strips of different weaves. Patterns in the form of the U-shaped layout of a shoe upper are printed on these crosswise strips. The crosswise strips are produced so that the first strip is suitable for the counter-stiffener, the second strip for the vamp and the side portions, and the third strip for the toe cap. Consequently, the second crosswise strip is elastic and multilayered, and the two other crosswise strips are produced in a nonelastic, hard-wearing way. Stiffening threads can also be worked in, and the crosswise strip for the counter-stiffener can be produced as a tubular material into which a heel counter can be inserted. The U-shaped parts are cut out of the material, stitched on the open U-side, which forms the counter-stiffener, and then a sole applied in a way not described in detail.

Process for producing a shoe-shaped part from a web of material and resulting shoe-shaped part


An in-cylinder pressure sensor obtains a high resolution pressure curve for each cylinder cycle allowing the various data to be derived for improved monitoring and control of operation of the engine. A more accurate measure of work done by the engine is obtained allowing more accurate estimation of the vehicle torque and hence real torque control. In addition engine losses can be more accurately calculated and the estimates corrected yet further by obtaining an accurate top dead centre position for the engine cylinders.

Known engine management systems (EMS) monitor and control the running of an engine in order to meet certain pre-set or design criteria. Typically these are good driveability coupled with high fuel efficiency and low emissions. One such known system is shown schematically in FIG. 1. An internal combustion engine 10 is controlled by an engine control unit 12 which receives sensor signals from a sensor group designated generally 14 and issues control signals to an actuator group designated generally 16. The engine control unit 12 also receives external inputs from external input block 18 as discussed in more detail below.
Based on the engine performance data derived from the sensor input from the sensor block 14 and any external input from the external input block 18 the engine control unit (ECU) optimises engine performance by varying the relevant performance input variable within the specified criteria.
Typically the sensor block 14 may include sensors including mass air flow sensors, inlet temperature sensors, knock detection sensors, cam sensor, air/fuel ratio (AFR) or lambda (λ) sensors, and engine speed sensors. The external input block 18 typically includes throttle or accelerator sensors, ambient pressure sensors and engine coolant temperature sensors. In a spark-ignition engine the actuator block 16 typically comprises a fuel injector control and spark plug operation control. In a compression ignition engine the actuator block typically comprises a fuel injector.
As a result, for example in spark ignition engines, under variable load conditions induced by the throttle under driver control, the sensors and actuators enable effective control of the amount of fuel entering the combustion chamber in order to achieve stoichiometric AFR, and of the timing of combustion itself.
Known engine management systems suffer from various problems. EMS technology remains restricted to parameter based systems. These systems incorporate various look-up tables which provide output values based on control parameters such as set-points, boundaries, control gains, and dynamic compensation factors, over a range of ambient and engine operating conditions. For example in spark ignition engines spark timing is conventionally mapped against engine speed and engine load and requires compensation for cold starting. In compression ignition engines fuel injection timing is mapped in a similar manner. As well as introducing a high data storage demand, therefore, known systems require significant initial calibration. This calibration is typically carried out on a test bed where an engine is driven through the full range of conditions mapped into the look-up tables. As a result the systems do not compensate for factors such as variations between engine builds let alone individual cylinders, and in-service wear. Accordingly the look-up tables may be inaccurate ab initio for an individual engine, and will become less accurate still with time.
In one aspect known systems control vehicle performance based on a consideration of engine conditions together with mappings. These mappings are derived during vehicle calibration and can include physical parameters related to engine geometry. Generally much of the engine performance data is very indirect and is based on multiple inferences from sensors together with the mapped or modelled data which can give rise to inaccuracies arising from the inferences made or from differences between vehicles based on production tolerances or indeed differences between conditions in individual cylinders within an engine. The latter is mainly due to differences in air and inert gas paths, temperatures of the cylinder walls and production tolerances of valvetrain and piston/crankshaft geometry. Furthermore such approaches do not compensate for changes in performance arising from in-service wear.
One known system comprises adjusting performance input variables to the engine to control engine torque to a target. A problem with this is that the engine torque is in fact inferred from easily measurable variables such that airflow in a gasoline engine or fuel flow in a diesel engine. Accordingly the value for torque that is derived is indirect and inaccurate, suffering from the disadvantages set out above. Although torque sensors are known, these are costly and are not robust. Known systems also derive a measure of engine frictional losses represented by the friction mean effective pressure (FMEP). However in known systems these values are currently mapped or modelled at the engine manufacture stage and hence suffer from the problems set out above.
The invention is set out in the claims.

Method of deriving engine cylinder mechanical top dead centre


In a path routing system for a communication network having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of transmission lines, an originate node transmits a routing message with a transmission line attribute designation to a bypass node for establishing a path between the originate node and a terminal node. A repeater node searches for a transmission line having the same attribute as the transmission line attribute designation upon receipt of the routing message with the transmission line attribute designation, and transmits the message to an adjacent node through the searched transmission line. A path between the originate node and the terminal node is autonomously selected to pass through transmission lines having the desired attribute by repeatably searching the transmission lines and transmitting the message between nodes disposed between the originate node and the terminal node.

The present invention relates generally to a system for routing a path. More specifically, the invention relates to a path routing system to be employed in a communication network which is constituted of a multiplexer for multiplexing multi-media information and a plurality of transmission lines.
In the conventional routing method, an originate node (hereinafter referred to as "start node") transmits a routing message to an adjacent node, and the node receiving this routing message performs a search for a transmission line in a vacant band and transmits the routing message to an adjacent node (a bypass node) connected to the corresponding transmission line.
The above-mentioned search and transmission of the routing message is repeated until a terminal node is connected so that the path can be established in an autonomous manner.
However, such a conventional path routing method does not allow the use of a designation of an attribute of the transmission line. Therefore, it encounters the problem for difficulty in establishing optimal path connection for the communication network, such as:
path connection only through transmission lines of "attribute: minimum delay";
path connection only through transmission lines of "attribute: highest quality";
path connection only through transmission lines of "attribute: minimum operating cost".

Path routing system for communication network


A process cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a process member for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a frame for holding the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; convex portions, which are provided coaxially with an axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and protrude from one side and from the other side of the frame, for positioning the process cartridge in the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body, and a concave portion provided in the upper part of the frame and recessed in the one side, in which the concave portion allows the process cartridge to be inserted into the apparatus main body without abutting against a protrusion provided in the apparatus main body in an inserting process of the process cartridge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process and to a process cartridge.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming process. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g., a laser beam printer, an LED printer and the like), a facsimile apparatus, a word processor and the like.
In addition, the process cartridge may be a cartridge into which charging means, developing means or cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally incorporated, and which is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body. Alternatively, the process cartridge may be a cartridge into which at least one of charging means, developing means and cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally incorporated, and which is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body. Further alternatively, the process cartridge may be a cartridge into which at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally incorporated, and which is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, a process cartridge system is employed, which makes an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally into a cartridge which is detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. According to the process cartridge system, since a user can carry out maintenance of an apparatus in person without relying on service personnel, operability can be remarkably improved. Thus, the process cartridge system is widely used in the electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.
Incidentally, in recent years, various kinds of image forming apparatuses have come to be manufactured in a short period of time accompanied with changes in needs in the market.
Therefore, manufacturers cope with the shortened manufacturing cycle by frequently making apparatus parts into a common part. In addition, the manufacturers improve only parts corresponding to a new specification of a new product to further make the parts into a common part and obtain advantages in terms of time and costs.
However, if making the parts into a common part or sharing of parts is advanced as described above, there is less difference between forms of new and old in units such as a process cartridge, which makes the units mountable to new and old image forming apparatus main bodies. In this case, if a new specification of a new image forming apparatus main body includes increase of speed and the like, when an old process cartridge is mounted to the flew image forming apparatus main body, there is a fear that the old process cartridge cannot cope with the speed sufficiently.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge of a different specification is made unmountable if the image forming apparatus cannot cope sufficiently with the specifications of the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge of low speed performance is unmountable and a process cartridge of high speed performance is mountable.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge that is mountable to an image forming apparatus of a different specification only if the process cartridge can cope with the specification when it is mounted to the image forming apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge that is mountable even to an image forming apparatus of lower speed performance.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge comprising:
an electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
processing means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
a frame for holding the electrophotographic photosensitive drum;
convex portions, which are provided coaxially with an axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and protrude from one side and from the other side of the frame, for positioning the process cartridge in the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body; and
a concave portion provided in the upper part of the frame and recessed in the one side, in which the concave portion allows the process cartridge to be inserted into the apparatus main body without abutting against a protrusion provided in the apparatus main body in an inserting process of the process cartridge.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:
(a) a protrusion provided on an internal wall surface of the apparatus main body;
(b) mounting means for detachably mounting a process cartridge, wherein the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, processing means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a frame for holding the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, convex portions, which are provided coaxially with an axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and which protrude from one side and from the other side of the frame, for positioning the process cartridge in the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body and a concave portion provided in the upper part of the frame and recessed in the one side, in which the concave portion allows the process cartridge to be inserted into the image forming apparatus main body without abutting against the protrusion in an inserting process of the process cartridge; and
(c) conveying means for conveying the recording medium.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Process cartridge including convex and concave portions and electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which such a process cartridge is detachably mountable


