Memory arrays of non-binary physical dimensions are disclosed. A novel addressing scheme provides that multiple word lines are activated in response to each received address code. Generally, at least two physical block rows containing blocks of an addressed logical block row are activated in response to each address. Block rows containing redundant blocks are activated in response to every address. In a specific embodiment, a 1 M-bit array arranged in 11 rows of blocks and 6 columns of blocks functions as an 8.times.8 block logical array, with two blocks available for redundancy. The availability of non-binary physical arrays affords a designer new flexibility in meeting packaging constraints and redundancy specifications.

The present invention relates to integrated circuits and, more particularly, to integrated circuit memory devices. A major objective of the present invention is to provide for greater flexibility in integrated circuit memory design to meet package size constraints.
Recent technological progress has been closely identified with the development of high-speed, high-density integrated circuits. Among the most prevalent of integrated circuit devices are random access memories (RAMs). RAMs are typically divided into dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) and static random access memories (SRAMs). DRAMs have the advantages of relatively low cost and relatively high density, but require refresh cycles that incur speed and power penalties. SRAMs are favored where memory access times must be kept to a minimum. An increasingly common computer architecture uses high-density DRAM memory for bulk memory and SRAM as cache memory to speed access to the most commonly used operations and data. SRAMs also have relatively low power requirements and are commonly used in battery powered units, including portable computers.
A conventional SRAM architecture includes an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns. Data is communicated to and from the memory device via data ports. Cells are selected as a function of address codes received at address inputs. Read and write operations are selected at control inputs. In addition, power and ground, for example, nominal 5 V and 0 V, respectively, are supplied at respective terminals. An address decoder transforms received address codes into control signals that implement the requested cell selection. The address decoder transmits signals along word lines causing cells in a cell row to be coupled to respective true and false bit lines of a selected cell column. Some recent devices use divided word line architectures that divide the cell array into separately addressable blocks. This reduces capacitive loading by decreasing the number of cells in a cell row sharing a common row-select line. The address decoder also transmits signals to column pass gates or column transmission gates to couple selected bit lines to respective sense amplifiers and thence to the data ports.
SRAM designers, along with the designers of other memory types, are faced with competing demands for more advanced devices and for devices that are compatible with existing standards. For example, there is a demand for devices with greater memory capacity that fit into industry standard package configurations. If a memory device is incorporated within a novel package, it is less likely to be retrofit into existing systems and into systems already well along their design path. In addition, many systems builders are reluctant to depend on a single source, especially for memory devices, so they will not accept a new package until other manufacturers adopt it as a standard. Standardization of a new package configuration requires agreement between fierce industry competitors. Standards continue to evolve, but the process is time-consuming and its outcome is often uncertain. Therefore, if a new device can be incorporated into an accepted standard package, its acceptance in the marketplace is more easily assured.
However, the constraints imposed by standard packages can be burdensome. Memory devices have generally evolved by factors of four. For example, common SRAM devices have included 1024-bit (1 kilobit=1k), 4k, 16k, 64k, 256k, and 1024k (1 megabit=1M) memories. Binary addressing schemes favor memories in which the number of addressable cells is a power of two. For a rectangular array of cells, this requires that the number of cell rows is a power of two, and that the number of cell columns is a power of two. Thus, a 64k=2.sup.16 memory can have 256=2.sup.8 cell rows and 256 cell columns. When processing technology permits denser memory arrays, the tendency is to double the number of cell rows and double the number of cell columns. Thus, the next generation device would be 512.times.512, which yields a 256k-bit memory.
When processing technology provides for 50% linear reduction in cell pitch, the next generation can be arranged in roughly the same area as the previous generation. However, pitch reductions are usually less dramatic. Furthermore, pitch reductions can be offset by increasing routing complexity and increased architectural complexity--e.g., the more sophisticated block decode logic used in bigger memory devices. Hence, while processing technology provides some savings in device area, memories with larger capacity generally require more area.
Thus, a device with four times as many cells fabricated using a process providing a 25% reduction in feature size could require an array 50% longer and 50% wider than the previous generation memory. When no suitable standard package is available, some adjustments must be made. Sometimes, a standard package can accommodate a change in one dimension and not the other. In this case, a designer could limit the number of cell rows and cell columns in one dimension while taking advantage of the latitude in the other dimension. Thus, a 512.times.256 memory using the advanced technology could fit a package; however, the resulting device would have a 128k memory size, which is non-standard. If sufficient latitude in one dimension were available, a 256k memory could be arranged as 1024.times.256 cells. While these accommodations can be made, the number of options is still quite limited.
As an extreme example, a package that can accommodate a maximum of 500.times.500=250,000 cells, accommodates a maximum of 256.times.256=64k binary-addressable cells. It is difficult to optimize memory capacity and yet conform to the dimensional constraints of standard packages.
The provision of redundant cells in memory devices modifies the basically binary character of memory array dimensions, but only slightly. The more cells in a memory device, the more likely it is that at least one of these cells will be defective. Extra cells can be manufactured on a device to substitute for cells found during testing to be defective. A laser can be used to reroute addressing signals to the substitute cells. The substitute cells can be arranged as additional cell columns or cell rows. In a divided word or other block architecture, the substituted cells can be arranged in separate blocks, or as additional rows or columns in blocks containing the main cells.
Generally, redundant blocks are more conveniently implemented than are redundant cell rows or redundant cell columns in each block. However, implementation of redundant blocks in a conventional divided word architecture requires one redundant block for each block row or one redundant block for each block column. Generally, this requirement results in a greater level of redundancy than is required, thus wasting valuable area on an integrated circuit.
To permit substitution of any of the main cells without drastically increasing addressing complexity, substitution is on a row-by-row, column-by-column or block-by-block basis. Even if only one cell is defective, its entire block, cell row, cell column, block row or block column will be replaced. To permit any cell to be replaced, redundant blocks, columns and rows are arranged to extend either the entire length or the entire width of the memory array. It is not necessary to provide redundancy over both the full width and the full length. Therefore, redundant cells can be added so that the length of the array is increased, but not the width; alternatively, the redundant cells can be added so that the width of the array is increased, but not the length. The choice can be made to conform to packing constraints.
Accordingly, a memory device incorporating redundancy will not generally have an array that has a binary power of cells. Such a device could have a semi-binary array that is 2.sup.m .multidot.(2.sup.n +r), where m, n and r are positive integers. For example, four percent redundancy can be provided in a 256.times.266 array. One dimension of the array is binary and the other is near binary. This would still fall far short of efficient utilization of the 250,000 cell capacity for the package in the above example.
Thus, providing redundancy can use some of the area otherwise wasted when array dimensions conform to packaging constraints. However, this saving is limited. Redundancy requirements arise primarily from yield considerations. Rerouting complexities and the law of diminishing returns limit the amount of useful redundancy. The basic difficulty of efficiently accommodating newer, higher-capacity memories in standard packages remains.

Integrated circuit memory with non-binary array configuration


Disclosed is an electrode active material that has a large charge discharge capacity, a high initial efficiency, as well as excellent cycle characteristics and rate characteristics and is favorably used in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. An organo sulfur-based electrode active material contains sodium and potassium in a total amount of 100 ppm by mass to 1000 ppm by mass; an electrode for use in a secondary battery, the electrode containing the organo sulfur-based electrode active material as an electrode active material; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including the electrode. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material further contains iron in an amount of 1 ppm by mass to 20 ppm by mass. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, and the amount of sulfur in the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is 25 mass % to 60 mass %.

Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries such as lithium ion secondary batteries are small and lightweight, have a high energy density, are furthermore can be repeatedly charged and discharged, and thus are widely used as power sources for portable electronic devices such as portable personal computers, handheld video cameras, and information terminals. Also, from the viewpoint of environmental issues, electric vehicles, in which non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries are used, and hybrid vehicles, in which electric power is used as part of the motive power, are in practical use. Therefore, in recent years, there has been demand for further improvements in performance of secondary batteries.
The characteristics of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery depend on constituent members such as electrodes, a separator, and an electrolyte, and research and development on the various constituent members have been actively conducted. In an electrode, an electrode active material is important as well as a binding agent, a current collecting material, and the like, and thus, research and development on electrode active materials have been actively conducted.
An organo sulfur-based electrode active material that is obtained by heat-treating a mixture of an organic compound and sulfur in a non-oxidizing atmosphere is known as an electrode active material that has a large charge discharge capacity and in which the reduction in the charge discharge capacity caused by repetition of charge and discharge (hereinafter, also referred to as "cycle characteristics") is small (see Patent Literatures 1 to 12, for example). Organo sulfur-based electrode active materials have been studied mainly as electrode active materials for a positive electrode, but also have been studied as electrode active materials for a negative electrode (see Patent Literatures 8 and 9, for example).


A cover for an air conditioning system includes a fluid inlet port adapted to permit fluid located outside the interior space to enter through a wall of the cover and into a first interior space portion of the cover. The cover further includes a fluid outlet port adapted to permit fluid located inside the second interior space portion to exit through the wall to a location outside the interior space. The cover may be integrated as part of a vehicle wherein a fluid inlet port of the cover can be placed in fluid communication with an air inlet of a first evaporator fan and an air inlet of a second evaporator fan and a fluid outlet port of the cover can be placed in fluid communication with an air outlet of the second evaporator fan. Methods also include retrofitting a vehicle comprising the steps of removing a first cover from a support surface and mounting a second cover to the support surface.

