A method, apparatus, and program product restore database data having dependencies or ordering sensitivities, or that incorporates a database index. Unresolved dependencies are identified in response to an attempt to restore data in a computer. The data restoration is deferred and the data is cached when it has an unresolved dependency. After the dependency is resolved, the data restoration is completed. The unresolved dependency may be based-on data that must be restored or created prior to completing restoration. Deferred data is cached in memory and tracked in a deferred operation table. Data that is deferred may be accessed so long as operations that access the underlying based-on data are denied.

Databases and information systems comprise a large part of modern infrastructure. A database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer to answer a query. The query may come from a user of the computer, another computer, or a program. The information in the database can be utilized to make a decision. The database can be configured to store any type of information.
In a personal or business environment data is a valuable and important commodity. As such, it is important to protect data from being lost or corrupted. In particular, it is important to quickly recover data from a database into a working state after the failure of a computer. In a typical environment, information in a database is copied and stored on a persistent backup media. The database, in turn, can be recovered from the backup media after a failure.
While in some environments a database can be recovered while a computer is offline, in many high performance and high availability applications, database recovery is required to occur while a computer is online and in an operational state. Otherwise, the database recovery process could render the computer unavailable an unacceptable amount of time. Recovering a database while a computer is operational, however, can introduce significant complexities and difficulties due to the need to coordinate the recovery of database information with ongoing attempts to access information in the database.
Recovering a database may involve restoring logical objects, based-on objects, ordering sensitivities (i.e. some databases, objects, files, libraries, and indices may be required to be restored before others), and rebuild indices. Typically, an object, library, or index cannot be accessed by the user before it has been restored. Recovering a database involves the need for an operator or administrator to help recover the database, the need to re-spin backup media such as a tape drive one or more times, and the need to rebuild database indexes.
In a typical database, several dependency and ordering sensitivities may exist. There may be multiple indexes, multiple libraries, and multiple objects with several dependencies in other databases, objects, libraries, or indexes. Consequently, when restoring multiple libraries, the user may have difficulties managing logical files or Structured Query Language ("SQL") views that reside in a different library than their own based-on or physical file. If a library with a logical file is restored before a library with an underlying physical file (or based-on file), the logical file will not restore. A database recovery process normally requires the user to monitor a joblog for restoration failures. Alternately, a database recovery process will query another file, called an "outfile," to detect such failures. A notification will go to the outfile each time there is a dependency that has not been resolved. To restore a single logical file successfully, it may be necessary to re-spin tape media (i.e., rewind the tape and perform another restore using the same media) several times to restore based-on files first. This problem is compounded when there are many logical files with other based-on logical files.
A SQL Materialized Query Table ("MQT"), also called a summary table, has the same problem with restoration as the SQL views and logical files described above. MQTs are physical files, but like SQL views, they may have dependencies on one or more based-on files. Therefore, an MQT cannot be restored if a based-on file is missing.
Database indexes have the same problems as other logical files. However, restoring a database index can be a Catch-22. An index cannot be restored if an underlying based-on file is missing. Conversely, if a based-on file is restored first, the index must be rebuilt. Rebuilding database indexes can be extremely time consuming, oftentimes adding hours to the time required to recover a database. To avoid rebuilding an index it is necessary that the index be restored along with the based-on files. When restoring networks of files that span libraries the user has no control over this problem and may only avoid the problem entirely by creating indexes in the same library as the based-on files. This is a very restrictive design consideration and may not be an acceptable circumvention to certain database users.
Consequently, there is a need to improve restoration of a database that has data with one or more dependencies.

System restoration apparatus and method for management of dependencies, ordering sensitivities, and database index rebuilds


A motor control device includes a position sensor that detects a position of a motor, an AD converter that converts an analog signal, which is a detection value of a motor current, into a digital signal, and a control circuit that drives an inverter using an output signal of the AD converter. The control circuit starts the AD converter during a permission period, and performs processing for the analog-digital converter during an electrical half cycle including a permission period. The length of a prohibition period obtained by excluding a permission period from an electrical half cycle decreases as the rotating speed of the motor increases.

In a motor control device, in general, there has been used a system for controlling energization of a stator winding wire according to a rotor rotation position.
As an example of such motor control, Patent Literature 1 describes that, in control of a brushless motor including a position sensor that detects a rotor rotation position, a motor control device starts up an analog-digital converter in response to a first edge of a position sensor signal and reads a digital signal from the analog-digital converter in response to a second edge different from the first edge.

Motor control device, vacuum cleaner, and hand drier


A method of treating inflammation and inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis employing substituted 2-(arylmethoxy)phenol compounds.

Various nonsteroidal compositions, such as aspirin, phenylbutazone, indomethacin and other nonsteroidal compounds, as well as steroid compounds, such as adrenocorticosteroids, have been suggested and used as antiinflammatory agents. In addition, aminoethylphenols containing halogen and alkyl substituents have been suggested for use as antiinflammatory agents (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,624).
It is desirable to provide new and useful antiinflammatory agents and prostaglandins-synthetase inhibitors which are nonsteroid in nature and which avoid the disadvantages of the priorart nonsteroid and steroid compositions.


According to one embodiment, an X-ray CT apparatus includes an generation unit, detection unit, processing unit, and reconstruction unit. The generation unit irradiates an object with X-rays. The detection unit includes detection elements corresponding to a plurality of channels, which output detection signals upon detecting X-rays. The processing unit smoothes projection data constituted by numerical values corresponding to signals output from the elements so as to more strongly smooth a portion exhibiting a larger amount of change in the numerical value. The reconstruction unit reconstructs an image by using a plurality of projection data smoothed by the image processing unit.

An X-ray CT apparatus is designed to rotate an X-ray source and an X-ray detector around the body axis of an object, cause the X-ray source to irradiate the object with X-rays, and reconstruct a tomographic image based on the projection data obtained by detecting the X-rays transmitted through the object using the X-ray detector. This apparatus plays an important role in various medical practices such as disease diagnoses and medical and surgical planning.
The projection data obtained by an X-ray CT apparatus is discrete data, and hence aliasing artifacts occur more or less in reconstructed images. As methods of preventing the occurrence of such artifacts, there have been proposed a method (flying focal spot technique) of apparently reducing a channel pitch to ½ by executing data acquisition concerning the same slice plane for each focus by using an X-ray source having two focuses, an offset method (QQ offset technique) of offsetting the center position of the X-ray detector relative to the imaging center line connecting the focus and the rotation axis by a distance corresponding to a fraction of a channel pitch, and a method of applying an LPF (Low Pass Filter) to projection data.
The above flying focal spot technique requires a dedicated X-ray tube, and hence it is not easy to introduce this technique. In addition, according to the QQ offset technique, when using an apparatus having a cone angle such as an AD (Area Detecting) CT, since real data and counter data do not exist on the same plane around this cone angle, it is not possible to obtain ideal counter data. Under the circumstances, a method using a low pass filter is often used as a main approach to reduce aliasing artifacts.
Although artifacts are reduced by uniformly applying a low pass filter to the entire region of projection data, the resolution of a reconstructed image decreases to impair granularity.
It is an object to provide an X-ray CT apparatus and image processing apparatus which can reduce artifacts in a reconstructed image while maintaining the resolution of the reconstructed image by using a simple method.


A color identifying system, a color identifying method and a display device are provided. The color identifying system comprises an image acquiring unit, a color analyzing unit and an information output unit; the image acquiring unit is configured to acquire an image of an object to be identified; the color analyzing unit is configured to extract profiles of the pattern regions of the object to be identified, and analyze colors of the pattern regions, to determine overall color information of the object to be identified; and the information output unit is configured to output the overall color information of the object to be identified. The color identifying system can help a color vision defective person to identify color of an object, which is greatly convenient to production and life of the color vision defective person, and thus significantly improving quality of life of the color vision defective person.

A color vision deficiency is a relatively common inherited disease of eyes, and often manifests in incapability of distinguishing or identifying certain colors. A reason thereof is that there are problems in color vision pyramidal cells of the eyes. In people's life and production, especially in fields such as transportation, medicine, textile, instruments and art and so on, if one is not able to correctly identify colors, it will bring great inconvenience.
Due to a defect in identifying colors, a part of the patients deficient in color vision have great distress at the time of shopping. They cannot identify colors, and accordingly they are not confident in their choice of outfits. Therefore, it is very necessary to create a color identifying system for helping the color vision defective persons, which is conducive to improvement of their quality of life.

