Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, system, and computer program product for dynamic placement of various bond fingers on an integrated circuit (IC) package. This is achieved by determining the placement of selected bond fingers. Subsequently, bond fingers and bond wires are identified, which have been affected due to the placement of the selected bond fingers. Further, the placement of the selected and the affected bond fingers is determined based on clearance rules and the affected bond fingers and bond wires. This facilitates the dynamic placement of the various bond fingers in interaction with the user. Further, the user is provided with full interactive access and control over the method and system.

The present invention relates to wirebonding. More particularly, the present invention relates to dynamic placement and adjustment of bond fingers on an Integrated Circuit (IC) package.
Wirebonding is a technique for establishing electrical connectivity between an IC component and a package substrate. This involves soldering wires between two pads. The first pad is on an IC's top metal layer, which is exposed through a passivation opening and the second pad is on the package substrate, which is exposed through an opening in a solder mask layer. The wire follows a three-dimensional (3D) profile through the surrounding air, instead of following a two-dimensional (2D) path. Generally, the 2D path is followed during a single-layer trace.
The fundamental difference with the 3D profile of the wire arises because the bond wires float in space. As a result, they follow a completely free path in all the three axes. Further, bond wires are subjected to flexing and bending during the manufacturing process. By way of example, the bond wires may flex and bend when the air beneath the wires gets filled as a part of the final manufacturing process. The greater the separation between two neighboring bond wires, the greater the rate of fill. Therefore, the pressure on the bond wires varies across a wirebond pattern. This results in various design problems and wirebond-related shorts. Wirebond-related shorts refer to failures that involve the occurrence of unintended electrical shorting between the bond wires. These include bond-to-bond shorting, wire-to-die shorting, and wire-to-wire shorting.
Several conventional methods have been used to compute the placement and rotation of the bond fingers on the package substrate by using auto-routing technologies for a 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) problem. These auto-routing technologies also compute the end points of the bond wires that are attached to the power and ground rings on the package surface. By way of example, consider a wirebond pattern with two rows of bond fingers, one power, and one ground ring. While ring tack points follow the mid-point of the shape outline, the placement of the bond fingers follows pre-defined user path(s). These paths may be straight-line segments, arcs, or a combination thereof. Further, the placement of the bond fingers is governed by a complex set of physical and spacing rules.
Such rules are applied to the bond fingers and the bond wires. By way of example, in accordance with the rules, two bond wires at the same height cannot cross each other. However, two bond wires that are at different heights, though originating from the same die, may cross as long as the vertical spacing between them is sufficient. Further, auto-routing technologies involve running conducting traces at any angle in the x- and y-axis, but are limited to orthogonal movement in the z-axis. For this reason, wirebonding, which is a 3D problem, is not addressed by auto-routing technologies.
The 3D problem has been solved by another wirebond algorithm. This algorithm is based on batch-driven pattern cleanup. The control values for the batch-driven pattern are entered by the user. If failures occur, the user modifies one or more control values and runs the batch process again. Such a batch-driven pattern involves trial and error during pattern refinement. Any refinements made to the pattern later, when necessitated by design of the rest of the package substrate, must be performed in a similar trial-and-error model.
Another wirebond algorithm that reduces trial and error during pattern refinement involves automatic initial generation, which is based on highly customizable placement rules and parameters. These values are stored after initial setup, and can be recalled to correct and update the pattern on the fly as the user requests changes. However, these parameters result in high levels of tweaking and render the user interface cumbersome.
In light of the foregoing discussion, a need exists for a method and system for dynamic placement and adjustment of bond fingers on an IC package. Such an algorithm should be applicable for 3D routing problems. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for dynamic placement of bond fingers on integrated circuit package


An information processing apparatus includes a first memory configured to store first conversion information used for converting a virtual address to a physical address of a memory region to access data stored in the memory region; a second memory configured to store second conversion information used for converting a virtual address to a logical block address of a storage device to access data stored in the storage device; memory management circuitry configured to execute a first processor a second process, according to an access destination of a first virtual address, the first process includes address conversion on the first virtual address using the first conversion information or the second conversion information and memory access to the memory region based on a result of the address conversion, the second process including notification of a first logical block address associated with the first virtual address to an operating system.

An information processing apparatus exemplified by a computer system such as a server executes an address conversion process that maps different types of addresses in a uni- or bi-directionally and converts an address by referring to the mapping information of the address in the event of data access.
Such an address conversion process makes it possible to flexibly change, for example, a place where data is stored to a main memory device (hereinafter, sometimes abbreviated to a "memory") such as a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and to a storing apparatus (hereinafter sometimes called a "storage device") such as a Solid State Drive (SSD) and a Hard Disk Drive (HDD). This enhances the speed of data access according to a place where data is stored.
For example, the address conversion process is applied to access to a virtual memory in which a virtual address that an application uses and a physical address of the memory are mapped, and access to a storage device in which a logical block address and a physical block address are mapped. Hereinafter, a logical block address is sometimes abbreviated to "LBA".
An address conversion process for access to a virtual memory is executed by a hardware device such as a Memory Management Unit (MMU) included in the Central Processing Unit (CPU). In contrast, an address conversion process for access to a storage device is executed by software such as an Operating System (OS).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2014-154166
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2013-152676
Patent Document 3: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0037005
As described above, since an address conversion process for access to a storage device such as an SSD is executed by software, enhancement in accessibility of the storage device may result in that the address conversion process by software has a possibility of becoming overhead in accessibility.
In recent years, a high-performance SSD adopting next-generation memory technology has appeared. A known example of such a high-performance SSD is an Intel Optane™ SSD adopting a technique of 3D XPoint™.
A high-performance SSD has low access latency and is as short as several to 20 μs in some cases. For this reason, an information processing apparatus provided with a high-performance SSD may further be annoyed by overhead in accessibility throughout an address conversion process by software.

Information processing apparatus and method for managing memory using address conversion