Conventional trucks frequently include a driver cab with a driver compartment and a sleeper cab with a sleeper compartment. It is also known to provide an air conditioning system that directs conditioned air into the driver compartment. The conventional air conditioning system is adapted to draw a return air stream from the sleeper compartment of the truck. FIGS. 1–3 depict a conventional cover 10 typically used in the sleeper compartment that is adapted to provide an inlet port for the return air stream. The cover 10 comprises a body 12 including a wall 14 defining an undivided interior space 16. The wall 14 includes a peripheral edge 18 defining an opening 20 to the undivided interior space 16.
The cover 10 is adapted to be mounted to a mounting surface 32 including an opening 34 to facilitate communication with the return air stream of the air conditioning system in use. Since the interior space 16 is undivided, the cover 10 may be located in a variety of positions relative to the support surface 32 so long as the footprint defined by the peripheral edge 18 is located over the mounting surface opening 34.
The conventional cover 10 also includes a first storage pocket 22 and a second storage pocket 28 that may be used to store miscellaneous items. As further illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first storage pocket 22 includes an electrical socket 24 that includes electrical wires 26 adapted to be threaded through the support surface opening 34 for connection to a power source. The conventional cover 20 includes a fluid inlet port 30 but provides no provision for a fluid outlet port. It would be desirable to provide an improved cover including both fluid inlet and fluid outlet ports to provide a return air intake as well as an outlet port for conditioned air.
Moreover, the vehicle may not be configured to readily provide heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) when parked. Specifically, it is to be appreciated that such vehicles may not provide for a desired air handling (e.g., air conditioning) of the sleeper compartment when the vehicles are not being driven. For example, if the vehicle is parked and conditioned air is desired, the engine of the vehicle, which drives the associated engine driven air-conditioning unit, may need to be operated. Therefore, powering the air conditioner with an engine can result in air pollution, sound pollution, and engine wear concerns. As such, there is a need to address issues concerning air conditioning which can be used when the vehicle is stationary.

Cover for an air conditioning system and methods


A system and method for intelligently generating computer code. The system being comprised of a local computer, which is connected to a remote computer via a network system or the Internet and which is capable of exchanging files with the remote computer. The local computer is further comprised of a document manager for transferring files between the local computer and the remote computer and for providing enhanced file management functions. The document manager works in connection with the server module, the site manager and the connectivity layer to connect to remote computers, to transparently exchange files with the remote computer and to manage server profiles and connection information that is related to remote computers and transferred files. Once the file is transferred to the local computer, the editor can modify the code associated with the file; the editor is also capable of creating new files. The visualizer is capable of displaying a program flow diagram and a data flow diagram, which are comprised of program flow icons and data flow arrows to depict the code in terms of processing blocks and data blocks. To assist in developing new code or editing existing code, the template manager allows the user to browse through a directory of existing code sections or templates and to copy templates into the selected code for editing. For allowing the editor to process code that is written in different Data Management System programming languages and for creating the program flow icons, the parser layer detects the file type of a selected file and activates the rules and logic that apply to the corresponding Data Management System.

This invention relates generally to software maintenance and development tools and, more particularly, to an extensible, language independent software development tool having a graphical user interface, i.e., a GUI Integrated Development Environment.
The evolution of data manipulation and data management systems, such as SAS®, SPSS® and SQL®, and relational database management systems, such as IBM® DB2 UDB® and the Oracle® RDBMS, has resulted in several high-level software languages that are inconsistent and, in some cases, unstructured. Based on these inconsistencies and the unstructured nature of some of these languages, database management languages may be difficult to use, edit and debug. Moreover, because of the lack of a standardized syntax among these programming languages, it has been difficult for users of these languages to share code. This is particularly the case with SAS®.
Since the advent of personal computers and the GUI Interfaces such as Windows® Interfaces, it has become increasingly necessary for businesses to develop or purchase customized software in order to support specific business strategies or processes. This, in turn, has led to the implementation of a variety of software development tools and Integrated Development Environments ("IDEs"). Generally, these software development tools assist users and programmers in editing, debugging and developing software for specific programming languages. Software providers of data manipulation languages or systems have, however, failed to provide a single comprehensive software development tool capable of assisting users in the editing, visualizing, debugging and development of software. Furthermore, the creation of graphical development tools for particular programming languages, such as, SAS®, has been inhibited by the intricacies of the programming language itself.
Over the years, point solutions have been introduced to address specific issues. For example, there are a few GUI based ftp software packages to make the job of transferring and managing code easier. There are also a few GUI based editor software packages to make editing code easier. Still further, there are software packages that one can use to manually diagram program flow and data flow. What is lacking, however, is a software package that integrates these best of breed point solutions and integrates them in such a way that they work seamlessly with each other, e.g., to have an editor that is integrated with a ftp package so that the editor can edit files that are located in a remote server or to have the editor integrated with the diagramming package so the user does not have to manually generate and update program flow or data flow diagrams.
Thus, a need exists for an Integrated Development Environment for generating and maintaining software code, in particular, for data manipulation centric languages. More specifically, a need exists for a system and method for exchanging, editing, debugging, visualizing and developing SAS®, SPSS®, SQL®, DB2 UDB®, Oracle® RDBMS and other relational database management system software.

System and method for generating and maintaining software code


One aspect of the invention provides a method of deploying disaster alerts to a mobile vehicle. The method includes determining disaster area coordinates of a disaster area and calculating buffer coordinates of a buffer region based on the disaster area coordinates. The method further describes a vehicle circle based on a radius of at least one location coordinate of the mobile vehicle and compares the vehicle circle with the buffer region coordinates. The disaster area coordinates are compared with the vehicle circle. The method then deploys at least one disaster alert based on the comparison of the vehicle circle and buffer region coordinates and disaster area coordinates.

In a mobile vehicle communication system, a user occasionally needs to be alerted regarding natural disasters or crises that could impact upon the mobile vehicle being operated by the user. Such natural disasters or crises include floods, earthquakes or hurricanes. Other crises include large-scale traffic accidents or civil crises. The regions surrounding these crises are generally demarcated by government agency and the GPS coordinates for these regions are made available to the mobile vehicle communication system.
A particular disaster may span a finite or indeterminate amount of time. For example, a disaster alert such as a hurricane warning may be posted, alerting residents in the projected path of the hurricane to evacuate. The hurricane makes landfall, and potentially creates a disaster area. The disaster and its accompanying disaster alert may span the hurricane warning, landfall, and any clean up or recovery period following the land fall.
Currently disaster alerts typically come to all users, for example, over a vehicle's radio, but are not targeted specifically to users who are in or are nearing the disaster region. Moreover, if the user has the radio off, s/he will not hear the alert. Current disaster alerts tell, for example, what the disaster is and where the disaster is taking place. The alerts include warnings not to enter the disaster area or warnings what to do if in the disaster area.
It would be particularly desirable during a generalized disaster alert to target alerts to vehicles that are already in the region and even more desirable to pinpoint and alert vehicles that are nearing the region and could be turned away from it by a well-timed, pinpoint alert. It is also desirable to play the disaster alert to the user regardless of the status of independent features (i.e., the alert will play even if the radio is off). Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a disaster alert to vehicles without compromising the user's privacy by constantly tracking the locations of the vehicles. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a disaster alert while keeping data transmission costs down (i.e. generalized disaster alerts to all vehicles will require more data transmission costs than disaster alerts pinpointed to fewer, specific vehicles).
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system and method for deploying disaster alerts so that they are targeted to vehicles in or near the disaster region. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a method for deploying disaster alerts in a mobile vehicle communication system, and to overcome the obstacles described above.

Method and system for deploying disaster alerts in a mobile vehicle communication system


To optimize the performance of a canard airplane with an engine in front, the canard is mounted forward of its location in existing canard airplanes. Specifically, the canard is located with its leading edge significantly ahead of the firewall. This allows the canard to be mounted higher on the fuselage, providing aerodynamic improvements. The engine may be mounted to, or near, the canard spar, simplifying the structure. The added leverage of the further-forward canard allows the wing to be moved forward also. This makes possible a low wing under the occupants of the airplane. Efficient loading of the lifting surfaces is maintained by using a high aspect ratio canard.