A liquid soluble concentrate (SL) composition is provided, the composition comprising: i) an oxime carbamate; and ii) a liquid carrier, the liquid carrier comprising a solvent system comprising an alcohol, a carbonate ester and water. A method of treating pests using the composition is also provided.

Oxime carbamates are a known class of pesticidally active compounds. They are known to exhibit activity as insecticides, acaricides and miticides. Their use in the control of pest infestations in plants, in particular crop plants, is known in the art. Pesticidal formulations comprising oxime carbamates are commercially available.
For example, methyl 2-(dimethylamino)-N-[[(methylamino)carbonyl]oxy]-2-oxoethanimidothioate is an oxime carbamate compound having the common name oxamyl and having the following structure:

Oxamyl may be prepared using techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,576,834, 3,639,633 and 3,530,220. Oxamyl is known to be active as an acaricide, an insecticide and a nematicide. Formulations comprising oxamyl as the active ingredient are known in the art and are available commercially. For example, Vydate® 10G is a commercial granule formulation available from E.I. DuPont de Nemours containing 10% by weight oxamyl. Vydate® L is a liquid concentrate formulation comprising 24% by weight oxamyl.
EP 0 025 255 discloses an insecticidal or nematicidal composition comprising particles of an inert carrier, oxamyl and a barrier material, the barrier material capable of providing a controlled release of oxamyl in water.
US 2008/0287534 concerns the control of foliar insect pests using a mixture of oxamyl with methyl N-[[(methylamino)carbonyl]oxy]ethanimidothioate (methomyl). Oxamyl and methomyl may be applied together or separately. Suitable formulations include compositions comprising a least one liquid diluent, a solid diluent or a surfactant.
US 2005/0096224 discloses a method for controlling invertebrate pests and/or fungal diseases affecting potatoes and other crops. The method employs a range of active ingredients, in particular oxamyl. The active ingredients may be applied in a range of formulations, including liquid formulations comprising a diluent. Suitable liquid diluents are indicated in US 2005/0096224 as being water, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, N-alkylpyrrolidone, ethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, propylene carbonate, dibasic esters, paraffins, alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes, oils of olive, castor, linseed, tung, sesame, corn, peanut, cotton-seed, soybean, rape-seed and coconut, fatty acid esters, ketones such as cyclohexanone, 2-heptanone, isophorone and 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone, and alcohols such as methanol, cyclohexanol, decanol, benzyl and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. A liquid formulation comprising water as the sole diluent is specifically exemplified in US 2005/0096224.
Insecticidal compositions having high concentrations of active ingredients are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,215. The compositions comprise carbamate insecticides as active ingredients, in particular methomyl. Other carbamate insecticides include oxamyl and aldicarb. The compositions of U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,215 are prepared by reacting the carbamate insecticide with formaldehyde or paraformaldehyde in the presence of a very limited amount of water and a base. In one embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,215 oxamyl was combined with paraformaldehyde in water and treated with aqueous sodium hydroxide while heating at 45° C. for one hour. The pH of the mixture was then adjusted to 6.7 with acetic acid. Excess formaldehyde was removed by the addition of urea.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,654 discloses water-soluble liquid concentrates of methomyl and oxamyl dissolved in designated solvents at a pH of about 2.8 to 3.2. Higher amounts of methomyl and oxamyl are said to be dissolved, compared with the total amount of these compounds that can be dissolved separately. Solvent systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,654 are methanol/water, acetone/water, and cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol/methanol/water. The pH of from 2.8 to 3.2 is achieved using an acid, in particular acetic acid, citric acid, sulphuric acid and, most preferably phosphoric acid.
The decomposition of oxamyl in soil and in water is discussed by Harvey, J., et al., 'Decomposition of Oxamyl in Soil and Water', J. Agric. Food Chem., Vol. 26, No. 3, 1978, pages 536 to 541.
Formulating oxime carbamates in liquid compositions offers advantages to end users, in particular when diluting the composition for application, for example by spraying on a locus. However, it has been found that the stability of oxime carbmates, such as oxamyl, in liquid formulations can be low. This instability reduces the effective amount of oxamyl available for treatment of the target plants. This in turn results either a reduced effectiveness of the composition or the need to increase the application rate of the composition.
As a result, it would be advantageous if a stable liquid formulation of oxime carbamates, such as oxamyl, could be provided, which formulation maintains a high effectiveness for the end user and which avoids the need for applying the formulation at higher application rates. It would also be advantageous if the formulation could contain a high amount of the oxime carbamate active ingredient in solution, which in turn reduces the volume of the liquid concentrate formulation that is required to treat a locus at a given application rate of active ingredients.

Pesticidal composition comprising oxime carbamate and use thereof


A new method of forming a laser mark without damage to the wafer surface is described. A pad oxide layer is formed on a silicon wafer. A nitride layer is deposited overlying the pad oxide layer. A first trench is laser cut through the nitride layer and the pad oxide layer into the silicon wafer. The trench is etched to a second depth wherein the nitride layer is used as a hard mask and wherein the trench forms an identification mark.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of wafer marking in the fabrication of integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a method of improved laser marking in the manufacture of integrated circuits.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The fabrication of integrated circuits is accomplished by forming semiconductor devices on and within the surface of silicon wafers. Multiple chips or dice are formed on a wafer. In order to track the wafer and to identify the chips, laser identification marks are embedded into each wafer.
With the increasing number of metal layers and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes, visibility and particle generation of the laser mark is becoming critically important. Typically, a laser beam is focused and pulsed in a pattern to create pits within the silicon to form these identification and tracking marks. The high energy pulses cause eruption of molten material from the wafer. The molten material is deposited adjacent to the laser marks forming ridges. These ridges formed in the conventional laser marking process cause micro-scratches to the surface of the wafer as they are dragged along the surface during the shallow trench isolation (STI) polishing process. These micro-scratches have been found to reduce yield. It is desired to find a process of laser marking that will enable good wafer identification marking visible on multi-layers without yield loss caused by micro-scratches.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,695 to Lin et al teaches cutting a laser mark, depositing a nonconformal layer, and then removing the ridges of material adjacent to the laser mark. The nonconformal layer protects the surface of the wafer during the removal process. U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,637 to Chen et al teaches forming a laser cut through a photoresist layer where the photoresist layer protects the wafer surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,104 to Mitchell cuts a shallow laser mark, then oxidizes the substrate within the mark opening. The oxide is etched away to form the deep laser mark. U.S. Pat. No. 5,877,064 to Chang et al forms a laser mark on the non-patterned side of the wafer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,676 to Sato et al cuts a laser mark while flowing a gas to remove material so that the material is not deposited adjacent to the laser mark.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an effective and very manufacturable method of forming a laser mark in the fabrication of integrated circuit devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an effective and very manufacturable method of forming a laser mark without damage to the wafer surface in the fabrication of integrated circuit devices.
In accordance with the objects of this invention a new method of forming a laser mark without damage to the wafer surface is achieved. A pad oxide layer is formed on a silicon wafer. A nitride layer is deposited overlying the pad oxide layer. A first trench is laser cut through the nitride layer and the pad oxide layer into the silicon wafer. The trench is etched to a second depth wherein the nitride layer is used as a hard mask and wherein the trench forms an identification mark.