A process for assembling a laser and an apparatus used to assemble a laser is disclosed. The laser contains, among other components, a semiconductor chip, a lens and an optical fiber. The chip and lens are disposed in a housing. The optical fiber is disposed in a transmission assembly. The process replaces a tedious manual method for aligning the lens housing and the transmission assembly. The process uses an apparatus which separates each of the plurality of leads on the lens housing from each other. The apparatus restrains the lens housing while the housing is placed in contact with the transmission assembly. The apparatus provides electrical contacts which are placed into electrical connection with the leads on the lens housing. Electrical current is then provided which is conducted to the chip. The chip generates a beam of light which is focused by the lens into the fiber and then transmitted by the fiber. The power of the beam of light in the fiber is measured. The position of the lens housing relative to the transmission assembly is automatically adjusted until the power of the beam of light reaches an acceptable level. The lens housing is then fastened to the transmission assembly and the resulting laser, assembled and aligned, is released from the apparatus. Another lens housing is conveyed into the apparatus and the process is repeated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated process and apparatus for assembling and aligning a laser.
2. Art Background
Lasers are complex devices that consist of many components. Certain lasers contain, among other components, a lens for focusing the radiation to produce a high intensity beam of light and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly conducts the high intensity beam of light to a location remote from the lens. The high intensity beam of light is used for a number of different purposes well known to people familiar with these types of devices.
The lens and the transmission assembly are operatively connected together. In certain instances, the lens is preassembled in a lens housing and the transmission assembly is an optical fiber that is preattached to a ferrule and sleeve subassembly. To complete the laser assembly, the ferrule/sleeve subassembly is operatively coupled to the preassembled lens housing.
The lens housing and the ferrule/sleeve assembly cannot simply be connected to ensure acceptable laser operation, however. The lens housing and the ferrule/sleeve assembly must be coupled together in a manner that ensures that the lens and optical fiber are in proper alignment. If the lens and the optical fiber are not properly aligned, the power of the light transmitted by the fiber is unnecessarily low.
Currently, a complex manual manipulation of the lens housing and the ferrule/sleeve assembly is performed to align and assemble these components. First, the four leads extending from the lens housing are inserted into a socket. The socket also has leads extending from it. Each of the leads is inserted into a separate opening in the socket. When the lens housing leads are placed in the socket openings, an electrical connection between the lens housing leads and the socket leads is formed.
The lens housing leads are made of thin gauge wire and are easily bent. However, although these wires are easily bent, it is time consuming and difficult to properly place such wires in a corresponding opening in the socket. Furthermore, because these wires are easily bent, it is possible to bend them into contact with each other.
The lens housing is then connected to the ferrule/sleeve assembly, but they are aligned before they are affixed to each other. To align the lens and the optical fiber, the socket leads are connected to a source of electric power. Electric current is then supplied to the lens housing--ferrule/sleeve assembly. The alignment of the lens is determined by measuring the current supplied to the lens housing and the energy of the beam of light transmitted through the optical fiber.
The way in which these two parameters indicate the alignment of the lens and the optical fiber is based on the relationship of the components in these types of devices. The beam of light that is focused by the lens and transmitted by the fiber is generated by a device that is also present in the housing. Such devices are typically referred to as chips. The electric current supplied to the chip provides the current necessary for the chip to generate the beam of light.
The chip operates at a certain efficiency. For every chip, a certain amount of electric current (X) will generate a beam of light with a certain energy (Y). Whether the chip is operating at its desired efficiency is determined by measuring the current provided to the housing and the energy of the beam of light from the fiber. If the amount of electric current provided is X, but the energy or power of the beam of light is less than Y, then the chip is not operating at its desired efficiency.
One factor that can effect chip performance is the alignment of the lens and the fiber. If the lens does not properly aim the high intensity beam of light at the fiber, the chip works harder to transmit a less powerful beam of light. The harder the chip works, the more power it consumes.
If the power of the light beam is observed to be unacceptably low based on the electric current provided to the chip, the lens housing and the ferrule/sleeve assembly are moved in relation to each other until the power of the light beam reaches an acceptable level. When the power of the light beam is acceptable based on the electric current provided to the device, the high intensity beam of light is properly aimed at the transmission assembly. The lens housing and the ferrule/sleeve assembly are then affixed to each other by laser welding or some other acceptable means. The process for aligning the housing and the ferrule/sleeve assembly uses conventional methods to manipulate the lens housing relative to the ferrule/sleeve assembly until the power of the light beam transmitted through the optical fiber is acceptably high.
The manual manipulation of the leads into the socket for purposes of testing the alignment of these devices is inefficient and time consuming. The manual placement of the lens housing in an apparatus that will align the housing with the ferrule/sleeve assembly is also time consuming. Therefore, an automated process that assembles and aligns the laser components is desired.

Process and apparatus for assembling a laser


A device for electrical connection of two sections of a pre-fabricated electrical canalization electrical canalization has a certain number of conducting bars extending substantially parallel to one another. This device includes a first set of at least one portion of bars and a second set of at least another portion of bars, where the portions of bars of the first set at least partially and respectively overlap the portions of bars of the second set, and the portions of bars of the first set of bars are in electrical contact respectively with the portions of bars of the second set over a contact zone. The two sets of portions of bars are movable with respect to one another to modify the overlap length of the portions of bars and the length of the connection device. The device includes means for securing the two sets of portions of bars in a selected adjustment position.

The present invention relates to a device for electrical connection of two sections of a pre-fabricated electrical canalization to perform adjustment of said canalization in length, said canalization comprising several conducting bars extending substantially parallel to one another.
When installation of a pre-fabricated electrical canalization is performed, a piece of canalization of non-standard and indeterminate length may be missing, which makes it necessary to use connecting elements of non-standard length to be integrated in the canalization so as to obtain the required canalization length.
The customer then has to order a special element at the end of the site work to complete the installation. This element has to be manufactured to a specific length and the customer has to wait until it is delivered to finish connecting the line.

Device for electrical connection of two sections of a pre-fabricated electrical canalization to perform adjustment of said canalization in length


A method and apparatus (10) for extracting energy from flowing fluids using a diffuser (11) which has side walls (14) formed from a series of aerofoil section members (15) with gaps (29) provided between the leading and trailing ends of the members (15) to allow introduction of fluid from outside of the diffuser (11) into the diffuser flow passage (16) such that increased energy can be extracted from the flowing fluid by a prime mover (20) located in the flow passage (16).

It is well known to extract energy from a flowing fluid by the use of suitable turbines which drive electrical generators to generate electricity. Such arrangements are commonly used in hydroelectric systems and usually use a head of water created through the construction of a dam to create a flow of water through conduits in which turbines are positioned. These systems whilst relatively efficient can negatively impact the environment during and following construction of the dams.
Other systems have been proposed and used which use the sea as a source of energy. Energy can be extracted from the sea by using the wave motion of the sea or tidal movement of the sea. A slow moving body of fluid however requires a large and costly prime mover to generate the necessary motion to drive energy extraction means. While the body of fluid may well be capable of providing substantial energy, it is the harnessing of that energy which is difficult. In order to generate an adequate supply of electricity to render a system profitable, a velocity of fluid flow should be high enough to avoid the necessity of providing costly and complicated prime movers. The costs of systems currently proposed or in use are too high to justify their broad implementation. In the various systems which are presently used, it is difficult to obtain a sufficiently high fluid velocity to enable efficient extraction of energy.


An information processing apparatus including: a first management data storing region that stores a plurality of first links being provided one for each of multiple calculating cores and representing an order of migration of pages of a page group allocated to the calculating core among a plurality of the pages; a second management data storing region that stores a second link being provided for an operating system and managing a plurality of pages selected in accordance with the order of migration among the page group of the plurality of first links as a group of candidate pages to be migrated to the second memory; and a migration processor that migrates data of a page selected from the group of the second link from the first memory to the second memory. With this configuration, occurrence of a spinlock is reduced, so that the load on processor is reduced.

Hierarchical memory control is sometimes used which hierarchizes a memory space seen from an application by dividing the memory space into a high-speed memory and a low-speed memory. In hierarchical memory control, a technique of expanding a memory has been known in which a memory capacity more than Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) comes to be available by using storage such as a Solid State Drive (SSD) as a low-speed memory.
Such a technique of expanding a memory ordinarily uses a part of a DRAM as a cache memory for a low-speed memory.
A cache memory is managed in a unit of a page. The data size of the page is, for example, 4 KB. A process of migrating a page from a cache memory to storage is performed by a background thread.
Data (page) to be migrated from a cache memory to storage is selected by a Least Recently Used (LRU) algorithm.
An LRU list is used to manage the priorities of pages to be migrated to storage. The LRU list stores a pointer to a page structure in which page information (such as an address) is stored, an access flag indicating the presence of an access to the page, and link information of the list.
Referring to the LRU list configured in this manner, it is determined that a page not having been accessed for the longest time is one to be migrated (cache out) to the storage.
[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-27444
[Patent Literature 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2019-95881
In a multi-core Central Processing Unit (CPU) having multiple CPU cores, multiple threads (multithread) executed by the multiple CPU cores access the LRU list. In addition, a thread that identifies a page to be migrated from a cache memory to storage also accesses the LRU list for reference.
For the above, when one thread accesses the LRU list, exclusive control that locks the LRU list is required to prevent another thread from modifying the LRU list. In cases where an LRU list is locked when a thread tries to refer to the LRU list, the thread stands by, carrying out spinlock, until the LRU list is unlocked.
In such a conventional method of hierarchical memory control, an exclusive process caused by locking the LRU list increases a CPU load due to spinlock, and the CPU performance is degraded.

Information processing apparatus, computer-readable recording medium having stored therein memory control program, and computer-readable recording medium having stored therein information processing program


Methods, computer program products, and systems are presented. The methods include, for instance: identifying a candidate key corresponding to an object in a document image with a key in key ontology data, based on that the candidate key is semantically interchangeable with the key. A context, position, and style of each objects of the document image is represented in the document metadata. The candidate key is normalized into a normal form. A key class corresponding to the normal form is determined and a confidence score indicating a likelihood of the key class being representative of the candidate key is assessed. A semantic database is updated with the key class upon verification for enhanced processing of future documents.