Canard airplanes are inherently more efficient and safer than airplanes with a horizontal tail. The canard lifts where the horizontal tail pushes down. Hence there is less lift induced drag in a canard airplane. A properly loaded canard airplane cannot stall or spin. Hence it is safer. Still, canard airplanes have never been very popular. Existing designs have compromises that limit their usefulness. The major compromises include a severely limited range of position for the center of gravity (CG) and high takeoff and landing speeds.
In the last couple decades, experimental aircraft builders have made significant improvements in the performance of small planes. Some of these deserve mention here because some of the innovations described in this application are extensions to their work. First, the major proponent of canard aircraft is Burt Rutan. His best known planes are the VARI-EZE (which spawned a whole family of canard aircraft) and the Voyager (which flew around the world without refueling). A good quality VARI-EZE typically reaches a top speed of 90 m/s with a 75 kW engine. Second, the most popular homebuilt planes in the world are the RV family, designed by Dick Van Grunsven. These are conventional airplanes with horizontal tails. A good quality RV typically reaches a top speed of 90 m/s with a 120 kW engine. Both these designs fly about twice as fast as a small Cessna (for example) using little, if any, more power. Thus they go about twice as far on any given amount of fuel.
Klaus Savier, Santa Paula, Calif., built the world's fastest VARI-EZE. He increased the power produced by the standard engine by about 30% (which should give a 9% speed increase to about 98 m/s) and has streamlined his VARI-EZE to reach top speeds of about 110 m/s and fuel economy of 21 km/I at 90 m/s. Dave Anders, Visalia, Calif., built the world's fastest RV-4. He boosted the power by 50% (which should give a 15% speed increase to 103 m/s) and has streamlined it to reach a speed of 122 m/s. The work of both these builders is well known within the experimental aircraft community.
Another airplane that deserves mention is the AR-5, which was designed from scratch by Mike Arnold. It is a conventional style airplane with outstanding aerodynamics. It is a one place airplane powered by an engine producing 49 kW. It flew 93 m/s in level flight and set a world record of 95 m/s for airplanes weighing under 300 kg in flight. (The official race rules allow some descent over the measured distance.) There are no plans or detailed information about this airplane. It has been studied carefully only by a few specialists at the invitation of the owner/builder. One known problem in the airplane is that the engine overheats with little provocation. Marginal cooling is one solution to the cooling drag problem. This might be acceptable for a single purpose airplane designed to break a speed record, but it is not acceptable in a general purpose aircraft.
One big disadvantage of the EZ family is the limited range of CG with which it can be flown safely. This results in the condition that, on the ground, the plane falls over backward when the pilot is not in it. The EZ airplanes are tricycle gear planes with the engine in the rear. If it falls over backward, it generally causes serious damage. The main disadvantage of the RV family is that they are conventional airplanes, hence can stall and spin if the speed is not high enough. Neither family of airplanes is designed to be as aerodynamic as desirable and the exceptional performance achieved by Klaus and Dave are the result of considerable investment of personal time and ingenuity.
Dr. Cliff Cordy built a Quickie II which flies over 80 m/s with a 45 kW engine. This is extremely fast for the power, despite the abominable engine cooling and wheel fairings that were part of the kit design. That means the wings and fuselage are extremely aerodynamic. The big disadvantage of the Q2 is that the canard is behind the engine, thus very heavily loaded. In order for the wing to be far enough forward to act as a wing, not a horizontal stabilizer, the distance from the wing to the canard must be small, and the CG of the airplane is very critical.
There is no prior single engine canard airplane that has a reasonably wide range of allowable CG position. The main difficulty in designing a single engine canard airplane is that the engine must be at the front or rear of the airplane, not on the wing, as is possible in a twin engine airplane. Placing the engine above the airplane is theoretically possible, but that introduces a whole set of undesirable mechanical and aerodynamic problems. In existing airplanes with the engine in front, as in the Quickie family, the canard has to carry the majority of the weight of the airplane. This forces the canard to be large, and it almost becomes the wing. To keep the wing far enough forward to function as a wing instead of a horizontal stabilizer, the distance from the wing to the canard must be small. This results in an undesirably critical location of the CG. If the engine is in the rear, as in the EZ family, and in the original incarnation of the race airplane named Pushy Galore, the wing carries most of the weight, but the pusher configuration introduces a new set of limitations, including the impossibility of making a taildragger configuration (with a small tail wheel as opposed to a nose wheel) and less efficient engine cooling.
No existing canard airplane that is designed to fly fast provides the ability to fly and land at low speeds. In conventional aircraft, slow flight is achieved by using wing flaps. In a canard design, the use of wing flaps would actually increase the minimum flying speed.

Better balanced canard airplane with forward engine


A method for mounting a semiconductor package onto PCB is disclosed. A semiconductor package is provided, which comprises a plurality of outer terminals exposed out of an encapsulant. A PCB is provided and has a surface with a plurality of contact pads. Each contact pad has a first exposed side, an opposing exposed second side and a center between the exposed sides. A plurality of first pre-solders and a plurality of second pre-solders are formed on the surface by one single printing. The first pre-solders and the second pre-solders respectively cover the first and second exposed sides of the contact pads, spaces between the opposing first and second pre-solders expose the centers of the contact pads. Then the first and second pre-solders are reflowed and the semiconductor package is mounted on the PCB. When the outer terminals is connected to the contact pads, each first pre-solder and second pre-solder are flowed toward the corresponding exposed centers of the contact pad to prevent the fine pitch contact pads from bridging.

A well-known SMT technology is used for mounting a semiconductor package with a plurality of outer terminals on a printed circuit board (PCB). Because of the outer terminals of the semiconductor package become more and more, the pitch of the outer terminals also becomes smaller and smaller. Conventionally all the outer terminals have to mount on the corresponding contact pads of the PCB via solder paste. A plurality of pre-solders are formed on the contact pads prior to SMT processes. When the outer terminals of the semiconductor package are pressed on the pre-solders, the flowing direction of the pre-solders becomes uncontrollable which may easily spread out and cause bridging between two adjacent contact pads.
A method of surface mounting semiconductor package is disclosed in R.O.C. Taiwan Patent No. 483299. A semiconductor package has an exposed die pad. A solder receiving groove is formed on the outside surface of the die pad. A first solder is formed on a ground panel of a printed circuit board (PCB). A plurality of second solders are formed on a plurality of fingers of the PCB. During the reflowing process, the first solder connects the ground panel and die pad, the second solders connect the fingers and the outer leads of the semiconductor package. The solder receiving groove can receive the first solder to avoid solder beads formation and contamination to the outer leads or fingers. However, bridging problems of the second solders between the fingers cannot be solved by means of the solder receiving groove.

Method for mounting a semiconductor package onto PCB

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


A transport and storage container for liquids with a pallet-like underframe, an exchangeable inner container of synthetic material with four side walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, a closeable inlet opening at the top and a lower outlet opening with a draining device, and with an outer casing surrounding the inner container, wherein the outer casing is formed of vertically and horizontally extending grate rods of metal. The transport and storage container is provided with a support insert with four side walls arranged between the inner container and the outer casing, wherein the support insert is of an electrically conductive material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transport and storage containers for liquids with a pallet-like underframe, an exchangeable inner container of synthetic material with four side walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, a closeable inlet opening at the top and a lower outlet opening with a draining device, and with an outer casing surrounding the inner container, wherein the outer casing is formed of vertically and horizontally extending grate rods of metal.
2. Description of the Related Art
When liquid containers of this type known from DE 195 11 723 C1 are filled and emptied and when liquids are stirred in this type of containers, for example, for mixing purposes, electric charges may occur at the container surfaces as a result of liquid friction. The principal danger of electrostatic charging is the fact that ignition sources come into contact with explodable mixtures of gases and vapors.
Because the electrostatic charging capability of the inner container of synthetic material, transport and storage containers of the aforementioned type cannot be used in explosion-endangered rooms and cannot be filled with explosive liquids.
Another disadvantage of the aforementioned type of pallet container is the fact that they are insufficiently fire resistant in the case of fire, because of the outer casing of vertical and horizontal grate rods. The insufficient fire resistance of the known container results in higher storage costs as compared to fire resistant containers, wherein the higher costs are due to increased insurance premiums.

Transport and storage container for liquids


A working tool and a cladding device are interchangeably mounted on a working head of a working apparatus. First, in a condition in which the working tool is attached to the working head, a die blank is subjected to profiling, and also a predetermined portion is cut to thereby form a beveled portion Then, the working tool on the working head is changed to a cladding device to thereby perform cladding on the beveled portion with a required material. Thereafter, the cladding device on the working head is changed again to the working tool to thereby finish the clad portion into a predetermined shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of working (or fabricating) a press die in which a specific portion of the press die is formed or made of a material which is different from a die main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a press die, e.g., a trimming die having a blade portion for cutting a blank plate, there is conventionally known one in which the blade portion is formed of a material which is higher in hardness than a main body of the press die.
In manufacturing this kind of trimming die, the following steps are employed Namely, a blank for a trimming die (also called a die blank) is subjected to profiling (ice., machining for profiling purpose) Also, that edge portion of the die blank which corresponds to the blade portion of the trimming die is cut to thereby form a beveled or chamfered portion. This beveled portion is then clad or overlaid with a material that is used for forming the blade portion by means of arc welding or the like. This clad portion is thereafter worked or machined into a predetermined shape to thereby form the blade portion.
In this case, it is normal practice to transfer the die blank, after the beveled portion has been formed, from a working apparatus to a welding machine to thereby perform the cladding work, and thereafter to return the die blank back again to the working apparatus to thereby perform the working or machining of the clad portion.
The above-described method has a disadvantage in that the transfer of the die blank between the working apparatus and the welding machine takes much time, with the result that the productive efficiency is lowered.
In view of the above-described point, the present invention has an object of providing a method of working a press die in which the necessity of transferring of the die blank has been eliminated and which is therefore high in productive efficiency.


The present invention is directed towards paper machine clothings comprised of interconnected bicomponent fibers. In one embodiment of the invention, the paper machine clothing is comprised entirely of bicomponent fibers in both the machine and cross machine direction. Advantage is taken of the unique bicomponent fiber structure, which permits selection of different materials for the sheath and core components. For instance, the sheath material may have a melting point lower than the melting point of the core material. Accordingly, a fused, bonded structure of bicomponent fibers can be formed where the sheath component has a melting point lower than the core component. By heating a fabric constructed of bicomponent fibers to a temperature greater than the melting point of the sheath component and lower than the melting point of the core component, with subsequent cooling of the fabric to below melt temperature of the sheath component, a fused, bonded structure will result.

