A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die mounted to a first contact pad on a leadframe or substrate with bumps. A conductive pillar is formed over a second semiconductor die. The second die is mounted over the first die by electrically connecting the conductive pillar to a second contact pad on the substrate with bumps. The second die is larger than the first die. An encapsulant is deposited over the first and second die. Alternatively, the conductive pillars are formed over the substrate around the first die. A heat sink is formed over the second die, and a thermal interface material is formed between the first and second die. An underfill material is deposited under the first semiconductor die. A shielding layer is formed between the first and second die. An interconnect structure can be formed over the second contact pad of the substrate.

Semiconductor devices are commonly found in modern electronic products. Semiconductor devices vary in the number and density of electrical components. Discrete semiconductor devices generally contain one type of electrical component, e.g., light emitting diode (LED), small signal transistor, resistor, capacitor, inductor, and power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). Integrated semiconductor devices typically contain hundreds to millions of electrical components. Examples of integrated semiconductor devices include microcontrollers, microprocessors, charged-coupled devices (CCDs), solar cells, and digital micro-mirror devices (DMDs).
Semiconductor devices perform a wide range of functions such as high-speed calculations, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, controlling electronic devices, transforming sunlight to electricity, and creating visual projections for television displays. Semiconductor devices are found in the fields of entertainment, communications, power conversion, networks, computers, and consumer products. Semiconductor devices are also found in military applications, aviation, automotive, industrial controllers, and office equipment.
Semiconductor devices exploit the electrical properties of semiconductor materials. The atomic structure of semiconductor material allows its electrical conductivity to be manipulated by the application of an electric field or base current or through the process of doping. Doping introduces impurities into the semiconductor material to manipulate and control the conductivity of the semiconductor device.
A semiconductor device contains active and passive electrical structures. Active structures, including bipolar and field effect transistors, control the flow of electrical current. By varying levels of doping and application of an electric field or base current, the transistor either promotes or restricts the flow of electrical current. Passive structures, including resistors, capacitors, and inductors, create a relationship between voltage and current necessary to perform a variety of electrical functions. The passive and active structures are electrically connected to form circuits, which enable the semiconductor device to perform high-speed calculations and other useful functions.
Semiconductor devices are generally manufactured using two complex manufacturing processes, i.e., front-end manufacturing, and back-end manufacturing, each involving potentially hundreds of steps. Front-end manufacturing involves the formation of a plurality of die on the surface of a semiconductor wafer. Each die is typically identical and contains circuits formed by electrically connecting active and passive components. Back-end manufacturing involves singulating individual die from the finished wafer and packaging the die to provide structural support and environmental isolation.
One goal of semiconductor manufacturing is to produce smaller semiconductor devices. Smaller devices typically consume less power, have higher performance, and can be produced more efficiently. In addition, smaller semiconductor devices have a smaller footprint, which is desirable for smaller end products. A smaller die size may be achieved by improvements in the front-end process resulting in die with smaller, higher density active and passive components. Back-end processes may result in semiconductor device packages with a smaller footprint by improvements in electrical interconnection and packaging materials.
In FIG. 1, a conventional flipchip type semiconductor die 10 and wire-bonded semiconductor die 12 are stacked on leadframe 14. The smaller semiconductor die 10 is mounted to leadframe 14 with bumps 16. The larger semiconductor die 12 is stacked over the smaller semiconductor die 10 with die attach adhesive 18. Semiconductor die 12 is electrically connected to leadframe 14 using bond wires 20. An encapsulant 22 is deposited over semiconductor die 10 and 12. The stacked semiconductor die with bump and bond wire interconnects increases the size requirements of the leadframe, which adds to manufacturing costs. The relatively long signal path length for semiconductor die 12, due to bond wires 20, degrades electrical performance. The overhang of the larger semiconductor die 12 can cause a bounce or cantilever effect during the wire-bonding process.
In some cases, flipchip type semiconductor die are mounted to a leadframe in a quad flat no-lead package (QFN). Flipchip die are low cost and provide fast signal propagation due to minimal lead lengths. To mount multiple flip-chip die on the leadframe, the die can be mounted side-by-side, which requires a large leadframe area. To stack the flipchip die vertically, the electrical interconnect between the die becomes problematic. A solder bump interconnect has the limitation of collapsing upon reflow, especially for the large bumps needed for stacked die. In addition, the large bumps also limit input/output (I/O) pitch and I/O pin count.

Semiconductor device and method of stacking die on leadframe electrically connected by conductive pillars


A cord management device includes a first end (13); a second end (13); and an intermediate portion (12) between the first (13) and the second (13) ends. The first (13) and the second (13) ends include mating details for engaging with a socket device (5) and forming a closed loop (14) between the intermediate portion (12) and the socket device (5).

Cord management features can be found on many surge suppressors or other molded socket multiplying devices on the market today. Some of these cord management implementations are integral or formed as part of the outlet multiplying device case itself. In other examples, a separate article that works in conjunction with a surge suppressor or socket multiplying device performs the cord or cable management. Molded or formed as part of the device solutions have the advantage that they are more cost effective since they are already a part of the case of a socket multiplying device. The disadvantage is that they require the product to be longer or larger to accommodate this feature, which can make the size of the overall socket multiplying device with cord management impractical.
The units that use a separate article for cord management overcome this impractical size shortcoming by folding or telescoping back into the unit they attach to and occupy less space than the molded in variations. In either configuration, such solutions require feeding cords into the management device one at a time. Feeding cords one at a time can be an arduous process that makes managing the cords unpleasant enough that the user may not even wish to use this feature. Feeding one cord at a time is a solution that operates basically on an open cavity principal that has the potential to release cords from its grasp. From a manufacturing point of view, it is not possible to remove an integral or molded in cord management feature if it needs to be eliminated for some socket multiplying device models. If a surge suppressor or socket-multiplying device is designed with cord/cable management it will always have it. This reduces the product's flexibility for both the manufacturer and the user.
Accordingly, there is a need for a removable cord management device that is of a practical size and can accommodate managing multiple cords simultaneously.

Power cord management attachment for use with a power socket device


A gas turbine engine component includes a first flange with a plurality of first jack screw holes and a second flange attached to the first flange. The second flange includes a plurality of second jack screw holes that are concentric with the plurality of first jack screw holes.

This application relates to a method and apparatus that includes disassembly features for separating axially adjacent flanges that provide for a more compact and efficient configuration over prior configurations. Specifically, concentric jack screw holes are provided in the flanges to allow for separation of the flanges from each other in an efficient manner.
Gas turbine engines are known and typically include a fan delivering air into a bypass duct as bypass air and into a compressor as core air. The air is compressed and delivered into a combustor section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited. Products of the combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors, driving them to rotate. The gas turbine engines include multiple bearing compartments to house bearings that support rotating engine components. Additionally, the gas turbine engine includes a plurality of case portions that enclose the compressor, turbine, and combustor sections of the engine.
The bearing compartments and case portions typically include a plurality of axially aligned flanges that are fastened together. In one known configuration, a seal housing support flange and a carbon seal housing flange are bolted to a mid-turbine frame flange and bearing support housing. The seal housing support flange, the carbon seal housing flange, and mid-turbine frame flange have to be able to be disassembled from the bearing support housing. A first set of holes are formed in the seal housing support flange to receive jack screws that can separate the seal housing support flange from the carbon seal housing flange. A second set of holes are formed in the mid-turbine frame flange to receive jack screws that can separate the carbon seal housing flange and mid-turbine frame flange from the bearing support housing. The first and second sets of holes are circumferentially offset from each other. The first and second sets of holes are also circumferentially offset from alignment holes, clearance cut-outs for other components, and fastener holes that receive the fasteners to attach the flanges to each other.
All of these different holes and cut-outs that are formed on the flanges take up a significant amount of the flange face area, leaving limited radial and circumferential space to accommodate the disassembly features, e.g. jack screw holes. As engine sizes become more compact, real estate for packaging all of the critical design features becomes even more limited. Thus, it is challenging to provide disassembly solutions in the limited available space.