Method of wafer marking for multi-layer metal processes

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.


A memory control device is disclosed that comprises a clock generator that generates a reference clock, a DLL circuit that receives the reference clock from the clock generator and outputs an output value indicative of a clock cycle of the reference clock, a delay setting circuit that receives the output value from the DLL circuit and outputs a delay setting value based on the output value according to at least one parameter, and plural delay elements that receive the delay setting value and introduce a delay responsive to the delay setting value. One or more of the delay elements receive input signals from corresponding one or more flip-flops driven by drive clocks generated by the clock generator, and send output signals to corresponding one or more output buffers that are to be connected to a memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory control unit for a DDR-SDRAM.
2. Description of the Related Art
DDR memories such as DDR1-SDRAMs and DDR2-SDRAMs are becoming a mainstream of DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) used as high capacity memories. Especially, it is standardized that the DDR2-SDRAMs have clock rate of 400 MHz-800 MHz according to the specification of the JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council).
As the operating speed of the DDR-SDRAMs is increased, the influence of wiring delay and skew between a memory control LSI and a memory LSI on a substrate is increasing. It is therefore becoming difficult to develop an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) and connect it to a high-speed DDR-SDRAM.
For example, in the case of a DDR266, which is an interface for DDR-SDRAM and has a clock frequency of 133 MHz, it is possible to develop a memory control ASIC based on estimated wiring delay and skew on a substrate with a small number of memories mounted thereon and on a substrate with a large number of memories mounted thereon. On the other hand, DDR2-533 has a clock frequency as great as 266 MHz, and DDR2-800 has a clock frequency as great as 400 MHz. Accordingly, the influence of the wiring delay and skew is relatively greater. If the wiring delay and skew are wrongly estimated and ASICs are developed based on the wrong estimate, there is a high likelihood that the ASICs cannot be used. Moreover, because the wiring delay and skew amount differ depending on the type, the number, and the layout of memories to be connected, it will possibly be necessary to develop an ASIC for each substrate.
FIG. 8A is a timing chart of SDRAM waveforms in the vicinity of a terminal of a memory control ASIC. FIG. 8B is a timing chart of SDRAM waveforms in the vicinity of a terminal of a memory. FIGS. 8A and 8B each show waveforms of CK (memory clock), Address/Ras/Cas/We (address and command), Cs (chip select), DQS [3:0] (data strobe), DQ [31:0] (data bus), and DM [3:0]. As is clear from a comparison between FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, since the amounts of wiring delay and skew are constant regardless of the clock cycle, the shorter the clock cycle, the greater the influence of the wiring delay and skew.
FIG. 7 shows an example of a standard for the write side of DDR2-SDRAM. As is obvious from the figure, the shorter the clock cycle, the more attention needs to be paid to the skew on the substrate when developing an ASIC.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-56334 discloses, as a DDR interface that loads data signals on the rising and falling edges of a data strobe signal, a data loading circuit capable of eliminating the difference in delay between the data signals. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-126772 discloses a memory controller for inputting digital data to and outputting digital data from a semiconductor storage device such as a DDR-SDRAM. This memory controller is capable of accurately synchronizing a strobe signal generated from a clock signal with the digital data. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-78547 discloses a semiconductor integrated circuit that precisely and stably synchronizes signals loaded from an external DDR-SDRAM.


Terpolymers of maleic anhydride, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl vinyl ether and a C.sub.12 -C.sub.14 alpha-olefin, and crosslinked products thereof, are provided herein for use in thickener, adhesive, sunscreen, hair spray, and waterproofing compositions. The alpha-olefin comonomer is a hydrophobic, straight chain, unsaturated hydrocarbon such as dodecene or tetradecene, which is present in the terpolymer in predetermined amounts relative to the hydrophilic maleic anhydride component, to provide a terpolymer having a suitable HLB for these applications.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to terpolymers of maleic anhydride, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl vinyl ether and a C.sub.12 -C.sub.14 alpha-olefin, and to crosslinked products thereof, which are provided within predetermined compositional ranges for application in adhesive, sunscreen, hair spray and waterproofing compositions, and for effective compatibility with organic solvents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Copolymers of maleic anhydride and alkyl vinyl ethers are well known in the art and are conventionally prepared by free radical precipitation polymerization of the monomer mixture in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent such as benzene in the presence of a protective colloid. Another method involves copolymerization of maleic anhydride, an alkyl vinyl ether and/or a C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkene in contact with a powder bed. In the latter method, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,454, a large excess of the alkyl vinyl ether and/or alkene, e.g. 3 to 25, preferably 5 to 5, moles thereof, per mole of maleic anhydride monomer, is present during the polymerization, instead of the usual 1:1 mole ratio required of the copolymer. In the powder bed method, the heat generated during polymerization is removed by evaporating the excess alkyl vinyl ether and/or alkene which boils at a lower temperature than maleic anhydride. The examples in this patent were directed to copolymers of maleic anhydride and alkyl vinyl ethers, or copolymers of maleic anhydride and alkene.
Accordingly, iot is an object of this invention to provide new and improved terpolymers, and crosslinked products thereof, by an economical process.

Terpolymers of maleic anhydride, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl vinyl ether and a C.sub.12 -C.sub.14 alpha-olefin, and crosslinked products thereof


In one embodiment, an electronic device package (1) includes a leadframe (2) with a flag (3). An electronic chip (8) is attached to the flag (3) with a die attach layer (9). A trench (16) having curved sidewalls is formed in the flag (3) in proximity to the electronic chip (8) and surrounds the periphery of the chip (8). An encapsulating layer (19) covers the chip (8), portions of the flag (3), and at least a portion of the curved trench (16). The curved trench (16) reduces the spread of die attach material across the flag (3) during chip attachment, which reduces chip and package cracking problems, and improves the adhesion of encapsulating layer (19). The shape of the curved trench (16) prevents flow of die attach material into the curved trench (16), which allows the encapsulating layer (19) to adhere to the surface of the curved trench (16).

This invention relates generally to electronic devices, and more specifically to a support substrate structure and method for forming an encapsulated electronic device.
Semiconductor chips typically are encapsulated within a device package prior to their installation into an electronic system. Leadless packaging is one type of chip packaging technology that has gained in popularity in recent years. Compared to other types of electronic packages, leadless packages have a smaller footprint and thinner profile. This makes leadless packages ideal for wireless, networking and other consumer electronic applications where tight space requirements are important.
Leadless packaging is typically based on traditional wire bonding and leadframe processes, which enables a very attractive cost structure compared to other small outline packages. By eliminating external leads, a package footprint is decreased by approximately one quarter to one half compared to similar leaded surface mount packages. Additionally, the die attach pad of a leadless package can be coupled directly to a next level of assembly such as a printed circuit board, which provides enhanced thermal performance.
There are several problems with current leadless packaging techniques that impact overall device performance. In a typical leadless packaging process flow, a semiconductor chip is attached to a metal leadframe using a solder die attach technique. When heated during the process, the die attach material spreads or flows out from beneath the chip across the leadframe. This can result in the chip tilting or rotating off of its desired location on the leadframe. When the chip tilts, regions of stress are localized in areas where the die attach material thickness is thin, which can lead to chip cracking. When a chip rotates off its desired location, alignment problems can occur during subsequent wire bond processing. Additionally, typical mold compounds or encapsulating materials do not adhere well to die attach materials, which can lead to package delamination, chip cracks, package cracks, or die attach cracks. This forces manufacturers to use smaller chips on a given leadframe to ensure sufficient bonding surface area for encapsulating material to adhere to, which is an inefficient use of space.
Accordingly, a need exists for low-cost methods and structures that reduce the spreading of die attach materials in electronic packaging processes and improve overall device performance and reliability.

Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.