Paper machine clothing is the term for industrial fabrics used on paper machines in the forming, pressing and drying sections. They are generally fabricated with either polyester or polyamide multifilaments and/or monofilaments woven on conventional, large textile looms. These fabrics have been fabricated by conventional weaving techniques. The materials and processes, although an industry standard, have some inherent limitations described below.
The primary function of all paper machine clothing (PMC) is removal of water from the paper sheet. As both the manufacturer of paper machine builder and papermaker work to increase the speed of the papermaking process and improve paper quality, new barriers have been identified for PMC fabrics that demand innovation in materials and fabric design. Furthermore, the PMC manufacturer is also looking for more efficient production of PMC fabrics and enhancing key quality characteristics of the same.
Today, paper making machines are attaining such rapid speeds that the thickness of the fabric structure is beginning to limit the rate of water removal, especially in the forming section. Insufficient dewatering results in low sheet strength. Sheet strength is critical for transferring and maintaining sheet properties through the next, more aggressive stages of sheet dewatering. One possible solution is to lengthen the forming section of the machine, but this is rather expensive and therefore of limited viability. The other approach is for the PMC manufacturer to produce thinner fabrics, but in a weaving process the smallest possible dimensions are the combined diameters of the filaments used in the warp and shute directions. Criteria such as dimensional stability, fabric strength and fabric life result in a practical limit to the fineness of the filament diameter and thus the overall thickness of the fabric. In many PMC positions, a tradeoff of these properties is not feasible or practical, and in fact higher machine speeds actually require further enhancement of these properties.
PMC fabrics are also porous media that must effectively achieve fluid flow, that is, either water flow in forming and pressing or air flow in drying. The porosity of the fabrics can greatly affect sheet properties important in the forming and pressing sections of the paper machine. Channels for transport are formed by the open spaces or interstices, between the warp and shute yarns. Channels also exist between the filaments at the crossover points. The weaving process limits the geometry of the pores because the yarn filaments are orthogonal.
The surface topography of PMC fabrics contributes to the quality of the paper product. Efforts have been made to create a smoother contact surface with the paper sheet. However, surface smoothness of PMC woven fabrics is limited by the topography resulting from the weave pattern and the filament physical properties. In a woven fabric (or knitted fabric), smoothness is inherently limited by the knuckles formed at the cross-over point of intersecting yarns.
PMC fabrics require constant cleaning because of build-up materials from the paper furnish. Two mechanisms of fabric soiling have been identified. Mechanical bonding occurs when fine particles from the paper furnish are entrapped in the spaces existing between filaments in the fabric. This mechanical bonding is enhanced by the fine interstices created at the orthogonal cross over points in a woven fabric. Chemical bonding describes the adherence of fine particles that comprise the furnish to the fabric due to the existence of chemical affinities. This problem has been studied over many years of effort and results indicate that mechanical bonding is more important than chemical bonding overall. Decreasing permeability from particle build-up decreases the useful life of a fabric. High pressure showers have been employed to wash the fabrics, but the harsh abrasive environment these showers present also decreases the useful life of PMC fabrics.
PMC manufacturing technology could be improved by speeding the weaving process. In weaving, a warp is threaded through a heddle, and the weave pattern is created by raising and lowering the heddle position for each filament in the warp direction before the shute pick. This is a slow process due to its many steps. A practical production rate for typical forming, pressing or dryer loom is limited to 100 picks/minute.
A variety of forming fabrics based largely upon polyester monofilaments have been developed in the past few decades. The most advanced of these developments is a two-layer monofilament fabric in which the two fabric layers are held together via a binder monofilament. Commercially, this fabric is sold under the name Triotex.RTM. by Albany International Corp., Albany, N.Y. The binder monofilament is the only monofilament in the Triotex.RTM. structure that holds the two fabric layers together. The top fabric layer is usually a plain weave structure, which is designed for optimal paper sheet formation. The bottom fabric layer is designed for wear and typically has long floats in which the shute monofilament travels under three or more warp monofilaments. These long floats are used as an abrasive wear surface, which wears away before wear can occur to the warp monofilaments. The binder monofilament is a shute monofilament that mechanically holds the top and bottom fabric layers together by traveling over a warp monofilament in the top fabric layer and under a warp monofilament in the bottom fabric layer. Under running conditions, the bottom and top fabric layers move relative to each other. This relative movement leads to fatigue and wear of the binder monofilament due to repeated deflection back and forth within the structure. Eventually, the binder monofilament will fail and allow the top and bottom fabrics to separate from each other. This separation leads to product failure.
PMC press fabrics are constructed from woven base fabrics of monofilaments and multifilaments. A carded web of staple filaments is needled onto the base fabric, forming a construction capable of transporting water away from the forming sheet of paper. Needling can damage the monofilaments in the base fabric, weakening the fabric. Press fabrics are also prone to shedding, the release of the batt fibers from the felt. Shedding results in a contaminated paper sheet and shortens the useful life of the press fabric. Paper sheet rewetting is often a problem in press fabrics. Fluid removed from the sheet in the press nip can return to the sheet immediately after exiting the nip, reducing the overall efficiency of the pressing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,409 discloses a nonwoven fabric having knuckle-free planar surfaces comprised of parallel linear machine direction yarns residing in a single plane and interconnecting, cross-machine direction polymeric material also residing in the plain, the cross machine direction material entirely surrounding the machine direction yarns. An array of side by side sheath core yarns are fed to machine direction grooves of a pinned roll section where they are forced into the grooves by heat and pressure. The sheath core monofilament cross section area is greater than the area of the machine direction groove so that excess sheath material is forced into cross direction grooves to form the cross directional interconnecting structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,116 discloses a forming fabric having a non-woven surface coating. The forming fabrics have a transverse nonwoven sheet contact layer adhered to the base fabric layer. The fluid flow passageways between adjacent structured members in the nonwoven sheet contact layer are smaller than the fluid flow passageways in the adjacent base fabric layer and are in fluid communication with the nonwoven sheet contact surface or the nonwoven surface adjacent the base fabric, or both. The nonwoven sheet contact layer may be comprised of bicomponent fibers having a polyester core and low melting temperature copolyester sheath. It is disclosed that these fibers could be adhered to each other and to the base fabric by fusion bonding means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,797 discloses a bonded yarn bundle comprising at least one twisted multifilament yarn composed of a first synthetic polymer, whose individual filaments have become bonded together over essentially the entire thread cross-section by the melting of a second thermoplastic synthetic polymer whose melting point is at least 10.degree. C. below the melting or decomposition point of the first synthetic polymer.
The yarn bundles comprised of a yarn of a first synthetic polymer is a meltable or nonmeltable polymer which provides a high strength characteristic. The yarn of a second synthetic polymer is a meltable material whose melting point is lower than the melting point of the first material.
GB 2 097 435 discloses a papermaker's fabric using yarns woven from high melting point monofilament or multifilament warp yarns and similar top and bottom weft yarns. Stiffer weft yarns in the center plane of the fabric are lower melting point synthetic yarns. The fabric is heated to a temperature to cause the low melt temperature stuffer yarns to melt and flow in a way that they fill voids in the weave pattern, reducing permeability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,281 discloses a papermaker's fabric, woven from uniformly precoated, totally encapsulated monofilament yarns. The yarns are coated prior to the weaving of the papermaker's fabric in order to impart anti-sticking characteristics to the papermaker's fabric. The coatings may be such that thickness of the machine direction yarns is different than the thickness of the cross-machine direction yarns.

Paper machine clothings constructed of interconnected bicomponent fibers


Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for reducing latency in web-browsing TTS systems without the use of a plug-in or Flash® module. A system configured according to the disclosed methods allows the browser to send prosodically meaningful sections of text to a web server. A TTS server then converts intonational phrases of the text into audio and responds to the browser with the audio file. The system saves the audio file in a cache, with the file indexed by a unique identifier. As the system continues converting text into speech, when identical text appears the system uses the cached audio corresponding to the identical text without the need for re-synthesis via the TTS server.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to low latency text-to-speech and more specifically to web-based low latency text-to-speech without plugins.
2. Introduction
Current approaches for incorporating text-to-speech (TTS) functionality for web browsing or other web-based applications suffer from several limitations. For a system to be responsive, or in other words to have low latency characteristics, current approaches feed the text to be synthesized to the synthesizer in small chunks, and use Adobe® Flash® Player or some other external program or web browser plug-in to render the audio. These other programs may not always be available, especially so on mobile or other low-resource devices. Thus, the TTS system is often deprived of potentially valuable information that would be present in complete sentences or paragraphs. This information, if it were available, could be used to render the audio with appropriate prosody or other features. These approaches can provide either good latency or good prosody, but provide each at the expense of the other. In other words, current approaches for web-based TTS are unable to provide both good latency and good prosody at the same time, and rely on browser plug-ins.

System and method for low-latency web-based text-to-speech without plugins


A frame is provided for mounting a fabric layer stack and retaining it in a substantially taut condition. The frame is supported for manually guided movement beneath a fixedly located stitch head and a detector is provided to produce signals representing the magnitude of frame translation, and thus the magnitude of stack translation. The detector signals are applied to control circuitry to actuate the stitch head at a rate related to stack translation speed. The frame is supported by bearings; wheels, slides, etc, which permit the frame to be freely manually guided across a frame supporting surface beneath the stitch head.