The present invention discloses a III-nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device including an active layer for generating light by recombination of an electron and a hole between an n-type nitride compound semiconductor layer and a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer. The active layer is disposed over the n-type nitride compound semiconductor layer. The III-nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device includes a masking film made of MgN and grown on the p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer, and at least one nitride compound semiconductor layer grown after the growth of the masking film made of MgN.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one example of a conventional semiconductor light emitting device. The conventional semiconductor light emitting device includes a substrate 100, a buffer layer 200 epitaxially grown on the substrate 100, an n-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 300 epitaxially grown on the buffer layer 200, an active layer 400 epitaxially grown on the n-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 300, a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 500 epitaxially grown on the active layer 400, a p-side electrode 600 formed on the, p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 500, a p-side bonding pad 700 formed on the p-side electrode 600, and an n-side electrode 800 formed on the n-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 301 exposed by mesa-etching the p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 500 and the active layer 400.
In the case of the substrate 100, a GaN substrate can be used as a homo-substrate, and a sapphire substrate, an SiC substrate or an Si substrate can be used as a hetero-substrate. However, any kinds of substrates on which the nitride compound semiconductor layers can be grown can be used.
The nitride compound semiconductor layers epitaxially grown on the substrate 100 are mostly grown by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).
The buffer layer 200 serves to overcome differences in lattice parameter and thermal expansion coefficient between the hetero-substrate 100 and the nitride compound semiconductor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,845 discloses a method for growing an AlN buffer layer having a thickness of 100 to 500 Å on a sapphire substrate at 380 to 800° C. U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,393 discloses a method for growing an Al(x)Ga(1−x)N (0≦x≦1) buffer layer having a thickness of 10 to 5000 Å □ on a sapphire substrate at 200 to 900° C. The international publication official gazette WO/05/053042 discloses a method for growing an SiC buffer layer (seed layer) at 600 to 990° C., and growing an In(x)Ga(1−x)N (0<x≦1) layer thereon.
In the n-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 300, at least the n-side electrode 800 formed region (n-type contact layer) is doped with a dopant. Preferably, the n-type contact layer is made of GaN and doped with Si. U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,796 discloses a method for doping an n-type contact layer at a target doping concentration by controlling a mixture ratio of Si and other source material.
The active layer 400 generates light quantum (light) by recombination of an electron and a hole. Normally, the active layer 400 is made of In(x)Ga(1−x)N (0<x≦1) and comprised of single quantum well layer or multi quantum well layers. The international publication official gazette WO/02/021121 discloses a method for partially doping a plurality of quantum well layers and barrier layers.
The p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 500 is doped with an appropriate dopant such as Mg, and provided with p-type conductivity by activation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,533 discloses a method for activating a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer by electron beam radiation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,662 discloses a method for activating a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer by annealing over 400° C. Also, the international publication official gazette WO/05/022655 discloses a method for endowing a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer with p-type conductivity without activation, by using ammonia and a hydrogen group source material as a nitrogen precursor for the growth of the p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer.
The p-side electrode 600 facilitates current supply to the whole p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 500. U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,422 discloses a light transmittable electrode formed almost on the whole surface of a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer to ohmic-contact the p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer, and composed of Ni and Au. U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,306 discloses a method for forming an n-type super lattice layer on a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer, and forming a light transmittable electrode made of ITO thereon.
On the other hand, the p-side electrode 600 can be formed thick not to transmit light, namely, to reflect light to the substrate side. A light emitting device using the p-side electrode 600 is called a flip chip. U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,743 discloses an electrode structure including an Ag layer having a thickness 20 nm and over, a diffusion barrier layer for covering the Ag layer, and a bonding layer made of Au and Al for covering the diffusion barrier layer.
The p-side bonding pad 700 and the n-side electrode 800 are formed for current supply and external wire bonding. U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,422 discloses a method for forming an n-side electrode with Ti and Al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,434 discloses a method for making a p-side bonding pad directly contact a p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer by removing a part of a light transmittable electrode.
One of the disadvantages of the III-nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device is that a large amount of light generated in the active layer 400 is confined inside the device and the substrate 100 due to a refractive index difference between the device and the ambient air.
In the device showing serious light confinement, namely, the device having low external quantum efficiency, a large amount of light is confined and vanished as heat. Accordingly, a temperature of the device rises, which affects the lifespan and property of the device.
External quantum efficiency can be improved by mechanically processing a chip shape of the light emitting device, or roughening the surface of the semiconductor layer by chemical etching or dry etching. Recently, in the growth of the p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 500, the surface is roughened with deteriorating quality of thin film by using the growth conditions such as pressure, temperature and gas flow.
The mechanical processing is suitable for the substrate having low hardness such as SiC. However, it is difficult to mechanically process the substrate having high hardness such as sapphire. In addition, when the surface of the semiconductor layer is roughened by chemical etching or dry etching, the roughenable area is limited and reproducibility and uniformity are reduced.
In the case that the surface of the p-type nitride compound semiconductor layer 500 is roughened by changing the growth conditions, external quantum efficiency of the device can be improved, but reliability thereof may be seriously reduced.

III-nitride semiconductor light emitting device


Nonvolatile ferroelectric-based integrated circuit memory devices utilize reference cells containing linear storage capacitors to inhibit deterioration in reliability typically associated with ferroelectric capacitors which have undergone excessive polarization cycling. These linear storage capacitors are preferably coupled to respective plate lines so that efficient reading operations may be performed. In particular, a nonvolatile memory device is preferably provided which contains a ferroelectric memory cell having an access transistor and a ferroelectric storage capacitor therein. A reference cell is also provided and this reference cell contains an access transistor and a linear storage capacitor therein. In addition, a sense amplifier is provided which has first and second inputs electrically coupled to the access transistors of the ferroelectric memory cell and the reference cell, respectively. To improve the efficiency of reading operations, a reset transistor is preferably provided and this transistor is electrically connected in series between the second input of the sense amplifier and a reference signal line (e.g., ground signal line).

Ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) devices are "nonvolatile" memory devices because they preserve data stored therein even in the absence of a power supply signal. Each memory cell includes a capacitor which comprises two conductive electrodes and a ferroelectric material layer formed therebetween. The ferroelectric materials used for the ferroelectric capacitor are typically Phase III potassium nitrate, bismuth titanate and lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr, Ti)O.sub.3 (PZT). Ferroelectric materials have hysteresis characteristics. Thus, the polarity of the ferroelectric material can be maintained even after interruption of the power supply. Data (e.g., logic 0,1) is stored in the FRAM as the polarity state of the ferroelectric material in each capacitor.
The typical hysteresis characteristics of ferroelectric material will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the abscissa represents a voltage V applied across the electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitor, and the ordinate represents the polarization state of the ferroelectric material. When positive and negative voltages are consecutively applied across the ferroelectric material, the polarization state of the ferroelectric material will trace a continuous loop. For example, when a predetermined positive voltage is applied across the ferroelectric material, a maximum positive polarization of +Pm at point B may be reached. When the positive voltage is removed, the degree of polarization may be reduced somewhat to +Pr at point C which denotes the residual positive polarization. Then, when a predetermined negative voltage is applied across the ferroelectric material, a maximum negative polarization of -Pm at point D may be reached. When the negative voltage is then removed, the magnitude of the degree of polarization is reduced to -Pr at point A which denotes the residual negative polarization. It is these residual polarization states which render an FRAM device as a nonvolatile device.
The polarization switching speed of a ferroelectric capacitor is approximately 10.sup.-9 sec, and the necessary program time of a ferroelectric capacitor is typically shorter than that of other nonvolatile memory devices such as electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) devices, electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM) devices and flash memory devices. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the read/write cycle endurance of a ferroelectric capacitor is typically on the order of 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.12.
In conventional ferroelectric memory devices, ferroelectric-based dummy cells may be used to facilitate reading operations. The use of dummy cells is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,664 to Eaton, Jr. entitled "Self Restoring Ferroelectric Memory". U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,640,030, 5,373,463 and 5,608,667 also disclose ferroelectric memory devices which, in the case of the '030 patent, may contain reference cells (which are not responsive to plate line biases) to facilitate reading operations.
Unfortunately, the ferroelectric-based dummy cells contained in the memory devices of the '664 patent may undergo an exceptionally large number of repeated reading cycles and polarization reversal cycles because each dummy cell undergoes multiple cycles for every cycle a real memory cell undergoes. Thus, a reduction in the reliability of the memory devices of the '664 patent may be experienced if the cycle endurance of a dummy cell contained therein is exceeded.
Accordingly, notwithstanding the above-described nonvolatile memory devices which utilize ferroelectric materials, there continues to be a need for improved nonvolatile memory devices.

Ferroelectric memory devices having linear reference cells therein and methods of operating same


A seabed seismic source apparatus includes a control module adapted for deployment at a seabed. The control module has a receiver for receiving a remote signal and a firing controller for generating a firing signal in response to the remote signal. The seabed seismic source apparatus further includes at least one seismoacoustic source module adapted for deployment at the seabed with the control module. The seismoacoustic source module has a seismoacoustic source for generating a seismic signal and a firing device for firing the seismoacoustic source to generate the seismic signal. The seabed seismic source apparatus further includes a transmission link between the firing controller and the firing device, wherein the firing device fires the seismoacoustic source upon receiving the firing signal generated by the firing controller.