A method and a device are disclosed for determining the thickness and growth rate of an ice layer on structural component parts, particularly of aircraft, wherein the thickness and growth rate of an ice layer are determined and displayed in a simple, economical and dependable manner. To this end, a method is disclosed by which the radiation incident on a surface covered by an ice layer or disturbing layer is separated spectrally by a holographic grating connected with a line receiver into enough wavelength regions that a correction of the ice absorption is achieved by comparing the measured radiation with a stored reflection curve of an uncoated surface and by combining the comparison values and determining the peak area in the wavelength region of the ice absorption, and wherein from the thickness of the ice layer and disturbing layer and the ice thickness values obtained in the measurement intervals the growth rate of the ice layer is determined and displayed. The device for carrying out the method comprises a window which is provided in the surface covered by an ice layer or disturbing layer and through which a beam impinges on a holographic grating via an optical imaging system and an entrance slit, is separated by wavelength, imaged on a line receiver and evaluated by a controlling and evaluating unit, and the evaluated data are displayed on a display.

The invention is directed to a method for determining the thickness and growth rate of a layer of ice on structural component parts of means of transport, particularly aircraft such as airplanes, helicopters and wind-driven power stations or the like, and to a device for carrying out the method, in which the surface of a structural component part which is to be monitored and which is covered by an ice layer and/or disturbing layer is illuminated in such a way that the radiation passing through the ice layer and/or disturbing layer is measured and evaluated in different wavelength regions.
Methods and devices for carrying out the method which are known from the prior art measure the surface state of traffic routes with respect to black ice, icing and any present deicing agents and also detect ice formation and frost formation on fixed surfaces such as road surfaces in order to inform travelers of road conditions in the event of unforeseen weather situations. Icing of roadways and sudden formation of glaze ice do not present dangers only in road traffic; in rail traffic and air travel, also, iced structural component parts due to freezing water also pose a threat. Iced structural component parts on aircraft, for instance, particularly on structural component parts in the wing area which move relative to one another, lead to hindrance of air traffic and are a considerable threat to air safety; on the other hand, even a small ice formation on vulnerable structural component parts of aircraft can lead to a drastic change in the profile characteristics of the utilized structural component parts. While more and more flights can be carried out under the most adverse weather conditions thanks to modern navigation systems, e.g., radar guidance or direction-finding systems, there is also a rise in the potential risk of icing of aircraft. Particularly smaller aircraft with only simple deicing systems, or none at all, fly more and more often under weather conditions favoring icing. For example, if ice forms on the aircraft on the ground, the pilot must decide whether icing is within permissible limits or whether the ice layer should be removed before starting. Therefore, determination of the thickness of the ice and the positive or negative growth rate of a layer of ice is crucial for general flight safety as an important criterion for assessing the potential danger posed by a developing and changing layer of ice. The thickness of the ice layer is also significant for optimal use of deicing agents.
WO 96/26430 discloses a method for determining the surface state of travel routes and a device for carrying out the method in which, by means of spectroanalytic determination of water and ice on a fixed road surface in four different wavelength ranges by reflection measurement through the ice layer, the formation of ice and frost can be detected as a function of the respective degree of crystallization and the thickness of the ice layer on the surface can be taken into account. However, the different spectral shape of the absorption of the dry roadway surface is not compensated in the predetermined four wavelength ranges, so that while conclusions may be drawn concerning the surface state, accurate determination of the thickness of the ice layer is not possible.
DE 195 06 550 discloses another method for spectrometric determination of water and ice on roads and an arrangement for implementing the method by which formation of ice or frost on fixed surfaces can be determined depending on the respective degree of crystallization; but there is no compensation of the spectral shape of the reflectivity of the road surface by interfering surfaces or coating and by external light sources (daylight), so that it is impossible to determine with exactitude the thickness of the ice layer and its growth rate.
Proceeding from the prior art mentioned above, the invention has the object of providing a method for dependably determining the thickness and growth rate of an ice layer in a very accurate manner over longer time periods and a device for implementing the method which is economical and reliable and which permits the exact thickness of an ice layer as well as its growth rate to be determined in a simple manner.
In order to meet this object, the invention proposes a method by which the radiation incident on a surface covered by an ice layer and/or disturbing layer is separated spectrally by an imaging holographic grating connected with a line receiver into enough wavelengths that a correction of the ice absorption is achieved by comparing the measured radiation with a stored reflection curve of an uncoated surface and by combining the comparison values and determining the peak area in the wavelength region of the ice absorption, and wherein the thickness of the ice layer and/or disturbing layer andxe2x80x94by means of the ice thickness values obtained in the measurement intervalsxe2x80x94the growth rate of the ice layer are determined and displayed.
Accordingly, the method according to the invention not only makes possible an accurate determination of the thickness of an ice layer and its growth rate, preferably on structural component parts of aircraft, but also makes it possible to detect the thickness of disturbing coverings, e.g., water, dirt and deicing agents. Further, the positive and negative growth rate of an ice layer is determined by comparison calculations from a sufficient number of determined ice thickness values, so that the ice layer thickness and its growth rate on the surface of structural component parts of aircraft can also be determined in advance for briefly changing weather conditions and climatic influences.
Due to the fact that the thickness of the ice layer and/or disturbing layer is determined on a surface to be monitored, this method can also be used not only to determine ice thickness but to detect dry layers of dirt, so that additional risk states caused by contamination of structural component parts can be eliminated by means of the method.
It is advantageously provided that the determined absorption curves can be evaluated by a simple algorithm by means of a microprocessor of the controlling and evaluating unit and a fast, accurate determination of the ice layer thickness and its growth rate is accordingly ensured using the existing technical resources in an aircraft.
The spectroanalytic measurement is preferably provided in wavelength ranges from approximately 850 to 1150 nm, wherein the light is separated spectrally into so many wavelength regions that the spectral dependency of disturbing coatings such as water, dirt and deicing agents and of different light sources such as daylight, twilight and artificial lighting can be detected and used for correcting the ice absorption.
Further, it is preferably provided that the measured values of an uncoated surface are stored in a controlling and evaluating unit as comparison values.
In addition, in order to increase measurement accuracy it is advantageously provided that the measured values from the long-wave end of the spectral region are removed from all measured values of a surface coated with an ice layer and/or disturbing layer because the light sensitivity, e.g., of a silicon receiver line, is negligibly small at that location.
Another advantage consists in that the ice thickness is determined in millimeters from the peak area which is proportional to the thickness of the ice layer by means of a conversion factor.
In addition, it is advantageously provided that the growth rate of the ice layer is determined from a large number of determined ice thickness values.
A particularly preferred further development consists in that the controlling and evaluating unit additionally issues a warning to clean the window or change the light source when the measured signal falls below a threshold in spite of the light source being switched on. In this way, additional sources of error can be eliminated from the determination of the thickness and growth rate of an ice layer.
A device for carrying out the method is preferably constructed as a spectrometer, wherein a window is provided in the monitored surface that is covered by an ice layer and/or disturbing layer, through which window a beam impinges on an imaging holographic grating via an optical imaging system and a source slit or entrance slit, is separated by wavelength, imaged on a line receiver and evaluated by means of a controlling and evaluating unit, and the evaluated data are displayed on a display.
In a preferred variant, the beam falling through the window in the surface covered with an ice layer and/or disturbing layer impinges directly on the holographic grating through the entrance slit.
In addition, it is preferably provided that a light source for illuminating the window that is provided in the surface covered by an ice layer and/or disturbing layer is arranged above the surface.
In an advantageous embodiment form, the light source for illuminating the window that is provided in the surface covered by an ice layer and/or disturbing layer is arranged below the surface.
In certain cases, a plurality of light sources which are arranged particularly annularly in a base body can also preferably be provided for illuminating the window that is provided with a surface covered by an ice layer and/or disturbing layer.
A further advantage consists in that, given sufficient daylight, the light source for illuminating the surface covered with an ice layer and/or disturbing layer is not turned on by the controlling and evaluating device.
In an advantageous further development of the invention, the arrangement of a semitransparent mirror in front of the optical imaging system results in an accurate and uniform illumination of the surface covered by an ice layer and/or disturbing layer.
Another preferred embodiment form consists in that the evaluating data can be sent to an existing data bus system, for example, in an aircraft.
Further, it is advantageous that the device is provided with an entrance slit, holographic grating, line receiver, and controlling and evaluating unit as a compact structural component part for all-purpose use.
The invention is directed to an apparatus for determining the thickness of a layer of ice on the surface of a stationary or moving object, for example, of a building or aircraft, in which
illumination light is initially directed to a portion of the surface of the object and then strikes a reception device,
the reception device contains dispersive optics for spectral dispersion of the illumination light coming from the surface portion and a detector for receiving the spectrally dispersed illumination light,
an evaluating device for determining intensity values of the illumination light influenced by the ice layer at different wavelengths xcex and for comparing these intensity values with reference values from a surface that is free of ice,
the reception device is arranged inside the object, and the surface of the object has, at the portion to which the illumination light is directed, a window that is transparent for the illumination light and through which the illumination light passes.
In a preferred construction of the invention, the reception device comprises an optical imaging system, an entrance slit, an imaging holographic grating and a silicon detector having individual reception elements. After passing through the window and being influenced by the ice layer, the illumination light is directed via the imaging system and entrance slit to the holographic grating, where it is spectrally dispersed.
The spectrally dispersed light strikes the silicon detector, each of whose reception elements receives an associated spectral component and an associated wavelength xcex and converts it into a reception signal which corresponds to the intensity of the light at this wavelength xcex. The reception elements are also commonly known in technical circles as pixels.
A computation circuit is provided in the evaluating device for processing the reception signals. The computation circuit is linked to at least one clock generator and an analog-to-digital converter. These components are advantageously combined in an integrated circuit.
The reception signals are read out of the silicon detector in the rhythm of a predetermined clock frequency, converted into digital values by the analog-to-digital converter and supplied to the computation circuit. The digitized values are processed in the computation circuit essentially as follows:
Net signals are calculated from the individual reception signals, while the reception signals of the pixels for which no light signal has been detected are ignored.
A spectral range xcexmin1 to xcexmax1 is selected from the total spectrum received by the detector and the values of the reception signals originating from this spectral range xcexmin1 to xcexmax1 are logarithmized.
The logarithmized net signals are then multiplied pixel by pixel by an evaluation function B(n) and summed corresponding to the following function: I1=xcexa3*B(n)*L(n). A value I0 determined in the same way as value I1 is subtracted from the result I1, but based on the reception signals that are registered when no ice layer is present on the surface.
Value I0 is, for example, determined once during the manufacture of the apparatus. It can also be updated occasionally, for example, in order to calibrate the apparatus.
The value I=I1xe2x88x92I0 corresponds to the thickness of the ice layer and is advantageously indicated on the display as a measurement number in units of mm.
Further, the evaluating device can be outfitted with a data storage for the values I1 determined at given time intervals and can comprise another computation circuit which compares the values I1 determined at different times with one another and determine information about the change in thickness of the ice layer over time from this comparison. The increase or decrease in thickness of the ice layer over a given time period can easily be determined from this change and can likewise be indicated on the display.
Daylight as well as light from an artificial light source may be used as illumination light. The artificial light source is arranged in the vicinity of the window for this purpose. The light source can be located outside the object or, alternatively, can also be accommodated inside the object, for example, inside the wing of an aircraft. In this case, the artificial light source is arranged in the vicinity of the window, so that the light radiated by the light source initially passes through the window and then reaches the reception device.
On the other hand, the reception device is always arranged in the interior of the object, so that the illumination light passes through the ice layer and window to reach the reception device when the light source is arranged externally. If the light source is positioned in the interior of the object, the light initially passes outward through the window to the ice layer, is reflected by the latter, and passes through the window again before reaching the reception device.
When the light source, like the reception device, is also arranged in the interior of the object, all components of the apparatus according to the invention are advantageously accommodated so as to be protected from climatic influences.
An infrared light source can be provided, for example, as artificial light source. However, other light sources can be used also and, as was stated above, it is also possible to use daylight of sufficient brightness for evaluation.
According to the invention, wavelengths xcex in the range of about 850 nm to 1150 nm are preferably used for evaluation. It is advantageous when the window is constructed as an optical filter which is transparent for light in the wavelength range from 850 nm to 1150 nm. In this way, all other spectra of no significance for the evaluation can be filtered out.
Another particular construction of the invention has a threshold switch which is coupled to a sensor for evaluation of the daylight brightness and which is connected to the artificial light source in such a way that the light source is switched on only when the brightness of the daylight is below a given threshold and is not sufficient for evaluation.
The evaluating device is connected to a display for indicating the measurement results.
In another option for displaying the measured values on the display, the evaluating device is coupled to an acoustic or optical warning device to notify of measurement results below a given limiting value.
The invention is not limited only to the observation and measurement of ice formations on the surface of the object under consideration. It can also be used in a technically equivalent manner to observe and measure other kinds of deposits on the surface capable of optical evaluation, such as deposited dust, moisture coating, deposits of deicing agents and the like.