In conventional document processing, ink-on-paper documents are scanned page by page as respective visual images in preparation. A resulting document file of scanned papers is typically a series of visual image of pages. Each visual image of a page has objects representing words, phrases, sentences, and values of numerous formats corresponding to a certain words. A series of processes recognizing data contents of such visual objects and relating a certain data contents together to make computational data as in data field names and corresponding values of relational databases is referred to as a document digitization, or data extraction. Computational data may be accessed and further processed by use of numerous computer program applications. In light of the amount of information represented in legacy paper forms and scanned documents images not yet computational, automatic and accurate data extraction from legacy documents may contribute significantly to industrial and societal productivity.

Semantic normalization in document digitization

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


An information transmission process is disclosed in which information is transmitted between a signal-emitting port for emitting an optical signal and plural signal-receiving ports through a light transmissive medium in an optical circuit device. The process comprises a first step of transmitting a first information from the signal-emitting port by emitting light in a first emission angle range to transmit first information to at least one of the signal-receiving ports, and a second step, after the first step, of transmitting second information from the signal-emitting port by emitting light in a second emission angle range different from the first emission angle range to transmit second information to at least one of the signal-receiving ports.

In recent years, information treating apparatuses such as personal computers, portable telephones and personal digital assistances (PDA) are requested not only to be quick in data processing, small in size, light in weight but also to be suitable for switching among plural applications. On the other hand, control apparatuses such as robots are requested to be controllable by switching plural control algorithms in real time. From such a viewpoint, circuit substrates are demanded in which the circuit is reconfigurable, especially those in which the circuit is reconfigurable at a high speed in real time.
Conventionally, efforts are made to develop such a circuit by improvement of electronic circuits, switches, memories, and the like. However, with the increase of the processing speed, problems arise such as wiring delay, and EMI (electro-magnetic interference). In one method for avoiding such disadvantages, optical wiring is used which has advantages of high-speed transmission and no electromagnetic induction inherently.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,122, for instance, discloses an optical-electronic integrated circuit device capable of three-dimensionally transmitting optical signals between plural semiconductor substrates on each of which an integrated circuit is previously formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,219 discloses an information processing apparatus, which comprises means forming a planar optical waveguide which extends in two dimensions and serves as a shared medium, a plurality of light-emitting means and a plurality of light-detecting means extending in a two dimensional arrangement over said planar optical waveguide for broadcasting light signals and abstracting light signals, respectively, into and from said planar optical waveguide, and a plurality of subsystems including input and output ports for processing the light signals in the shared medium, the light-detecting means being couples to input ports and the light-detecting means being coupled to output ports of the subsystems.
However, the optical wirings employed in the above cited references and other prior art techniques are not sufficient in the flexibility in optical wiring formation.

Process of information transmission in optical circuit device and optical circuit device therefor


A wear distance sensor detects wear distance of a brake pad, in particular of a friction brake, and includes a housing having a friction side and a connecting side and a probe having two electrical conductor elements in combination with at least one electrical resistance element. Two dimensions of the resistance element are not constant depending on the wear distance. A third dimension of the resistance element, which has a three-dimensional design, is not constant depending on the wear distance.