The invention relates generally to seismic exploration in and/or around a well drilled for hydrocarbon exploration and production. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and systems for acquiring seismic data in a marine environment.
Seismic data is collected to analyze subsurface properties and is particularly collected in connection with hydrocarbon exploration and production activities. Seismic data for analyzing subsurface formations may be collected on land or in water. Seismic data is acquired using explosive, vibratory, or impulsive seismoacoustic sources. An example of an impulsive seismoacoustic source is an air gun, which is used to release highly compressed air into water. Vibratory seismoacoustic sources are typically used on land when explosive seismoacoustic sources cannot be used. Seismoacoustic source signals are reflected by geological layers beneath the earth surface, and the reflections are detected by seismoacoustic receivers, such as geophones on land and hydrophones in water. The reflected signals are recorded and analyzed to derive an indication of the geology in the subsurface. Such indications may be used to assess the likelihood and location of potential hydrocarbon deposits.
Seismic data can be collected while drilling a well using measurement-while-drilling (MWD)/logging-while-drilling (LWD) seismic systems. Conventional MWD/LWD seismic systems, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,137, are generally configured with a seismic tool located near the drill bit, where the seismic tool contains seismoacoustic receivers for recording the arrival of seismoacoustic source signals sent from seismoacoustic sources at the surface. In offshore operations, the surface seismoacoustic sources are typically air guns. If the well is vertical, then the drilling platform provides a suitable base for the air gun and its associated surface equipment. If the well is highly deviated or extended-reach, the air gun must be deployed from a vessel to locate it directly above the drill bit. The vessel has to be available during the entire drilling process since seismic data are acquired at specific intervals in the drilling operation. Maintaining a vessel and crew offshore adds considerable expense and complexity to seismic jobs.
From the foregoing, there continues to be a desire to improve the efficiency and cost of running seismic jobs in a marine environment.


A method of designing a utility distribution system. The method begins with lot data that geographically defines lots in an area to which the utility will be provided. The lot data is stored in a computer in a geographic information system (GIS). The lot data is then computer processed to determine routing data identifying a network of potential utility supply routes, and to produce site data identifying a plurality of placement sites for distribution devices such as transformers for an electrical distribution system. The routing and site data is also stored in the computer. The lot potential routing and site data is then mapped into equivalent expert system objects, and processed using an expert system to produce actual routing data specifying, for each lot, a route along which the lot can be connected to a distribution device, and the size of the required conductor. The routing data may then be mapped back into the GIS.

FIG. 1 is a map showing the layout of streets and lots for a hypothetical new residential development. The map covers an area 10 that includes streets 12 and a plurality of lots 14. The problem addressed by this invention is the selection of distribution equipment sites and routing corridors for providing utilities such as electricity, gas, etc. to the lots in area 10. The description to follow will use the provision of underground electrical supply to illustrate the principles of the invention. However, it will be apparent that the techniques described can be applied to distribution systems for other utilities.
The design of an underground electrical distribution system for a new residential development is a common task for electrical utility engineers. This type of design is presently carried out manually, using rules of thumb and experience gained from previous problem solutions. The result is that the distribution system is usually overdesigned, resulting in a waste of capacity.
Since the early days of computers, there have been attempts to computerize some of the activities in the process of distribution system design. Some progress has been achieved in automating routine tasks, such as substation wiring diagrams. Computerized methods have also been developed for well-defined engineering procedures, such as power flow and voltage drop calculations, and fault analysis. Relatively little progress has been made, however, in automating the important and difficult issues of transformer siting and the routing of secondary wiring. Transformers are used to convert the "primary" 12.5 kV electrical supply into the "secondary" 120 V supply that will be delivered to the individual lots via "secondary wiring." Typically, there will be one transformer for every 5 to 15 lots, and the transformer needs to be sited appropriately with respect to the lots that it will serve. In addition, the secondary wiring connecting each lot to its transformer needs to be routed and sized appropriately.
FIG. 2 represents an example of a solution to the design problem posed by FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a plurality of transformers 20 have been positioned in selected lots. Collectively, the transformers serve all of the lots in area 10 except shaded lots 16 that do not have frontage on one of the streets 12 in the plat, it being assumed that such lots are outside the scope of the design problem. Each transformer converts 12.5 kV primary voltage into 120 V secondary voltage, and delivers secondary voltage to a plurality of lot supply points 22 via secondary wiring 24. In some cases, the connection is via a handhole 26 that is a distribution device for secondary voltage. The present invention provides a computer based method for the generation of a design solution, such as the one shown in FIG. 2, in light of the numerous constraints that are typically placed on such a solution.
Transformer siting and the routing of secondary wiring are ill-structed and open-ended problems that are difficult to automate or computerize with conventional approaches such as operational research or CAD. One difficulty lies in the need to process spatial data such as lot and street placement, existing utility corridors, natural obstacles, etc. A second problem is that siting and routing involves multiple, interdependent goals and constraints that make the design problem difficult to formulate. To apply conventional optimization routines from operational research theory, a well-defined objective function must be derived in an algorithmic form. However, due to the ill-structured and open-ended nature of the utility distribution problem, it is not possible to derive an objective function without sacrificing decision factors. These facts make conventional procedural optimization methods inappropriate for solving utility distribution design problems.


The invention provides methods and apparatuses for finding features that are similar in the image. The invention finds the similar features by searching portions of the image for features that are substantially similar to a feature prototype. First, individual features in the image are located and designated candidate features, and optionally a spatial pattern representing a majority of the candidate features is generated. Next, feature profiles are generated therefrom, and the feature prototype is constructed using at least a subset of feature profiles. An example is described wherein the object is a ball grid array, the similar features are the solder balls on the ball grid array, the feature profiles are local images of balls of a ball grid array, and the feature prototype is an average of a sub-set of the local images of the balls.

Many machine vision applications use geometrical descriptions as canonical models for inspecting or aligning an object within an image. A geometrical description is a collection of data that specifies the basic geometry of the object, that is the location of object features and dimensions of the object features relative to each other, where the object features might include the object body, number of balls in a ball grid array, and the presence or absence of balls in a ball grid array, for example. A ball grid array is a surface-mount device consisting of a more-or-less rectangular package and a grid of balls. A geometrical-based model for a ball grid array typically consists of a grid spacing in two dimensions (x and y); a nominal, a minimum, and a maximum dimension of the balls in the grid; the presence or absence of balls at each of the grid points; and an origin location.
The machine-vision system can use a geometrical model to locate an instance of an object in an image and align the object in the proper orientation (i.e., register the object). Often, one or more balls are purposely missing to indicate the correct orientation of the ball grid array. For example, a vision-based automatic surface mounter (SMD) machine typically employs a geometrical-based model of a ball grid array to place the ball grid array on a printed circuit board by aligning, in the proper orientation, the balls with pads on the printed circuit board.
The process of creating accurate geometrical models of objects, either by manually measuring the dimensions of the object, or by extracting the dimensions from manufacturing specifications, can be very tedious, especially when the objects are complicated.
In many ball grid array applications, further problems exist because it is difficult to identify the balls in images because of lighting effects. The balls often image poorly because the metal balls specularly reflect the light of the imaging system, and, thus, image less accurately. Also, the three-dimensional shape of the balls causes shadowing, which obscures the balls in the images. The three-dimensional shape also causes stronger reflections from some portions of the balls more than from other portions. Additionally, cheaper light and optic systems or light and optic systems that are focused to image an aspect of the production other than identifying balls decrease the quality of the ball images. Each of these lighting effects contributes to poor quality ball images and often frustrates identification of the balls in images.
Several known machine-vision techniques are used to identify balls. One technique uses search tools, such as normalized correlation with a synthetic circular model, where normalized correlation searching is known in the art and described at B. K. D. Horn, "Robot Vision", MIT Press, London England, 1985, Section 6.1.2, pp. 129–132. This technique often misses balls because of lighting effects. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates an instance of the reflectivity of a ball 100 against a background 108. The reflected light from the ball 100 forms two distinct regions, a brighter region, region 102, and a darker region, region 104. The search tool is searching the image for a match to the synthetic circular model. No single region 102, 104, or 108 is circular because of the lighting effects. Therefore, no single region matches the model well. Typically, the correlation search tool fails to realize that region 102 and 104 are part of the same object. Thus, the search tool often misses the ball 100 or, at the very least, generates a low correlation score for the ball 100 (i.e., indicates a low probability that the feature in the image is circular).
Another known technique to find balls is blob analysis, where blob analysis is also commonly called region analysis. Blob analysis segments foreground objects from background objects by the grey values of the foreground and the background pixels in the image. As is known in the art, it is often difficult to choose a threshold grey value between the foreground and the background. Even when features image well, a good threshold grey value can segment extraneous features. Choosing the correct threshold grey value is even more difficult for poor quality ball images. Consequently, blob analysis of poor quality ball images also often fails to segment enough balls to be useful in many applications.
Many applications can use the above techniques only if the application incorporates an expensive lighting system. The expensive lighting system can make the imaged balls appear roughly circular and/or annular, and, therefore, match well enough against the expected model, thereby making blob analysis useful. However, in some applications an expensive lighting system may not be desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting similar features within an image


A method for configuring a livestock stanchion between various orientations. The method includes providing a livestock restraining stanchion having two upright members that define a stanchion opening therebetween and through which an animal's head is insertable. A pivotal restraining member is positioned within the stanchion opening and is adaptable for restricting the size of the opening for releasably restraining an animal therein by entrapping the animal's head after insertion therein. At least one of the upright members is inwardly and outwardly movable relative to the other and oppositely positioned upright member for expanding and constricting a width of the stanchion opening. In one configuration, the movable upright member is positioned away from the opposite upright member into an expanded configuration thereby enlarging the width of the stanchion opening. Optionally, the upright member may also be canted toward the opposite upright member into a lock-out configuration thereby constricting the width of the stanchion opening.