Method and device for determining the thickness and growth rate of an ice layer


An air feed system for a fuel cell cabinet is provided. The air feed system supplies temperature controlled air to a fuel cell. The air feed system includes a controller that controls the air feed system for maintaining a predetermined temperature range of the temperature controlled air entering the fuel cell.

Outdoor cabinets that house electronic equipment and connection panels are generally known in the art. The connection panel (sometimes referred to as a feeder-distribution interface), within the cabinet, is used to connect subscriber lines to provider lines directly, or in parallel or serial, with terminals of certain electronic equipment also within the cabinet, such as surge protectors, switches, servers, etc.
In some conventional cabinets, the electronic equipment includes a fuel cell power backup system. The electronic equipment may be sensitive to temperature and humidity and the air and the electronic equipment in the interior of the cabinet may be environmentally controlled by employing a heat exchanger, dehumidifier, and/or air conditioner.

Electronics cabinet with air feed system for backup power fuel cell


Disclosed are a solar cell and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell includes a first back electrode layer on a support substrate; a second back electrode layer on the first back electrode layer; a light absorbing layer on the second back electrode layer; and a front electrode layer on the light absorbing layer.

Solar cells may be defined as devices to convert light energy into electrical energy by using a photovoltaic effect of generating electrons when light is incident onto a P-N junction diode. The solar cell may be classified into a silicon solar cell, a compound semiconductor solar cell mainly including a group I-III-VI compound or a group III-V compound, a dye-sensitized solar cell, and an organic solar cell according to materials constituting the junction diode.
A solar cell made from CIGS (CuInGaSe), which is one of group I-III-VI Chal-copyrite-based compound semiconductors, represents superior light absorption, higher photoelectric conversion efficiency with a thin thickness, and superior electro-optic stability, so the CIGS solar cell is spotlighted as a substitute for a conventional silicon solar cell.
In general, a CIGS solar cell can be prepared by sequentially forming a back electrode layer, a light absorbing layer and a front electrode layer on a substrate including sodium. Since molybdenum (Mo) has a thermal expansion coefficient similar to that of an organic substrate with a low specific resistance, the molybdenum (Mo) is mainly used for the back electrode layer and the molybdenum (Mo) is deposited on the substrate through a DC sputtering process.
In the sputtering process for depositing the back electrode layer, if sputtering power is increased, tack time may be reduced, but the grain size is increased. Thus, compressive force may occur between grains, so the back electrode layer may be separated from the substrate. Meanwhile, if the sputtering power is reduced, the grain size is slightly reduced so the adhesive strength between the back electrode layer and the substrate may be enhanced, but the tack time may be increased.