Creating decorative quilts by hand has become a popular avocation. A typical quilt is comprised of at least two fabric layers which are stacked and stitched together. Generally the quilt is comprised of a "top" layer, a "bottom" or "backing" layer, and an intermediate "batting" layer. The top layer is typically decorative and is produced as a consequence of the creative and artistic effort of the quilt maker. The backing layer is usually simple and aesthetically compatible with the top. The batting layer generally provides bulk and insulation. The specific process of sewing the sandwich of the three planar layers together is generally referred to as "quilting". The quilting process usually consists of forming long continuous patterns of stitches which extend through and secure the top, backing, and batting layers together. Oftentimes stitch patterns are selected which have a decorative quality to enhance the overall aesthetics. A general goal of the quilting process is to produce precise consistent stitches that are closely and uniformly spaced.
Quilting traditionally has been performed by hand without the aid of a sewing machine. However, hand quilting is a labor-intensive process which can require many months of effort by a practiced person to create a single quilt. Accordingly, it appears that a trend is developing toward using machines to assist in the quilting process to allow most of the quilter's effort to be directed toward the creative and artistic aspects of the top layer.
Machine quilting can be performed in a variety of ways. For example, a user can operate a substantially conventional sewing machine in a "free motion" mode by removing or disabling the machine's feed dogs. This allows the user to manually move the stacked quilt layers relative to the machine's needle, either directly or via a quilt frame, to produce desired patterns of stitches. In practice, the sewing machine is run at a relatively constant speed as the user moves the stacked quilt materials under the needle. This process typically requires significant operator skill acquired after much practice to enable the operator to move the quilt stack in synchronism with the needle stroke to form high quality stitch patterns. Thus, free motion quilting with a conventional sewing machine requires significant user skill and yet frequently yields imperfect results, particularly when forming curved and intricate stitch patterns.
Machine quilting can also be performed by using a wide range of specialized hand guided quilting systems which have become available in recent years. The characteristics and features of such systems are discussed in an article which appeared in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine (QNM), April 2003, by Carol A. Thelen. The article identifies three categories of such systems; i.e., (1) Table top set-ups, (2) Shortarm systems, and (3) Longarm systems. They are generally characterized by a table which supports a frame and a quilting/sewing machine. The frame includes rollers which hold the quilt layers so as to enable a portion of the layered stack to be exposed for stitching while the remaining layer portions are stored on the rollers. The quilting/sewing machine rests on a carriage mounted for movement (e.g., along tracks) relative to the frame and table. The carriage is generally provided with handles enabling an operator to move the machine over the surface of the quilt. The QNM article further discusses optional add-ons and accessories enabling various electronic functions, including stitch regulation, to be added to basic shortarm or longarm systems.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,446 describes an apparatus which permits a user to manually move a stack of fabric layers across a planar bed, or plate, beneath an actuatable stitch head. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting the movement of the stack for the purpose of synchronizing the delivery of stitch strokes to the stack movement. This approach enables the insertion of uniform length stitches while allowing the user to move the stack within a wide range of speeds, to start or stop the stack movement at will, and to guide the stack in any direction across the planar bed.
The preferred embodiments described in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,446 employ a detector configured to detect stack movement within the throat space of a quilting/sewing machine by measuring the movement of at least one surface of the stack as it moves across the planar bed. As described, a preferred detector responds to energy, e.g., light, reflected from a target area on the stack surface (top and/or bottom) within the machine's throat space. The detector preferably provides output pulses representative of incremental translational movement of the stack along perpendicular X and Y directions. The output pulses are processed to determine the distance the stack moves. When the cumulative stack movement exceeds a threshold magnitude, a "stitch stroke" command is issued to cause the stitch head to insert a stitch through the stacked layers. As the user moves the stack across the planar bed, additional stitch stroke commands are successively issued to produce successive stitches.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,446 primarily contemplates that the user directly grasp, or touch, the stacked fabric layers to push and/or pull the stack across the planar bed. However, the application also recognizes that the user could, alternatively, mount the stack on a conventional quilt frame and then grasp the frame to move the stack across the planar bed to enable the detector to sense stack surface movement.

Quilting method and apparatus using frame with motion detector


The invention provides a human matrilin-3 (MAT-3) and polynucleotides which identify and encode MAT-3. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antibodies and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for treating disorders associated with expression of MAT-3.

Many eukaryotic cells are enveloped by an extracellular matrix of proteins that provide structural support, cell and tissue identity, and autocrine, paracrine and juxtacrine properties for the cell within its environment (McGowan, S. E. (1992) FASEB J. 6: 2895-2904). The diverse biochemistry of extracellular matrix proteins (ECMP) is indicative of the many, often overlapping, roles that are attributed to each distinct molecule (cf. Grant, D. S. and Kleinman, H. K. (1997) EXS 79: 317-333). Whilst a great number of ECMPs have been isolated, it still remains unclear how the majority interact with other ECMPs or with molecules residing within the cell membrane. Many ECMPs have been associated with tissue growth and cell proliferation, others with tissue or cell differentiation, and yet others with cell death (cf. Taipale, J. and Keski-Oja, J. (1997) FASEB J. 11: 51-59; Eleftheriou, C. S. et al. (1991) Mutat. Res. 256: 127-138).
Multidomain or mosaic proteins play an important role in the diverse functions of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in various tissues (Engel, J. et al. (1994) Development (Camb.) (suppl.) 35-42). Cartilage matrix protein (CMP) is an abundant structural component of the ECM in some types of hyaline cartilage. It binds to aggrecan, the large cartilage proteoglycan, and to cartilage collagen fibrils; and it may serve to connect the two major macromolecular networks (Deak, F. et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272: 9268-9274).
The primary structure of the CMP monomer has been determined from the nucleotide sequences of human and mouse (Jenkins, R. N. et al. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265: 19624-19631; Aszodi, A. et al. (1996) Eur. J. Biochem. 236: 970-977). After cleavage of the signal peptide, each monomer of CMP consists of two von Willebrand factor type A (vWFA)-like modules (collagen-binding motifs) separated by an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like module and followed by a C-terminal domain. CMP transcript is evenly distributed in the developing mouse skeleton and in late gestation follows a zonal distribution paralleling hypertrophy and calcification; extraskeletal expression of CMP mRNA is detected in the eye [Aszodi, A. et al. (supra)].
CMP is one of the simplest members of the vWFA-like module superfamily, a diverse group of proteins sharing high sequence similarity over a segment. The vWFA-like module was first identified as the repeated type A domain of von Willebrand factor and has since been found not only in plasma proteins but also in plasma membrane and ECM proteins (Colombatti, A. and Bonaldo, P. (1991) Blood 77: 2305-2315). Crystal structure analysis of an integrin vWFA-like module has revealed a classic/"Rossmann" fold and suggested a metal ion-dependent adhesion site. This adhesion site is conserved in other vWFA-like modules and can be involved in binding protein ligands (Lee, J.-O. et al. (1995) Cell 80: 631-638).
A second CMP-like protein, matrilin-2, which shares many characteristics of CMP has recently been identified [Deak, et al. (supra)]. Murine matrilin-2 consists of one vWFA-like domain, ten epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like modules and a C-terminal domain which contains a coiled-coil motif. In addition, matrilin-2 has a N-terminal region rich in positively charged amino acid residues. Conserved homologies between the two proteins, CMP and matrilin-2, suggested that CMP be renamed as matrilin-1 [Deak, et al. (supra)]. Murine matrilin-2 differs from matrilin-1 in that it is detected in diverse tissue types. It is most abundant in embryonic limbs; in calvaria, uterus, heart and brain from newborn mice; and in murine fibroblast and rat osteoblast cell lines [Deak, et al. (supra)].
Elevated serum or synovial fluid levels of cartilage-specific markers, such as the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in animal models of osteoarthritis, may be used to predict disease progression (Saxne, T. and Heinegard, D. (1992) Br. J. Rheumatol 31: 583-591; Malemud, C. J. (1993) Curr. Opin. Rheumatol. 5: 494-502). Chondrodysplasias are characterized by abnormal development of articulating joints and bone. Two loci have been linked within several chondrodysplasia pedigrees. Collagen type II, collagen type X, and CMP have been excluded as disease loci, and mutations in COMP have been linked to pseudochondrodysplasia (Loughlin, J. et al. (1994) Hum. Genet. 94: 698-700; Hecht, J. T. et al. (1995) Nat. Genet. 10: 325-329).
The discovery of a new human matrilin-3 and the polynucleotides encoding it satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of developmental, vesicle trafficking, neoplastic, and immunological disorders.


A veneer reeling apparatus for winding a veneer sheet into a veneer roll comprising a freely rotatable take-up reel around which the veneer sheet is wound into the veneer roll, and an array of spaced conveyer belts extending below the take-up reel for advancing the veneer sheet toward the take-up reel. Veneer sheet is transferred by the plurality conveyer belts which include two groups of such belts and extending below the take-up reel. Air cylinder is provided for each belt to provide a first force to urge the belt toward the take-up reel so as to keep the belt in resiliently pressing contact with the veneer roll. The air cylinders are operable to changeably provide the first force to one group of belts and a second force, which is smaller than the first force, to the other group of belts, and vice versa. A control is provided to effect alternate changing between the first and second pressures in the first and second groups of belts whenever the belts have moved a predetermined distance.