The invention relates to a wear distance sensor for a brake pad of a friction brake.
Vehicles and certain technical devices, for example, hoists, frequently use friction brakes to convert kinetic energy. Disc brakes are preferred in this case, especially in passenger automobiles and in the case of commercial vehicles. In a typical construction, these disc brakes consist of a brake caliper, two brake pads, and the brake disc. Closing forces are applied and braking forces are absorbed by means of the brake caliper. The closing forces act via both brake pads on the brake disc, which experiences a deceleration of its rotational movement as a function of the level of the closing force. This deceleration is decisively also determined by the coefficient of friction between brake disc and brake pad. Since the pads are constructively designed as wear parts and the coefficients of friction are dependent on the strength, the pads are generally softer than the brake disc, i.e., the pads experience a change of the pad thickness over their usage duration, that is they wear.
The necessity results from this pad thickness change, which is caused by the wear, that it is recognized by the vehicle user when the pads have reached a so-called remaining pad thickness or wear limit and a replacement of the brake pads is necessary. In order to ensure optimum use of the brake pads, it is desirable for the instantaneous actual state of the individual brake pads, i.e., their pad thickness, to be able to be detected at any time.
Proposals for this purpose have been made, one of which provides regularly checking a marking applied to the brake pad and thus providing a decision criterion for the pad change. However, this check requires a certain regularity and certain cleaning work in order to unambiguously recognize the marking.
Another proposal provides a continuous wear display, in the case of which the wear of the brake pads of a wheel brake is indirectly measured via an electronic rotational angle measurement on a wear adjuster integrated in the wheel brake. It is disadvantageous in this case that the wear of the brake disc is also incorporated and therefore a summation wear detection of the system of brake pads/brake disc occurs.
DE 10 2007 008 729 B4 describes a sampling element for detecting a wear distance of a brake pad, in particular of a friction brake. It includes a housing having a sampling side and a terminal side; and at least one electrical conductor in combination with at least one electrical resistor element. Two dimensions of the resistor element and the electrical conductor are not constant in dependence on the wear distance. The resistor element is attached to a mount, which has a first conductor and a second conductor having a respective terminal for the electrical connection to the resistor element. The mount is designed as a wire bow, and the first and second conductors are respectively connected, at an end opposite to the terminals, to a conductor bridge.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved wear distance sensor of a brake pad. A further object comprises providing a brake pad having such a wear distance sensor.
This and other objects are achieved by a wear distance sensor having, and a brake pad having the wear distance sensor, for detecting a wear distance of a brake pad, in particular of a friction brake. The wear distance sensor includes a housing having a friction side and a terminal side, and a probe having two electrical conductor elements in combination with at least one electrical resistor element. Two dimensions of the resistor element are not constant in dependence on the wear distance. A third dimension of the resistor element, which is implemented as three-dimensional, is not constant in dependence on the wear distance. The resistor element extends as a three-dimensional body in the direction of the wear distance with a resistor length and perpendicularly thereto with a resistor width, and the resistor element extends perpendicularly to this surface thus formed in a resistor thickness. The resistor element has a triangular shape in projection in the plane which is formed by the resistor length and the resistor width, wherein the base of this triangle extends in the direction of the resistor width and the legs of this triangle are connected in a tip which is arranged on the friction side. The first conductor element is applied in an extension in a connection section on the resistor element in the direction of one leg of the triangle in a first terminal section and is electrically conductively connected to the resistor element and extends up to the tip of the triangle. The second conductor element is electrically conductively connected at an edge to the resistor element with a connecting end opposite to the first conductor element in a second terminal section.
A basic concept of the invention comprises providing a wear distance sensor having a three-dimensional electrical resistor element having a spatial formation, of which three dimensions are changeable in dependence on the wear distance of a brake pad.
It is thus advantageously achieved that a resistance of the resistor element is changed in dependence on the wear distance, wherein this resistance forms a measure of the wear distance.
Further advantages of the invention are as follows:
(1) direct measurement of the wear state of a brake pad, wherein the actual pad thickness is detected;
(2) permanent measurement of the wear state, the actual pad thickness is output at all times;
(3) the pad wear can be separately detected and output for each pad;
(4) cost savings are possible by way of decreased mechanical structure and lower material use;
(5) optimization of the use of the pad wear volume, because the disc wear is not incorporated in the case of this measurement;
(6) dimensions of the sampling element are freely changeable; and
(7) integration of a temperature detection is possible because of the property that the coefficient of resistance of the resistor element is temperature-dependent.
The wear distance sensor has a probe in a housing, which is arranged in a brake pad such that it is subjected to the same wear as the brake pad itself. The wear distance sensor having the probe is therefore also shortened in the same amount by the wear. This advantageously results in a resistance change, which is simple to measure and which is continuously provided as an ohmic resistance value, i.e. a measurement, and therefore display of the pad thickness of each brake pad is possible independently of the wear of the associated brake disc.
A wear distance sensor according to the invention for detecting a wear distance of a brake pad, in particular of a friction brake, having a housing having a friction side and a terminal side; and a probe having two electrical conductor elements in combination with at least one three-dimensional electrical resistor element, wherein two dimensions of the resistor element are not constant in dependence on the wear distance, is characterized in that a third dimension of the resistor element, which is implemented as three-dimensional, is not constant in dependence on the wear distance.
The context that the electrical resistance of a conductor is dependent on its specific resistance, its length, and its cross section is advantageously utilized in this case.
The wear distance sensor has the resistor element as a three-dimensional body, which extends in the direction of the wear distance with a resistor length and perpendicularly thereto with a resistor width. In addition, the resistor element extends perpendicularly to this surface thus formed in a resistor thickness. Therefore, three variables which can be fixed beforehand are provided, using which the resistor element is adaptable to the requirements of a large measurement effect.
For this purpose, the resistor element can have a total resistance which is changed in the event of a decreased resistor length. For example, the total resistance can be decreased. This can be achieved simply in that the resistor thickness of the resistor element decreases in the event of decreased resistor length and the resistor width increases in the event of decreased resistor length. Of course, the total resistance can also increase in the reverse manner.
Alternatively or in combination therewith, the resistor thickness of the resistor element can change continuously or in steps in the event of decreased resistor length, i.e., decrease or increase, wherein the resistor width can decrease or increase continuously or in steps in the event of decreased resistor length.
In one embodiment, it is provided that the resistor element has a triangular shape in projection in the plane which is formed by the resistor length and the resistor width, wherein the base of this triangle extends in the direction of the resistor width and the legs of this triangle are connected in a tip which is arranged on the friction side.
In a preferred design, the first conductor element is applied in an extension in a connection section on the resistor element in the direction of one leg of the triangle in a first terminal section and is electrically conductively connected to the resistor element and extends up to the tip of the triangle, wherein the second conductor element is electrically conductively connected at the edge to the resistor element with a connecting end opposite to the first conductor element in a second terminal section. This connection section ensures that an electron distribution is implemented as substantially homogeneously as possible in the resistor element. This current is tapped using the connecting end of the second conductor element, which functions as the current tap. The second conductor element does not extend up to the tip of the probe. It would form a contact at the tip with the conductor end of the connection section of the first conductor element, which is not desirable, because, for example, a measuring current would thus have to be increased unnecessarily and protective measures would have to be taken. In addition, an auxiliary energy source would thus be overloaded or would have to be oversized.
In a further design, the legs of the triangle can be implemented in the form of a predefinable curve or a plurality of predefinable curves. A characteristic curve of the resistor element which is particularly capable of adaptation is thus to be achieved.
In an alternative embodiment, the resistor element can have a trapezoidal shape in projection in the plane which is formed by the resistor length and the resistor width, wherein the base and the bottom side of this trapezoid extend in the direction of the resistor width and the base of this trapezoid is arranged on the friction side. Also in this case, similarly as in the case of the triangle shape, the first conductor element is applied in an extension in a connection section on the resistor element in the direction of one leg of the trapezoid in a first terminal section and is electrically conductively connected to the resistor element and extends up to the base of the trapezoid, wherein the second conductor element is electrically conductively connected to the resistor element with a connecting end opposite to the first conductor element in a second terminal section on the bottom side of the trapezoid.
Also in this embodiment, the legs of the trapezoid can be implemented in the form of a predefinable curve or a plurality of predefinable curves.
The resistor element can be a metal film or can be used as a resistor layer as a thin-film or thick-film system. A carrier element is provided as the resistor layer, which accommodates and stabilizes the resistor layer.
The construction of the probe of the wear distance sensor can be manufactured easily in industrial mass production, e.g., for producing electronic circuit boards or resistor components (potentiometers, measuring resistors, resistor layers on substrates (ceramics, inter alia)).
The resistor element is formed from a material which has a high specific resistance characteristic value and simultaneously a low coefficient of temperature.
It is provided that the housing completely encloses the resistor element, and is preferably made of an insulating material, e.g., ceramic, high-temperature filler, or plastic, whereby the advantage is provided that the resistor element is enveloped in an electrically-insulated, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant manner and can be easily processed.
In a further embodiment, the wear distance sensor has a voltage divider having at least one first divider resistor and at least one second divider resistor. The voltage divider allows a standard signal, e.g., 0 to 5 V, to be generated for the pad wear. Therefore, for example, complex external analysis electronics can be reduced or even omitted entirely. An absolute temperature detection can also be implemented by the use of this voltage divider. In addition, a temperature compensation of the characteristic curve of the sensor may be implemented. The actual pad wear state can therefore be detected independently of the pad temperature.
In a further embodiment, it is provided that the at least one second divider resistor is electrically connected in parallel to the resistor element.
In still a further embodiment, the at least one first divider resistor is electrically connected in series to the at least one second divider resistor and the resistor element and is electrically conductively connected to a third conductor terminal end.
In another embodiment, the at least one first divider resistor can be a temperature-dependent resistor. A separate temperature measurement is therefore possible.
In still a further embodiment, the housing comprises a probe housing section having the friction side and a fastening section, which is connected thereto, having the terminal side and having a fastening profile. It is advantageous if the fastening profile is designed for a press fit, whereby the sensor is secured in a brake pad carrier against axial displacement.
In a further embodiment, the housing has at least one shoulder as a stop surface for defining a fixed position as the reference position.
A brake pad has the above-described wear distance sensor. Of course, it is also possible that a plurality of wear distance sensors can be used in a brake pad.

