A dry chemical etching method for etching one or more silicon oxide layers, such as SOG, TEOS, LTO or other types of deposited Si or SiO.sub.2 layers, provides for low selectivity (ratio) with high controllability and reliability with shorter etching times and increased wafer throughput and yield with improved uniformity in planarization. The etching medium comprises C.sub.n F.sub.2n+2, wherein n is an integer, such as, CF.sub.4, C.sub.2 F.sub.6 or C.sub.3 F.sub.8, and an inert gas, such as, He, Ar or Xe. The inert gas as properly mixed with the fluoride gas provides an adsorption layer at the etching surface providing a buffering effect on the fluorine radicals, F*, liberated in the plasma, so that control over the uniformity and the rate of etching can more easily be accomplished without fear of nonuniform etching or over-etching.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of dry etching in semiconductor processing and more particularly to an etch-back method of different silicon oxide layers to achieve topographical planarization.
2. Description of Related Art
The achievement of topographical planarization is important in forming semiconductor wafers that have two or more metal layers. In the usual case, a semiconductor structure is produced comprising layers of oxide, polysilicon, and first metal wiring, or conductors, covered with an intermediate insulator layer. The surface of this latter layer is irregular with sharp edges and cracks. To apply a second layer of metal such as aluminum, on its surface is not practical because it will result in cracks or separations in the metal, or incomplete metal coverage, so that device yield would be significantly reduced. Thus, it is necessary to provide a method for planarizing the insulator layer to provide a smoother surface topography for application of a second or subsequent metal layer.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional method for providing topographical planarization of silicon oxide layers, in particular, intermediate insulator layers, which is in common practice. As shown in FIG. 1, metal wiring or conductors 2, e.g., Al, are formed by vapor deposition of a metal layer on substrate 1 followed by selective etching of the metal layer to form conductors 2. Then, oxide layer 3, i.e., SiO.sub.2 layer, is formed by CVD followed by formation through thermal oxidation of SOG layer 4 which fills the gaps and indentations formed by first oxide layer 3 over conductors 2. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the surface of SOG layer 4 is irregular. The present practice is to subject the combination layers 3 and 4 to a dry or plasma etch-back process by sputtering or ion milling to reduce the thickness of these layers to the level indicated by dotted line 5, so that an enhanced planarized surface and contour is achieved. The process employed is a physical etching procedure wherein ion milling of the insulator film surfaces is accomplished in a reactive ion etching system employing an inert gas, such as, Ar. The selectivity of the second silicon oxide layer 4 (SOG) with respect to the first silicon layer 3 (SiO.sub.2) is about 1.18. The etch-back process chosen should be selected to closely match as best as possible the etch rate for SOG layer 4 and SiO.sub.2 layer 3. Ideally, such a selectivity ratio should be 1.0:1.0 but this is, in practice, not generally possible. In any case, a selectivity ratio in the range of 0.8-1.7:1.0 is acceptable. Further, the thicker SOG layer 4 is, the more planarized is the surface that can be achieved, but accompanied with a correspondingly longer period of time required for the etch-back process.
The employment of ion milling methods utilizing heavy inert Ar ions to impact the surface of layers 3,4, physically remove molecular materials from the surface. The etching rates achieved are relatively low, for example, several tens of nanometers per minute so that the etch-back process can be comparatively quite long. This process can be so long in the case of a thick SOG layer 4, that it becomes impractical.
Further, the employment of ion milling or other such physical etching method results in damage to the semiconductor structure due to the physical ion bombardment. The resulting effect is an increase in threshold voltages for subsequently formed transistors.
Also, the SiO.sub.2 molecules removed from the surface adhere to the plasma system electrode, resulting in the re-adherence of SiO.sub.2 particles on the surface being etched, and in lower device yield. This particular problem becomes more pronounced as SOG layer 4 is deposited with increasing thickness.
It is also known to use a plasma etch comprising fluorocarbon gases wherein a primary etching gas, such as, C.sub.2 F.sub.6, is employed in combination with a secondary gas, such as, CHF.sub.3 or O.sub.2, to control the selectivity of the etch. Such a system provides for a chemical etching rather than a physical etching to etch-back silicon oxide. Also, an inert gas may be employed as a carrier gas. These plasmas contain active fluorine species and the addition of O.sub.2 enhances the effectiveness of the plasma because O.sub.2 helps to inhibit the recombination between fluoride radicals, F*, and thereby increases and extends their concentration. The inert gas, such as, helium or argon, employed in these etching environments as a carrier gas helps to control the temperature during the etching process. See, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,867. However, the continuing problem with these fluorocarbon etching systems is the lack of repeatable control over the rate and uniformity of etching. It is very difficult to etch different types of SiO.sub.2 films, e.g., TEOS, by means of chemical etching. In particular, such chemical etching of a SOG layer is generally about 3 to 5 times higher than a thermal oxide layer. However, in the manufacturing step utilizing the etch-back of a combination of these oxide layers, it is necessary that the etching rate of both such layers be approximately the same, i.e., as close as possible to a selectivity ratio of 1.0/1.0.
Thus, what is needed is a better means of controlling the rate of chemical etching when employing a fluorocarbon reactive ion etching system wherein the rate of etching can be controlled in a practical, repeatable manner achieving optimized selectivity.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of dry etching having a high etching rate with a relatively low selectivity ratio providing for a reduced etching time with high reliability and repeatability to provide a corresponding improved yield rate in the production of semiconductor devices.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method of applying an absorption layer to an etching surface to provide a buffering effect to highly active etching medium.
It is another object of this invention to provide an etching system having a predetermined gap width between spatially parallel electrodes of the etching system to provide for optimum etching uniformity.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method of uniform planarization relative to first and second oxide layers deposited on a semiconductor wafer through the use of a dry etching medium comprising first and second etchback steps wherein one step has a selectivity greater than one and the other step has a selectivity less than one.

Method of dry etching in semiconductor device processing


A method for providing machine-readable final destination information on mail includes the steps of electronically receiving address information of a final destination for the mail from a sender located at a mail drop box and using an interface device located at the mail drop box. A machine-readable code containing information relating to the final destination of the mail is electronically generated and then printed on a label using a label printer located at the mail drop box. The printed label is presented to the sender at the drop box so that the sender can adhere the printed label to the mail prior to inserting the mail into the drop box. Machine-readable scanners read the machine-readable code on the label to sort the mail for delivery and then mail carriers deliver the mail to the delivery point indicated by the machine-readable code on the label.

A ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) code identifies a specific geographic area for postal delivery in the United States. Before ZIP codes were implemented in 1963, two-digit "zones" were used. The U.S. Postal Service first sorted mail by state, then by city, then by zone, then by street address. ZIP codes were implemented by adding three additional digits representing the state and city in front of the two-digit zones. With the five-digit ZIP code, postal employees no longer needed to read the text containing the state and the city in order to sort mail.
In 1983, the "ZIP-plus-four" concept was introduced. The basic five-digit ZIP code remained, but another four-digit number was added to the end of the original five-digit ZIP code. The additional four digit number can represent a specific city block, a specific building, or even one or more specific floors in a large building. The additional four-digit number helps the U.S. Postal Service route mail more efficiently and accurately because it reduces handling and decreases the potential for human error. Thus ZIP-plus-four leads to better control over U.S. Postal Service costs and, in turn, postage rate stability. The ZIP-plus-four was originally intended for use by business mailers who then typically prepared mail with typewritten or machine-printed addresses. As a result, the U.S. Postal Service began requiring bulk mail to have the ZIP-plus-four code. In order to avail the general public of a simple means of obtaining the ZIP-plus-four, the U.S. Postal Service began a ZIP-plus-four look-up system on its Internet website. However, even with this information readily available, the average American citizen still does not typically use the ZIP-plus-four code for non-bulk mailings.
To further reduce handling and decrease the potential for human error, the U.S. Postal Service also moved toward automated reading and sorting. Addresses on mail are scanned and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) equipment converts images of the typewritten or printed text of the addresses into machine-encoded text which is used by automated equipment to sort the mail. However, OCR equipment is not perfect in reading human-readable text, particularly hand written text which is messy or strays too far from standard form. This can lead to the equipment reading an incorrect address and misdirecting of the mail and/or the need for human intervention to manually read and place a machine-readable code onto the mail so that it can be properly sorted and delivered.
To decrease the potential for OCR error, mail can be provided with machine-readable code or codes such as, for example, barcodes which contain ZIP code and/or final destination information. The machine-readable codes are read by automated equipment with a lower error rate than human-readable text. The U.S. Postal Service has adopted the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IM barcode) which is a 65-bar code for use on mail in the United States. The IM barcode contains the ZIP-plus-four code, an additional two digits used to indicate the exact final destination or delivery point (DP), as well as tracking and other information. Note that every single DP in the U.S. should have its own unique 11-digit number. These two additional digits are usually the last two digits of the street address or box number, though non-numeric points with names or letters are assigned DP numbers by the local U.S. post office. The IM barcode enables the U.S. Postal Service to provide improved deliverability and tracking of domestic mail and improves overall efficiency.
Barcodes representing the DP are often manually affixed to mail by postal workers when the automated equipment fails to read the text of the address and the IM barcodes were not provided by the sender in addition to the human-readable text of the address. Senders of bulk mail in the U.S. receive a discount on postage if they provide a preprinted IM barcode on the bulk mail. However, no such discount is provided to senders of non-bulk mail. Additionally, the average American does not have the equipment and/or information to include a preprinted IM barcode on their non-bulk mail and even when they do, it can be inconvenient. As a result, most non-bulk mail in the U.S. does not include an IM barcode or any other kind of machine-readable code provided by the sender and the U.S. Postal Service cannot obtain the full benefit of its automated systems when the OCR equipment fails.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system and method for providing machine-readable destination information on mail, particularly non-bulk mail sent by the general public.

