An improved small animal restraint device is provided which enables an inidual to conduct ocular examinations of a small animal. The device minimizes manipulation of the eyes of the animal and eliminates recovery time associated with anesthetics, while also reducing examination time. The restraint device comprises a cylinder having a longitudinal slot in the wall thereof. A conical member which is attached to one end of the cylinder includes a pair of eye openings in the upper wall thereof and a nose opening at the apex thereof. A plunger placed in the cylinder at the other end thereof assists in holding the animal in place. A set screw, which extends through the slot in the wall of the cylinder, secures the plunger in place.

Rift Valley fever (RVF), a viral disease endemic throughout Africa, frequently causes severe ocular sequelae in humans. Infection of inbred rats, Rattus norvegicus, has been shown to mimic several of the clinical manifestations of the human disease. For clinical study of this disease, a restraint device was needed which would allow large numbers of unanesthetized, infected rats to be easily screened by one individual.
Currently, there are no commercially available restraint devices that are suitable for ophthalmic examination of unanesthetized rats. Most restraint devices are designed for administering inoculations or studies involving physiological or behavioral measurements. One device which would allow ophthalmic examinations is described in H. C. Ebel, "A Restraining Device for Use in the Measurement of Eyelid Responses in Laboratory Rats," J. Exp Anal. Behav. (1966) 9:605-606. However, this device is cumbersome and requires the rats to be lightly anesthetized.
Several U.S. Patents disclose restraint device devices for small animals. U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,042 (Rothberg) discloses a hollow device having a concave upper surface. The animal is straddled over the concave surfaces and is strapped to the outer surface of this device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,094,101 (Porter) discloses a restraining device for small animals comprising an elongated cage portion having side walls provided with slide guides for supporting a longitudinally slidable and vertically adjustable floor member. A vertically adjustable end wall is provided with a tail holder for preventing the movement of the specimen's tail.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,030 (Updegraff) discloses a restraining device which allows an individual to provide an intravenous injection to the specimen.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,763 (Kiss et al.) discloses a restraining device which allow the specimen's legs and tail to be exposed. This device fails to provide any means for observing the eyes of the specimen.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,185 (Kenter) discloses a restraining device having an adjustable cylindrical section, a gate at one end of the cylinder, and a variable closure at the other end of the cylinder.
A major disadvantage of the restraints described above is that the restraints do not, in general, permit a researcher to quickly and easily observe the eyes of unanesthetized animal. Further, in some instances, the restraint devices are unsuitable for ophthalmic examination, since the eyes of the animal are covered or otherwise made inaccessible by the restraint device itself.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A system and a method for determining a similarity between a first string and a second string. A sequence of edit operations are performed on the first string in order to obtain the second string may be determined. The edit operation is of a first type or a second type. The first type operation comprises a character insertion operation or character removal operation. The second type operation comprises a character maintenance operation. The first type edit operation is associated with an operation score indicative of a cost for applying the edit operation. The first type edit operation is associated with a switching score indicative whether it is immediately followed by a second type edit operation. The switching scores and/or operation scores associated with the sequence of edit operations are combined in order to obtain a combined score that is indicative of the similarity level between the first and second strings.

The present disclosure relates to the field of digital computer systems, and more specifically, to a method for determining a similarity between two strings.
Record Linkage requires to link elements of a source dataset to related data items of a target dataset. For that a record matching may be performed between records of the datasets. The record matching involves the computation of similarities between strings. However, there is a continuous need to improve the distance measurements.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method includes parsing and compiling a software code that includes a constraint bitwise operation with a first operand associated with a first constraint range and a second operand associated with a second constraint range. A first and a second plurality of ranges that spans the first and second constraint range are generated. In some embodiments, each constrained range is converted into a binary format having an upper bit portion and a lower bit portion. The upper bit portion for the each range remains unchanged. A resultant range associated with the constraint bitwise operation is determined based on performing the constraint bitwise operation on the first and the second plurality of ranges.

Typically, bitwise operators may be used for testing the operation of a chip, e.g., programmable chip. It is appreciated that often a value may be selected from a valid range to test the operation of a chip. Traditionally, determining the resultant range of the bitwise operation output is done through brute force and is therefore not only a complicated process but also a time-consuming one. For example, traditionally to obtain the resultant range, each value within a valid range is selected to obtain its resultant value and the process is repeated to obtain the entire resultant range.
It is appreciated that the resultant range may not necessary be the same or within the same range as the range of its operators. For example, a bitwise operation for an AND operation of two operands, one within a range of 100-200 and another within a range of 300-500 can generate a resultant range of 400-700.


A retainer secures an airbag inflator to a base plate of an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The retainer includes a base wall and a sidewall that extends from the base wall and is configured to encircle a discharge portion of the inflator from which the inflation fluid is discharged. The retainer also includes a filter liner secured to the retainer sidewall, wherein the sidewall and filter liner are configured so that inflation fluid discharged from the discharge portion is directed into the filter liner.

This disclosure relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle upon the occurrence of an event, such as a vehicle collision. In particular, the present invention relates to an airbag module. A driver or passenger airbag module includes an airbag that is inflatable to a deployed position between the vehicle steering wheel and an occupant of a driver seat or instrument panel and passenger occupant of the vehicle. The airbag has a stored condition in which the airbag is deflated and concealed by a cover of the airbag module. An inflator is actuatable to produce inflation fluid that is directed into the airbag, which causes the airbag to inflate and deploy.
Inflators include a gas generating material or propellant that undergoes a chemical reaction when the inflator is actuated. The chemical reaction produces an effluent that is discharged from the inflator. The effluent includes inflation fluid for inflating and deploying the airbag. The effluent also includes byproducts of the chemical reaction other than inflation fluid. These byproducts can include solid particulates and metallic vapors.
Solid particulates can be categorized in two groups: low temperature particulates and high temperature particulates. Low temperature particulates comprise slag or other metallic materials. High temperature particulate comprise gas generating/propellant materials.
Metallic vapor can contribute to the solid particulates. The metallic vapor condenses and coalesces outside the inflator on airbag module surfaces, such as surfaces of the bag retainer. As it accumulates on the retainer surface, this solidified metallic vapor can separate and contribute to the solid particulates directed into the airbag.
The existence of solid particulates in the inflator effluent does not ensure the particulate will penetrate the airbag fabric. The particulates must possess sufficient energy to penetrate the airbag fabric. The three main variables that determine the amount of energy possessed by a particulate are mass, velocity and temperature. While these three variables can vary considerably, any one of them can be sufficient to produce the energy necessary to penetrate the airbag fabric. For example, low temperature particulates, such as slag and/or metallic particulates, can have comparatively high masses and/or velocities. As another example, high temperature particulates, such as gas generant and/or propellant particulates, can have comparatively low masses and/or velocities. Because of this, mass, velocity, and temperature can combine to produce a particle with sufficient energy to penetrate the airbag fabric.
For example, a comparatively low mass, low velocity particulate, such as gas generant and/or propellant particulates, can have a temperature high enough to break down and penetrate the airbag fabric. A comparatively low mass, low temperature particulate can have a high enough velocity to penetrate the airbag fabric, as can a comparatively low temperature, low velocity particulate can have a high enough mass to penetrate the airbag fabric. This can be the case, for example, with slag and/or metal/metallic particulates.
Conventional driver or passenger airbag inflators have a generally cylindrical configuration and include a housing or combustion chamber with a cylindrical sidewall. Inflation fluid is directed radially from openings extending through the sidewall. Conventional airbag retainers include a base and a sidewall that extends perpendicularly from the base. The retainer sidewall encircles the inflator and is spaced from the inflator sidewall. The retainer sidewall extends parallel to the inflator sidewall so that inflation fluid discharged radially from the inflator travels perpendicularly toward the retainer sidewall. The inflation fluid strikes the retainer sidewall perpendicularly before entering the airbag.
When the particulates travelling with the inflation fluid strikes the retainer sidewall perpendicularly, their velocities are reduced. Additionally, the particulates can break-up, which reduces the mass of each resulting particulate. Further, due to heat transfer with the retainer sidewall, and the increased overall surface area of the broken-up particulates, their temperatures can also be reduced. As a result of the particulates striking the retainer sidewall, they can lose energy, which helps prevent them from producing holes in the airbag fabric.
The force applied to the retainer sidewall by the inflation fluid can often can be so high that the retainer sidewall is deformed outward radially. When this occurs, the particulates that would normally strike the sidewall perpendicularly instead strike the angled sidewall. As a result, the sidewall absorbs less energy from particulates, and the mass, velocity, and temperature of the particulates are less likely to be reduced. The particulates therefore lose less energy while, at the same time, are deflected toward the airbag. These higher energy particulates are more likely to create holes in the airbag fabric.

