A method for detecting granular data store changes in a computing environment. Data values stored in a first relational database are changed. Each data value is stored in a row and a column of the first relational database. Rows (i.e., changed rows) including the changed data values are identified. Changed rows are propagated to a second relational database. Columns including the changed data values are identified in the second relational database. The types of changes associated with the changed data values are identified. Filters optionally filter out one or more of the changed data values from further processing. At least one data value of the changed data values, along with their types of changes, are transformed into a language neutral format included in packaged data to be sent in response to a client requesting the at least one data value.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting granular data store changes, and more particularly to a technique for detecting data store changes at a column level within a row, and packaging the data store changes in a language neutral format.
2. Related Art
Conventional techniques that detect changes in an operational data store (ODS) are limited to changes at the level of a database table or row. Implementing a data warehouse as an alternative technique for keeping track of data changes is not always feasible. Migrating an existing ODS solution to a data warehouse architecture requires a significant amount of financial investment and analysis time. Thus, there exists a need for a technique that overcomes the deficiencies and limitations described above.


This invention provides an apparatus and method for efficient detection of ions in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The apparatus of the invention provides for orthogonal deflection of ions in the flight tube of a time of flight mass spectrometer to a detector or detectors positioned along or in the wall of the flight tube of the mass spectrometer. A method of detecting ions utilizing the apparatus is also provided.

Time-of-flight mass spectrometers are based on the fundamental principal that ions which have the same initial kinetic energy but different masses will separate when allowed to drift down a field free region, e.g., the length of the flight tube in a conventional time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The ions acquire different velocities according to the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions. Accordingly, lower mass ions will arrive at a detector positioned at the end of the flight tube prior to ions of higher mass. The detector detects the ions collecting the data that yields the mass spectrum for the sample. Traditionally, the detection system is located at the end of the flight tube of a linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer opposite the end of the flight tube where the ions are generated.
Because the ions of different mass-to-charge ratios arrive at the detector at different times continual emission of ions from the ion source into the flight tube is problematic as ions with lower masses may over take slower moving higher mass ions emitted earlier. Accordingly, in the conventional time-of-flight mass spectrometer, it is necessary to allow all ions emitted at a given time to reach the detector before emitting more ions for analysis.
Conventionally the sample that passes into the flight tube is not a continual beam of ions. Usually the ion beam is divided into packets of ions at the ion source. The packets of ions are launched from the ion source at one end of the flight tube into the flight tube using a pulse and wait approach. When using the traditional pulse and wait approach, the release of an ion packet from the source is timed to ensure that the lower mass faster ions of a trailing packet do not pass the higher mass and slower ions of a preceding packet and that the ions of the preceding packet reach the detector before any overlap can occur. Accordingly, the period between release of packets is relatively long as compared to the amount of time for the release. This creates a low duty cycle. As ion sources typically generate ions from a sample continuously in the ion source, only a small portion of the ions generated in the ion source are emitted from the source as ion packets and undergo detection. Thus a significant amount of sample material is wasted and typically sensitivity is reduced. Further in the conventional time-of-flight mass spectrometer the ions of a given packet impinge on the detector in a sequential manner. Recovery of the detector between impacts may require at least a small amount of time. Impact of ions on the detector before recovery leads to degraded isotope resolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,065 describes a method of addressing the low duty cycle problem by generating an encoded sequence for launching packets of ions before sending them to the field-free region. Upon arrival at the detector, the ion signals are decoded and spectra are reconstructed. This method requires fairly complicated hardware and software algorithms.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,521,887 describes using a position sensitive detector at the end of the flight tube in combination with a system to raster the ion beam to enhance efficiency of detection of ions.
However, the need remains for an improved apparatus and method for time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Time-of-flight spectrometer with orthogonal pulsed ion detection


The present invention is novel compounds which are 2-substituted amino-4,6-di-tertiarybutyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-pyrimidines and pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition or base salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use therefor. The invention compounds are described as having activity as inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase and/or cyclooxygenase providing treatment of conditions advantageously affected by such inhibition including inflammation, arthritis, pain, fever and the like. Thus, the present invention is also a pharmaceutical composition or method of manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for the use of treating the noted conditions.

The present invention is novel compounds which are 2-substituted amino-4,6-di-tertiary-butyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-pyrimidines and pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition or base salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use therefor. The invention compounds have activity as inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase and/or cyclooxygenase providing treatment of conditions advantageously affected by such inhibition including, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, other inflammatory conditions, pain, fever, psoriasis, allergic diseases, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, GI ulcers, cardiovascular conditions including ischemic heart disease and atherosclerosis, and ischemia-induced cell damage, particularly brain damage caused by stroke. They can also be used topically for treating acne, sunburn, psoriasis, and eczema. Also included are leukotriene mediated pulmonary, gastrointestinal, inflammatory, dermatological, and cardiovascular conditions. The disclosed compounds also have potential utility as antioxidants. However, overall the preferable use is to treat inflammatory conditions. Thus, the present invention is also a pharmaceutical composition or method of manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for the use of treating the noted conditions.
2-Substituted-4,6-di-tertiary-butyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-pyrimidines are known to provide activity as inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase and/or cyclooxygenase as described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. PCT/US 92/00443 of Jan. 17, 1992. The compounds described have no amino substituent at the 2-position of the pyrimidine moiety.
Numerous references disclose 2-amino-5-hydroxy pyrimidines. Such disclosed pyrimidines may also be substituted at the 4- and/or 6-positions with various groups including alkyls. For example, U.K. Patent Application Number 2045736 and the Bioch. J. 1951, 48, P. 400 shows the simple 2-amino-5-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine. Other substituted 2-aminopyrimidines are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4711888, European Publication Numbers 319170, 233416, 1642 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,859,679 and 4,940,712.
In summary, the above references do not show the present 2-amino substituent in combination with a 5-hydroxy group and 4 and 6 ditertiarybutyl on a pyrimidine nucleus.

2-substituted amino-4,6-di-tertiary-butyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-pyrimidines as antiinflammatory agents


Embodiment methods and systems include external hardware that can be fitted to a wireless communication device that stores a communication application, communication presets and/or data that are downloaded to the wireless communication device where it may be implemented to optimize group communications on the wireless devices. The wireless device may be coupled to an external case configured with a physical button that enables group communication such as push-to-talk and other push-to-experience capabilities. Optimizations for push-to-talk communication may be implemented in a push-to-talk mode in response to detecting connection to the external hardware. Signaling between the external case and the wireless device allows detection of the switch to (or from) push-to-talk mode when a user depresses (or releases) the hard key.

Push-to-talk ("PTT") is a well known group communication technology that is used in many applications in which there is benefit from a group of individuals being able to hear the same transmissions. Familiar examples include police, fire, rescue, and delivery personnel.
Generally, the number of smartphones that offer group communication capabilities, such as PTT or other push-to-experience ("PTX") capabilities, is limited. There exist software applications that may be downloaded by a smartphone to provide the smartphone with a group communication capability. Generally, this group communication software application may utilize the touch screen display/user interface of the smartphone. For example, a user may touch or tap an icon on the touch screen to utilize a push-to-talk service. Since the capabilities and optimizations that are used to enable high performance group communications tend to have high battery usage, it is generally beneficial for a user to have the ability to turn off group communication mode when not in use, such as through the software application.
However, the use of a touch screen interface contrasts greatly with a conventional PTT "walkie-talkie" type hard key, which is typically mounted on the side of the communication device. Since smartphones lack a hard key PTT input button, a user must look at the touchscreen in order to push the talk button, which requires two hands and the user's visual attention. This makes smartphone group communication applications less desirable and inappropriate to many users of traditional PTT/PTX communication devices which have a side mounted talk button that can be operated single handedly without a need to look at the device.

Method and systems to dynamically enable and control communication link optimizations on a communication device


A method for reducing the steep step at the edge of a locally oxidized, field oxide boundary region as a result of using the local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) method to isolate the active regions of a semiconductor wafer. The reduction is carried out by applying a planarizing layer to the field oxide layer and then etching back the planarizing layer and field oxide layer to a desired thickness.