Color identifying system, color identifying method and display device


A data recording and reproducing method for an optical disk data storage system to record data compressed at different data compression rate according to an operator's specification, and to reproduce the recorded data by decompressing. According to the operator's indication, the data is recorded at certain data compression rate in indicated area. The information of the data compression rate and the recorded area is stored as a total of contents (TOC) data. The TOC data is reproduced and stored in a memory after the optical disk is loaded. The recorded data is reproduced by selecting a decoding circuit to decompress the data. The decoding circuit is selected by referring the TOC data to identify data compression rate of the recorded data. Also the TOC data is referred to identify read-in and read-out region of the recorded data. The position of a pick-up when the data recording is started and ended, is recorded as the TOC data to provide random access capability for the data reproduction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical data recording and reproducing method. More specifically, this invention relates to an optical disk recording and reproducing method which makes possible to record data encoded by different encoding circuit at different data compression rate and to reproduce the data.
2. Description of the prior Art
Initialized by the vast increase in information that needs to be processed, optical data storage system have become very important system particularly because of their high storage density per area. Most of the recent optical information storage systems rotating single optical disk are used on which the information is digitally stored in concentric circular tracks in an ordered, predefined manner to allow chronological fast reading and fast random access to desired pits of data.
In order to accomplish even more storage capacity of optical disk systems for enormous information processing, such as video or picture communication like so called video-on-demand service, multiple disk systems have been proposed. An optical disk system equipped with two or more data layers may in theory be accessed as different disks by changing the focal point with moving lens. Example of this type of state-of-the-art include U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,875 issued Apr. 13, 1993 to Rosen et al.; Japanese Published Application, 63-276732 published Nov. 15, 1988 by Watanabe, et al.
Such a multiple disk recording and reading system is applied to varied optical disk information storage system. For example, a digital video disk (DVD) systems for home entertaining is one of the typical application. The mentioned advantage of vast storage capacity may contribute especially for video signal transmission. In order to record the video data efficiently onto the optical disk, a video data compression technique is one of the key technologies. A standardized video data compression rate has been proposed, which is called MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group). However, for the home entertaining purposes, a more flexible function is required. The ability to record data at different data compression rates and to reproduce the recorded data, must be provided.

Data recording and reproducing method for multi-layered optical disk system


A gamma titanium aluminide alloy article is produced from a piece of cast gamma titanium aluminide alloy by consolidating the gamma titanium aluminide alloy piece at a temperature above the eutectoid to reduce porosity therein, preferably by hot isostatic pressing. The piece is first heat treated at a temperature above the eutectoid for a time sufficient to form a structure of gamma grains plus lamellar colonies of alpha and gamma phases, and thereafter second heat treated at a temperature below the eutectoid to grow gamma grains within the colony structure, thereby reducing the effective grain size of the colony structure. There may follow an additional heat treatment just below the alpha transus to reform any remaining colony structure to produce a structure having isolated alpha-two laths within gamma grains.

This invention relates to the production and heat treating of titanium alloys, and, more particularly, to the preparation and heat treatment of alloys of the gamma titanium aluminide type.
Titanium aluminides are a class of alloys whose compositions include at least titanium and aluminum, and typically some additional alloying elements such as chromium, niobium, vanadium, tantalum, manganese, or boron. The gamma titanium aluminides are based on the gamma phase found at nearly the equiatomic composition, with roughly 50 atomic percent each of titanium and aluminum, or slightly reduced amounts to permit the use of other alloying elements. The titanium aluminides, and particularly the gamma titanium aluminides, have the advantages of low density, good low and intermediate temperature strength and cyclic deformation resistance, and good environmental resistance.
Gamma titanium aluminides can be used in aircraft engines. They potentially have applications such as low-pressure turbine blades and vanes, bearing supports, compressor casings, high pressure and low pressure hangers, frames, and low pressure turbine brush seal supports.
One area of continuing concern in the titanium aluminides, and particularly the gamma titanium aluminides, is their low-to-moderate levels of ductility. Ductility is the measure of how much a material can elongate before it fails, and is linked to other properties such as fracture resistance. The gamma titanium aluminides typically elongate only 1-4 percent at most prior to failure, and have a steeply rising stress-strain curve. Maintaining the strength and resistance of the material to premature failure is therefore highly dependent upon controlling the alloy ductility. Additionally, it is important to maintain good resistance of the material to creep deformation at elevated temperatures.
There is a need for an approach to achieve good mechanical properties in gamma titanium aluminide alloys, and in particular in cast articles which cannot be thermomechanically processed. The approach must permit those properties to be achieved consistently and controllably in the alloys of interest. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Method for heat treating gamma titanium aluminide alloys


The invention describes a sensor mechanism for measuring hitch articulation angle. A configuration of the contact face between hitch ball and receiver eliminates the effect of the unwanted trailer motions, such as roll and pitch while accurately registering trailer yaw motion. Also, there is no yaw slippage at the contact that was a major problem during the successive acceleration and brake maneuvers. With the freely rotating ball and shaft, the angle is measured using an angle sensor, such as an optical encoder, potentiometer, or other means. For the case of a relative angle sensor, automatic zero angle calibration can be used to allow an absolute angle measurement.

The knowledge on hitch articulation angle is very critical for controlling towing stability of a vehicle-trailer, as well as backing up. There have been many attempts in monitoring the angle using a non-contact means such as camera, ultra sound device, radar, and/or laser. Because hitch mechanisms are exposed to the harsh environments, the devices described above are not robust enough. Also, the aforementioned systems are either too expensive or technically cumbersome. For many contact type sensors, the major drawbacks are the effects of the unwanted trailer motions, such as roll and pitch. Furthermore, during acceleration and deceleration, a ball may slip in the hitch socket causing errors in the angle measurement.
The prior art systems which measure hitch angles often utilize the dynamic hitch angle values to regulate vehicle dynamics. All of these systems proposed some methods of sensing hitch angle as a part of trailer motion control algorithms, such as jackknifing sensing, vehicle-trailer stability control, backing-up process control. The devices disclosed, however, have either some limits or deficiencies, which cause them to be neither accurate nor robust enough in the harsh environments.

Sensing mechanism for hitch articulation angle


The present invention is directed to a method of making an image sensor having a CCD shift register and at least one photocapacitor wherein features of the shift register and photocapacitor are commonly made and the photocapacitor has a thin plate of conductive polycrystalline silicon. The method includes the steps of embedding into a body of a semiconductor material of one conductivity type dopants of the opposite conductivity type to simultaneously form a channel region of the shift register and a channel region of a photocapacitor. A layer of a dielectric material is formed on the body and over the channel regions. A layer of conductive polycrystalline silicon is formed on the dielectric layer and is defined to form a top plate of the photocapacitor over the photocapacitor channel region and at least some gate electrodes of the shift register over the shift register channel region. The top plate of the photocapacitor is then thinned, such as by etching, to a thickness which allows reduced absorption and interference losses of the incident illumination and, thus, improves the light reaching the photocapacitor channel region beneath the top plate and the portion of the body beneath the photocapacitor channel region.

One type of solid state image sensor comprises a substrate body of a semiconductor material having therein a plurality of photodetectors arranged in an array of at least one line. The array may be a single row for a line array, or a plurality of rows and columns for an area array. The photodetectors receive the light from the image and convert the light into charges which are stored in the photodetector. Transfer means, such as a CCD shift register, extends along each line of the photodetectors. The shift register is adapted to receive the charges from the photodetectors and transfer the charges to an output circuit.
One type of photodetector commonly used is a photodiode, and particularly a pinned photodiode. Such a pinned photodiode is described in the article of B.C. Burkey et al. entitled "The Pinned Photodiode for an Interline Transfer CCD Imager", PROCEEDINGS IEEE IEDM, Vol 84, pgs. 28-31, December 1984. The pinned photodiode is used because of its ability to contain large amounts of charge, i.e., large charge capacity. However, certain types of image sensors use photodetectors which are relatively large in size. When pinned photodiodes are used for such large size photodetectors, they provide a charge capacity which is much greater than that which can be handled by the CCD shift register. Thus, the operation of the imager is adversely affected, if, for example, lateral antiblooming is desired. Another problem which can arise with pinned photodiodes results from the fact that the pinned diodes are formed by steps separate from the steps used to form the CCD shift register. Thus process variations which would vary the characteristics of the pinned photodiodes would affect the CCD shift register differently. This could result in photodiodes that have charge capacity that is not well matched to that of the CCD shift register.
Another type of photodetector which has been used in conjunction with CCD shift registers is the photocapacitor. The photocapacitor comprises a lightly conductive region in the body of the image sensor which serves as one plate of the capacitor. A layer of a dielectric material is on the surface of the body and is over the lightly conductive region to serve as the dielectric of the photocapacitor. A layer of a conductive material, such as conductive polycrystalline silicon, is on the dielectric layer and over the lightly conductive region to serve as the other plate of the photocapacitor. Polycrystalline silicon is generally used for the second plate of the photocapacitor since this material is also generally used for the gate electrodes of the CCD shift register. However, this raises a problem since the polycrystalline silicon layer used for the plate of the photocapacitor must be thin, about 500 angstroms, to allow light, especially in the blue region of the spectrum, to pass therethrough. See, for example, the article of C. Anagnostopoulos et al., entitled "Transmittance of Air/SiO.sub.2 /Polysilicon/SiO.sub.2 /Si Structures", published in IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS, June, 1975, pgs. 177-179. However, the polycrystalline silicon layer used for the gate electrodes of the CCD shift register is relatively thick, several thousand angstroms. To deposit a thin layer of the polycrystalline silicon for the photocapacitor and a thicker layer for the CCD shift register gate electrodes complicates the process for making the shift register. Also, it is difficult to connect a terminal to the thin plate layer, which is necessary for the operation of the photocapacitor.

