A small-scale semiconductor device having several trimming portions is disclosed. The device includes an auxiliary voltage regulator circuit outputting an output voltage and having a first trimming unit for adjusting the output voltage output from the auxiliary voltage regulator circuit; an auxiliary circuit comparing a first voltage with a second voltage and performing a prescribed operation based on the compared result, where the first voltage is in proportion to the output voltage of the auxiliary voltage regulator circuit and the second voltage is generated by a detecting unit, the auxiliary circuit including a second trimming unit for adjusting the first voltage; and a single test terminal, connected to receive any one of the first voltage and the second voltage, provided as an external terminal of the semiconductor device so as to adjust both the first and the second trimming units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a trimming method of the same, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a trimming circuit capable of reducing the number of external terminals required for trimming some parts of the semiconductor device and a trimming method of the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, characteristics of the semiconductor devices may vary due to the variations of parts in the circuits caused by the variation of the manufacturing process. Because of this feature of a semiconductor device, a trimming method is conventionally used to maintain the characteristics especially when the characteristics are required to be highly accurate.
As an example of a conventional semiconductor device, FIG. 3 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a conventional semiconductor device 1 that includes an auxiliary voltage regulator circuit 10 and a voltage regulator circuit 20.
The auxiliary voltage regulator circuit 10 includes a comparator 11 and outputs an output voltage Vs to supply power to an internal circuit (not shown) and a reference voltage circuit 22 of the voltage regulator circuit 20. The auxiliary voltage regulator circuit 10 further includes a resistor R1 as a first trimming unit so as to adjust the output voltage Vs. The comparator 11 operates such that a divided voltage divided from the output voltage Vs by the resistor R1 and a resistor R2 is equal to a reference voltage Vr1 applied to the comparator 11. Further, a test terminal T1 is provided as an external terminal of the semiconductor device 1 for performing a first trimming adjustment. The voltage regulator circuit 20 includes a comparator 21, the reference voltage circuit 22, and an overheat protection circuit 23 and outputs an output voltage Vo. The comparator 21 operates such that a divided voltage divided from the output voltage Vo by resistors R3 and R4 is equal to a prescribed reference voltage Vr2 output from the reference voltage circuit 22. Further, a test terminal T2 extending from the overheat protection circuit 23 is provided as another external terminal. A detailed description of the overheat protection circuit as well as the connection with the test terminal T2 is provided below with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of the overheat protection circuit 23 in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the overheat protection circuit 23 includes a reference voltage source 25 generating a reference voltage Vr3, a temperature detection diode D1, a constant current source I1, and a comparator 24. The reference voltage source 25 outputting an adjustable reference voltage Vr3 is provided as a second trimming unit so as to set a temperature at which the overheat protection circuit 23 is activated. The test terminal T2 for performing a second trimming adjustment is provided as an external terminal of the semiconductor device 1.
To perform the first trimming adjustment to adjust the output voltage Vs output from the auxiliary voltage regulator 10, the voltage at the test terminal T1 is measured. Then, a trimming is performed with respect to the resistor R1 of the first trimming unit based on the measured voltage.
To perform the second trimming adjustment to adjust the temperature at which the overheat protection circuit 23 is activated, a voltage applied to the test terminal T2 is gradually changed to detect a voltage at which the overheat protection circuit 23 is activated. The detected voltage is adjusted by a trimming voltage determined based on the difference between the chip temperature of the semiconductor device when this test is performed and the chip temperature at which the overheat protection circuit is to be activated. Then the reference voltage Vr3 of the second trimming unit is adjusted so as to be equal to the adjusted voltage.
Unfortunately, as described above, in a conventional trimming method, each test terminal constituting an external terminal is always necessary for the corresponding trimming portion of the semiconductor device.
To solve the problem, a method reducing the number of terminals used for trimming is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H08-204582. According to the Patent Document, the number of terminal is reduced by providing a decoder and data from a trimming circuit is decoded by the decoder and then output from an external terminal. This method may be advantageously employed when there are many trimming portions in the semiconductor device, but may be disadvantageous particularly when there are only a few trimming portions in the semiconductor device. Namely, when this method is employed in small-scale semiconductor devices, the circuit scales may be rather increased due to the additional control circuit including the decoder and control terminals connected from the control circuit. Therefore, this trimming method may not fit a small-scale semiconductor device.
Generally and unfortunately, in a semiconductor device, when the number of external terminals increases, the area of the semiconductor chip accordingly increases and the cost is also increased. Especially, the smaller the area of the semiconductor chip is, the more strongly is the semiconductor chip affected by the increase of the external terminals. In addition, the number of the external terminals is a major factor in determining the package size of the semiconductor device. Namely, when the number of the external terminals increases, the package size becomes larger accordingly and the cost is also increased. Further disadvantageously, a larger area for mounting parts becomes necessary and as a result, the size of a system using the semiconductor device may be increased.

Semiconductor device and trimming method of the same


A test coupon on a printed circuit board used for verifying that vias in the printed circuit board are back drilled to a proper predetermined depth. Use of the coupon involves correlating a via on the board to a via of a test coupon drilling the board via and the test coupon via to substantially the same depth, where the depth is predetermined based on the board via. Then measuring the impedance of the test coupon to reveal the actual depth of the back drilling of the coupon via. Knowing the actual back drill depth of the coupon via is used to verify the back drill depth of the board via.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and, more particularly, to circuit boards.
2. Background Information
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Printed circuit boards (PCB) are typically included with the hardware components of the information handling system. PCBs may comprise multiple layers wherein along each layer conductive members are routed. These conductive members are typically referred to as traces. Vias, that are disposed generally perpendicular to the PCB, are used to provide electrical connectivity between different layers of the PCB. The PCB may also include test coupons for evaluating board characteristics, as well as for quality control and operability. The test coupons are generally disposed on each PCB. Analysis of the test coupons can involve destructive testing where portions of the coupon are cut away in order to visually inspect the board layers. Additionally, electrically testing the coupons can indicate board quality. One example of electrical testing involves measuring the impedance across the coupon.


A structure for preventing light from reaching and erasing a floating gate comprises a control gate which covers not only the floating gate, but the portion of the semiconductor substrate laterally surrounding the floating gate. In accordance with one novel feature of my invention, a conductive structure also laterally surrounds the floating gate and extends between the semiconductor substrate and the control gate. In one embodiment, the conductive structure is electrically shorted to ground and is constructed from the same layer of material as the floating gate. Of importance, the conductive structure both serves as an additional light blocking structure and also serves as a field plate so that it is not necessary to form a thick field oxide layer surrounding the transistor. Because the conductive structure and the control gate are used as the light blocking structure and the contact metallization layer is not used to form the opaque cover, it is possible to extend contact metallization over the covered floating gate transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an opaque cover for preventing light from reaching the floating gate of a floating gate transistor.
Floating gate memory devices such as EPROMs are well known in the art. Such devices typically include an array of floating gate transistors for storing data. Unfortunately, some of the transistors within the array are sometimes defective. Accordingly, it is known in the art to manufacture EPROMs using redundant memory cells. Thus, if the EPROM includes a defective memory cell, the defective memory cell is decoupled from the array and a redundant cell is coupled to the array to replace the defective cell.
It is known in the art to provide an extra floating gate transistor in the EPROM to programmably control whether the redundant cells are to be coupled to the array to replace defective cells. Of importance, the extra floating gate transistor can be programmed to couple the redundant cells to the array but an opaque metal cover is formed over the extra transistor to prevent it from being erased when the rest of the EPROM is exposed to UV light. An example of such a structure is discussed in the article entitled "PROM Cell Made With An EPROM Process" by Alan C. Folmsbee, published at the International Electron Devices Meeting in 1983, incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1 illustrates in cross-section the Folmsbee structure, in which a metal cover 1 is formed over a floating gate transistor 2. Floating gate transistor 2 comprises a drain 3, a source 4, a floating gate 5 and a control gate 6. A thick oxide layer 9 is formed between floating gate transistor 2 and metal cover 1 to electrically insulate metal cover 1 from floating gate 6, drain 3, and the semiconductor substrate. Metal cover 1 reflects ambient light 7, and thereby prevents the light from reaching floating gate 5. Folmsbee provides an opening 8 in metal cover 1 so that portions of the drain 3 and control gate 6 can extend outside of the metal cover 1 where they can be electrically contacted.
Folmsbee's structure has a number of problems. light can enter through opening 8 in metal cover 1. This light reflects off of silicon substrate 10 and metal cover 1 and is attenuated when it reaches floating gate 5. To ensure that the light is sufficiently attenuated by the time it reaches floating gate 5, it is necessary to either minimize the thickness T.sub.OX of oxide layer 9 or increase the distance D between transistor 2 and opening 8. Unfortunately, it is difficult to minimize oxide thickness T.sub.OX underneath metal cover 1 because conventional semiconductor processes used to manufacture EPROMs do not typically include a step which allows for the formation of a thin oxide layer between the metallization and the underlying semiconductor substrate. Instead, such processes typically require the formation of a thick oxide layer between the metallization and underlying substrate so that the likelihood of a short circuit between the metallization and the substrate is reduced. Thus, instead of minimizing thickness T.sub.OX of oxide layer 9, Folmsbee uses an oxide thickness of 1.85 microns, and must increase the size of metal cover 1 so that distance D is 80 microns. Therefore, Folmsbee's structure takes up a large surface area and is expensive to build.
Another problem with the structure of FIG. 1 is that most EPROMs are constructed using a single layer of interconnect metallization. By using the metal layer to form cover 1, it is impossible to extend metal interconnects over opaque cover 1 in most EPROM processes. Because metal interconnects cannot be placed over metal cover 1, the surface area of the integrated circuit cannot be used as efficiently as it could if one could pass metal interconnects over the opaque cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,050, issued on May 21, 1985 to Folmsbee, discusses a structure similar to the structure described in the above-cited Folmsbee paper and, thus, suffers from the shortcomings of the structure of FIG. 1.