System and method for providing machine-readable final destination information on mail


A method and apparatus for providing a read channel having imbedded channel signal analysis is disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to signals processing, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for providing a read channel having imbedded channel signal analysis.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently developed data storage devices, such as magnetic disk drive devices (i.e., hard disk drives), have increased storage capacity and increased data access speed. With these advantages, magnetic disk drive devices have become widely used as auxiliary memory devices for computer systems. More generally, developments in pulse communications related to these improvements in disk drive technology have recently provided increased speed and reliability in a wide range of pulse communications systems.
The primary features of a magnetic disk drive device that affect storage capacity and access speed are the head, the recording medium, the servo mechanism, the signal processing technique used in the read/write channel, and the like. Among these, signal processing techniques utilizing PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood) detection have greatly contributed to the increased storage capacities and high access speeds seen in modem magnetic disk drive devices.
Each read/write head generates or senses electromagnetic fields or magnetic encodings on the magnetic disk as areas of magnetic flux. The presence or absence of flux reversals in the electromagnetic fields represents the data stored on the magnetic disk. A flux reversal is a change in the magnetic flux on contiguous areas of the magnetic disk. The presence or absence of magnetic flux reversals correspond to binary 1's and 0's of a diagnostic input signal.
To "write" data onto a magnetic disk, electronic components receive data from a host device and translate the data into magnetic encodings. The head transfers the magnetic encodings onto a portion of the magnetic disk.
To "read" data from the magnetic disk, the head is positioned adjacent to the portion of the magnetic disk having the desired magnetic encodings. The head senses and transfers the magnetic encodings from the magnetic disk. The electronic components translate the magnetic encodings into the data, which is transferred to the host device. The host device may be a personal computer or other electronic equipment. The electronic components may apply error detection and correction algorithms to ensure accurate storage and retrieval of data from the magnetic disk. To improve data storage densities on disk drives, magneto resistive and inductive read/write heads have been developed with increased sensitivity to sense smaller amplitude magnetic signals and with increased signal discrimination.
The primary function of the disk drive read channel is to reliably recover data from a noise contaminated read back signal. State of the art detection architectures equalize to a fixed length partial response target and then use the Viterbi algorithm for detection. A read channel circuit includes components for initial processing of the analog read signal generated by the read/write head of the device. This processing typically includes automatic gain control (AGC) amplification, filtering, and equalization, as well as analog-to-digital conversion.
Channel customers are always interested in having imbedded solutions for signal measurement, analysis, tuning, and optimization. The read signal always contains some random noise. The read signal, and certain other signals produced by processing the read signal and that also contain noise, are referred to herein as noise-corrupted signals. For example, it is important to understand the noise contributions in a drive environment, the electronic Noise due to electronics in signal path and stationary Noise due to disk properties. In addition, transition jitter noise due to the boundary structure of written magnetic transitions and breathing mode noise due to variations in sharpness of written magnetic transitions may also be present. These are just a few types of noise that may be present in a read signal, but other types of noise may also be present.
To test the performance of a magnetic storage device, built-in test processes have been used. For example, test tracks having known recording patterns of encoded and precoded data values have been recorded on a data storage surface to determine the noise included in the read signal. These patterns are played back and passed to an on-drive error measurement circuit. Thus, an error generator may generate error value samples by calculating a difference between the nominal, expected value of the data sample, and the value of the data sample as read from the storage surface. The results of this test may be used to adjust e.g. write precompensation within the disk drive.
However, A non-embedded solution for noise analysis requires the high-speed acquisition of analog signals (or digital signals if available) and a great deal of off-line processing. Thus, an imbedded signal analysis tool would be very valuable. The high level of hardware integration and high speed & frequencies present in the drive environment could allow channel Parameters to be optimized based on noise analysis including media noise post-processor (MNP) settings and programmable NPML detection targets. Head and disk characterization could also be performed.
It can be seen that there is a need for a method and apparatus for providing a read channel having imbedded channel signal analysis.

Method and apparatus for providing a read channel having imbedded channel signal analysis

Abstract: The method and apparatus disclosed determines the types of noise present in a read signal and separates different noises out of the read signal. A signal is read from a storage medium and a written signal is removed from the read signal to produce a noise residue signal. The noise residue signal is converted to a power residue signal. The power residue signal is correlated with a Pseudo Random Bit Sequences (PRBS) sequence used to generate the written signal to produce a deconvolved signal. The deconvolved signal is accumulated.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


Apparatus for alternately dispensing toilet tissue from coreless rolls of toilet tissue includes a dispenser having a cover movable between two positions to alternately expose rolls of coreless toilet tissue within the dispenser. A partition having an opening is affixed to the cover and movable with the cover. A pair of coreless roll spindles are mounted within the dispenser in axial alignment with one another and with the partition opening. The partition opening alternately receives the coreless roll spindles when the cover moves between the two positions. The disclosed apparatus can be used to retrofit an existing dispenser normally employed to sequentially dispense toilet tissue from two adjacent rolls of toilet tissue having cores.

It is known in the prior art to retain two rolls of toilet tissue having cores in a dispenser cabinet, one of the rolls being available for use while the other is stored in the dispenser cabinet in reserve and made available for use only when the first is exhausted.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,670, issued Nov. 28, 1961, discloses one such arrangement wherein the dispenser comprises a base or back wall which carries a semi-cylindrical housing hinged to the base. The housing is provided with a single removable mandrel which carries two axially aligned toilet tissue rolls. One of the rolls, which is the reserve roll, is enclosed or covered by a slidable cover so that the roll is not accessible for use until the other roll is exhausted. The cover is axially slidable in the housing only when the roll in use is completely exhausted. The dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,670 is not suitable for use with coreless rolls of tissue.
The following patents are also representative of the present state of the prior art in this field: U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,339, issued Dec. 6, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,682, issued Feb. 15, 1983, U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,874, issued Mar. 8, 1983, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,926, issued Sep. 30, 1975, U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,699, issued Apr. 18, 1972, U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,465, issued Nov. 16, 1971, U.S. Pat. No. 2,944,749, issued Jul. 12, 1960, U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,121, issued Jun. 2, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 2,805,030, issued Sep. 3, 1957, U.S. Pat. No. 2,699,903, issued Jan. 18, 1955, U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,321, issued Oct. 16, 1951, U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,802, issued Jun. 15, 1971, U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,096, issued Nov. 23, 1971, U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,606, issued Mar. 24, 1953, U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,451, issued Oct. 13, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,357, issued May 16, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,450, issued Oct. 13, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,089, issued Oct. 25, 1966, and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 184,678, issued Mar. 24, 1959.

Apparatus for dispensing toilet tissue from coreless rolls


An integrated touch module and a touch display device are provided. The integrated touch module has a touch sensing structure formed on a polymer film. The polymer film, a liquid crystal phase retardation layer, and a linear polarizing layer constitute a circular polarizing element. The average reflectance of the circular polarizing element in the visible light range is less than 5%, and the standard deviation of the reflectance is less than 0.2%. The touch display device includes the integrated touch module.

