A main ink chamber for housing a capillary member and an intermediate ink chamber are provided, between which a first meniscus formation member is disposed. An ink guide member is in contact with the bottom face of the first meniscus formation member for supplying ink to the first meniscus formation member. The ink guide member is held by ink guide member retainers extending toward the ink guide member from a wall of a communication hole and is kept in contact with the first meniscus formation member. A larger number of the ink guide member retainers are placed on a side of the communication hole closer to a joint port than are placed on a side of the communication hole closer to the intermediate ink chamber. The placement of the ink guide member retainers guides bubbles entering the communication hole through the first meniscus formation member to the intermediate ink chamber to prevent bubbles entering the joint port and reaching the print head.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an ink supply unit for supplying ink to an ink jet head in an ink jet recorder.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional ink supply mechanism used with an ink jet recorder, an ink tank contains a porous member with one end coupled to a print head via a filter and the other end formed with an air inlet, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. Hei 3-41351. In such an ink supply mechanism, air may enter the filter through the space between the porous member and the inner wall of the ink tank, inhibiting ink supply to the ink tank.
To solve such a problem, for example, in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 2-34354, such a rib abutting an ink absorber is placed on the inner wall face of an ink tank for preventing bubbles from entering a head. However, also in this method, adhesion of the head to a sponge may be poor and air still enters the head along the inner wall face of the ink tank.
As alternative solution means, for example, an air gathering chamber containing a porous member is disposed in anink flow path connecting a print head and an ink vessel for gathering bubbles, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Sho 57-2786. However, in such a structure, flow path resistance of the porous member itself is large and when bubbles build up on full surfaces of the porous member, flow path resistance increases and ink supply does not keep pace with ink required for responding to high-speed printing.
Further, for example, a filter cloth is stuck on one face of an elastomer plate having a through hole for gathering bubbles on the filter face, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Sho 59-95152. However, also in this structure, when bubbles build up on full surfaces of the filter cloth, flow path resistance increases and ink supply does not keep pace with ink required for responding to high-speed printing, as in the above-mentioned structure.
Further, for example, a hollow needle is used for a joint connecting an ink tank and a head and a porous substance is disposed in the hollow needle for preventing the entry of bubbles or dust, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 3-189157. However, in this structure, the inner diameter of the hollow needle needs to be made small virtually to provide a good connection property of the joint. That is, since the opening area of the porous member contained in the hollow needle lessens, flow path resistance increases and ink supply does not keep pace with ink required for responding to high-speed printing.
In such a structure wherein bubbles are trapped on the faces of the porous substance or the filter, it is also possible to enlarge the filter particle size of the porous substance or the filter to decrease the flow path resistance. In this case, for example, if a large amount of ink is consumed because of maintenance, etc., bubbles pass through the porous substance or the filter and enter the print head, causing print failure, etc.
As another art, a method wherein ink is stored in a subtank disposed between an ink tank and a head and is supplied from the subtank to the head is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 60-262654. The subtank is opened to the atmosphere and bubbles and ink are separated in the subtank for supplying only ink to the head. However, in this structure, there is a possibility that ink will leak from the atmospheric release port of the subtank and further there is a restriction on design that the head is placed above the subtank to maintain ink pressure at negative pressure.


A method and apparatus to align data blocks in a data signal and a reference signal to increase cross-correlation between the data signal and the reference signal as compared to the unaligned data and reference signals and cancel interference in the data signal in the frequency-domain under changing conditions and in the presence of the data signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a multi-carrier communication system and, in particular, to noise cancellation in a multi-carrier communication system.
2. Background Art
A multi-carrier communication system, such as a Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT) system in the various types of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), for example, asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) and very high-speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) systems, carries an information bit stream from a transmitter to a receiver. The information bit stream is typically converted into a sequence of data symbols having a number of tones. Each tone may be a group of one or more frequencies defined by a center frequency and a set bandwidth. The tones are also commonly referred to as sub-carriers or sub-channels. Each tone acts as a separate communication channel to carry information between a local transmitter-receiver (transceiver) device and a remote transceiver device.

Adaptive frequency-domain reference noise canceller for multicarrier communications systems


A communication system communicates a high-speed clock or other balanced signal on the backs of two data signals by differentially modulating the data signals with the clock signal and communicating the two data signals in differential common mode form. The clock signal is extracted from the data signals at the receiving end of the system by applying the data signals to differential line receivers.

The present invention relates generally to data communication, and specifically to a method, and apparatus implementing that method, for high-speed, synchronous transmission of data.
In data communications topologies, for example those used for local area networks, data is often communicated by a transmission medium comprising some form of physical signal path such as electrical wires, printed circuit paths and the like. Often, for high-speed, synchronous data transmissions and higher throughput, data bits are transmitted in parallel together with a clock signal. A drawback to this form of data transmission is that there always seems to be a need for one more data bit path when one does not exist. Thus, when there are less paths than data bit signals (i.e., a parallel grouping of data bits), resort must be made to a parallel/serial scheme of data transmission. For example, suppose data is desired to be synchronously communicated from a source to a destination in eight bit quantities, accompanied by a clock signal, but there are only eight signal paths available. One solution is to transmit, for each eight bit quantity, two groups of bits. But this degrades performance by approximately one-half.
Another solution is to design the system to use an encoding scheme whereby at least one data bit is encoded (such as Manchester encoding) to include the clock signal that is extracted at the destination. However, this requires that the underlying design incorporate this solution by including the necessary encoding circuitry. Another solution must be found if an existing design, such as off-the-shelf elements, is to be used.