Airbag module with airbag retainer filter layer


An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a cooling fluid passage, a gaseous fluid blower disposed at an upstream portion or a downstream portion of the cooling fluid passage, and a liquid droplet sprayer disposed at the upstream portion of the cooling fluid passage. A surface portion of the cooling fluid passage is hydrophobic.

For cooling many sources of heat, there are a number of common methods: single phase, sensible cooling, and two-phase cooling, which can involve a combination of sensible cooling (due to the temperature difference between the cooling fluid and the heat source) as well as cooling due to the evaporation of the second phase of coolant (often air and water, with water serving to provide significant cooling via evaporation).
The introduction of two phase cooling instead of one phase cooling can provide strong benefits by significantly increasing the rate of heat exchange over sensible cooling alone. Many heat sources can stand to benefit from conducting two-phase cooling on them.
For example, computer processing chips are often cooled via a heat sink that has forced air blown over it. Thermal limitations often restrict the performance of the chips. Increasing the rate of heat transfer via a two-phase process could remove this thermal limitation. It may also provide other benefits to the system such as reducing supporting hardware (e.g., air conditioners and cooling towers).
However, there are significant challenges in implementing two-phase cooling. It often involves the use of spray heads and associated hardware. These spray heads can cover a limited surface area or involve a large amount of space to allow the spray to spread to larger surface areas. Thus, many spray heads could be used to facilitate suitable spray. Introducing air flow over the heat source to speed evaporation of the droplets may blow the droplets in undesirable directions.
These challenges have limited the applicability of two-phase cooling to a more limited set of situations, such as cooling towers, where there is ample volume to operate spray heads. One additional type of heat load that can benefit from two-phase cooling is metabolic heat from people.
Conventional techniques exist for direct cooling of people outside of climate-controlled environments. As discussed below, these conventional techniques typically fail based on lacking effectiveness and/or involving excessive system weight.
Conventional evaporative vests hold a quantity of water that is absorbed into their fabrics and associated absorbent material. Airflow around the vest evaporates the absorbed water and leads to a cooling effect. However, conventional evaporative vests do not work well under other garments such as bullet proof vests or motorcycle jackets. These conventional items also typically rely on a stream of air being provided via wind or other sources to operate. Accordingly, conventional evaporative vests operate poorly in high humidity conditions having little or no wind. Also, the amount of water that conventional systems can store is limited and recharging the water in these systems often involves removal of a vest or garment by a user. Evaporation typically occurs on an exterior layer of conventional garments, indirectly cooling the body because the garment is first cooled, followed by the body being cooled. This indirect cooling results in a reduction in cooling power and poor efficiency in water use. Also, if a region of the vest becomes dry, that region acts as an insulator and makes a wearer warmer instead of cooler.
Conventional forced convection techniques include forced convection arrangements and operate with a fan that supplies external ambient air to a person's body. This air may cool a person by evaporating sweat off the wearer or by sensible cooling due to a temperature differential between the skin of the wearer and the air. The sensible cooling component drops off as temperatures rise, becoming zero when the air temperature is equal to the skin temperature (roughly 93 degrees F.). Exterior temperatures in many environments can easily exceed this level and at this point, blowing outside air across a person's body can be counterproductive unless there is a sufficient supply of sweat on a given area. However, it is difficult to match forced convection to sweat presence on the skin of a user as most designs will evaporate from some areas closest to the air supply much more quickly than areas of the body distant from the air supply. Also, since sweating will increase only as the body gets hotter and less comfortable, the effectiveness at keeping the wearer comfortable will be limited.
Conventional cold storage solutions may include a vest or other garment having pouches that hold either ice or other phase change material. These items are often charged by placing them in a freezer and then worn once frozen. However, cold storage solutions involve a relatively short amount of duration of use. These items are most effective when fully frozen, but will start to lose effectiveness as they thaw and will eventually lose substantially all efficacy. Also, melting provides less cooling power per unit than evaporation (e.g., the latent heat of vaporization is multiples higher than the latent heat associated with melting). These techniques also involve a freezer to charge, which may not always be available.
Conventional chilled water cooling solutions typically cool a person's body using coils of flexible tubing in a vest that carry chilled water in close contact with the body. The water is typically chilled by a vapor compression system, ice, or by thermoelectric means. Conventional chilled air solutions operate similarly to chilled water systems, utilizing vapor compression, ice, or thermoelectrics to cool. Chilled water and chilled air can provide an improvement in efficacy of cooling over evaporative vests and forced convection cooling systems, but generally involve significant electrical power and/or large ice storage reserves to operate. This results in heavy and expensive batteries and/or ice reservoirs. In the case of vapor compression or thermoelectric systems used to cool the air or water fluid below ambient temperatures, these systems themselves add significant weight (e.g., based on compressors, heat exchangers, thermoelectric elements, and/or batteries). The amount of cooling power these systems may provide is limited by weight for mobile applications in which the wearer wants to move around with minimal encumbrance. These systems are also costly.
The exemplary disclosed system and method are directed to overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other deficiencies in existing technology.

System, method, and apparatus for providing cooling


The present invention relates generally to inductive heating, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for non-contact detection and inductive heating of heat retentive food server warming plates used in institutional food service. The invention provides a non-contact detection and control circuit for an inductive heating apparatus for heating an inductively reactive heat radiating element built into a warming plate. The warming plate employed by the invention has an integral inductively reactive heat radiating element that is brought to a desired heating temperature such as 450.degree. F. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is configured like a conventional industrial cook stove and surface. Underneath the surface is a magnetic inductive coil controlled by the invention for inductively heating a reactive ferromagnetic heat radiating element that is placed on the surface.

The invention is an inductive heating apparatus and method for heating an inductively reactive heat radiating element built into a heat retentive food server warming plate. Warming plates are also known in the industry as food service containers and are typically used in hospitals and restaurants for maintaining the appropriate serving temperature of prepared food.
Warming plates and devices for heating them are not unknown. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,862 discloses a thermostatically controlled electroresistive cooker hot plate having an temperature sensor for controlling the temperature of objects that are placed on the surface of the hot plate. The '862 patent does not disclose inductive heating, object detection by means of optical or inductive load sensing, foreign object discrimination, or temperature control by inductor current flow. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,176, an induction heating cooker control circuit is disclosed having a diode bridge rectifier, conditioning capacitors and inductors, a resonant heating coil circuit, a switching transistor and diode circuit, and oscillation circuitry for control and regulation of heat produced by an induction coil. The patent appears to provide for temperature sensing by means of a thermistor temperature sensor. However, unlike the present invention which is described below, the patent does not disclose the detection of an object by use of optical or inductive load sensing, foreign object discrimination, or temperature control by inductor current flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,277 discloses a cooking hob having a method and apparatus for detecting the presence and measuring the dimensions of an object on the surface of a glass ceramic hob. The patent discloses the control of halogen lamp heating elements on the basis of the measured dimensions of the detected object. In the '277 patent, an object is detected by a disturbance of an electric field that is generated by a conductive element that is separate and distinct from a heating element. However, unlike the preset invention, this patent does not disclose the incorporation of inductive load sensing or object discrimination by use of an induction coil and control circuitry.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,512 a capacitive sensing device is disclosed for detecting the presence of a food cooking container on a cooking hob. The capacitive sensing device has a fixed capacitance that is established by two conductive plates of opposite polarities which are located under the surface of the hob. When a food container is placed on the surface, the fixed capacitance is changed, thereby causing the heating element, a resistive element or gas burner, to be activated according to parameters stored in a microprocessor. However, unlike the present invention, the patent does not disclose the detection of an object by use of optical or inductive load sensing, foreign object discrimination, or temperature control by inductor current flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,858 discloses a heat retentive server having a central heat storage member susceptible to electrical induction heating. Although the '858 patent describes a heat retentive server, it does not disclose in any detail a circuit or method for non-contact detection and inductive heating of heat retentive food server warming plates. In particular, this patent does not disclose object detection by means of optical or inductive load sensing, foreign object discrimination, or temperature control by inductor current flow.
U.K. patent application GB 2,171,567 discloses induction heating of electric plates of a cooker by applying high frequency power pulses greater than 20 kHz to an induction coil located under the surface of a cooker. Before power is applied to the induction coil, a ferromagnetic container or body must be placed onto the surface of the cooker. Detection of a ferromagnetic container is disclosed as the dynamic detection of the recovery time of the inductive energy within the induction coil. However, unlike the present invention, the patent does not disclose the detection of an object by use of optical, foreign object discrimination, or temperature control by inductor current flow.
The attempts made in the past to use induction heating to heat up hot plates for use in institutional food service are known to have many problems. One major problem with current systems is that a user can overheat a hot plate or initiate a heating cycle more than once and damage the hot plate. This present invention solves this problem by means of a novel control logic employing electronic signals such as a current feedback in a control loop of the induction heating unit to detect the difference between cold and heated plate. The electronic signals do not directly measure or detect the actual temperature of the plate being heated. Instead, the design relies upon the change in physical properties such as impedance and electrical resistance of the plate as it is heated to detect the difference in temperature between a cold and a heated plate. This design provides a more reliable turn-key go or no go system. For example, when a plate is cold it will be heated and a plate previously heated will not be heated.
The system allows the user to establish preselected heating parameters such as a current feedback value and sampling time for a hot plate or series of hot plates. In addition, the system may have pre-stored current feedback values and sampling times for any number of different hot plates and heat them at different rates and temperatures.
Although many attempts have been made in the prior art to produce a reliable and efficient system for heating warming plates for maintaining the serving temperature of food in the food service industry, none have solved the problem or addressed the need for an apparatus and method for non-contact detection and the control of inductive heating of heat retentive food server warming plates.