Wear distance sensor for a brake pad of a friction brake

KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH


Memory cells which are adjacent to each other along a column direction share a bipolar transistor driving the potential level of a corresponding bit line. Other memory cells which are adjacent to each other in the column direction share another bipolar transistor driving the potential level of another corresponding bit line. Each bipolar transistor drives the potential level of the corresponding bit line in response to storage information of a selected memory cell, whereby data can be read at a high speed with a low power supply voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a static semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, it relates to a structure of a static semiconductor memory device which can implement a high-speed operation with low power consumption while suppressing increase of a memory cell area at a low power supply voltage.
2. Description of the Background Art
A conventional static semiconductor memory device is now described with reference to a static random access memory (hereinafter referred to as SRAM).
FIG. 43 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of a read-system circuit of a conventional SRAM 3000.
The read-system circuit of the conventional SRAM 3000 comprises a precharge circuit 3002 for precharging a pair of bit lines BL and /BL at an internal power supply potential before starting a read operation, a memory cell 3004 connected with the pair of bit lines BL and /BL, constant current sources 3006a and 3006b for supplying prescribed constant currents to the bit lines BL and /BL respectively, and a read circuit 3008 for receiving the potentials of the pair of bit lines BL and /BL and outputting read data.
The memory cell 3004 includes a static latch circuit which is formed by invertors 3010 and 3012 whose inputs and outputs are connected with each other, and access transistors 3014 and 3016 for switching connection between the pair of bit lines BL and /BL and input/output nodes of the static latch circuit in response to the potential level of a word line WL.
FIG. 44 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of the memory cell 3004 shown in FIG. 43 in detail.
Referring to FIG. 44, the memory cell of the conventional SRAM includes driver transistors Q1 and Q2, access transistors Q3 and Q4, and high-resistance elements R1 and R2. The driver transistors Q1 and Q2 and the access transistors Q3 and Q4 are N-channel MOS transistors. The high-resistance elements R1 and R2 are employed as load elements of the memory cell.
The gate of the driver transistor Q1 is connected with the drain (storage node N2) of the driver transistor Q2, while the gate of the driver transistor Q2 is connected with the drain (storage node N1) of the driver transistor Q1.
Namely, an invertor formed by the high-resistance element R1 and the driver transistor Q1 is cross-connected with an invertor formed by the high-resistance element R2 and the driver transistor Q2, thereby forming a latch circuit. The access transistor Q3 is connected between the bit line BL and the storage node N1, and its gate is connected to the word line W.
The access transistor Q4 is connected between the bit line/BL and the storage node N2, and its gate is connected to the word line WL. The high-resistance element R1 is connected between a node which is supplied with a power supply potential Vcc and the storage node N1. The high-resistance element R2 is connected between another node which is supplied with the power supply potential Vcc and the storage node N2.
Such a memory cell is generally called a high-resistance load memory cell.
Such a high-resistance load memory cell generally has the following stereoscopic structure, in order to reduce the area of the memory cell:
The driver transistors Q1 and Q2 and the access transistors Q3 and Q4 are formed on a major surface of a silicon substrate (not shown). Load elements (the high-resistance elements R1 and R2) of the high-resistance load memory cell, which are made of polysilicon, are formed above the major surface through an insulating layer.
FIG. 45 is a circuit diagram showing a memory cell of another conventional SRAM. Portions similar to those in FIG. 44 are denoted by the same reference numerals, to omit redundant description.
Referring to FIG. 45, the memory cell of the conventional SRAM includes driver transistors Q1 and Q2, access transistors Q3 and Q4, and P-channel MOS transistors Q5 and Q6.
The P-channel MOS transistor Q5 is connected between a node which is supplied with a power supply potential Vcc and a storage node N1, and its gate is connected to another storage node N2.
The P-channel MOS transistor Q6 is connected between another node which is supplied with the power supply potential Vcc and the storage node N2, and its gate is connected to the storage node N1. The P-channel MOS transistors Q5 and Q6 are employed as load elements of the memory cell. Such a memory cell is generally called a CMOS memory cell.
The P-channel MOS transistors Q5 and Q6 serving as load elements are formed by thin-film transistors. These thin-film transistors are formed above a major surface of a silicon substrate (not shown) which is provided with the transistors Q1 to Q4, through an insulating layer (not shown).
FIG. 46 shows transfer characteristics of the memory cell of the conventional SRAM shown in FIG. 44 or 45 obtained when the word line WL is in a selected state. It is assumed here that the SRAM is supplied with a power supply potential Vcc of 3 V, for example.
Referring to FIG. 46, the axes of ordinates and abscissas show the potentials of the storage nodes N1 and N2 shown in FIG. 44 or 45 respectively. With reference to FIGS. 44 or 45 and 46, a first problem of the conventional SRAM is now described.
Referring to FIG. 46, arrow A shows two stable points of the memory cell. Presence of the two stable points is necessary for reliably holding data stored in the memory cell, i.e., for preventing the data stored in the memory cell from destruction.
The two stable points can be ensured by sufficiently increasing the size of regions (hereinafter referred to as "eyes of the memory cell") shown by arrow B. The eyes of the memory cell may also be referred to as static noise margins.
The inclination of a curve shown by arrow C shows the gain levels of the invertors of the memory cell. The invertors of the memory cell have high gains when the curve shown by arrow C is steeply inclined, while the invertors have low gains when the curve C is loosely inclined.
When the load elements of the memory cell are formed by the high-resistance elements R1 and R2 or the thin-film transistors Q5 and Q6, ON-state resistances of these load elements are considerably larger than those of the driver transistors Q1 and Q2 and the access transistors Q3 and Q4. When the word line WL is selected, i.e., supplied with the power supply potential Vcc, therefore, the invertor gains of the memory cell are lowered and the eyes thereof are reduced in size.
In other words, the characteristics of the memory cell are not decided by the invertor formed by the high-resistance element R and the transistor Q1 and that formed by the high-resistance element R2 and the transistor Q2 in FIG. 44 or 45, for example, but the static noise margins are rather decided by the characteristics of a circuit formed by serially connecting the access transistor Q3 with the driver transistor Q1 and that formed by serially connecting the access transistor Q4 with the driver transistor Q2. Namely, this is equivalent to such a state that the load elements are formed by the N-channel MOS transistors Q3 and Q4, and hence the gains of the invertors are lowered and the eyes of the memory cell are disadvantageously reduced in size.
In order to reliably hold the data of the memory cell, therefore, the following design is necessary: Assuming that Wd and Ld represent the channel width and the channel length of the driver transistors Q1 and Q2 respectively, and Wa and La represent those of the access transistors Q3 and Q4 respectively, the ratio Wd/Ld must generally be at least about three times the ratio Wa/La, in order to increase the gains thereby increasing the eyes of the memory cell in size. Thus, the areas of the driver transistors Q1 and Q2 are disadvantageously increased, to inhibit reduction of the area of the memory cell. This is the first problem of the conventional SRAM.
FIG. 47 shows transfer characteristics of the memory cell obtained when the conventional SRAM is driven at a power supply potential Vcc of 2 V and the word line WL is in a selected state.
Referring to FIG. 47, the axes of ordinates and abscissas show the potentials of the storage nodes N1 and N2 shown in FIG. 44 or 45 respectively. A second problem of the conventional SRAM is now described.
Referring to FIG. 47, eyes of the memory cell are disadvantageously reduced in size in the conventional SRAM having the memory cell shown in FIG. 44 or 45 when a low power supply potential Vcc of 2 V is employed. Thus, two stable points may disappear in a high possibility, and the memory cell cannot hold the data in this case. This is the second problem of the conventional SRAM.

Static semiconductor memory device driving bit line potential by bipolar transistor shared by adjacent memory cells


A pocketformer apparatus for a post-tension anchor system including a tubular member with an outwardly flanged end, a securement member affixed to the tubular member, and a cup member having an interior opening such that the tubular member extends through the interior opening. The tubular member has an interior passageway extending from the flanged end to another end. The flanged end engages an anchor of the post-tension anchor system. The cup member is interposed between the flanged end and the securement member on the tubular member. The tubular member has an externally threaded area extending inwardly of the end opposite the flanged end. The securement member is threadedly received by the externally threaded area. An annular ring is formed on the flanged end of the tubular member so as to engage a receptacle formed on the anchor. The securement member, the cup member and the tubular member are formed of polymeric material.