For understanding of underlying problems of the invention, firstly reference is made to FIG. 32 schematically showing a conventional veneer reeling apparatus which is disclosed by Publication of Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (Kokai) 57-53306 of 1982.
This apparatus has a plurality of endless belts 151 for conveying veneer sheet 150, each trained round a driven front pulley disposed swingable as indicated by double-headed arrow about a pivotal axis defined by a rear pulley (not shown) located on opposite side of the belts 151. The reeling apparatus further includes a take-up reel 153 extending above the upper legs of the belts 151 for winding thereround veneer sheet 150 into a roll 154 and a plurality of sectional touch rolls 152 mounted on a shaft provided just below the reel 153. Each sectional touch roll 152 is located between any two adjacent belts 151 and driven to rotate at a peripheral speed that is slightly higher than the traveling speed of the conveyer belts 151. The shaft carrying the touch rolls 152 is resiliently supported, as indicated by double-headed arrow, and urged so as to make the touch rolls 152 to be in pressing contact with veneer roll 154.
In the above apparatus, veneer reeling is accomplished by rotating the veneer roll 154 by frictional force from the touch rolls 152 pressed thereagainst with a force that is large enough to effect the rotation. Because the veneer roll 154 and the touch rolls 152 are engaged substantially in circle-to-circle contact and hence the length of contact therebetween as seen in veneer conveying direction is rather short, the magnitude of stress resulting from the contact and acting on a unit area between the touch roll 152 and the veneer roll 154 is disadvantageously large. Consequently, the veneer sheet 150 is subjected at the point of contact to a stress that tends to strain or deform the sheet.
On the other hand, a veneer sheet 150 as peeled by a veneer lathe (not shown) comes out therefrom inherently in such a form that the sheet is waved at short intervals. Further, veneer sheet 150 is formed in the lower surface thereof with a number of small cracks, usually called "lathe checks", produced during peeling operation. Thus, veneer sheet generally tends to be deformed easily when it receives an external force. Additionally, because a wood veneer sheet is of heterogeneous quality, such deformation takes place variably from one location thereof to another along the line of contact between the veneer sheet and the touch rolls 152 even when it is subjected to application of the same force.
When subjected to the above straining or deforming stress at the touch rolls 152, veneer sheet 150 is stretched or extended in the region upstream of the touch rolls 152. Because this extension takes place variably from one location to another of the veneer sheet 150 across the direction in which it is moved, sheet movement tends to be deviated from a straightforward course along the belts 151, with the result that veneer sheet 150 may collide against a frame of the reeling apparatus, thus causing a damage to veneer sheet 150. Furthermore, any excessive extension of veneer sheet 150 causes slack in the sheet as indicated by 150a, which may result in formation of folds. If veneer sheet 150 is wound as folded round the roll 154, the sheet is broken at bends of the folds, thereby affecting the veneer quality and yield.


A recording device which improves a response time to write data by reporting to a host computer the completion of writing operation prior to the completion of writing redundancy data. Data writing command information from the host computer is stored in a command/status memory backed up by a power source in an array controller, and the completion of writing operation is reported to the host computer at the time of the completion of writing updated data prior to the completion of writing redundancy data. Redundancy data is written as a background process. If redundancy data could not be written due to any abnormality of the power source or the like, such redundancy data may be generated from the data in other disk units of the same redundancy group in accordance with writing command information stored in the command/status memory, thereby completing the writing of redundancy data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording device and an array-type recording device for use as a storage system in a computer, and, more particularly, to an improvement in the performance and reliability of a disk drive system having a plurality of disk units arranged in an array.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
A variety of literatures and patents have disclosed disk systems comprising a plurality of disk units arranged in an array. Of these literatures, an article titled "A Case for Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID)", Proc. ACM SIGMOD Conf., Chicago, Ill., June, 1988 published by The Berklay Institute of the University of California describes a method of dramatically improving the reliability of stored data. The article proposed classifying a method of improvement in data reliability into five levels. These range from a conventional mirror disk system to a block interleave parity system. Outlines of the respective levels are described as follows.
RAID level 1
This is of a conventional mirror (shadow) system wherein identical data are stored in two groups of disk units. The system according to RAID level 1 has been generally employed in systems requiring a high level of reliability. However, redundancy is considerable and the cost for unit capacity is accordingly high.
RAID level 2
A hamming code type which is used in a DRAM is applied to this level. Data are stored in data disks for a redundancy group in a bit interleaving manner. In the meantime, in order to enable correction of one bit error to be executed, ECC codes are written in a plurality of check disks for one group (one group comprising 10 to 25 sets of disks). Four check disks are required for ten sets of data disks. Redundancy is considerable.
RAID level 3
Predetermined parity disks are used and data are recorded in data disks of a certain group in a byte interleaving manner. Since error positions can be located by an ECC for each drive, one set of parity disks may be needed. This system is suitable for a high speed transfer by synchronously rotating spindles.
RAID level 4
Predetermined parity disks are used and data are recorded in data disks of a certain group in a block interleaving manner. A difference between RAID level 4 and RAID level 3 is that a different interleave unit is used in level 4. More specifically, since data are recorded in each block, this system is suitable for a case where a small volume of data is frequently accessed.
RAID level 5
Unlike the afore-said levels 3 and 4, predetermined parity disks are not provided. Parity data are dispersedly stored, i.e., striped in constituent disks. As a consequence, at the time of writing operation, parity disks are not subjected to concentrated loads and IODS may be increased (The greater the rate of writing, the more advantageous will be this system compared to RAID level 4). Performance at the time of use as well as a capacity efficiency are desirable.
An example of a conventional array-type recording device having redundancy is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 236714/90 wherein a system and method of driving array-type disks are disclosed. In this system, a redundancy level and a logical number of component disk units viewed from a host computer can be selected.
With reference to the striping of parity data, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 293356/87 discloses a data protection mechanism and a method thereof.
FIG. 1 illustrates the constitution of a conventional array-type recording device which has been disclosed in afore-said Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 236714/90. In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates a host computer; 2 a host interface (hereinafter called Host I/F) which serves as a buffer between host computer 1 and an array controller 13; 3 a microprocessor adapted to control the whole array controller 13; 4 a memory; 5 an ECC engine adapted to generate redundancy data and reconstruct data; 6 a data path commonly connected to host I/F 2, microprocessor 3, memory 4 and ECC engine 5; 7 a CE panel; and 8a through 8e channel controllers. CE panel 7 and the plurality of channel controllers 8a-8e are connected to data path 6. The reference numerals 9a-9e designate disk units; and 10 channels, through which the plurality of disk units 9a-9e are connected to channel controllers 8a-8e; 11 stand-by disks; 12 spare channels, through which plurality of stand-by disks 11 are connected to channel controller 8; and 13 an array controller for controlling plurality of disk units 9a-9e and stand-by disk 11.
Operation of the illustrated recording device will next be explained. In FIG. 1, data are recorded and reproduced by host computer 1 through host I/F 2. Upon storage of data, commands and data from host computer 1 are stored in memory 4 by way of data path 6. Upon reproduction of data, the data stored in memory 4 is transferred to host computer 1 by way of host I/F 2.
Operation of the recording device in the case of RAID level 5 will now be explained. The data stored in memory 4 is divided by microprocessor 3 into data blocks, and disk units in which data is to be written and disk units in which redundancy data is to be written are determined. In RAID level 5, since old data stored in a data block corresponding to the writing operation is required for updating redundancy data, a reading operation is executed prior to the writing operation. Data is transferred between memory 4 and channel controllers 8, 8a-8e by way of data path 6, and redundancy data is generated by ECC engine 5 synchronously with the transfer of data.
For example, in the case of writing data of 1024 byte long, assuming that a data block is set at 512 byte long, the data of 1024 byte long is striped into two blocks whereby writing-data disk units 9a, 9b and a redundancy-data disk unit 9e are determined. Next, under the control of microprocessor 3, ECC engine 5 is activated and a command to read out old data for computing redundancy data is provided to channel controllers 8a, 8b and 8e to which data disk units 9a, 9b and redundancy-data disk unit 9e are connected. After reading the old data out of data disk units 9a, 9b and redundancy-data disk unit 9e, new data is written in data disk units 9a, 9b in accordance with a command from microprocessor 3, and updated redundancy data generated by ECC engine 5 is written in redundancy-data disk unit 9e. Then, the completion of the data writing operation is reported to host computer 1. As described above, upon writing data, old data must be read out in advance for the purpose of generating redundancy data, resulting in a longer processing time.
Reading out data will next be explained. When a data reading command is issued from host computer 1, the data block and the data disk unit in which relevant data is stored are computed by microprocessor 3. For example, if relevant data is stored in disk unit 9c, a command to read the data is issued to channel controller 8c to which disk unit 9c is connected. When the reading of the data from disk unit 9c is completed, the read data is transferred to memory 4 and the completion of reading the data is reported to host computer 1.
Reconstruction of data at the time of occurrence of abnormality and reconstruction of data in stand-by disks will next be explained. Reconstruction of data is executed when, for example, the reading of data out of disk unit 9c becomes impossible. In such a case, data are read by microprocessor 3 from all the disk units of a redundancy group which include the data blocks to be read out by microprocessor 1 and the data of the data blocks corresponding to the data which were unable to be read out are reconstructed by ECC engine.
For example, if the redundancy group includes disk units 9a, 9b, 9c and 9e, data blocks are read from disk units 9a, 9b, and 9e and data are reconstructed in disk unit 9c by ECC engine 5. The reconstructed data are then transferred to memory 4 and the completion of data reading operation is communicated to host computer 1. It is understood that, even if it becomes impossible to read out data due to an abnormality in a disk unit, data can be reconstructed, resulting in the enhancement of data storage reliability.
Reconstruction of data may be executed when, for example, disk unit 9c becomes disabled. In this case, data is read out by microprocessor 3 from all the disk units of the redundancy group which include the data stored in disk unit 9c, and data for disk unit 9c is reconstructed by ECC engine 5. The reconstructed data is reconstructed in any of the stand-by disks.
If the redundancy group is composed, for example, of disk units 9a, 9b, 9c and 9e, then data are read out from disk units 9a, 9b and 9e, while data for disk unit 9c is reconstructed by ECC engine 5. The reconstructed data is written on any one of stand-by disks 11, while the data for disk unit 9c is reconstructed in stand-by disk 11. In this way, disk unit 9 which has been disabled may be replaced with stand-by disk 11. It is to be noted, however, that, during the replacement of disk unit 9c with stand-by disk 11, if any abnormality occurs in stand-by disk 11, such a replacement process becomes complicated. Furthermore, since such a replacement process is executed while the system is in operation, the performance of the system will be degraded during such a replacement process.
Since a conventional array-type recording device is constituted such as described above, the prior art device has serious problems in that, due to the necessity of reading out data in advance for generating redundancy data at the time of a data writing operation even in a normal operation of the system, a processing time becomes correspondingly slower.
The conventional device has a further problem in that, during a process of replacement of disks in the case of abnormality, if a stand-by disk used for replacement is damaged, the performance of the system is further degraded.
The conventional device has still another problem in that a possibility of a fault existing in channels to which constituent disks are connected is not taken into consideration.