Apparatus and method for non-contact detection and inductive heating of heat retentive food server warming plates


An inflatable evacuation slide for an aircraft comprising upper and lower sliding regions interconnected by an intermediate sliding region and including a flexible sliding support surface. An inflatable support structure extends outwardly from the upper sliding region and formed by at least first and second support sections spaced from each other and extending in planes transverse to a plane of the sliding support surface. Each support section comprises an engaging member interposed between a connecting member and a supporting member. The connecting and supporting members are connected to the upper sliding region, so that the engaging members are substantially parallel to each other and spaced from the upper sliding region.

The threat of potential loss of lives or injuries at the time of an emergency landing or interruption of take-off demands swift and reliable removal of passengers from the aircraft. The trend toward larger aircraft with a concomitant increase in passengers makes the reliability of emergency evacuation systems even more critical. Problems typically affecting reliability of inflatable aircraft escape slides, such as lack of stability during use and deployment have become more acute with the advent of super-jumbo aircraft. Such aircraft carry a large number of passengers and include an upper deck passenger area located at a substantial distance from the ground. Evacuation of passengers from super-jumbo aircraft is facilitated by providing localized or individual exits positioned as close to the passenger seating areas as possible. Among examples of such localized emergency evacuation exits are the doors provided at the upper deck level which require special inflatable system capable of reliably evacuating passengers from the levels of high elevation. These systems also require sufficient stability during deployment, a high degree of perceived safety, adequate deceleration means to optimize sliding velocity and multiple lanes to maximize traffic.
Thus, there has been a long felt and unsolved need to equip the upper deck area of a super-jumbo multi deck aircraft with a multiple lane inflatable aircraft evacuation slide-raft for use during evacuation of passengers therefrom, having enhanced stability and safety during deployment and operation.
The overwater flights regulations require a carrier to provide not only emergency evacuation slides, but also life rafts in sufficient quantities to accommodate all passengers and crew members. This requirement is especially important for super-jumbo jets commonly used for transcontinental flights. Thus, since the present state of the art requires that aircraft are provided with inflatable evacuation slide devices and inflatable life rafts, there has been a need for an inflatable evacuation slide serving the upper deck areas of super-jumbo jets; to be utilizable for ground and overwater evacuation of passengers and, in the latter case, adapted for use as inflatable life rafts.


A device (10) for inflating an object such as a ball (B) includes spaced arms (13, 14) carried by a bar (12). The arms (13, 14) are spaced a predetermined distance approximating the properly inflated diameter of the ball (B). An inflation needle (24) is positioned generally midway between the arms (13, 14) and is adapted to provide air under pressure, received through flexible tubing (26), to the ball (B). A clamp bar (28) is pivotally attached to one of the arms (13, 14) and has an aperture (33) therethrough to receive the tubing (26). When the ball (B) is being inflated, it will engage and pivot the clamp bar (28) until it pinches the tubing (26) to terminate the air flow to the needle (24).

Oftentimes, for convenience and cost-effectiveness, balls of various types--for example, beach balls, volleyballs, basketballs, or playground balls--are shipped to retail stores uninflated. Consumers, however, prefer to purchase these types of balls in an inflated condition. As a result, retailers often use conventional air pumps to inflate balls in the store. Due to the need to inflate many balls, it is desirable to have a device which can quickly inflate each ball consistently to a desired size and pressure. Currently, ball inflators without an automatic shutoff system require the operator to use discretion as to when to terminate the air flow to the ball. Consequently, some balls are overinflated while others may be underinflated. Overinflation creates a risk of the ball bursting, particularly if exposed to heat, while underinflation creates dissatisfaction of the purchaser. Currently known ball inflators with an automatic shutoff are unduly complicated, difficult to maintain, and expensive.
Therefore, the need exists for a ball inflator which is capable of shutting off automatically once the inflating ball reaches a proper diameter. Currently, the ball inflators known in the art with automatic shutoff have electrical or complex mechanical shutoff valve mechanisms. The present invention is advantageous in that it is simpler to use, manufacture and maintain, and is less expensive and more reliable than those devices known in the art.


A method for associating a tax-line item to a user transaction in a financial management software application including obtaining the user transaction by the financial management software application, associating a first tax line item with the user transaction, where the tax line item is selected by accepting input from a user separately from categorizing the transaction, and presenting the user transaction and the first tax line item selected by the user.

Every year millions of transactions are documented for tax related purposes. Users (including any agents acting on behalf of the user) typically enter user transactions into financial management software as a way to document information prior to preparing for supplying information for tax purposes, planning budgets, determining expenses, determining net worth, projecting future financial condition, or performing any other financial event.
In addition, to efficiently track and/or classify transactions, it is helpful for users to group transactions into categories (i.e., determined by a type or classification of a transaction). Categories within a financial software application may be provided by default or be user-defined.
A category may be designated within a software application as tax-related if the category is one which will most likely contain transactions of interest when completing tax forms or supplying information for tax purposes. The designation of a category as tax-related may be determined by using either a default designation provided by the software vendor or a user-defined association.
In addition to being designated as tax-related, the category may also be associated with a tax line item. The tax line item relates to a line item that appears on a tax form for an entity with taxing authority, such as those issued by a federal government, state government, provincial government, county government, parish government, a school district, and/or other taxing authorities.
To designate a transaction as tax-related and associated with a specific tax line item, the transaction must be associated with a category designated as tax-related and associated with the specific tax line item. Once a transaction is associated with a tax-related category that is associated with a specific tax line item, the transaction becomes automatically and necessarily associated with the specific tax line item defined by the category, if any. If a user seeks to assign a transaction with a specific tax line time, but a category is either not designated as tax-related and/or not associated with a specific tax line item desired, an entirely new category (generally using a variation of the name for the prior category) with the required associations must be created.

Method and user interface for assigning a tax line item to a user transaction


A phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a power-on-reset (POR) to reset a digital block and set an initial input voltage value VCTRL of voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). An input divider and a feedback divider are provided to set the frequency ratio of output to input and to raise the resolution of the output frequency. First and second phase frequency detectors are used to measure the phase difference between the two input signals and generate a pulse corresponding to the phase difference. First and second reducing dividers are inserted before the first and second phase frequency detectors to decrease the input frequency of the respective phase frequency detector and keep the ratio of the input frequency and natural frequency (Wn) as a constant. A lock-state detector is used to detect whether the PLL is locked or unlocked. A charge pump is used to provide charge signals corresponding to the pulse. A loop filter is coupled to the output node of the charge pump to provide a voltage VCTRL responding to the charge signals.