Solar cell and method of fabricating the same


An information processing apparatus includes a generation unit configured to generate a second script for setting the specified setting value, and an execution unit configured to execute a first script using the work setting value and the plurality of setting values to be set excluding the specified setting value, wherein the execution unit executes the generated second script after executing the first script.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a method for controlling the information processing apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
When an image forming apparatus is newly introduced into a client site, initial installation work for an image forming apparatus needs to be previously performed depending on its use environment. The initial installation work includes work, for example, attachment of a hardware option, such as a finisher for finishing a printed product, setting of a control program for the image forming apparatus, activation of a license of an extended function, and installation of an expansion program.
As the expansion program, a system with which an add-in to a program for the image forming apparatus is enabled and a vendor can extend a function of the image forming apparatus is popular. This type of system includes MEAP (registered trademark) manufactured by Canon Inc.
A program for storing installation instruction information including an execution procedure for initial installation work, a control program, and an expansion program are stored in a portable storage medium and the portable storage medium is inserted into an image forming apparatus as a target of the initial installation work, so that a program automatically performs the initial insulation work according to the installation instruction information.
An installation instruction information management system (hereinafter referred to as "management system") for generating and managing installation instruction information designates the order of instillation instructions and setting value information required for the installation instructions, an expansion program, and license information. The installation instruction information as a target of initial installation work is stored in a portable storage medium.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-143111 discusses a method for setting a setting value dedicated to initial insulation work by using a client personal computer (PC). With such a technique, an image forming apparatus and the client PC can be connected to each other only using Peer2Peer, and the image forming apparatus cannot be connected to an external server.
Among setting values requested by a client, a setting value corresponding to a setting item that causes initial installation work not to be implemented if the setting value is set, differs depending on an installation work method. Therefore, in a conventional technique, an operator is required to previously determine the setting item that causes the initial installation work not to be implemented, and prepare setting values to be used during the initial installation work.
For example, if a setting value for inhibiting the client from using a portable storage medium is set, installation using installation instruction information stored in the portable storage medium cannot be performed in the initial installation work.
In a case where installation instruction information required for the initial installation work is stored in an external server, and the installation instruction information is referred to for the initial installation work, and if an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the external server in a use environment of the client is set, installation cannot be correctly performed.
Conventionally, in a case where the initial installation work is performed using the portable storage medium or the external server, an operator is required to generate an installation instruction information by taking into consideration of the order of installation instructions so that the setting value does not affect the initial installation work, which is significantly complicated and difficult.

Information processing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium


Embodiments include techniques for channeling elements in an analytics engine environment, techniques include analyzing a current process, and identifying critical data element types associated with the current process. The techniques also include receiving a real-time data stream including a plurality of data elements, and pre-filtering the plurality of data elements, wherein the pre-filtering determines one or more of the plurality of data elements are associated with the critical data element type. The technique includes selecting a channel of a plurality of channels to fast-path the one or more of the plurality of data elements based at least in part on the pre-filtering, and increasing a confidence level corresponding to the current process and the critical data element type based on a state of the current process.

The present invention generally relates to routing and forwarding data, and more specifically, to channeling elements in an analytics engine environment.
Data analytics are a critical component to monitor and analyze the performance of a system. Data analytics can be used to troubleshoot different processes by analyzing large amounts of information to determine any patterns and correlations among the data. During a troubleshooting operation, it is important to collect as much information as possible that may be associated with the issue or point of focus. The further away from the event the information is collected, the relevance of the information can become diminished. The reports produced from the analytics engines can be used by system developers and administrators to modify the configuration of the software and hardware to improve the performance of their systems and networks.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Channeling elements in an analytics engine environment

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A bit line sense amplifier layout array includes N sense amplifier layout regions, which are arranged adjacent each other and have a sense amplifier, respectively. (N+1−i) bit lines and i complementary bit lines are arranged in an ith sense amplifier layout region among the sense amplifier layout regions. An ith bit line among the (N+1−i) bit lines and an ith complementary bit line among the i complementary bit lines are connected to a sense amplifier formed in the ith sense amplifier layout region. The values N and i are natural numbers and i>=1 and <=N.

Embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a bit line sense amplifier, and more particularly, to a bit line sense amplifier layout array, a layout method and apparatuses having the array.
In a memory device, data stored in a memory cell can be sensed and amplified by using a bit line sense amplifier. Pitch is a measure of the space in between bit lines connecting adjacent memory cells. The pitch of bit lines of the memory cells is reduced as the size of the memory device is reduced.
However, when the pitch of the bit line has been reduced significantly, it can be difficult to design a layout for a bit line sense amplifier.

Bit line sense amplifier layout array, layout method, and apparatus having the same


A device for filling a small portable pressure vessel from a larger pressure vessel with a compressed fluid such as carbon dioxide. The device comprises an inlet adapted to receive fluid from a pressurized source, and an outlet adapted to connect to a pressure vessel. Between the inlet and the outlet there is a fill valve and a vent valve and at least one cam shaft configured to rotate and operate the valves.

Pneumatic power systems are used in a variety of applications, and particularly with regard to tools. Traditionally, pneumatic tools have been designed to be connected to a source of compressed air, such as a stationary air compressor. More recently, portable pressure sources have been developed by which a small vessel containing a pressurised fluid, such as carbon dioxide, may be connected via a regulator to a tool. These systems allow the tools to be used in a more portable fashion without being restricted by the long hosing requirements of conventional set ups.
In this type of portable device, the mass of fluid stored in the vessel in order to power the device must be sufficient for a practical number of operations, but not so large that portability suffers unduly. As a result, it may be necessary to change the portable canisters, or re-fill them relatively often.
Other examples of pneumatic devices (generally referred to as a "motion transfer devices") may be a hammer drill, jack hammer, grinder, nail gun or paintball gun, or any other device known to be driven pneumatically.
For these portable pneumatic applications, preferably, the driving fluid is carbon dioxide, which is inexpensive and non flammable. Further, carbon dioxide may be stored in the liquid phase at attainable pressure, thereby allowing for a larger mass to be stored within a limited space. In cases where carbon dioxide is used, this means that at room temperature, the vessel will preferably contain both liquid and gaseous carbon dioxide, (at a pressure of typically 750 psi or thereabouts for example).
It should be appreciated that the driving fluid may not be carbon dioxide. The driving fluid could be any other fluid with properties suited to the particular application. However, due to potential venting of the apparatus to atmosphere, it is highly preferred that the driving fluid is non-flammable.
Traditionally, there are two types of filling systems for filling a small portable pressure vessel with a fluid like carbon dioxide for example. Firstly, there are large scale filling plants that invariably use a high pressure pump to force the carbon dioxide into the portable pressure vessel (while maintaining a safe vapour space above the liquefied CO2 in the small canister). These systems are typically closed, and do not allow any gas to escape to the atmosphere.
The second type of system is typically used on a smaller scale, where the portable canisters are filled onsite for example. In these situations, a larger pressurised CO2 bottle is used to fill smaller portable pressure vessels. In this type of setup, the filling is done entirely manually by opening and closing the respective bottle valves until the desired weight of the portable canister is achieved. The driving force to transfer the CO2 comes from the pressure differential and not a pump.
A manual filling system while simple, requires the user to know what they are doing in order to avoid large wastage, and/or dangerous overfill conditions as well as achieving sufficient fill weight.
The present method and apparatus provides a semi-autonomous system that is small and portable and goes at least some way to mitigating one or more of the above problems or at least provides a useful choice.
In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.


The current invention relates to a data mining technology for determining association rules within a multitude of N transactions each transaction comprising up to p different items. According to the invention a sample size n of the multitude of N transactions is determined based on precision requirements. The sample size n is chosen such, that it is at least in the order of magnitude of an estimated sample size n*. Finally association rules are computed based on a sample of the multitude of N transactions with sample size n according to any methodology for mining of association rules using the association rules as estimated association rules of the multitude of N transactions.