In the microelectronics industry, the local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) method is widely used for isolating MOS devices fabricated on a semiconductor substrate. By isolating the devices, the operational characteristics of the various components fabricated on the semiconductor substrate are enhanced by reducing or suppressing various parasitic mechanisms.
In the well-known LOCOS method, a layer of anti oxidant material is provided over a relatively thin pad oxide layer formed on a silicon substrate and etched into a mask which prevents the growth of field oxide over the masked active region of the substrate. After the anti-oxidant material has been grown, a field oxide region is grown on the substrate surface, adjacent the anti-oxidant material mask, doped with impurities, and then annealed to cause the field oxide to grow on the silicon surface in the non-masked areas, thus providing the isolation regions.
The field oxidation step results in the lateral diffusion of a thin, wedge-shaped portion of the oxide layer between the edge of the anti-oxidant material mask and the underlying thin pad oxide layer. This lateral diffusion of the field oxide between the mask and the substrate is known as "birds beak" encroachment. Birds beak encroachment reduces the total active area available for the formation of MOS devices. It also causes semiconductor stress and other faults that may result in the propagation of defects in subsequently formed layers during fabrication. Further, the relatively high temperature product of the field oxidation process permits the earlier doped field oxide impurities to diffuse beneath the active area. This diffusion may reduce the operational voltage threshold of the subsequently fabricated devices and increase the parasitic capacitance of the subsequently fabricated devices.
After oxidation, the anti-oxidant mask is removed thus leaving a steep step at the mask/field oxide interface. The step height of the remaining field oxide layer is approximately 50% of the total field oxide thickness. A step of this height causes several problems. One problem is that the step acts as a reflection surface during subsequent fabrication steps. This reflection surface promotes masking problems such as gate narrowing, which in turn results in current leakage from subsequently formed devices. A second problem is that the resulting oxide step interferes with film deposition during subsequent process steps, causing subsequently deposited film layers to be applied unevenly. A third problem associated with the oxide step height is that conventional fabrication techniques require extra etching steps to remove the excess amounts of polysilicon or silicide films at the field oxide/mask interface. The extra etching steps cause pitting of the substrate material, thereby damaging the substrate.
To reduce field oxide encroachment, conventional methods require the growth of a relatively thick layer of anti-oxidant material to mask the active areas of the substrate. However, the thick mask distorts the crystal structure of the underlying substrate abutting the edge of the mask, which can result in the propagation of imperfections through the substrate where devices are to be later fabricated.
It is therefore evident that there is a need for an improvement in the generally accepted MOS semiconductor device fabrication process which will reduce field oxide step height without introducing any unnecessary complexity to the standard fabrication process.

Reduction of field oxide step height during semiconductor fabrication


The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy whose absolute value is large, and a low viscosity, and also provides a VA type liquid crystal element using the same.

The liquid crystal device has becomes used as various home appliances, measuring instruments, panels for automobiles, ward processors, electronic notebooks, printers, computers, and televisions, including clocks and calculators. Typical examples of a liquid crystal system include TN (twist nematic) type, STN (super twist nematic) type, DS (dynamic photo scattering) type, GH (guest host) type, IPS (in-plane switching) type, OCB (optical compensation birefringence) type, ECB (electric control birefringence) type, VA (vertical alignment) type, CSH (color super homeotropic) type, or FLC (ferroelectric liquid crystal). Moreover, as a driving system, multiplex driving is more general than conventional static driving, and a simple matrix system, recently, an active matrix (AM) driven by TFT (thin-film transistor) or TFD (thin-film diode) or the like has become a main stream.
In these display systems, IPS type, ECB type, VA type, CSH type, and so forth, are different from TN type or STN type, and have a characteristic of using a liquid crystal material having a negative dielectric anisotropy (Δ∈). Among them, in particular, the VA-type display by AM driving is now most expected in application to a high-speed display device requiring a wide viewing angle such as television.
Low-power driving, high-speed response, and wide operation temperature range are required for the liquid crystal material used in a display system such as VA type. That is, it is required that the dielectric anisotropy is negative and its absolute value is large and that the viscosity is low and that a transition temperature (Tni) of nematic phase-isotropic liquid phase is high. Moreover, from setting of Δn×d that is the product of refractive anisotropy (Δn) and cell gap (d), the refractive anisotropy of the cleaning liquid material is required to control to be in an appropriate range with being adapted to the cell gap. Moreover, for realizing high-speed response, the cell gap of the display device is made to be small. However, narrowing of the cell gap has been limited from such restriction as described above. For improving a response speed without change the cell gap, it is effective to use to a liquid crystal composition having a low viscosity. In the case of applying the liquid crystal device to television and so forth, high-speed response is emphasized and therefore, it has particularly been required to develop a liquid crystal composition having a low viscosity.
As the liquid crystal material having a negative dielectric anisotropy, there are disclosed the following liquid crystal compounds having a 2,3-difluorophenylene skeleton (see, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Sho 60-199840, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 2-4725):
wherein R and R′ represents an alkyl group or an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Furthermore, these patent documents include compounds having a 1-hydroxy-2,3-difluoro-4-substituted benzene skeleton as a basic skeleton of a liquid crystal compound constituting the invention of the present application. However, various compounds are described in the reference documents and there is no concrete disclosure about a compound having an alkenyl group in the side chain, and the liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy using the described compound does not come to realize a sufficiently low viscosity in the liquid crystal composition requiring high-speed response such as liquid crystal television.
On the other hand, there is disclose of the compound having 1-hydroxy-2,3-difluoro-4-substituted benzene skeleton as a basic skeleton of a liquid crystal compound constituting the invention of the present application (see, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-104869, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-96055, European Patent Application No. EP0474062 (page 14)). However, there is no concrete description of a liquid crystal composition using a compound having an alkenyl group in a side chain, and there is no specific disclosure about what compound should be used with the compound for lowering the viscosity of the liquid crystal composition.
Moreover, the liquid crystal compound having a 2,3-difluorohydroquinone skeleton has already been disclosed (see, Published Japanese Translation No. Hei 2-503568 of the PCT Application, and German Patent Application No. DE3906058), and also there is disclosure of a liquid crystal using the compound. However, the compound has a hydroquinone skeleton and therefore it is considered that the compound cannot be used for the active matrix in voltage retention (see, Hiroshi, Numata, Monthly Display, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 1-7, (1998) (page 5, table 4)), and thus the development of a low-viscosity liquid crystal composition for VA using the compound has been delayed.
Accordingly, it has been required to develop a liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy and a low viscosity.

Nematic liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device using the same

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal composition containing a compound represented by the general formula (I) and an alkenyl compound represented by the general formula (II):

Abstract: By combining the liquid compounds according to the present invention, a liquid crystal composition having a low viscosity and a negative dielectric anisotropy could be obtained while nearly maintaining physical properties such as refractive anisotropy. By using the composition, a liquid crystal element having excellent reliability, capable of maintaining a high voltage retention until a high temperature region, is provided, and the display is very applicable as a VA type, ECB type, or IPS type liquid crystal display, and is particularly effective for speeding up response without thinning cell gaps.


A pedal type dustbin structure, especially such a dustbin structure wherein a lid can be closed slowly to prevent the lid from emitting noise of collision during down closing thereof is disclosed. The dustbin is comprised of a receiving main body and an operating member, wherein, the receiving main body is comprised of a main frame, a top frame, an upper pulling door, a lower pulling door and two receiving bins. Further, the operating member is comprised of a lid, an operating rod, a cylindrical-member fixing-seat, an air-controlled member and a pedal. Wherein, the pedal can control up/down movement of the operating rod to lift and close the lid. The relative movement between the cylindrical-member fixing-seat and the air-controlled member makes slow down closing of the lid, so that noise of collision during down closing of the lid can be prevented. The dustbin is designed to have two receiving bins in the main frame, thus an object of classification of garbage can be obtained. Provision of the lid and the upper and lower pulling doors can get the effect of stink removing and insect proofing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a pedal type dustbin structure, and especially to such a pedal type dustbin structure allowing garbage to be placed therein in a classified mode by using two receiving bins. A lid and an upper and a lower pulling door are provided thereon to get an effect of insect proofing and odor insulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional dustbins sold in the markets are generally divided into a non-lid type and a lid-on type; wherein, the lid-on type is further divided into a manual type and a pedal type. A dustbin without a lid not only is subjected to luring mosquitoes and flies, but also is very easy to render the garbage therein to drop out by inadvertent collision. While a manual lid-on type dustbin can solve the disadvantage resided in a non-lid type dustbin. However, a user shall lift the lid when in discarding garbage, and close the lid after that, such procedure is inconvenient and bothersome as well as tends to make the hands of the user dirt. Hence pedal type dustbins are more and more popularly used under the trend of meeting sanitation and convenience. Such pedal type dustbins not only can get rid of the disadvantage resided in a non-lid type dustbin, but can also get rid of the inconvenience resided in a lid-on type dustbin. However, conventional pedal type dustbins mainly take advantage of pedals in controlling a link each, the link is activated to lift a lid. Such a control mode on the lid can obtain an object of lifting as well as closing the lid, however, the down closing speed of the lid is uncontrollable, at the moment of closing, a bump noise can be created, improvement therefore is wanted. Besides, a manual type or a pedal type dustbin neither can provide a function of classifying garbage, so that difficulty exists in dealing with garbage by using them.


In a method for calculating corrections for tilt in an image, one or more processors receive a digitized image from a camera. The one or more processors initiate display of the digitized image in a screen on the camera, the screen having user-selectable focus points. The one or more processors receive from a user a focus point selection of an area of the displayed image to correct for tilt, and in response, the one or more processors correct the digitized image for tilt in the area such that an object is in focus in the area.