Opaque cover for preventing erasure of an EPROM


Embodiments of the present invention disclose an agricultural composition having an agrochemical active ingredient and at least one cocoalkylpolyamine alkoxylate agent.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to agricultural compositions, in particular novel formulations utilizing cocoalkylpolyamine alkoxylates as agents for high strength herbicide compositions.
Background of the Invention
The use of alkyldiamine ethoxylates in glyphosate have been explored previously by a number of scientists. Wyrill and Burnside, Weed Science Vol. 25 (1977), 275-287, conducted a study of the effects of different agents including tallowpropyldiamine ethoxlyates on the herbicidal action of glyphosate. Some classes of agents were more effective than others in enhancing the herbicidal effect of glyphosate (in particular as a solution of the isopropylamine salt). In the early 1990's, Rhone Poulenc disclosed an application of liquid herbicide formulation containing N-phosphonomethylglycine and diamine surfactant (DE 4019362 A1 19910103). According to the abstract of the application, the most efficacious formulation of their invention comprised of isopropylammonium N-phosphonomethylglycine otherwise known as isopropylamine glyphosate at 100 grams per liter and tallowpropyldiamine ethoxylate which contained 3 ethylene oxide units.
Users of aqueous concentrate herbicides and fertilizers find advantages in being supplied with high concentration formulations. In the case of glyphosate, advantages in shipping and storage can be gained by the use of formulations containing high concentrations of the glyphosate acid compared to the conventionally used concentrations. Unfortunately few agents are available which are compatible in such higher strength formulations.
As well, incorporation of aqueous solutions of fertilizers alone or in combination with pesticides and water soluble herbicides in concentrated form is often problematic because of their high ionic strength and so it is desirable to make agents and other additives compatible with them. By "compatible", it is meant that combinations of agents and agrochemicals are made homogeneous and do not separate into two or more distinct continuous phases. Therefore there is a need for stable, high concentration formulations of water soluble herbicides and fertilizers.

Cocoalkylpolyamine alkoxylates as agents for high strength herbicide compositions

HUNTSMAN CORPORATION AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED


A system may include memory containing: (i) a master data set representable in columns and rows, and (ii) a query expression. The system may include a software application configured to apply a machine learning (ML) pipeline to an input data set. The system may include a computing device configured to: obtain the master data set and the query expression; apply the query expression to the master data set to generate a test data set, where applying the query expression comprises, based on content of the query expression, generating the test data set to have one or more columns or one or more rows fewer than the master data set; apply the ML pipeline to the test data set, where applying the ML pipeline results in either generation of a test ML model from the test data set or indication of an error in the test data set; and delete the test data set from the memory.

Machine learning (ML) systems often use extensive data sets for training of ML models. These ML models are then tested and deployed for production use. But ML systems are highly sensitive to the quality of their training data sets. If such a data set contains anomalies, errors, or undesirable or non-representative statistical characteristics, the resulting ML model will have limited value at best. In the worst case, the ML model will provide misleading or useless results. Since the amount of time to train an ML model can be on the order of hours or days, it is desirable to be able to avoid these situations.

Data set generation for testing of machine learning pipelines


A smart dimmer for controlling the intensity of a lighting load from a source of AC power is operable to replace one of the three-way switches in a standard three-way lighting system without the need to replace the other three-way switch with a unique accessory switch. A simple rewiring is needed in the wallbox of the remaining three-way switch. In the resulting three-way lighting system, the smart dimmer is always coupled between the lighting load and the source and the remaining three-way switch is coupled between either of the load terminals of the dimmer and an accessory terminal of the dimmer. The remaining three-way switch acts to either couple or decouple an AC voltage from the accessory terminal. The smart dimmer is operable to detect a change in the state at the accessory terminal and toggle the lighting load on or off as a result of the change in state.