1.1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method, system and program product for uncovering relationships or association rules between items in large databases.
1.2 Description and Disadvantages of Prior Art
Data mining is an emerging technical area, whose goal is to extract significant patterns or interesting rules from large databases; in general the area of data mining comprises all methods which are applicable to extract "knowledge" from large amounts of existing data. The whole process is known as knowledge discovery in databases. Finding association rules is one task for which data mining methods have been developed for.
Association rule mining has been introduced by Agrawal et al. (refer for instance to R. Agrawal and R. Srikant, Fast algorithms for mining association rules, in Proc. 20th VLDB Conf., September 1994.) and was motivated by shopping basket analysis. The rules were generated to find out which articles or items in a shop are bought together. To be more general association rules can be used to discover dependencies among attribute values of records in a database. Even further specific basket data usually consists of a record per customer with a transaction date, along with items bought by the customer. An example of an association rule over such a database could be that 80% of the customers that bought bread and milk, also bought eggs. The data mining task for association rules can be broken into two steps. The first step consists of finding all the sets of items, called as itemsets, that occur in the database with a certain user-specified frequency, called minimum support. Such itemsets are called large itemsets. An itemset of k items is called a k-itemset. The second step consists of forming implication rules among the large itemsets found in the first step.
Several algorithms have been developed to generate efficiently association rules. The well known and very successful APRIORI algorithm has been disclosed by Agrawal et al. for instance in above mentioned document. The most important value with which association rules are measured is the support value which is the relative frequency of occurrence of one item or several items together in one rule.
Today generating association rules in case of very large data bases (number of entries several million records and above) can be extremely time consuming. Many algorithms proposed for data mining of association rules make repeated passes over the database to determine the commonly occurring itemsets (or set of items). For large databases, the I/O overhead in scanning the database can be extremely high. This processing time is not only required for executing the mining algorithms themselves. A lot of time is also spent during the preprocessing steps. This includes the processing time for import of data and also processing time for transforming data for applying the algorithm. This preparation can take several hours of expensive CPU-time even in case of large MVS-systems.
To improve this performance equation it has been suggested instead of taking the whole database for the generation of association rules just to draw a sample and generate the association rules on that basis. This teaching has been introduced by H. Toivonen, Sampling Large Databases for Association Rules, Proceedings of the 22nd VLDB Conference Mumbai (Bombay), India 1996 as well as Zaki, M. J., Parthasarathy, S., Li, W., Ogihara, M., Evaluation of Sampling for Data Mining of Association Rules, Computer Science Department, Technical Report 617, University of Rochester (1996).
Toivonen et al. stated an algorithm for detecting "exact" (not being based on some sample) association rules. Within this teaching sampling has been used only for the precalculation of the support values of the rules as one step in the algorithm; Toivonen et al. are completely mute about the idea of data mining for "estimated" (approximate) association rules based on some sample. Toivonen et al. also disclosed necessary bounds for sample sizes. Using an univariate approach the support value of an arbitrary association rule has been estimated. Toivonen et al. calculated the probability that an error between the true support value and the estimated support value exceeds a given threshold by using the binomial distribution and applying Chernoff bounds. With this they derived a formula for a sufficient sample size.
Zaki et al. took this idea up and published these bounds for approximate association rules generated under sampling. These bounds were also calculated using the univariate approach suggested by Toivonen including Chernoff bounds. It turned out by these investigations that these bounds are not very efficient since the required sample size can be very huge. As shown by Zaki et al. the required sample sizes can even become greater than the original database (!). Thus the current state of the art teaching is completely unsatisfactory and actually cannot be applied to real world problems.
Therefore, in principle the approach of data mining for association rules based on samples would allow to save processing time in the preprocessing step as well as in the analysis phase. But the fundamental problem which occurs is the accuracy of the generated association rules. If the sample is suitably chosen it is possible to estimate the error which appears by this approach. This error can be controlled by calculating sufficiently large sample sizes. But currently it is completely unclear how to determine reasonable sample sizes.
1.3 Objective of the Invention
The invention is based on the objective to improve the performance of the technologies for data mining of association rules.

Sampling approach for data mining of association rules

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for register management in a simulation environment including receiving an instruction from an instruction unit decode pipeline. An address generation interlock (AGI) function is executed in the simulation environment if the instruction is an AGI instruction. The executing an AGI function is responsive to a pool of registers controlled by a register manager and to the instruction. An early AGI function is executed in the simulation environment if the instruction is an early AGI instruction. The executing an early AGI function is responsive to the pool of registers and to the instruction.

The invention relates to simulation environments and in particular to simulating an instruction unit in a random simulation environment to verify address generation interlock (AGI) and AGI early resolution functions.
AGI can occur when an instruction attempts to compute an address by which to reference storage. This address computation (also referred to as "address add") is typically the addition of some of the following: the contents of one or more registers, a constant value from the instruction, and the address of the branch instruction itself. If a register is used for address generation and that register is modified by a previous instruction (a dependency), then address computation cannot proceed until that register is available. The delay caused by waiting for the register value is known as AGI. AGI occurs in the instruction unit when an instruction which has previously been decoded, but has not yet executed, alters a register which an instruction currently being decoded requires for reference to its upcoming address generation. In certain instructions, the target register future contents are available to the instruction unit prior to execution. To reduce AGI latency, which may lead to improved performance, the instruction unit uses the known register future contents, when available, instead of waiting for the execution unit to update the register of interest. This is referred to as AGI early resolution.
One of the difficulties in verifying the instruction unit for advanced processor design for computers in a random simulation environment has to do with providing random updates to registers in the processor. Currently, it is not possible to provide random updates to the registers for the normal resolution of the AGI functions for the decoding instructions and also to provide early calculated register contents which are stored in the instruction unit for special instructions (known as AGI early resolution).

Method, system and computer program product for register management in a simulation environment


The invention relates to a double T-shaped steel piling wall profile (1), which is produced by hot rolling and which has two flange sections (3) that are centrally joined via a connecting member (8). The flange sections have connecting end sections (4), which are adjoined thereto and which have a club-shaped design.

The invention relates to a double T-shaped steel piling wall profile.
Double T-shaped piling wall profiles are known, for example, as Peiner steel piling walls (see, for example, section of the delivery program "Hoesch Stahlspundwände" January 2003 ["Hoesch Steel Piling Walls"] and/or "Peiner Stahlspundwände" March 2002 ["Peiner Steel Piling Walls"], available from HSP Hoesch Spundwand und Profil GmbH, Dortmund, Germany).
These company brochures describe hot-rolled piling wall profiles with two flange sections which are connected in the center by a web. Club-shaped connecting end sections adapted to receive interlocks adjoin the flange sections. The flange sections are oriented at least on the outside essentially horizontally. The inside of the flange can have a wedge-shaped taper from the flange center to the flange end, or can, like the outside of the flange, extend essentially horizontally.
The input stock for these piling wall profiles produced by hot rolling is in the form of either slabs, blocks or so-called beam blanks, wherein the latter are cast with a cross-section that is close to the final dimensions.
When using a heated slab or a block, the essentially rectangular cross-section is transformed in a shaping mill into a shape that is close to the final dimensions of the double-T profile, and subsequently rolled to the desired final dimension in a finishing mill stage, which includes at least a universal mill and an edger. When using the beam blanks, blooming can be limited to a few reduction passes, because the dimensions of the cast cross-section are already close to the final dimensions.
The finishing mill stage consists of a roller set for machining the outside and the inside of the rough profile.
The double T-shaped piling walls are used, for example, for supporting sudden height changes in the terrain and for shoring up trenches and port facilities. The piling wall profiles must be able to withstand large horizontal forces which cause a corresponding bending load of the piling walls perpendicular to the piling wall wall. The dimensions are typically determined by the bending load which the piling wall profile must be able to absorb from the lateral earth and/or water pressure via the section modulus.
Depending on the load to be absorbed, the piling wall profiles can be connected via the interlocks either with one another, thereby producing a closed wall from individual support elements with a high section modulus, or the piling wall profiles can be used as a mixed piling wall, whereby for example U-shaped or Z-shaped fill elements are connected by the interlock to the double T-shaped profile. In the latter case, only the double T-shaped profiles function as support elements, whereas the fill elements essentially only perform a sealing function.
Double T-shaped piling wall profiles are offered essentially in different lengths and with flange sections having different wall thicknesses, depending on the required section modulus.
The club-shaped connecting end sections of the flange typically have a standard geometry, so that all standard profiles can be connected with each other or in combination with other profiles by using a single interlock.
The commercially available standard piling wall profiles frequently do not satisfy the section moduli required by a static design. For example, a standard delivery program of a company may not be able to deliver a piling wall profile with a required section modulus, or the required section modulus may fall between two available standard piling wall profiles.
If the required section modulus falls between two available standard piling wall profiles, then it makes often no economic sense to select the next larger profile which may be significantly more expensive. If a standard delivery program is unable to supply the required section modulus, then a completely new piling wall profile may have to be produced.
For producing a new piling wall profile by hot rolling, an expensive roller set must be procured at least for the finishing mill stage, and a large inventory may be required and expensive rolling tests, until a high-quality product is ready for sale.
The present technology offers various possibilities for increasing the section modulus of a standard profile, without having to either select an uneconomical profile or to produce an entirely new profile with a different geometry (essentially related to the overall height and the flange thickness), which would be a complex and expensive process.
To eliminate these disadvantages, attempts have been made to increase the section modulus according to the customer requirements while maintaining the geometry of the standard profile.
In one embodiment, which has been used and proven effective in practice, steel lamellae have been welded to one or both exterior flange surfaces of the piling wall profile (see excerpts from the delivery program "Peiner Stahlspundwände" March 2002) ["Peiner Steel Piling Walls"]. These lamellae are preferably arranged in the region of the highest bending moment.
Welding these lamellae is expensive and adds costs, because the piling wall profile must be straightened due to the welding stress.
In another approach, the section modulus of a standard profile can be increased to attain a greater average wall thickness in the flange by moving the finishing rollers apart during the rolling process (see excerpts from the delivery program "Hoesch Stahlspundwände" January 2003 or "Peiner Stahlspundwände" March 2002).
The flange thickness of wedge-shaped flange sections is given as an average value which corresponds to the cross-sectional area of the flange divided by the overall width of the profile. The average wall thickness of profiles with parallel flanges corresponds to the nominal wall thickness in the flange section.
The size of the opening between the outside rollers of the finishing roller stage which determines the average flange thickness is increased by a value in the range of millimeters, which increases the overall height of the profile and hence also the average wall thickness of the flange.
Disadvantageously, the pass of the outer rollers also enlarges the club-shaped geometry of the connecting end section, in addition to increasing the average flange thickness.
The tolerances in the connecting region are relatively tight to enable the club-shaped section to securely engage with the standard interlock to withstand the load on the piling wall. If the average wall thickness increases too much, then the dimension of the club-shaped section would also increase to a point where the standard interlock can no longer be pushed over the club-shaped section.
With this approach, new interlocks would have to be produced which can be quite expensive.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a piling wall profile which can overcome the aforedescribed disadvantages of conventional profiles.