A circular polarizer (CPOL) at present mainly has a retarder and a linear polarizer, which is often used as an anti-reflection film in the display field to solve a display problem due to a reflection of incident light from an external environment, wherein the retarder can be a quarter wave plate (QWP). FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an anti-reflection sheet receiving the incident light from the external environment. As shown in FIG. 1, theoretically, when the incident light L from the outside passes through the outermost linear polarizing layer 10a, the linear polarizing layer 10a converts the incident light L into a linearly polarized incident light L1, and the polarization direction of the linearly polarized incident light L1 is vertical, then, the linearly polarized incident light L1 enters the quarter-wave plate used as the retarder 20a, so that the linearly polarized incident light L1 produces a phase delay, and the linearly polarized incident light L1 is converted into left-handed polarized light Lcl. Then, when the light is reflected by the display panel 200, the light will form the reverse right-handed polarized light Lcr, and then pass through the quarter wave plate used as the retarder 20a, and thus the polarization direction of the linearly polarized incident light L2 and the polarization direction of the linearly polarized incident light L1 are finally orthogonal, so that the incident light from the external environment cannot pass through the linear polarizing layer 10a and is blocked in the circular polarizer. From the above principle, the anti-reflection sheet circular polarizing the external ambient light is the first step of the above-mentioned anti-reflection mechanism, so circular polarizing of the external ambient light is one of the important factors of the anti-reflection effect, but in fact, the anti-reflection mechanism cannot occur in all of the visible light range. All incident light inside is not ideally circular polarized, causing ambient light of certain wavelengths to still be reflected by the display panel 200, resulting in interference when the user views the screen.
Taiwan Patent No. I663460 (hereinafter referred to as the patent I663460) discloses a wideband compensation laminate, including a chiral-half-wave phase compensation coating film and a chiral-quarter-wave phase compensation coating film. The chiral-quarter-wave phase compensation coating film and the chiral-half-wave phase compensation coating film directly contact each other. The wideband compensation laminate disclosed in the patent I663460 is a technical solution proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems of reflected lights. For example, it is mentioned in para. [0014] of the patent I663460 that, "the ability of the compensation film to convert circular polarization is wideband compensation film".
However, the reflectance of the wideband compensation film of the patent I663460 in the visible light range is still too high to effectively remove the reflection of ambient light. For example, as shown in Table 3 of the patent I663460, the reflectance of the compensation film of the patent I663460 under wavelengths of 450 nm, 550 nm, and 650 nm is about 8%. Since the circular polarizer is mainly used for anti-reflecting of ambient light, if the reflectance is higher, the effect of anti-reflecting of ambient light is worse, which may affect the display effect of the terminal product, resulting in reflection under heavy external light that interferes with reading. The applicant believes that the reflectance (8%) of the wideband compensation film in the visible light range of the patent I663460 cannot meet the increasingly sophisticated display requirements, especially the current high-resolution and high-quality videos, such as 4K and 8K videos, that have been favored by users. It is worth noting that Table 4 of the patent I663460 discloses a wideband compensation film with a reflectance of about 4-5%. However, compared to the examples in Table 3, the patent I663460 does not clearly specify what factors cause the difference in reflectance, so those of ordinary skill in the art have no idea about how to implement it.
On the other hand, the materials of the chiral-half-wave phase compensation coating film and the chiral-quarter-wave phase compensation coating film of patent I663460 both are made of anisotropic liquid crystal (also called liquid crystal phase retardation layer). At present, the assembly of touch sensing electrodes on the display as a touch display screen is one of the important human-machine interfaces. For the purpose of making the product thinner, the touch sensing electrodes will be integrated and fabricated on other components as possible, and the patent I663460 uses anisotropic liquid crystal, which cannot be directly used as the substrate to support the touch sensing structure during the manufacturing process. In other words, an adhesive layer and/or a supporting substrate must be used as the carrier material to provide the strength of the mechanism. Therefore, the thickness of the touch sensing electrode and the anti-reflection film integrally combined cannot be reduced, which does not follow the current trend of increasingly thinner and lighter displays.
Furthermore, in the optical film industry, in order to achieve efficiency of production and consider adaption of material, a half-wave phase compensation layer (or half-wave plate (HWP)) and quarter-wave phase compensation layer (or quarter-wave plate (QWP)) are made of the same material type. For example, patent I66346 uses the same liquid crystal material to make the chiral-half-wave phase compensation layer and chiral-quarter-wave phase compensation layer. Before this application, there is no document that teaches or recommends the use of combinations of optical films with different materials from the view of solving the problem of how to integrate elements with optical effects and electrical signal functions and how to manufacture the integration of the two components.
Therefore, the present disclosure was provided in view of the above-mentioned problems.

Integrated touch module and touch display device having the same


A method for compensating for communications channel delay asymmetry in a current differential protection system includes determining an apparent sampling clock offset for a communications channel, the apparent sampling clock offset between a first sampling clock and a second sampling clock configured within the current differential protection system. An apparent global positioning system (GPS) clock offset is determined for the communications channel, the apparent GPS clock offset between a plurality of GPS time stamps corresponding to the first and said second sampling clocks. A compensated clock offset is determined by subtracting the apparent GPS clock offset from the apparent sampling clock offset so as to cancel out a channel asymmetry component of deviation in the apparent GPS and sampling clock off-sets.

The present disclosure relates generally to clock synchronization of current differential systems and, more particularly, to a method and system for communications channel delay asymmetry compensation using global positioning system measurements.
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the application of line differential relays to very long power transmission lines by utilities all over the world. This renewed attention to this technique is due, in large part, to the availability of digital differential relays operating over high-speed digital communication channels. The basic operating principle of current differential relaying is to calculate the difference between the currents entering and leaving a protected zone, such that a protection feature is engaged whenever the current difference exceeds a threshold level. Accordingly, line differential relaying requires that the information of the current flowing through each line terminal is made known to all other terminals.
Earlier line differential relays utilized analog communication channels, typically in the form of pilot wires in order to exchange the current values between terminals. The application of an analog line differential scheme over pilot wires was limited to a maximum distance of about 8–10 kilometers, due to several factors such as pilot wire capacitance resistance, extraneously induced voltages (e.g., ground potential rise), etc. On the other hand, the arrival of digital communications allowed relay manufacturers to encode the information exchanged between the relay terminals as logical zeros and ones. Thus, a preferred choice of communication media for digital differential relays has been a direct fiber optic connection, as it provides security and noise immunity.
Many power system monitoring, protection and control functions could be performed more efficiently and accurately if power system digital measurements at multiple locations were synchronized. Generally, such measurements are only somewhat synchronized because of difficulty in accurately synchronizing sampling clocks physically separated by large distances. Conventional uses of digital communications to synchronize sampling clocks at remote locations have accuracies limited by uncertainties in the message delivery time. In particular, digital communications can have different delays in different directions between a pair of locations, which leads to an error in clock synchronization. As such, it is desirable to be able to provide improved clock synchronization at multiple locations, particularly when an asymmetric delay is present in the communication system.

Method and system for communications channel delay asymmetry compensation using global positioning systems


Usability is improved by decreasing the number of notifications to be read in receiving mails including notifications of events. A notification of an event is sent. In one aspect, this comprises receiving, in response to occurrence of an event, a notification of the event; storing, when event data generated from the received notification matches a conditional expression in a profile associated with the event, the notification of the event in a queue associated with at least one of change management information corresponding to the event and a recipient of the change management information; and sending, when an earliest time out of transfer times set in respective notifications stored in the queue has come, all the notifications stored in the queue, to a client that is the recipient, as a single notification.

The present invention relates to techniques for sending a notification of an event. In particular, the present invention relates to sending a notification of an event to a client that is a recipient of change management information corresponding to the event (hereinafter also called a destination client).
In an application involving occurrence of events, for example an application for performing software development in collaboration, every time a team leader generates an event, a notification (e.g., an electronic mail or an instant message) corresponding to the event is sent to a team member who is a recipient (e.g., a reader or subscriber of a change management system).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The invention provides a process for energy recovery through waste classification and calcination, and an apparatus therefor; the process comprises crushing and sorting various types of wastes, and by means of a series of classification, calcination and recovering treatments, recovering and reusing efficiently fuel oil, fuel gas and residues, as well as providing electric power and heat required for the apparatus in the self-supplying feedback system of the invention, and additionally, lowering successfully the secondary pollution from waste disposal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for energy recovery through waste classification and calcination and to apparatus therefor, and in particular, to a process and apparatus for recovering high added-value converted products such as fuel oil, carbon ash, gases and refractory materials through classifying wastes into combustible wastes and plastics wastes and calcining the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, due to diversification in ordinary life, wastes produced by families and factories constantly increase while their types become more complicated. It is known that treatments of different types of wastes are different. However, since sorting of wastes is difficult, the problem of waste disposal is increasingly severe and is a problem that must be resolved immediately.
Conventional waste treatment comprises calcination or landfill without first sorting and treating separately according to types of wastes. Such waste disposal not only pollutes the environment, but also, obviously, can not achieve the goal of energy recovery. Among the types of waste, plastic wastes have become mayor pollutants, owing to their natural undegradability and gradual accumulation. Conventional disposal of plastic wastes comprises calcining, or else sorting for recovery. Wherein, the calcination process consists of burning plastic waste directly, while the sorting recovery process comprises sorting plastic wastes and recovering the reclaimed plastics. The former is purely consumption engineering which requires expensive equipment for preventing secondary public nuisances such as air pollution, while the sorting recovery process has the problem of handling difficulties due to the great variety of types of plastics and additives contained therein. Also, the poor quality of the reclaimed products makes the recovery process impractical.

Processes and apparatus for energy recovering through waste classification and calcination

5F., No.1, Alley 19, Lane 284, Wu-Hsing St.