Three-way switch systems for use in controlling loads in buildings, such as lighting loads, have long been known in the art. The switches used in these systems are wired to the building's alternating-current (AC) wiring system, are subjected to AC source voltage, and carry full load current, as opposed to low-voltage switch systems that operate at low voltage and low current and communicate digital commands (usually low-voltage logic levels) to a remote controller that controls the level of AC power delivered to the load in response to the commands. Thus, as used herein, the terms "three-way switch" and "three-way system" mean such switches and systems that are subjected to the AC source voltage and carry the full load current.
In a three-way switch system, there are two three-way switches for controlling a single load, and each switch is fully operable to independently control the load irrespective of the status of the other switch. In such a system, one three-way switch must be wired at the AC source side of the system (sometimes called "line side"), and the other three-way switch must be wired at the load side of the system.
FIG. 1A shows a standard three-way switch system 100, which includes two three-way switches 102, 104. The switches 102, 104 are connected between an AC power source 106 and a lighting load 108. When switches 102, 104 are both in position A (or both in position B), the circuit is complete and the lighting load 108 is energized. When switch 102 is in position A and switch 104 is in position B (or vise versa), the circuit is not complete and the lighting load 108 does not light up.
Three-way dimmer switches that replace three-way switches are well known in the art. An example of a three-way dimmer switch system 150 including one prior art three-way dimmer switch 152 and one three-way switch 104 is shown in FIG. 1B. The three-way dimmer switch 152 simply includes a dimmer circuit 152A and a three-way switch 152B. A typical, AC, phase-control dimmer 152 regulates the amount of energy supplied to the lighting load 108 by conducting for some portion of each half-cycle of the AC waveform, and not conducting for the remainder of the half-cycle. Because the dimmer switch 152 is in series with the lighting load 108, the longer the dimmer 152 conducts, the more energy will be delivered to the lighting load 108. Where the lighting load 108 is a lamp, the more energy delivered to the lighting load 108, the greater the light intensity level of the lamp. In a typical dimming scenario, a user may adjust a control to set the light intensity level of the lamp to a desired light intensity level. The portion of each half-cycle for which the dimmer conducts is based on the selected light intensity level. Since two dimmer circuits cannot be wired in series, the three-way dimmer switch system 150 can only include one three-way dimmer switch 152, which can be located on either the line side or the load side of the system.
Three-way dimming systems that employ a "smart" dimmer switch and a specially designed auxiliary (remote) switch that permits the dimming level to be adjusted from multiple locations have been developed. A smart dimmer is one that includes a microcontroller or other processing means for allowing an advanced set of control features and feedback options to the end user. To power the microcontroller, smart dimmers include power supplies, which draw a small amount of leakage current through the lighting load each half-cycle when the FETs are non-conducting. The power supply uses this small amount of current to charge a capacitor and develop a direct-current (DC) voltage to power the microcontroller. An example of a multiple location lighting control system, including a wall mountable smart dimmer switch and wall mountable remote switches for wiring at all locations of a multiple location switch system is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,919, issued on Sep. 28, 1993, entitled "Lighting Control Device", which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Referring to the system 150 of FIG. 1B, since no load current flows through the dimmer circuit 152A of the three-way dimmer switch 152 when the circuit between the supply 106 and the lighting load 108 is broken by either three-way switch 152B or 104, the dimmer switch 152 is not able to include a power supply and a microcontroller. Thus, the dimmer switch 152 is not able to provide the advanced set of features of a smart dimmer to the end user.
FIG. 2 shows an example multiple location lighting control system 200 including one wall mountable smart dimmer switch 202 and one wall mountable remote, or accessory, switch 204. The dimmer switch 202 has a Hot (H) terminal, for receipt of an AC source voltage provided by an AC power supply 206, and a Dimmed Hot (DH) terminal, for providing a dimmed-hot voltage to a lighting load 208. The remote switch 204 is connected in series with the DH terminal of the dimmer switch 202 and the lighting load 208 and simply passes the dimmed-hot voltage through to the lighting load.
The dimmer switch 202 and the remote switch 204 both have actuators to allow for raising, lowering, and toggling on/off the lighting load 208. The dimmer switch 202 is responsive to actuation of any of these actuators to alter the dimming level (or power the lighting load 208 on/off) accordingly. In particular, actuation of an actuator at the remote switch 204 causes an AC control signal, or partially rectified AC control signal, to be communicated from that remote switch 204 to the dimmer switch 202 over the wiring between the Accessory Dimmer (AD) terminal of the remote switch 204 and the AD terminal of the dimmer switch 202. The dimmer switch 202 is responsive to receipt of the control signal to alter the dimming level or toggle the load on/off. Thus, the load can be fully controlled from the remote switch 204.
The user interface of the dimmer switch 202 of the multiple location lighting control system 200 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown, the dimmer switch 202 may include a faceplate 310, a bezel 312, an intensity selection actuator 314 for selecting a desired level of light intensity of a lighting load 208 controlled by the dimmer switch 202, and a control switch actuator 316. Faceplate 310 need not be limited to any specific form, and is preferably of a type adapted to be mounted to a conventional wall box commonly used in the installation of lighting control devices. Likewise, bezel 312 and actuators 314 and 316 are not limited to any specific form, and may be of any suitable design that permits manual actuation by a user.
Actuation of the upper portion 314A of actuator 314 increases or raises the light intensity of lighting load 208, while actuation of lower portion 314B of actuator 314 decreases or lowers the light intensity. Actuator 314 may control a rocker switch, two separate push switches, or the like. Actuator 316 may control a push switch, though actuator 316 may be a touch-sensitive membrane or any other suitable type of actuator. Actuators 314 and 316 may be linked to the corresponding switches in any convenient manner. The switches controlled by actuators 314 and 316 may be directly wired into the control circuitry to be described below, or may be linked by an extended wired link, infrared link, radio frequency link, power line carrier link, or otherwise to the control circuitry.
Dimmer switch 202 may also include an intensity level indicator in the form of a plurality of light sources 318, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Light sources 318 may be arranged in an array (such as a linear array as shown) representative of a range of light intensity levels of the lighting load being controlled. The intensity levels of the lighting load may range from a minimum intensity level, which is preferably the lowest visible intensity, but which may be zero, or "full off," to a maximum intensity level, which is typically "full on." Light intensity level is typically expressed as a percent of full intensity. Thus, when the lighting load is on, light intensity level may range from 1% to 100%.
A simplified block diagram of the dimmer switch 202 and the remote switch 204 of the multiple location lighting control system 200 is shown in FIG. 4A. The dimmer switch 202 employs a controllably conductive device, such as two field-effect transistors (FETs) 420, 422 provided in anti-serial connection between the Hot terminal H and the Dimmed Hot terminal DH, to control the current through, and thus the intensity of, the lighting load 208. The first FET 420 conducts during the positive half-cycle of AC waveform and the second FET 422 conducts during the negative half-cycle of the AC waveform. The gates of FETs 420, 422 are connected to a gate drive circuit 424, which provides control inputs to the FETs in response to command signals from a microcontroller 426. Alternatively, the controllably conductive device could be implemented as another type of semiconductor switch, such as a triac or a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR).
Microcontroller 426 may be any suitable processing device, such as a programmable logic device (PLD), a microprocessor, or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Microcontroller 426 generates command signals to a plurality of LEDs 418 for feedback to the user of the dimmer switch 202. The microcontroller 426 receives inputs from a zero-crossing detector 430 and a signal detector 432.
A power supply 428 generates two DC output voltages VCC1 and VCC2. The first output voltage VCC1 has a magnitude appropriate to power the microcontroller 426 and other low-voltage circuitry (such as 3.3 VDC or 5 VDC). The second output voltage VCC2 has a magnitude greater than VCC1 (approximately 8 VDC) and is provided to the gate drive circuit 424 for driving the FETs 420A, 420B.
The zero-crossing detector 430 determines the zero-crossing points of the input 120V, 60 Hz AC waveform from the AC power supply 206. The zero-crossing information is provided as an input to microcontroller 426. Microcontroller 426 provides the gate control signals to operate FETs 420, 422 to provide voltage from the AC power supply 206 to the lighting load 208 at predetermined times relative to the zero-crossing points of the AC waveform.
Generally, two techniques are used for controlling the power supplied to the lighting load 208: forward phase control dimming and reverse phase control dimming. In forward phase control dimming, the FETs 420, 422 are turned on at some point within each AC line voltage half-cycle and remains on until the next voltage zero-crossing. Forward phase control dimming is often used to control energy to a resistive or inductive load, which may include, for example, a magnetic low-voltage transformer or an incandescent lamp. In reverse phase control dimming, the FETs 420, 422 are turned on at the zero-crossing of the AC line voltage and turned off at some point within each half-cycle of the AC line voltage. Reverse phase control is often used to control energy to a capacitive load, which may include, for example, an electronic low-voltage transformer.
Signal detector 432 has an input 440 for receiving switch closure signals from momentary switches designated T, R, and L. Switch T corresponds to a toggle switch controlled by switch actuator 316, and switches R and L correspond to the raise and lower switches controlled by the upper portion 314A and lower portion 314B, respectively, of intensity selection actuator 314.
Closure of switch T will connect the input of the signal detector 432 to the DH terminal of the dimmer switch 202 when the FETs 420, 422 are non-conducting, and will allow both positive and negative half-cycles of the AC current to flow through the signal detector. Closure of switches R and L will also connect the input of the signal detector 432 to the DH terminal when the FETs 420, 422 are non-conducting. However, when switch R is closed, current can only flow through the signal detector 432 during the negative half-cycle of the AC power supply 406 because of a diode 434. In similar manner, when switch L is closed, current can only flow through the signal detector 432 during the positive half-cycles because of a diode 436. The duration of switch closures of switches T, R, and L are typically 100-200 milliseconds in length. The signal detector 432 detects when the switches T, R, and L are closed, and provides two separate output signals representative of the state of the switches as inputs to the microcontroller 426. A signal on the first output of the signal detector 432 indicates a closure of switch R and a signal on the second output indicates a closure of switch L. Simultaneous signals on both outputs represent a closure of switch T. The microcontroller 426 determines the duration of closure in response to inputs from the signal detector 432.
The remote switch 204 provides a means for controlling the dimmer switch 202 from a remote location in a separate wall box. The remote switch 204 includes a further set of momentary switches T′, R′, and L′ and diodes 434′ and 436′. A wire connection is made between the AD terminal of the remote switch 204 and the AD terminal of the dimmer switch 202 to allow for the communication of actuator presses at the remote switch. The AD terminal is connected to the input 440 of the signal detector 432. The action of switches T′, R′, and L′ in the remote switch 204 corresponds to the action of switches T, R, and L in the dimmer switch 202.
A schematic representation of the signal detector 432 is shown in FIG. 4B. The input 440 if the signal detector 432 is received from the switches T, R, and L and the AD terminal. Two outputs 442 (AD_LOWER) and 444 (AD_RAISE) are provided to the microprocessor 426. When the lower switch L is pressed, current will flow out of the input 440 through a diode D1 and two resistors R1, R2 of the signal detector 432 during the positive half-cycles of the AC power supply 406. When the current flows, a bias voltage will develop across the resistor R2, which will cause a transistor Q1 to begin conducting, thus pulling the output AD_LOWER up to the level of the voltage VCC2. A resistor R3 pulls the voltage at the output AD_LOWER down to circuit common during the negative half-cycles. Thus, an active-high control signal that consists of a pulse during each positive half-cycle will be generated at the output AD_LOWER when the switch L is pressed.
When the raise switch R is pressed and the breakdown voltage of a zener diode Z1 is exceeded, current will flow into the input 440 through a diode D2, the zener diode Z1, and two resistors R4, R5 during the negative half-cycles. The zener diode Z1 limits the voltage across the resistors R4, R5 and thus the current through the resistors. A bias voltage produced across resistor R5 when current flows will cause a transistor Q2 to begin conducting and the output AD_RAISE will then be pulled down to circuit common. A resistor R6 is provided to pull the voltage at the output AD_RAISE up to the voltage VCC1 during the positive half-cycles. In this case, an active-low control signal that consists of a pulse during each negative half-cycle will be generated at the output AD_RAISE when the switch R is pressed.
When the toggle switch T is pressed,current will flow through the signal detector 632 during both half-cycles and both of the control signals as described above will be generated at the outputs AD_LOWER and AD_RAISE.
When the switches T′, R′, and L′ are pressed on the remote switch 204, the signal detector 432 functions the same as when the switches T, R, and L are pressed. Also, the signal detector 432 will function similarly if the remote switch 204 is located on the line side of the dimmer switch 202. However, when switch L′ is pressed in this case, the diode D1 will conduct during the negative half-cycles and the signal at the AD_LOWER output will have pulses during the negative half-cycles. Further, when the switch R′ is pressed, the diode D2 will conduct during the positive half-cycles and the signal at the AD_RAISE output will have pulses during the positive half-cycles.
Even though the multiple location lighting control system 200 allows for the use of a smart dimmer switch in a three-way system, it is necessary for the customer to purchase the remote switch 204 along with the smart dimmer switch 202. Often, the typical customer is unaware that a remote switch is required when buying a smart dimmer switch for a three-way system until after the time of purchase when the smart dimmer switch is installed and it is discovered that the smart dimmer will not work properly with the existing three-way switch. Therefore, there exists a need for a smart three-way dimmer switch that may be installed in a three-way system without the need to purchase and install a special remote switch.


A method and apparatus for estimating the true temperature of connate fluid within a subterranean geological formation is provided herein. The method includes generating a flow of connate fluid, measuring the temperature of the flow over time until the measured temperature reaches a limiting value termed the stabilized temperature. Multiple events of temperature sampling events can be conducted at different flow rates of the connate fluid. The stabilized temperature values can then be ascendingly organized based on the value of their respective flow rates. The limiting value reached by the stabilized temperatures is taken to be substantially equal to the actual temperature of the connate fluid residing within the subterranean formation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of exploration and production of hydrocarbons from wellbores. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for estimating the temperature of connate fluid sampled from within a subterranean geological formation.
2. Description of Related Art
The sampling of fluids contained in subsurface earth formations provides a method of testing formation zones of possible interest by recovering a sample of any formation fluids present for later analysis in a laboratory environment while causing a minimum of damage to the tested formations. The formation sample is essentially a point test of the possible productivity of subsurface earth formations. Additionally, a continuous record of the control and sequence of events during the test is made at the surface. From this record, valuable formation pressure and permeability data as well as data determinative of fluid compressibility, density and relative viscosity can be obtained for formation reservoir analysis.
Early formation fluid sampling instruments, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,674,313, were not fully successful in commercial service because they were limited to a single test on each trip into the borehole. Later instruments were suitable for multiple testing; however, the success of these testers depended to some extent on the characteristics of the particular formations to be tested. For example, where earth formations were unconsolidated, a different sampling apparatus was required than in the case of consolidated formations.
Down-hole multi-tester instruments have been developed with extensible sampling probes for engaging the borehole wall at the formation of interest for withdrawing fluid samples therefrom and measuring pressure. In downhole instruments of this nature it is typical to provide an internal draw-down piston which is reciprocated hydraulically or electrically to increase the internal volume of a fluid receiving chamber within the instrument after engaging the borehole wall. This action reduces the pressure at the instrument/formation interface causing fluid to flow from the formation into the fluid receiving chamber of the tool or sample tank. These pistons accomplish suction activity only while moving in one direction. On the return stroke the piston discharges the formation fluid sample through the same opening through which it was drawn and thus provides no pumping activity. Additionally, unidirectional piston pumping systems of this nature are capable of moving the fluid being pumped in only one direction and thus causes the sampling system to be relatively slow in operation.
The multi-tester instrument includes one or more internal pumps and associated control circuitry which permits the flexibility of selective "direct" pumping, where formation fluid is drawn from the formation and pumped directly into a sample tank and selective "indirect" pumping, where the pressure of an internal sample tank chamber is lowered, thus permitting filling of the sample chamber of the tank by formation fluid solely responsive to the influence of formation pressure. As the sample chamber is filled, a free piston within the sample tank will be moved by formation pressure until it comes into contact with an internal end wall or other internal stop of the sample tank.
After the sample tank has been withdrawn from the wellbore, along with the formation testing instrument, the pressure within the fluid supply passage from the instrument pump to the sample tank is maintained at the preestablished pressure level until a manually operable tank valve is closed. Thereafter, the pump supply line is vented to relieve pressure upstream of the closed sample tank valve. After this has been accomplished, the sample tank and its contents can be removed from the instrument body simply by unthreading a few hold-down bolts. The sample tank is thus free to be withdrawn from the instrument body and provided with protective end closures, thus rendering it to a condition that is suitable for shipping to an appropriate laboratory facility.
Sampling devices have been developed that include the functions and capabilities of measuring the temperature of the connate fluid flowing into the sampling device. The measured temperature may not be accurate because some amount of heat transfer will occur between the connate fluid that flows from the formation 6 and the sampling device. This heat transfer thereby alters the fluid temperature somewhat from its original value. The ambient conditions of the borehole 5 can also contribute to that temperature change. Accordingly the values of temperatures measured by temperature probes within the sampling device are not fully representative of the actual temperature of the connate fluid within the formation 6. Moreover, the above mentioned references concerning these sampling devices do not recognize the temperature gradient between the actual formation connate temperature and the sampled temperature, and thus do not provide an apparatus or method for obtaining the true temperature of the formation connate fluid.
Generally connate fluid samples collected in this fashion are used in a pressure volume temperature (PVT) analysis to determine the relative sample volume at various temperature and pressures. The raw PVT data may be used to tune a model (Equation of state EOS) that quantifies the gas and liquid phase at surface and pipe line pressure and temperature. EOS may then used to estimate the volume of produced hydrocarbon at gas and liquid state. The reservoir pressure and temperature are needed to tune the model at the reservoir condition.
As shown in FIG. 1, the sampling of subterranean formation fluid typically involves the insertion of a sampling tool 10 within a wellbore 5 that intersects the subterranean formation 6. Generally the tool 10 is inserted on the end of a wireline 8 or other armored cable, but can also be disposed within the wellbore 5 on tubing (not shown). When wireline 8 is used, it is typically maintained on a spool from which the tool 10 is reeled within the wellbore 5. When it is established that the tool 10 is adjacent to the region of the formation 6 where sampling is to occur, rotation of the spool is ceased thereby suspending the tool 10 at the proper depth within the wellbore 5. Upon suspending the tool 10 at the predetermined downhole depth, the urging means 12 is extended from the tool 10 that pushes the tool 10 against the inner diameter of the wellbore 5 on the side of the tool 10 opposite to the urging means 12. A probe 14 is provided on the tool 10 opposite to the urging means 12 such that activation of the urging means 14 causes the probe 14 to pierce the inner diameter or wall of the wellbore 5 and extend a small distance into the formation 6. The probe 14 has an annular configuration thereby allowing for fluid flow through its inner annulus. Within this annulus of the probe 14, subterranean fluid can flow from the formation 6 to within the tool 10 for storage and subsequent analysis.
Therefore, there exists a need for a connate fluid sampling system and method capable of sampling connate fluid, wherein the true formation temperature of the connate fluid can be found.