Method of making a solid state image sensor


A semiconductor device includes a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, a pn junction portion at which the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer are joined to each other, and a multiple quantum barrier structure or a multiple quantum well structure that is provided in at least one of the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer and functions as a barrier against at least one of electrons and holes upon biasing in a forward direction. Upon biasing in a reverse direction, a portion that allows band-to-band tunneling of electrons is formed at the pn junction portion.

For example, in a receiver that receives a weak radio wave of a millimeter wave band, a terahertz wave band or a like wave band, a low noise amplifier, a detector and so forth are required. A Schottky diode is used for the detector.
However, where the Schottky diode is used, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient detection characteristic in the proximity of a bias of 0 V.
Therefore, the inventor of the present invention has proposed to use a backward diode wherein a p-type GaAsSb layer and an n-type InGaAs layer are pn-joined in place of the Schottky diode in order to improve the detection characteristic.
It is to be noted that a technique is available wherein, in order to efficiently confine injection carriers in an active layer so that electrons and holes are re-coupled in a semiconductor light emitting device such as a semiconductor laser, a multiple superlattice structure is provided to increase the height of an energy barrier against electrons or holes. Further, a technique is available wherein, in a semiconductor light emitting device such as a semiconductor laser, a multiple quantum well structure portion or a multiple quantum barrier structure portion for controlling the advancement of minority carriers into a cladding layer is provided between the cladding layer and an active layer.


A controllable semiconductor switching device having integrated overload protection of a load current path, including a switching section in the load current path and a multiplicity of main switching cells acting in parallel and having load-side terminals and non-load-side terminals including control terminals. The control terminals of the main switching cells are directly connected in a highly conducting manner among one another. A multiplicity of auxiliary switching cells are provided which carry a part of a total load current in parallel with the main switching cells in order to achieve an overload protection, and having load-side terminals and non-load-side terminals. The number of auxiliary switching cells are less than the number of main switching cells. The main switching cells and the auxiliary switching cells form the switching section. The load-side terminals of the main and auxiliary switching cells are directly connected in a highly conducting manner among and to one another, as are the non-load-side switching terminals. A second semiconductor switch has a switching section connected between the non-load-side switching terminals of the main switching cells. An element for measuring chip temperature is coupled to act on the second semiconductor switch with increasing chip temperature for turning the second semiconductor switch on. The element is disposed in the vicinity of the auxiliary switching cells at a periphery of a chip area covered by the main switching cells. At least one of the construction and a control variable of the auxiliary switching cells respectively differs from at least one of the construction and a control variable of the main switching cells in a manner such that specific current loading and specific power loss development of the auxiliary switching cells is essentially equally as great as that of the main switching cells with switching drive of the device and a load current below the overload limit. The specific current loading and the specific power loss development of the auxiliary switching cells increasingly exceeds monotonically that of the main switching cells with switching drive of the device and constant load current increase up to the overload limit.

The present invention relates to a controllable semiconductor switching device having a controllable integrated overload protection of the load current path. The switching section in the load current path is formed from a multiplicity of main switching cells acting in parallel, and a smaller number of auxiliary switching cells which carry a part of the total load current in parallel with the main switching cells in order to achieve an overload protection. At least the load-side terminals of the main and auxiliary switching cells are directly connected in a highly conducting manner among and to one another. The switching section of a further semiconductor switch is connected between the other, non-load-side switching terminals of the main switching cells. The control terminals of the main switching cells are directly connected in a highly conducting manner among one another.
In modern power transistors, overheating disconnection means are co-integrated on the chip. They respond before the power loss converted in the transistor assumes such a high value that the power transistor is consequently destroyed thermally. At the same time, an additional current limitation circuit is necessary to protect the power transistor against overheating in the event of a short circuit until the overheating disconnection system actually switches off, or has switched off, the power transistor.
An example in accordance with the prior art is illustrated in FIG. 4 in conjunction with FIGS. 3a and 3b. FIGS. 3a and 3b show characteristic curves which are typical for MOS field-effect power transistors, and FIG. 4 illustrates the working principle of the drive circuitry of such a transistor in accordance with the prior art. The power transistor T.sub.1 is designed as an n-channel MOS field-effect transistor which comprises a parallel circuit of a multiplicity of individual switching cells, i.e. of individual MOS transistor cells. To switch the operating voltage U.sub.b through to the output A, the n-channel MOS power field-effect transistor T.sub.1 requires a gate-source voltage U.sub.GS of typically 10V, this being provided by the charge pump CP. The output current of the charge pump CP is represented symbolically by the constant current source CS.sub.1. A further MOS transistor T.sub.2 is provided whose drain-source section is connected in parallel with the gate-source section of the transistor T.sub.1. In the event of a short circuit, the gate-source voltage U.sub.GS1 Of the transistor T.sub.1 is reduced by the onstate of the transistor T.sub.2 to such an extent that the current flow via the switching section of the transistor T.sub.1 is suppressed. For this purpose, the gate of the transistor T.sub.2 is driven, for example, by a temperature monitoring or measuring circuit TSC shown in broken lines which is in turn driven by a temperature sensor TS. The output of the measuring circuit TSC delivers a logic signal which, for example at 160.degree. C., alters its level in a way which consequently turns on the transistor T.sub.2 and remains in this state, for example as a result of a suitable hysteresis, until the temperature has fallen again by a predetermined amount. The power MOS transistor T.sub.1 may be turned off completely for a certain cooling time.
It has, however, been found that the short-circuit strength of this known circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 4 is limited. The reason for this is that, for technological reasons, the temperature sensor TS can only be mounted at the periphery of the semiconductor structure forming the actual power transistor T.sub.1. If a high power loss is produced in the individual MOS switching cells in the event of a short circuit because the maximum current occurs at a voltage drop corresponding to U.sub.b, only the temperature of the MOS switching cells forming the actual power transistor T.sub.1 increases markedly at first. The temperature of the chip environment, and consequently also the temperature of a temperature sensor TS disposed at a certain distance from it, follows only with a certain delay due to the finite propagation velocity of the temperature as a result of heat conduction. If the temperature gradient between the hottest region of the power transistor and the temperature sensor is too great, the semiconductor structure of the power transistor T.sub.1 is irreversibly damaged owing to its temperature overshooting the maximum permissible value before the disconnection temperature of a monitoring circuit has been reached. In practice this has the result that the short-circuit strength can only be guaranteed to a limited extent or, alternatively, has to be paid for by limiting the maximum power of the power transistor T.sub.1 by a current limitation threshold which has to be fixed at a sufficiently low level. This results in a sensitive switching power limitation.
German Patent Document DE 38 21 065 C2 describes a power MOSFET circuit in which the semiconductor switch comprises a multiplicity of individual switching cells which form a main switch and an auxiliary switch, the auxiliary switch preferably being formed in the center of the area covered by cells of the main switch. The auxiliary switch may be embodied as a single switching cell. The current accounted for by this auxiliary switching cell is sensed by a measuring resistor and a corresponding voltage drop is used to trigger a further semiconductor switch which short-circuits the control input of the main switch. In this case, a triggering characteristic is preferably achieved which turns off the main switch at the onset of the overload condition and keeps it turned off. This solution has the disadvantage that even pulse-type overloads of very short duration are enough to result in disconnection, although the chip substrate is still not bordering on its thermal capacity utilization under these circumstances. In addition, it is technologically difficult to dispose auxiliary switching cells interspersed in an insulated manner in the center of an array of main switching cells and to connect them with a periphery disposed outside the main switching cell array because this requires additional masking and deposition steps during the manufacture.
This device is therefore designed to achieve a maintainable safety state in which permanent damage to the switching device is avoided after an exceeding of the overload limit has already occurred.
German Patent Document DE 39 27 307 A1 describes a semiconductor device with a short-circuit protection circuit which basically corresponds in the manner of operation to the circuit described immediately above. Thus, the switching cells are also divided up into main elements and subordinate elements, preferably, for example, into main elements and only one subordinate element. The device is also designed in such a way that, depending on the voltage drop across an internal measuring resistor when the load is short-circuited, the load switching section is disconnected by short-circuiting the input of the load switch. In the absence of a load short circuit, a limiting exertion of influence on the current flow through the load switching section does not take place. The current limitation function is achieved without taking account of the thermal load-carrying capacity of the chip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,199 describes a semiconductor device 15 having means for protecting it against overheating. In this case, temperature measuring and control means by which the switching cells disposed around them can also be turned off until the temperature has dropped below a certain chip temperature in the center of the switching cell array are provided in the center of the switching cell array. In relation to the manufacturing technology for such a device, what has already been stated in relation to German Patent Document DE 38 21 065 C2 applies analogously.
An object of the present invention is to provide a controllable semiconductor switching device which has integrated current limitation for preventing thermal destruction and optional overheating-dependent disconnection facility for the switching function, and which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages, and can be produced simply with a minimum possible number of masks and has inherent short-circuit strength.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides a controllable semiconductor switching device having integrated overload protection of a load current path, including a switching section in the load current path and a multiplicity of main switching cells acting in parallel and having load-side terminals and non-load-side terminals including control terminals. The control terminals of the main switching cells are directly connected in a highly conducting manner among one another. A multiplicity of auxiliary switching cells are provided which carry a part of a total load current in parallel with the main switching cells in order to achieve an overload protection, and have load-side terminals and non-load-side terminals. The number of auxiliary switching cells are less than the number of main switching cells. The main switching cells and the auxiliary switching cells form the switching section. At least the load-side terminals of the main and auxiliary switching cells are directly connected in a highly conducting manner among and to one another. The non-load-side switching terminals of the main and auxiliary switching cells are also connected directly in a highly conducting manner among and to one another. A second semiconductor switch has a switching section connected between the non-load-side switching terminals of the main switching cells. An element for measuring chip temperature is coupled to act on the second semiconductor switch with increasing chip temperature for turning the second semiconductor switch on. The element is disposed in the vicinity of the auxiliary switching cells at a periphery of a chip area covered by the main switching cells. At least one of the construction and a control variable of the auxiliary switching cells respectively differs from at least one of the construction and a control variable of the main switching cells in a manner such that specific current loading and specific power loss development of the auxiliary switching cells is essentially equally as great as that of the main switching cells with switching drive of the device and a load current below the overload limit. The specific current loading and the specific power loss development of the auxiliary switching cells increasingly exceeds monotonically that of the main switching cells with switching drive of the device and constant load current increase up to the overload limit.
The semiconductor switching device of the present invention has the advantage of a reliable and accelerated response of an overheating protection function and makes a limitation of the current-carrying capacity of the actual switching section for the purpose of backing up a pure overheating limitation function in the current limitation case completely superfluous.
Consequently, the current limitation threshold can always be set very close to the maximum current actually possible per unit area of chip in any operating state and independently of the variation of the drive signal with time. Consequently, the switching power efficiency of the semiconductor chip can be maximized without this having to be paid for with a loss in reliability. At the same time, a temperature-measuring element does not have to be disposed in the center of a switching cell array. On the contrary, it can very advantageously be disposed at the periphery of such an array, with all the advantages resulting therefrom in relation to a defined and undisturbed temperature profile in the region of the critical point(s) of a switching cell array, however contoured, and in relation to the connection to other circuit parts close to the periphery of the chip.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Controllable semiconductor switching device having integrated current limitation and overheating disconnection