Process for obtaining nitrogen from air or nitrogen-containing gases by pressure exchange adsorption and desorption on two alternately operated adsorbers filled with carbon molecular sieves, whereby air is passed through the adsorber so that the oxygen is adsorbed and enriched nitrogen is obtained, while at the same time the other adsorber is regenerated by pressure relief, whereby in a first carbon molecular sieve layer (on the air intake side) of the two adsorbers, making up 1/20 to 1/2 of the entire carbon molecular sieve layer, a carbon molecular sieve A is introduced which serves simultaneously for the adsorption of the residual humidity and gas separation, and that in a second (on the air-outlet side) carbon molecular sieve layer a carbon molecular sieve B is introduced serving exclusively for gas separation, and that the carbon molecular sieve A has a relative volume of 3.0 to 3.4 and the carbon molecular sieve B has a relative volume of 2.3 to 2.95.

A pressure swing process for obtaining nitrogen is known from DE 29 32 333 C2.
It is characteristic for carbon molecular sieves to preferentially adsorb the oxygen in the air before adsorbing the nitrogen, so that during an adsorption process, nitrogen of high purity can be obtained. The separation takes place through a molecular sieve effect whereby during the adsorption step the smaller oxygen molecules enter the finest pores of the carbon molecular sieve, while the larger nitrogen molecules can barely enter these pores or are excluded therefrom. As soon as an adsorption bed filled with carbon molecular sieves is extensively saturated with oxygen, the carbon molecular sieve is regenerated in the negative pressure range by relieving the pressure, e.g. to 1 bar ambient pressure, or by applying a vacuum. The oxygen molecules are again removed from the pores of the carbon molecular sieve, whereafter a new adsorption step can be started.
The pressure swing process for obtaining nitrogen from air or nitrogen-containing gases is generally makes use of two or more alternately run adsorbers, wherein the steps of adsorption and desorption are alternately carried out.
In order to make the process more economical, pressure compensation can be introduced between the adsorption and desorption steps, as taught by EP 0 121 042 A2, whereby the lower ends and the upper ends of the adsorber are short-circuited by pipelines, in order to enhance the efficiency of the process. Prior to the renewed adsorption step, a part of the produced product nitrogen can be returned in counterflow to the adsorber, in order to obtain a product gas of higher purity (compare for instance DE 34 33 058 A1).
According to EP 0 085 155 A1, the processes for obtaining nitrogen from air or nitrogen-containing gases by means of carbon molecular sieves are generally performed with dry or at least predried air, because under the influence of air humidity the specific nitrogen extraction rate (m.sup.3 N.sub.2 /m.sup.3 CMS h) decreases sharply during the starting period of the pressure swing installation. The abbreviation CMS in the brackets signifies carbon molecular sieve. Even with predried air, e.g. air dried to a pressure dew point (8.5 bar) of +2.degree. C., the specific nitrogen extraction rate decreases according to research made by the applicant by approximately 514 10% in the first weeks of the pressure swing operation. The results are even less favorable when a pressure swing installation filled with carbon molecular sieves is run with 100% saturated air.
In order to keep the negative influence of humidity within limits, cold driers or adsorption driers are used, by means of which the pressure swing installation is dried to technically valid values, e.g. to a pressure dew point (8.5 bar) of +2.degree. C. Such cold or adsorption driers are provided upstream of the pressure swing installation (compare NATO-ASI-Series E: Applied Sciences, Vol. 158 (1989), P. 269/283)
The lower part of the pressure swing adsorber can be filled with a special drying agent, e.g. aluminum oxide or silica gel, in order to keep the humidity as much as possible away from the carbon molecular sieve (compare for instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,958). However, one then has to accept the disadvantage that the lower part of the pressure swing adsorber is not available for the separation of the air into oxygen and nitrogen. This leads to a lower purity of the product gas, a reduction of the specific nitrogen extraction rate as well as to an increase of the specific energy consumption, since the dead volume occupied by the drying agent also has to be cyclically brought to adsorption pressure.

Process for obtaining nitrogen from air or nitrogen-containing gases by pressure swing adsorption on carbon molecular sieves


An implant for insertion between a pair of spaced vertebrae has two interfitted parts relatively shiftable along an axis and having outer ends turned axially away from each other and each formed with an axially outwardly directed part-spherical convex surface. Formations such as a screwthread engaged between the parts can axially shift them relative to each other and lock their axial positions relative to each other. Respective L-shaped mounting brackets each have one leg extending transversely across the axis and formed with a part-spherical concave seat complementary to and fitting with a respective one of the part outer ends and another leg extending generally axially outward. The brackets are adapted to be fitted to the vertebrae. Fasteners secure each of the other legs to the respective vertebra.

When a vertebra is broken or crushed it is frequently necessary to ablate the body of the crushed or broken vertebra or vertebrae, normally along with the flanking disks. In order, however, to prevent the spinal column from collapsing with damage to the fragile spinal cord running in the vertebral foramen forward of the vertebral body, it is necessary to employ an implanted spacer. This device is braced vertically between the bodies of the adjacent vertebra and holds them apart at the desired spacing. It may even serve to distract two vertebrae which have become too closely spaced due to crushing of a vertebra or disk.
To this end as described in US 2004/0049271, US 2005/0113921, U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,436, and CA 2,216,450 the implant has two parts that can be moved and locked relative to each other along an axis extending between the two disks. This way the implant can be shortened and fitted in place by the surgeon, then extended to lock in place and even distract the adjacent vertebrae.
Frequently after insertion the implant is intended to become fused in place, creating a region including itself and the two adjacent vertebra where the spine is completely rigid. This constitutes a disability that is normally considered more desirable than the condition the implant was inserted to treat.
It has been suggested, however, in US 2004/0210312 and 2005/0060036 to provide some degree of movement in the implant. This eliminates the complete rigidity otherwise produced, but such implants are complex to install and not normally considered a safe treatment for an active person.


Disclosed herein is a method for monitoring performance of equipment located in an automation environment including identifying a sequence of tasks performed by the equipment, wherein each task in the sequence is defined by a series of signals; for each task in the sequence: (a) collecting data pertaining to the series of signals; (b) determining a completion time based on the collected data; and (c) determining a difference between the determined completion time and a predetermined reference value indicative of an expected completion time; repeating (a)-(c) for a plurality of repetitions of the sequence; summing, over the plurality of repetitions of the sequence, at least some of the determined differences to calculate an accumulated variance value for each given task; and selectively generating a predictive failure indication based on the accumulated variance values.

In industrial automation facilities, optimal operation of the facility can partially depend on the equipment monitoring system employed therein. Equipment monitoring systems can collect data from, for example, computational devices (programmable logic controllers, programmable automation controller, etc.) in equipment located throughout the facility. The collected data can assist in, for example, monitoring equipment health, predicting when equipment failure will occur and/or informing operators when equipment failure has occurred. A computer interface, such as a human-machine interface (HMI), may be interconnected with the computational devices to facilitate programming or control thereof, to monitor the computational device, or to provide other such functionality.
Current approaches of data collection include, for example, utilizing an interface (e.g. OPC server, open connectivity, server) with the HMI or other computer to poll data from the computational devices according to a preset time interval. Such an approach may be less than optimal since a large amount of data is collected and stored even when there may be no activity or change in information. Further, since many times the OPC server is configured based on the configuration of the computational device, modifications to the software present on the computational device can prevent accurate data collection.
Other current approaches of data collection include, for example, programming the computational device to transmit data upon detection of a problem using the common industrial protocol (CIP). Although less data will typically be collected and stored using this approach as compared to the above-described polling approach, this is largely a reactive system. Accordingly, for example, data is captured only if the computational device detects an error. Further, simply collecting this error data may not permit an operator to engage in playback (i.e. replicate equipment performance) because complete performance data may not be have been transmitted by the computational device.