Rotor blades of a hydraulic machine rotor are shaped such that the inlet edge and outlet edge of two adjacent rotor blades have varying profiles in different sections.

The present invention relates to a rotor of a hydraulic machine, preferably a Francis turbine, Francis pump-turbine or radial or diagonal pump, with a number of rotor blades which are arranged between an inner and an outer cover disk, and the rotor blades having an inlet edge and an outlet edge.
A rotor of a hydraulic machine, for example, a Francis turbine, is shown in FIG. 4 hereof. It has a plurality of rotor blades 1, each having an inlet edge 4 and an outlet edge 5. The blades 1 are arranged between an inner cover disk 3 and an outer cover disk 2. Two blades 1 forming a flow duct for an operating medium, for example water, and the operating medium flows through the duct during the operation of the hydraulic machine and thus sets the rotor in rotation. The manufacture of such a rotor is highly complicated because of the complex geometric shapes of the rotor blades. In order to allow the manufacture of the rotor, for example by welding, etc., and/or a corresponding machining of the surfaces, for example by grinding, polishing, etc., by means of machine tools, such as, for example, robots, etc., the rotor blades should not lie too closely to one another. Furthermore, when blade regions are closely adjacent to one another, there is always the risk that flushed material will remain caught in the rotor and therefore will be detrimental to operation or may even make it necessary to shut down the hydraulic machine.
On the other hand, a small radius at the inner cover disk is desirable in the region of the outlet edge (=inlet edge in the case of a pump-turbine in pumping mode) of the rotor blades, since this is advantageous for operation, above all at operating points away from the design operating point. In the case of a small radius, for example, vortex formation at the outlet of the rotor would be improved substantially in the part-load ranges.
A large number of blades results in highly confined space conditions at the rotor outlet. On the other hand, a small number of blades results, at the rotor inlet, in wide spacings and high load and cavitation at the rotor inlet.
In order to eliminate this fundamental contradiction, rotors have been manufactured, for example, such that every second or third blade in the entire outlet region of the rotor blades has been designed so as to be shorter than the adjacent rotor blades, what is known as the "splitter blade runner", and the rotor blades in the inlet region have generally been left the same. The advantage of this design is that more space has consequently been provided in the outlet region, thereby essentially eliminating the above disadvantages. However, in this case, the risk of cavitation increases in the region of the outer cover disk between the blade center and outlet edge, since the blade loads increase there because of the partially reduced blade lengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,716 again discloses a rotor of a Francis turbine, in which the cavitation behavior has been improved in that the inlet and outlet edges of the rotor blades are shaped in a special way with respect to the axis of rotation of the turbine. The lengths of all the rotor blades are in this case left the same and therefore correspond to a conventional rotor. This results, however, once more in the abovementioned disadvantages with regard to manufacture and operation away from the design operation point.


The present invention relates to a communication apparatus including a first execution unit, a second execution unit, and a selection unit. The selection unit selects a first process of setting a wireless parameter in another communication apparatus or a second process of setting a wireless parameter that is set in another communication apparatus in the communication apparatus.

There are increasing cases in recent years, in which a wireless communication function is mounted in electronic devices including digital cameras, printers, mobile phones, or smart phones and these devices are connected to wireless networks for usage.
In order to connect the electronic devices to the wireless networks, it is necessary to set various wireless parameters, such as an encryption method, an encryption key, an authentication method, and an authentication key. PTL 1 is known as a technology to facilitate the setting of these wireless parameters. In PTL 1, a wireless parameter generated by an access point (hereinafter referred to as an AP) is encoded into a two-dimensional code and the AP displays the two-dimensional code on a screen. A terminal apparatus captures an image of the two-dimensional code displayed in the AP and decodes the two-dimensional code to set the wireless parameter. PTL 2 proposes a technology in which a terminal apparatus reads a Quick Response code (QR) code (registered trademark) that is displayed by an electronic device and that indicates a wireless parameter and causes an AP to set the wireless parameter that is read.
Setting the wireless parameter upon capturing an image of code information, such as the two-dimensional code, in which a lot of information can be encoded in the above manner reduces complicated inputs by a user. However, cases are not considered, in which multiple setting methods are capable of being performed upon capturing of an image of the code information. The multiple setting methods include the method of setting the wireless parameter in the terminal apparatus, as in PTL 1, and the method of setting the wireless parameter in the AP from the terminal apparatus, as in PTL 2. Accordingly, it is not possible to select any of the multiple setting methods in the setting of the wireless parameter upon capturing an image of the code information and perform the selected setting method.

Communication apparatus, method of controlling the communication apparatus, and program


The present invention is directed to a superconducting current limiting component, particularly to a ceramic high temperature superconducting current limiting component which is self triggering, comprising a coil (1) made of ceramic high temperature superconductor material, wherein around the outer surface of the coil (1) made of ceramic high temperature superconductor material a second coil (3) is applied as a shunt and, preferably, wherein the coil (1) made of ceramic high temperature superconductor material is applied onto a hollow cylindrical body (2) made of a ceramic high temperature superconductor material.

Superconductors, in particular ceramic high-temperature superconductors, offer a great potential as fault current limiters which enable rapid and effective current limitation, automatic recovery, negligible impedance during normal operation and application at high voltage.
Current limiters based on high-temperature superconducting materials make use of the property of superconducting materials to switch from their superconducting state with essentially no resistance to a normal conductive state when at least one of its critical temperature (Tc), critical magnetic field (Hc) or critical current (Ic) is exceeded.
For example, in case of fault the current flowing through the superconductor material exceeds the critical current of the superconductor material due to large surge current and the superconducting material undergoes transition from the superconducting state to the normal conducting state. This transition is also termed "quenching". For good operation, after the current limiting event the superconductor should have the capability to return to its superconducting state.
There are known different embodiments of superconducting current limiters. In so called resistive (ohmic) limiters a superconducting element becomes normally conductive. The occurring resistance limits the current in the case of fault current events.
There are also known so called inductive current limiters. When applied with fault current, the inductive current limiter provides a high impedance which limits the fault current below a threshold level. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,290 discloses a device for inductive current limiting of alternating current, in which the current to be limited flows through an induction coil made of copper. A hollow cylinder of a high temperature superconducting material is arranged in the interior of this coil, and a soft magnetic material with high permeability is arranged concentrically inside. In normal operation (rated current) the superconductivity of the hollow cylinder shields the magnetic field of the induction coil completely from the core and impedance of the induction coil is maintained at a very low level. When a fault current flows through the induction coil the superconductivity of the hollow cylinder body disappears and the impedance of the induction coil reaches its maximum current-limiting value.
In all the different limiter concepts, due to the increasing resistance during quench the superconducting material is heated up along its length.
In practical, however, the superconducting material of which a superconductor body is made is not completely homogeneous throughout the superconductor body, so that the superconductor properties such as critical current density can be different at different regions of the superconductor body. Consequently, in case of fault current some regions become already resistive whereas other regions still remain superconducting. Due to the still superconducting regions high current flows through the superconductor body leading to a high temperature increase in the already resistive regions and causing burn out in these regions. Thus, in order to avoid damage of the superconductor body during quenching it is necessary that the quenching and, consequently heating of the superconductor body, occurs as homogenously and rapidly as possible so that the superconductor body becomes resistive as a whole within a time sufficiently short to avoid thermal destruction of the superconductor body due to local overheating ("hot spots").
For solving the problem of local overheating it was known to provide the superconductor body with a parallel shunt of normal conducting material whose resistance is lower than the resistance of the superconducting material in its normal conducting state. In case of default and, thus, sudden temperature increase, current is by-passed to the shunt and heat is dissipated. In the course thereof the shunt material is heated up.
Commonly, the electrically conducting material for the shunt is a metal such as copper or copper alloy.
For example, resistive current limiters are suggested which are composed of a cylindrical tubular superconductor body having a stripe of electrically conducting metal coated on its outer surface in parallel to the longitudinal axis and reaching from one end of the cylindrical tubular body to its other end. Superconductor components related to such configuration are referred to in WO 00/8657.
In DE 42 34 312 a resistive high-temperature superconductor current limiter is disclosed wherein the superconductor component has the shape of a bifilar spiral. On one face of the bifilar spiral made of the superconductor material all along its winding a metal coating is applied for the shunt.
Since in all of these configurations the shunts are arranged in parallel with the superconductor body both the shunt as well as the superconductor body have nearly the same length.
The necessary minimum length of the current limiter at a given voltage, however, is defined by the maximum strength of the electrical field which can be applied along the normal conducting shunt during short circuit. If the electrical field acting on the shunt during short circuit exceeds the maximum value overheating of the shunt occurs with temperatures exceeding the melting point of the shunt material and, consequently, the shunt melts.
For illustration, the maximum electrical field applicable to commonly used shunt materials is about 1 V/cm. That is, if a voltage of 10 kV is applied to the current limiter the length of the superconductor body has to be about 100 m in order to limit the electrical field to which the shunt is subjected during fault event to about 1 V/cm.
However, this means, that, for example, in high-voltage applications high-temperature superconductor bodies are required having a very long length which in turn requires large material need with subsequent costs.
It was also known to apply an external magnetic field to the superconductor body of a superconducting current limiting device in order to assist quenching. By said magnetic field the critical current density of the superconductor material is reduced which, in turn, promotes quenching. These devices make use of the fact, that the critical current density decreases with increasing magnetic field.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,731 a superconducting current limiting device is disclosed wherein magnetic field generating means are provided for generating and applying, during normal operation in the superconducting state, a magnetic field to the superconductor element in order to hold the current density below the critical current density. In the fault event the magnetic field is adjusted, that is, increased to reduce the critical current density in order to bring the superconductor element to its resistive state.
According to one embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,731 the superconductor element is positioned within a shunt coil which is connected in parallel to the superconductor element. In fault event excess current is forced into the shunt coil and the current flow in the shunt coil generates a magnetic field which acts on the superconductor element and decreases the critical current density, thereby assisting quenching.
As superconductor element a thin film superconductor is disclosed on a semiconducting substrate. According to the figure layers of superconductor thin films and layers of the substrate alternate, that is the superconductor element is a stack of layers of superconductor thin films and layers of substrates.
However, further details as to the specific constructions of this embodiment, in particular of the resulting shape of the superconductor element, are not given.
Furthermore, a recently favored geometry is disclosed in J. Bock, F. Breuer, H. Walter, M. Noe, R. Kreutz, M. Kleimaier, K. H. Weck, S. Elschner, "Development and successful testing of MCP-BSCCO 2212 components for a 10 MVA resistive fault current limiter", Supercond. Sci. Technol. 17, pp. S122-S126, 2004. Here bifilar coils are used for the current limiters. Due to the bifilar geometry the induction inherent to coil configuration is small. However, since in bifilar coils input and exit for the current are close together, in particular with respect to high voltage applications insulation is problematical.

Compact superconducting current limiting component in coil configuration with low inductance


A mechanism for wastewater treatment which includes a plurality of solids settling chambers, at least a primary, secondary and a tertiary filter for selectively filtering waste water and effecting settling of solids of different sizes in the settling chambers and flow equalization ports for effecting demand flow of wastewater through the mechanism and the eventual discharge of high quality effluent. Chlorination and optionally dechlorination are effected as integral process functions of the wastewater treatment mechanism.

This invention is an improvement in wastewater treatment plants. Virtually all types of treatment processes including home aeration systems, septic tanks, commercial treatment systems and others experience periodic process upsets of varying load conditions that reduce efficiency.
This invention is designed to further enhance normal operations of all types of treatment processes and maintain efficiency even during process upsets or varying load conditions by utilizing flow equalization, filtration, disinfection and advanced treatment. This is accomplished in most cases by installation of the device within the treatment systems without the requirement for external separate appurtenances, tanks or complex electro-mechanical equipment.
This invention is illustrated by the use of a single unit in a typical home aeration system, but its use in other types of treatment systems, including mutiple units installed in parallel arrangement in larger systems, is suitable.


A Web-based invoice viewing system and method for enabling a customer to generate invoices relating to various network services provided to the customer by an enterprise. A Web enabled invoice viewing system provides billing and invoice information to remote customers having a workstation with a Web browser and an Internet access. A graphical user interface system at the customer workstation presents a list of invoice documents organized into products and date ranges applicable to the customer for the customer to select and view. Various displays presented at the customer workstation may be printed, faxed, or queued for batch printing at the enterprise remotely. The customer is enabled to view dynamically summed results of numerical figures displayed on the invoice documents by highlighting the numbers in the document directly on the display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to information delivery systems and, particularly, to a novel, WWW/Internet-based, invoice viewing service for customers requesting information located at the remote back-end server of telecommunications service entities.
2. Background Art
Each of the major telecommunications service entities, e.g., MCI, ATandT, and Sprint, presently provides for the presentation and dissemination of customer invoice account and network management information to their customers through a Windows-based graphical user interface resident on a personal computer. Typically, service entity customers are enabled to directly dial-up, e.g., via a modem, or, alternately, via dedicated communication lines, e.g., ISDN, T-1, etc., to the entity""s application and database servers, and initiate the generation of reports of their requested account information through the reporting graphical user interface (GUI). The report requests initiated by the customer are processed by the entity""s application server, which retrieves the requested customer information from one or more databases, processes and formats the information for downloading to the client""s reporting GUI.
Most telecommunications service providers offer many different services, and many of the associated service applications have been developed independently over time, and, operate on different legacy platforms. For instance, MCI""s Service View platform (xe2x80x9cMSVxe2x80x9d) provides customers with Windows based client-server applications for customer network management and call usage analysis. These applications, run independently of one another and can only generate application specific reports one at a time. For example, applications such as the Toll Free Network Manager which generates toll free network management data reports, Perspective which generates reports on priced call detail data for usage analysis and trending, and TrafficView which generates unpriced call detail or real-time data reports, each requires a different reporting mechanism due to the nature of the data being presented. In addition, because there are little cross application interoperability and data sharing, a customer must always use the separate applications to gain access to their data including specific invoice data associated with the separate applications.
Furthermore, the implementation mechanism of individual application servers frequently relies on the native vendor-supplied listener programs and communication protocols, necessitating code changes in both the server and the workstation programs and subsequent version release, if another vendor happens to supercede the original vendor.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide connectivity between legacy systems and enterprise application servers which would then provide customer connectivity over the public Internet, as the Internet provides access connectivity world wide via the TCP/IP standard, obviating a need to cater programs to specific native vendor-supplied listener programs. It would also be desirable to provide a consolidated Web-based reporting system that provides a common GUI enabling both report requesting, customizing and viewing of various types of data from different server applications in one user session. With the integrated reporting, customers will have the ability to include invoice reports on their traffic and billing reports.
Accordingly, to resolve the above shortcomings, the present invention provides a Web-based invoice viewing system for online presentation of various billing and invoice documents associated with network services provided to a customer.
The present invention is operable by a customer having at a minimum, a workstation with an off-the-shelf Web browser and an Internet access. The system of the present invention includes a client browser application typically downloaded by the Web browser over the Internet during a session initiation stage. The client browser application provides a common GUI capable of communicating securely with enterprise Intranet applications, allowing the customers access to their billing and invoice reports from anywhere and any platform in the world.
The back-end server operating in the system of the present invention maintains data from the various application services for generating and providing billing and invoice reports. In its operation, the back-end server provides an efficient storage mechanism for storing the data in the most compact format such that the storage space required for storing the data is optimized.
The system of the present invention may include a capability for enabling the customers to sum up numerical figures, such as minutes and charges, by highlighting the numbers directly on the screen displaying the document. Accordingly, the dynamic accumulator functionality may be included in the present invention for providing convenient and flexible mechanisms for obtaining totals or subtotals of numerical figures shown on a displayed document.
With the retrieved documents displayed on a workstation, a customer may print, direct batch printing to be performed remotely at an enterprise, and also fax the document to any customer specified locations. Accordingly, the present invention provides icons or menu items on a display screen for allowing customers to optionally select to print at a customer workstation, send a batch printing job to an enterprise, and also fax customer retrieved documents.
The above and additional features of the present invention are attained preferably with a Web-based invoice viewing system which enables a customer to access, view or display various invoices over the Internet. The invoices generally relate to application services, or more specifically, telecommunications services provided by an enterprise to the customer. The system of the present invention includes a client browser application located at a customer workstation, which is initially downloaded by a Web browser running in the customer workstation. The client browser application enables interactive Web-based communications with the invoice viewing system and provides an integrated interface. The present invention further includes a Java application/applet for providing the invoice viewing specific functionalities. The Java application/applet is typically invoked from the client browser application and is responsible for receiving customer requests and providing customer selected invoice documents at the customer workstation.
At the enterprise side, the present invention includes a number of web servers for managing customer sessions over the Internet. The web servers support a secure socket connection enabling encrypted communications between the client browser application and the web servers. The web servers are physically isolated and firewalled from the enterprise""s internal network (Intranet) and also from the public Internet. In addition, the web servers are typically responsible for maintaining the client browser and Java application/applets for downloading to the client workstation.
At the enterprise Intranet, the present invention includes a dispatcher for receiving encrypted transactions from the web servers and dispatching them to specific application servers, and more specifically, to the online invoicing server. The online invoicing server maintains one or more databases having image files associated with documents from various application services. The online invoicing server typically receives invoice request messages from the Java application/applet, accesses the database in response and sends response messages having requested invoice data back to the Java application/applet via the dispatcher and the web servers for presentation at the customer workstation.
Further benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