When an object with parallel lines is positioned at an angle to a camera, the resulting image often appears distorted. This distortion is known as a keystone effect. The keystone effect is a distortion of the image dimensions, causing the tall object to look like a trapezoid which is the shape of an architectural keystone. The keystone effect may be corrected by shifting the lens of the image capturing device. The keystone effect is further exaggerated if the image capturing device is at a sharper angle to parallel lines in the subject.
Although usually discussed together, tilt and shift are two mechanisms that result in two completely different outcomes. The axis of a lens in a camera is normally perpendicular to an image sensor. Tilt results in a depth of field plane that is not parallel to the image sensor. Tilt alters depth of field and drastically alters the shape of the depth of field plane. Depth of field is the part of a still image or video that is "in focus", as rendered by the optical elements of an imaging system. Tilt movements can be used for selective focus, such as enabling the floor of a room to be in focus in camera-leveled composition, or simulating a miniature scene. Moving the lens perpendicularly along the axis of the image causes shift, which can be observed easily by a camera operator when the camera operator previews an image.

International Business Machines Corporation


Sensing patch systems are disclosed herein. A sensing patch system includes a flexible substrate and a sensor node. The flexible substrate includes one or more substrate sensors configured to provide sensor data, one or more substrate conductors electrically coupled to a corresponding substrate sensor to conduct the sensor data provided by the corresponding substrate sensor, and a node interface. The sensor node includes a substrate interface configured to receive the node interface of the flexible substrate. The sensor node is configured to receive the sensor data provided by the substrate sensors, process the sensor data, and communicate the processed sensor data to a remote device.

Wearable systems are used in some applications to monitor human biological functions. Those systems may incorporate components capable of flexing to establish and/or maintain contact with subjects when the subjects are at rest or performing physical activity. Some wearable systems are customized to a particular application and designed for one-time usage. Because the components of such systems are typically discarded after a single use, those systems may be more costly, and provide less modularity, than systems that incorporate one or more components designed for repeated usage in one or more applications.
Wearable systems that incorporate reusable components are not without drawbacks. Such systems may utilize connectors with constructions that limit the ability of the connectors to stretch, which may be undesirable for application to subject areas where frequent movement occurs. Undesirable fabrication complexity may also be attendant to integration of those connectors with other components of those systems. Finally, because the connectors are often provided on disposal components, the connectors may undesirably increase the cost of those components and each system as a whole.


Systems, methods, devices and techniques can be used in networks including resilient packet ring networks and other types of ring topology networks to accelerate the learning of bridge/client mapping information. Once certain bridge/client mapping information is learned, and indicator can be set to cause subsequent transmissions to particular clients to be flooded to all stations on a ring network instead of being transmitted directly to the target station. Additionally, forced flooding can be triggered at regular or irregular intervals to further enhance the learning process.

An important trend in networking is the migration of packet-based technologies from local area networks (LANs) to metropolitan area networks (MANs). In the simplest terms, a MAN is a network that spans a metropolitan area. Generally, a MAN spans a larger geographic area than a LAN, but a smaller geographic area than a wide area network (WAN). The rapidly increasing volume of data traffic in MANs is challenging the capacity limits of existing transport infrastructures based on circuit-oriented technologies such as SONET, SDH, and ATM. Inefficiencies associated with carrying increasing quantities of data traffic over voice-optimized circuit-switched networks makes it difficult to provision new services and increases the cost of building additional capacity beyond the limits of most carriers' capital expense budgets. Packet based transport technology is considered by many to be one of the best alternatives for scaling metropolitan networks to meet the demand.
One leading packet based transport technology is Ethernet. Various different standard Ethernet interfaces operate at 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, and 1 Gbps, and 10 Gbps, thus providing scalability of the service interface. Moreover, as nearly all Internet data packets begin and end as Ethernet frames, carrying data in a consistent packet format from start to finish throughout the entire transport path can eliminate the need for additional layers of protocol and synchronization that result in extra costs and complexities. In addition to efficient handling of IP packets, Ethernet has the advantages of familiarity, simplicity, and low cost. Although Ethernet is well suited for point-to-point and mesh network topologies, it can be difficult to deploy Ethernet in ring configurations and as a shared media. Ring network configurations act as a shared media and typically use media access control (MAC) mechanisms to manage access across multiple users. Ethernet, in contrast, has evolved to support full duplex switched infrastructures and lacks this type of MAC mechanism. However, much of the existing optical fiber network infrastructure in metro areas is in ring form, largely because incumbent transport technologies, e.g., SONET, are typically deployed over fiber rings. There are, therefore, great benefits in new technologies that can fully exploit fiber rings while retaining the inherent advantages of a packet-based transport mechanism like Ethernet.
A number of emerging technologies target metro data transport applications. Among these are the Dynamic Packet Transport/Spatial Reuse Protocol (DPT/SRP) and the IEEE 802.17 Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) standard. Dynamic Packet Transport is a resilient packet ring technology designed to deliver scalable Internet service, reliable IP-aware optical transport, and simplified network operations. DPT-based solutions allow service providers to cost effectively scale and distribute their Internet and IP services across a reliable optical packet ring infrastructure. DPT is based on SRP, which is a MAC-layer protocol developed by Cisco Systems for ring-based packet internetworking. The IEEE 802.17 RPR standard, offers several important features that have heretofore been exclusive to SONET: efficient support for ring topology and fast recovery from fiber cuts and link failures. RPR technology is expected to provide data efficiency, simplicity, and cost advantages that are typical to Ethernet. In addition, RPR technology solves problems such as fairness and congestion control that have not been addressed by incumbent technologies.
As outlined by the IEEE 802.17 RPR standard (the "standard"), the RPR layer model can be described in terms of the open systems interconnect (OSI) reference model familiar to those having ordinary skill in the art. A simplified block diagram showing the ring and station structure of an RPR implementation is shown in FIG. 1. A medium access control (MAC) control sublayer, a MAC datapath sublayer, and reconciliation sublayers are specified within the standard, as are the MAC service interface and PHY service interface supported by the sublayers. The MAC service interface provides service primitives used by MAC clients to transfer data with one or more peer clients on an RPR ring, or to transfer local control information between the MAC and MAC client. The MAC control sublayer controls the datapath sublayer, maintains the MAC state and coordination with the MAC control sublayer of other RPR MACs, and transfer of data between the MAC and its client. The MAC datapath layer provides data transfer functions for each ringlet. The PHY service interface is used by the MAC to transmit and receive frames on the physical media. Distinct reconciliation sublayers specify mapping between specific PHYs and the medium independent interface (MII).
Resilient packet ring system 100 includes a number of ring stations (station 0 130, station 1 140, station 2 150, . . . and station N 160) interconnected by a ring structure utilizing unidirectional, counter-rotating ringlets. Each ringlet is made up of links between stations with data flow in the same direction. The ringlets are identified as ringlet0 110 and ringlet1 120. This standard allows a data frame to be transmitted on either of the two connected ringlets. For example, a unicast frame is inserted by a source station and copied by the destination station. For efficiency, the destination also strips the now irrelevant stale frame. The portion of a ring bounded by adjacent stations is called a span, and thus a span is composed of unidirectional links transmitting in opposite directions. The RPR dual-ring topology ensures that an alternate path between source station and destination station(s) is available following the failure of a single span or station. Fault response methods include pass-through and protection, as described in the standard.
One common network element is a bridge. In general, bridges are devices with two or more network interfaces, that forward data frames from one interface to one or more of the other interfaces. The RPR standard specifies a MAC bridging reference model compliant with IEEE Std 802.1D-2004 (or IEEE Std 802.1Q-2003) transparent bridges, where the RPR network acts as a shared broadcast medium. Traffic may originate or terminate at either local or remote end stations, and may be forwarded across an RPR network to other 802 networks by transparent bridges. Local end stations are end stations that directly attach to an RPR network, while remote end stations are end stations which originate and terminate LAN traffic forwarded across an RPR network via transparent bridges. RPR stations operating as transparent bridges forward traffic between an RPR network and their other associated LAN networks.
FIG. 2 illustrates an architectural model of an IEEE 802.1D compliant RPR bridge. Each port of a MAC bridge connects to a single network. As shown, bridge 200 includes bridge relay entity 230 that interconnects the bridge's ports, at least two ports (210 and 220), and higher layer entities 240, such as bridge management, bridge protocol management (e.g., spanning tree protocol management), and the like. Bridge relay entity 230 handles the MAC method independent functions of relaying frames between bridge ports, filtering frames, and learning filtering information (235). A filtering database (FDB) or table 237 supports relay operations. Bridge relay entity 230 also uses internal sublayer services provided by the separate MAC entities for each port. Each bridge port transmits and receives frames to and from the network to which it is attached. In the example of bridge 200, two ports are illustrated, one for an RPR network and one for a generic network (e.g., another RPR ring or various other Ethernet networks). Each port supports appropriate MAC dependent functions 215 and 225.
In RPR networks, frames are normally stripped at their destination, i.e., to provide spatial reuse. This strategy cannot generally be used for remote frames, since the source/destination node is not on the ring. The RPR standard (see, Annex F) accommodates this situation by implementing so-called basic bridging. In basic bridging, all remote frames are broadcast ("flooded") on the ring, so that they are seen by all bridges. In this way, RPR imitates a shared medium network, where all frames are visible to all nodes. However, this type of flooding prevents spatial reuse for remote traffic, and consequently consumes bandwidth resources. Efforts are currently underway as part of IEEE Project 802.17 to study proposals for an amendment to IEEE Standard 802.17-2004 that defines an addition to the 802.17 MAC to support spatially aware bridging. This amendment will be referred to as 802.17b, and will specify spatially aware or "enhanced" bridging.
While some bridges in RPR networks may include enhanced bridging functionality, it will still be desirable for those bridges to have the capability to interoperate with basic bridges. Accordingly, it is desirable to have mechanisms by which basic bridges can more efficiently be used with enhanced bridges. Moreover, it is desirable that such mechanisms operate, to the extent possible, within existing and emerging ring transmission schemes.