A method for periodically reactivating copper-containing catalyst material includes applying an oxygen-containing gas stream to the catalyst material for reactivation purposes. When the reactor is in the warm operating state, the application of the oxygen-containing gas stream to the catalyst material is interrupted when the monitored temperature of the catalyst material exceeds a maximum level which is a predeterminable tolerance level above a predetermined operating temperature. In cold-start phases, initially a mixture of a fuel and an oxygen-containing gas stream is fed to the catalyst material, until the monitored temperature of the catalyst material exceeds a predeterminable switch-over level, after which only the oxygen-containing gas stream is supplied. To keep the reactor warm after operation has ended, the reactivation can be activated each time the temperature falls below a further threshold level.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 199 44 536.2, filed Sep. 17, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a method for periodically reactivating copper-containing catalyst material which is introduced into a reactor for the catalytic conversion of a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivative starting material by an oxidation and/or a reforming conversion reaction and is gradually deactivated by the conversion reaction.
Copper-containing catalyst materials are used, for example, in reactors which are used in fuel cell vehicles for obtaining hydrogen through the catalytic conversion of methanol or the like by a partial oxidation reaction and/or a steam reforming reaction. It is known that the catalyst material is gradually deactivated by the methanol conversion reaction. Various methods for the periodic reactivation of the catalyst material are known to enable it to substantially regain its original activity.
One of these known reactivation techniques comprises applying an oxygen-containing gas stream, e.g. air, to the deactivated catalyst material. It is specifically proposed in DE-B1 246 688 for normal reactor operation, during which steam reforming of methanol is carried out at a temperature of from 150xc2x0 C. to 400xc2x0 C. in the reactor, to be periodically interrupted and for the catalyst material to be regenerated (i.e. reactivated) through the application of the oxygen-containing gas stream at a temperature in the range from 150xc2x0 C. to 450xc2x0 C. A hydrogen-containing gas stream is then applied to the catalyst material before normal methanol conversion operation continues. In publication JP 4-200642 (A), it is proposed to apply an oxygen-containing gas stream, which contains at most 5 mol % molecular oxygen, at a temperature of between 120xc2x0 C. and 650xc2x0 C., to reactivate the copper-containing catalyst material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,267 discloses a two-stage reactivation method in which an oxygen-containing gas stream which contains at least 1 vol % of oxygen is initially applied to a deactivated, copper-containing catalyst material at a temperature of between 275xc2x0 C. and 400xc2x0 C., for a period of approximately two hours to eighteen hours. The catalyst material which has been oxidised in this way is then subjected to a reducing treatment in a reducing atmosphere, at a temperature of between 100xc2x0 C. and 400xc2x0 C., for a period of approximately two hours to three hours.
DE 1246688 discloses a method for the catalytic steam reforming of methanol. In reaction phases that are periodically interrupted by regeneration phases, the starting steam mixture is catalytically converted at 150xc2x0 C. to 400xc2x0 C., preferably at 240xc2x0 C. to 270xc2x0 C. In the regeneration phases, the catalyst system, which preferably comprises a nickel catalyst and a zinc-/copper- containing catalyst in separate reactors, is regenerated by treatment with an oxygen-containing gas at elevated temperatures, preferably at temperatures in the range from 150xc2x0 C. to 450xc2x0 C. Before the methanol conversion reaction is restarted, it is possible to pass a hydrogen-containing gas across the catalyst beds at elevated temperatures in order to reactivate the nickel catalyst.
DE-B-1094244 describes a method for the regeneration of a catalyst comprising copper and sodium silicate by oxidation of a carbon-containing residue which has been deposited thereon. A hot, oxidizing gas which contains less than 1.5 vol % molecular oxygen is passed over the catalyst, while substantially avoiding condensation of steam, at a temperature which is above 105xc2x0 C. but below the sintering temperature of the copper, which is dependent on the amount of sodium silicate. The regeneration operation is only ended when the copper has been virtually completely oxidized to form copper oxide. Then, the temperature is increased to a temperature which is above the sintering temperature of copper but below 425xc2x0 C. and the oxygen-containing gas continues to be passed through.
The present invention is based on the technical problem of providing a method in which a catalyst material that is gradually deactivated in normal operation can be reactivated relatively easily and effectively and which is also eminently suitable for mobile use, for example in fuel cell vehicles, without significantly disrupting driving operation these vehicles.
A method according to the present invention relates specifically to the warm operating state of the reactor containing the catalyst material. An oxygen-containing gas stream is applied to he catalyst material for the purpose of reactivating the catalyst material and is always interrupted at the latest when a monitored temperature of the catalyst material exceeds a maximum level which is more than a predeterminable tolerance level above an operating temperature. The operating temperature that is predetermined for the conversion reaction of the hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivative starting material. For example, a reactivation sequence comprises relatively short pulses of the oxygen-containing gas stream being applied to the catalyst material.
The catalyst material heats up as a result of the oxygen-containing gas stream due to exothermic oxidation processes (e.g., oxidation of the copper and/or deposits on the catalyst material). The catalyst material cools back down to below the predeterminable maximum temperature level in the periods between successive pulses of oxygen-containing gas stream. In this way, the catalyst material is prevented from overheating.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an air stream which is diluted with steam is used as the oxygen-containing gas stream for the reactivation of the copper-containing catalyst material. The dilution enables the duration of the individual application cycles of the oxygen-containing gas stream to be lengthened compared to the use of undiluted air or a gas stream with an even higher oxygen content, without the temperature of the catalyst material rising beyond the predetermined maximum level. If appropriate, the dilution may be so great that the entire reactivation operation can be carried out without interrupting the application of the oxygen-containing gas stream to the catalyst material.
Steam may also be used as an intermediate purge media before and/or after the application of the oxygen-containing gas stream. In this way, it is possible to prevent oxygen and the starting material which is to be catalytically converted from coming together in exothermic stoichiometric proportions which, as a result of oxidation of starting material, would lead to even more intensive heating of the catalyst material. Particularly in the case of mobile use in fuel cell vehicles, the use of water as a diluting medium or intermediate purge medium has the advantage of it already being present for the steam reforming reaction of the starting material, such as for example methanol.
When a reactor is used in a vehicle, the reactivation is preferably started when a refuelling operation is detected. Since a refuelling operation requires a predictable time, there is no need to worry about the reactivation interfering with normal operation. Alternatively, of course the reactivation can be initiated by the driver.
The method according to the present invention may also be used for cold-start phases of the reactor. In this case, a mixture of a fuel and an oxygen-containing gas stream is initially applied to the catalyst material, resulting in exothermic oxidation of the fuel and, at the same time, oxidation of the catalyst and/or deposition on the catalyst. As a result of the two exothermic processes, the catalyst material relatively quickly reaches a temperature at which the catalyst oxidation and/or the oxidation of the deposits can take place with sufficient efficiency, after which the supply of the fuel is ended and only the oxygen-containing gas stream is applied to the catalyst material. The temperature at which the change to only the oxygen-containing gas stream is supplied is typically significantly below the operating temperature level for the normal catalytic conversion reaction of the starting material. The supply of the oxygen-containing gas stream is ended at the latest when the monitored temperature of the catalyst material exceeds the predeterminable maximum level, provided that the reactivation operation has not already been terminated as a result of the catalyst material having regained its fresh, reactivated state.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the oxygen content in the mixture which is initially supplied to the catalyst material is set at significantly superstoichiometric proportions. Furthermore, it may be advantageous for the stoichiometry of the gas stream not to be suddenly switched over from a predetermined level to zero, but rather for the stoichiometry to be changed as early as during the cold-start phase. In this case, the ratio between the mass flow rate of fuel FB and the mass flow rate of oxygen FO. may range from substoichiometric combustion (FB/FO greater than 2/3 with methanol as the fuel) to a fuel-free gas mixture (FB/FO=0) and may be set variably during start-up.
In a further embodiment of the reactivation method for reactor cold-start phases, the temperature switch-over level for switching over to supplying only the oxygen-containing gas stream is in the range between 100xc2x0 C. and 200xc2x0 C., preferably in the region of 150xc2x0 C. This temperature is still significantly below the typical operating temperature level of approximately 200xc2x0 C. to 350xc2x0 C. for a steam reforming of methanol.
Further, when the method starts, it is additionally possible to record the temperature of the catalyst material and to compare it with a second, lower threshold. When the temperature exceeds this second threshold, the method is started directly through the addition of the oxygen-rich gas stream. This delineation between a cold start and a warm start makes it possible to save fuel.
Another embodiment of the present invention keeps a reactor warm after operation has ended. In this case, the temperature of the catalyst material is continually monitored. Whenever the temperature falls below a third, lower threshold, an oxygen-containing gas stream is applied to the catalyst material until the monitored temperature of the catalyst material exceeds the predeterminable maximum level. The third, lower threshold is selected such that spontaneous oxidation with the oxygen-containing gas stream is ensured. With this method, it is possible to keep the reactor warm during prolonged pauses without consuming fuel.
The tolerance level by which the maximum temperature of the catalyst material may exceed the normal temperature level of the fuel conversion during the reactivation is fixed to at most approximately 100 K, preferably at most approximately 20 K. This allows the normal operating temperature of the catalyst material to be exceeded for short times without damage while it is being reactivated.
Advantageous ways of realizing the method according to the present invention are described below by way of example and to represent further ways which will become obvious to the person skilled in the art employing the teaching according to the invention. The examples of the method can be used in particular for periodic reactivation of a copper-containing catalyst material which is situated in a reforming reactor of a fuel cell vehicle. Mobile reforming reactors of this type are used to obtain the hydrogen which is required for the fuel cells from methanol or another hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivative fuel, with the participation of steam, by an oxidation and/or reforming reaction.

Method for periodically reactivating a copper-containing catalyst material


A circuit arrangement according to the invention for operating a discharge lamp (I) comprises a DC/AC converter (II) provided with a series circuit with a first and a second switching element, (1, 1', respectively) between a first and a second input terminal (5, 5', respectively) for connection to a DC voltage source, and with a starting circuit (F) with a first resistive means (R1) between the first input terminal (5) and the control electrode (2) of the first switching element (1). The DC/AC converter is also provided with a second resistive element (R2) which together with the first resistive element (R1) form a voltage divider between the input terminals (5, 5'). The power dissipation in the DC/AC converter is reduced thereby.