Web based integrated customer interface for invoice reporting


A platform shipping rack cart for shipping rack(s) supporting glass sheets is provided. The cart may include a plurality of upwardly extending locator projections (e.g., pins) for engaging L-frame racks that hold glass sheets, so as to allow the L-frame rack(s) to be positioned and securely mounted on the cart for shipping and the like. The locator projections are arranged so that first and second L-frame racks may be provided on the cart either facing each other, or in back-to-back position, as desired. The cart advantageously allows multiple L-shaped glass racks to be stabilized on the cart and moved at a given time, and allows for loading the glass in either lengthwise or sideways orientations into vans or the like.

Platforms and racks for storing and shipping glass sheets are known in the art. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,206, 2006/0064941 and 2006/0213846, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Glass sheets as used herein refers to monolithic glass sheets, laminated glass sheets, flat glass sheets, heat treated glass sheets, annealed glass sheets, coated glass sheets, uncoated glass sheets, and any other suitable type of glass sheets. There exists a need in the art for an improved structure for stabilizing and shipping glass sheets.
L-frame racks for storing glass sheets are known in the art. For example, see the fourth figure of U.S. 2006/0213846 and see the figures and description in U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,206. Conventionally, there is a lack of an efficient cart for moving multiple L-frame racks at a time in a suitable manner. Generally speaking, L-frame racks full of glass sheets are difficult to ship.
It will be appreciated that there exists a need in the art for a more efficient structure and technique for supporting and shipping L-frame rack(s) which are supporting glass sheet(s).

Platform shipping rack cart for glass sheets


An electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a reduction in image density when continuous sheet supply endurance is effected under a low-humidity environment is prevented, and under a high-humidity environment, an image deletion is prevented. A photosensitive member has an undercoat layer, a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer, and the surface layer of the photosensitive member contains a compound of which at least one polymerization functional group has been polymerized or cross-linked and hardened. Also, the hardening of the surface layer is effected by electron irradiation. A temperature raising apparatus for heating the surface of the photosensitive member is controlled by a controlling device to thereby control the surface temperature of the photosensitive member. The controlling device has two or more stages of set temperatures, and uses a high set temperature when the photosensitive member is used under an environment in which the absolute amount of water vapor is great.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic printing method, and particularly to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter suitably simply referred to as the "photosensitive member") is required to be provided with sensitivity, an electrical characteristic and further, an optical characteristic conforming to an electrophotographic process applied thereto. Particularly, in the photosensitive member for repetitive use, electrical and mechanical extraneous forces such as charging, exposure, development, transfer and cleaning are directly applied to the surface of the photosensitive member and therefore, durability to these extraneous forces is needed.
In an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type or an electrostatic recording type (such as, for example, a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile apparatus), a corona charger or a roller charger is often used as a charging device for uniformly charging (including a charge eliminating process) an image bearing member (a member to be charged) such as an electrophotographic photosensitive member or an electrostatic recording dielectric member to a predetermined polarity and predetermined potential.
As the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a photosensitive member using an organic material is popular from such advantages as a low price and productivity. The main current of the organic photosensitive member (OPC photosensitive member) is a photosensitive member of a function separate type comprising a charge generating layer containing an organic photoconductive dye and a pigment and a charge transport layer containing a photoconductive polymer and a low molecular organic photoconductive substance, the charge generating layer and the charge transport layer being laminated. Most of its surface layer comprises a molecule dispersed polymer having an organic photoconductive substance dispersed in a polymer, and its mechanical strength depends on the polymer, and with the recent high quality of image and longer life, its durability could not be said to be sufficient.
In contrast with this, in achieving the higher durability of the photosensitive member, it is known that the use of hardenable resin for the surface layer is effective (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H02-127652, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H05-216249, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H07-72640). When hardenable resin is used for the surface layer, as compared with thermoplastic resin or the like, the mechanical strength increases and the surface layer becomes difficult to scrape off and also becomes difficult to injure, and thus the life of the photosensitive member becomes longer.
It is known that when hardenable resin is used for the surface layer of the photosensitive member, it is useful to use an electron ray as hardening means therefor, from the viewpoint of durability to the injury and scraping-off of the surface layer (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-66425).
Therefore, use is made of a photosensitive member having a surface layer hardened by an electron ray and an image forming apparatus in which the photosensitive member is charged by a corona charging method is constructed, whereby there can be established an electrophotographic system which can greatly extend the life of the photosensitive member against the injury and scraping-off.
On the other hand, in an image forming apparatus, it is known that it is useful for the obtainment of a higher quality of image to make the film thickness of the charge transport layer, or the protective layer and the charge transport layer of the photosensitive member small (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-272197).
Accordingly, to achieve higher durability and a higher quality of image in the image forming apparatus, it becomes necessary to provide a photosensitive member having a photosensitive member surface layer hardened by an electron ray and in which the film thickness of a charge transport layer or a protective layer and the charge transport layer is small.
However, in a case where use is made of a photosensitive member in which the film thickness of a surface layer (a protective layer or a charge transport layer is small, when continuous sheet supply endurance was effected under a low humidity environment, there arose the problem that image density lowered as the number of sheets was increased. Also, this phenomenon has dependency on the drum surface temperature under a low humidity environment, and exhibited the tendency of becoming more remarkable when the temperature was low.
Also, when hardenable resin is used for the surface layer of the photosensitive member, the mechanical strength thereof increases and the surface layer becomes difficult to scrape off and the life of the photosensitive member becomes longer, while on the other hand, the reformability of the surface of the photosensitive member lacks, and image deletion resulting from a discharge product or the like adhering to the surface layer having absorbed humidity becomes liable to occur.
The problem of image deletion has heretofore been prevented from arising by maintaining the surface temperature of the photosensitive member at a high temperature under a high humidity environment. Accordingly, if even under an environment of low humidity in which a density fluctuation occurs, the surface temperature of the photosensitive member is likewise maintained at a high temperature, the both problems of density fluctuation and image deletion will be solved.
However, in an image forming apparatus particularly having a construction in which an intermediate transfer belt (rotary transfer member) which is a belt-shaped intermediate transfer member contacts with a photosensitive member at a primary transferring position, or a construction in which a predetermined amount of wind is blown against the photosensitive member during sheet supply to effectively remove a discharge product in a primary charger, the heat of the surface of the photosensitive member is gradually taken away from the timing at which sheet supply has been started, and the temperature of the photosensitive member falls.
There will arise no problem if the environment of use is under a high temperature, but the fall of the temperature of the photosensitive member is particularly vehement in an environment of an ordinary temperature of the order of 20-25° C. Thus, by setting the surface temperature of the photosensitive member at the initial stage of sheet supply at a high temperature, it is possible to maintain the temperature of the photosensitive member at a temperature whereat a density fluctuation is little and image deletion does not occur. However, when the fall of the temperature of the photosensitive member is great, the amount of charge generation of the photosensitive member fluctuates, and this becomes the factor of the fluctuation of density.
A heater for adjusting the drum temperature effects the simple control of charging over so as to become OFF if the value detected by a drum temperature sensor is high relative to a set target temperature, and to become ON if the aforementioned value is low relative to the set target temperature. However, even if the drum surface temperature is judged to be low and the heater is in its operative state, the amount of electric power during sheet supply is limited, and when it is limited to a low level, it becomes impossible to maintain the target temperature.