Stanchions suitable for holding the head of an animal are known in the art. Stanchions can be used to restrain horses or goats, but are typically used to restrain cattle. The stanchions are generally used to restrain one or more head of cattle for brief periods of time. By restraining cattle during feeding, consumption may be monitored to ensure that the animals are allocated an appropriate amount of food. Restraining the cattle also facilitates veterinary examination and treatment, protecting both the animal and the attendant or veterinarian from potential injury. In dairies, stanchions are often employed to hold the cattle during the milking process. Cattle stanchions may also be used to temporarily separate one or more head of cattle from the herd.
There are, however, several deficiencies in those stanchions of known designs. As an example, even if a bank or series of stanchions is going to be used with one type of animal, for instance cattle, it is not necessarily true that all of the cattle will be of appropriate size to use uniformly sized stanchion openings. Oftentimes bulls or male cattle will be significantly larger than the other female cows and calves. If there is a significant disparity between the size of the cattle in a particular herd serviced by a stanchion, problems may be encountered if the larger animals can not insert their heads in the stanchion openings, or the stanchion will not operate as designed when the larger head is in place. It is also possible that these larger animals will insert their heads into the stanchion opening when the restraining bar is released and it is intended that the animal may insert its head without entrapments. For the larger animal, if the stanchion opening is not expanded, the freely moving restraining bar may bear against the animal's head and neck regardless of the fact that the bar does not latch, and hurt that animal's ears when the head is withdrawn. This type of pain will not only startle the animal, but it will also make the animal wary of inserting its head into the stanchion opening, a result that is counter to the intended purposes of the stanchion. In view of this need to accommodate differently sized animals, it has been recognized as desirable, and the present invention has been designed to be adaptable into an expanded accommodating configuration in which the opening of the stanchion is enlarged.
Stanchions of known designs are intended to accommodate the insertion of an animal's head and releasably secure the animal until freed by an attendant. Those designs, however, do not provide means, nor are they configurable to lock the animal's head out. There are times during which it will be desired to use the stanchion as a block to the animals' admission; for example, to a feeding trough or milking station. In view of this need to preclude animal head insertion at various times, it has been recognized as desirable, and the present invention has been designed to be adaptable into a lock-out configuration in which the opening of the stanchion is releasably closed.
Stanchion are often times unfamiliar to cattle and therefore they may shy away from them and refuse to insert their heads. A primary reason for this is the narrow passage through which they must place their heads into the stanchion. Known designs, however, do not provide means, nor are they configurable to train an animal to their use. In view of this need to acclimate animals to the stanchion's use, it has been recognized as desirable, and the present invention has been designed to be progressively adaptable from an expanded accommodating configuration down to a releasably restraining configuration in which the animal may be held in the stanchion.
Though none of the above described configurations are known in presently available stanchion designs, it has been recognized as being of special benefit to have a single stanchion design in which the four configurations are accommodatable. The present invention has been designed for just such adaptation.
Still further, latching mechanisms of known designs presently used on stanchions release in response to a pressing action at or near the top of the stanchion opening within which the animal's head is confined. Experience has shown that animals may either intentionally or inadvertently as a result of their movement prematurely release the restraining bar before the attendant is ready. This can be dangerous for both the animal and attendant. Therefore, the present invention incorporates a new latch design that can not be released either by a pressing action from below or above the mechanism as may occur when an animal's ears flop about the top region of the stanchion opening.
In at least one embodiment, the present invention is a method for configuring a livestock stanchion between various orientations. The method includes providing a livestock restraining stanchion having two upright members that define a stanchion opening therebetween and through which an animal's head is insertable. A pivotal restraining member is positioned within the stanchion opening and is adaptable for restricting the size of the opening for releasably restraining an animal therein by entrapping the animal's head after insertion therein. At least one of the upright members is inwardly and outwardly movable relative to the other and oppositely positioned upright member for expanding and constricting a width of the stanchion opening. In one configuration, the movable upright member is positioned away from the opposite upright member into an expanded configuration thereby enlarging the width of the stanchion opening.
Optionally, the movable upright member may be moved to an extreme outward position so that an inserted animal's head is withdrawable from the stanchion opening when the pivotal restraining member is in a latched configuration.
Still further, the movable upright member may be moved to an expanded training position so that an animal unaccustomed to using the stanchion will not be deterred from inserting its head into the stanchion opening. To gradually orient the animal to the stanchion, the movable upright member is advanced inwardly from the expanded beginning training position at increments toward a releasable restraining configuration. As a result, an animal unaccustomed to using the livestock stanchion may be acclimated by advancing the movable upright member inwardly at regular intervals from the expanded training position along incremental positions toward the releasable restraining configuration in which the acclimated animal may be releasably secured. To accomplish securement of the animal, the restraining member is moved into a latched position thereby securing an acclimated animal within the stanchion opening.
The restraining member may be secured into the latched position using a latching assembly requiring outward, substantially horizontal pressure to actuate release of the restraining member. This feature helps to assure that the latch is not inadvertently disengaged by the animal's movement. Unlatching of the restraining member is accomplished by an attendant imparting outward, substantially horizontal pressure at a location within the latching assembly thereby releasing the restraining member from an animal securing orientation. Optionally, the latching assembly may be rotated about a substantially horizontal axis thereby releasing the restraining member from an animal securing orientation. Still further, an aligned tongue within a groove may be utilized for selecting between a latching and non-latching configuration of the latching assembly. By selectively aligning one of a plurality of tongues within the groove, selections between the latching and non-latching configuration of the latching assembly may be made.
In this same embodiment, because the movable upright member is pivotable in at least two directions about its lower end, that upright member may also be canted toward the opposite upright member into a lock-out configuration thereby constricting the width of the stanchion opening.
In an alternative embodiment, the movable upright member is only pivotable toward the opposite upright member into a lock-out configuration thereby constricting the width of the stanchion opening. In this configuration, insertion of an animal's head into the stanchion opening is prevented by the constriction of the width of the stanchion opening by the canting of the movable upright member thereacross.
As has been previously disclosed, one type of cattle stanchion includes a frame with at least one opening for receiving the head of an animal and a latching mechanism for alternately restraining and releasing the animal. One example of this type of cattle stanchion is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,232. The disclosed stanchion includes a pivotal restraining member mounted in the opening of the frame. The pivotal restraining member may be moved between a vertical position for holding the head of an animal and a diagonally-extending position when not in use. The disclosure also includes a latching mechanism which may be set by an attendant to either a latched or an unlatched position. When in the latched position, the latching mechanism will engage the pivot bar as it is pivoted to the vertical position, securing the animal's head with the stanchion. The animal may be released by moving the latching mechanism to the unlatched position. If desired, the attendant may leave the latching mechanism in the unlatched position so that the animals may freely insert their heads into the stanchion and remove their heads from the stanchion.
However, cattle not being the most intelligent of animals, tend not to feed through a stanchion if they have been raised in a pasture without prior exposure to stanchions. If these animals are moved from the pasture to a feeding area with stanchions, these animals may starve without human intervention.
Several designs of stanchions have been patented. Examples of a few are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,798, U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,815, U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,813, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,077,519. However none of these designs have included disclosure of an adjustable stanchion with a restraining bar for acclimating animals for feeding through a stanchion.
An adjustable stanchion with an adjustable substantially vertical extending side frame member is desirable. With an adjustable side frame member, the adjustable member can be moved to enlarge the stanchion opening so that cattle may feed through the stanchion without having to rotate the pivotal restraining bar. The adjustable side frame member can be moved to slowly close the stanchion opening to acclimate the cattle to the stanchion whereby the cattle would still be able to feed while becoming accustomed to the stanchion. Thus the adjustable member could be returned to its original position and the pasture cattle would be using the stanchion as other acclimated cattle. An adjustable stanchion would thereby provide an improved cattle stanchion by offering a single stanchion that can be used for both acclimated and pasture cattle and a method for acclimating cattle without excessive human involvement. An adjustable stanchion which contained a plurality of adjustable side frame members to accommodate several cattle is similarly desirable.
An adjustable cattle stanchion with a displacing assembly connected to a side frame member whereby the displacing assembly can controllably move the adjustable side frame member to several different sizes to increase or decrease the stanchion opening is also desired.
An adjustable cattle stanchion containing several stanchion openings with a displacing assembly connected to several adjustable side frame members which can move several side frame members concurrently is also desired. By utilizing a displacing assembly, several adjustable side frame members may be moved concurrently, thereby several stanchion openings could be enlarged at once, and thus several heads of cattle could acclimate at one time.
An adjustable cattle stanchion where the adjustable side frame member may be moved in several different orientations in relation to the stationary side member is another desire. The adjustable side frame member could be moved parallel to the stationary side frame member or be moved diagonally to the stationary frame side member whereby the upper end of the adjustable side frame member is pointing toward or away from the stationary side frame member. By allowing several different orientations for the adjustable side frame member, an owner can decide which orientation is best suited to acclimate their cattle to the stanchion.
This invention includes features and/or components that have been invented and selected for their individual and combined benefits and superior performance as a livestock stanchion. The system includes multiple components that individually and singularly have new and novel features in and of themselves. Each of the individual components, however, work in association with, and are optimally mated to the others. Together, they yield an overall stanchion system that has superior collective effectiveness in controlling livestock.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a cattle stanchion with an adjustable side frame member which may be positioned to acclimate cattle to a stanchion.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of acclimating cattle to a stanchion.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a displacing assembly whereby the adjustable side frame member can be controllably moved to allow several different sizes of stanchion openings.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a displacing assembly connected to several adjustable side frame members so that several different stanchion openings may be controlled concurrently.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable size frame member that may be moved in several different orientations.
A more general object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable stanchion which may be used to efficiently and conveniently acclimate animals to a stanchion and which may be efficiently and inexpensively manufactured and maintained.
In accordance with these aims, the stanchion of the present invention provides a stanchion comprising a frame having a first substantially horizontal extending frame member and having first and second substantially vertical extending side frame members couple the first substantially horizontal extending frame member. The second substantially vertical extending side frame member displaces generally longitudinally from the first substantially vertical extending side frame member and the frame members define a stanchion opening therebetween. A restraining member is disposed in the stanchion opening, the restraining member being pivotally mounted to the frame for movement between a first position with the restraining member extending diagonally across the stanchion opening and a second position with the restraining member having a substantially vertical orientation.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a stanchion comprising a frame having a first substantially horizontal extending frame member, a second substantially horizontal extending frame member in general proximate coextensive relation to the first frame member. A first substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the first frame member. A second substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the second frame member and the frame members define a stanchion opening therebetween. A restraining member is disposed in the stanchion opening, whereby the restraining member is pivotally mounted to the frame for movement between a first position with the restraining member extending diagonally across the stanchion opening and a second position with the restraining member having a substantially vertical orientation.
An embodiment of the present invention is a stanchion comprising a frame having a first substantially horizontal extending frame member, a second substantially horizontal extending frame member in general proximate relation to the first frame member, a third substantially horizontal extending frame member, a fourth substantially horizontal extending frame member in general proximate relation to the third frame member, a first substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the first and third frame members and a second substantially vertical extending side frame member couples the second and fourth frame members and the frame members define a stanchion opening therebetween. A restraining member is disposed in the stanchion opening, whereby the restraining member is pivotally mounted to the frame for movement between a first position with the restraining member extending diagonally across the stanchion opening and a second position with the restraining member having a substantially vertical orientation.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of acclimating animals to a stanchion comprising several steps. The first step is providing a stanchion comprising a frame forming a stanchion opening therebetween, wherein the frame further comprising a first substantially vertical extending side frame member and a second substantially vertical extending side frame member. The second step is displacing the second vertical side frame member from the first vertical side frame member. The third step is moving the second vertical side frame member toward the first side frame member thereby reducing the stanchion opening whereby the animals are acclimated to the stanchion and the stanchion can restrain the animals.
Among those benefits and improvements that have been disclosed, other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.