A mechanism is disclosed to raise a round or hexagonal object having a center and to establish the center on a fixed reference line regardless of the diameter of such object within a finite range of diameters. First and second caliper means engage opposite sides of each such object to sense the diameter and to act through a lever linkage with a two-to-one mechanical advantage so that a stop on the linkage coacts with a fixed frame. The calipered diameter of the object establishes the position of the stop means relative to the fixed frame so that the center of the object is on the fixed reference line regardless of the diameter of the object. The foregoing abstract is merely a resume of one general application, is not a complete discussion of all priciples of operation or applications, and is not to be construed as a limitation on the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Object centering and moving mechanisms have previously been proposed. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,719, a lifting and centering device for variable diameter logs is disclosed with each end of the log raised by a fluid cylinder until two sensing arms at each end are actuated in sensing the diameter and actuate a switch at each end of the log to discontinue movement of the respective fluid cylinder. A somewhat similar arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,094 for centering the position of two railroad car wheels on a single axle. Each wheel is lifted independently by separate motors and when the diameter is sensed, the particular motor is de-energized to thus center each end of the axle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,564, a longitudinally moving pipe is centered, even though the pipe may have enlarged portions, by means of an upper V-roller on one vertical run of an endless chain and a lower V-roller on the opposite run of that endless chain.
Multiple spindle automatic machine tools are those machine tools which are used for repetitive machining of identical workpieces where a large volume of workpieces is desired. Typically, such machines are used to produce millions of identical parts. Such machines are expensive, but when properly set up to machine a particular workpiece, the machines operate with a bare minimum of attention from an operator, and hence, the manufacturing cost per piece is at a minimum. Such machines operate on a range of sizes of chucked workpieces, or, where used with long bar stock, with a range of diameters of such bar stock, either round or polygonal in cross section. Where such machines are present but not in use in production, this is a large capital investment remaining idle, so it is highly desirable to be able to put the machine to use, even if it is for a relatively short run. However, many such multiple spindle automatic machine tools require eight hours or more for set-up time to change all the tooling and make all the adjustments necessary for a new size of bar stock and a new and different piece to be produced. Just to change the size of the bar stock, in the prior art machines, one must change the escapement mechanism to feed a different size bar into the bar feeder and also one must change the adjustment to support the bar on the same center line as the spindle of the machine tool. On the usual prior art machines, this is accomplished by replacing several semicylindrical spacers inside a longitudinally split tube. This is lost production time for the installation and adjustment, and additional cost results from the manufacture and storage of such spacers.
The prior art constructions have the deficiency of being able to lift the object only a minor fraction of the diameter of such object and, hence, are not suitable for mechanisms wherein a large lifting distance is required.
Accordingly, the problem to be solved is how to construct a machine tool which will lift and center objects, such as elongated bars for a machine tool, so that the bars are on the center line of the machine tool spindle regardless of the diameter of such bars and regardless of the distance to be lifted.


The invention provides a memorial plaque adapted for detachable mounting to a forward surface of a base, such as a cover slab of a crypt, a headstone or grave marker. The plaque includes a marker block having an exposed face adapted to receive memorial indicia and a hollow back frame having a front wall with peripheral rearwardly extending side walls. The peripheral side walls have a back edge with profile mating the forward surface of the base thus defining a rearwardly open cavity between the base and front wall laterally bounded by the side walls. The close fitting of the frame protects the marker block from weather damage and vandalism. The marker block is releasably secured to the frame within the cavity with its exposed face adjacent a window in the front wall of the frame. Mounting brackets can be housed entirely within the cavity or hidden from view under removable ornaments to releasably mount the frame to the base. This enables the rapid removal of the blank marker block and replacement after memorial indicia have been applied. Preferably the marker block is a stone slab with a polished exposed face that can be quickly marked with conventional sandblast methods. Alternatively, the blank marker block can be replaced with a previously completed block including any desired type of indicia. Mounting brackets for example can include a top bracket mounted adjacent an upper frame side wall, with a plate with connecting fasteners for securing the plate to the base. The plate may have an upper edge adapted to suspend the frame on the bracket. A locking device disposed on a lower frame side wall and on the lower end of the plate, releasably locks the plate and frame together. Optionally an externally mounted ornament can be secured to an outer surface of a wall of the frame with a fastener extending through said wall from the cavity, and for visual effect and secure mounting the outer surface of said wall includes a mating socket in which the ornament is disposed. Also optionally the plaque may include an auxiliary block having an exposed face adapted to receive memorial indicia, with the auxiliary block releasably secured to the frame within the cavity with its exposed face adjacent an auxiliary window in the front wall of the frame.

Memorial plaques with names, dates and other indicia embedded on them are widely used in marking grave sites, tombstones and crypts. Such plaques are usually left outdoors and are intended to be very long lasting, if not permanent. Memorial markers and plaques as a result are designed of very robust materials, such as cast metal and stone that resist weather damage and vandalism. To provide permanence and resistance to damage, the markers or plaques are often constructed in a manner where components are permanently attached together, or where it is extremely difficult to remove components.
For example, in many cases a solid stone marker or head stone is engraved with the memorial indicia. Cast letters or numbers are permanently attached to a stone slab or a cast metal plaque is manufactured with all required lettering cast or engraved in a permanent manner.
The cost and time taken to prepare such memorial markers and plaques are considerable. For example, in the case of an engraved stone slab, due to shipping, manufacturing, and scheduling, the time between ordering and completely installing the received marker may be in the order of six to eight weeks. Due to the skilled labour and cost of shipping and installation, the total cost of preparing and installing the marker is considerable.
Recent trends indicate a customer desire toward simplifying funeral services, and movement in favour of cremation and burial in crypts. This reflects a desire to reduce the cost and complexity of traditional funeral services. Of particular relevance to the present invention are the cost and delay inherent in the labour intensive of preparation of an appropriate grave marker or crypt plaque.
In addition to the relatively high cost, the delay involved in preparing and installing a memorial plaque marker is becoming unacceptable to contemporary purchasers. Since the name and date of birth with date of death are commonly marked on the memorial plaques, for obvious reasons, it is impossible to complete the preparation of markers in advance. It is common practice for married couples or entire families to be buried together in a crypt and in such cases, the memorial plaques or markers may be modified a number of times.
However, if possible, it is preferred to conduct burial services when the site is fully marked, as opposed to an unmarked or partially completed site. The participants in the service perceive such preparation as more respectful and completed markings eliminate any concern that mistakes may occur later in finalizing the site marking.
There is a market demand for relatively lower cost marking of grave sites that involve less time delay and permit changes to be made to markers over multiple graves. Traditionally, purchasers have resisted conformity and prefer a wide choice of ornamental features in memorial markers.
The prior art has introduced several memorial markers with removable or replaceable indicia in response to this demand. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,089 to Sheidow provides a cast memorial marker with removable plates that can be interchanged in order to provide flexibility in inserting names and dates, etc. The removable plates with indicia can be permanently attached when desired on final installation.
Another example is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 2,586,178 to Rochester which includes a removable blank plate which is replaced with an engraved plate on the forward face of a grave marker. In the case of Rochester, the plate is attached by embedding in wet concrete, whereas in U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,472 to Svensson a sliding tongue and groove system is used to attach an engraved name plate.
The prior art suffers from the disadvantage that uniformity is required in the design of the grave markers, and very little flexibility is provided in the choice of marker shape and additional ornamental features which may be added to include unique aspects. Customers will consider inappropriate any marker which appears to be mass produced and substantially identical to adjacent markers of others.
The prior art provides little design flexibility in use of different materials together, such as stone and castings of metal. In addition, the prior art does not balance well the desire for permanence with the need for periodic repair or maintenance in the event of damage.
The significant disadvantage of the prior art is that the final installation requires relatively high level skills and specialized tools. It is highly desirable however, for cemetaries with relatively unskilled labour and few specialized tools to perform all necessary installation and marking themselves. In this manner, the cost and delay in completing the installation is reduced considerably.
Once persons from outside the cemetary grounds must travel to the cemetary or the markers must be shipped from the cemetary to a manufacturing plant, such operations involve significant delay and cost especially in the case where heavy stone and cast metal components are used. In many cases cemetaries are located outside highly populated areas in relatively isolated park like settings. The logistics of transporting materials or skilled labour between cemetaries involves significant travel for persons and freight costs for materials and equipment.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a relatively low cost marker which can be rapidly modified to include marking indicia without the need for specialized tools or skilled labour apart from those employed by a cemetary.
It is also desirable to provide a marker, which has relatively permanent means to mount the marker to resist damage while at the same time being easily removable if changes or maintenance are required.
It is also highly desirable to provide a marker which allows a significant degree of modification and preferably combines the use of traditionally used materials such as stone and cast metal to respond to the market demand for unique or individual combinations of ornamental features.

Memorial plaque with removable marker block


A wafer processing apparatus prevents the reattachment of particles to wafers, such as semiconductor wafers, when processing the wafers by immersing the same held in a vertical attitude in a processing liquid and a cleaning liquid. When immersing the wafers processed by the processing liquid in the cleaning liquid contained in and overflowing a cleaning tank, a wafer holding device holding the wafers in a vertical attitude is stopped temporarily upon the immersion of lower parts of the wafers in the cleaning liquid. Consequently, particles contained in the processing liquid remaining on the wafers are dispersed in the overflowing cleaning liquid, so that the particles can be removed from the wafers and the reattachment of the particles to the wafers does not occur. When transferring the processed wafers to another processing tank or a cleaning tank, a clean gas is blown upward from below the wafers to suppress the down flow of the processing liquid remaining on the wafers in order that films formed on the wafers can be processed uniformly. This serves to improve the yield.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a substrate processing method and a substrate processing apparatus for processing objects, such as semiconductor wafers or LCD substrates, with a processing liquid and cleaning the objects with a cleaning liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus has prevalently been used in fabricating semiconductor devices to remove particles, organic substances, metallic contaminants and/or an oxide film from objects, such as semiconductor wafers, (hereinafter referred to as "wafers") by sequentially conveying the wafers through processing tanks containing processing liquids (chemical liquids) and cleaning tanks containing cleaning liquids (rinsing liquids) to immerse the wafers in the processing liquids and the cleaning liquids and to dry the wafers.
A wafer processing apparatus of this kind comprises processing tanks respectively containing processing liquids (chemical liquids), such as HF+H.sub.2 O (a hydrogen fluoride solution (hereinafter referred to as "HF")), NH.sub.4 OH+H.sub.2 O.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O (an ammonia peroxide solution) and HCl+H.sub.2 O.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O (a hydrochloric acid peroxide solution), cleaning tanks respectively containing cleaning liquids, such as rinsing liquids (pure water), wafer holders, such as wafer boats, for holding a plurality of wafers, for example, fifty wafers, in a vertical attitude, and lifting devices for immersing the wafer boat holding wafers in, and taking out the same from the processing tanks and the cleaning tanks.
The processing tanks, the cleaning tanks and the wafer boats are placed in a downflow atmosphere in which a clean gas, for example, clean air flows down to handle the wafers or the like in a clean atmosphere.
Generally, the wafers or the like made of silicon are provided on their surfaces with an oxide film serving as an insulating film, and a predetermined pattern or the like. When a silicon wafer provided on its surface with an oxide film is processed with a processing liquid, the processing liquid remains on the surface of the silicon wafer because the oxide film is hydrophilic while silicon is hydrophobic. Experiments were conducted to verify this fact. In the experiments, a wafer boat B holding coated silicon wafers Wa coated with an oxide film and bare silicon wafers Wb as shown in FIG. 18A was immersed in a processing liquid, such as HF, contained in a processing tank for processing, and then the wafer boat was taken out of the processing liquid. At this stage, the processing liquid (HF) remained on the surfaces of the coated silicon wafers Wa as shown in FIG. 18B. When the coated silicon wafers Wa and the bear silicon wafers Wb were immersed in a processing liquid or a cleaning liquid for the subsequent process, particles P contained in the processing liquid (HF) remaining on the coated silicon wafers Wa adhered to the surfaces of the coated silicon wafers Wa and therefrom to the surfaces of the adjacent bare silicon wafers Wb as shown in FIG. 18B. As is obvious from the results of the experiments, particles adhere to the surfaces of wafers when silicon wafers coated with an oxide film are processed with a processing liquid and cleaned with a cleaning liquid, and those particles reduces the yield of products.
When etching oxide films formed on the surfaces of wafers W with a processing liquid, such as HF, the wafers W are immersed in the processing liquid (HF) contained in a processing tank, the wafers W are taken out of the processing tank, and the wafers W are carried to a cleaning tank. While the wafers W are thus being carried to the cleaning tank, the processing liquid (HF) remaining on the wafers W flows downward along the surfaces of the wafers W held in a vertical attitude and, consequently, the oxide films coating the wafers W are exposed partly as shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B. Since the etching of the exposed parts of the oxide films is stopped, while the etching of the coated parts of the oxide films continues, the oxide films cannot uniformly be etched, which reduces the yield of products.

Substrate processing method and apparatus


A relief valve including a body defining an inlet. A valve closure element is disposed at least partially within the body and arranged to allow selective flow through the relief valve in response to a predetermined pressure. An outlet housing that is separate from and coupled to the inlet housing is rotatable with respect to the inlet housing. The outlet housing defines an outlet that is in selective communication with the inlet.

The present invention is directed to pressure relief valves. More particularly the invention is directed to pressure relief valves with a moveable outlet. Pressure relief valves may be used with compressors, engines, or other systems where pressure needs to be managed.
Pressure relief valves are used to relieve pressure in a pressure vessel or associated component. A relief valve includes an inlet for receiving a fluid (e.g., air, water, petrol, etc.) and an outlet through which the fluid is discharged. The outlet is typically connected to a piping system. When relief valves are installed in pressure vessel systems, the outlet may not be aligned as desired with the piping system. Typically, relief valves are installed by threadably engaging the inlet with the pressure vessel system. The inlet may have threads that conform to a National Pipe Thread Taper standard for a tapered thread (hereinafter "NPT threads"), a Society of Automotive Engineers standard for a straight thread (hereinafter "SAE threads"), or another thread standard, as desired. Relief valves also may be connected via other means to the pressure vessel system (e.g., quick connections, soldering, snap connections, etc.).
In the case of a relief valve whose inlet has NPT threads, the outlet is aligned with the piping system by adjusting one or more fitting joints to orient the outlet in a desired direction. However, such adjustments require frequent loosening and retightening of the fitting joints which is labor intensive and time consuming. Additional labor and time is also needed to ensure that joint seal integrity is maintained. In the case of a relief valve whose inlet has SAE threads, the relief valve is installed by rotatably engaging the inlet into the threaded hole of the pressure vessel system until contact is made between the inlet and a bottom of the threaded hole (i.e., the inlet "bottoms out") in order to form a seal. However, adjustment of the orientation of the outlet after the inlet bottoms would compromise the seal and thus is not desirable. This requires that the piping system be specifically configured to adapt to the orientation of the outlet which increases costs. In other words, conventional relief valves prohibit or mitigate the use of SAE connections on relief valve inlets where outlet direction is important.
Currently, if a directional outlet is desirable, the convention is to use NPT threads on inlet connections of relief valves and deal with the labor associated with adjusting multiple joints or potentially over tightening or under tightening joints. In cases where SAE inlet connections are required, the plumbing installation out of the relief valve becomes more cumbersome. In response to these problems, many simply avoid applications where directing outlet discharge is required or they are forced spend a lot of time adjusting installation joints (loosening and retightening or over tightening to achieve pointing discharge of valve in desired direction).
In view of the above noted and other deficiencies, a better directional outlet for relief valves is desirable.


A stator includes a multi-phase stator coil comprised of phase windings. Each of the phase windings is formed of a continuous electric conductor and includes in-slot portions and coil end portions. Each of the in-slot portions is received in one of slots of a stator core. Each of the coil end portions is located outside the slots so as to connect one adjacent pair of the in-slot portions. Each of the coil end portions includes at least one oblique part that extends obliquely at an oblique angle with respect to either an axial direction or a circumferential direction of the stator core. The oblique angles of the oblique parts of the coil end portions in at least one of the phase windings of the stator coil are set to be different from the oblique angles of the oblique parts of the coil end portions in the other phase windings.

1 Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to stators for rotating electric machines that are used in, for example, motor vehicles as electric motors and electric generators. More particularly, the invention relates to a stator for an automotive alternator which includes a multi-phase stator coil.
2 Description of Related Art
Conventionally, various types of stators for rotating electric machines have been provided for practical use.
For example, there is disclosed a stator for an automotive alternator in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP2010110199A. The stator includes a hollow cylindrical stator core having a plurality of slots arranged in its circumferential direction and a three-phase stator coil that is mounted in the slots of the stator core so as to have, as a whole, a hollow cylindrical shape.
Moreover, the stator coil is comprised of a plurality of phase windings, each of which is formed of a continuous electric conductor and includes a plurality of in-slot portions and a plurality of coil end portions (to be also referred to as bridging portions or turn portions hereinafter). Each of the in-slot portions is received in a corresponding one of the slots of the stator core. Each of the coil end portions is located outside the slots of the stator core so as to connect one circumferentially-adjacent pair of the in-slot portions which are respectively received in two different slots of the stator core.
In recent years, rotating electric machines for installation in a limited space, such as automotive alternators, have been required to have a smaller size and higher performance than ever before. Moreover, to reduce the size and improve the performance of a rotating electric machine, it is necessary to improve the space factor of the stator coil in the slots of the stator core and arrange the coil end portions outside the slots in alignment, small size and high density.
To meet the above requirement, there have been developed various methods and apparatuses for manufacturing stators. Among them, in terms of prioritizing manufacturing efficiency, a method is mainly used according to which the stator coil is first formed to have a predetermined shape and then mounted to the stator core.
However, in the case of using the above method, there are the following two problems.
First, due to the dimensional tolerances of raw materials and the manufacturing tolerances of the stator coil and the stator core, in mounting the stator coil to the stator core, an undesirable load may be imposed on the stator coil, thereby lowering the insulating properties of the stator coil. For example, the coil end portions of the phase windings of the stator coil may interfere with one other, thereby damaging insulating coats formed on the outer surfaces of the phase windings.
Secondly, there occurs variation in the mounting strength (or winding strength) of the stator coil to the stator core. In other cases, it is desired to set the mounting strength as needed. For example, when an abutting load higher than a threshold value is applied between the side surfaces of the electric conductors forming the phase windings of the stator coil and the inner wall surfaces of the slots of the stator core, vibration of the stator core, which is caused by magnetic force generating magnetic noise, may cause the stator coil to resonate therewith, thereby damaging the stator coil. In contrast, with a suitable abutting load applied between the side surfaces of the electric conductors and the inner wall surfaces of the slots, the rigidity of the stator core can be improved.
To solve the above first problem, one may consider increasing the thickness of the insulating coats of the electric conductors and widening the gaps between the coil end portions of the phase windings of the stator coil. However, in this case, the space factor of the stator coil in the slots of the stator core would be lowered and the axial length (or height) of the coil end portions would be increased. Consequently, it would become difficult to increase the output and reduce the size of the rotating electric machine.
On the other hand, to solve the above second problem, one may consider employing different types of stator coils according to the need. However, in this case, preparing a number of different types of stator coils would result in an increase in the manufacturing cost.

Rotating electric machine stator with multi-phase coil having phase winding coil end portions with different oblique angles


The present invention provides an earth anchor bracket supported by a girder coupled to a side surface of an earth wall to fix a free length of an anchor body inserted into a boring hole formed at the earth wall according to an earth anchor method. The earth anchor bracket of the present invention includes two side plates each including a curved portion including saw-teeth and facing each other; a coupling material coupling and fixing the two side plates; and a pressure bearing means, supported by the two side plates and including obstacle protrusions engaged with the saw-teeth of the two side plates and a through portion withdrawing the free length of the anchor body.

Generally, when a steep excavation hole is formed in a digging or foundation work at a civil engineering and construction field, to prevent an earth wall falling down toward the excavation hole, an earth anchor method is widely used. The earth anchor method is explained as follows.
As shown in FIG. 1, big stakes such as H-beams are driven into a ground and a designated ground is excavated, and then earth plates are inserted between the big stakes, and thus an earth wall 1 is formed.
Subsequently, boring is performed through the earth wall 1 at a predetermined slanted angle, then an anchor body 3 is driven into the boring portion 2, then grouting is performed for a fixed anchor length Lb, and thus the anchor body 3 is fixed. Generally, the anchor body 3 is divided into a free length La and the fixed anchor length Lb with respect to a portion at which a virtual collapse line (which is represented by a dashed line in FIG. 1) meets the boring portion, and the virtual collapse line is set by a design standard according to a soil between an edge of a bottom surface 6 of the excavation hole and the ground. A first grouting is generally performed for the fixed anchor length Lb.
When curing for the grouting is completed, a tension force is applied to the free length La of the anchor body 3 and the anchor body 3 is fixed into a bracket 10 which is installed at a girder 4 of the earth wall 1. To do this, the free length La of the anchor body 3 is passed through a through portion formed at the bracket 10 and then is fixed using a cone 5 having a diameter more than the through portion.
After the anchor body 3 is fixed into the bracket 10, a second grouting is performed for a remaining portion of the boring portion 2, and thus construction is completed. Accordingly, a tension force of the anchor body 3 counters with an earth pressure and supports the earth wall 1.
The present invention relates to a bracket applying the tension force to the free length La of the anchor body 3 and fixing the anchor body 3 in the earth anchor method.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a bracket 10 widely used in the prior art. The bracket 10 includes two side plates 11 each having about triangular shape, and a pressure bearing plate 12 which is installed on the same inclined sides of the two side plates 11 and couples the two side plates 11 and includes a through portion 12a, through which the anchor body 3 is withdrawn, at a center portion of the pressure bearing plate 12.
However, for the bracket 10, because the tension force of the anchor body 3 is distributed through the pressure bearing plate 12 and the both side plates 11, a case frequently occurs in construction that the pressure bearing plate 12 warps and the side plates 11 are deformed.
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, because the bracket 10 is supported by the girder 4, to fix the bracket 10, it is necessary that the side plates of the bracket 10 are welded to the girder 4. Accordingly, it takes much time to install and disjoint the bracket 10, and due to the welding, damages to the girder 4 may be unavoidable.
Recently, to resolve these problems, new type of brackets have been put on the market. For example, FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective and exploded perspective views, respectively, of a bracket 50 described in Korean Issued Patent No. 441619.
The bracket 50 includes a main supporting material 20, an auxiliary supporting material 40, a guide material 30 fixed between the main supporting material 20 and the auxiliary material 40.
The main supporting material 20 includes two side plates 21, a pressure bearing plate 23 welded to upper portions of the same inclined sides 21a of the both side plates 21 and having a through portion 24, and base plates 22a and 22b spaced apart from each other and fixed to lower portions of the side plates 21.
The auxiliary supporting material 40 has a bent shape at a predetermined angle at a center of the auxiliary supporting material 40 and is fixed between the both side plates 21 of the main supporting material 20. The guide material 30 has about cylindrical shape, and one end of the guide material 30 is fixed to the pressure bearing plate 23 of the main supporting material and the other end of the guide material 30 is fixed to the auxiliary supporting material 40.
Because the auxiliary supporting material 40 and the guide material 30 distributes a tension force of an anchor body applied to the main supporting material 20, the bracket 50 endures a tension force more than the bracket described in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 5, even though a real tension direction of the anchor body 3 is not equal to a reference tension angle of the bracket 50, a free length of the anchor body 3 is withdrawn through the guide material 30, and it can be prevented to some extent to prevent the anchor body interfering with the through portion 24 and the girder 4.
However, as shown in FIG. 5, when the real tension direction of the anchor body 3 is not equal to the reference tension angle of the bracket 50, it is unavoidable that the anchor body 3 is severely bent and withdrawn through the guide material 30 and the through portion.
When the anchor body 3 is bent, a force in a different direction from the tension direction of the anchor body 3 is applied, and as a result, it is inevitable that the tension force applied to the anchor body 3 is distributed. Accordingly, to apply a tension force according to a design standard to the anchor body 3, a tension force more than that in a normal situation should be applied in consideration of distribution of a tension force. This means that the bracket 50 should have a more supporting force, and works as a limitation to losing weight and minimizing size of the bracket 50.
Recently, to resolve these problems, an earth anchor bracket has been suggested in which an arch-shaped curved portions are formed at inclined sides of both side plates and a pressure bearing plate is moved along the curved portions.
When the curved portion is formed in the earth anchor bracket, because the pressure bearing plate can be moved according to an installation angle of the anchor body, even though the anchor body is not bent, it is possible to maintain tension direction of the anchor body perpendicular to the pressure bearing plate.
To obtain this effect, a boring portion formed at a earth wall to insert the anchor body is bored exactly at a center of curvature of the arch-shaped curved portion of the earth anchor bracket.
However, in a real construction field, a case occurs much that the boring portion is deviated from a reference position. Accordingly, even though the pressure bearing plate is moved along the arch-shaped curved portion, it is difficult to maintain the tension direction of the anchor body perpendicular to the pressure bearing plate.
When the tension direction of the anchor body is not maintained perpendicularly to the pressure bearing plate, because a horizontal force as well as a perpendicular force is applied to the pressure bearing plate, the ground plate is moved along the curved portion of the earth anchor bracket and, for the moving, deformation of the pressure bearing plate occurs.