Systems and methods for accelerated learning in ring networks


A soldering device for soldering lead wires from a disc head to a circuit of the disc drive includes a heat shield adapted to provide a protective barrier for a soldering tip during operation of a soldering instrument. During operation, the soldering tip is heated by a heating element for use. A heat shield is coupled with the soldering tip and designed to provide a temperature barrier along the length of the soldering tip and prevent damage to other wires in close proximity.

Disc drives are known to store digital information on rigid discs coated with a magnetizable material and a plurality of circular, concentric data tracks. Discs are mounted on a spindle motor which rotates the discs for operation. Disc heads are positioned relative to the data tracks to read and write data to the disc surface via an actuating mechanism. Electronic circuitry is coupled to the spindle motor and actuation mechanism for positioning the disc heads for reading information from and writing information to selected data tracks.
Disc heads include transducers for reading and writing data to the disc surface. Transducers may be an inductive-type transducer or magnetoresistive (MR) transducer. Thus, depending upon the transducer elements, various lead wires are necessary to electrically connect the transducers to electric circuitry of the disc drive. In particular, the lead wires are connected from the transducer elements to a flexible cable circuit. The flexible cable circuit is coupled to a central processor for retrieving data from discs of the disc drive.
Lead wires for each disc heads are connected to contacts via a soldering process. Each disc head has multiple lead wires for connecting transducer elements to the processing circuitry of the disc drive. Due to the size limitations of the disc drive, contacts for multiple lead wires are spaced in close proximity to one another. Thus, aligning and connecting specific lead wires to various contacts requires precision placement and soldering so that a good electrical connection is made between the respective lead wire and contact.
Soldering instruments include a soldering element having a soldering tip. During the soldering process, the soldering tip is heated so that an end of the soldering tip may melt solder to connect lead wires to contacts. During soldering, exposed portions of the soldering tip may improperly contact certain lead wires, thus interfering with the electrical connection of the wire to a particular contact or fusing the leads together. So, it is desirable to provide a soldering instrument which limits the interference of the soldering tip with other lead wires while soldering a particular lead wire to a contact. The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems, and offers advantages over the prior art.

Soldering instrument with heated tip and protective heat shield associated therewith


A semiconductor wafer inspection system and method is provided which uses a multiple element arrangement, such as an offset fly lens array. The preferred embodiment uses a laser to transmit light energy toward a beam expander, which expands the light energy to create an illumination field. An offset fly lens array converts light energy from the illumination field into an offset pattern of illumination spots. A lensing arrangement, including a first lens, a transmitter/reflector, an objective, and a Mag tube imparts light energy onto the specimen and passes the light energy toward a pinhole mask. The pinhole mask is mechanically aligned with the offset fly lens array. Light energy passing through each pinhole in the pinhole mask is directed toward a relay lens, which guides light energy onto a sensor. The offset fly lens array corresponds to the pinhole mask. The offset pattern of the offset fly lens array is chosen such that spots produced can be recombined into a continuous image, and the system utilizes a time delay and integration charge coupled device for rapid sensing along with an autofocus system that measures and cancels topological features of the specimen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to precision optical inspection methods for specimens such as semiconductor wafers, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for performing microscopic inspection and measurement of integrated circuit wafer geometries using laser confocal microscopy.
2. Description of the Related Art
In integrated circuit inspection, particularly inspection of semiconductor wafers or photomasks from which such circuits are fabricated, different methods have been employed to address particular characteristics of the wafers or advantages afforded by specific inspection technologies.
One such method that has previously been employed in semiconductor wafer or photomask inspection is confocal microscopy. Confocal imaging entails suppressing out of focus specimen elements at image formation. The suppression of out of focus elements occurs partially as a result of the specimen not being illuminated and imaged as a whole at one time, but as one point after another, and also due to the detection pinhole, or spatial filter, interposed between the source and specimen. The sequential point imaging in confocal microscopy is obtained using an arrangement of diaphragms which act as both a point source and a point detector simultaneously at optically coexistant points of the path of light rays used to inspect the specimen. Rays which are out of focus are suppressed by the detection pinhole.
Other inspection techniques have been employed with varying results. Non-confocal imaging tends to be highly sensitive to signals located outside the focal plane, which can add unwanted noise to the imaging process. Noise may also result from defect detection on a semiconductor wafer due to the various layers present on the wafer. Confocal imaging using light elements other than lasers have been employed, but such arrangements create illumination spots with inefficient and slow pinholes since the arc or filament cannot increase in intensity, due to limited power.
Laser confocal imaging addresses the drawbacks of these previous systems. An illustration of a typical laser confocal microscopy inspection arrangement for imaging a single point is illustrated in FIG. 1. Laser 101 emits a beam of light rays 102 which passes through a focusing lens 103 and subsequently through first spatial filter 104. After passing through confocal element 104 the light rays flare outward toward beamsplitter 105. Beamsplitter 105 allows the light rays to pass through and toward objective 106, which focuses the light rays toward the specimen. Light rays reflected from an object at the focal plane 107 pass back toward the objective 106 and beamsplitter 105. Beamsplitter 105 at this point reflects the light rays as illustrated toward second confocal element 108. Objects above or below the focal plane 107 are out of focus and are therefore suppressed. The remaining in focus light rays pass to detector 109.
The advantages of confocal microscopy include the feature that light rays from outside the focal plane are not registered. Confocal imaging can provide true three dimensional data recording, but instead gradually optically removes portions of the specimen as those portions move away from the focal plane. In practice, the elements tend to disappear from the field of view. Stray light tends to be minimized in a confocal arrangement.
The drawbacks associated with the arrangement of FIG. 1 are that the system shown therein only of confocal imaging include a limited field of view, typically a small point on the specimen. Thus scanning an entire specimen would require several passes even for moderately sized specimens. Speed and throughput tend to be of great importance during wafer inspection, and thus confocal techniques have been limited in their application.
Multiple scanning spot systems have been employed to increased inspection speed and throughput. These multiple scanning spot systems utilize mechanical polygon scanning spot laser arrangements to provide increased scanning areas. However, the mechanical polygon scanning techniques tend to be highly unstable and do riot provide necessary fine image alignment for comparison of adjacent features under most circumstances.
Certain confocal systems employ techniques for performing inspection of a wafer or specimen but each system has particular negative aspects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,876 to Kerstens, et al., illustrates a confocal imaging system using an opaque mask having a slit and a row of pinpoint sensors or a skewed pattern of isolated pinholes with an array of isolated pinpoint sensors in a matching pattern. The problem with such an arrangement is the sensing of data. The Kerstens sensing arrangement employs an array 116 having isolated pinpoint radiation sensors 114. The problem with such a system is that it is inherently slow and, inefficient in scanning large amounts of data. In particular, the Kerstens system has a very limited dynamic range and can result in obscured or saturated parts of the image under normal inspection speeds.
The Kerstens system also uses a type of autofocus system which uses multiple confocal measurements to determine features on the surface of the system. In particular, the effective focus position of the Kerstens system is a function of the position on the wafer such that the geometry effects the ability of the system to focus on a particular feature and measuring the height of a particular feature.
Other known confocal inspection systems can have problems maintaining focus on a single layer in a multiple layer specimen, such as a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Planarization) specimen. On a multiple layer specimen, inspection of the topmost surface may be required, and certain systems employing confocal techniques do not provide the ability to discriminate or focus on the desired layer. Focusing becomes a problem due to decreasing line widths, desire for increased optical resolution, and a corresponding decrease in depth of focus. Most autofocus systems, such as the autofocus system presented in the Kerstens reference, see through the multiple layers on specimens such as CMP specimens to follow the underlying layers, resulting in non-planar focus performance having varying sensitivity to surface defects resulting from following the underlying topology.
It is therefore an object of the current invention to provide an inspection system which provides noise reduction in images received and the ability to control focus in a multiple depth environment, such as a CMP specimen, in particular with respect to signals which are out of the depth of focus and out of the depth of application interest of the system.
It is a further object of the current invention to provide a high speed and accurate brightfield and darkfield image inspection system without the speed, illumination, and processing drawbacks of traditional laser inspection systems or non-laser systems utilizing lamps.
It is another object of the current invention to provide an inspection system which minimizes the instabilities associated with mechanical scanning systems.
It is yet another object of the current system to provide a confocal system having the ability to inspect a comparatively large area at a relatively rapid rate with minimal distortion at a maximum dynamic range.
It is a further object of the current system to provide for a robust and effective focusing system for multiple layer specimens that is simple and has the ability to effectively discern and account for height differences within the specimen.