For many years, the design of concrete structures imitated typical steel design of column, girder and beam. With technological advances in structural concrete, however, its own form began to evolve. Concrete has the advantages of lower cost than steel, of not requiring fireproofing, and of its plasticity, a quality that lends itself to free flowing or boldly massive architectural concepts. On the other hand, structural concrete, though quite capable of carrying almost any compressive (vertical) load, is extremely weak in carrying significant tensile loads. It becomes necessary, therefore, to add steel bars, called reinforcements, to concrete, thus allowing the concrete to carry the compressive forces and the steel to carry the tensile (horizontal) forces.
Structures of reinforced concrete may be constructed with load-bearing walls, but this method does not use the full potentialities of the concrete. The skeleton frame, in which the floors and roofs rest directly on exterior and interior reinforced-concrete columns, has proven to be most economic and popular. Reinforced concrete framing is seemingly a quite simple form of construction. First, wood or steel forms are constructed in the sizes, positions, and shapes called for by engineering and design requirements. The steel reinforcing is then placed and held in position by wires at its intersections. Devices known as chairs and spacers are used to keep the reinforcing bars apart and raised off the form work. The size an number of the steel bars depends completely upon the imposed loads and the need to transfer these loads evenly throughout the building and down to the foundation. After the reinforcing is set in place, the concrete, a mixture of water, cement, sand, and stone or aggregate, of proportions calculated to produce the required strength, is placed, care being taken to prevent voids or honeycombs.
One of the simplest designs in concrete frames is the beam-and-slab. This system follows ordinary steel design that uses concrete beams that are cast integrally with the floor slabs. The beam-and-slab system is often used in apartment buildings and other structures where the beams are not visually objectionable and can be hidden. The reinforcement is simple and the forms for casting can be utilized over and over for the same shape. The system, therefore, produces an economically viable structure. With the development of flat-slab construction, exposed beams can be eliminated. In this system, reinforcing bars are projected at right angles and in two directions from every column supporting flat slabs spanning twelve or fifteen feet in both directions.
Reinforced concrete reaches its highest potentialities when it is used in pre-stressed or post-tensioned members. Spans as great as 100 feet can be attained in members as deep as three feet for roof loads. The basic principal is simple. In pre-stressing, reinforcing rods of high tensile strength wires are stretched to a certain determined limit and then high-strength concrete is placed around them. When the concrete has set, it holds the steel in a tight grip, preventing slippage or sagging. Post-tensioning follows the same principal, but the reinforcing is held loosely in place while the concrete is placed around it. The reinforcing is then stretched by hydraulic jacks and securely anchored into place. Pre-stressing is done with individual members in the shop and post-tensioning as part of the structure on the site.
In a typical tendon tensioning anchor assembly in such post-tensioning operations, there is provided a pair of anchors for anchoring the ends of the tendons suspended therebetween. In the course of installing the tendon tensioning anchor assembly in a concrete structure, a hydraulic jack or the like is releasably attached to one of the exposed ends of the tendon for applying a predetermined amount of tension to the tendon. When the desired amount of tension is applied to the tendon, wedges, threaded nuts, or the like, are used to capture the tendon and, as the jack is removed from the tendon, to prevent its relaxation and hold it in its stressed condition.
In such post-tension construction, the tendons are anchored and cut off just inside the face of the structure in what are termed "pockets". The "pockets" surrounding the tendon end are filled with a concrete grout. A "pocketformer" is placed in the concrete adjacent to the face of the structure and against an end of the terminal anchor. After the concrete is suitably hardened, a form board is removed and the pocketformer is removed so as to expose the pocket. The ends of the tendon extend outwardly of the pocket. After the tensioning has occurred, the pocket is then filled with a concrete grout so as to be flush with the face of the structure.
FIG. 1 shows a pocketformer 10 as used in the prior art. This pocketformer 10 has a frustoconical surface 12 formed on the exterior of the pocketformer 10. The frustoconical shape 12 will define the pocket. A central tubular member 14 is formed within the interior of the frustoconical portion 12. One end 18 of the tubular member 14 will extend into the central bore of the anchor. The interior 16 of the tubular member 14 will allow the tendon to extend therethrough. Struts 20 extend between the tubular member 14 and the frustoconical portion 12. The tubular member 14 is generally centered within the interior of the frustoconical portion 12. The surface of the anchor will abut the narrow end of the frustoconical portion 12. The wide end of the frustoconical portion will abut a surface of a form board. The tubular member 14 extends through a hole formed in the form board. As such, the tendon will extend outwardly of the form board during the formation of the concrete structure.
One of the problems with the pocketformer 10, as shown in FIG. 1, is the inability to properly secure the anchor relative to the pocketformer 10. In conventional practice, long threaded members will extend through holes in the anchor member and be attached to the form board. After the concrete is hardened, it will be necessary to remove the threaded members or nails. If these items are not removed, then corrosion can occur and rust patterns will form on the facing surface of the concrete structure. Furthermore, the use of nails or threaded members for securing the anchor relative to the form board is a time consuming and labor-intensive operation. As such, a need has developed so as to allow the anchor to be removably secured to the pocketformer during the installation of the pocketformer.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to pocketformers that serve to retain the pocketformer in place, against the form board, during the installation of the anchor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,697, issued on Oct. 29, 1974 to H. J. W. Edwards describes an anchorage assembly including an anchor having a hollow housing and a means therein for engaging a stressing tendon passing therethrough. The hollow member is removably attached to the anchor housing and to the concrete formwork and fixing the relative position of the anchor housing to the formwork. The member surrounds the tendon between the anchor housing and the formwork and is adapted and arranged to be detached from the anchor housing after the concrete has set. A cavity forming spacer is provided which surrounds the member and is disposed between and seals against the anchor housing and the formwork to form a cavity in the concrete.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,797, issued on May 18, 1976 to Brandestini describes a pocketformer apparatus in which the pocketformer is initially threaded into the interior opening of a steel anchor. As such, the steel anchor will have internal threads which threadedly receive the external threads on the end of the pocketformer. The pocketformer includes an interior bore through which the tendon passes. On the opposite end of the pocketformer is a threaded section which extends on an opposite side of the form board from the anchor. A threaded nut is threadedly received by the threads of the pocketformer which extend on the opposite side of the form board.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,974, issued on Oct. 18, 1977 to Howlett et al. describes a method of forming a concrete structure with a recess to receive an anchorage. This method includes a tubular mounting means mounted to extend over the tendon and through an opening in a bearing or anchor plate in order to secure the bearing plate in a fixed position aligned in relation to the tendon for casting the bearing plate into the concrete member in a predetermined orientation. A spacing means is provided between the form board and the anchor plate so as to allow the anchor plate to be cast into a recess in the concrete member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,462, issued on Dec. 14, 1982 to Wldodkowski et al. teaches a formwork for a concrete structural member. This device includes a recoverable formwork part. The recoverable part has an axially elongated sheath which closely encloses a tendon. A cup-shaped part is formed integrally with the sheath and is arranged to form at least a portion of the recess in the concrete member. When assembled on the formwork, one end of the sheath is arranged to be located within the concrete when it is poured and the other end is located on the exterior of the formwork. The cup-shaped part is located intermediate of the ends of the sheath and just inside the formwork. A member is engagable with the sheath for attaching it to the formwork.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pocketformer which allows the anchor to be properly secured in place relative to the form board.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pocketformer that allows the pocketformer to be removably attached by snap-fitting to the anchor.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pocketformer which is adaptable to conventional anchors.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pocketformer which eliminates the need for nails or threaded members for the attachment of the anchor relative to the form board.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pocketformer apparatus which is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and easy to manufacture.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.

Pocketformer apparatus for a post-tension anchor system


The present invention identified OVARC1000473 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and NT2RM1000377 (SEQ ID NO: 3) as clones showing suppression of CREB activation by forskolin, and provides evaluation methods using these genes, and/or proteins encoded by these genes. Furthermore, these proteins were found to enhance cell damage. Compounds that can be screened based on the evaluation methods of this invention are useful as agents for inhibiting the CREB dephosphorylation reaction, agents for suppressing enhancement of cell damage, and preventive and therapeutic agents for memory disorders and/or neurodegenerative disorders.