Array recording system reporting completion of writing data operation prior to the completion of writing redundancy data in alternative recording units


A manufacturing method for manufacturing a silicon carbide epitaxial wafer includes: introducing a cleaning gas into a growth furnace to remove dendrite-like polycrystal of silicon carbide attached to an inner wall of the growth furnace; after introducing the cleaning gas, bringing a silicon carbide substrate in the growth furnace; and growing a silicon carbide epitaxial layer on the silicon carbide substrate by introducing a processing gas into the growth furnace to manufacture a silicon carbide epitaxial wafer, wherein the cleaning gas having fluid energy of 1.6E-4 [J] or higher is introduced into the growth furnace.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and apparatus for manufacturing a silicon carbide epitaxial wafer.
Background Art
In recent years, a silicon carbide (hereinafter referred to as SiC) semiconductor has attracted attention mainly as a material for power devices for power control because its bandgap, dielectric breakdown electric field intensity, saturated drift speed and thermal conductivity are higher than those of silicon semiconductors. In fact, a power device using the SiC semiconductor is capable of largely reducing power loss, being reduced in size and realizing energy saving at the time of power supply power conversion and can therefore be a key device for, for example, improving the performance of electric vehicles and improving the functions of solar battery systems or the like in realization of a low-carbon society.
In making a SiC power device, a layer to be provided as an active region of the semiconductor device is generally grown epitaxially on a SiC bulk monocrystal substrate by thermal chemical vapor deposition (thermal CVD) or the like. The term "active region" refers here to a region which is built by precisely controlling doping concentration in a crystal and its film thickness, and which has a section containing a growth direction axis. The reason why such an epitaxially grown layer is required as well as a bulk monocrystal substrate is that a doping concentration and a film thickness are generally prescribed in accordance with the specifications of a device and there is a demand for obtaining the doping concentration and the film thickness with accuracies higher than those attained for bulk monocrystal substrates in ordinary cases.
A wafer having an epitaxially grown layer formed on a SiC bulk monocrystal substrate will hereinafter be referred to as "epitaxial wafer". A silicon carbide semiconductor device is fabricated by performing various kinds of processing on a silicon carbide epitaxial wafer. If the silicon carbide epitaxial wafer has defects, the silicon carbide semiconductor device locally fails to hold a high voltage, resulting in generation of a leak current. If the density of such defects is increased, the nondefective rate in manufacturing of the silicon carbide semiconductor device is reduced.
When the silicon carbide epitaxial wafer is manufactured, silicon carbide is attached not only to the wafer but also to inner walls of a growth furnace and to surfaces of a wafer holder on which the wafer is mounted. The attached silicon carbide is structurally brittle and can therefore form silicon carbide particles easily. If silicon carbide particles are attached to the wafer surface, crystal defects such as downfalls and triangular defects are generated starting from the attachment points.
As a method for reducing silicon carbide particles which can be a cause of such crystal defects, a method of cleaning the wafer holder by etching silicon carbide particles attached to the wafer holder with chlorine trifluoride has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 5542560). A method of removing silicon carbide particles by using a cleaning gas containing iodine heptafluoride without etching and damaging graphite which is the basic material of a certain member has also been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-154865).
In the case of the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5542560, not only the attached silicon carbide but also the silicon carbide film formed as protective film on internal members of the growth furnace and the wafer holder is etched and it is, therefore, difficult to perform cleaning management. Also, special expelling equipment is required to enable use of chlorine trifluoride, for example, because it corrodes the apparatus and piping. The method thus entails problems in terms of operation and cost. Further, because the rate of etching of silicon carbide is lower than that of etching of silicon, a long time is taken to complete cleaning and it is difficult to completely remove silicon carbide.
In the case of the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-154865, iodine heptafluoride, which does not etch graphite, is used but the silicon carbide film formed as protective film on the wafer holder and internal members of the growth furnace are thereby etched, as in the case of the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5542560, and it is difficult to perform cleaning management. Thus, use of a fluorine-based gas as cleaning gas entails the problem of members other than the attached silicon carbide being etched.

Manufacturing method and apparatus for manufacturing silicon carbide epitaxial wafer


The present invention relates to a condenser microphone whose body can be miniaturized while keeping a property and a sound quality comparable to those of a conventional condenser microphone. The condenser microphone includes a cylindrical body, a plurality of vibration plates which are formed into the shapes of squares and placed in parallel to a body axis line within the body, acoustic holes formed on a body side wall in a direction vertical to the vibration plates and back pole plates which are placed on a side opposite to the acoustic holes with the vibration plate between and face on the respective vibration plates at an interval of a micro gap. A potential of the back pole plate is varied according to a vibration of the vibration plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a condenser microphone having vibration plates and back pole plates. More particularly, the present invention relates to a condenser microphone in which a miniaturization and a high sound quality are realized so as to be preferably used for the sound collection for the stocking in a musical, a drama or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Higher sound quality and smaller size are required for condenser microphones used, for example, in the sound collection for stocking of the musical, the drama or the like. Most of those kinds of the condenser microphones usually employ a structure as shown in FIG. 1. That is, a vibration plate 1 is placed in parallel to a sound wave plane. The vibration plate 1 adhered on a circular ring 5 and a ring shape spacer 7 are inserted into a cylindrical body 3. Moreover, a back pole part 9 supported by insulating material is inserted. Then, both ends of the body 3 are closed. Accordingly, the vibration plate 1 and a back pole 9a are facing to each other while a predetermined space is maintained.
If the outer diameter of the body 3 becomes minimal, the area of the vibration plate becomes smaller in order to secure the thickness required for the body 3 and the insulator, the space for the adhesive surface to fix the vibration plate 1 and the like. Accordingly, a sensibility is reduced, and an SN ratio is also aggravated.
In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, other types of condenser microphones as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are available. The condenser microphone 21 shown in FIG. 2 is configured in such a way that a single rectangular vibration plate 11 adhered on a ring 11a is used, and this vibration plate 11 is sandwiched between a front room 13, a spacer 15, a back pole 17a and a holder 17, and it is accommodated by a body 19. The condenser microphone 33 shown in FIG. 3 is configured in such a way that two circular vibration plates 23, 23 adhered on rings 23a, 23a are used, and each of spacers 25, 25 is interposed between each of the two circular vibration plates 23, 23 and each of back poles 27a, 27a, and a holder 29 is placed oppositely to and sandwiched between the back plates 27a, 27a, and the holder 29 is accommodated by a body 31.