The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp, comprising a DC/AC converter provided with:
a series arrangement of a first and a second switching element between a first and a second input terminal for connection to a DC voltage source, which switching elements each have a control electrode and a main electrode, PA1 a load branch with at least a primary winding of a transformer, inductive means, and output terminals for connecting the lamp, a first end of said load branch being connected to a junction point situated in the series arrangement and a second end to an input terminal, PA1 a first and a second secondary winding of the transformer between the control electrode of the first switching element and the main electrode of the second switching element, PA1 a starting circuit with first resistive means between the first input terminal and the control electrode of the first switching element, and with first capacitive means connected in series with the first secondary winding between the control electrode and the main electrode of the first switching element.
Such a circuit arrangement is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,383. The starter circuit initiates an oscillation of the DC/AC converter after switching-on of the circuit arrangement.
The secondary windings of the transformer each have a comparatively large number of turns compared with the primary winding, and a series arrangement of two zener diodes connected in mutually opposed directions and having a comparatively low breakdown voltage is included between the control electrode and the main electrode of each switching element. The voltage between the control electrode and the main electrode, called control voltage hereinafter, as a result has a substantially square-wave characteristic. The switching time which elapses between the moment the control voltage has a zero passage and the moment the control voltage exceeds the threshold voltage, i.e. the voltage at which the switching element becomes conductive is short as a result. It is realized thereby that the switching elements are in the conductive state for approximately the same duration.
It is a disadvantage in the known circuit arrangement that comparatively much power is dissipated in the zener diodes which limit the control voltage of the switching elements. Not only does this detract from the efficiency of the switching arrangement, but the accompanying heat generation also hampers a miniaturization of the circuit arrangement. If the secondary windings of the coil have comparatively few turns, the control voltage need not be limited, so that zener diodes may be omitted or serve as a protection only during lamp ignition. The power dissipation in the zener diodes is negligibly small then. The gradient of the control voltage, however, is much more gradual then. Comparatively small differences in the threshold voltage of the switching elements may then lead to comparatively major differences in the time of conduction, i.e. the duration of the conductive state. The result of this is that the power dissipation in the switching elements increases.

Circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp


A developing treatment apparatus for performing a developing treatment on a treatment object substrate. The developing treatment apparatus includes: a rotating and holding part that holds and rotates the treatment object substrate; a discharger that discharges a predetermined solution relating to the developing treatment to the treatment object substrate held on the rotating and holding part; and a destaticizer that supplies ions ionized by an X-ray to the predetermined solution discharged to the treatment object substrate held on the rotating and holding part, to destaticize the predetermined solution.

Patent Document 1 discloses a developing solution supply apparatus which supplies butyl acetate as a developing solution via a solution supply path formed of an insulating member to a developing treatment apparatus which performed a developing treatment on a substrate. In the developing solution supply apparatus, an electrostatically charged state of the developing solution is observed in order to prevent the occurrence of leakage of the developing solution because of dielectric breakdown of the solution supply path due to many electric charges occurring in the solution supply path caused by the friction between the developing solution and the solution supply path in the case where the volume resistivity of butyl acetate or the like is high.

Developing treatment apparatus and developing treatment method


When a soft magnetic layer for a double layer type perpendicular magnetic recording medium is formed by a plating method, there is the problem of the occurrence of an isolated pulse noise called spike noise so that signal reproduction characteristics are lost. In order to solve this problem, provided are a surface-treated substrate for a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate having a diameter of not more than 90 mm, and a soft magnetic plating layer comprising an alloy of at least two metals selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni and Fe, which is provided above the substrate, wherein the soft magnetic layer has a coercivity of less than 20 oersted (Oe) in a direction that is parallel to a substrate surface, and wherein a ratio of saturation magnetization to residual magnetization in a direction that is parallel to a surface of the substrate is from 4:1 to 4:3; and a magnetic recording medium comprising the magnetic recording medium substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate for a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic recording medium which comprises a recording layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of magnetic recording, hard disk devices are indispensable as primary external recording devices of computers, for example personal computers, for recording information. Accompanying an increase in hard disk drive recording densities, development of perpendicular types of magnetic recording which allow a higher recording density is progressing, replacing conventional longitudinal magnetic recording methods.
In perpendicular magnetic recording, a magnetic field from an adjacent bit is in the same direction as the magnetizing direction, forming a closed magnetic circuit between the adjacent bits, and self-reducing magnetic field (referred to below as a "demagnetizing field") caused by its own magnetic field is less than in horizontal magnetic recording, stabilizing the magnetizing condition.
In perpendicular magnetic recording there is no particular necessity to make the magnetic film thin with increases in recording density. From these points, because perpendicular magnetic recording can reduce the demagnetizing field and secure the KuV values wherein Ku represents anisotropic energy, and particularly crystalline magnetic anisotropic energy in the case of magnetic recording, and V represents a unit recording bit volume, it has stability against magnetization by thermal fluctuations, and it can be said that this is a recording method that makes it possible to push the recording limit significantly upward. As recording media, perpendicular recording media have a high affinity with horizontal recording media, and it is possible to use basically the same technology as was used conventionally in both reading and writing of magnetic recording.
As for perpendicular magnetic recording media, there has been extensive investigation into double layered perpendicular magnetic recording media in which, in addition to a recording layer, a soft magnetic lining layer (typically permalloy or the like), a recording layer (for which candidate materials include CoCr-based alloy, a multi-layer film of alternating laminated layers of ultra thin films of PtCo layer and Pd and Co, and SmCo amorphous film), a protective layer and a lubricating layer are layered in this order on a substrate.
The double layered perpendicular magnetic recording medium has much better writing properties than a perpendicular magnetic recording medium having only a recording layer as a magnetic functional layer.
It is necessary that the lining layer of the double layered perpendicular magnetic recording medium is soft magnetic, and has a film thickness of at least 100 nm to about 500 nm. The soft magnetic lining layer is the conductive path not only for magnetic flux from the recording film above it, but also for the writing flux from the recording head. Because of this, it plays the same roll as an iron yoke in the magnetic circuit of a permanent magnet so that it has to be much thicker than the recording layer.
Compared to the formation of non-magnetic Cr-based primer film in a horizontal recording medium, the formation of the soft magnetic lining film of the double layered perpendicular recording medium is not simple. Ordinarily, the films constituting a horizontal recording medium are all formed by a dry process (principally by magnetron sputtering) (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 5-143972/1993). Methods for forming not only the recording layer but also a soft magnetic layer by dry processing have been investigated for the double layered perpendicular recording medium as well. However, from the aspect of mass-production and productivity, there are large problems with forming soft magnetic layers by dry processing because of process stability, the complexity of parameter settings, and more than anything else, process speed. Furthermore, for the purpose of achieving higher densities, it is necessary to make the height at which the head floats above the surface of the magnetic disk, the flying height, as low as possible and in the manufacture of the double layered perpendicular magnetic recording medium, it is necessary to cover the substrate with a metal film of such a thickness that it can be leveled by grinding. However, because the adhesion of a thick film obtained by a dry process is low, leveling by grinding is very problematic. Thus, various tests were performed to cover a non-magnetic substrate with a metal film by a plating method, with which a thick film can be formed more easily than by vacuum deposition.


Polypeptides and multimeric polypeptides capable of binding interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interluekin-13 (IL-13) which are useful therapeutically in methods of treating IL-4 and IL-13-related conditions or diseases.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention encompasses IL-4/IL-13-specific polypeptides, as well as therapeutic uses of such polypeptides for inhibiting IL-4 and/or IL-13 activity.
2. Description of Related Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,472,179 Stahl et al. describe cytokine fusion protein fusion polypeptides capable of binding a cytokine to form a nonfunctional complex composed of two receptor components and a multimerizing component. The interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα), and the IL-13 receptor alpha component (IL-13Rα), are described, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,856,296, and 5,840,869, and EP 876482, which publications are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.

IL-4/IL-13 specific polypeptides and therapeutic uses thereof


A dialkyl carbonate (e.g., dimethyl carbonate) is prepared at a high yield and a high selectivity by decarbonylation of a dialkyl oxalate (e.g., dimethyl oxalate) in a gaseous phase in the presence of an alkali metal compound (e.g., potassium carbonate).

The dialkyl carbonate is utilized in industry to prepare pharmaceutically active compounds, agricultural chemicals, urethane, and polycarbonate or is as such utilized as a solvent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,507 discloses that the dialkyl carbonate can be prepared by heating a dialkyl oxalate in a liquid phase at a temperature of 50 to 150.degree. C. in the presence of an alcoholate catalyst, by which the dialkyl oxalate is decarbonylated. This preparation process in the liquid phase has disadvantageous features in that separation and recovery of the produced dialkyl carbonate and the catalyst from the reaction mixture require complicated procedures. Moreover, this process is not satisfactory from the viewpoint of industrial production, because the yield of the target dialkyl carbonate is low and further the selectivity to the target dialkyl carbonate is low due to accompanying side-reactions which give various by-products.

Process for preparing a dialkyl carbonate by gas-phase decarbonylation of dialkyl oxalate


A system and method for facilitating the formation of electrical connections between wired drill pipes is provided. Wired drill pipes comprise connection ends that each have a plurality of independent conductors. The independent conductors are arranged to enable a plurality of conductive connections between adjacent wired drill pipes when the wired drill pipes are physically connected.