Double T-shaped steel sheet piling profile


Provided are a thickening agent for an alkaline battery, which can satisfactorily retain long-term discharge characteristics (discharge quantity and discharge time) and provide excellent impact resistance, and an alkaline battery used therewith. In the invention, the thickening agent for an alkaline battery comprises (A) a crosslinked polymer comprising, as essential constituent units, (a1) a water-soluble vinyl monomer and/or (a2) a vinyl monomer being converted into (a1) by hydrolysis, (b) a hydrolyzable crosslinking agent undergoing alkaline hydrolysis, and (c) a non-hydrolyzable crosslinking agent not undergoing alkaline hydrolysis, wherein (b) and (c) each has a content of 0.05% to 1% by weight based on the weight of (A), and satisfies Requirements (1) and (2) described below: Requirement (1): the weight ratio (b)/(c) between (b) and (c) is from 1.0 to 5.0; Requirement (2): a specific solution (S1) has a viscosity of 25 to 100 Pa·s at 25° C.

Conventional anodes for alkaline batteries are produced mainly using a mixture of a high-concentration alkaline electrolyte (an aqueous high-concentration potassium hydroxide solution optionally containing zinc oxide or the like) and a zinc powder and/or a zinc alloy powder or the like. For the purpose of preventing precipitation of a zinc powder in an alkaline electrolyte, preventing batteries from leaking, and reducing stringy properties in view of increasing battery production efficiency, it is proposed that a water-absorbing resin or the like prepared by insolubilizing poly(meth)acrylic acid and salts thereof with a crosslinking agent should be added as a thickening agent to an anode (see Patent Document 1).

Thickening agent for alkaline battery, and alkaline battery


A process for making a lithographic printing plate is provided that includes a step of producing a negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor comprising, above a support, a photopolymerizable photosensitive layer comprising a vinylcarbazole compound-derived monomer unit-containing acrylic polymer and/or a urethane-acrylic hybrid polymer, a step of imagewise exposing the negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor, and a step of developing the exposed negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor using a developer comprising (Component A) an organic solvent having a solubility in water at 20° C. of 1.5 to 7.0 g/100 mL, (Component B) an amphoteric surfactant represented by Formula (I) below and/or Formula (II) below, and (Component C) water.

In general, a lithographic printing plate is formed from a lipophilic image area for accepting ink and a hydrophilic non-image area for accepting dampening water in a printing process. Lithographic printing is a printing process in which the property of water and oil-based ink repelling each other is utilized so as to cause a difference in ink attachment on the surface of a lithographic printing plate with a lipophilic image area of the lithographic printing plate as an ink-accepting area and a hydrophilic non-image area as a dampening water-accepting area (non-ink-accepting area), and after inking only the image area ink is transferred to a printing substrate such as paper.
In order to make this lithographic printing plate, a lithographic printing plate precursor (PS plate) formed by providing a lipophilic photosensitive resin layer (photosensitive layer) on a hydrophilic support is widely used in the art. A lithographic printing plate is usually obtained by a process in which, after the lithographic printing plate precursor is exposed through an original image such as a lith film, a photosensitive layer that becomes an image area is made to remain, and unnecessary photosensitive layer that becomes a non-image area is removed by dissolving using a strong alkaline developer having a pH of no less than 12 to thus form a non-image area in which the surface of the hydrophilic support is exposed.
In the conventionally known process for making a lithographic printing plate, after the exposure, a step of removing unnecessary photosensitive layer by dissolving, for example, with a developer is required, and simplification of such wet treatment carried out additionally is cited as one of issues. In particular, since in recent years the disposal of liquid waste discharged accompanying highly pH alkaline treatment has become a great concern throughout the industrial world from the viewpoint of consideration for the global environment, developing by a nearly neutral aqueous solution has been more and more desired as one of the simplification.
On the other hand, digitization techniques involving electronically processing, storing, and outputting image information by computer have been widespread in recent years, and various new image output methods responding to such digitization techniques have been put into practical use. Accompanying this, a computer-to-plate (CTP) technique has been attracting attention in which digitized image information is carried on a highly convergent radiant ray such as laser light and a lithographic printing plate precursor is scan-exposed by this light to directly produce a lithographic printing plate without intervention of a lith film. Therefore, obtaining a lithographic printing precursor suitable for these techniques has become one of the important technological challenges.
As a laser light source that can be used in the CTP technique, a solid-state laser such as a YAG laser or a semiconductor laser that emits infrared rays having a wavelength of 760 to 1,200 nm is very useful since one with high output and small size is available at low cost. A UV laser can also be used.
From the background described above, there is currently an even stronger desire than ever for compatibility with both digitization and simplification of plate making operations.
In response to this, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a process for making a plate by developing, using a gumming liquid, a lithographic printing plate precursor having provided above a hydrophilic support a photosensitive layer in which hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles are dispersed in a hydrophilic binder.
Patent Document 2 describes a method for processing a lithographic printing plate precursor by imagewise exposing with an infrared laser a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising (i) a hydrophilic support and (ii) a photosensitive layer comprising a radically polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer, a radical polymerization initiator, and an infrared absorbing dye, and then removing an uncured portion of the photosensitive layer using a gumming liquid.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes a method for developing a lithographic printing plate precursor, the method comprising curing a radically polymerizable photosensitive layer by exposure to an infrared laser and removing an unexposed portion using a solvent-containing developer having a pH of less than 12 and comprising benzyl alcohol and an amphoteric surfactant having a specific structure.
Furthermore, Patent Document 4 describes a method for developing a lithographic printing plate precursor, the method comprising curing a radically polymerizable photosensitive layer by exposure to an infrared laser and removing an unexposed portion using a solvent-containing developer comprising no greater than 60 wt % of water, a water-soluble or water-dispersible solvent, and a surfactant having a specific structure.
Furthermore, Patent Document 5 discloses a method for developing a lithographic printing plate precursor in which a radical polymerization-type photosensitive layer is cured by exposure to a UV-IR laser, and an unexposed portion is removed using an aqueous solution having a pH of 2 to 10 and comprising an amphoteric surfactant and an anionic surfactant.    Patent Document 1: EP 1,342,568 B    Patent Document 2: International publication WO 2005/111727    Patent Document 3: International publication WO 2008/027227    Patent Document 4: U.S. 2010/0216067 A1    Patent Document 5: JP-A-2009-086344 (JP-A denotes a Japanese unexamined patent application publication.)

Process for making lithographic printing plate