Configurable stanchion and method of configuration


A low-noise toroidal thin film head ("TFH") device has low coil resistance and inductance, especially suitable for very high magnetic recording areal densities and channel frequencies. The length of a toroidal coil turn is only about 20-30% that of the length of an average turn in the conventional planar spiral coil design. This allows either reduction of the device thermal noise (by about 6 dB) and/or increase of the device operational frequency bandwidth (by a factor of 3-5). The toroidal coil coupling efficiency between each turn and the magnetic core is practically 100%, thereby improving the write and read-back efficiencies. In one embodiment a non-via large back-closure contact area is provided between the bottom and top magnetic poles along their entire back-side width, and all other open branches and loose ends in the magnetic circuit are eliminated. The magnetic core has a gradual, smooth toroidal (or a horse-shoe) shape with no loose ends, nooks, crevices, or sharp corners. The larger back-closure contact area decreases the magnetic core reluctance and improves the device efficiency. Utilization of a soft non-magnetic seed-layer, such as gold, eliminates interference noise due to the conventional magnetic (NiFe) seed-layer. Slight mechanical texturing (scratching) of the seed-layer along the intended easy axis helps to define and induce strong magnetic uniaxial anisotropy in the plated magnetic poles. All these features facilitate significant reduction of Barkhausen and other sources of device noise. Embodiments include conventional TFH's, Planar TFH's, Pinched-Gap TFH's, and various versions of Magnetoresistive (MR) TFH's.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magnetic thin film heads (TFH) for recording and reading magnetic transitions on a moving magnetic medium. In particular, the invention relates to a low-noise toroidal TFH device having low coil resistance and inductance, especially suitable for very high magnetic recording areal densities and channel frequencies. It is applicable to both conventional and planar inductive and to magnetoresistive (MR) heads using toroidal inductive write elements.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Magnetic TFH transducers are known in the prior art. See, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,016,601; 4,190,872; 4,652,954; 4,791,719 for inductive devices and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,190,871 and 4,315,291 for magnetoresistive (MR) devices.
In the operation of a typical inductive TFH device, a moving magnetic storage medium is placed near the exposed pole-tips of the TFH transducer. During the read operation, the changing magnetic flux from magnetized regions in the moving storage medium induces a changing magnetic flux in the pole-tips and the gap between them. The magnetic flux is carried through the pole-tips and yoke-shaped core and around spiraling conductor coil winding turns located between the yoke arms. The changing magnetic flux induces an electrical voltage across the conductor coil. The electrical voltage is representative of the magnetic pattern stored on the moving magnetic storage medium. During the write operation, an electrical current is caused to flow through the conductor coil. The current in the coil induces a magnetic field across the gap between the pole-tips. A fringe field extends into the nearby moving magnetic storage medium, inducing (or writing) a magnetic domain (in the storage medium) in the same direction. Impressing current pulses of alternating polarity across the coil causes the writing of magnetic domains of alternating polarity in the storage medium.
Magnetoresistive (MR) TFH elements can only operate in the read mode. The electrical resistance of an MR element varies with the direction of its magnetization orientation. Magnetic flux from the moving magnetic storage medium induces changes in this orientation. As a result, the resistance of the MR element to a sensing electric current changes accordingly. The varying voltage signal is representative of the magneatic pattern stored on the magnetic medium. An inductive element, optimized for writing, is used to record transitions in the magnetic medium.
In the manufacture of conventional TFH transducers for magnetic recording, a large number of devices are fabricated simultaneously by depositing and patterning various layers on a ceramic wafer. When completed, the wafer is cut (or diced) and machined into individual sliders each having at least one transducer. The main elements of a TFH inductive transducer, roughly in the order in which they are deposited, are the (alumina) undercoat, the bottom magnetic pole, the flux gap material to provide spacing between the bottom and top magnetic pole-tips, one or more levels of electrical conductive spiraling coil windings interposed within insulation layers and located between the yoke arm parts of the bottom and top magnetic poles, the top magnetic pole, elevated studs (or posts) for connecting the coil to bonding pads (above the overcoat), a thick (alumina) overcoat, and the bonding pads. In the case of an MR TFH device, the MR read element, along with its shields, electrical leads, and biasing films (such as soft adjacent layer and/or exchange bias layer) are usually fabricated prior to the fabrication of the inductive write element.
The prior-art design of an inductive TFH transducer includes top and bottom magnetic poles (layers), each comprising a pole-tip and a yoke arm usually made of the alloy NiFe (permalloy). The magnetic poles are connected through a back-via in the back side of one of the yoke arms. They are separated by a planar spiraling coil(s) and insulation layers in the yoke arm region, and by a thin gap layer between the pole-tips in the front of the device. A typical prior-art TFH device is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,872 (Feb. 26, 1980) to Jones et al, and in the front cover of Data Storage journal, the September 1994 issue. The latter is a top-view color microphotograph of an actual prior-art TFH device. These figures illustrate some of the serious drawbacks of the prior-art TFH device. Since the back-via accommodates only a small fraction of the back-width of the yoke arms, it restricts the magnetic flux there, causing a full or a partial saturation (during write operations), and thereby impairing the device efficiency and overwrite capability. The magnetic layer inside the via consists of multiple domains in various orientations which are subject to extreme levels of stress and stress gradients. These increase the device susceptibility to magnetic noise, due to magnetic domain wall movements, through magnetostrictive interaction.
In addition, domain structure and orientation in the remaining back portions (to the sides of the via), as well as in the back-via itself, are ill-defined, raising the likelihood of Barkhausen, "popcorn", and/or "wiggle" noise occurrence. For example, the magnetic flux in the "wings" portions of the pole (at the back to the left and right of the via) during write operations, is normal to the hard-axis orientation of the pole layer. This results in domain wall movements during and after write (as well as read) operations. Such domain wall movements result in magnetic noise. Often, the (top) magnetic layer is used for making electrical connections to other features, such as for electrical leads connecting the coil to the studs. An example of such electrical lead is clearly seen in the color photograph of Data storage (the gray permalloy strip from the coil via to the left side of the coil). This is similar to coil lead 21 in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,872, which is often constructed of plated permalloy (deposited during the plating of the top pole). Such portions of the magnetic circuit constitute open branches and loose ends having undesirable magnetic domains, orientations, and characteristics. These domains may backlash and relax at different times than the main core, thereby adding to the total device noise.
Planar heads, or planar silicon heads (PSH), is another inductive TFH design in which the various layers, as well as the air bearing rails, are formed in a major plane of the substrate. Upon completion of the wafer fabrication, individual sliders are diced from the wafer without any further throat lapping, slider machining, or rail definition. The magnetic core of the planar head has a general shape of a rectangular frame. The magnetic core frame includes an elongated bottom segment formed at the plane of the substrate, two pillars (or studs) normal to the bottom segment and connected to it on either side, and two top magnetic pole-piece segments overlaying and parallel the bottom segment. The two top pole-piece segments are separated by a gap. Each of the top pole-piece segments is connected to one magnetic pillar on its side opposite the gap. The top magnetic pole-piece segments include additional, narrower, pole-tips. These pole-tips are separated by a magnetic transducing gap. The transducing gap is thus located at the top of the magnetic core frame. The planar head further includes one or more layers of spiral coils, which are wound around each of the magnetic pillars.
The long planar spiral coil turns of the conventional TFH device (cf. FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,872 and the color photo of Data Storage and also FIG. 4(a) for a planar head and FIG. 5(a) for a conventional TFH device with MR and a flat spiral coil) are inefficient in coupling the magnetic flux in the core since they only wrap around a short fraction or segment of the core length (around the back-via). Also, most of each turn is located far from the magnetic core. According to a publication by N. Yeh in IEEE Trans. On Magnetics, Vol. MAG-18, No. 1, pp. 233-237, January 1982, the average turn efficiency is only about 65%. Furthermore, the long turns have large resistance and parasitic inductance which limit the attainable device frequency and aggravate thermal noise. The large coil resistance generates excessive heat during write operations. The excessive heat increases the device's Barkhausen, popcorn, and/or wiggle noise through magnetostrictive interaction of the magnetic core with thermal stresses. The latter are exerted by adjacent materials, having different thermal expansion coefficients, such as alumina and/or hard-baked insulation.
Another source for noise in the prior-art inductive TFH device is due to the seed-layer used for plating the magnetic poles. The magnetic properties of the seed-layer are often quite different from those of the plated magnetic layers. In particular, the magnetic orientation, coercivity, and hard axis anisotropy field of the NiFe seed-layer may be quite different from that of the plated NiFe layers. As a result, the different signal produced from the seed-layer (which is part of the magnetic core) is superimposed as a source of noise. Also, interfacial mechanical stress exerted between the seed-layer and the plated NiFe magnetic pole may contribute to the device's noise. Since the seed-layer usually consists of NiFe of somewhat different composition and microstructure than the plated alloy, the stress level and direction of the seed-layer can be different from that of the plated NiFe layers. The different stress may adversely affect the device noise through magnetostrictive interaction with the plated NiFe layers.
Prior art magnetoresistive heads use an inductive write element that is "merged" with the MR read element by sharing of a magnetic layer which serves both as a top shield for the MR read element, and as the bottom pole for the inductive write element. MR "combination" or "composite" heads comprise independent or separate MR shields and inductive write magnetic poles. The flat spiral coil of the inductive write element has a relatively small number of coil turns in order to reduce resistance and inductance. The latter is required for high data transfer rates. The output signal of an inductive head, when used in the read mode, is proportional to the number of coil turns. Therefore, the inductive write element of the MR head is inadequate for reading due to its relatively small number of turns. An MR head, combining an inductive write element with large number of turns but still having low inductance and resistance, will offer adequate read signal output, by the inductive write element, for servo pattern and/or data stored at large radii tracks on a spinning disk.