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus


An electromagnetic switching device including, in an envelope formed by a base (1) and an insulating casing (7), a contact holder (3) in which are housed contact bridges (4) featuring a moving lock (8) capable of immobilizing the contact holder (3), wherein the lock (8) and the insulating casing (7) have sliding assembly devices (74, 75) which move the lock (8) positively from the rest position towards the contact holder (3) in the locked position by moving the insulating casing (7) away from the base, and the sliding assembly devices (74, 74) move the lock (8) away from the contact holder positively from the locked position by moving the casing towards the base.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electromagnetic switching apparatus, and more particularly to a contactor, comprising, in a housing formed by a base and an insulating casing, a contact holder in which are housed contact bridges featuring a moving lock capable of locking the contact holder.
The contactors are equipped with contact holders fitted with contact bridges which establish or cut the current when the contact holder is moved by the moving parts of an electromagnet.
2. Discussion of Background
It is known to equip switching apparatus or contactors with locks which can lock the contact holder (e.g., refer to the patent DE 2 549 593, the patent application DE 34 02 836, or the patent DE 43 41 330).
The patent DE 43 41 330 discloses a switching apparatus featuring a contact holder lock fitted with a stop, which co-operates with a stop of the arcing casing, and a spring acting on the contact holder lock. When the arcing casing is removed, the stop is freed and the spring can move the lock from the rest position to the locked position. It is nevertheless possible to remove the casing even though the lock is jammed and cannot move to lock the contact holder. Furthermore, if the contactor is welded, a single ramp system allows the casing to be removed while the poles are established.


The present invention is directed to a compound of formula I:

The enzyme TAFIa is produced for example through thrombin activation from the thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor zymogen (TAFI). The enzyme TAFI is also referred to as plasma procarboxypeptidase B, procarboxypeptidase U or procarboxypeptidase R and is a proenzyme similar to carboxypeptidase B (L. Bajzar, Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 2000, pages 2511-2518).
During formation of a clot, thrombin is generated as the final product of the coagulation cascade and induces conversion of soluble plasma fibrinogen to an insoluble fibrin matrix. At the same time, thrombin activates the endogenous fibrinolysis inhibitor TAFI. Activated TAFI (TAFIa) is thus produced during thrombus formation and lysis from the zymogen TAFI through the action of thrombin; thrombomodulin in a complex with thrombin increases this effect about 1250-fold. TAFIa cleaves basic amino acids at the carboxy end of fibrin fragments. The loss of carboxy-terminal lysines as binding sites for plasminogen then leads to inhibition of fibrinolysis. Efficient inhibitors of TAFIa prevent the loss of these high-affinity lysine binding sites for plasminogen and, in this way, assist endogenous fibrinolysis by plasmin: TAFIa inhibitors have profibrinolytic effects.
In order to maintain hemostasis in the blood, mechanisms which lead to the clotting of blood and to the breaking up of clots have developed; these are in equilibrium. If a disturbed equilibrium favors coagulation, fibrin is produced in larger quantities, so that pathological processes of thrombus formation may lead to serious pathological states in humans.
Just like excessive coagulation may lead to serious pathological states caused by thrombosis, an antithrombotic treatment entails the risk of unwanted bleeding through disturbance of the formation of a necessary hemostatic plug. Inhibition of TAFIa increases endogenous fibrinolysis—without influencing coagulation and platelet aggregation—i.e. the disturbed equilibrium is shifted in favor of fibrinolysis. It is thus possible both to counter the buildup of a clinically relevant thrombus, and to increase the lysis of a pre-existing clot. On the other hand, buildup of a hemostatic plug is not impaired, so that a hemorrhagic diathesis is probably not to be expected (Bouma et al., J. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 1, 2003, pages 1566-1574).
Inhibitors of TAFIa have previously been described in the international applications WO02/14285, WO03/013526 and WO03/061653.
The TAFIa inhibitors of the invention are suitable for a prophylactic and for a therapeutic use in humans suffering from disorders associated with thromboses, embolisms, hypercoagulability or fibrotic changes. They can be employed for secondary prevention and are suitable both for acute and for long-term therapy.

Imidazole derivatives as inhibitors of TAFIa

Abstract: or any stereoisomeric form of the compound of the formula I or a mixture of these forms in any ratio or a physiologically acceptable salt of the compound of the formula I which inhibit the enzyme TAFIa (activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor), and to a process for their preparation and to their use to treat described diseases where the substituents are as described in the specification.


An inflatable fender system for protecting a watercraft from damaging contact with a permanent object, such as a dock, wharf, piling and rafted watercraft. Two elongated flexible substantially airtight tubular fenders are provided having a generally flat cross section when uninflated, rolled into a coil and stored at the stern of the watercraft. Each of the tubular fenders is independently extendable along a substantial portion of the length of the watercraft. A controlled air supply or AC or DC compressor on the watercraft is operably connected to each of the tubular fenders for independently selectively inflating and expanding the tubular fenders from the flat cross section during deployment. A hanger system, preferably including a plurality of hangers connectable in spaced relation between the watercraft and each of the tubular fenders support the tubular fenders during deployment to protect the side and gunnels of the watercraft.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to physical damage protection devices for watercraft, and more particularly to an independently deployable, storable, inflatable fender or bumper system for protecting the sides of hulls of watercraft when coming in contact with docks, pilings and like fixed objects.
2. Description of Related Art
With considerable expense incurred when purchasing watercraft, owners have resorted to various means for protecting the sides and hulls of their vessel when docking and while being tied to a dock, wharf, piling and the like. Damage can also occur to the rub rail and gunnel of the watercraft when tied to a dock or wharf from wind and wakes from passing watercraft.
In order to minimize such damage, owners have used buoyant bumper devices removably connectable to the watercraft and such other devices as described herebelow. Typically, these include foam or air-filled members used only when docking and are removed when the watercraft is under way. These devices require owners to manually place and remove them and are thereafter placed inside the watercraft, taking up space.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,980 to Eisner teaches an inflatable bumper system for watercraft comprising a plurality of inflatable bladders and an air compressor for inflating various bladders to be inflated depending on need. The bumper system of the '980 patent is modular and adaptable to permit only the needed bumpers to inflate. A combined foam and inflatable collar assembly for watercraft is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,040 to Hemphill, et al.
An air bag system for vehicle bumpers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,265 to Baber and U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,031 to Inman, et al. teaches inflatable bumpers mounted to the rigid hull of a boat with a mechanism for selectively inflating the bumpers. The first inflatable bumper mounted to the hull about the gunwale and a second inflatable bumper mounted at the waterline to keep the watercraft afloat.
Fujisawa, et al. teaches a multi-cell, air filled bag adapted for a dock fender in U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,136 and Fenton discloses an inflatable, weighted boat fender in U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,997. U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,705 to Uruta, et al. discloses a pneumatic marine fender comprised of a cylindrical barrel serving as a shock receiving face which is reinforced with cord layers for strength.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,122 to Skulnick discloses an inflatable boat fender in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,122. U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,442 assigned to the Secretary of the Navy teaches a "smart" bumper system with a variably controllable valve responsive to impact conditions for use with large and small marine vessels. The bumper includes fiber-reinforced high strain-to-failure viscoelastic matrix material.
The present invention includes two elongated airtight tubular fenders, which are expandable when in use, and are retractable when uninflated and storable into a rolled configuration within the structure of the watercraft. The inflatable fender system of the present invention may be user deployed or automatically deployed, each side of the fender system being independently deployable as required. The deployed tubular fenders are supported in many embodiments by a plurality of hangers connected in spaced relation between the watercraft and the tubular fenders.