Confocal wafer inspection method and apparatus using fly lens arrangement


Concurrent Gradients Analysis (CGA), and two multi-objective optimization methods based on CGA are provided: Concurrent Gradients Method (CGM), and Pareto Navigator Method (PNM). Dimensionally Independent Response Surface Method (DIRSM) for improving computational efficiency of optimization algorithms is also disclosed. CGM and PNM are based on CGA's ability to analyze gradients and determine the Area of Simultaneous Criteria Improvement (ASCI). CGM starts from a given initial point, and approaches the Pareto frontier sequentially stepping into the ASCI area until a Pareto optimal point is obtained. PNM starts from a Pareto-optimal point, and steps along the Pareto surface in the direction that allows improving a subset of objective functions with higher priority. DIRSM creates local approximations based on automatically recognizing the most significant design variables. DIRSM works for optimization tasks with virtually any (small or large) number of design variables, and requires just 2-3 model evaluations per Pareto optimal point for the CGM and PNM algorithms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of multi-objective optimization methods, and especially to methods of solving large-scale design optimization task.
2. Background Art
Optimization methods started with Newton's method, which was described by Isaac Newton in "De Analysi Per Aequationes Numero Terminorum Infinitas," written in 1669. Since then many methods for optimization of functions have been developed and applied for solving a variety of technical and scientific problems. Modern applied mathematics includes a large collection of optimization methods created over three centuries. An important group of such methods is based on using 1st and 2nd order derivatives of objective function [5,6,7] (Newton-Ralphson, Steepest descent, Conjugate gradient, Sequential quadratic programming, etc).
Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto introduced the concept of Pareto optimality in 1906 (see below multi-objective optimization problem formulation (1)-(2)). The concept has broad applications in economics and engineering. The Pareto optimality concept became the starting point for a new discipline of multi-objective optimization, which is intended to find trade-offs for several contradicting objectives. For instance, survivability and cost are contradicting objectives in ship design. If survivability is improved then cost may become too high. If the cost is decreased then survivability may become worse. It is important to find a reasonable trade-off for these two objectives, which determines the practical value of the multi-objective optimization concept.
The general multi-objective optimization problem is posed as follows [1]:Minimize: F(X)=[F1(X), F2(X), . . . , Fm(X)]T   (1)subject to: qj(X)≦0; j=1,2, . . . k   (2)
The feasible design space X (often called the feasible decision space or constraint set) is defined as the set {X|qj(X)≦0; j=1,2, . . . k}. Feasibility implies that no constraint is violated. Objective functions, also named criteria, Fi(X), i=1, . . . , m and constraints qj(X), j=1,2, . . . k are often called model output variables, or dependent variables.
The dimension of multi-objective optimization tasks can be very different from two-dimensional tasks like the task (A.1.1) to large-scale tasks with dozens of objective functions and thousands of independent variables typical for aerospace, automotive industries, ship design, etc. Today it is impossible to design an airplane, automobile, turbine, or ship without intensive use of multi-objective optimization algorithms. This determines market demand and practical value of efficient multi-objective optimization algorithms.
Attempts to solve such tasks were first based on using well developed gradient-based optimization methods. In order to use those single-objective methods for multi-objective optimization, a scalarization technique was developed, which allowed substitution of multiple objective functions by a weighted exponential sum of those functions. The following is the simplest and the most common form of scalarization for the optimization problem (1):
                              U          =                                    ∑                              i                =                1                            m                                                                                w                  i                                                                  [                                                            F                      i                                                                                (                      x                      )                                                        ]                                            p                                      ;                                            F              i                                                  (              x              )                                >          0                ;                  ∀          i                                    (        3        )
In the early 1970's John Holland invented Genetic Algorithms (GAs). A genetic algorithm is a heuristic used to find approximate solutions to difficult-to-solve problems through application of the principles of evolutionary biology to optimization theory and other fields of computer science. Genetic algorithms use biologically derived techniques such as inheritance, mutation, natural selection, and crossover. GAs differs from conventional optimization algorithms in several fundamental respects. They do not use derivative or gradient information, but instead rely on the observed performance of evaluated solutions, and the transition rules are probabilistic rather than deterministic.
Thus, there are two groups of known multi-objective optimization methods: scalarization methods and multi-objective genetic algorithms.
1. Scalarization methods use a global criterion to combine multiple objective functions mathematically. These methods require solving a sequence of single-objective problems. The most common method of the group is the weighted sum method.
Use of gradients for determination of direction for the next step works perfectly when a single objective function is optimized. But utilizing the same technique for a weighted sum of multiple objective functions, does not allow controlling values of individual objective functions during the optimization process. It creates serious problems finding evenly distributed Pareto optimal points:
a. The existing weighted sum approaches widely used for design optimization do not work well with the non-convex Pareto surfaces [1], which have been shown to frequently occur in structural optimization and robust design.
b. Uniform distribution of Pareto optimal points cannot be guaranteed even if the weights are varying consistently and continuously. It means that Pareto set will be incomplete and inaccurate [2], which is also follows from FIGS. 1B-1C. This leads to the situation when the best optimal design solution is missed.
Using traditional gradient-based optimization algorithms are computationally expensive. Algorithms SQP and MMFD spend 93-97% of model evaluations for approaching the Pareto-frontier for low-dimensional task (A. 1.1), and only 3-7% of model evaluations return Pareto-optimal points (see FIG. 2A). For high-dimensional tasks computational efficiency is significantly worse, and the number of model evaluations per Pareto-optimal point grows exponentially (see FIG. 3).
2. Multi-objective Genetic Algorithms combine the use of random numbers and information from previous iterations to evaluate and improve a population of points rather than a single point at a time. GAs are based on heuristic strategies not related to the nature of multi-objective optimization. As a result, GAs are:
a. Computationally extremely intensive and resource consuming, which follows from FIG. 2B; Genetic Algorithms NSGA2 (Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm 2) and FEMO (Fair Evolutionary Multi-objective Optimizer) spend 97-99% of model evaluations to approach the Pareto-frontier for the task (A.1.1), and only 1-3% of model evaluations return Pareto-optimal points;
b. Do not provide adequate accuracy, which follows from comparison of exact solution shown on FIG. 1A with solutions found by NSGA2 and FEMO, and shown in FIGS. 1D-1E; FIG. 2A also illustrates relatively low accuracy of the solutions;
c. Do not provide an objective measure to evaluate divergence of found solutions from true Pareto frontier;
d. GAs cannot be used for high-dimensional optimization tasks with more than 40-50 design variables;
e. The objective of GAs is to find the optimal solution to a problem. However, because GAs are heuristics, the solution found is not always guaranteed to be the optimal solution. See a sample on FIGS. 1D-1E.
Traditional gradient-based optimization methods are designed to solve single-objective optimization tasks. Absence of numerical methods designed specifically for multi-objective optimization, forced engineers to invent an artificial scalarization technique, which substitutes multi-objective optimization tasks by single-objective ones, and allows using traditional gradient-based methods.
For the same reason, engineers started utilizing heuristic GAs for multi-objective optimization. Both approaches are not designed to solve multi-objective optimization tasks and do not have appropriate mathematical foundation, and as result have the above listed disadvantages.
The main optimization concept of both traditional gradient-based methods and GAs is similar: optimization process starts from initial point(s), and approaches Pareto surface in an iterative process. The concept looks simple and obvious, but causes the most substantial problems of existent optimization algorithms:                Accuracy of solution and computational efficiency strongly depend on proper determination of initial points;        There are no efficient methods to determine "good" initial points; mostly, initial points are selected randomly, which makes optimization methods too expensive;        The concept assumes that it is impossible to avoid computationally expensive approaching to Pareto surface; as result, researchers think about how to make optimization algorithms 20-50% faster instead of thinking about a new optimization paradigm, which could improve computational efficiency by orders of magnitude.        Computational time strongly depends on required accuracy.        Computational time exponentially depends on task dimension.        Some tasks cannot be solved, for instance, tasks with multiple local extremums.
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) is one of the most practically important fields of optimization technology because it is widely used in aerospace, automotive, turbo-machinery industries, ship design. MDO can be defined as a field of engineering that uses optimization methods to solve design problems incorporating a number of disciplines.
Very often MDO is applied to computationally expensive models that need to be optimized. For instance, Ford Motor Company reports that one crash simulation on a full passenger car takes 36-160 hours [9]. The high computational expense of such analyses limits, or even prohibits, the use of such codes in MDO. Consequently, approximation methods are commonly used in engineering design to minimize the computational expense of running such analyses and simulations.
The most often used in MDO approximation techniques includes Response Surface Methodology (RSM), Kriging Models, Artificial Neural Networks, Multivariate Splines, and Radial Basis Functions. All these approaches allow creating explicit approximation functions to objectives and constraints, and then using these when performing the optimization. Once approximations have been constructed they may be used as cheap function evaluators, replacing the underlying computationally expensive analysis tools [10].
RSM and other approximation techniques comprise regression surface fitting to obtain approximate responses, design of experiments to obtain minimum variances of the responses and optimizations using the approximated responses.
All the approximation methods require at least as many evaluations of objective functions as the number of design variables. Otherwise an accurate enough approximation cannot be created. For instance, a common optimization task with 1000 design variables requires 1000 or more evaluations of computationally expensive analysis models. This limits the range of application for the approximation methods to 20-30 design variables [11].
Often referred to as the "curse of dimensionality," a constant challenge in building accurate approximation models is handling problems with large numbers of variables: the more design variables you have, the more samples you need to build an accurate approximation model [13]. A few approaches have been developed to handle problems with large numbers of variables. Screening experiments are often employed to reduce the set of factors to those that are most important to the response(s) being investigated [14]. Box and Draper proposed a method to gradually refine a response surface model to better capture the real function by "screening" out unimportant variables [15]. However, screening methods need an interaction with optimization. For instance, variables that might not be important during initial experimentation may become important in the later stages of the optimization such that the variables that were initially "screened out" need to be added back into the model [13]. The variable-complexity response surface modeling method uses analyses of varying fidelity to reduce the design space to the region of interest [16]. This simplifies creating an accurate approximation for middle size tasks, but still does not work for high-dimensional tasks.
Non-dimensional variables and stepwise regression were used to reduce the complexity and increase the accuracy of the response surface approximations [17]. Additionally, higher-order polynomials were used as response surface approximations, and a detailed error analysis, using an independent data set, is performed. This approach is also not efficient enough, being applied for creating a global approximation of the original model.
All approaches developed to handle problems with a large number of design variables were able to extend the task dimension limit from 20-30 to 40-60, but have not resolved the problem for large-scale tasks. The idea of substituting an original computationally expensive model by a global approximating model for further optimization cannot work for tasks with hundreds and thousands design variables [13].
The present invention offers new a type of gradient-based numerical analysis specifically targeted to solve multi-objective optimization tasks, and named Concurrent Gradients Analysis (CGA). Two multi-objective optimization methods have been invented based on CGA: Concurrent Gradients Method (CGM) and Pareto Navigator Method (PNM). CGM starts from an initial point and approaches the Pareto frontier. PNM moves along the Pareto frontier instead of approaching it on each step. This idea introduces a new concept of optimization, and allows improving computational efficiency 10-500 times. CGM and PNM are the fastest and the most accurate multi-objective optimization algorithms. The invention offers also Dimensionally Independent Response Surface Method (DIRSM). These invented methods are intended to overcome disadvantages of existent approaches.                1. Andersson J., "A Survey of Multi-objective Optimization in Engineering Design," Fluid and Mechanical Engineering Systems, Linköping University, Sweden, LiTH-IKP-R1097.        2. Marler, R. T., and Arora, J. S. (2004), "Survey of Multi-objective Optimization Methods for Engineering", Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 26, 6, 369-395.        3. Pareto, V.1906: Manuale di Economica Politica, Societa Editrice Libraria. Milan; translated into English by A. S. Schwier as Manual of Political Economy. Edited by A. S. Schwier and A. N. Page, 1971. New York: A. M. Kelley.        4. Holland, J. H. (1975). Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems. University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor, Mich.        5. Vanderplaats, G. N., Numerical Optimization Techniques for Engineering Design, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1984.        6. Haftka, R. T., and Gurdal, Z., Elements of Structural Optimization, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1992.        7. Walsh, G. R., Methods of Optimization, John Wiley, 1975.        8. Weiyu Liu, Development of Gradient-Enhanced Kriging Approximations for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization, Dissertation, University of Notre Dame, 2003.        9. Gu, L., "A Comparison of Polynomial Based Regression Models in Vehicle Safety Analysis," ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences—Design Automation Conference (DAC) (Diaz, A., ed.), Pittsburgh, Pa., ASME, Sep. 9-12, 2001, Paper No. DETC2001/DAC-21063.        10. Simpson, T. W., Peplinski, J., Koch, P. N. and Allen, J. K., "Metamodels for Computer-Based Engineering Design: Survey and Recommendations," Engineering with Computers, Vol.17, No. 2, 2001, pp.129-150.        11. Balabanov, V., Venter G., Multi-Fidelity Optimization with High-Fidelity Analysis and Low-Fidelity Gradients, 10th AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference, Albany, N.Y., Aug. 30-1, 2004.        12. M. C. Fu, "Optimization for Simulation: Theory vs. Practice", INFORMS Journal on Computing, 2002.        13. Simpson, T. W., Booker, A. J., Ghosh, D., Giunta, A. A., Koch, P. N., and Yang, R.-J. (2004) Approximation Methods in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization: A Panel Discussion, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 27:5 (302-313).        14. Welch, W. J., Buck, R. J., Sacks, J., Wynn, H. P., Mitchell, T. J. and Morris, M. D., "Screening, Predicting, and Computer Experiments," Technometrics, Vol. 34, No. 1,1992, pp.15-25.        15. Box, G. E. P. and Draper, N. R., Evolutionary Operation: A Statistical Method for Process Management, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1969.        16. Balabanov, V. O., Giunta, A. A., Golovidov, O., Grossman, B., Mason, W. H. and Watson, L. T., "Reasonable Design Space Approach to Response Surface Approximation," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 36, No.1, 1999, pp. 308-315.        17. Venter, G., Haftka, R, Starnes, J., Construction of response surface approximations for design optimization. AIAA Journal, 36:2242-2249,1998. P. Vincent and Y. Bengio.