In a variety of wellbore drilling operations, wired drill pipe is used to carry signals along the wellbore. Each wired drill pipe comprises conductive end connections that enable the connection of a series of wired drill pipes to form a wired drill string. The wired drill pipe is deployed by a drilling system having a rig, such as a land-based rig or an off-shore rig. The drill string is suspended in the wellbore by the rig; and a drill bit at the lower end of the drill string is used for drilling the wellbore.
Electrical connections between wired drill pipes are formed via a variety of mechanisms and in various configurations. For example, electrical connections between drill pipes have been created with the aid of several types of springs. However, such spring connections can have problems with long-term reliability, mating alignment, and other issues.
In other applications, inductive couplers have been used to enable transfer of signals along wired drill strings, and those connections are useful in many environments. However, inductors effectively amplify the connection resistance by the square of the number of turns in the inductor. For example, with 100 turn inductors, 10 milliohms of connection resistance effectively becomes 10 ohms of connection resistance when reflected through the inductors. As a result, very low connection resistance is desired, but low connection resistance is nearly impossible when forming wired drill pipe connections in the field. Debris between connectors, glazing, corrosion, and other effects can also increase the connection resistance.

System and method for connecting wired drill pipe


An ironing system for guests of the hospitality industry that is not only compact in size, for storage in a guest room closet, but is also convenient and safe to use when the guest needs to press garments or other articles of wearing apparel. By combining the customary iron and the usual ironing board with a specially constructed iron holder and tethering arrangement, property damage and loss is contained, all to the benefit of management and guest alike.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to improvements in ironing systems provided by the hospitality industry to guests.
2. Prior Art
Most of the better hotels, motels, inns, resorts and other members of the hospitality industry provide guests with irons and ironing boards to enable the guests to press garments. Usually, the ironing board is located in a guest room closet supported by a bracket mounted on the closet wall. Nearby, the iron is stored, usually in vertical attitude, in some form of housing affixed to the closet wall.
In order to press wearing apparel, it is merely necessary to lift the ironing board from the bracket, carry it to a location in the room that is close to a wall outlet, unfold the board to a convenient height and plug in the iron brought from the housing.
While this amenity is a welcome addition to any accommodation, risk to the guest and damage to the property is an ever present possibility in the typical prior art installation just described. More specifically, guests are sometimes prone to remove the iron from the closet and, instead of using the ironing board provided, will connect the iron to an electrical outlet and press their garments on the bed spread, bed sheet, or on the carpet or on a towel placed on a desk, dresser or other handy article of furniture. Not only does this practice often result in scorching the spread, sheet, carpet, towel, or furniture, but it sometimes causes fires when the guest leaves the room and forgets to disconnect the iron.
Furthermore, it is not unknown for a guest to check out with the iron concealed in the guest's luggage.
Although not of paramount consideration in the overall operation, scorch damage to the property and theft of the iron itself are of on-going concern to management. These problems are unfortunately inherent in the ironing systems heretofore used.
Nine U.S. patents were made of record in a co-pending design patent application, Ser. No. 29/061,365, filed by applicants herein on Oct. 11, 1996, for the Iron Holder, one of the key components of the present invention.
The nine cited patents are identified as follows:
Echols Des. 211,124 PA1 Wilson et al. Des. 211,603 PA1 Larkins Des. 2,514,400 PA1 Sitnick et al. Des. 2,528,846 PA1 Wentz Des. 3,136,516 PA1 Inverso Des. 3,176,947 PA1 Agrusa Des. 3,477,672 PA1 Kocsak Des. 3,951,369 PA1 Lomagno Des. 3,967,802
It is believed that the present invention is neither anticipated by nor rendered obvious by the art cited above, copies of which accompany the Information Disclosure Statement.

Combined iron, iron holder and ironing board


A device, system, and method for capturing email borne viruses are disclosed. In one form an input device such as a keyboard, coupled to a system includes an email function button and a identification key uniquely identifying the keyboard. The keyboard's identification key may be used with a system's email software program to authenticate the origin of initiation of an email communication.

Electronic communication is often transmitted in the form of emails to recipients via various networks and devices. Computer systems are coupled to one or more networks such as the Internet or an Intranet and receive emails on a periodic basis. Wireless devices such as personal digital assistance (PDAs) and wireless phones may also receive emails via wireless networks which may be coupled to the Internet or an Intranet.
Such devices receiving emails may be vulnerable to email borne viruses that may be received by users. For example, a user may open an email having the virus allowing the virus to damage the user's system, device, files, etc. Current defenses against such virus's include system administrators warning users of the virus (i.e. via email, voicemail, etc.) with hopes that a user does not open the email having the virus. Other solutions include rapidly developing and distributing an anti-virus program to detect the virus open receipt.

Device, system, and method for capturing email borne viruses


A method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage media for managing orphan tokens in a business process system. The method may include a first business process system template being compared by computer to a second business process system template. The method may include predicting by computer at least one predicted orphan token that would be orphaned if the business process system is migrated to the second business process system template from the first business process system template. The method may include further generating by computer an orphan token policy file to manage orphan tokens, and modifying a migration file using the orphan token policy file.

Modern computer systems often use software to organize and monitor business processes. Often software is updated to correct errors, add features, or improve user interface. Software used for organization and monitoring of business processes may also be upgraded or updated to account for changes in law, business practices, organizational structures, and business policies. The updating of such software is often known as a migration, as information from one version is transferred or used in the next.

Orphan token management during in-flight process system migration

International Business Machines Corporation


In order to obtain an electric-discharge-machining power supply apparatus that can flow discharge current pulses through the machining gap uniformly and efficiently, and can realize reduction of the amount of electrode wear in machining in the alternate current pulse system, in an electric-discharge-machining power supply apparatus (2) for applying electric-discharge-machining pulse voltage to a machining gap between a machining electrode (8) and an object (9) to be machined, wherein a circuit (22) composed of a parallel connection of a rectifying element (24) and a resistive element (23) is inserted in series along a wiring path extending from an electric-discharge pulse generating unit (6) to the machining gap, and the rectifying element (23) is so connected as to cause machining pulse currents to flow in an intended direction during the electric discharge generation.

A power supply apparatus for electric-discharge machining using an alternate-current pulse system in which voltage of positive and negative polarities is applied across the gap between an object to be machined and a machining electrode is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55117/1991
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55117/1991

Electric-discharge-machining power supply apparatus and small-hole electric-discharge machining apparatus


An efficient permanent magnet rotor for a brushless motor has a yoke (2) formed by laminating many steel sheets (4) so as to provide an even number of magnetic poles projected externally, filed permanent magnets (3) inserted in the magnetic poles, bridges (10) provided at either end of the permanent magnets and having a width, among a first minimum width below which said bridges cannot be punched out without breaking, a maximum width at which an allowable maximum number of magnetic fluxes passes through said bridges, and a second minimum width below which said bridges cannot withstand a centrifugal force caused by rotation of said permanent magnet rotor, (1) equal to or larger than the greater one of the first and second minimum widths and smaller than the maximum width when the first and second minimum widths are equal to or smaller than the maximum width, or (2) equal to or larger than the greater one of the first and second minimum widths when said greater one of the first and second minimum widths is equal to or larger than the maximum width, and (3) equal to or larger than the thickness of each of said steel sheets.