CREB is a transcription factor that binds to CRE. The Ser 133 of CREB is phosphorylated and then activated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. CRE is located in the transcription regulatory sites of gene clusters whose expression is enhanced by cAMP (somatostatin, c-fos, etc.), and is an indispensable component for the cAMP-induced induction.
CREB whose serine has been phosphorylated binds to transcription regulatory factors, mainly CREB binding proteins (CBPs), and has increased binding activity (Shaywitz, A. J. et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 68:821 (1999)). Furthermore, an increase of CREB's transcriptional activity has been observed on depolarization due to high K+ concentration (Beitmer-Johnson, D. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 273:19834-19839 (1998)), or synapse stimulation caused by long-term enhancement (LTP) (Deisseroth, K. et al., Neuron 16:89-101 (1996)). Moreover, glutamic acid-induced neuronal calcium signals are known to increase the CREB's transcriptional activity evoked by synaptic activity (Hardingham, G. E. et al., Nat. Neurosci. 4:261-267 (2001)). In addition, results of behavioral memory experiments on Sea Hares (Aplysia) and rats revealed that CREB phosphorylation is important for memory formation (Silva, A. J. et al., Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 21:127 (1998)). Furthermore, in Alzheimer's dementia, the amount of phosphorylated CREB in the brain is significantly decreased (Yamamoto-Sasaki, M. et al., Brain Res. 824:300-303 (1999)). These findings suggest that increased CREB activity is related to memory formation.
Recently, increased CREB activity was shown to be linked to the anti-apoptosis activity of neurons. In pathological models of cerebral infarction and such, CREB phosphorylated regions were observed in the penumbra region near the infarct (Tanaka, K. et al., Brain Res. 818: 520-526 (1999) ). The term "penumbra region" refers to a region around the cerebral infarcted lesion, which has decreased blood flow but continuous neural activity. In general, when conditions of insufficient blood flow to the penumbra region continue for 48 hours or more, neuron death can be observed. This fact has also been observed in experimental systems on a cellular level. An increase in CREB's transcriptional activity due to hypoxia (Beitmer-Johnson, D. et al., supra) andlowglucose stimulation (Ricco, A. et al., Science 286:2358-2361 (1999) ) in cultured neurons has also been confirmed. Furthermore, a survival effect due to increased CREB transcription has been confirmed in the case of neuron death caused by the removal of nutritional factors (Ricco, A. et al., supra).
CBP functions as a co-activator of CREB. CBP is known to bind to both phosphorylated CREB and to general transcription factor TFII B, to promote CREB's transcriptional activity (Shaywitz, A. J. et al ., supra). Huntingtin, the product of the IT15 gene which causes Huntington's disease, and atrophin-1, the product of the gene which causes dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy, actively bind to CBP and suppress its function (Nucifora Jr., F. C. et al., Science 291: 2423-2428 (2001) ). Specifically, huntingtin and atrophin-1 have been known to suppress CREB's transcriptional activity via CBP, and to damage neurons by preventing the transcription of target genes known to be decisive in neuron survival.
In general, various cellular phenomena are known to be regulated through phosphorylation (or dephosphorylation) by protein kinases and phosphatases. Already revealed examples of such phenomena are, mechanisms regulated by phosphorylation, such as contraction, membrane transport, glycogen metabolism, and cell division. Since CBP binds to phosphorylated CREB to promote transcriptional activity, phosphatase-related genes are also thought to be involved in CREB's transcriptional activity. It is highly probable that phosphatase-related genes act on the dephosphorylation of CREB to suppress its transcriptional activity. Therefore, increased CREB's transcriptional activity is suggested to have an ameliorative effect on memory and nerve degeneration.
Protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1), a typical Ser/Thr phosphatase, is known as a major down regulator of CREB activity due to cAMP stimulation (Hagiwara, M. et al., Cell 70:105-113 (1992)). PP-1 activity was reported to be inhibited by phosphorylated Inhibitor-1 (I-1) (Cohen, P., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 58:453-508 (1989)). This report suggested that cellular cAMP response may be amplified by blocking CREB dephosphorylation. However, other than PP-1, phosphatases that down-regulate CREB activity due to cAMP stimulation are not presently known.

Methods of evaluating phosphatase inhibitors


An aircraft passenger seat that includes a frame with a seat bottom mounted for translating fore and aft movement, and a seat back linked to the seat bottom and mounted for generally vertical movement between a lowered and upright position. A stationary seat back shell assembly is provided within which the seat back is mounted for movement. A seat back position indicator is carried by the shell proximate a top end thereof and cooperates with the seat back. The seat back position indicator has a first condition indicating that the seat back is in the lowered position within the shell and a second condition indicating that the seat back is in the upright position within the shell.

This invention relates to a seat back position indicator. The apparatus is particularly suited for passenger seats on conveyances such as passenger aircraft, where large numbers of people are seated in closely-spaced ranks and files, and must be observed by cabin staff at various times during the flight, such as during take-off, landing, in-flight emergencies and turbulent weather. Ordinarily, during these events the flight attendants must make a general announcement that seat backs and tray tables must be moved to a full upright and locked position. Then, the staff must circulate through the cabin to visually observe each seat back and determine that it has, in fact, been moved to the correct position. As aircraft have become larger and seat spacing more dense, it is correspondingly more difficult for the cabin staff to properly visually observe and verify that the seat backs are in the correct position.
Moreover, some aircraft seats now have seat backs that include a shell or other seat back component that remains in essentially the same position so that it does not encroach on the space of the aft-seated passenger. The padded seat back itself is positioned forward of the shell and moves within the area forward of the shell. In these instances, it is very difficult or impossible to visually determine whether the seat back itself is upright, because the shell of the seat remains upright in the same position at all times and blocks direct visual observation of the seat, particularly from the sides and rear.
In still other instances, the seat back may rotate only slightly downwardly without significant rearward movement, making it difficult for the cabin staff to observe the seat back position in relation to the surrounding seat backs.
Prior art seat back indicators have included lights incorporated into the seat backs to provide an illuminated indication of seat back position. Other seat designs incorporate sensors that transmit seat back and seat belt position status wirelessly to a cabin control panel or to a hand-held personal device used by the flight attendants. These designs are expensive, place further load on the aircraft electronics and power supplies, and are subject to abuse or damage from wear and tear. Thus, such designs may be more suitable in some aircraft environments than in others.
The invention disclosed in the application provides a relatively inexpensive, mechanically simple and reliable method of verifying passenger seat back position in a conveyance such as an aircraft.

Aircraft seat with upright seat back position indicator


A tennis racket handle is disclosed having an improved handle configuration which eliminates protruding points which may impact the hypothenar eminence of the palm. The butt end of the handle has a cross-sectional shape that is dis-similar to the cross-sectional shape of a middle portion of the handle, approximately 12 cm from the butt end. The butt end and middle portion are connected by a transition zone polyhedron has a number of planar sides against which the hypothenar eminence may bear to eliminate the discomfort of the protruding points of the known handles.

The invention herein consists of an improved tennis racket handle and is an improvement of the laterally protruding points at the butt-end plane on the polyhedral handles of conventional tennis rackets. The protruding points on the known handle will impact the hypothenar eminence of the palm when the handle is grasped and may cause calluses (hardening and thickening of the skin). With respect to the cross-sectional protruding points on the butt end of a conventional tennis racket handle, the present invention innovatively improves the shape of the butt-end of the tennis racket handle by converting the laterally protruding points into oblique planar surfaces that eliminate the formation of calluses and also offer the active palmar muscles more grip, comfort and improved spatial positioning.
Most conventional tennis racket handles are polyhedrons that have a symmetrical polygon cross-section at a middle portion of the tennis racket handle. The butt-end section of the tennis racket handle extends outwardly and its cross-sectional area is larger than the cross-sectional area of the middle portion, although the two may be similar octagons. As indicated FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, the inventor is knowledgeable that when conventional tennis racket handles are being used, the laterally protruding points on the butt-end of the tennis racket handle act as points protruding into the hypothenar eminence of the palm and cause the inefficient exertion of strength. Furthermore, they produce calluses (thickening and hardening of the skin) as well as other shortcomings.

6F, No. 20, Alley 50, Lane 119, Tung Hu Road, Neihu District


A method for communicating over a network includes transmitting, by an application server to a remote user computing device, a predefined interface in response to a contact request by the remote user, the predefined interface being customized by the application server based on specified conditions. The method also includes analyzing, by an analysis server in communication with the application server by a communication link different from the network, a natural language inquiry from the remote user based on the type of remote user language of the contact request. The method further includes transmitting, by the application server to the remote user computing device, a customized interface, which includes a customized plurality of communications options for the remote user to route subsequent communications, and customized content based on a context of the natural language inquiry.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to customizing interfaces based on analysis of natural language inquiries and statements. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to customizing user interfaces based on analyzing natural language inquiries and statements input by users via predetermined interfaces.
2. Background Information
Large organizations often are required to process large volumes of incoming communications, many of which are emails generated by visitors to a website provided by the organization. Optimizing processing for such communications can impact both costs and visitor satisfaction. Accordingly, agents that process incoming communications are often divided into specialized agent groups in order to efficiently handle large volumes of incoming communications.
Typically, a website Contact Us page maintains contact information. Listing contact information on a website tends to present several problems, including visitor confusion, routing inaccuracy and unnecessary handling time. That is, a visitor may not properly perceive which agent group handles an issue based merely upon viewing listed contact information. Additionally, when an incoming communication is sent to the wrong agent group, the incoming communication needs to be redirected to the appropriate agent group for processing. Finally, improperly addressed incoming communications may be unnecessarily processed initially by the wrong agent group before being subsequently processed by the right agent group following transfer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Natural language interface customization


An optical modulator includes a first coupler that branches an input light into two and outputs a first output light and a second output light; a first Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) that modulates the intensity of the first output light from the first coupler and outputs a third output light; a second MZI that modulates the intensity of the second output light from the first coupler and outputs a fourth output light; a second coupler that combines the third output light from the first MZI and the fourth output light from the second MZI, branches a combined light into two, and outputs a fifth output light and a sixth output light. The interaction length of a branch of the first coupler and that of the second coupler are set such that the wavelength dependence of the splitting ratio of the first coupler is inversely related to that of the second coupler.