Gradient based methods for multi-objective optimization


Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for simplifying a point cloud. A point cloud is received where the point cloud has a plurality of points, a global spatial structure, and a local point density. The processor calculates a set of pairwise distances for the plurality of points to at least one other point in the plurality of points. A first distance matrix is generated using the set of pairwise distances. The processor calculates a second pairwise distance set where the plurality of points have a weight and generates a second distance matrix based off the second pairwise distance set. A portion of the points in the second pairwise distance set are removed based on the weight. The processor performs a comparison of the two matrices using the comparison and the global spatial structure and the local point density, and generates a second point cloud based on the second distance matrix.

Point clouds have been extensively used in many applications including for example, object reconstruction, and object recognition. A common use for point clouds involves gathering data using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point clouds such as, street side view point LiDAR data, which have become a very informative data source for the on-board recognition of an autonomous vehicle. Such recognition may be based on matching incoming data with pre-processed data stored in a repository or memory.
Most techniques simplify point clouds by either randomly simplifying the point cloud or reconstructing the point cloud to a mesh first and simplifying the point cloud based on mesh. One technique that can work on a point cloud directly is called furthest point cloud sampling. However, this technique does not take into account local density of the point cloud, thus resulting in an almost uniform sampling in the simplification.
Simplification of point cloud data, such as uniform simplification or random sampling, changes the appearance of the original data to some extent, which causes information loss. This information loss may lead to the simplified point cloud not sharing the same characteristics as the original point cloud.

Structure preserved point cloud simplification


A well tube liner system includes rigid, self supporting plastic liners inserted within well tube sections and including end flanges adjacent opposed ends of the tube sections for sealing against each other and against a connecting collar when the tube sections are drawn axially together during assembly of the tube sections. An auxiliary spacer corresponding in general configuration to the flanges is provided for insertion between the flanges of liner sections to maintain the flanges in axially spaced apart and sealed condition to compensate for worn threads while retaining the same liner sections.

This invention relates to a system for applying a plastic liner to oil field country tubulars, such as well tubing, and a joint formed by such tubing incorporating the plastic liner. More particularly, flanges attached to the liner have both radial and circumferential sealing surfaces to positively prevent fluid in the well tubing from contacting either the interior of the tube or a connecting collar.
Well tubing has have been utilized for many years to provide a flow path for fluids passing to and from the well reservoir. The well tubes are inserted into a well that has been drilled and are used to inject fluids into the well reservoir to raise pressure and fluid levels, and to remove oil or gas from the completed well. The fluids cause abrasion and deterioration of the tubes and the collars connecting them. Therefore, it is well known to provide tubes with a liner in order to minimize the abrasion and the deterioration of the tube. The liner may take the form of a layer of cement or a plastic coating applied to the interior surface of the tube. The interior of the tube may also be coated or covered with other materials which are relatively inert to the fluids passing through the well tube.
A series of tubes are typically attached together end to end by collars which threadingly engage adjacent ends of the tubes. The ends of the tubes and the collar have corresponding threads, usually tapered, such that rotation of the collar and tubes relative to each other draws the ends of the well tubes toward each other in secured relationship. In order to prevent deteriation of the collar and leakage at the joint area, it has been proposed to provide end seals on the ends of the tubes by either a separate flange piece attached to the tube liner or by rolling over the tube liner to cover the end of the tube. However, these systems have not completely alleviated the problems, since the junction between adjacent flanges or between the rolled over liners often does not provide an adequate seal. Furthermore, rolling or otherwise forming the liner over the end of the tube requires threads to be formed thereon to match those of the collar. As a practical matter, this is difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish and still maintain reasonable production costs. The wear of the threaded lining occasioned by the installation and removal of the collars eventually causes the lining seal to deteriorate thereby necessitating a complete re-fitting of the liner.
It is also known to provide rigid liners for underground pipelines by forming the liner from a plastic material with an initial outer diameter greater than the interior diameter of the pipeline. The liner diameter is reduced prior to inserting it into the pipeline. After insertion, the liner is expanded into contact with the pipeline by drawing a heating element through its interior, by physical expansion using an interior plug, by application of internal pressure or simply letting the liner expand towards its initial diameter by relaxation.
It is also known to form a rigid plastic liner with an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of a section of pipe. Subsequent to insertion of the liner, flanges are attached to each end of the liner and a heated fluid is passed through the liner to cause it to expand and contact the interior of the pipe section. The axially facing end of the flange is brought into sealing engagement with a corresponding sealing surface of an adjacent flange when the pipeline sections are bolted together.


The present invention provides an exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle with a light beam from a light source, and a projection optical system which is configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, and has a numerical aperture of not less than 0.7, the projection optical system including an optical member on which an antireflection coating configured to suppress reflection of the light beam is formed and which is arranged closest to the substrate, wherein a reflectance of the antireflection coating with respect to the light beam is minimum at an incident angle of not less than 30°.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and a device fabrication method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projection exposure apparatus has conventionally been employed to fabricate a semiconductor device using photolithography. The projection exposure apparatus projects and transfers a circuit pattern formed on a reticle (mask) onto, for example, a wafer via a projection optical system using the step & repeat scheme or step & scan scheme.
A minimum dimension (resolution) that a projection exposure apparatus can transfer is proportional to the wavelength of exposure light and is inversely proportional to the numerical aperture (NA) of a projection optical system. Along with the recent demand for micropatterning semiconductor devices, the wavelength of exposure light is shortening and the NA of a projection optical system is increasing. For example, the recent exposure light source is shifting from a conventional super-high pressure mercury lamp (g-line (wavelength: about 265 nm)) to a KrF excimer laser (wavelength: about 248 nm) and ArF excimer laser (wavelength: about 193 nm) each having a wavelength shorter than that of the mercury lamp. An exposure apparatus (scanner) of the step & repeat scheme which uses a KrF excimer laser or ArF excimer laser as an exposure light source has a projection optical system with an NA of 0.7 to 0.95. In recent years, an optical system (immersion optical system) which attains an NA of 1 or more by the so-called immersion which fills the space between a wafer and the final optical lens (final surface) of the projection optical system with a liquid is under development to further increase the NA of a projection optical system.
As the NA of a projection optical system increases, the incident angle of a light beam which enters an optical element near a wafer also increases. The light beam is reflected by the surfaces of the optical element and the wafer (a resist applied on the wafer), so the amount of flare light which reaches inside/outside shot regions increases. For example, if the NA of a projection optical system is less than 0.7, the reflectances of both the final lens (a lens arranged closest to a wafer) of the projection optical system and the surface of a wafer are relatively low, and therefore flare light is negligible. However, if the NA of a projection optical system is 0.7 or more, the reflectances of both the final lens of the projection optical system and the surface of a wafer are relatively high, and therefore the amount of flare light is too large to neglect. The flare light herein generally refers to light which reaches a wafer after multiple reflections at various positions (the peripheral surfaces (edges) of lenses of a projection optical system and the metallic inner surface of a lens barrel).
Flare light in a given shot region generally scatters into its adjacent shot regions. When a plurality of shot regions on a wafer are exposed to light, the amount of flare light which scatters into one shot region is amplified. As a consequence, a pattern is transferred with a size changed from that defined by the design rule by even several tens of nanometers depending upon the shot. This makes it impossible to obtain a desired resolution (exposure performance).
Under these circumstances, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2003-17396 and 2006-303340 propose techniques of reducing the adverse influence of flare light on the exposure performance.
Unfortunately, neither prior art techniques can sufficiently reduce the adverse influence of flare light on the exposure performance and avoid a decrease in exposure performance.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-17396 proposes a technique of interposing a stop for shielding flare light between a wafer and the final lens of a projection optical system. However, merely interposing the stop between the wafer and the final lens is insufficient to prevent flare light which passes through the opening of the stop.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-303340 discloses a technique of setting the formation condition of an antireflection coating so that no light is reflected between a wafer and the final lens of a projection optical system (i.e., so that their reflectances become sufficiently low). However, on a resist and antireflection coating, regions in each of which light enters at a relatively large incident angle have relatively high reflectances in principle. This makes it very difficult to form an antireflection coating so that no light is reflected. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-303340 does not describe a specific film composition and numerical values.

Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method


Run-time reduction is achieved in timing performance of a logical design, such as a digital integrated circuit. A portion of the logical design that is expected to be stable with respect to timing performance, such as a clock tree, is identified. Timing sensitivities, including sensitivities to sources of variability, of the identified portion of the logical design are determined at a given instant. The timing sensitivities of the identified portion of the logical design are saved for re-use. The saved timing sensitivities are re-used throughout the timing analysis and in subsequent timing analyses.

This invention relates generally to timing, in particular to reducing run-time in timing analysis.
Integrated circuits comprise many interconnects for connecting blocks of circuitry. As the size of integrated circuits continues to shrink, the number of sources of variation which need to be modeled in order to accurately represent timing behavior has greatly increased. This, in turn, has led to an explosive increase in modeling run-time for integrated circuits.
The tool development community has responded by removing un-needed calculations within a timing run, increasing the use of caching, etc. However, even these efforts have fallen short of reducing run-time to a satisfactory level. Some chips take many days to complete timing analysis on the fastest machines available. This extended analysis time has already delayed the release of some designs into the foundry.
There is thus a need for an improved timing technique with reduced run-time.

Method, computer program product, and apparatus for static timing with run-time reduction


A system, method and computer-accessible medium for analyzing an electronic document(s) can be provided. For example, content data can be received that can be related to the electronic document(s). The content data can be segmented into a plurality of first segments, and then combined into a second segment(s). Ranking information can be generated for the second segment(s).

The Internet provides users access to a multitude of websites. These websites can be made up of web pages, which can be linked together using a hypertext markup language ("HTML") code. Websites can also include links or access to other electronic documents, including but not limited to, spreadsheets, pdfs, word processing documents and post-script documents. While many of these electronic documents, including web pages, can be optimally viewed on large-screen devices such as desktops, televisions and laptops, they may not be optimally viewed on small-screen devices, such as personal digital assistants ("PDAs") and mobile phones, due to their different display capabilities, such as different total pixel count, pixels per inch and the graphics capabilities of the device itself or its screen. This can make reading or navigating between the electronic documents more complex and demanding than on a large-screen device. These challenges are particularly apparent in the context of websites. Indeed, the demand for efficient access to websites on small-screen devices has been increasing. Therefore various technological advancements arose to optimize small-screen viewing of websites. However, these approaches to create small-screen versions of websites have several disadvantages.
Some of the existing approaches for providing or facilitating small-screen versions of websites and examples of their disadvantages are described below:
One such approach for creating small-screen versions of websites can be automatic transcoding. Automatic transcoding creates small-screen versions of web pages through an automated proxy. While this process streamlines the creation of small-screen versions of web pages, the results exhibit one or many of the following shortfalls: the whole content of the page can be transcoded, so the page becomes very long, and unnecessary content can be shown; the menu items are not optimized; the reference to which elements should be displayed and which should not can be lost; the positioning relationship of elements in 2 dimensional (x,y) or 3 dimensional space (x,y and in front of each other) can be lost; the loss of positioning can also lead to an order that does not correspond to the reading order of the original document; and styling can be partially or fully lost. Additionally, since automatic transcoding generally removes client-side scripts, the resulting web page may not contain the same functionality as the original web page. Moreover, there can be no way to optimize the small-screen pages to work well with individual small-screen devices, such as personal digital assistants ("PDAs") and mobile phones. Since automatic transcoding does not allow users to customize the web pages, there are often major flaws in the small-screen versions of the web pages.
In order to improve on the lack of customization that results from using automatic transcoding, another system and method has been suggested to provide content authors with a means to control how the resulting content can look. This "selective transcoding" provides content authors the ability to more easily control the style and content of the small-screen web pages. It has been suggested that this method and system allows for the creation of small-screen web pages that more closely match the original web pages.
However, the above-described prior method and system have disadvantages of its own. By giving too many of the decision-making responsibilities to a content author, and taking them away from an automatic system, the transcoding process becomes more time-consuming and requires repetitive user input, and can lead to sub-optimal viewing experiences in case of user error. Furthermore, the method only removes the document length shortfall and some of the positioning and display shortfalls.
Another approach for improving automatic transcoding involves extensible transcoder annotations (XTAs) that provide rules to the transcoder to improve how the web pages are transcoded. The transcoder executes the XTA instructions. A person can remotely edit the XTAs. Just like the approach above however, this approach also potentially improves the transcoding results, but at the expense of additional manual work. Furthermore, XTAs only address the document length and display shortfalls and some of the positioning shortfalls.
Exemplary embodiments of automatic system and method for analyzing electronic documents to optimize such documents for transcoding can therefore be preferable to make the transcoder function and perform in an improved manner, with no or minimal manual effort.
The above described problem areas are merely representative. Other areas can exist where the exemplary embodiments of automatic system, method, software arrangement and computer-accessible medium for analyzing and transcoding electronic documents can be advantageous.
Thus, there may be a need to provide exemplary embodiments of automatic system, method, software arrangement and computer-accessible medium for, e.g., analyzing and processing electronic document code to optimize it for transcoding, selecting one or more regions of interest using the results, and thereafter automatically transcoding websites, which can improve access to the specific content and web pages within these sites for specific small-screen devices. Furthermore, as mentioned herein, retaining all or some of the styling information, including visibility settings and positioning, removes some of the shortfalls of transcoding.