A cutting tool, particularly for steel sheet billets, having a cutting blade fastened to a blade holder and a pressure cushion which is arranged on sides of the blade holder and, when the cutting blade penetrates into the material to be punched, is pressed onto the latter in the area of the useful punched part. During the passage of the cutting blade, a high-quality edge of the useful punched part is largely kept free of an interfering burr and elevation formation by the pressure cushion material being displaced radially outward during the punching stroke, such that the cutting blade is acted upon by pressure in the lateral direction under an increasing elastic deflection of the cutting blade edge.

The invention relates to a cutting tool, particularly for steel sheet billets, including a cutting blade and an associated pressure cushion which cooperates with the cutting blade to deflect the blade edge during a punching stroke.
Cutting tools of this type, as they are known, for example, from German Patent Document DE 101 40 496 A1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,137,188 A or 4,607,553 A for the punching of sheet-type material, usually plastic material or cardboard, to be punched contain a hollow-cylindrical cutting blade which is sharpened on one side or in a V-shape and which, while not requiring a countertool, requires only a relatively hard supporting surface of the material to be punched, according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,188 A, a rubber cushion being arranged in the hollow cross-section of the cutting blade, which rubber cushion operates as a blank holder and ejector for the cut-off part of the punched material. In the case of such cutting tools, the problem arises that, during the passage of the cutting blade, the material to be punched is displaced at both sides of the cutting blade, thus toward the punchings as well as toward the useful punched part, with the result that the useful punched parts have an unclean edge and, particularly in the case of steel sheet billets or other plastically deformable material to be punched, considerable burr formations are exhibited on the bottom side of the useful part and/or toroidal thickenings are exhibited on the top side of the useful part.
It is an object of the invention to further develop a cutting tool of the initially mentioned type such that, during the punching stroke of the cutting blade, the useful punched part receives a high-quality edge which, particularly in the case of steel sheet billets, is largely free of burrs and elevations.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a cutting tool having a cutting blade fastened to a blade holder and a pressure cushion which is arranged on sides of the blade holder and, when the cutting blade penetrates into a material to be punched, is pressed onto the latter in an area of a useful punched part, wherein, by displacing the pressure cushion material during a punching stroke, the cutting blade is acted upon by pressure in a lateral direction under an increasing elastic deflection of a cutting edge of the cutting blade.
According to the invention, as a result of the targeted lateral deflection of the cutting blade edge caused by the pressure cushion, the material to be punched is displaced on one side in the direction of the punchings and an elevation-forming or burr-forming buildup of material on the edge of the useful part is thereby effectively prevented. The result is an extremely precisely cut useful punched part which is largely kept free of interfering projecting material.
In a preferred application of the invention, the cutting blade has a hollow cross-section and the useful punched part is situated on the interior side of the cutting blade edge, and the cutting blade is radially widened in the cutting edge area by the pressure cushion arranged in the cross-sectional interior of the cutting blade. In order to avoid damage to the pressure cushion during the punching stroke of the cutting blade, but simultaneously exercise high lateral deformation forces onto the cutting blade, in the relaxed position, the pressure cushion is arranged with its punched-material-side face preferably essentially flush with the cutting plane of the cutting blade. If the cutting blade is bevelled in the direction of the cutting edge, the bevelling is preferably situated on the side facing away from the pressure cushion, the cutting blade, with a view to an improved cutting quality for fibrous material to be punched, expediently having an additional chamfering on the side facing the pressure cushion in the direction of the cutting edge. For reasons of an improved elasticity behavior, the cutting blade may be provided with at least one parting line extending to the cutting edge.
In a particularly preferred manner, the cutting blade consists of flexible band steel, specifically of a super-high-strength nickel chromium steel of a high elasticity, which has an excellent wear resistance and penetrates even stacked steel sheet billets without any problem and with a high cutting quality. The flexible characteristics of such a band steel are expediently utilized for generating different cutting geometries by means of the cutting tool in a constructively simple manner in connection with a variable fastening of the cutting blade on the blade holder.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The present disclosure discloses an electron linear accelerator system. In the present disclosure, a fast-switching dual-path microwave system is proposed, wherein, one path can be directly connected to an accelerating tube, and the other path can be input into the accelerating tube after a magnitude of the microwave power is changed by devices such as an attenuator, a power divider, a pulse compressor or even an amplifier etc., so as to achieve fast switch of the power input into the accelerator and adjust the energy output by the accelerator.