The present invention relates to methods of identifying drug-resistant and/or drug-sensitive cells, for example, breast cancer and brain tumor cells, on the basis of different ion and/or second messenger dynamics between a drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cell. For example, the invention provides measuring the comparative decay rates of a cellular ion, such as calcium, released into the intracellular compartment of drug sensitive and/or drug resistant cells. The present invention also provides methods for screening compounds that modulate the ionic dynamics of a cell as well as methods of determining drug resistance/sensitivity of cancer cells from cancer patients and/or designing cancer therapy based on of the ionic dynamics of cancer cells from a particular patient.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of identifying drug-resistant and/or drug-sensitive cells, for example, breast cancer and brain tumor cells, on the basis of different ion and/or second messenger dynamics between a drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cell. For example, the invention provides measuring the comparative decay rates of a cellular ion, such as calcium, released into the intracellular compartment of drug sensitive and/or drug resistant cells. The present invention also provides methods for screening compounds that modulate the ionic, dynamics of a cell as well as methods of determining drug resistance/sensitivity of cancer cells from cancer patients and/or designing cancer therapy based on of the ionic dynamics of cancer cells from a particular patient.
2. Discussion of the Background
The emergence of drug-resistant cancer cells represents a major therapeutic problem. When a cancer develops drug resistance, treatment protocols must be modified, for example, by administering a higher drug dose or switching the patient to a different drug combination or regimen.
Cancer cells that are exposed to a cytotoxic agent for a prolonged period of time often become resistant to that agent, as well as other chemically unrelated compounds. This resistance represents a major cause for chemotherapy failure in cancer patients, such as breast cancer patients. Moreover, some cancers, such as breast cancer, may develop resistance to multiple drugs further aggravating the problem. Such drug-resistances may be attributed to both phenotypic and genotypic changes in a drug-resistant cancer cell. For example, the expression or upregulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, permeability glycoprotein) or other multidrug resistance genes, can alter the absorption, distribution, or clearance of a variety of compounds. Drug-resistant human cancer cells are well known and can be produced by exposing a drug-sensitive parental cell line to a drug, and then selecting drug resistant variants of the parental cell line. Such cells are valuable research tools for studying the mechanisms associated with the development of drug resistance. In vitro, drug-resistant (DR) cells and drug-sensitive (DS) cells exhibit a variety of different biochemical features. For example, compared to drug-sensitive breast cancer cells, drug resistant breast cancer cells may exhibit one or more of the following biochemical features or phenotypes: over-expression of ATP-driven membrane drug efflux pumps, such as P-gp, MRP (Barrand, M. A. et al., Gen. Pharmacol. 28:639-45, 1997) and BCRP (Doyle, L. A. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A., 26:15665-70, 1998); over-expression of nucleoside transporters; reduced susceptibility to oxygen radicals; increased accumulation of glycolipids; resistance to apoptosis or programmed cell death; highly acidified organelles and elevated cytosolic pH; increased protein kinase Cα content; lower basal cyclic AMP levels; or alterations in enzyme activity or gene expression (Barrand et al Gen Pharmacol. 28: 63945, 1997; Doyle et al Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 26.-15665-15670, 1998; Morgan et al Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 29: 127-32, 1991; Sinha et al Biochemistry 26:3776-81, 1987; Lavie et al J Biol Chem 272: 1682-7, 1997; Ogretmen et al Int J Cancer 67:608-14, 1996; Altan et al J Exp Med 187:1583-98, 1998; Blobe et al J Biol Chem. 268:658-64, 1993; Mestdagh et al Biochem Phannacol 48:709-16, 1994; Chen et al Biochem Pharmacol. 49:1691-701, 1995; Wosikowski et al Clin Cancer Res. 3:2405-14, 1997; Schneider et al Cancer Res 54:152-8, 1994).
However, standard methods for determining whether a cancer cell has acquired drug resistance are time-consuming, lack specificity and sensitivity, require the processing of large numbers of cells, and result in the destruction of the tested cells. These methods conventionally involve exposing cells cultured in vitro to progressively increasing concentrations of a drug. Drug-resistant cells are then identified by the ability to survive or proliferate in a particular concentration of drug. However, these assays generally require the processing of large cell populations to establish drug resistance, which is measured by parameters such as IC50, the dose of the drug that kills 50% of the cell population. Additionally, the cells must be exposed to the drug for a period of 24 to 48 hours and in some assays greater than 48 hours.
Moreover, the results of such methods may lack specificity as a cultured cell may be phenotypically or genotypically altered by prolonged exposure to an in vitro culture medium (Rubin (1990) Cancer and Metastasis Reviews 9:1-20; Wolffe and Tata (1984) FEBS Letters 176(1):8-15). Moreover, the relative percentages of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cells are difficult to determine when cells are cultured in vitro, due to different proliferation rates of drug sensitive and drug resistant cells. Similarly, when a culture contains cancer cells with different degrees of drug resistance or different proliferative abilities, conventional methods may lead to a loss of that fraction of the culture, which is of particular importance. For example, while conventional methods would yield an IC50 value for an entire population of cultured cells, they would not necessarily discriminate between the fraction of a cell population that represents rapidly growing drug resistant cells, and the rest of the population that may be slower growing, all of which are less drug resistant and/or drug sensitive cells.
The constraints imposed by the standard methods emphasize the need for faster, more specific, and sensitive assays that can be performed with fewer cells, preferentially at the single cell level, and which permit facile recovery of the tested cells for further expansion or testing.
The role of ion dynamics for distinguishing between drug resistant and drug-sensitive cells has not been previously investigated. For example, calcium is one of the most ubiquitous second messengers involved in a wide variety of cellular responses. The maintenance of physiological calcium levels within a cell, as well as the functional elevation of calcium levels, are highly regulated processes. Consequently, either an impaired or an excessive response of a cell to a calcium-evoking signal may negatively impact cell survival.
Thus, prior efforts have focused on the development of new drugs that might modulate cellular calcium dynamics; for example, by promoting an intracellular increase of calcium, when the cell itself is impaired in its ability to respond to calcium-elevating stimuli; restoring calcium homeostasis, when the cell is unable to reduce sustained intracellular calcium increase upon stimulation; or by inhibiting calcium increase, when a calcium response is undesirable, such as in pathophysiological states.
However, very little is known about the potential role played by cellular ions, and in particular, calcium ions, in the development of drug resistance in cancer cells. One report shows that in the adriamycin-resistant MCF-7 cell line of human breast cancer, resting Ca2+1 levels are higher than in parental, drug-sensitive cells and that resting Ca2+1 levels were reduced by verapamil, a calcium channel blocker and P-gp modulator (Mestdagh, N. et al. Biochem. Pharmacol. 48:709-716 (1994)). Adriamycin-resistant MCF-7 cells also are known to overexpress the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, whose activation leads to increased intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]1). The reversion of such cells to drug-sensitivity correlated with the return of EGF levels to the levels exhibited by the drug-sensitive parental MCF-7 cells (Dickstein, B. et al. J Cell Physiol 157:110-118, (1993)). In leukemia cells, calcium levels have been reported to modulate cell sensitivity to drugs (Adwankar, M K & Chitnis, M P Neoplasma 37:31-36, (1990)); and in ovarian cancer cells, differences in calcium handling have also been reported between DS and DR cells (McAlroy, H. L. et al. Exp. Physiol. 84:285-97, (1999)).
Empirically, it has been found that compounds that independently modulate Ca2+1 dynamics can reverse drug resistance or chemosensitize a number of different cancers. For example, verapamil, a blocker of voltage-operated Ca2+ channels, and cyclosporin A, an inhibitor of calcineurin, which is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase, are among the most widely studied chemosensitizers for tumors overexpressing P-gp.
Similarly, chemical modulators of MRP (multidrug resistance-associated protein), such as probenecid and genistein, are known. Probenecid is an organic anion transport blocker and can either depress or increase Ca2+1 responses in different cell systems at the concentrations used for chemosensitization. Genistein is a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor and can prevent capacitative Ca2+ entry upon agonist-evoked Ca2+1 release. However, the importance of cellular ionic dynamics, such as calcium levels, calcium flux, and/or intracellular calcium kinetics for distinguishing drug-resistant and drug-sensitive cancer cells has not been previously described.
In view of the high morbidity and mortality associated with the development of drug-resistance in cancer cells, there is a pronounced need to develop rapid methods for diagnosing the presence, type and frequency of drug-resistant cancer cells, as well as diagnosing and appropriately treating subjects having drug resistant cancer. Moreover, new methods are needed for screening compounds that modulate or reverse drug-resistance in such cells.

Methods for diagnosing drug-resistant cancer cells or for identifying chemotherapeutic agents by measuring anomalous intracellular ion and/or second messenger dynamics


Disclosed herein are systems and methods of generating a score for artificial intelligence chatbots. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving configuration data that is pre-configured as well as receiving input data which can be in many forms including historical chatbot conversation logs, real-time chatbot conversation data, or simulated chatbot conversation logs based on simulated users generating prompts via artificial intelligence. The input data is then parsed based on the configuration data and then processed. The parsed data processing can include generating a variety of scores including a navigation efficiency score, a compliance score, an intent score; and a sentiment score, among others. Upon processing, an overall score can be generated based on at least the configuration data, the navigation efficiency score, the compliance score, the intent score, and the sentiment score. These overall scores can be utilized to generate further correlation reports, and can be configured to specific implementations.

Businesses and organizations have increasingly turned to the Internet as a place to generate interactions with customers via websites. As competition has grown, many businesses have sought more advanced ways to facilitate these interactions with visitors to their website. As a result, many websites now employ instant messaging ("chat") windows on their site to create an immediate interaction with existing and potential customers. These customers may desire to interact via the chat window for various reasons such as asking a question, seeking information prior to a sale, terms of use, and/or billing questions to name just a few. Businesses have found that providing chat windows during more hours of the day can increase the chance for more customer interactions.
However, staffing human agents to monitor and answer chat window interactions increases cost. Often, the cost of staffing humans on chat windows outweighs the benefits of offering the chat windows. As a result, an increasing amount of organizations and businesses are utilizing artificial intelligence agents ("chatbots") to monitor and facilitate conversation with users. These chatbots are often much cheaper to utilize than human agents and can be programmed to respond in particular desired ways.
As chatbots have increased in usage throughout the Internet, there have been limited methods of determining their effectiveness. For example, a chatbot utilized within an organization programmed to answer easy questions may or may not actually answer a user's question. Additionally, chatbots can often be trained for different purposes. A chatbot programmed to provide answers to existing customers related to their accounts with a company may be vastly different from a chatbot programmed to answer sales-related questions from potential customers about products within the same company.

Computing performance scores of conversational artificial intelligence agents