Earth anchor bracket having saw-toothed and curved part


Computer implemented systems store descriptions of multiple different types of marketplace items as a collection of parameter-value pairs, using a table having a plurality of rows and columns, wherein values for at least two of the items are stored in cells of first and second ones of the rows, respectively; keys that provide information that can be used to decipher differential mappings of a plurality of the columns to a plurality of parameters in different ones of the rows; and one or more interfaces that collectively display previously stored parameters and values to a human end-user.

It is now widely recognized that the main challenge to information storage and retrieval is not availability of information, but filtering that information. Modern search engines that rely on keyword searching have advanced that science to a high art, but searches performed with such search engines often yield an intractably large number of records. For example, a recent search for diamonds on e-Bay™ yielded more than 6000 records, and the same search on Yahoo!™ Shopping yielded more than 570,000. The problem is even worse on general search engines that are not specifically focused on marketplace items. A recent search on Google™ for diamonds yielded about 24,300,000 records.
Not only are there too many records in a typical results set, but the fact that the records are so inconsistent in content and terminology means that it is impossible to filter them correctly. To continue with the diamond example, it is extremely difficult to search for a diamond in the 1,000 to $2,000 price range, because there is no convenient way to match a record that lists a diamond for $1,499.85. The current answer to that problem is to tag the data with metatags, special codes that identify particular items of data. Using Microsoft's™ XML tags, for example, it is possible for a search engine to identify a number as a price, and then store the price in an indexed field. In that manner the search engine could find records with information that matches a range of prices.
Tagging works reasonably well for the parameter (also known as a characteristic or attribute) of price, but only because price is common among a great many marketplace items. The system loses much of its effectiveness as soon as one begins to focus on parameters that are specific to different types of goods and services. In the diamond example, a searcher might well be interested in only those diamonds having a size of at least 1 carat, clarity of at least VVS2, color of at least E, and so forth. The only way metatags could be used effectively to filter through only the desired diamonds would be for the data to have been stored using consistent metatags, and that just isn't done. Thus, despite the prevalence and enormous power of modern search engines, they are still of very limited usefulness in conducting searches such as the diamond example above. To search for that limited selection of diamonds on eBay™ one would have to actually view each and every one of the more than 6,000 records.
As a result of the inability of search engines to adequately narrow searches based upon multiple different parameters, there are still many millions of databases used for specific classes of products. For example, there are automobile databases that store item information using fields for one or more of make, model, year, mileage, and price. Similarly, there are boat databases that store boat information in fields for make, model, year, condition, and price, and also length, displacement, number of sails, number and size of engines, number of cabins, and so forth.
Unfortunately, there are still very significant problems with those specialty databases. For one thing, the sheer number of specialty databases means that the data is distributed, forcing a searcher to examine the data from many different databases for even a single type of product. Thus, a searcher conducting a thorough search for a used car is forced to examine hundreds or even thousands of automobile databases. There are consolidator services that collect data from many different databases, but disparity in the underlying data forces them to present the data in formats that cannot be properly filtered, and are still incredibly time consuming to utilize.
A second problem with specialty databases is that they exist only for a relatively small number of products and services. One would be hard-pressed to find anything even close to a comprehensive flashlight database, or a comprehensive ball-bearing database. The closest that one finds in such fields are vendor listings that show only the particular products they have to sell.
A third problem with specialty databases is that they tend to parametize the data using only a very limited number of parameters. For example, the automobile databases typically do not parametize color or condition. A searcher wanting to view only red automobiles in at least very good condition needs to view the memo text, and sometimes the images, of every single record to find desired automobiles.
What is needed is a universal database that parametizes data for all different types of goods and services. But the very fact that different types of items require different sets of parameters makes it extremely difficult to store multiple different types of items in a single database. Instead of a table with 5 or 6 columns that might be needed for a single type of item, a simple flat table adequately storing different types of items might well need thousands of columns. Still further, the cells of such a table would be mostly empty, since only a few of the cells in each row would be populated.
These problems were addressed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,035,294, 6,195,652, and 6,243,699, the disclosures of which, along with all other extrinsic materials cited herein, are incorporated herein by reference. In those three patents the focus was on a database that evolved by virtue of: (a) users being able to add their own parameters for a given type of item; and (b) the list of available parameters being shown to subsequent users in a list that was sorted by frequency of use. Frequently used parameters would eventually float to the top of the list, while infrequently used parameters would sink to the bottom of the list. It was still further contemplated that users could add their own values to a values listing, which would similarly be sorted by frequency of use, so that commonly used values would appear at the top of the list while infrequently used values would sink to the bottom.
By way of example, a user would list an automobile for sale by selecting 10 or 15 parameters from a list of possibly 30 or more automobile related parameters. Since the list of available parameters would be sorted by prior usage frequency, the 10 or 15 parameters that the user would most want to utilize would be those at the top of the list. Most likely, the user would thereby decide to describe his automobile using make, model, year, color, mileage, etc. He could select a parameter called exhaust system, or add such a parameter if it wasn't already in the list, but he would be dissuaded from doing so by a desire to conform to the prior usage patterns of others. With respect to values, the user would likely see that prior values for color are white, black, red, green, blue, etc. He might also see that off-white is a color that had been used by others, but he would likely be dissuaded from using off-white because that color is much farther down the list than white.
Since there are many thousands of different types of products and services for which one could store records on the database, it was contemplated that the classification scheme should be hierarchical. The patents cited above contemplated a three level classification tree, including major class, minor class, and item description.
In terms of database structure, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,699 patent cited above contemplated separate tables for users, classification, parameters, values, and items, with the items table having columns for classification pointers, parameter pointers, and value pointers. Assuming that each item could be adequately described with a relatively small maximum number of parameter/value pairs, the items table only needs about 2n+c columns, where x is the maximum number of parameter/value pairs, and c is a small number (perhaps 5) to identify classification, date, user pointer, and so forth. Assuming that each row consumed only about 256 bytes, one could store 100 million items in only 25 gigabytes.
It is also now appreciated that users might well want to identify and classify results sets in particular, and groupings of records in general, according to their own preferences. For example, with respect to groupings of records, a given user might search for a new home having a given set of parameter/value pairs (e.g. zip code=9262?, sq ft ≥2500, no. bedrooms ≥, lot size ≥10,000 sq ft), and then use active links to view the actual properties. In doing so he develops a set of properties that he wants to pursue, and after doing all that work he may well want to find some way of storing (and characterizing) that record set for future use. Perhaps even more importantly, a given user might want to see how other users characterized the same or similar groupings of records. It is already known for users to store search strings (queries) for later use or reference. That is already done on Lexis-Nexis,™ Micropatent™ and other search facilities. It is also already known for users to store results sets, either directly from the search engine or as modified. Micropatent, for example, stores sets of records in "worksheets."
It appears, however, that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art for storing queries and record sets relating to a storage system in which users can add their own parameters. It also appears that the prior art is entirely silent as to enabling ordinary unsophisticated users (as opposed, for example, to database designers or programmers) to store characterize their queries and/or record sets using multiple, open-ended characterizations. All the prior art systems that the current inventor knows of, merely allow a user to associate a fixed set of information with a query or results set, including for example, name of the query, matter number, run frequency, output format, and so forth. One item in particular that is missing from the prior art is identification of parent, child, sibling, or other relationships between or among different queries or different results sets.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,652 patent mentioned in passing that "some of the classifications may also deal with miscellaneous information, including scientific articles, historical facts, and so forth." The implication was that informational items should be considered goods and services, and subject to users classifying such items with whatever parameters and values they wished. Unfortunately, there was no teaching, suggestion or motivation, for users to couple the content of the item to other items. Thus, it was contemplated that a user loading data might classify a book by title, author, subject, type of work (novel, fantasy, etc), quality of work (compelling, silly, thoughtful, etc), length (180,000 words, or perhaps 459 pages) on a book by book basis. In that manner, a subsequent user could, for example, search for novels of less than 250 pages characterized as compelling. But there was no consideration given to other users classifying books (or other items) having records that were loaded by others, which could be accomplished by subsequent users characterizing their own data sets.
Thus, it is now contemplated that many of the ideas disclosed in those prior patents could be improved upon. For example, allowing users to add their own parameters to the database may be problematic because users could add all manner of stupid and inconsistent parameters. It is also contemplated that sorting parameters and values by frequency of prior occurrence could in many instances be cumbersome. In selecting a value for color, for example, a user might simply prefer to see an alphabetic list of colors that had been used by others. It is also contemplated that even a three level classification scheme is too complicated for many users, and that the data structure previously described, although very efficient for storing data, would be far too slow for retrieving data. It is still further contemplated that users can store their searches and record sets in an open-ended parameter/value manner. Thus, there is a need for further improvements.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Table for storing parameterized product/services information using variable field columns