The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuits technology, more particularly to phase-locked loops. Phase-locked loops (PLLs) are widely used in high performance digital systems. One application it is used is to multiply low frequency clock signals to high frequency clock signals with low jitter. With recent advances in the digital circuit technologies, more stringent performance requirements, including extremely low jitter, have been placed on PLLs. However, switching activities in digital system will introduce supply and substrate noises which will perturb the sensitive block in PLL. Any noise injected inside PLL contributes a source of jitter.
The loop bandwidth can be optimized according to the locking status to have a good control on the noise rejection from the input, power and ground, etc.
FIG. 1 shows the block diagrams of the general charge-pump phase-locked loop. Components 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105 are a phase frequency detector, charge-pump, loop filter, voltage controlled oscillator, and the feedback divider, respectively. CLKIN is provided to the first input of PFD 101. PFD provides a charging/discharging signal of UP/DN to CHPUP 102. The output of CHPUP is coupled to the loop filter 103 and to the VCO 104. The current from the CHPUP adjusts the frequency and the phase of VCO. The bias block generates the reference current, which is mostly used by the CHPUP. The output of the VCO is fed back to the input of the feedback divider 105. The output of the feedback divider is provided to the second input of PFD.
A charge-pump PLL is a negative feedback system. The phase and frequency difference between the two inputs to the PFD is near zero when PLL is in a steady state. Such a state is referred to "locked." Otherwise, the state is "unlocked."
Noise injection from the steady state leads to a transient response relating to the damping factor and the loop bandwidth of the loop system. Both the damping factor and the loop bandwidth have large effect on the loop stability, locking speed and the noise injection. The damping factor and loop bandwidth of the loop are function of physical quantities of the phase-frequency detector, the charge-pump current, the voltage-controlled oscillator gain and the feedback division value. Therefore the locking time is different under different settings.
Since the PLL is a second order system, there will be some overshoots and some undershoots in the transient response. These will worsen the jitter performance.
There are a number of different ways to detect the locked state of PLLs. According to one method, the maximum locking time is found. The maximum locking time generally is about 4 times the time constant of PLL. An off-chip stable capacitor is set so as to generate a delay that is substantially the same as the maximum locking time. Under another method, the clock cycle of the feedback signal is counted during consecutive test intervals defined by the reference signal. A feedback comparator determines whether the number of clock cycles of the feedback signal during a given test interval is within an expected range. Before lock is indicated, a qualification counter is either incremented or reset after each test interval in accordance with the expected range determination. A lock indication signal is provided if said qualification counter exceeds a qualification threshold. U.S. Pat. No. 6,794,944, which is incorporated by reference, discloses such a method. In yet another method, the locked state is detected by cycling back and forth and searching for the occurrence of an unlocked condition when the PLL is locked, and searching for the occurrence of a locked condition when the PLL is unlocked. U.S. Pat. No. 6,762,631, which is incorporated by reference, discloses such a method.
Similar to the lock detection, there are a number of different ways to optimize the bandwidth. According to one method, the bandwidth is selected to be about 1/20 of the reference frequency. According to another method, self-Bias circuits that keep the ratio of the Wref (reference frequency) and Wb (loop bandwidth) constant and independent to the process. U.S. Pat. No. 6,329,882, which is incorporated by reference, discloses such a method. IN yet another method, two configurations are provided. The bandwidth is increased in the first configuration, and decreased in the second configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 6,504,437, which is incorporated by reference, discloses such a method.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation


There is described a diagnosis method and system including a sensor for structure-borne noise which emits a measuring signal in a bandwidth-filtered manner due to its mechanical resonant frequency, capacitance and inductance. The system also includes an evaluation device in which the measuring signal is undersampled and which outputs an error signal should the undersampled measuring signal exceed a defined threshold value. The system requires only a small number of electronic components and only a little power supply capacity. The system thereby allows diagnosis to be carried out without complication in existing devices, especially in field devices of process instrumentation for which only a limited amount of operating power is available. The method and system are especially advantageous for the recognition of valve leakage with an electropneumatic position controller.

By analyzing structure-borne noise it is possible to identify features which assist in the detection of faults or errors in mechanical, electromechanical or fluidic components. For example, EP 1 216 375 B1 discloses a diagnostic system for a valve which can be actuated by a positioner via a drive wherein the intensity of the structure-borne noise in a spectral range above 50 kHz is used for detecting a leakage in the valve. However, the known diagnostic system requires a spectral analysis of the measurement signal and hence involves a substantial overhead in terms of electronics and computing power. It also entails an increase in the electrical power consumption of the evaluation unit. Integration of the diagnostic method as an additional function into existing devices is therefore only rarely possible, since the additional power is often unavailable. This applies in particular to field devices of automation systems, e.g. measurement transformers or final control elements. These must satisfy explosion protection requirements in many cases, or are supplied with the necessary auxiliary energy via a 4 to 20 mA interface or a PROFIBUS connection. The diagnostic system must then be housed in an additional device at additional expense.
Patent specification U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,729 discloses a sensor for structure-borne noise, which sensor is suitable for measuring high-frequency acoustic signals up to approximately 2 MHz.

Method and system for diagnosing mechanical, electromechanical or fluidic components


A method of manufacturing an optical component embedded printed circuit board is disclosed. An optical component embedded printed circuit board that includes a metal core in which at least one cavity is formed, an optical component embedded in the cavity, a first insulation layer stacked on one side of the metal core, a second insulation layer stacked on the other side of the metal core, and a circuit pattern which is formed on the first insulation layer and which is electrically connected with the optical component.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board, more particularly to an optical component embedded printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
A market currently receiving the spotlight is the market for optical components, such as LED's and image sensors, etc. Here, products with high luminance are required for LED's, and products with high resolution are required for image sensors.
In the conventional LEF packaging technology, after a part is inserted, the heat generated is released mainly through a lead frame, which is structured to be in electrical contact on the board by way of solder.

Component embedded printed circuit board


A flexible cable and a disk drive with a flexible cable are provided. The disk drive includes a main base, a pickup base installed on the main base and provided with parts for recording and reproducing of signals on and from a disk, including an optical pickup linearly movable within a predetermined region, a board fixedly installed on a side of the main base and configured to control driving of the parts, including the optical pickup, and a flexible cable. The flexible cable includes a folded portion formed at a portion of a flexible cable main body so as to cause both ends of the flexible cable main body to extend in the same direction, wherein ends of the flexible cable connect to the optical pickup and the board at opposite positions, respectively, so as to transmit signals therebetween. With this structure, it is possible to efficiently use inner space of the disk drive.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a disk drive, and more particularly, to a flexible cable for electrically connecting a movable optical pickup to a fixed board in a disk drive.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a related art disk drive. FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic sectional views of a flexible cable used for connecting an optical pickup to a main board in the related art disk drive.
Referring to FIGS. 1-2B, a main base 1 forms a frame of the disk drive. The main base 1 includes a main board 2 on which a variety of parts for controlling the driving of the disk drive are installed. The main base 1 has a generally rectangular hole 2A at a center thereof, and a pickup base 3 is installed in the hole. The pickup base 3 is supported on the main base 1 at a rear end thereof by vibration-proof members 5 made, for example, of elastic material and configured to absorb vibrations and noises.
A spindle motor 7 configured to rotate a disk is positioned on the pickup base 3. A disk is seated on a turntable 8 which is provided at a top end of the spindle motor 7 and which is configured to be rotated by the spindle motor 7. An optical pickup 9 is installed on the pickup base 3 and is guided along guide shafts 10. The optical pickup 9 records or reads out signals by irradiating a signal-recording surface of the disk with light. The optical pickup 9 is driven by a sled motor (not shown) to move along the guide shafts 10.
An electrical connection between the optical pickup 9, which moves along the guide shafts 10, and the main board 2 is established by a flexible cable 11, generally referred to as a "FFC" (Flexible Flat Cable), as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B. The flexible cable 11 is flexible such that it can be freely bent to a certain extent. One end of the flexible cable 11 is connected to the main board 2 by a connector 11c and the other end thereof is connected to the optical pickup 9 so as to transmit signals between the main board 2 and the optical pickup 9.
A front end of the pickup base 3 is supported on a lift base 12. The lift base 12 is installed so that a front end thereof can be pivoted on a shaft 13 that functions as a center of rotation. Vibration-proof members 5′ are interposed between the lift base 12 and the pickup base 3 to support the pickup base 3 on the lift base 12 and prevent transmission of vibrations and noises.
In the related art disk drive described above, the optical pickup 9 records signals on the disk or reproduces recorded signals while moving along the guide shafts 10 by means of a driving force from the sled motor (not shown). The flexible cable 11 is used for transmitting signals between the optical pickup 9 and the main board 2. Since the flexible cable 11 can be freely bent to a certain extent, as described above, it may be installed to be bent and protrude toward a side opposite to the optical pickup 9 with respect to the connector 11c, as shown in FIG. 2A. Further, when the optical pickup 9 moves toward the turntable 8, the flexible cable is pulled by the optical pickup 9, as shown in FIG. 2B.
However, there is the following problem in the related art disk drive described above. The flexible cable 11 is installed to protrude toward a side opposite to the optical pickup 9 with respect to the connector 11c for connection to the main board 2, making a connection between the main board 2 and the optical pickup 9. As the flexible cable 11 is installed as such, it is not possible to install other parts in a region A (see FIGS. 2A-2B) opposite to the optical pickup 9 with respect to the connector 11c. Therefore, there is the disadvantage that a length of a portion of the disk drive behind the optical pickup 9 relatively increases.

Flexible cable and disk drive with the same


Systems and techniques for providing concurrent image and corresponding multi-channel auxiliary data generation for a generative model are presented. In one example, a system generates synthetic multi-channel data associated with a synthetic version of imaging data. The system also predicts multi-channel imaging data and the synthetic multi-channel data with a first predicted class set or a second predicted class set. Furthermore, the system employs the first predicted class set or the second predicted class set for the synthetic multi-channel data to train a generative adversarial network model.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be employed for classification and/or analysis of digital images. For instance, AI can be employed for image recognition. In certain technical applications, AI can be employed for generative modeling such as, for example, a generative adversarial network, to learn data distributions. However, training a generative model and/or generating high quality synthetic images is generally difficult to achieve. For example, accuracy and/or efficiency of pixel-level annotation for synthetic images associated with generative models is generally difficult to achieve. As such, conventional artificial intelligence techniques can be improved.

Concurrent image and corresponding multi-channel auxiliary data generation for a generative model


A redundant control system having at least a first and a second control computer (1,2) and at least one peripheral unit (5) that is connected to the control computers (1,2) by a bus system (3,4). Both control computers transmit cyclically changing signs of life (LzX, LzY) to the peripheral unit (5), which checks whether a change in the signs life has taken place within a given time period and which switches to the other control computer for executing the control tasks if the change in the sign of life is not timely received.

The present invention relates to a redundant control system and an associated control computer, peripheral unit and method for such a control system.
The high-service-quality automation system S7–400H, having a redundantly designed construction and the interface connection IM153–2, which is usable for connecting a peripheral unit ET 200M as a slave in redundant PROFIBUS-DP systems having the S7–400H, is known from Siemens catalog CA 01, 1999. This catalog was, e.g. viewable on Jun. 13, 2000 in the internet at the address http://www3.ad.siemens.de/ca01online.
In many fields of automation technology, ever more stringent requirements are placed on the service quality, and therefore on the fault tolerance, of the automation systems. There are fields in which a system stoppage would be very costly. In these cases, only redundant systems are able to meet the requirements for service quality. For example, the high-service-quality SIMATIC S7–400H continues to operate even if parts of the control system have failed due to one or more faults. It has redundantly designed central functions and is constructed using two separate central controllers as control computers. The two control computers execute the same processing programs cyclically and synchronously. They monitor each other and automatically determine which control computer is active, i.e., actually controls the process via its output data. For this purpose, data is exchanged between the two control computers via a redundancy coupling. A decentralized peripheral unit ET 200M, into which application-specific digital input/output assemblies are plugged, is coupled, using a field bus PROFIBUS-DP, to each of the two control computers. Here, the peripheral units may of course be implemented to be redundant as well.
Process information obtained with the aid of measuring transducers is relayed to both control computers by the peripheral unit. In "hot standby" operation, if the system is healthy, both control computers execute the same control program simultaneously. However, only one control computer is active, i.e., the output data of only one control computer is processed further to control the process. In case of a fault, the intact central controller takes over the control of the process alone. For this purpose, the controllers automatically receive the same user program, the same data components, the same process image contents, and the same internal data, such as times, counters, flags, etc. In this way, both controllers are always at the current state and, in case of a fault, may continue the control alone at any time. Process output data, through which the signals to be output to the actuators of the peripheral unit are selected, are provided to the peripheral unit via both field buses in normal operation. However, the peripheral unit analyzes only one set of control data received from the field buses. The control computer connected at any given time can therefore be referred to as the active control computer. If the respective active control computer fails, process output data is no longer transmitted by this control computer via the field bus, and the peripheral unit changes over to the other control computer after a predetermined monitoring time has passed. In other words, the telegrams of the other field bus are analyzed in order to generate appropriate signals for the attached actuators. The changeover therefore occurs only after serious malfunctions, which lead to failure of a field bus.
Despite the resulting overall service quality, the above-described automation system suffers from long changeover times, which are a function of the telegram cycle times. This conventional automation system also suffers from an incomplete monitoring of the transmission chain, since merely the receipt of telegrams is sufficient to establish an intact field bus, and corruption therefore remains unrecognized.

Redundant control system and control computer and peripheral unit for a control system of this type


Disclosed is a technique for processing pixel array data of a mobile terminal with a digital camera function. A device for processing pixel array data includes: an image sensor having (x×y)-sized pixel capacity, converting an optical signal received via a lens into an electric signal, and generating (x×y)-sized pixel array data; and an image signal processor for generating an (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area, receiving pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data from the image sensor, arranging the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data in the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area, arranging pixel values obtained by performing an arithmetical operation on pixel values of (x×y)-sized pixel array data, adjacent to remaining pixel areas of the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data other than the pixel areas having the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data, in the remaining pixel areas, and outputting the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera function and, more particularly, to a technique for processing pixel array data in a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a portable electronic device, such as mobile communication terminal, digital camera, or personal digital assistant (PDA), equipped with a digital camera function includes an image sensor. As well known in the art, the image sensor contains a grid of photosensitive diodes called photosites. Each photosite records the intensity or brightness of light that falls on it by accumulating electrical charges. That is, each photosite transforms the light falling on it into electrical charges. The image sensor generates pixel array data on the basis of the position of individual pixels and the magnitude of electrical charges or voltage.
The image sensor has a fixed pixel size by its hardware structure. An image sensor for use in a typical mobile communication terminal has a pixel capacity of 1.3M (i.e., 1280×960).
A digital image captured by the mobile communication terminal may be transferred and stored in an external device such as a personal computer (PC), so that it can be displayed by the external device. However, an image sensor for use in a mobile communication terminal having a digital camera function has a relatively small pixel capacity. When any digital image is enlarged enough, pixels will begin to show—an effect called pixelization.
On the other hand, there has been recently proposed an improved digital camera technology of enlarging an image captured by the digital camera by software interpolation. However, the above-mentioned technology has a disadvantage in that the pixel array data generated from an image sensor has a fixed pixel size. Further, the above-mentioned technology uses, as source data, pixel array data with a smaller pixel size compared to that needed for the enlarged image, and enlarges the pixel array data by software only, such that the resolution of the enlarged image is markedly reduced.

Method and device for processing pixel array data of mobile terminal equipped with digital camera function


A method and apparatus for managing a network attached storage system is presented which includes a web based user interface. The interface allows for the execution of many different commands on several different storage system attributes without loss of context between command execution. The interface is HTML based and provides dynamic construction of Javascript object lists based on a database read by a CGI program executing on an HTTP server. The interface eliminates the hierarchical structure of menu navigation associated with other interfaces.

This invention relates generally to interfaces typically associated with network computer program applications and more particularly to providing an internet or intranet based monitoring and management system for storage systems using a so called web browser interface.
Older interfaces associated with application programs generally followed the so called "navigation by menu" model where a menu typically includes a list of selectable commands or objects which are of interest to the user. An object of one menu list may actually be another menu with an associated list of objects (or commands). In the "navigation by menu" model, menus are arranged in a command-oriented tree. As such, the user is forced to navigate through a branching hierarchy of menus until the desired menu or object is found. An undesirable result of the above described model is the loss of context between menus. After navigating through several menus to reach a desired object, the user may not be able to determine from the on screen display, the effects of selecting the found object. Thus the user is forced to remember the context of the menus navigated through to ensure a desired result.
Newer graphical interfaces may employ a so called object-centric model. In the object-centric model, the user interface includes objects, i.e. graphical representations of objects. Associated with each object is a context in which a user may find the means (e.g. commands, etc.) to complete an intended operation. Also, within a particular context, a user may be presented with additional objects. Even with such an arrangement, some prior art interfaces with an object-centric look, will merely mimic the behavior of a character terminal interface. Better object-centric interfaces may allow execution of a given command on several objects, but still require the user to traverse a menu hierarchy to execute different commands on the chosen object(s).
As is known in the art, one type of interface by which a user may access information over the internet or an intranet is a so called web browser. A web browser typically provides a graphical interface and allows a user to navigate or "browse" the internet using a hypertext information and communication system (i.e. the world wide web). One such well known browser is the Netscape browser developed by Netscape Communications Corporation. Thus, any computer with a network connection to the internet may potentially be accessed by a user with a computer also connected to the internet and running a web browser.
One of the shortcomings of many web based applications is the loss of context while navigating through various paths of information as described above. This is a result of the interface design which requires the user to "link" or "jump of" to different pages of information in order to navigate and access various information. The link process is typically performed by the user activating, with a mouse or other interface device, a defined hot spot on the web page (which is displayed on the interface). As is generally the case, linking to a new page causes the loss of most, if not all, of the information on the page linked from. Thus, there can be a loss of context for the user which may create confusion since the user is required to remember all the information in the previous pages which the user traversed to reach the current point.
As is also known in the art computer systems generally include a central processing unit, a memory subsystem, and a storage subsystem. According to a networked or enterprise model of a computer system the storage subsystem associated with or in addition to a local computer system may include a large number of independent storage devices or disks housed in a single enclosure. This array of storage devices is typically connected to several computers over a network. Such a model allows for the centralization of data which is to be shared among many users and also allows a single point of maintenance for the storage functions associated with computer systems.
It is desirable for users (e.g. MIS professionals) of the above described storage systems to be able to configure and monitor the storage devices and data movement controllers associated with the storage system. Previously, such management was achieved using a command line interface from a host computer attached to the storage system. With such a method, the manager would be able to inquire about the status of various aspects of the storage system and make configurations changes using specialized commands typed in at the managers console or terminal.
Recently, graphical user interfaces have been developed to ease the tasks of monitoring and configuring storage systems. These graphical user interfaces are essentially another layer of programming which replaces the command line interface and thus still require that a management program be run on at least one of the host systems attached to the storage system and thereby require that the system manager log onto or be physically located at a particular host computer or terminal.
It would be advantageous to provide a network storage management solution which allowed a system manger to remotely monitor and configure a storage system via the internet or an intranet. It would further be advantageous to provide a storage management solution which allows the use of commercially available web browsers to perform the management tasks without the navigation typically associated with browsers. Since browsers operate on (i.e. interpret) web pages in order to provide the user with an interface to the information on the internet, the interface is limited by the functionality provided by the hyper text markup language (HTML) used to create the web pages. Since HTML is not a programming language (e.g. like "C" or "C++") providing a web based storage management system with all the same features as a traditional storage management application, has, prior to the present invention, not been accomplished.

Non-hierarchical application interface for HTML-based network storage management programs


A vulcanization promoter for fluorine-containing elastomers prepared by (1) allowing 1.01 to 1.15 moles of a quaternary phosphonium salt to react with one mole of monoalkali metal salt of bisphenol AF in alcohol, (2) allowing 2.02 to 2.30 moles of a quaternary phosphonium salt to react with one mole of a dialkali metal salt of bisphenol AF in alcohol, (3) allowing one mole each of an alkali metal alkoxide and bisphenol AF to react with 1.01 to 1.15 moles of a quaternary phosphonium salt in alcohol or (4) subjecting one mole of bisphenol AF, 1.01 to 1.15 moles of a quaternary phosphonium salt and one mole of an alkali metal alkoxide to reaction in alcohol, each followed by further addition of the bisphenol AF thereto, or (5) allowing 1.01 to 1.15 moles of a quaternary phosphonium salt to react with one of 1/4alkali metal salt of bisphenol AF in alcohol gives much more improved vulcanization characteristics such as vulcanization speed, etc. while maintaining advantageous properties such as distinguished normal state physical properties as observed in case of vulcanization promoters of bisphenol AF-quaternary phosphonium salt series.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a vulcanization promoter for fluorine-containing elastomers and more particularly to a process for preparing a vulcanization promoter of bisphenol AF/quaternary phosphonium salt series for fluorine-containing elastomers.
2. Description of Related Art
JP-B-59-23577 discloses improvement of 100% modulus, stress at break, etc. of vulcanization products by further adding an equimolar compounds of bisphenol AF/quaternary phosphonium salt to a composition comprising a fluorine-containing elastomer, a divalent metal oxide or hydroxide and bisphenol AF.

Process for preparing vulcanization promoter for fluorine-containing elastomers


A computer includes a data transform algorithm, a data dispersal algorithm, and a network port. The data transform algorithm performs a data transformation on a data block to produce a transformed data block. The data dispersal algorithm performs a data dispersal function on the transformed data block to produce a plurality of data slices, wherein each of the plurality of data slices includes less than all data contained in the transformed data block. The network port is operable to transmit a plurality of write commands to a plurality of slice servers, wherein each of the plurality of write commands includes a corresponding one of the plurality of data slices. The network port is further operable to receive verification of storage of at least some of the plurality of data slices from at least some of the plurality of slice servers.

Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems, apparatus, and methods for distributed data storage, and more particularly to systems, apparatus, and methods for distributed data storage using an information dispersal algorithm so that no one location will store an entire copy of stored data, and more particularly still to systems, apparatus, and methods for block based access to a dispersed data storage network.
Description of the Related Art
Storing data in digital form is a well-known problem associated with all computer systems, and numerous solutions to this problem are known in the art. The simplest solution involves merely storing digital data in a single location, such as a punch film, hard drive, or FLASH memory device. However, storage of data in a single location is inherently unreliable. The device storing the data can malfunction or be destroyed through natural disasters, such as a flood, or through a malicious act, such as arson. In addition, digital data is generally stored in a usable file, such as a document that can be opened with the appropriate word processing software, or a financial ledger that can be opened with the appropriate spreadsheet software. Storing an entire usable file in a single location is also inherently insecure as a malicious hacker only need compromise that one location to obtain access to the usable file.
To address reliability concerns, digital data is often "backed-up," i.e., an additional copy of the digital data is made and maintained in a separate physical location. For example, a backup tape of all network drives may be made by a small office and maintained at the home of a trusted employee. When a backup of digital data exists, the destruction of either the original device holding the digital data or the backup will not compromise the digital data. However, the existence of the backup exacerbates the security problem, as a malicious hacker can choose between two locations from which to obtain the digital data. Further, the site where the backup is stored may be far less secure than the original location of the digital data, such as in the case when an employee stores the tape in her home.
Another method used to address reliability and performance concerns is the use of a Redundant Array of Independent Drives ("RAID"). RAID refers to a collection of data storage schemes that divide and replicate data among multiple storage units. Different configurations of RAID provide increased performance, improved reliability, or both increased performance and improved reliability. In certain configurations of RAID, when digital data is stored, it is split into multiple stripes, each of which is stored on a separate drive. Data striping is performed in an algorithmically certain way so that the data can be reconstructed. While certain RAID configurations can improve reliability, RAID does nothing to address security concerns associated with digital data storage.
One method that prior art solutions have addressed security concerns is through the use of encryption. Encrypted data is mathematically coded so that only users with access to a certain key can decrypt and use the data. Common forms of encryption include DES, AES, RSA, and others. While modern encryption methods are difficult to break, numerous instances of successful attacks are known, some of which have resulted in valuable data being compromised.
Files are usually organized in file systems, which are software components usually associated with an operating system. Typically, a file system provides means for creating, updating, maintaining, and hierarchically organizing digital data. A file system accepts digital data of arbitrary size, segments the digital data into fixed-size blocks, and maintains a record of precisely where on the physical media data is stored and what file the data is associated with. In addition, file systems provide hierarchical directory structures to better organize numerous files.
Various interfaces to storage devices are also well known in the art. For example, Small Computer System Interface ("SCSI") is a well known family of interfaces for connecting and transferring data between computers and peripherals, including storage. There are also a number of standards for transferring data between computers and storage area networks ("SAN"). For example, Fibre Channel is a networking technology that is primarily used to implement SANs. Fibre Channel SANS can be accessed through SCSI interfaces via Fibre Channel Protocol ("FCP"), which effectively bridges Fibre Channel to higher level protocols within SCSI. Internet Small Computer System Interface ("iSCSI"), which allows the use of the SCSI protocol over IP networks, is an alternative to FCP, and has been used to implement lower cost SANs using Ethernet instead of Fibre Channel as the physical connection. Interfaces for both FCP and iSCSI are available for many different operating systems, and both protocols are widely used. The iSCSI standard is described in "Java iSCSI Initiator," by Volker Wildi, and Internet Engineering Task Force RFC 3720, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
In 1979, two researchers independently developed a method for splitting data among multiple recipients called "secret sharing." One of the characteristics of secret sharing is that a piece of data may be split among n recipients, but cannot be known unless at least t recipients share their data, where n≧t. For example, a trivial form of secret sharing can be implemented by assigning a single random byte to every recipient but one, who would receive the actual data byte after it had been bitwise exclusive orred with the random bytes. In other words, for a group of four recipients, three of the recipients would be given random bytes, and the fourth would be given a byte calculated by the following formula:s=sOraOrbOrc where s is the original source data, ra, rb, and rc are random bytes given to three of the four recipients, and s is the encoded byte given to the fourth recipient. The original byte s can be recovered by bitwise exclusive-orring all four bytes together.
The problem of reconstructing data stored on a digital medium that is subject to damage has also been addressed in the prior art. In particular, Reed-Solomon and Cauchy Reed-Solomon coding are two well-known methods of dividing encoded information into multiple slices so that the original information can be reassembled even if all of the slices are not available. Reed-Solomon coding, Cauchy Reed-Solomon coding, and other data coding techniques are described in "Erasure Codes for Storage Applications," by Dr. James S. Plank, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Schemes for implementing dispersed data storage networks ("DDSNs"), which are also known as dispersed data storage grids, are also known in the art. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,474, issued to Michael O. Rabin, describes a system for splitting a segment of digital information into n data slices, which are stored in separate devices. When the data segment must be retrieved, only m of the original data slices are required to reconstruct the data segment, where n>m.
However, prior art dispersed data storage networks have had limited application. In particular, the prior art dispersed data storage networks have not been generally accessible by commonly used operating systems. Rather, dispersed data storage networks have been used to accomplish specific tasks, such as securing extremely sensitive information, or for experimental purposes. Nonetheless, a generally accessible dispersed data storage network would offer significant utility to a wide variety of users. For example, a dispersed data storage network could be interfaced to servers implementing an online store and used to warehouse customer information, like credit card numbers. This would allow the online store the advantages of a dispersed data network without having to implement a special interface to the dispersed data network. Other uses of a block-based interface to a dispersed data storage network are apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Block based access to a dispersed data storage network

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


There is provided a program management apparatus adapted to perform a program updating operation of a program by downloading the program from a server which manages an information of the program to a predetermined terminal device, including: a pattern setting unit, which retains plural kinds of patterns each serving as a mode for giving an information inclusive of a program and updating such a program, for allowing a user to select one of the patterns so as to previously set it as a selected pattern; and a program updating unit for, upon activation of a program updating operation, automatically performing the program updating operation according to the selected pattern set by the pattern setting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program management apparatus, a program management system and a program management method and, particularly, relates to a program management apparatus, a program management system and a program management method adapted to execute an update of a current program by a new program which is downloaded via a communication network from a version management server.
2. Description of the Related Art
A kind of program management system as mentioned above is designed to execute a remote maintenance of a terminal device by a host computer, e.g., as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI-6-131163. The host computer according to the invention of this publication is configured to download a program to the terminal device by a predetermined method. In this program management system for executing the remote maintenance, a single method is consistently and permanently used for such a maintenance.
In many kinds of enterprises, there is variety in number of men of talent enabled to be allocated to a program management and/or in ability level of such men depending to the enterprises' scales and economical affairs. However, regardless of various affairs of such enterprises, communications machines such as multi-function peripherals (MFPs) commonly used by these enterprises have to possess performances or functions capable of dealing with the majority of affairs of the enterprises as users.

Program management apparatus, program management system, and program management method


Methods are provided for electrochemically depositing copper on a work piece. One method includes the step of depositing overlying the work piece a barrier layer having a surface and subjecting the barrier layer surface to a surface treatment adapted to facilitate deposition of copper on the barrier layer. Copper then is electrochemically deposited overlying the barrier layer.

The production of integrated circuits begins with the creation of high-quality semiconductor wafers. During the wafer fabrication process, the wafers may undergo multiple dielectric and conductor deposition processes followed by the masking and etching of the deposited layers. Some of these steps relate to metallization, which generally refers to the materials, methods, and processes of wiring together or interconnecting the component parts of an integrated circuit located on or overlying the surface of the wafer. Typically, the wiring of an integrated circuit involves etching features, such as "trenches" and "vias," in a planar dielectric (insulator) layer and filling the features with a conductive material, typically a metal.
In the past, aluminum was used extensively as a metallization material in semiconductor fabrication due to the ease with which aluminum could be applied and patterned on the wafer. In addition, aluminum metallization does not suffer from the leakage and adhesion problems experienced with the use of gold. Other metallization materials have included such materials as Ni, Ta, Ti, W, Ag, Al(Cu), TaN, TiN, CoWP, NiP and CoP, alone or in various combinations.
Recently, techniques have been developed which utilize copper to form conductive contacts and interconnects because copper is less susceptible to electromigration and exhibits a lower resistivity than aluminum. Since copper does not readily form volatile compounds, the plasma etching of copper is difficult. Hence, conductive contacts and interconnects often are formed using a damascene process. In accordance with the damascene process, the copper conductive contacts and interconnects are usually formed by etching features such as vias and/or trenches within a blanket insulating material. The vias and/or trenches may be formed wholly within one insulating material layer or may be etched to expose other insulating material layers or metallic layers. A barrier layer, which serves to prevent catastrophic contamination caused by copper diffusing through the interlayer dielectrics, typically may be deposited onto the surface of the insulating material and within the vias and/or trenches. Because it is often difficult to form a copper metallization layer directly overlying the barrier layer using electroplating, a seed layer of copper may be deposited onto the barrier layer. Then, a copper metallization layer may be electrodeposited onto the seed layer to fill the vias and/or trenches. The excess copper metallization layer, the copper seed layer, and the barrier layer overlying the insulating material outside the vias and/or trenches then may be removed, for example, by a process of chemical mechanical planarization or chemical mechanical polishing, each of which will hereafter be referred to as chemical mechanical planarization or CMP.
Tantalum (Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), and titanium nitride (TiN) currently are used as barrier layers in copper interconnects. However, it is difficult to electroplate copper directly onto thin barrier layers of Ta, TaN, and TiN because these barrier materials are highly resistive. Further, Ta, TaN, and TiN have a tendency to form an oxide film that is difficult to remove. This oxide film may prevent sufficient adhesion of the copper to the work piece. Accordingly, it is typically necessary to deposit a seed layer overlying the barrier layer to facilitate the deposition of copper. However, poor sidewall coverage and large overhang of the copper seed layer in the features may cause the copper electrofill to close off and leave voids in the features. As integrated circuits continue to scale to 90 nm, 65 nm, 45 nm and smaller technology nodes, it may become difficult to further decrease the dimensions of the barrier layer and seed layer in higher-aspect ratio features. This decrease is needed to allow for void-free filling with copper.
Barrier layers formed of ruthenium may present a desirable alternative to Ta, TaN, and TiN barriers. Ruthenium is an air-stable transition metal with a high melting point and is at least ten times more electrically conductive than tantalum. In addition, ruthenium generally shows negligible solid solubility with copper, thereby minimizing the adverse increase in the resistivity of copper from dissolution of dopants in the copper. Further, copper demonstrates suitable adhesion to ruthenium when directly deposited thereon. However, ruthenium demonstrates a tendency to form a ruthenium oxide layer overlying the ruthenium layer when exposed to ambient conditions. This ruthenium oxide layer may interfere with the deposition of copper directly onto the ruthenium layer and may cause non-uniform deposition of copper.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method for the electrochemical deposition of copper directly on a barrier layer of a semiconductor substrate. In addition, it is desirable to provide a method for the deposition of copper on a semiconductor work piece wherein the method eliminates the need for the deposition of a seed layer overlying the barrier layer. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods for the electrochemical deposition of copper onto a barrier layer of a work piece


An electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed. The photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor comprises a compound represented by formula (A), ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a group represented by formula (B), and R.sub.2 represents a group represented by formula (B), a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 9 carbon atoms, ##STR2## wherein formula R represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 9 carbon atoms.

Conventionally, regarding electrophotographic photoreceptors, research and development on organic photoreceptors with a photosensitive layer comprised of an organic photoconductive compound as a main constituent have been conducted.
The surface layer of the organic photoreceptor is subjected to external application of electrical and mechanical forces such as corona discharging, toner development, image transfer to a sheet of paper, cleaning process, etc. Accordingly, the durability against those is required. Furthermore, when a photoreceptor is practically employed in a copier or printer, the photoreceptor surface is degraded by products generated by discharging at the electrode, such as ozone, nitrogen oxide (NO.sub.x), etc., and ultraviolet radiation during exposure. Thus, environmental resistance is required.
As one of the technical measures used to minimize such degradation of a photoreceptor, the addition of various degradation minimizing agents and stabilizing agents has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 58-120260 describes a method in which benzotriazole compounds known as a UV absorber are added; Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 63-52146 describes a method in which a p-phenylenediamine is added; Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 63-58455 describes a method in which dihydroquinoline is added as ozone degradation minimizing agents; Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection Nos. 63-71856, 63-71857, 63-18355, and 3-73255 describe methods in which spiroindane, spirochroman, hindered-amine, and hindered-phenol are added as antioxidants; Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection Nos. 63-132224, 63-153553, and 63-153554 describe methods in which .alpha.-keto acid or aryl ketone compounds are added.
The additives mentioned above reduce the adverse effects due to ultraviolet radiation, ozone, NO.sub.x, etc. However, residual potential is occasionally degraded. In recent years, in accordance with the increase in sensitivity of photoreceptors, photoreceptors are required to be mounted on copiers and printers exhibiting higher speed and more printing resistance. Furthermore, it has become difficult to remove discharge products around the photoreceptor because of the decrease in dimensions of copiers and printers. Because of the facts mentioned above, the durability of conventional photoreceptors has been found to be insufficient.


A method of identifying fault conditions in a three phase power system includes monitoring the changes of both the current and voltage properties on a three phase power network. A maximum phase change value of both the current and voltage is determined. Either the voltage or the current values are selected, whichever includes the largest maximum phase change. Thereafter, the selected set of measurements is analyzed to determine whether a fault condition exists on any phase of the three phase power.

Protective relays are employed to monitor whether fault conditions exist in multiphase electrical lines and to then electrically isolate faulted phases. Some protective relays utilize delta phase selectors to detect the faulted phases in power circuits. Whether the implementation is achieved with analog components or digitized for numerical relay, the process starts by passing the phase voltages or currents through a filter that removes the nominal frequency component of the power system. Under normal conditions, when there is no disturbance or fault event, the output of the change detect filter will be zero. When a fault in the power circuit occurs, a change in the current or voltage waveform will occur and the change detect filter will have a non-zero output. The magnitude of the change is indicative of the significance of the actual change in the power circuit as represented by the voltage and/or current values.
An example of a protective relay that utilizes a delta phase selector includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,636 (hereinafter "the '636 patent") to Brandt et al. which is hereby incorporated by reference. Though these prior art methods have proven effective, not as accurate in their determination of the faulted phase(s), and therefore better accuracy is desirable.

Faulted phase decision method between current and voltage based delta phase selectors


A composting bin is disclosed that is readily assembled from modular panels. The bin is made in superposed sections, each section being formed from ventilated sidewall modules assembled into a regular polygon, usually a square. A latching arrangement is provided at the ends of each sidewall module to unite it to adjoining modules. The sidewall modules have a double wall. An outer wall provides structural support and is preferably formed of spaced apart slats firmly mounted on a frame. The inner wall is formed from screening. Free air circulation is achieved through the spaces between the slats and screening into the interior of the bin. The sections are readily stripped from composting material held within the bin to allow ready access from the sides for removal or mixing.

The present invention relates to a bin for composting vegetable matter such as lawn and garden waste and to the method of its use. More specifically, the bin is of a type that can be readily assembled from modular parts and equally readily disassembled to permit quick and ready access to the contained composting material.
Composting lawn and garden waste serves a dual purpose for the home resident. It provides a way to dispose of bulky waste such as lawn clippings, hedge trimmings, vegetable-type kitchen scraps, etc. Further, the resulting compost is a valuable soil amendment. It adds organic matter to the soil without imposing significant nitrogen or other nutrient demand. This is particularly important in sandy or clayey soils. The addition of compost improves tilth in heavy clay soils and water holding capacity in sandy soils. The organic portion of the soil also plays a critical function in ion exchange between mineral nutrients in the soil and plant root structures.
Compost formation is caused by bacterial and fungal action, especially on the cellulosic and other carbohydrate portions of the plant residues. It can proceed under either moist aerobic or anaerobic conditions, although the former is much to be preferred. Thermophilic and other aerobes are particularly efficient at reducing plant wastes to a rich humus. Aerobic decomposition generally proceeds much faster and is essentially without odor. Depending on a number of factors, plant wastes can be composted under highly aerobic conditions in periods ranging from a few weeks to several months. This same process with similar vegetal matter can take years under anaerobic conditions. Aerobic composting results in emission of water and carbon dioxide with considerable heat being produced. Temperatures in actively composting plant wastes can rise to levels in the neighborhood of 65.degree. C. (150.degree. F.) or even higher. Some of the composting microflora are adapted to thrive and multiply under these elevated temperatures. The higher temperatures are very desirable because the composting action is greatly accelerated and weed seeds and plant and soil pathogens are killed.
Since compaction occurs as a compost pile builds up and as material decomposes, aeration tends to become poorer, especially in the interior portions. In these compacted volumes the action of the obligate aerobes causing the composting slows significantly. Ultimately the aerobic microflora would be replaced by anaerobic microflora. These not only act slowly but give off methane and obnoxious gases containing reduced sulfur compounds. Serious home gardeners usually ensure good aeration by periodically turning over the composting material to restore a loose and permeable structure. This might be done several times during the composting period on a given pile of plant wastes. It is a general rule that, within reason, the more times an active compost pile is turned over the faster the process will proceed and product uniformity will be better. The serious gardener will manage the bed and determine turnover times by measurement of the internal temperature profile over time, according to known procedures. Unfortunately, for the average gardener turning over a compost pile involves relatively heavy work and considerable lifting. Normal bins are usually a rectangular wooden structure that may or may not have one open or partially open side. As the composting material is shoveled or forked out, access to the material in the bottom becomes difficult. Some existing bins are made with hinged sides so that the bin can be completely stripped from the pile to enable easier turnover. These tend to be heavy and awkward and have not found general acceptance. Other strippable bins are made of wire screening, such as poultry wire. This is prone to deformation during use and kinking upon removal. These screen bins do permit better aeration than closed-sided bins but suffer from accelerated moisture loss which slows composting.
Commercial composting operations have long been in operation to produce growing medium for crops such as mushrooms. These formerly used large quantities of animal manures. More recently they have used other agricultural wastes such as corn cobs and stalks, surplus or spoiled hay and similar plant materials, as well as sludge from bioponds. These materials are usually piled in long windows on the ground and frequently turned with large machines to ensure good aeration. A machine of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,276.
Many types of home composting bins have been proposed and some are sold commercially. U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,903 describes equipment for growing earthworms and simultaneously producing a compost leachate, commonly called "compost tea". This system would seem to be poorly adapted for the gardener growing anything more extensive than house plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,294 describes a compost bin composed of interlocking modular units that slide together vertically. The sidewalls may be perforated or may be constructed from screens held in marginally located frames. These frames interlock side-to-side by sliding together vertically. They can also be built up in a one-above-the-other fashion using a pin and socket locking arrangement. A related divisional patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,394, shows one version that apparently has a snap-on lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,412 describes a composter which again is primarily adapted for making a compost tea or "sap". The composting plant material is held within a perforated corrugated structure which is surrounded by an imperforate shell similar to a bottomless garbage can. A tight lid covers the device. Water is periodically poured through the composting plant waste and the "sap" is collected in a pail underlying the upper portion of the structure. While the preferred embodiment would be essentially anaerobic, one version shows a structure of simple spaced apart horizontal wood slats resting on the bottom pail. One of the bottom slats may be omitted to permit "mining" the compost after it is formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,602 shows a modular multipanel system useful for storage of grain or other materials and also useful for composting bins. Two identical panels are hinged along their edges. The panels have regularly spaced notches along their upper and lower transverse edges. These notches serve to accommodate clips that can combine the panel modules into various configurations.
A simple enclosure of wire screen panels is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,033. The panels are relatively rigid and self supporting and can be formed into enclosures of various shapes and sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,888 describes another modular composting bin made of molded plastic panels. These are joined end-to-end by vertically sliding together a molded rod and hook arrangement. Slots are provided in the sidewalls to provide limited aeration. Telescoping flanges on the top and bottom of the panels provide a snap together arrangement for increasing the height of the bin. There is no ready provision for removing compost except from the top.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,674 shows a composting bin of modular molded plastic units similar in many ways to the one just described. Provision is made here for doors on the sides of the panels. These ostensibly permit removal of compost from any level although, depending on the size of the bin, this would be difficult using any tool larger than a garden trowel. The doors seem better adapted for use of the bin as a vertical planter. One figure shows an entire lower panel absent for compost removal from the bottom. How this panel would be removed, in view of the interlocking construction, is not described.
A simple wood frame supported screen wire enclosure that can be readily opened to give access to the composting material is described in a Pierce County (Washington) Master Gardeners Bulletin. In principle this is similar to the enclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,033. While simple wire containers of this type can ultimately produce compost, the exterior portion of the pile is exposed to ambient air and wind which results in rapid heat and moisture loss from the surface. This can be sufficient to slow or almost stop aerobic composting action. On the other hand, bins made of wood, plastic, or metal frequently inhibit access by fresh air to much of the surface of the composting mass. This can result in an anaerobic environment within the stack of material.
A number of commercially available or home made composters use a tumbling or rotary action to speed the composting process. Several of these are compared with stationary composters in an article by Charles Nardozzi, National Gardening, Sep./Oct. 1991, pp 38,39, and 65. Most of these are small and of very limited capacity.
While all of these prior known composting bins would have greater or lesser usefulness, none of them fully address the problem of simplifying the turnover of substantial amounts of the contained composting plant material to achieve rapid aerobic composting. The present invention is particularly well adapted for dealing with the problem of compost turnover and for making compost very rapidly and efficiently with considerably reduced manual effort.