Generally known brushless motors consist of a permanent magnet rotor which has a plurality of permanent magnets for a field inserted in a yoke made by laminating steel sheets and a stator which has magnetic poles opposing to the outer periphery of magnetic poles of the above permanent magnet rotor with a small space therebetween.
FIG. 35 is a sectional view in a direction intersecting at right angles with the rotatable shaft of a brushless motor using a conventional permanent magnet rotor. In this drawing, a conventional brushless motor 51 consists of a stator 52 and a permanent magnet rotor 53. The stator 52 has the permanent magnet rotor 53 rotatably supported therein and many stator magnetic poles 54 protruded inward. The stator magnetic poles 54 have a coil (not shown) wound thereon. Passing a current through the coil excites a prescribed magnetic pole of the stator magnetic poles 54. A magnetic pole face 55 at the end of the stator magnetic poles 54 is positioned above a cylindrical face at an equal distance from the center of a rotatable shaft 56 of the motor.
The permanent magnet rotor 53 consists of a yoke 57 made by laminating many steel sheets and a pair of permanent magnets 58 for a field. The yoke 57 has four magnetic poles 59 protruded externally on its outer periphery, and the permanent magnets 58 for the field are inserted in every other bases of the magnetic poles 59 with N poles opposed to each other. A magnetic pole face 60 at the end of each magnetic pole 59 is formed to have a curved shape at an equal distance from the center of the rotatable shaft 56, and opposed to the magnetic pole face 55 at an equal distance at every point on the face of the rotatable magnetic pole face 60.
In the above permanent magnet rotor 53, the repulsion of the N poles of the permanent magnets 58 for the field causes the magnetic fluxes to get out of the magnetic pole faces 60 without the permanent magnet for the field as shown in the drawing, to pass through the stator, and to enter the yoke 57 from the magnetic pole faces 60 with the permanent magnet for the field. Accordingly, the magnetic poles having the permanent magnet of the permanent magnet rotor 53 become S pole, and those not having the permanent magnet of the permanent magnet rotor 53 become N pole.
As shown in the drawing, the permanent magnet rotor 53 is rotated by exciting the stator magnetic poles 54, which have been slightly deviated in the rotating direction from the center of the magnetic poles 59 of the permanent magnet rotor 53, to N pole. The permanent magnet rotor 53 is rotated by being attracted to the excited stator magnetic poles 54. Then, the stator magnetic poles 54 which are further displaced with respect to the rotated permanent magnet rotor 53 are excited to N pole. The permanent magnet rotor 53 is further rotated by being attracted to the newly excited stator magnetic poles 54. This procedure is repeated to continuously rotate the permanent magnet rotor 53.
The known conventional brushless motor uses a back electromotive force generated by the rotation of the permanent magnet rotor 53 to determine the position of the above permanent magnet rotor. Specifically, the rotation of the permanent magnet rotor 53 causes the magnetic fluxes of the permanent magnets 58 for the field to cross the coils (not shown) wound on the magnetic pole faces 55 of the stator 52 to generate the back electromotive force in the coils of the stator 52. The position of the back electromotive force is detected to detect the position of each permanent magnet for a field of the permanent magnet rotor 53, and the position of the magnetic poles to be excited on the stator side is determined and excited.
FIG. 36 shows a conventional permanent magnet rotor in an exploded state. A conventional permanent magnet rotor 53 has a yoke 57 and permanent magnets 58 for a field. The yoke 57 is formed by laminating a large number of steel sheets 61. The yoke 57 has magnetic poles 57 formed on the outer periphery, and at the bases of the magnetic poles 59, slots 62 are respectively formed to insert the permanent magnets 58 for the field. Furthermore, each steel sheet 61 is pressed to form caulking sections 63 recessed in the form of a rectangle. The steel sheets 61 are integrally laminated by mutually press-fitting the caulking sections 63.
The permanent magnets 58 for the field are formed to a size capable of being housed in the slots 62. In assembling the permanent magnet rotor 53, an adhesive is applied to the surfaces of the permanent magnets 58 for the field, which are then inserted in the slots 62 with their same magnetic poles opposed to each other as shown in the drawing. Arrows Q in the drawing indicate the directions that the permanent magnets 58 for the field are inserted.
On the other hand, for the permanent magnet rotor 53 which cannot use an adhesive because of its application conditions, the permanent magnets 58 for the field are formed so as to be fitted in the slots 62 without leaving any gap. To assemble the permanent magnet rotor 53, the permanent magnets 58 for the field are pushed in the directions Q shown in the drawing by a pneumatic device so as to be forced into the slots 62. Therefore, a force is applied, in centrifugal directions R, to bridges 64 connecting the leading end of the magnetic pole and the base of the magnetic pole at both ends of the slot.
FIG. 37 shows a permanent magnet rotor in an exploded state developed by the present applicant. It is shown that engagement pawls 62a are formed to protrude to engage with a permanent magnet 58 for a field on the inner periphery of slots 62 for inserting the permanent magnet for the field. The permanent magnet 58 for the field can be inserted in the slots 62, and has a sectional shape to engage with the engagement pawls 62a.
With the above permanent magnet rotor, the permanent magnet 58 for the field is engaged with the engagement pawls 62a only and its frictional resistance is small, allowing to press-fit the permanent magnet 58 for the field into the yoke 57 by a small pressing force. And, when the permanent magnet 58 for the field is press-fitted into the yoke 57, the engagement pawls 62a can hold the permanent magnet 58 for the field to prevent it from coming out.
In the above prior arts, the permanent magnet rotors which apply an adhesive to the outer periphery of the permanent magnets for the field before inserting in the slots of the yoke have disadvantages that the adhesive is dissolved with a refrigerant or pressurizing fluid and the permanent magnets for the field come out.
On the other hand, in the conventional permanent magnet rotor which directly forces the permanent magnets for the field into the slots of the yoke without using an adhesive, a large force is used to press-fit the permanent magnets for the field, and this force sometimes breaks the permanent magnets for the field, or an inserting force is applied to the bridges in the centrifugal directions, possibly resulting in their breakage. And, the above permanent magnet rotor is required to have a high processing precision for fitting the permanent magnets for the field in the slots of the yoke in view of a dimensional tolerance, making it difficult to produce the permanent magnet rotor. Besides, the intimate contact of the permanent magnets for the field with the bridges at both ends of the slots causes the magnetic fluxes of the permanent magnets for the field to leak at the bridges and prevent them from passing the outside space of the magnetic poles, resulting in no cross of the magnetic fluxes with the stator of a motor. Therefore, the magnetic fluxes do not produce a force for rotating the permanent magnet rotor. And, the leakage of the magnetic fluxes at the bridges generates heat due to a core loss.
In view of the above, an object of this invention is to provide a permanent magnet rotor which prevents the permanent magnets for the field from being come out due to a refrigerant or pressurizing fluid, makes positioning of the permanent magnets for the field, can be produced easily, and has high performance.
And, the permanent magnet rotor (see FIG. 37) invented by the applicant has an advantage that a force for press-fitting the permanent magnets for the field is reduced extensively. But, the engagement pawls of each steel sheet are gradually bent in the press-fitting direction when the permanent magnet for the field is press-fitted, this bending of the engagement pawls is accumulated to heavily bend the engagement pawls at the end in the laminating direction of the yoke, and this bending exceeds a binding force of the caulking sections of the steel sheets to partly separate the steel sheets. Besides, in a conventional permanent magnet rotor, because of different tolerances of the permanent magnet for the field and the yoke length in the axial direction, the leading end of the permanent magnet for the field does not completely engage with the engagement pawls of the steel sheets at the end of the yoke when the permanent magnet for the field is shorter than the yoke, resulting in an unstable press-fitted state and sometimes separating the steel sheets due to vibration or the like.
Accordingly, another object of this invention is to remedy the unsolved problems of the permanent magnet rotor invented by the present applicant and to provide a permanent magnet rotor of a brushless motor in which the permanent magnet for the field can be inserted by a small pressing force and prevented from coming out, and the steel sheets at the end of the yoke are not separated when press-fitting the permanent magnet for the field and using, and to provide a method for producing it.
Furthermore, in the above permanent magnet rotor (see FIG. 37) invented by the applicant, part of the magnetic fluxes of the permanent magnet for the field getting out from the N poles passes through the bridges of the yoke to reach the P poles of the permanent magnet for the field. The magnetic fluxes passing through the bridges do not cross the stator of a motor and do not contribute to rotate the permanent magnet rotor. Therefore, the efficiency of the magnetic force of the permanent magnets for the field is lowered in inverse proportion to the magnetic fluxes of the permanent magnets for the field passing through the bridges.
On the other hand, the reduction of the sectional areas of the bridges of the yoke can reduce the number of magnetic fluxes passing through the bridges. This is because the number of magnetic fluxes passing through the bridges is determined from the product of a flux density determined according to the yoke material by a sectional area of the bridges.
But, in the yoke formed by laminating the steel sheets, the steel sheets forming the yoke are generally formed by a punch-out process, but it is quite difficult to punch out the steel sheets for the yoke having the bridges with a very small sectional area. Besides, in the yoke having the bridges with a very small sectional area, the bridges of the yoke are required to have a high mechanical strength because the magnetic poles and the permanent magnets for the field suffer from a centrifugal breakage due to the centrifugal force when the yoke is rotated at a high speed. And when the bridges have a high mechanical strength, there is a disadvantage that the utilization efficiency of the permanent magnets for the field is lowered.
In view of the above, another object of this invention is, in a permanent magnet rotor of a brushless motor having permanent magnets for a field, to provide a permanent magnet rotor which forms a yoke by a plurality of steel sheets laminated, and has an optimum bridge width of the yoke among a width which can be punched out, a width allowable in view of the number of passing magnetic fluxes, and a width allowable in view of a mechanical strength by a centrifugal force.
Besides, in a conventional permanent magnet rotor, the magnetic fluxes of the permanent magnets for the field are concentrated on a position deviated in the rotating direction from the circumferential center of the magnetic poles due to the relation between the bridge width and the width in a radial direction at the magnetic poles, or the relative positional relation of the permanent magnet rotor and the stator of the brushless motor, the back electromotive force generated by the magnetic fluxes is detected earlier than the actual position of the permanent magnets for the field, the magnetic poles of the stator are excited earlier than a prescribed timing, and the permanent magnet rotor has a failure in its rotation.
In view of the above, another object of the invention is to provide a permanent magnet rotor which is formed to concentrate the magnetic fluxes of a magnet for a field to a prescribed position of a magnetic pole and can accurately detect the position of the magnetic pole.

Efficient permanent magnet rotor for brushless motor