A method and apparatus for optimizing a query for a relational database are disclosed. The techniques employed enable a group-by operator to be an internal node. In particular, the optimization techniques include the steps of receiving a query having group-by to be optimized, generating for the query execution plans where placing group-by preceding every internal join node are considered, estimating cost for the execution plans, and choosing the execution plan having the lowest estimated cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for optimizing database queries and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for optimizing queries having group-by operators.
2. Description of the Related Art
Performance of databases is largely dependent on the ability of the database system to optimize query execution. Query execution is optimized in databases by preprocessing the query to place it in a form which can be more efficiently executed by the database system. The optimization process selects an execution plan which is most efficient.
One problem with conventional approaches is that they have failed to adequately optimize queries having group-by operators. The conventional approaches perform the group-by operation after all the join operations have been evaluated. See, e.g., A. Klug, Access Paths in the ABE Statistical Query Facility, Proceedings of 1982 ACM-SIGMOD Conference on the Management of Data; U. Dayal, Of Nests and Trees. A Unified Approach to Processing Queries that contain subqueries, aggregates and quantifies, Proceedings of the 13th VLDB, 1987; and Selinger P. G. et al., Access Path Selection in a Relational Database Management System," Proceedings of ACM-SIGMOD Conference on the Management of Data, June 1979, pp. 23-34. Accordingly, most conventional approaches have not considered or realized the benefits of transformations when grouping precedes join to reduce the size of the relation and possibly the cost of the join.
Recently, a transformation that enables pushing a group-by operator past a join operation was discovered. See, e.g., W. Yan and P Larson, Performing Group-By before Join, International Conference on Data Engineering, 1993. The approach is based on partitioning relations in the given query in two groups so as to form two queries. The result of the given query is eventually obtained by joining the results of the two queries. But, as a price for pushing the group-by operation past a join operation, the space of choice for join ordering is reduced because the ordering of relations is considered only within a partition. Moreover, given a query, there is a unique placement for the group-by operator. Thus, the transformation utilized by Yan and Larson fails to capture alternative execution plans which are possible and sometimes preferred (because they result in more efficient execution).
Therefore, there is a need for a robust technique to optimize queries having group-by operators.

Method and apparatus for optimizing queries having group-by operators


A processor for photographic film or paper has a tank for holding a processing solution. A filter is located within the tank, and solution is removed from the tank through the filter and returned to the tank. An improved replenishment system for the processing solution includes a storage container for holding a concentrated replenishment solution. A pump delivers to the core of the filter a quantity of the concentrated replenishment solution. Water is provided to the filter core through a pressure regulator, a control valve and a fixed orifice. A microprocessor controls the pump and the control valve so that predetermined quantities of replenishment solution and water are simultaneously provided to the filter.

The present invention relates to processors for photographic film, paper or the like and, more particularly, to such a processor having a system for automatically diluting processing chemicals and for mixing such chemicals.
As known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,913, issued Dec. 31, 1968 in the name of J. L. Snarr, processors for a photographic medium have a plurality of tanks for holding processing solutions, including a developer solution and a fixer solution followed by a tank for water used for washing the photographic medium. The processing solutions in the tanks are recirculated by withdrawing the solution through a filter located within the tank and then pumping the solution through a heat exchanger and back into the tank. Replenishment solutions are provided through a replenishment line or conduit under the control of solenoid operated valves. The replenishment solution is provided downstream from the outlet of the tank and before the solutions reach the pump so that the replenishment solution is mixed with solution from the tank and cooled prior to being delivered to the tank with previously used solution.
The solutions used for processing photographic mediums are commonly supplied by the manufacturer in a concentrated form, and they are diluted with water before being supplied to the tanks of the processor. Dilution of the solutions commonly is accomplished manually by an operator. The dilution process requires the time of the operator, which increases the cost of the processing operation. Also, manual mixing of the concentrated processing materials and water is subject to error, which can have an adverse affect on the quality of the processing operation. In addition, premixing or dilution of the processing solutions can reduce the life of the solutions because the solutions are subject to evaporation and deterioration as a result of evaporation. The diluted processing solutions typically are contained within the film processor, and may occupy a substantial amount of space within the processor.

Processor with automatic chemical dilution and mixing system


An article holder and dispenser including an elongate hollow container especially suitable for storing and dispensing nested articles such as ice cream cones, cups and the like is disclosed herein along with a particular arrangement for releasably retaining articles of different sizes at the discharge end of the container. This arrangement utilizes a plurality of article retaining elements having resilient but wear resistent article retaining segments located within the hollow container adjacent its discharge opening for establishing the effective size of the opening and for releasably retaining the articles to be dispensed. These elements also include support segments respectively located within and slidably movable along the lengths of cooperating circumferential slots in the container for supporting the article retaining portions in adjustable positions around the periphery of the latter and relative to one another, whereby to vary the effective size of the discharge opening depending upon the size of the articles to be stored and dispensed. A locking ring is provided for maintaining the support segments fixed within their respective slots once their positions are selected, thereby fixing the effective size of the opening.

The present invention relates generally to article holding and dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a specifically designed adjustable release arrangement for varying the effective size of the discharge opening defined by the apparatus so as to releasably retain articles such as ice cream cones, cups and the like of different sizes.
Presently, there are many different types of article storing and dispensing devices in the prior art including an article release arrangement of one form or another. In some of these devices the article release arrangements are fixed for establishing a discharge opening of fixed size. In others, the article release arrangements are adjustable for varying their associated discharge openings.
While many of the various article storing and dispensing apparatus appear to be generally satisfactory for their intended purpose, they do include certain drawbacks. For example, the actual article retaining elements comprising part of their overall article retaining arrangements are, in most cases, constructed of a rigid material or of bristles, especially in the case of the fixed arrangements. The bristles have a tendency to wear and the harder retaining elements have a greater tendency than softer ones to damage the article being releasably retained, especially fragile articles such as ice cream cones. In any event, the harder elements do not accommodate even limited variations in the size of the articles being dispensed for a given discharge opening size.
A more recent improvement in the adjustable type article holding and dispensing apparatus is disclosed in applicant's own U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,858. There, at least one but preferably a plurality of U-shaped clips are used to releasably embrace and flatten a lower edge portion of a cooperating container also comprising part of the overall apparatus. In this way, depending upon where the clips are located, the size of the discharge opening at the bottom of the container can be varied. While this particular adjusting technique is relatively uncomplicated there is nevertheless still room for improvement in this regard.
As will be seen hereinafter, the article storing and dispensing assembly disclosed herein and provided in accordance with the present invention is one which also utilizes adjustable article retaining elements. However, as will be seen, these retaining elements are nevertheless supported for movement in an uncomplicated and economical way and in a way which does not require that their associated container be flattened or otherwise deformed in the process. In addition, the article retaining elements are of particular design which, in contrast to the hard retaining elements in the prior art, reduces the possibility of damage to the articles being retained. At the same time, the present article retaining elements are designed to resist wear and damage to themselves in contrast to the bristle type elements previously used.

Article holder and dispenser including adjustable dispensing means and method