System, method, software arrangement and computer-accessible medium for a generator that automatically identifies regions of interest in electronic documents for transcoding


A pump system includes a pump unit an assembly frame that receives first and second pumps. A first and second pedal respectively couples to a first and second pump actuating portion. A rocker arrangement has a rocker that pivotally couples the first and second pedals, so a pushing movement of the first pedal in one direction causes a pulling movement of the second pedal in an opposite direction, and vice versa. The first and second pedals respond to a pushing force, respectively move the first and second pump actuating portions for pumping a fluid from the first and second pumps, and correspondingly move the first and second pump actuating portions for drawing the fluid to be pumped into the first and second pumps.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a pump or pump system; and more particularly a pump or pump system configured to be powered by a human.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
There is a need to irrigate vegetation in remote locations by using human/manual power. These remote locations do not have access to electricity or liquid fuel, therefore the need of human powered devices is extremely important, and arguably a must. An inexpensive manually driven pump is required to lift water from streams, ponds or shallow wells to crops, so they can grow in the non-rainy seasons.
By way of example, FIG. 1 shows a known foot powered pump. Current pumps known on the market today like that shown in FIG. 1 typically have to be carried to a location in order to be used.


Electric power is stored in a flywheel assembly, from a dc power buss, and supplied to the buss, through electronics associated with a motor/generator, its rotor integral with a flywheel supported by magnetic bearings. Upon operation, the flywheel assembly is released by mechanical backup bearings which then normally remain disengaged until shutdown as the flywheel assembly is levitated by the axial magnetic field. Enhancements developed herein smooth the flux density across discontinuities or segments present in permanent magnets due to presently limited capability for manufacture of large annular magnetic members. Herein, the introduction of a medium such as a steel cylindrical member to directly interface with the rotor as opposed to the segmented permanent magnet, greatly eradicates induced eddy current and heat on the rotor. In addition, exhibited is an annularly slotted rotor which allows for greater surface area for flux absorption.

This invention relates to electric power storage, through power interface electronics and electromechanical energy conversion, in the inertia of a spinning flywheel, and by reciprocal means, stored kinetic energy conversion to electric power. The various component elements of the invention include: A high-speed motor/generator, with cooperative power electronics and magnetic bearings, electronic feedback control servos to stabilize the magnetic bearings, a vertical-axis flywheel, integral with the motor/generator rotor and rotatable magnetic bearing elements, to store kinetic energy, a vacuum enclosure to reduce air drag, mechanical backup bearings that are not engaged during normal service, and a stationary energy-absorbing installation site to safely house the flywheel and its enclosure.
As also illustrated in the above-referenced United States patents, such means as rechargeable electrochemical batteries offer some usages, but encounter huge problems involving key issues such as storage space, leakage and longevity. Therefore flywheel driven systems may offer distinct advantages over such systems. However, as flywheel power storage system designs have evolved from smaller, physically limited structures with minimal storage capacity to the high capacity systems employing industrial sized magnetic members prevalent today, material restrictions and other such factors inherent with have arisen. Said considerations must be overcome in order to facilitate reaching the maximal energy storage and output to render flywheel energy storage systems a viable alternative.
In modern applications, due to the need for extremely large magnetic arrays and magnetic members, current manufacturing capabilities restrict magnetic arrays to structures containing joined magnetic segments. Due to the inherent discontinuities in flux density across these segments occurring upon interface of the rotor and stator, if faced directly with rotor, the permanent magnet array will induce eddy current and excess heat upon the rotor. Thus, in order to address this shortcoming, what is needed is a mechanism and/or system which works to eradicate these problems by vitiating or smoothing out the discontinuities from the segments.
Additionally, in modern larger applications, magnetic force generated either by permanent magnet or electromagnet or the combination of both is used to lift the rotor in a flywheel system. Magnetic force generated by a pair of stationary stator and rotor is normally highly sensitive to the air gap separating the stator and rotor. High sensitivity implies low magnetic force as the gap is large and excessively high force as the gap is small. Lower force at the large gap requires designs with either stronger magnets or higher current to lift the rotor, and excessively high force at small gap would potentially damage the parts under the fault conditions.
Previous failure of high capacity flywheel systems often is found to be triggered by overloading and overheating of the touchdown ball bearing. When utilizing a pure electromagnet lift magnet, failure offer occurs as the electrical power is tripped during normal operation due to the high lifting force requirement. As the lifting force dissipates, the heavy rotor will then sit on the ball bearings, and thus, due to the heavy load, will heat up the ball bearings in a short expense of time. Thus, as the ball bearing fails, the high speed rotor loses the mechanical support, and rotates basically out of round, contacting the casing. Thus, wear, catastrophic at times and even explosions within the casing may occur.
Further, in systems utilizing magnetic force generated either by a permanent magnet or electromagnet or the combination of both to lift the rotor, the magnetic force generated by a pair of stationary stators and rotor is normally highly sensitive to the air gap separating the stator and rotor. High sensitivity implies that low magnetic force occurs when the gap is large in magnitude and excessively high force occurs when the gap is small in magnitude. The larger gap condition at which lower force occurs requires designs with either stronger magnets or higher current to lift the rotor; whereas, on the other hand, the excessively high force at small gap could potentially damage parts or the overall system under fault conditions.
Therefore, when investigating the typical lift magnet design, what is needed is a design that can provide magnetic force with low gap sensitivity, for the conditions at which the magnetic force is moderately higher at the large gap configuration and significantly lower at the small gap configuration. Additionally, what is needed is a system, mechanism or method of operation, which minimizes the load on the ball bearings in the case where the rotor drops on the bearing for any potential failure mode. Also needed is a system to prevent the high speed rotor form sticking to the stator under any potential failure mode while also minimizing the electrical power used in the lift magnet system to minimize the heat generation which lends to superior control of the rotor.

Lift magnet mechanism for flywheel power storage systems


A decoration lamp comprising a bulblet, a bulblet stand and a bulblet socket, the bulblet is inserted into the bulblet socket and the bulblet socket is inserted into the bulblet stand. The bulblet socket has two ears disposed outside and a trough is located on the outer curved surface of the ear. The bulblet stand has two L-shaped bars in corresponding to the two troughs of the ears. A cap in round shape with big and small hollow rooms and a opened top are for enclosing the bulblet and the bulblet stand. The L-shaped bar of the bulblet stand is inserted into the trough on the ear of the bulblet socket and the cap encloses the bulblet stand for waterproof objective.

The invention relates to a Christmas decoration lamp, more particularly relates to a lamp which consists an eared bulblet and a waterproof cap. The conventional Christmas lamp decoration is in series and can be hanged in Christmas trees and later the net-shaped Christmas lamp decoration was developed with ears to hang the wires. The present invention has a bulblet socket with ears and a cap to prevent water from getting in. It mainly comprising a bulblet, a bulblet stand and a bulblet socket. The bulblet is inserted into the bulblet socket, the bulblet is then inserted into the bulblet stand, two filament of the bulblet go through the bulblet socket and expose outside. Two ears are disposed at the circumference of a stopping ring on the bulblet socket, a vertical trough is located on the outer circumference of the ear. Two L-shpaed bars are disposed on the bulblet stand in corresponding to the vertical troughs of the ears. A cap with an opened top has a big and small hollow room for enclosing the bulblet and the bulblet socket. Accordingly, the L-shaped bar of the bulblet stand is inserted into the vertical trough of the ear of the bulblet socket, the big hollow room of the cap encloses the upper of the bulblet stand and the stopping ring of the bulblet socket, while the small hollow room encloses the bulblet, thus can prevent water from getting inside.

Christmas lamp decoration with eared bulblet and waterproof cap