Optical modulators are conventionally known where the intensity of light branched by a coupler has a reduced dependence on the wavelength (hereinafter, "wavelength dependence"). For example, an optical modulator is known that branches light output from a Mach-Zehnder waveguide into a first branch and a second branch by an upstream coupler, branches the second branch into a third branch and a fourth branch by a downstream coupler, and takes the first branch as main signal light and the fourth branch as monitored light. The wavelength dependence of the intensity of the fourth branch branched by the downstream coupler of the optical modulator is the inverse of the wavelength dependence of the intensity of the second branch branched by the upstream coupler (see, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-145781).
In the conventional optical modulators, however, only one of the branches output from the upstream coupler is transmitted to the downstream coupler, resulting in a high loss.


Various embodiments for generating a defect sample for electron beam review are provided. One method includes combining, on a defect-by-defect basis, one or more first attributes for defects determined by optical inspection of a wafer on which the defects were detected with one or more second attributes for the defects determined by optical review of the wafer thereby generating combined attributes for the defects. The method also includes separating the defects into bins based on the combined attributes for the defects. The bins correspond to different defect classifications. In addition, the method includes sampling one or more of the defects for the electron beam review based on the bins into which the defects have been separated thereby generating a defect review sample for the electron beam review.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for sampling defects for electron beam review by separating defects detected on a wafer into bins based on combined attributes from optical inspection and optical review and sampling the defects from the bins to generate a defect sample for the electron beam review.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Inspection processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on wafers to promote higher yield in the manufacturing process and thus higher profits. Inspection has always been an important part of fabricating semiconductor devices. However, as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease, inspection becomes even more important to the successful manufacture of acceptable semiconductor devices because smaller defects can cause the devices to fail.
Information beyond simple defect detection is often generated during inspection processes. For example, the detected defects are often classified into different groups. In one such example, after finding defects, they may be classified into different groups based on the defect characteristics such as size, magnitude, and location. In one particular example, using the information generated by optical wafer inspection, defects may be separated into cleanable and non-cleanable defects.
Defect classification often cannot be performed based on just images or information generated by a wafer inspection tool. In these instances, additional information may be generated using a defect review tool and defect classification is then determined based on the additional information. In some such instances, defects found by an optical defect finding apparatus may be reviewed using a high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) review tool. Defect review may, however, also be performed using an optical-based system. For example, laser-based defect review may be performed to verify a defect population detected by optical inspection.
In some instances, the optical review verified defect population may then be transferred to electron beam defect review. However, optical review is generally not capable of generating DOI type information for the verified defects. For instance, optical review may be capable of separating real defects from non-real defects (or "nuisances"), but not necessarily determining any DOI information for the real defects. Therefore, based on optical defect review results, the electron beam review tool may have no a priori knowledge of the nature of the defects included in the defect population to be reviewed.
In addition, as described above, an optical inspector may perform some defect classification that provides classification results (e.g., defect paretos), but those classification results generally have substantially limited accuracy and purity, particularly for defects that are near the threshold separating one defect classification from another. Therefore, any defect classification result generated by optical inspection may be provided to a defect review tool, but those defect classification results may not be particularly useful. Furthermore, the limited accuracy of defect classifications generated by optical inspection classifiers can result in ineffective troubleshooting of process tool excursions.
Electron beam based defect review that is performed using information generated by optical inspection or optical review may, therefore, have a number of disadvantages. For example, due to the limited information provided by optical inspection and optical review, electron beam review performed based on that information may have relatively low capture rates of actual defects. In addition, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to perform targeted DOI sampling for electron beam based defect review based on the defect information that is provided by optical inspection and optical review. Therefore, electron beam based review will take a relatively long time to produce ground truth defect classification results (e.g., ground truth paretos).
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to develop methods and systems for generating a defect sample for electron beam review that do not have one or more of the disadvantages described above.

Defect sampling for electron beam review based on defect attributes from optical inspection and optical review


The present invention is a method for providing a navigable grid to allow for accessible drag-drop in visual modeling tools. The method includes receiving an input which selects an object. The method further includes providing a visual canvas on a display device. The method further includes overlaying the navigable grid onto the canvas, the overlying navigable grid being of a defined granularity, the defined granularity being based on an underlying application being implemented, the overlying navigable grid further being keyed input device-navigable based on the defined granularity. The method further includes designating a drop position on the navigable grid when a position input is received via a keyed input device. The method further includes dropping the object onto a destination position of the canvas when a drop command input is received. The drop position on the overlying navigable grid is directly aligned over the destination position of the canvas.

Current visualization tools for computer-based modeling may suffer from accessibility problems. For instance, a number of these visualization tools may be highly dependent upon the use of drag/drop schemes. Current drag/drop schemes may require a user to select an object from a palette, drag the object from the palette to a visual canvas, and drop the object upon a visual rendering of said object. Connections may then be established between the dropped object and other objects already existing on the visual canvas. However, for users having impaired vision or limited manual dexterity, current drag/drop schemes may be difficult to work with. For example, users with impaired vision may lack the spatial context to easily and accurately position objects when working with existing drag/drop schemes. Further, users having limited manual dexterity may lack the hand-eye coordination necessary for easily and accurately maneuvering objects when working with existing drag/drop schemes.
Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a system and method for providing a navigable grid to allow for accessible drag-drop in visual modeling tools which addresses the above-referenced problems and limitations of the current solutions.

System and method for providing a navigable grid to allow for accessible drag-drop in visual modeling tools

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a novel compound of the formula I:

In the pathological state of osteoarthrosis, degradation of the aggrecan, the main proteoglycan of articular cartilage, represents a very early and crucial event. The pathological loss of the cartilage aggrecan results from proteolytic cleavages in its interglobular domain. Amino acid sequence analyses of proteoglycan metabolites isolated from the synovial fluid of patients suffering from joint damage, osteoarthrosis or an inflammatory joint disorder have shown that a proteolytic cleavage takes place preferentially between the amino acids Glu373 and Ala374 in the interglobular domain of human aggrecan (Lohmander et al., Arthritis Rheum. 36, (1993), 1214-1222). The proteolytic activity responsible for this cleavage is referred to as "aggrecanase" and may be assigned to the superfamily of metalloproteinases (MP).
Zinc is essential in the catalytically active site of metalloproteinases. MPs cleave collagen, laminin, proteoglycans, elastin or gelatin under physiological conditions and therefore play an important role in bone and connective tissue. A large number of different MP inhibitors are known (J. S. Skotnicki et al., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 878, 61-72 (1999); EP 0 606 046; WO94/28889). Some of these inhibitors are not well characterized in relation to their specificity; others are more or less selectively directed in particular against matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
Aggrecanase differs from matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) by its different specificity, which is directed against particular cleavage sites which occur in aggrecan and are not favored by MMPs. The cleavage results in characteristic fragments which can be detected by using suitable antibodies.
A frequent disadvantage of known inhibitors of MMPs is the lack of specificity of the inhibition for only one class of MMPs. Most MMP inhibitors therefore inhibit a plurality of MMPs simultaneously.
In the endeavor to find effective compounds for the treatment of connective issue disorders, it has now been found that the compounds of the formula I are strong inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases such as aggrecanase, for example ADAMTS-4, ADATMS-5 or ADAMTS-1 and tissue necoris factor α (TNF-α) converting enzyme.

Cyclic ureas used as inhibitors of metalloproteases

Abstract: and/or all stereoisomeric forms of the compound of the formula I and/or mixtures of these forms in any ratio, and/or a physiologically tolerated salt of the compound of the formula I, in which R1 to R5 and V1, V2 have the meanings stated in the claims and specification. The inventive compounds are suitable as inhibitors of metalloproteases, especially of ADAMTS proteases and TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE), and for the treatment of disorders such as but not limited to osteoarthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis.