An additive for resins, a process for preparing amorphous definite particles used as an inorganic additive, and an olefin resin composition blended with the additive, and an agricultural film blended with the additive and a lithium-aluminum composite hydroxide carbonate. The additive for resins comprises amorphous definite particles having (1) a molar ratio SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of from 2.1 to 3.3 on the basis of oxides, (2) an average particle diameter of from 0.3 to 10 .mu.m, (3) a moisture regain at equilibrium (RH90%) of not greater than 10%, (4) a bulk density of from 0.5 to 1.2 g/ml, and (5) a pH in the form of an aqueous suspension of from 6 to 10, said amorphous definite particles being obtained by acid-treating and then heat-treating a Pc zeolite having a spherical particle shape, a notched surface and a molar ratio SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 of from 2 to 3.4 on the basis of oxides, and said amorphous definite particles further having substantially the same particulate structure as that of said Pc zeolite.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an additive (blending agent) for resins, which is blended into olefin resins. More specifically, the invention relates to a blending agent for resins, that imparts excellent properties to the formed films such as anti-blocking property, stability, abrasion resistance and like properties. Particularly, the present invention relates to an olefin resin composition which contains an olefin resin and, particularly, an olefin resin obtained by using a metallocene catalyst and a particular inorganic blending agent, exhibiting excellent properties such as stability, abrasion resistance, antifoaming property and the like properties.
2. Prior Art
Olefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene and olefin copolymer have excellent moldability, sanitary properties, mechanical properties and transparency, and can be easily disposed of. Therefore, the olefin resins have been extensively used for a variety of applications in the form of films, such as packaging materials, agricultural films, etc.
In handling these films and, particularly, drawn films, there takes place a so-called blocking which causes the films to intimately adhere to each other making it difficult to peel them off. In order to prevent the blocking, an antiblocking agent has in many cases been blended. Examples of the antiblocking agent include various inorganic particles, such as amorphous silica, alumina, silica-alumina, zeolite and various clays.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 36866/1986 filed by the present applicant discloses an alumina-silica resin blending agent comprising cubic particles having a side of a length of not larger than 5 microns and a molar ratio Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :SiO.sub.2 of from 1:1.8 to 1:5.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Publication No. 42367/1993 discloses amorphous silica or silica alumina particles having circularity and ruggedness lying within predetermined ranges, the particles being obtained by synthesizing zeolite particles having an X-ray diffraction image specific to P-type zeolite, clearly spherical shape and rugged surfaces, and treating the zeolite particles with an acid.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Publication No. 17217/1994 discloses amorphous silica-alumina spherical particles obtained by ion-exchanging the P-type zeolite with an alkaline earth metal followed by calcining.
The above-mentioned silica or silica-alumina definite particles offer advantages in that they can be easily blended and dispersed into olefin resins and exhibit antiblocking property, but are not still satisfactory from the standpoint of hygroscopic property, abrasion resistance and stability in combination.
The cubic particles of the above-mentioned first proposal exhibit relatively large abrasion resistance when the films are rubbed by each other. The cubic particles, which is calcined in order to decrease the hygroscopic property, has a great like this.
The spherical particles of the above-mentioned second proposal still exhibit large hygroscopic property and tend to be deformed when they are being blended into the resin and are worked. At the time of production, furthermore, silica in the P-type zeolite elutes out into the reaction medium causing the yield of the object produce to decrease.
The spherical particles according to the third proposal are satisfactory in regard to a large yield of the object product and a relatively small hygroscopic tendency leaving, however, a problem in regard to stability when they are blended into the resin due to their strongly alkaline property. Therefore, the blending agent for resins is decomposed or is colored.
As described above, the blending agent for resins, such as antiblocking agent must assume definite particulate shape such as spherical shape to maintain dispersion property. At the same time, the blending agent must have a pH value which is nearly neutral, must impart stability to the resin composition, must suppress the abrasion resistance to a low level when blended into the resin films, must not exhibit large hygroscopic tendency, and must suppress foaming of the resin.

Additive for resins, process for its preparation and olefin resin composition using this additive


A first certificate authority (CA) trust list comprising a plurality of CA identifiers is obtained by a first node of a blockchain network. A communication request comprising a public key certificate of the second node is received by the first node from a second node of the blockchain network. A first CA identifier is determined from the received public key certificate. A determination is made as to whether the first CA identifier matches one of the plurality of CA identifiers of the first CA trust list. In response to determining that the first CA identifier matches one of the plurality of CA identifiers of the first CA trust list, the communication request is approved by the first node. In response to determining that the first CA identifier does not match one of the plurality of CA identifiers of the first CA trust list, the communication request is denied.

As a branch of the blockchain technology, the consortium blockchain technology is increasingly used. Blockchain nodes in a consortium blockchain network include service nodes and consensus nodes. The service node participates in a service, and the consensus node is responsible for receiving service data sent by the service node and performing consensus verification on the service data.
The previously described service node is a service server of each institution that joins the consortium blockchain network, and software is installed on the server to communicate with another node in the consortium blockchain network (the software is referred to as a "communication program" in the present application).
FIG. 1 is an architectural diagram illustrating a consortium blockchain network. As shown in FIG. 1, solid circles are consensus nodes, and hollow circles are service nodes. Different service nodes provide services for different applications (APPs). The service node sends service data generated by the APP to the consensus node for consensus verification. Assuming that a service node is a server corresponding to a catering application, another service node is a server corresponding to a payment application. A user can make a payment through the payment application after making an order through the catering application, as such, the two service nodes can participate in the same service, and can register a service relationship as shown in FIG. 1 with the consortium blockchain network.
In the consortium blockchain network, each service node stores service data of a service in which the service node participates, and the service data usually includes a user's private data. Based on the existing technology, a more secure communication method is needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Secure communications in a blockchain network


A sulfur trioxide conditioning system includes a catalytic converter that converts a portion of the sulfur dioxide in a flow of flue gas to sulfur trioxide. The catalytic converter includes a catalyst support, which is disposed across at least a portion of the cross section of a main duct from a burner to a heat recovery apparatus, and a catalyst on the catalyst support. The amount of the catalyzed surface exposed to the flow of flue gas is selectively varied to control the conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide.

This invention relates to power plant operations, and, more particularly, to an approach for removing particulate matter from a flue gas stream produced in a fossil fuel power plant, especially a coal-fired power plant.
In a fossil fuel power plant, a fuel is burned in air to produce a flue gas. The flue gas heats water in a boiler to generate steam, which turns a turbine to produce power. After passing through various apparatus, the flue gas is exhausted through a stack to the atmosphere.
The flue gas includes solid particulate matter and a variety of gaseous contaminants. The maximum permissible emission levels of the particulate matter and gaseous contaminants are set by laws and regulations. The maximum emission levels are typically far less than the amounts present in the flue gas as it is produced, and various types of gas treatment apparatus are usually provided to reduce the particulate matter and gaseous contaminants in the flue gas before it leaves the stack.
In most fossil fuel power plants, particulate matter in the gas stream is removed by electrostatic precipitation. An electrostatic charge is applied to the particulate matter in the flue gas, and the flue gas passes between charged electrodes. The particulate matter is deposited upon the electrode having the opposite charge to that of the particulate and is later removed.
The fuel typically contains from about 0.5 percent to about 6 percent sulfur, which at least in part oxidizes to sulfur dioxide during combustion. A small part of the sulfur dioxide further oxidizes to sulfur trioxide. Since the combustion air and the fuel also contain moisture, the flue gas contains water vapor. The sulfur trioxide and water vapor in the flue gas react to produce sulfuric acid, which deposits upon the particulate matter. The sulfuric acid deposited upon the particulate matter imparts a degree of electrical conductivity to the particulate and promotes the electrostatic precipitation process.
If the fossil fuel contains too little sulfur so that there is a deficiency of sulfur trioxide and thence sulfuric acid in the flue gas, the electrostatic precipitator cannot function properly because of the high electrical resistivity of the particulate. It is therefore known to add sulfur trioxide from another source to the flue gas produced from burning low-sulfur fossil fuels. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,429.
In such a sulfur trioxide conditioning system, sulfur is burned to form sulfur dioxide, which is passed over a catalyst to achieve further oxidation to sulfur trioxide. The sulfur trioxide is injected into the flue gas flow upstream of the electrostatic precipitator. The amount of injected sulfur trioxide is controlled by varying the amount of sulfur that is burned.
Sulfur trioxide injection systems work well, and are widely used. In some instances, however, there are drawbacks. The catalytic conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide is not completely efficient, and additional sulfur dioxide is added to the flue gas flow. A constant supply of sulfur feedstock is required, and this feedstock must be safely handled. The several components of the burning, catalyzing, and injecting system must be kept in good working order, and there is a power consumption associated with the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,516 describes an alternate approach in which a slip stream of flue gas is drawn from the main flow and passed over a catalyst. A portion of the sulfur dioxide in the slip stream is oxidized to sulfur trioxide, and the slip stream is merged back into the main flue gas flow. While of interest, this approach has major drawbacks when implemented. System thermal efficiency is reduced because less heat is recovered. There is typically insufficient mixing of the slip stream and the main flow at the point where they rejoin due to an insufficient pressure differential.
Moreover, the '516 patent does not disclose any approach which permits control of the amount of sulfur trioxide produced, responsive to variations in the sulfur content of the fuel and changes in other operating parameters. A patent to a related approach, U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,463, suggests using a fan to draw a portion of the hot gas flow into the slip stream, but gives no further details as to how the amount of sulfur trioxide can be controlled. One can imagine that valving could be added to the slip stream to control its total flow, but such valves are complex, expensive, and difficult to build.
There is therefore a need for an improved approach to sulfur trioxide conditioning of flue gas streams. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Catalytic sulfur trioxide flue gas conditioning


An exposure apparatus exposes a pattern of an original onto a substrate while a liquid fills a gap between a projection optical system and the substrate. A liquid holding plate sets the substrate, held on a substrate stage, and a peripheral area around a peripheral portion of the substrate, to form substantially the same surface to hold the liquid on the peripheral portion of the substrate. The liquid holding plate includes (i) an inner member formed in the peripheral area around the peripheral portion of the substrate and holds the liquid on the peripheral portion, (ii) an outer member formed on a peripheral portion of the inner member and attaching to the substrate stage, and (iii) a connection member that connects the inner member to the outer member. The connection member has a lower rigidity than those of the inner member and the outer member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, which is used in a lithography process to manufacture devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projection exposure apparatus has been conventionally used as an apparatus that projects a circuit pattern image drawn on a reticle, serving as an original, onto a wafer, a glass plate, or the like, serving as a photosensitive substrate, by a projection optical system, and exposes the photosensitive substrate.
In recent years, an immersion exposure apparatus has attracted attention, in which a liquid is present between a projection optical system and a photosensitive substrate, and the refractive index of a medium between the final surface of the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate is increased to achieve a high resolution. In this immersion exposure apparatus, the liquid fills the gap between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate (to be merely referred to as a "substrate" as well hereafter), to increase the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection optical system. The numerical aperture (NA) of the projection optical system can be obtained from NA=n·sin θ where n is the refractive index of the liquid (medium). Thus, the NA can increase to n by filling the gap with a medium having a refractive index higher than that of air (n>1). From this relationship, a resolution R (R=k1(λ/NA)) of the immersion exposure apparatus, which is represented by a process constant k1 and a wavelength λ of the light source, can be decreased.
For example, a so-called local fill scheme immersion exposure apparatus has been proposed in which a liquid locally fills the gap between the final surface of a projection optical system and the surface of a wafer. The local fill scheme immersion exposure apparatus requires a specific mechanism, when exposing the peripheral portion of the wafer, to hold the liquid locally between the final surface of the projection optical system and the surface of the wafer. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2004-289127, 2002-158154, 2005-101488, and 2005-72132 propose an immersion exposure apparatus, which has a liquid holding plate (auxiliary member), adjacent to the peripheral portion of a wafer and having almost the same height as that of the surface of the wafer, on the stage top plate.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-101488 discloses an arrangement in which a recovery hold member or a porous member is arranged on a wafer stage, and connects to a line which is pressure-reduced by a vacuum pump, or the like, to recover an immersion liquid, entering a groove in the peripheral portion of the substrate, by suction.
With the liquid holding plate having almost the same height as that of the wafer on the stage top plate, when scanning the wafer, part of a liquid membrane (LW) locally held between the final surface of the projection optical system and the wafer surface remains thin on the surface of the liquid holding plate. When the thin liquid membrane remaining on the surface of the liquid holding plate vaporizes, it decreases the temperature of the liquid holding plate. The temperature decrease thermally deforms (shrinks) the liquid holding plate to deform a top plate that supports the liquid holding plate. When the top plate deforms, the relative positional relationship between the measurement mirror of a laser interferometer arranged in the vicinity of the top plate and the wafer changes, to degrade the measurement accuracy of the position and the posture of the wafer.
To recover the remaining immersion liquid, if the wafer stage is provided with a recovery hole member or a porous member to recover the immersion liquid by negative pressure suction, suction decreases the atmospheric pressure near the immersion liquid to promote vaporization of a significant amount of the immersion liquid. In other words, when the quantity to vaporize changes depending on the relative relationship between the pressure around the immersion liquid and the vapor pressure of the immersion liquid, and the pressure around the immersion liquid changes in a decreasing direction, usually, the vaporization quantity increases. Accordingly, the portion around the flow channel, including the recovery hole member or porous members as the suction portion and the vacuum pump, tends to be cooled due to the influence of the vaporization heat. It is known that (pure) water typically used as an immersion liquid, particularly, has a very large heat quantity of vaporization (latent heat) per unit mass, and that vaporization of 1 g of water deprives the flow channel of as large as about 2,400 J of heat. The heat vaporization generated by the immersion liquid deprives a member surface of a vary large heat quantity, directly and locally. Hence, it is difficult to perform highly accurate temperature adjustment, including temperature distribution adjustment, of the entire liquid holding plate. Therefore, in practice, even with temperature adjusting, thermal deformation occurs to a certain degree, due to a change in temperature of the wafer liquid holding plate, to degrade the exposure accuracy.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an exposure technique which suppresses an influence of the thermal deformation of the liquid holding plate caused by vaporization heat of an immersion liquid, and realizes excellent exposure accuracy.


A content addressable memory cell is able to store a state representing "Don't Care", by storing two bits of data. The "Don't Care" state is indicated by storing two identical bits corresponding to a predetermined value, so that the cell indicates a match regardless of the match data. When the cell is not in the "Don't Care" state, two complementary bits are stored, so that the cell indicates a match only when the match data matches the state of the first of the two bits.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to content addressable memory cells and, more particularly, to a content addressable memory cell which can store a state representing "Don't Care".
2. Description of the Related Art
Content addressable memories (CAMs) compare a search word with a set of stored words. An indication of whether or not the search word matches the stored words is produced for each stored word. A distinguishing characteristic of a CAM is that each stored word is uniquely identified on the basis of the content of the word itself, rather than by its address within the memory array as in conventional digital memories.
A CAM includes an array of memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. Each memory cell stores a single bit of digital information. The bits stored in a row of memory elements constitute a stored word. During a match operation, a search word of input data is applied to all the rows, and an indication is produced for each row as to whether or not the search word matches the word stored therein.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional CAM cell with match logic, according to the prior art. Each CAM cell stores one bit of data within a stored word. In the CAM cell, a storage cell 101 comprises two inverters 101a and 101b connected to form a flip-flop. FIG. 2 shows a typical implementation of the flip-flop using two n-type transistors 201b and 201d, and two p-type transistors 201a and 201c.
The flip-flop has two states: In one state the signal "a" is high, and in the other state it is low. The signal "b" is always the complement of "a". Bit lines BL and BL are connected to the storage cell 101 via access gates, here shown as transistors 103 and 104. A word line designated as W is connected to the gate terminal of each access transistor, and extends out to other cells in the same word row. Match logic 102 is connected to the storage cell and to the bit lines. This match logic has an output designated as MV, which indicates the presence of a match.
The operation of the conventional CAM of FIG. 1 will now be described. Bit lines BL and BL have two functions: a read/write function and a match function. To perform a read/write function, the word line W is used to activate the access transistors 103 and 104. Thus, an electrical connection is made between the bit lines BL and BL and the two terminals of the storage cell 101. Once this connection has been established, the bit lines can either read the state of the storage cell, or write a state onto the cell.
When the access transistors 103 and 104 are deactivated, the storage cell 101 is isolated from BL and BL. In this situation, BL and BL can be used for their match function. A state is asserted on one of the bit lines, and its complement is asserted on the other bit line. If the state of BL matches the state of signal "a", the MV signal will float; if there is no match, MV will be pulled low. For example, suppose we wish to check if "a" is high. A high signal is placed on the BL line and a low signal placed on BL. If "a" is high, transistor 102b will be on, transistor 102a will be off (because BL is low), transistor 102d will be off (because "b" is low), and transistor 102c will be off (because its source terminal is floating). Thus, MV will float, indicating a match. If "a" is low, transistors 102b and 102a will be off, and transistors 102d and 102c will be on (because both BL and "b" are high). Thus, MV will be pulled low, indicating no match.
It can therefore be seen that, when access transistors 103 and 104 are off and the storage cell 101 is isolated from the bit lines, the match logic 102 can be used to check for matches between the bit lines and the data stored in the cell.
When searching for matches in a CAM, it is known in the art to specify "Don't Care" in one or more bits of the search word. Specifying "Don't Care" means that the CAM cell should signal a match regardless of the state of its stored bit. One technique for specifying "Don't Care" in the search word is to pull both BL and BL low. Following the match logic shown in FIG. 1, it can be seen that this would result in MV floating (indicating a match) regardless of the state of the flip-flop.
The technique of specifying "Don't Care" in the search word is useful for searching for ranges of words. For example, to search for all words falling within the range 1011000 to 1011111, one might specify the search word 1011XXX (where "X" represents "Don't Care"). This search word would match with any word falling within the range. This technique can generally be used only on continuous ranges of words; discontinuous ranges require multiple search words.
The technique of specifying "Don't Care" in the search word is to be distinguished from specifying "Don't Care" in the stored data. When "Don't Care" is specified in the search word, a storage cell will indicate a match regardless of the state of its stored bit. On the other hand, when "Don't Care" is stored in the stored data, the cell will indicate a match regardless of the state of the match data. Although it is known in the art to specify "Don't Care" in the match data, conventional CAM design does not have the capability to specify "Don't Care" in the stored data. This technique is useful in applications where multiple discontinuous ranges of words are to be specified.

Apparatus for storing "Don't Care" in a content addressable memory cell


A device for spreading a cable of carbon fibers or carbon yarns, includes a disk mounted on a rotary shaft and provided with at least one comb adapted to comb a cable of carbon fibers or carbon yarns in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the fibers or yarns of the cable. The comb includes a plurality of teeth protruding radially toward the outside of the disk, and a device for rotating the disk around its rotary axis. Furthermore, a method for spreading a cable of carbon fibers or carbon yarns, includes at least making the teeth of the comb of the device flush with the cable in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the fibers or yarns of the cable.

The present invention relates to the general field of producing fibrous sheets obtained by spreading several cables of fibers or yarns.
One favored, but nonexclusive field of application of the invention is that of the production of three-dimensional fibrous preforms intended for the manufacture of annular parts made from a carbon-carbon (C—C) composite material, in particular the manufacture of brake disks.
Brake disks made from composite material, in particular a composite material reinforced with carbon fibers and a carbon matrix, are well known. Their manufacture comprises the production of an annular fibrous preform and the densification thereof by a matrix.
One known method for producing an annular fibrous preform consists of producing annular fibrous sheets (i.e., a so-called transverse sheet and a so-called circumferential sheet) by spreading and juxtaposition of several cables of carbon fibers or carbon yarns. The transverse and circumferential sheets are then bonded to each other by needling and are rotated. A thick annular fibrous structure is obtained by bonding several layers to each other by circular needling.
This method, one example embodiment of which is described in document WO 2007/048946, thus makes it possible to obtain an annular fibrous preform directly from cables of carbon fibers or carbon yarns with practically no wastage.
With such a method, the cables forming the transverse sheet are more precisely laid alternating in one direction and the other between the outer and inner coaxial rings of an installation. Inevitably, such a laying causes tightening of the carbon fibers or yarns toward the inner ring (relative to the outer ring).
Consequently, to obtain an annular fibrous sheet that is completely homogenous over its entire width, it is necessary to compensate the increase in the surface density of the transverse sheet at the inner ring due to this tightening through a corresponding decrease in the surface density of the circumferential sheet in that location.
To give the circumferential sheet a decreasing surface density between the outer ring and the inner ring of the installation, it is possible to form said sheet with cables having a same width, but having decreasing weights between the rings. However, this solution is relatively impractical to implement and requires the use of cables with different weights.
Another solution consists of further spreading the cable(s) in question before they are laid. However, the known spreading solutions have a certain number of drawbacks. In particular, a spreading device by blowing air does not make it possible to freeze the width of the cable and thus prevent it from returning to its initial appearance before it was placed between the rings of the installation. It is also important for the spreading of the cable to be done while preserving the homogeneity of fibers within the cable. Lastly, it must be possible to spread the cable without creating tension in the cable.

Device and method for spreading a cable of carbon fibers or carbon yarns


A user equipment (UE) communicating with a radio access network (RAN) sends to a network entity (e.g., an MSC/SGSN) a request for periodic reporting of the UE location to a client entity. After the request is approved, the MSC/SGSN sends to the RAN signaling to initiate periodic location reporting for the UE. The RAN may request a positioning center (e.g., a SAS) to send assistance data to the UE. The RAN may coordinate and control the periodic location reporting or may pass the control over to the positioning center. For each location reporting, the UE sends location information (e.g., measurements made by the UE or a location estimate computed by the UE) to the RAN. The SAS computes a location estimate if the UE sends measurements. The RAN then sends the location estimate for the UE to the MSC/SGSN, which forwards the location estimate toward the client entity.

Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communication, and more specifically to techniques for providing location services.
Background
It is often desirable, and sometimes necessary, to know the location of a wireless device in a network. For example, a wireless user may utilize the wireless device to browse through a website and may click on location sensitive content. The web server may then query the network for the location of the wireless device. The network would initiate location processing with the wireless device in order to ascertain the location of the wireless device. The network would then return a location estimate for the wireless device to the web server, which may use this location estimate to provide appropriate content to the wireless user. There are many other scenarios in which knowledge of the location of the wireless device is useful or necessary. In the following description, the terms "location" and "position" are synonymous and are used interchangeably.
A message flow (which may also be called a call flow or a procedure) is typically executed in order to obtain a location estimate for the wireless device and to send this location estimate to a client entity (e.g., the web server). Various messages are typically exchanged between one or more network entities, the wireless device, and the client entity for the message flow. These messages ensure that each entity is provided with pertinent information, or can obtain this information from another entity, in order to carry out positioning for the wireless device and/or to deliver the location estimate to the client entity. However, these messages add to the traffic among the various network entities. The additional traffic may be especially great for periodic location reporting, which periodically provides a location estimate for the wireless device to the client entity. The messages may also extend the response time for sending the location estimate to the client entity, possibly by an unacceptable amount.
There is therefore a need in the art for techniques to efficiently provide location services.

Efficient periodic location reporting in a radio access network


An arrangement for a steam engine power plant with a steam generator, a steam buffer, and a timing valve for a steam engine of a displacement type with a range of cut-offs and motion in both driving and braking directions. Engine braking to the steam engine is provided when the timing valve opens the inlet to the cylinder to admit steam when the piston in the cylinder is moving toward top dead center while feed water is simultaneously being injected into the cylinder to collect the braking energy by being formed into steam. This steam and its energy can then be collected by the steam buffer for future use by the steam engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for a steam engine power plant that includes a steam generator, a steam buffer, and an adjustable valve for variable filling with forward and backward motion and having a supply of steam for a steam engine of a displacement type, especially an axial piston type engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For a steam engine, as for other engines, potential engine braking is desirable. For conventional engines, engine braking is obtained through pump losses, which do not exist in a steam engine, and mechanical losses, which are considerably higher than in a steam engine. Consequently, it is advantageous to provide a steam engine with an engine braking capability.

Arrangement of a steam engine power plant


The present invention is for enlarging a freedom of layout including an air bridge pattern and enhancing the availability for various purposes. A mask layer including an air bridge pattern is formed on a (100) plane of a silicon substrate, isotropic etching is carried out until a point of intersection between tangents of a peripheral curved plane comes to under the air bridge pattern plane, and then an air bridge is formed by means of anisotropic etching.

When an air bridge is formed on a silicon substrate, generally a method of forming an air bridge by making use of difference in etching rate for each crystal plane of silicon has been employed. The difference in etching rate for each crystal plane of silicon is the phenomenon that, when a single crystal of silicon is etched with a particular etching liquid (EPW liquid), the etching rate largely varies for each crystal axis and the etching rate in a certain direction (111 direction) is extremely lower than those in other directions (100 direction and 110 direction). As shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, for instance, when a mask layer 1802 is formed on a (100) plane of a silicon substrate 1801 and the mask layer 1802 is etched with an etching liquid, a cavity surrounded by four (111) planes is formed. In other words, etching proceeds until all planes of the silicon substrate 1801 being exposed to the etching liquid become (111) planes (Refer to FIGS. 18C and 18D). This type of etching is called anisotropic etching.
In the method of forming an air bridge by making use of difference in etching rate for each crystal plane of silicon, an air bridge 1803 is formed, as shown in FIG. 19B or FIG. 20B, by forming the mask layer 1802 on the silicon substrate 1801 having an air bridge pattern as shown in FIG. 19A or FIG. 20A and executing anisotropic etching.
With the conventional type of etching method for silicon substrate, however, although air bridges such as those shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 can be formed, as there are various technological restrictions concerning an air bridge pattern along which an air bridge is formed because of characteristics of anisotropic etching, there have been such problems as limited availability for various purposes and a small freedom in pattern layout on a silicon substrate.
For instance, even if an air bridge pattern 2101 (a portion indicated by dotted lines having a large area as shown in FIG. 21A) is formed, anisotropic etching is completed in the states as shown in FIGS. 21B and 21C, so that an air bridge can not be formed.
On the other hand, the air bridge 1803 can be made larger by employing the cantilever form, but in this case the strength and the stability of the air bridge are rather low. Also the air bridge 1803 can be made larger by forming it in approximately 45 degrees diagonally inclined state, but also in this case the strength and the stability of the air bridge are low. In either case, the freedom of layout on a silicon substrate including an air bridge pattern is extremely low.

Etching method for forming air bridge pattern on silicon substrate


This invention relates to overload protection for a circuit driving a direct current (DC) load. The invention provides a method of generating an overload condition for an output module driving a load having a load current and a load voltage comprising the steps of: monitoring the load current at sample intervals; comparing the monitored load current to a predetermined load current threshold; starting an overload timer in the event that the timer is not running and the monitored load current is greater than said load current threshold; monitoring the load voltage at said sample intervals; generating a ramped load voltage waveform for reference purposes in dependence upon an initial load voltage and a predetermined step size load voltage in the event that the overload timer is running; generating an overload condition in the event that the monitored load voltage is less than said ramped load voltage reference waveform, the ramped load voltage is less than a predetermined positive ramp limit and the overload timer is running.

a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to overload protection for a circuit driving a direct current (DC) load, in particular it relates to overload protection for output drive modules for safety control systems. The invention allows for maximum output load driving capability while retaining protection for the driving circuit.
In safety control systems, fault tolerance is of utmost importance. Fault tolerance is the ability to continue functioning in the event of one or more failures within the system.
Fault tolerance may be achieved by a number of different techniques, each with its specific advantages and disadvantages. One example of fault tolerance is known as Hardware Implemented Fault Tolerance (HIFT). HIFT means that the system relies on robust hardware circuits (as opposed to complex software algorithms) to perform the fault detection and redundancy management functions. A significant advantage HIFT has over software-implemented fault tolerance is that HIFT eliminates the overhead for communications between processors, leaving more time for controlling the process. This makes HIFT systems significantly faster and more dependable than systems using software-implemented fault tolerance.
An example of a HIFT system is a system which provides redundancy, in particular Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR). Using TMR, critical circuits are triplicated and perform identical functions simultaneously and independently. The data output from each of the three circuits is voted in a majority-voting circuit, before affecting the system's outputs. If one of the triplicated circuits fails, its data output is ignored. However, the system continues to output to the process the value (voltage, current level, or discrete output state) that agrees with the majority of the functional circuits. TMR provides continuous, predictable operation.
HIFT and TMR provides for automatic fault recovery with no disruption to system operation and ensures minimal fault detection periods.
Another approach to fault tolerance is the use of hot-standby modules. This approach provides a level of fault tolerance whereby the standby module maintains system operation in the event of module failure. With this approach there may be some disruption to system operation during the changeover period if the modules are not themselves fault-tolerant.
Fault tolerant systems ideally create a Fault Containment Region (FCR) to ensure that a fault within the FCR boundary does not propagate to the remainder of the system. This enables multiple faults to co-exist on different parts of a system without affecting operation.
Fault tolerant systems generally employ dedicated hardware and software test and diagnostic regimes that provide very fast fault recognition and response times to provide a safer system.
Commonly, it is possible to repair faults without interrupting system operation (known as hot replacement). For example active and standby module may operate in parallel so that if an active module becomes faulty there is an automatic change over to a standby module.
Safety control systems are generally designed to be 'fail-operational/fail-safe'. Fail operational means that when a failure occurs, the system continues to operate: it is in a fail-operational state. The system should continue to operate in this state until the failed module is replaced and the system is returned to a fully operational state.
An example of fail safe operation occurs, for example if, in a TMR system, a failed module is not replaced before a second failure in a parallel circuit occurs, the second failure should cause the TMR system to shut down to a fail-safe state.
Typical safety control applications include emergency and safety shutdown systems, process control, reactor control, wellhead control, turbine and compressor control, fire and gas detection and abatement, and are applicable to many industries including oil and gas production and refining, chemical production and processing, power generation, paper and textile mills and sewage treatment plants.


The disclosed hardware and software co-simulator can execute two simulations effectively between two simulators each for executing simulation independently, by eliminating the idle times for waiting the execution end of the opposite simulator. The co-simulator is constructed in such a way that the time data generated at which the events transferred between a fist simulator and a second simulator occur can be extracted by analyzing the simulation data; and the expected occurrence times of the events to be transferred between the simulators are previously indicated to each simulator on the basis of the event occurrence time data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hardware and software co-simulator and a its method, and more specifically to an apparatus for realizing a cooperative simulation which can verify both the functions of hardware and software at the same time, which is required when a logical system constructed by both hardware and software is designed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, with the advance of the performance of processors, functions so far satisfied by only hardware have been realized by use of software. In order to realize such functions as described above; that is, to construct the such system as described above effectively, it is necessary to design both hardware and software in parallel to each other by considering the tradeoff between both quantitatively.
Therefore, recently, a need of cooperative design of both hardware and software has been increased. In particular, the functional verification for the total system including the consistency between hardware and software is important to improve the design efficiency, so that it is indispensable to provide the hardware and software co-simulator which can simulate both functions of the hardware portion and the software portion simultaneously.
In the conventional hardware and software co-simulator, in general the simulator of a hardware description language (e.g., VHDL or Verilog-HDL) is used as a simulator for the hardware portion, on the other hand, a C program of instruction sets of the processor is used as a simulator for the software portion; and the simulation is executed by operating these two different simulators at the same time. In this case, both the simulators must be operated in synchronism with each other for cooperation with both. This is because the times at which events transferred between both the simulators occur cannot be known previously, before the actual simulations are executed. Therefore, when the actual simulations are executed, if both the simulators are operated without synchronism with each other, it is necessary to bring back the simulator situation to a past time point, so that an overhead inevitably increases.
Therefore, the following methods are so far known as the method of synchronizing the two simulators with each other:
1) A function for managing the entire time is additionally provided for the simulators, and the both simulators execute the simulations in accordance with the commands thereof.
2) One of the simulator is determined as a master and the other thereof is determined as a slave. The simulations are executed in such a way that the slave simulator follows the master simulator, by transferring the mutual simulation time data between both.
In the above-mentioned method 1), although the synchronism can be achieved most simply, since time proceeds in constant time unit as the entire co-simulator, there inevitably exist idle waiting times in both the simulators.
On the other hand, in the method 2), since the two simulators transfer the succeeding simulation time data between both, respectively, although there exists such an advantage that the simulation time can be advance at a time until the time at which at least one of the simulators is operated, there still exists a problem in that when one of the simulators is being operated, an idle waiting time inevitably occurs in the other of the simulators, until one of the simulators ends its operation.
In summary, in the conventional simulator apparatus, when the cooperative simulation is executed between a plurality of simulators, in general, each simulator is operated as an independent process and further the event data are transferred between the two simulators through communications between the processing steps. In this case, since each simulator must always control its own simulation by monitoring the simulation time of the other simulator, it is necessary to synchronize both the simulators with each other. In this case, since the overhead considerably increases, when the cooperative simulations are executed between two simulators having a large speed difference, the high-speed simulator must always wait the low-speed simulator, with the result that the total simulation speed is dependent upon the lowest simulation speed.
As described above, in the conventional simulator apparatus, when a logical system constructed by both hardware and software is required to be designed, in the hardware and software co-simulator used to verify both the functions of the hardware portion and the software portion simultaneously, since the two different simulators used for both the hardware and software portions are operated by synchronizing both the simulation times each other, an idle waiting time is inevitably produced in any one of the simulator according to the progressing situation of the simulators, thus causing a problem in that the simulation times are inevitably lengthened.

Hardware and software co-simulator and its method


A functional molecular device displaying its functions under the action of an electrical field is provided. A Louis base molecule, exhibiting positive dielectric constant anisotropy or exhibiting dipole moment along the long-axis direction of the Louis base molecule, is arrayed in the form of a pendant on an electrically conductive linear or film-shaped principal-axis molecule of a conjugated system, via a metal ion capable of acting as a Louis acid. The resulting structure is changed in conformation on application of an electrical field to exhibit its function. The electrically conductive linear or film-shaped principal-axis molecule and the Louis base molecule form a complex with the metal ion. On application of the electrical field, the Louis base molecule performs a swinging movement or a seesaw movement to switch the electrical conductivity of the principal-axis molecule. This molecule exhibits electrical characteristics which may be reversed depending on whether or not the molecule has been subjected to electrical field processing. A molecular device having a function equivalent to one of CMOS may be produced from one and the same material.

The present application relates to a functional molecular device employing a functional molecular element demonstrating its functions under the operation of an electrical field.
In the field of a functional molecular element, realizing its functions under the action of an electrical field, researches are now being conducted for employing the nano-technology, which is a technology of observing, fabricating and utilizing a miniaturized structure with the size of the order of one hundred-millionth of a meter (10-8=10 nm).
Towards the end of eighties, a microscope of ultra-high precision, called a scanning tunneling microscope, was invented, whereby it became possible to observe individual atoms or molecules. With the use of the scanning tunneling microscope, not only the atoms or molecules may be observed, but also these may be handled individually. For example, a report has been made of an instance of arraying atoms in the form of a letter or character on the surface of a crystal. However, even though the atoms or molecules may be handled in this manner, it would not be practical to handle an enormous number of atoms or molecules one by one to assemble a new material or device.
If the atoms, molecules or groups thereof are handled to form a nanometer-scale structure, a new enabling ultra-precision machining technology is necessitated. This nanometer-scale ultra-fine machining technology may roughly be classified into the following two systems.
One of these is the so-called top-down system in which a silicon wafer of a larger size is machined to a small size to the limit of machining and an integrated circuit is formed thereon. This system has so far been used for the fabrication of a variety of semiconductor devices. The other is the so-called bottom-up system in which atoms or molecules, as the units of the miniscule size, are used as components, and a target nanometer-scale structure is fabricated by assembling these small components together.
As for the limit towards reducing the size of a structure in accordance with the top-down system, there is a famous Moore's law propounded in 1965 by Gordon E. Moore who is a joint founder of the Intel Corporation. This law states that the degree of transistor integration is doubled in eighteen months. Since 1965, the industrial circles of semiconductors succeeded in raising the degree of transistor integration for over thirty years, as predicted in the Moore's law.
The road map ITRS (International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductor), for the fifteen years to come, as publicized by the United States Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), European Semiconductor Industry Association, Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association, Korean Semiconductor Industry Association and Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association, expresses an opinion that the Moore's law will continue to remain valid.
The ITRS is composed of a short-span road map, valid until 2013, and a long-span road map, valid until 2020. The short-span road map states that, in 2013, the process rule for the semiconductor chip and the gate length of a microprocessor will become 32 nm and 13 nm, respectively. The long-span road map states that the gate length in 2020, the process role for the semiconductor chip and the gate length of a microprocessor will become 14 and 6 nm.
The more the semiconductor chip is miniaturized, the higher becomes its operating speed and the lower becomes the power consumption. Moreover, the number of components that may be produced from a sole wafer becomes larger, with the production cost being correspondingly lowered. This accounts for competition among microprocessor manufacturers for miniaturizing the process rule and for raising the integration degree of transistors.
In November 1999, a laboratory group of United States has clarified the results of epoch-making researches in the miniaturization technology. These researches are for a method of designing a gate on an FET (field-effect transistor), termed FinFET, developed by a group of Professor Cheming Hu specializing in the computer science in Berkeley School of the University of California, USA. This method enables a number of transistors, about 400 times as many as that of the conventional technology, to be fabricated on a semiconductor chip.
The gate is an electrode controlling the flow of electrons in the channel in an FET. In the currently accepted routine designing, the gate is placed on the semiconductor surface in a parallel relation thereto for controlling the channel from one side. With this structure, an electron flow cannot be interrupted except if the gate is of a length exceeding a certain length. Hence, the gate length has so far been taken to be among the factors restricting the miniaturization of the transistors.
With the FinFET, on the other hand, the gate is of a forked configuration lying on both sides of the channel in order to effectively control the channel. It is possible with the FinFET to further reduce the size of the gate length and the transistor than with the conventional transistor structure.
The gate length of a prototype FET, prepared by the laboratory group, is 18 nm, which is one-tenth of the currently accepted ordinary gate length. This gate length of the laboratory group compares favorably with the size for the year 2014 specified in the long-span road map of ITRS. It is stated that a gate length equal to one-half the above gate length may be possible. Since Professor Hu et al. state that they are not willing to acquire patent for the technology in expectation of wide acceptance in the semiconductor circles, the FinFET is expected to be in the mainstream of the fabrication technique in future.
However, it has also been pointed out that the Moore's law will reach a limit by the law of nature sooner or later.
For example, in the semiconductor technology, now in the mainstream, a semiconductor chip is fabricated as a circuit pattern is printed on a silicon wafer by the lithographic technology. For raising the degree of miniaturization, the resolution has to be raised. For raising the resolution, it is necessary to put the technique of utilizing light of a shorter wavelength to practical use. Since physical limitations are imposed on the wavelength of light that can be exploited in the lithographic technology, there is necessitated a breakthrough from a different aspect in order to surmount the limitations imposed on the wavelength.
There is also fear that the quantity of heat evolved per semiconductor chip is excessively increased with increase in the degree of integration, thus possibly causing malfunctions or thermal destruction of the semiconductor chip.
In addition, according to experts' predictions, if the semiconductor circles continue their endeavor in reducing the ship size, investment or process costs are increased and, in conjunction with the lowered yield, the semiconductor industry will become inviable in ca. 2020.
As a new technology for making a breakthrough of the technological barrier inherent in the top-down system, the researches directed to endowing individual molecules with the functions of electronic components are stirring up notice. The target of these researches is an electronic device, such as molecular switch, formed by an individual molecule, and which is prepared in accordance with the bottom-up system.
Researches for fabricating a nanometer scale structure of metals, ceramics or semiconductors in accordance with the bottom-up system are also underway. However, if molecules, which are separate and independent from one another and which, in case the difference in shape or functions is taken into account, may be of millions of species, are ingenuously exploited, it may be possible to re-design and fabricate the devices (molecular devices), having features totally different from those of the conventional devices, in accordance with the bottom-up system.
For example, the width of an electrically conductive molecule is as small as 0.5 nm. With a linear array of these molecules, it is possible to achieve a wire having a density thousands of times higher than one of a line of a width of the order of 100 nm realized with the current integrated circuit technology. On the other hand, if a sole molecule is used as a storage element, the recording density as high as about ten thousand times that of the DVD (Digital Video Disc) may be achieved.
The molecular device is synthesized by a chemical process, in a manner different from the case of conventional semiconductor silicon. In 1986, a world's first organic transistor, formed of polythiophene, was developed by Yusi Koezuka of Mitsubishi Electric Co. Ltd., Japan.
On the other hand, an organic electronic device could be prepared with success by a laboratory group of the Hewlett-Packard (HP) of USA and the Los Angeles school of the University of California, and the report thereon was made in 'Science' in July 1999. The contents of the studies by the laboratory group are concretely disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,256,767B1 and 6,128,214. The laboratory group fabricated switches, using molecular films of several millions of organic rotaxane molecules, and joined these molecular switches together to form an AND gate as a fundamental logic circuit. This molecular switch is of the size one millionth of that of the routine transistor and, because of its miniature size, may become a building block for constructing a small-sized high-performance computer.
On the other hand, a joint laboratory group of University of Rice and University of Yale of USA succeeded in fabricating a molecular switch in which a molecular structure is changed by electron implantation under application of an electrical field in order to perform a switching operation. The contents of the researches by the laboratory group are disclosed in J. Chen, M. A. Reed, A. M. Rawlett and J. M. Tour, "Large on-off ratios and negative differential resistance in a molecular electronic device", Science, 1999, Vol. 286, 1552-1551, and in J. Chen, M. A. Reed, C. Zhou, C. J. Muller, T. P. Burgin and J. M. Tour, "Conductance of a molecular junction", Science, 1997, Vol. 278, 252-254. The function of repeated on-off has not been accomplished by the group of the HP Inc. and the Los Angeles School of University of California. This molecular switch is also of the size one millionth of that of the routine transistor, and may become a building block for constructing a small-sized high-performance computer.
The professor J. Tour, University of Rice, who is specializing in chemistry, and who succeeded in the synthesis, states that the production cost of the molecular switch may be one several-thousandth of that of the conventional system because no expensive clean room, ordinarily used for semiconductor fabrication, is required, and that a hybrid computer of molecules and silicon will be fabricated within five to ten years to come.
In 1999, the Bell Laboratories (Lucent Technology Inc.) fabricated an organic thin-film transistor, using a pentacene single crystal. This transistor was of characteristics which favorably compare with those of an inorganic semiconductor.
Even though the researches in a molecular device, having the function of an electronic component, are going on briskly, the researches so far made were mostly directed to driving with light, heat, protons or ions (see "Molecular Switches", WILEY-VCH, Weinheim, 200, edited by Ben L. Fering a), and only a limited number of the researches were directed to driving with an electrical field.
Among known devices driven by an electrical field, there is a molecular film dielectric device exhibiting the electrical field response function on the basis of the principle which relies upon reversible changes in the conformation in a space of a molecule brought about on application of an electrical field, as stated in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2003-218360. This device includes at least a self-assembled monolayer, containing a dielectric anisotropic molecule, provided on a substrate, and an electrical field controller for applying an electrical field on the self-assembled monolayer. The dielectric anisotropic molecule is a compound having a terphenyl skeleton as a movable part responsible for reversibly changing the three-dimensional conformation based on application of the electrical field by the electrical field controller.
Meanwhile, the molecular elements, driven by the electrical field, so far proposed in the art, were only those exploiting the changes in the physical properties of the molecules themselves, caused under the influence by the electrical field. That is, the molecules themselves are thought of as single elements and the states of the electrons are varied by the electrical field. For example, in an organic FET, carrier migration in an organic molecule is modulated by changes in an electrical field acting on an organic molecule in a channel region. However, no proposal has so far been made which effectively applies a molecular element to an integrated circuit.


A method for image sticking inspection of a light-transmissive device is disclosed. The light-transmissive device is responsive to application of a voltage to electrodes thereof to adjust light transmission characteristics. The method includes: providing light for passage through the light-transmissive device; applying a first alternating current (AC) voltage to the electrodes; applying a direct current voltage to the electrodes; and applying a second AC voltage to the electrodes, and measuring intensity of the light passing through the light-transmissive device during application of the second AC voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and a system for inspection, and more particularly to a method and a system for image sticking inspection.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes two substrates, two alignment layers, a liquid crystal layer, a plurality of electrodes, and a circuit. The circuit applies voltage to the electrodes of the LCD panel to adjust light transmittance at different regions of the LCD panel. However, the LCD panel may encounter image sticking as a result of poor circuit design or inappropriate materials being used therein.
A conventional method for image sticking inspection used by a panel manufacturer includes: displaying a checkerboard pattern using the LCD panel for a long time period, and inspecting severity of image sticking using human eyes.
Another method for image sticking inspection is disclosed in Japanese patent application publication no. 2009-294364, which includes the following steps:
providing light to the LCD panel;
applying an alternating current (AC) voltage to the electrodes of the LCD panel using the circuit thereof, such that each region of the LCD panel has a transmittance of 50%, and measuring intensity of the light passing through each region of the LCD panel;
applying a load voltage to the electrodes of the LCD panel using the circuit thereof, such that the LCD panel displays the checkerboard pattern; and
applying the AC voltage to the electrodes of the LCD panel using the circuit thereof, such that each region of the LCD panel has a transmittance of 50%, and measuring intensity of the light passing through each region of the LCD panel.
The severity of image sticking of the LCD panel can then be evaluated according to the measured intensity of the light.
However, the conventional method has the following drawbacks:
1. Even though the image sticking of the LCD panel may be evaluated as being serious, the root cause is not known to be as a result of poor circuit design or inappropriate materials being used.
2. The LCD panel must display the checkerboard pattern for a long time (about 168 hours) that is sufficient for appearance of the image sticking.
3. The LCD panel is composed of a thin-film transistor substrate and a color filter substrate. Each of the substrates is produced through 4 or 5 processes, resulting in a longer time requirement and a higher cost for image sticking inspection.


In order to limit users who can check for validity of a certificate in a system which uses public key certificates, a validity check permit permitting a request to check for validity of the certificate is issued by a permit issuing server 120 to the applicant of the certificate. The certificate applicant sends the validity check permit to a relevant user when the certificate is used (step 701). When having a certificate validity checking server check for validity of the certificate, the user sends the validity check permit of the certificate to be checked to the certificate validity checking server (step 704). The certificate validity checking server verifies the validity check permit (step 706).

The present invention relates to a system which uses a network for providing services. The present invention also includes apparatuses and program products constituting the system. The present invention relates in particular to a certificate validity checking method and apparatus, especially for use in a system using certificates based on a public key.
A method of providing services in a system using a network is disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2000-123095. In this publication, a technique is disclosed which defines many different types of electronic tickets for general purpose use to provide services.
A recent major trend in electronic commerce and communications is toward authentication processing using public-key-based certificates (hereinafter referred to as public key certificates or simply as certificates), and communication encryption processing.
On an electronic certificate, there are provided an issuance date, an expiration date, the signature of an issuer, and the like, in addition to information co concerning the certifyee of the certificate. During the effective period, there should be no problem in the validity of the certificate itself.
However, it might become necessary to nullify the certificate during the effective period because of loss or theft of the secret key corresponding to the certificate, or due to company retirement. This is called certificate nullification processing. An authentication station periodically (e.g., twice per day) prepares and stores a nullification list containing a list of serial numbers of certificates that became null during the effective period. The nullification list is called a CRL (Certificate Revocation List) according to RFC (Request for Comments) 2459 of the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force).
In applications (Web server, client, encrypted mail) using certificates, the validity of the certificate can not be confirmed without information about whether the certificate has been nullified. As a method of checking a certificate for validity (certificate validity checking method), a method has been employed by which users obtain a CRL by some method (periodic distribution by an authentication station to users or access to the authentication station by users), and confirm the validity of the certificate by confirming that there is no certificate information to be checked for validity in the CRL.
In applications using a CRL distributed from an authentication station, the CRL data must be analyzed to determine whether a certificate is nullified.
OCSP (Online Certificates Status Protocol) recommended as RFC 2560 of IETF lessens loads on the applications and defines a protocol for inquiring of an OCSP responder as to whether a certificate itself is valid.
The responder obtains and manages a nullification list issued from an authentication station, whereby the applications can manipulate a validity checking protocol called OCSP to check for the validity without the applications themselves searching the nullification list.


A method and system for dynamic queuing utilizes a SIP messaging structure within a call center's architecture for interacting with a caller. The method and system can be used for ACD services developed for IP telephony using SIP as the signaling protocol. A SIP subscriber can also interact with an ACD system in the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) work space. In the latter case, a PSTN-to-IP gateway carries the bearer path and call level signaling between the two spaces, and corresponding Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) signaling links are used for linking the ACD specific signaling between the two spaces.

Two fundamentally different switching technologies exist that enable digital communications. The first type, circuit-switched networks, operate by establishing a dedicated connection or circuit between two points, similar to public switched telephone networks (PSTN). A telephone call causes a circuit to be established from the originating phone through the local switching office across trunk lines, to a remote switching office and finally to the intended destination telephone. While such circuit is in place, the call is guaranteed a data path for digitized or analog voice signals regardless of other network activity. The second type packet-switched networks, typically connect computers and establish an asynchronous "virtual" channel between two points. In a packet-switched network, data, such as a voice signal, is divided into small pieces called packets which are then multiplexed onto high capacity connections for transmission. Network hardware delivers packets to specific destinations where the packets are reassembled into the original data set. With packet-switched networks, multiple communications among different computers can proceed concurrently with the network connections shared by different pairs of computers concurrently communicating. Packet-switched networks are, however, sensitive to network capacity. If the network becomes overloaded, there is no guarantee that data will be timely delivered. Despite this drawback, packet-switched networks have become quite popular, particularly as part of the Internet and Intranets, due to their cost effectiveness and performance.
In a packet-switched data network one or more common network protocols hide the technological differences between individual portions of the network, making interconnection between portions of the network independent of the underlying hardware and/or software. A popular network protocol, the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is utilized by the Internet and Intranets; intranets are private networks such as Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WAN). The TCP/IP protocol utilizes universal addressing as well as a software protocol to map the universal addresses into low level machine addresses. For purposes of this discussion, networks which adhere to the TCP/IP protocol will be referred to hereinafter "IP-based" or as utilizing "IP addresses" or "Internet Protocol address".
It is desirable for communications originating from a PSTN network to terminate at equipment in an IP-based network. Problems arise, however, when a user on a circuit-switched network tries to establish a communication link to a packet-switched data network, and vice versa, due to the disparity in addressing techniques among other differences used by the two types of networks. Accordingly, many of the services currently available on one network are typically not available to communications originating on the other network.
Automatic call distribution (ACD) centers are one such service which has been used successfully on traditional circuit-switched networks. Typically, a number of human operators or "agents" are used to operate telephones or other terminating apparatus to answer incoming calls for a business entity. Such automatic call centers typically are used by companies which service large numbers of incoming calls for sales, support and customer ordering, etc. Generally, a traditional call center consists of routing and switching hardware and a plurality of terminating equipment located on the same Private Branch Exchange (PBX).
In some existing ACD applications, an added service is offered in the PSTN space whereby after a call of the ACD system has been established, the end user is coupled to the ACD system via a time division multiplexing (TDM) 64 kbps circuit. Often when a call comes into an ACD center, the traffic load is such that the user can be placed into a holding pattern for lengthy times. Some systems do provide periodic messages like "your call is important to us, please stay on the line". Messages of this variety attempt to keep a user engaged. Some systems also give periodic estimates as to how much longer the user has to wait. Drawbacks to such a system are that the end user is not in control. The end users have to wait until the call is eventually answered or until the next periodic estimate is given so that the end users have an idea of where they are in the queue.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,095 to Morganstein et al. describes a call processing apparatus which queues calls that are waiting to be connected to a service position. The apparatus calculates a queue position and wait time and transmits the queue data to the calling party. U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,774 to Friedes describes an interactive queuing system for a call center and collects initial information from the caller while the call is in the holding queue. The information input by the caller enables the apparatus to query a database and to retrieve additional information needed to service the call. That information is then displayed to a next available agent as the call is received by that agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,707 to Katz describes a telephone interface system adapted to select or qualify a set of callers, acquire data from the callers in the set and statistically analyze the acquired data. U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,715 to Lee describes an automatic call distributor system wherein calls waiting in a queue are informed of expected wait time until connection to an agent. The announcements are periodically updated to reassure customers that they are progressing in the queue. The customers are also given the opportunity to leave a message if they do not wish to wait in the queue.
However, as more and more companies offer telephone access to their customer service, sales and support staffs, problems associated with waiting on hold have grown. Such problems include, for example, excessively long waits, full queues that can not accept additional callers, and accidental disconnects. These problems have engendered a high level of frustration and ill will amongst callers. Some companies now routinely inform calling customers on hold how long a current wait is expected to last before a service representative will be available to take the call.

System and method for dynamic queuing in an automatic call distributor


A mobile communication system capable of efficiently updating software in a group of target terminals only when the software needs to be rewritten. When there is a mobile terminal (UE#1, UE#2) that needs the update of the software version, the server transmit an OTASP request that contains terminal type and software version information to GGSN. The OTASP request is forwarded via the GGSN, SGSN, and RNC to the mobile terminal (UE#1, UE#2). The mobile terminal (UE#1, UE#2) compares its type and software version with those contained in the paging channel, and if they match, transmits an RRC connection request to the RNC.

In a recent mobile phone system, subscribers to mobile phone services have been dramatically increasing, and there have been cases where mobile terminals already sold are recalled to repair the failure thereof.
For purposes including to avoid the recall of mobile terminals, 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project 2) has been studying OTASP (Over The Air Service Provisioning) to rewrite or update software in a mobile terminal via radio (e.g. see Non Patent Document 1).
In this case, paging may be used as a technique for specifying a mobile terminal whose software is to be rewritten. In the paging technique, when there is an incoming call or data to a mobile terminal, it is required to inform the mobile terminal of the call, and all mobile terminals in the location registration area where the mobile terminal has registered the location are informed of the call by broadcast. Accordingly, the mobile terminal recognizes the paging thereto since it is always monitoring a paging channel even in idle mode (e.g. see Non Patent Document 2).
However, it is inefficient to forward data to each of mobile terminals one by one, and therefore, techniques have been proposed in which data is broadcast to all mobile terminals whose software needs to be rewritten (e.g. see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-28787 (Paragraphs 7 and 8, FIG. 1)
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-51796 (Paragraphs 6 to 8, FIG. 1)
Non Patent Document 1: 3GPP2 Access Network Interface Interoperability Specification Release A, June, 2000
Non Patent Document 2: "W-CDMA Mobile Communications System, Chapter 4: Network Technologies, Chapter 4-3: Network control and signaling Scheme" edited by Keiji Tachikawa, published by Maruzen Co., Ltd., Jun. 25, 2001, pp 254-256

Mobile software distribution system, server, terminal and method


According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack on an outer surface of a semiconductor body. First and second sidewall bodies are formed on opposing sides of the gate stack. A first recess is formed in an outer surface of the gate stack, and a first dopant is implanted into the gate stack after the first recess is formed. The first dopant diffuses inwardly from the outer surface of the gate stack that defines the first recess. The first dopant diffuses toward an interface between the gate stack and the semiconductor body. The first recess increases the concentration of the first dopant at the interface.

During the fabrication of certain types of semiconductor devices, a gate stack may be formed on the surface of a semiconductor body. The area of the semiconductor body that lies below the gate stack defines a selectively conductive channel region. Various conductive regions in the semiconductor device may be formed by the implantation of one or more dopants into the layers of the semiconductor device. For example, a dopant may be implanted within the semiconductor body on either side of the gate stack to form source and drain regions. Additionally, a dopant may be implanted into and diffused through the gate stack to improve the conductivity of the gate stack. Specifically, the dopant migrates through the gate stack in a substantially vertical direction toward an interface within the gate stack. As semiconductor manufacturers continue to reduce the scale of semiconductor devices, however, the diffusion of dopants through the gate stack becomes more difficult. Where the concentration of dopant at the desired interface is too low, the reliability of the gate stack as a conductor may be reduced and the ability of the gate stack to control the conductivity of the channel can be impeded.

System and method for improved dopant profiles in CMOS transistors


A semiconductor device of the invention has a p.sup.+ -type silicon source region, an insulating film formed on the source region and having a contact hole, and a wiring electrode connected to the source region through the contact hole. The wiring electrode has a Ti layer formed on the insulating film and an exposed surface of the source region, a TiN layer formed on the Ti layer, and an Al layer formed on the TiN layer.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having wiring electrodes and, more particularly, to a semiconductor device wired through contact holes.
In semiconductor devices such as MOS transistors, aluminum is used as a wiring layer. A MOS transistor has, for example, n-type diffusion regions in the surface area of a p-type silicon substrate. These regions are used as a source and drain. Contact holes are formed by patterning an insulating layer covering the substrate and diffusion layers. Wiring layers are formed, extending through the contact holes and contacting the diffusion layers. In connecting the wiring layer with the diffusion layer, Al is deposited on the diffusion layer by sputtering, and alloyed with Si by annealing.
However, when the wiring layer is heated to a temperature of 450.degree. C. in another step, the Al diffuses from the wiring layer into the silicon substrate, growing Al-Si spikes within the substrate. In recent years, shallow diffusion layers are often formed with the use of BF.sub.2 and BCl.sub.2, and, in this case, the alloy spikes may grow deeper than the diffusion layer. If spikes penetrate the diffusion layer and reach the substrate, the pn junction between the substrate and the diffusion layer will break down.
Furthermore, disconnection of the wiring layer occurs easily in the portion inside of the contact hole. This is because electromigration occurs in this portion when a relatively large current flows in the Al wiring layer.
Two conventional methods of preventing alloy spikes are known. In the first method, Al is deposited by sputtering, together with about 1 to 5% of Si (based on Al amount), onto the diffusion layer. This method can reliably prevent alloy spikes. However, it can only be used when an increase in contact resistance can be ignored. In practice, such an increase in contact resistance cannot be ignored, and the Si amount must be reduced to a low percentage at which alloy spikes can not be sufficiently prevented. Namely, a high amount of silicon is preferable in the control of alloy spike growth. If the Si amount exceeds the solid solubility of Al, however, solid Si precipitates in the wiring layer in addition to the Al-Si alloy. The precipitated Si has a remarkably low conductivity. The contact resistance of the wiring layer undesirably increases due to the low conductivity. In particular, the narrow region of the wiring layer inside of the contact hole may be electrically separated from the diffusion region due to the precipitated Si. In addition, Al and Si may not always be deposited at a uniform ratio during sputtering. As a result, even if the Si amount is within the solid solubility of Al, Si will precipitate in a portion of the wiring layer.
In the second conventional method, a barrier metal layer, such as a TiN layer, is formed between the diffusion layer and the Al layer. When the barrier metal is TiN, the boron (B) contained in the diffusion layer diffuses into the TiN layer, making it impossible to obtain good ohmic contact.

Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having wiring electrodes


Various embodiments of a deep learning (DL)-based face perception engine for constructing, providing, and applying a highly-personalized face perception model for an individual through a deep learning process are disclosed. In some embodiments, a disclosed face perception engine includes a deep neural network configured for training a personalized face perception model for a unique individual based on a standard set of training images and a corresponding set of decisions on the set of training images provided by the unique individual. When sufficiently trained using the standard set of training images and the corresponding set of decisions, the personalized face perception model for the unique individual perceives a new face photo/image as if through the eyes of that unique individual. Hence, the trained face perception model can be used an “agent” or “representative” of the associated person in making very personal decisions, such as to decide if a given face photo/image includes a desirable face in the eyes of that person.

Driven by the explosive growth in social networking applications and computing technology, online dating services and mobile dating applications have become increasingly prevalent and have reshaped the way people look for potential dates. To use a popular online dating service or mobile dating App, a person simply pays a fee and creates a profile with at least one photo of him or herself to join, and then instantly gain access to virtually an unlimited number of potential dates. Online dating services and mobile dating applications (or "Apps") represent a multi-billion dollar industry which is expected to continue its rapid growth.
For any given popular online dating service or mobile dating App, a user routinely faces the task of judging through a large number of profiles that meet the user's general descriptions for potential dates. To speed up this process for a user, some of these services and Apps allow the user to make quick "like" or "dislike" decisions of recommended users based on a single profile photo of another user. For example, Tinder™ smartphone App allows a user to accept or reject another user with a single left or right swipe on the other user's profile photo. However, using a single action/gesture selection to accept or reject profile photos can lead to a time-consuming and frustrating experience because the users still have to go through a large number of profile photos, but often end up rejecting most or all of the recommended profiles.

Method and system for providing a highly-personalized recommendation engine


A stator, with a stator core, a plurality of windings with a plurality of in-phase windings and anti-phase windings, a plurality of slots, an insulating plate, a plurality of cylinders, and a plurality of teeth. The teeth protrude from the stator core. The winding is received in the slot and wraps around the tooth. The insulating plate is disposed on the surface of the stator core. The cylinders are disposed on the insulating plate. A transition line is disposed between two adjacent teeth and hangs on the cylinder. A plurality of supporting mechanisms is disposed on the cylinders.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a stator and a wire winding method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional stators comprise a stator core, an insulating plate, and a plurality of windings. The stator core comprises a plurality of teeth and slots formed between adjacent teeth.
A conventional method for winding a stator comprises setting a plurality of connecting portions inbetween adjacent teeth and wrapping and passing transition wires around and through the connecting portions. However, problems with the method are that transition lines often intersect each other in the case of a three-phase winding, which makes assembly difficult, often causes transition wires to break, and reduces reliability of insulation between phases.


The invention provides a marine infrastructure comprising a concrete matrix having a pH of less than 12 for use in promoting the growth of fauna and flora in aquatic environment, and methods for promoting the growth of fauna and flora in aquatic environment, including endolitic and epilitic flora and endolitic and epilitic anaerobic and aerobic flora and fauna.

With nearly two thirds of the human population living along the coastlines (Creel, 2003), the proliferation of coastal and marine infrastructures (CMI) that supply various societal needs such as transportation (ports), energy (pipelines, power stations, rigs) and urbanization (marinas, seawalls, breakwaters etc.) is inevitable. Nowadays >50% of Mediterraneaniterranean coastlines are dominated by concrete structures (EEA, 1999), and in some regions the growth of cities, ports, and industries has developed over 90% of the coastline (Cencini, 1998). The result is a continuous and increasing trend of coastal hardening, replacing natural coastlines (Bulleri and Chapman, 2010, Dugan et al., 2011).
Despite the increasing dominance of hardened and armored shorelines across the globe, our understanding of species assemblages on CMI, especially in regards to their environmental effects is limited (Connell and Glasby, 1999, Dugan et al., 2011). This knowledge gap severely impairs our ability to manage urbanized coastal environments (Bulleri and Chapman, 2010). The few studies that have examined marine growth on CMI such as pontoons and breakwaters found assemblages that greatly differ from those of adjacent natural habitats (e.g., Connell, 2000, Lam et al., 2009). Communities developing on CMI are typically less diverse than natural assemblages, and are commonly dominated by nuisance and invasive species (Glasby et al., 2007). This mainly results from the unique physical characteristics of CMI, predominantly, composition and design. CMI often include highly inclined, and homogeneous surfaces with minimal surface complexity, compressing the intertidal zone to a narrow belt which supports only highly tolerant species (Chapman and Underwood, 2011). Moreover, over 50% of CMI are made of Portland cement, which is known as a poor substrate in terms of biological recruitment, presumably due to high surface alkalinity (pH ˜13 compared to ˜8 of seawater) and presence of compounds that are toxic to marine life (Lukens and Selberg., 2004, EBM, 2004). Thus, the ability of CMI to provide ecosystem services similar to those offered by natural habitats is severely compromised, and most urban/industrial coastal environments are considered as sacrificed zones in relation to environmental activity.
In the last few years, a different approach has been emerging, utilizing principles of ecological engineering (Bergen et al., 2001) for enhancing the biological and ecological value of CMI (e.g., Li et al., 2005, Naylor, 2011). To date, enhancement measures concentrated on design or textures aspects, aiMediterranean at attracting more abundant and diverse natural assemblages (Wiecek, 2009, Goff, 2010, Dyson, 2009) yielding ecological and structural advantages. These advantages are mainly related to biogenic buildup; a natural process in which engineering species like oysters, serpulid worms, barnacles and corals deposit calcium carbonate (CaCO3) skeletons onto hard surfaces thus creating valuable habitat to various organisms (Jones et al., 1994) while also contributing to the structures' strength and stability (Risinger, 2012). Nonetheless, studies attempting to modify the composition of CMI, making it favorable to species of ecological value such as ecosystem engineers, are scarce.
The inventors of the present application provide an integrative approach targeting both composition and design. For this, a series of five innovative concrete matrices were tested aiMediterranean at enhancing natural biological assemblages, while still complying with formal requirements of marine construction. The new matrices have reduced alkalinity in comparison to Portland cement, and include various additives that decrease the dominance of Portland cement in the mix, potentially making them more hospitable to marine life. In addition, the impact of increased surface complexity, which is known to encourage biological development (Perkol-Finkel et at, 2012 and references therein), was tested and its interaction with the concrete matrix.
Detailed herein below are their results from a year-long experiment, evaluating the biological performance of the innovative concrete matrices in comparison to standard Portland cement in both tropical (Red Sea) and temperate (Mediterraneaniterranean Sea) environments. The impact of composition and complexity were experimentally evaluated using a series of long-term field experiments and controlled laboratory tests. Different concrete matrices showed different recruitment of different species assemblages (in terms of assemblages, biomass and recruitment capabilities of target species) as compared with standard Portland cement. In addition increased surface complexity yielded enhanced growth of natural biological assemblages and calcium carbonate deposition by ecosystem engineers. Results indicate that slight modifications of concrete composition and design can improve the capabilities of concrete based CMI to support enhanced marine fauna and flora and provide valuable ecosystem services. Such enhanced natural biological assemblages do not compromise the concrete's durability; on the contrary, they can provide physical protection with time, through weight addition and bio-protection.

Methods and matrices for promoting fauna and flora growth


An optical isolator is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) disposed in semiconductor material. The MZI has first and second arms. An optical beam is to propagate through the MZI in a forward direction. The apparatus further includes first and second optical modulators disposed in the first and second arms, respectively, of the MZI. The first and second optical modulators have traveling wave electrodes, which are coupled to receive first and second traveling wave signals, respectively. The first and second traveling wave signals are to generate traveling waves in the MZI that propagate in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction. The first and second traveling wave signals to have a pi phase shift relative to each other such that there is constructive interference of the optical beam propagating through the MZI in the forward direction and there is destructive interference of an optical beam propagating through the MZI in the reverse direction.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of invention relate generally to optical devices and, more specifically but not exclusively relate to isolating optical beams.
2. Background Information
The need for fast and efficient optical-based technologies is increasing as Internet data traffic growth rate is overtaking voice traffic pushing the need for fiber optical communications. Transmission of multiple optical channels over the same fiber in the dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) system provides a simple way to use the unprecedented capacity (signal bandwidth) offered by fiber optics. Some examples of commonly used optical components in the system may include wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) transmitters and receivers, optical filter such as diffraction gratings, thin-film filters, fiber Bragg gratings, arrayed-waveguide gratings and optical isolators. Optical isolators are useful components for optical communication systems to protect both lasers and/or amplifiers from damage. In particular, optical isolators allow light to propagate in one direction, but do not allow light to propagate in the opposite direction. By isolating the lasers and/or amplifiers, the lasers and/or amplifiers can be protected from unwanted reflections, which helps improve stability. However, common optical isolators utilize magnetic-based principles, which are extremely difficult to integrate with waveguide based devices and/or can introduce undesired effects such as frequency shift in the output optical beam.


A tap-off transformer includes a coil base, a core and wires. The coil base has isolating walls placed outside and using isolating walls to form a first winding slot on a primary side area and a plurality of second winding slots on a secondary side area. Different kinds of wires could be winded inside the first and second winding slots. A wiring start point inside the plurality of second winding slots on the secondary side area is placed on one of the isolating walls, with coils starting from the start point to extend outwards to either sides of the secondary side area and ending at either sides. The coil base has a hollow structure for placing the core to form a transformer structure. The present invention provides isolating walls and a winding design to increase a rated voltage of the transformer and to improve the stability of the transformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tap-off transformer, and more particularly, to a tap-off transformer using isolating walls and a winding design to increase the rated voltage of transformer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1A is a cross sectional side view and FIG. 1B is a side view of the windings of a conventional transformer. Referring to the figures, the transformer 1 comprises a coil base 11, a core 12 and wires 13. The coil base 11 has isolating walls 111 placed outside of it and using isolating walls 111 to form a primary side area 14 and a secondary side area 15. The secondary side area 15 is partitioned into a plurality of winding slots 16 by isolating walls 111 with wires 13 being winded sequentially in winding slots 16. The coil base 11 has hollow structure for placing core 12 to form transformer 1. The above mentioned transformer structure uses isolating walls to set up a winding slot in primary side area and a plurality of winding slots in secondary side area with wires winded sequentially and unidirectionally inside winding slots to achieve the required rated voltage of the transformer. Hence, the secondary side area (˜0V-Vout) uses multiple winding slots to provide voltage isolation, however, since voltage of every isolated slot could be varied and it tends to result in over voltage between slots, thus the characteristics of component will become unstable to cause abnormal function of the product.
Therefore, the prior art transformer mentioned above presents several shortcomings to be overcome.
In view of the above-described deficiency of prior-art transformers, after years of constant effort in research, the inventor of this invention has consequently developed and proposed a tap-off transformer.