The technology of the dual-energy electron linear accelerator is widely applied in imaging inspection systems such as containers/vehicles inspection systems etc. Substances can be distinguished using the difference between the attenuation characteristics of both high energy X-ray and low energy X-ray passing through materials with different atomic coefficients. A dual-energy X-ray inspection system requires emitting a beam at two energy levels. As a repetition frequency is typically on the order of 100 Hz, the energy is required to be switched on the order of milliseconds. The electron linear accelerator is typically comprised of sub-systems such as a microwave power source, a microwave transmission system, an electron gun, an accelerating tube etc. The existing methods for adjusting the energy of the accelerator primarily comprise: changing the energy by 1) changing a magnitude of microwave power input into the accelerator; 2) changing a magnitude of a beam load of the accelerator; and 3) changing a distribution of a part of electromagnetic field in the accelerator by designing an accelerating structure in a particular manner.
In the method 1), the manner of directly changing the magnitude of the energy of the power source input into the accelerator is easy and feasible. However, when power output from the microwave power source is switched rapidly, a condition that the frequency changes and the output power is unstable may occur for the microwave power source.
In the method 2), the beam load of the accelerator is regulated by changing a current emitted by the electron gun, and the energy of the electron beam is reduced by absorbing more microwave power by a stronger beam. However, as a dosage rate is directly related to the magnitude of the beam, the regulation of the parameter is less flexible; and at the same time, the demands on the electron gun also increase.
In the method 3), the accelerating structure is usually very complex, and it generally needs to regulate the hardware structure of the accelerating tube so as to regulate the field distribution of the accelerator, which has a slow time response.
Further improvements may be made to the method for adjusting an energy based on the method 1). The improved method changes the microwave power input into the accelerating tube while the microwave power source operating in the same state, so as to ensure that the frequencies of the microwave source at the two energy levels are consistent and the output power is stable. This solution needs to add a microwave transmission system which can switch the attenuation or gain rapidly between the accelerating tube and the microwave source.
US patent US20100039051 discloses a method based on a magic-T element. An arm in the magic-T is connected to a phase shifter. The power input into the accelerating tube is regulated by changing a reflection phase of the arm rapidly to change a division ratio between power input into two output ports during power synthesis with another arm. However, the method operates in a total-reflective pure standing wave state, the power capacity is limited, and the demands on the circulator are very high. In addition, only an output less than the power of the power source can be achieved with this method.


The present invention relates to the cloning and expression of a novel β-agarase gene, agaB1, and a novel β-agarase, AgaB1, encoded from the gene. The present invention also provides a method for producing the β-agarase, and the utilization of the β-agarase.

Agar is a linear polysaccharide obtained from the cell wall of some red algae and is composed of agarose and agaropectin. Agarose consists of disaccharide units of 3-O-linked β-D-galactopyranose and 4-O-linked 3,6-anhydro-α-L-galactose. Agarose can be hydrolyzed by agarases. Agarases can be classified into two groups, i.e., α-agarases and β-agarases, according to their enzymatic cleavage sites, as α-agarases cleave the α-1,3 linkage in agarose and β-agarases cleave the β-1,4 linkage in agarose. Agar can be hydrolyzed by acids or α-agarases to obtained agaro-oligosaccharides having a 3,6-anhydro-α-L-galactose group at the reducing end. On the other hand, β-agarases can hydrolyze agar into neoagaro-oligosaccharides having a D-galactose group at the reducing end. Neoagaro-oligosaccharides can only be produced by enzymatic catalysis, not by a chemical method.
β-Agarases can be classified into three glycoside hydrolase families, GH16, GH50 and GH86, on the basis of their amino acid sequences. Most β-agarases belong to family GH16, which can hydrolyze agar and neoagarohexaose and the main product is neoagarotetaose [see Schroeder et. al., (2003) Investigation of the role of a β(1-4) agarase produced by Pseudoalteromonas gracilis B9 in eliciting disease symptoms in the red alga Gracilaria gracilis. Microbiology 149: 2919-2929, and Allouch et. al., (2003) The three-dimensional structures of two β-agarases. J. Biol. Chem. 278: 47171-47180]. A representative β-agarase in family GH50 is AgaA protein obtained from Vibrio sp., which can hydrolyze neoagarotetaose and the main product is neoagarobiose [see Sugano et. al., (1993) Cloning and sequencing of agaA, a unique agarase 0107 gene from a marine bacterium, Vibrio sp. strain JT0107. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59: 3750-3756]. Representative β-agarases in family GH86 are AgrA protein produced by Pseudoalteromonas atlantica T6c [see Belas et. al., (1988) Cloning and gene replacement mutagenesis of a Pseudomonas atlantica agarase gene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54: 30-37], and AgaO protein obtained from Microbulbifer-like bacterium, strain JAMB-A94. AgaO can hydrolyze agar and the main end product is neoagarohexaose [see Ohta et. al., (2004) Cloning, expression, and characterization of a glycoside hydrolase family 86 β-agarase from a deep-sea Microbulbifer-like isolate. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 66: 266-275].
Neoagaro-oligosaccharides have been widely used in food, cosmetic and medical industries. It is found that neoagaro-oligosaccharides can reduce starch decomposition rate and inhibit the growth of bacteria, and thus can be used as low-calorie food additive. In addition, the polysaccharides produced by hydrolyzing marine algae with β-agarases can stimulate the activation of macrophages, and thus can be used as a functional food to enhance immune response [see Yoshizawa et. al., (1995) Macrophage stimulation activity of the polysaccharide fraction from a marine alga (Porphyra yezoensis): structure-function relationships and improved solubility. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 59: 1933-1937]. Furthermore, neoagarobiose produced from β-agarases hydrolysis has skin moisturizing and whitening effects [see Kobayasgu et. al., (1997) Neoagarobiose as a novel moisturizer with whitening effect. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 61: 162-163]. In molecular biology laboratories, agarases is useful in the purification of DNA by agarose electrophoresis, or in the manufacture of protoplasts of algae [see Araki et. al., (1998) Optimization of parameters for isolation of protoplasts from Gracilaria verrucosa (Rhodophyta). J. Mar. Biotechnol. 6: 193-197].
However, the activity, stability and yield of the conventional β-agarases produced by the current methods are not satisfying. There is still a need for a new β-agarase with better activity, stability and yield.
Thalassomonas agarivorans was isolated by Dr. Shieh Wung Yang's laboratory at National Taiwan University [see Jean et. al., (2006) Thalassomonas agarivorans sp. nov., a marine agarolytic bacterium isolated from shallow coastal water of An-Ping Harbour, Taiwan, and emended description of the genus Thalassomonas. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 56:1245-1250]. It was found that Thalassomonas agarivorans could hydrolyze the agarose in a culture plate, but the type of the agarase produced thereby was unknown. Before Jean et al. (2006), the only strain in the genus Thalassomonas known to have agarolytic activity was Thalassomonas sp. strain JAMB-A33 [see Hatada et. al., (2006) Hyperproduction and application of α-agarase to enzymatic enhancement of antioxidant activity of porphyran. J. Agric. Food Chem. 54: 9895-9900], and the agarase of Thalassomonas sp. strain JAMB-A33 was an α-agarase. Therefore, prior to the invention, no Thalassomonas strains was identified to have the ability to produce β-agarase.

Food Industry Research & Development Institute


A method for cleaning an article, such as a used kidney dialyzer, requiring sterilization includes the steps of manually rinsing the article with purified water, inserting the article into an automated reuse apparatus which utilizes ozonated water, and sterilizing the article for a predetermined period of time with ozonated water wherein the ozonated water flows through the article for sterilizing it. The step of inserting the article into the automated reuse apparatus includes the steps of rinsing the article with ozonated water, reversing the flow of ozonated water through the article for backwashing the article, and conducting testing cycles wherein the article is tested for leaks therein and for ensuring it can contain a predetermined quantity of fluid. Preferably, the predetermined period of time of the sterilizing step is approximately thirty minutes. An apparatus for producing ozonated water is further disclosed.

This invention relates generally to cleaning methods, and more particularly to a novel cleaning method for sterilizing an artificial kidney (i.e., a kidney dialyzer) with ozonated water. This invention also relates to an apparatus for producing ozonated water used during the performance of the cleaning method.
Disposable artificial kidneys have been reprocessed and reused in chronic hemodialysis for more than twenty years. Reuse of artificial kidneys has clearly become a standard medical practice in the United States, wherein over seventy percent of dialysis facilities are reusing artificial kidneys. These facilities treat over seventy percent of the dialysis patients in the United States.
Other than by hand washing the artificial kidney or dialyzer, there are two well-known methods for sterilizing the dialyzer. One such method, as shown in FIG. 1, is a method utilizing heat to clean the dialyzer. More specifically, the dialyzer is subjected to manual rinsing using purified water. The dialyzer then is rinsed with purified water, reverse filtered (also with purified water) and tested in an automated reuse apparatus which is well-known in the art. The dialyzer is then subjected to 105 degrees Celsius for a period of twenty-four hours for sterilization purposes. A disadvantage of this method is that it takes too long to complete, especially for hospitals, and other medical facilities, having many patients requiring dialysis. Another disadvantage is that the dialyzer does not tolerate being subjected to high temperatures very well (e.g., the dialyzer becomes cracked, or it may melt) which results in fewer reuses thereof.
The other known method follows the same prescribed method as heat treating, except instead of subjecting the dialyzer to heat over a period of time, suitable chemicals are used to sterilize it. This method is disclosed in FIG. 2. Various chemicals or sterilizing agents which are presently used are: cidex.RTM.; diacide.RTM.; sporicidin.RTM.-hd; formaldehyde; renalin.RTM.; and peracetic acid. While taking less time than heat treating (approximately two and one half hours), one problem associated with using chemicals is that there is a risk that the chemicals may remain inside the dialyzer and pose a threat to the patient during subsequent use of the dialyzer. Another drawback is that the chemicals are difficult to dispose of after they have been used. Moreover, many of the aforementioned chemicals are very expensive.
Ozone has been used as a sterilizing agent in the past. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,275 to Faddis, there is disclosed a method and apparatus for sterilizing medical instruments using ozone. However, ozone has never heretofore been used to sterilize a used dialyzer.
Thus, there is presently a need for a method of sterilizing a used dialyzer which is not time-consuming and which leaves the dialyzer free of chemicals and other contaminants.
The present invention is directed to a method for cleaning an article, such as a used kidney dialyzer, requiring sterilization comprising the steps of: (a) manually rinsing the article with purified water; (b) inserting the article into an automated reuse apparatus which utilizes ozonated water; and (c) sterilizing the article for a predetermined period of time with ozonated water, the ozonated water flowing through the article for sterilizing it. More specifically, the step of inserting the article into the automated reuse apparatus comprises the steps of: rinsing the article with ozonated water; reversing the flow of ozonated water through the article for backwashing the article; and conducting testing cycles wherein the article is tested for leaks therein and for ensuring it can contain a predetermined quantity of fluid. Preferably, the predetermined period of time of the sterilizing step is approximately thirty minutes.
An apparatus for producing ozonated water of the present invention comprises a container defining a chamber. The container has a first inlet for introducing purified water into the chamber, a second inlet for introducing vaporized ozone into the chamber, and an outlet for venting ozonated water from the chamber. A pump siphons ozonated water from the chamber of the container via the outlet of the container. Suitable introducing means is provided for introducing vaporized ozone into the chamber of the container through the second inlet. A sensor measures oxygen reduction potential (ORP) of the ozonated water, and controls the amount of vaporized ozone introduced into the chamber of the container by the introducing means.
The introducing means of the apparatus specifically comprises a venturi injector in fluid communication with the second inlet of the container for injecting vaporized ozone therein. A device is provided for manufacturing oxygen, and an ozone generator, in fluid communication with the device and with the venturi injector, creates ozone which is then delivered to the venturi injector. A level control regulates the level of ozonated water contained within the chamber by introducing purified water therein when the level of ozonated water is below a predetermined quantity. Moreover, a filter is in fluid communication with the chamber of the container for further filtering and purifying the ozonated water contained within the chamber of the container.
Accordingly, among the several objects of the present invention are the provision of an improved method for cleaning a used dialyzer requiring sterilization which requires less time than other known methods; the provision of such an improved method which leaves the dialyzer completely clean without substantially any residue from chemicals or other contaminants being left thereon which present a potential risk to the patient and to employees handling the dialyzer; the provision of such a method which is a cost-effective alternative to known prior methods of sterilization; the provision of such a method which is capable of utilizing existing cleaning equipment; the provision of such a method which enables the dialyzer to be used immediately after completion of the cleaning method; and the provision of such a method which is easy to perform, simple to implement, and which little or no specialized training is required for persons conducting the method.
Also among the several objects of the present invention are the provision of an apparatus for producing ozonated water which is compact in construction and can deliver ozonated water to a device requiring the same on site; the provision of such an apparatus which produces sterilized ozonated water suitable for medical use; and the provision of such an apparatus which is easy to operate, simple in construction, and cost-efficient to manufacture and operate.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

Cleaning method utilizing ozonated water and apparatus for producing ozonated water


A method is provided for manufacturing a turbine component. The method includes forming a first intermediate turbine article with an additive manufacturing process; encapsulating the first intermediate turbine article with an encapsulation layer to form a second intermediate turbine article; and consolidating the second intermediate turbine article to produce the turbine component.

Gas turbine engines are generally known in the art and used in a wide range of applications, such as propulsion engines and auxiliary power unit engines for aircraft. In a typical configuration, a turbine section of the engine includes turbine components such as rows of stator airfoils and rotor blades disposed in an alternating sequence along the axial length of a generally annular hot gas flow path. The rotor blades are mounted on the periphery of rotor disks coupled to a main engine shaft. The stator airfoils are coupled to inner and outer endwalls and optimally direct hot combustion gases to the rotor blades, thus resulting in rotary driving of the rotor disks to provide an engine output.
The stator airfoils and rotor blades typically have arcuate shapes with generally concave pressure sides and generally convex suction sides extending axially in chords between opposite leading and trailing edges. During operation, the aerodynamic contours of the stator airfoils and rotor blades, and corresponding flow passages therebetween, are configured in an attempt to maximize energy extraction from the combustion gases. Since higher engine efficiencies may occur at higher temperatures, some turbine components may additionally include internal cooling passages to enable such high temperature operation.
Given these considerations, turbine components may have relatively complex three-dimensional (3D) geometries that may raise difficult fabrication issues. Conventional fabricating techniques include forging, casting, and/or machining. For example, in one conventional casting process, a ceramic core is assembled into a wax tool that will provide the external shape of the component, the core is encased in wax, a ceramic shell is formed around the wax pattern, and the wax is removed to form a ceramic mold. Molten metal is then poured into the molds, cooled and solidified, and then the external shell and internal core are suitably removed to result in the desired turbine component. The cast turbine component may then undergo subsequent manufacturing processes such as machining, electrical discharge machining (EDM) or laser drilling. Such prior art methods are not only expensive and have long lead-times, but may additionally have low yields. Development time and cost for certain turbine components may also be magnified because such components generally require several iterations.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved manufacturing methods for turbine components that enable improved cycle times and reduced costs without sacrificing component performance or durability. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

Methods for manufacturing turbine components


The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling operation state of multi-split air conditioner and system, and a heat pump multi-split. The control method includes: determining a target operation mode of each indoor unit according to an operation mode set by a user for the indoor unit; performing statistics on heat exchange demands of the indoor units corresponding to different target operation modes, and determining a dominant operation mode among the target operation modes according to the heat exchange demands; and using the dominant operation mode as the operation mode of an outdoor unit.

A multi-split system refers to an air conditioning system in which one or more outdoor units are connected to a plurality of indoor units. A heat pump multi-split can operate a refrigeration mode or a heating mode, but the indoor units cannot run a mode whichconflicts with the outdoor unit.
At present, an operation mode of most of the outdoor unit are determined by a main indoor unit mode in the multi-split system, but this judgment mode method is not free and democratic enough, and it is easy to cause user complaints in public places such as office buildings.
To this end, another control method for presetting a preferential operation mode has appeared in the prior art. When a user has special demands for refrigeration, for example, in a hot summer, the refrigeration mode may be set as a preferential mode, the outdoor unit preferentially operates the indoor unit that selects the refrigeration mode when receiving different mode selections of a plurality of indoor units, and the other indoor units do not operate. By setting the preferential operation mode, the control mode may avoid the abnormality of air conditioning operation due to selection mode conflict or erroneous operation, thereby improving the use convenience of the user, but since the preferential operation mode is preset according to demands, it does not reflect the actual use demands of all users, so the control mode still lacks freedom and democracy in use, and may also cause some complaints when used in office buildings and other places.

Method and system of controlling operation state of multi-split air conditioner, and heat pump multi-split air conditioner

Gree Electric Appliances (Wuhan) Co., Ltd.

Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai


The present disclosure discloses a method, a system and a computer program product for secure data communication between a user device and a server. User credentials, a device id and a first hash are received at server from a user device. The first hash is generated using the user credentials. At server, a second hash is computed using the user credentials stored in the database of the server. The first hash is verified with the second hash. Once verified, an encryption key and a sequence number corresponding to the user credentials and device id are generated. The encryption key and the sequence number are encrypted using a pre-defined key and one or more user credentials. The encrypted encryption key and the sequence number are sent to the user device to encrypt data.

Securely communicating data has been an important issue in today's online computing and data environment. It gains higher importance when the data is related with financial transactions. Typically, a user uses physical cards on a merchants device (that is a point of sale terminal from where the user may have availed any service/product) to make the financial payment. The physical card stores the sensitive data. Generally, the merchant device is loaded with applications that read the data from the physical card, after the user swipes the card onto the merchant's machine.
The recent improvement in this field extends where the user devices such as a mobile phone, PDA etc. are currently loaded with application that reads the data from a card swipe or in the more recent forms—receives an equivalent of card swipe through NFC (near field communication) or other means such as DTF. Card information along with payment details then travels to the acquiring system and finally through payment networks such as Master, Visa, Diners, etc. the information travels to the issuing bank. Such card information and other sensitive information are stored in the secured element of the user device or in the Secure Element in the SIM card. This technique of storing the sensitive information in secure element brings critical dependencies on SIM card owners (such as Telecommunication companies) and/or Phone manufacturers, thus limiting innovation and adoption by financial services industry.
There is a general need to enable a user to perform card transactions without any dependency on storage of sensitive information in the secure element. Several aspects of the present disclosure facilitate the easier way to enable card transactions by securely storing card details (and other sensitive details) without dependency on phone manufacturer or SIM card owner as described in below sections.

Method and system for secure data communication between a user device and a server