Method and apparatus for communicating data and clock signals


A process is provided for preparing a salt of a hydroxy-substituted ester of phosphoric acid, comprising: (a) reacting a phosphate diester with an alkylene oxide, (b) reacting the product mixture of step (a) with a phosphating agent; and (c) reacting the product mixture of step (b) with an amine; wherein the phosphate diester is reacted with the alkylene oxide of step (a) in the substantial absence of a phosphate monoester. The product is useful as an antiwear agent.

The disclosed technology relates to an antiwear agent and lubricating compositions thereof, and an improved method for preparing the antiwear agent. The invention further provides for a method of lubricating a driveline device or a grease application by employing a lubricating composition containing the antiwear agent. The lubricating compositions are also useful in industrial lubrication and metalworking applications.
Driveline power transmitting devices (such as gears or transmissions, especially axle fluids and manual transmission fluids (MTFs)) and grease applications, present highly challenging technological problems and solutions for satisfying the multiple and often conflicting lubricating requirements, while providing durability and cleanliness.
The development of new antiwear chemistry for such applications as gear oils has been driven by the desire to provide chemistries that meet modern lubricating requirements, provide thermo-oxidative stability and cleanliness, and have non-objectionable odor. Many current phosphorus antiwear or extreme pressure additives contain sulfur. Due to increasing environmental concerns, the presence of sulfur in antiwear or extreme pressure additives is becoming less desirable. In addition, many of the sulfur-containing antiwear or extreme pressure additives evolve volatile sulfur species, resulting in lubricating compositions containing antiwear or extreme pressure additives having an odor, which may also be detrimental to the environment or evolve emissions that may be higher than increasingly tighter health and safety legislation specifies.
One development in recent years to address some of these problems is disclosed in PCT Publication WO 2008/094759, Aug. 7, 2008, which reports a lubricating composition of an oil of lubricating viscosity and a sulfur-free amine salt of either (i) a hydroxyl-substituted diester of phosphoric acid, or (ii) a phosphorylated hydroxy-substituted di- or triester of phosphoric acid. In one embodiment, the salt of a hydroxy-substituted diester of phosphoric acid may be prepared by a process comprising (i) reacting a phosphorylating agent with an alcohol, to form a mono- and/or diphosphate ester; reacting the phosphate ester with an alkylene oxide, to form a hydroxy-substituted diester of phosphoric acid; and salting the hydroxy-substituted diester of phosphoric acid with an amine and/or metal.
There is a continuing desire, however, to improve the process for preparing material such as those described in WO 2008/094759. In particular, a process is desired which minimizes the undesirable oligomerization of propylene oxide and leads to higher conversion to desirable products with shorter reaction time.
The disclosed technology, therefore, solves one or more of the above-identified problems by use of the process as described hereinafter.

Preparation of phosphorus-containing antiwear compounds for use in lubricant compositions


The present invention is directed to a system, comprising: a license manager 113 operable to identify the occurrence of a predetermined licensing event and a mode setting agent 124 operable to change, in response to the occurrence of the predetermined licensing event (e.g., an absence of a valid license), from a first licensing mode (e.g., a license normal mode) to a second licensing mode (e.g., a license error mode). The second licensing mode is different from the first licensing mode. In each of the first and second licensing modes a common set of features performed by the telecommunication application (e.g., call processing functions) are operational.

To protect software manufacturers' copyrights in software sold to the public, manufacturer's commonly license software to the purchaser. Additionally, in many applications the purchaser has elected to pay only for certain features of software which must be selectively enabled by the manufacturer. In particular, each release or version of a particular software package for a customer premise telecommunication switching system contains a large number of features, and most customers elect to pay for only a subset of the total number of features. Features in a telecommunications switching system refer to certain specialized operations such as call hold, call transfer, automatic route selection, etc. An ongoing problem in the art is to prevent newer versions of software from being pirated and used on unauthorized hardware and/or otherwise authorized customers from actuating features for which the customer has not paid.
A number of methods have been developed to protect against such unauthorized use of software.
In one method, passwords, that allow only authorized individuals to have access to the telecommunication switching system, are used to control enablement of features or new software versions. This method is inflexible and inconvenient for customers as an authorized technician must be scheduled to enable the features, can be circumvented by a person misappropriating or misusing the password, and does not provide for periodic license verification during system operation.
In another method, a key is required to enable the software program. This solution does not solve the copying problem because the key is normally printed on the packaging of the software, and anyone can install the software as many times as they wish, however illegal it may be.
In yet another method, a special piece of hardware or "dongle" is used. The dongle is a special piece of hardware that connects to the serial or parallel port of the computer. The software running on the computer sends a random number to the dongle. The dongle performs a secret computation and returns a result. The software makes a like computation; if the two computations match, the software continues to run. To work satisfactorily, the response must include feature and version information. The use of the dongle is cumbersome when it fails. In the event that the dongle fails, the system is down until a new dongle can be physically obtained on site. Also, once made the dongle is fixed. If it was used for feature activation, a new dongle is required for each additional feature that is purchased.
A further method is to freely distribute CD-ROM disks. When the CD-ROM is inserted into a computer, the computer automatically connects to a remote server via the Internet or a dial-up connection to receive a machine-specific key. The key unlocks the software so that it can be utilized on that computer. The remote server also obtains the necessary payment information from the computer user. This method does not function well for a telecommunication switching system since it does not provide for the authorization to use different features of the same software application nor is it dependent on the version of the software being requested. In addition, it does not provide the necessary authorization of personnel to make such a request.
Another method requires the software, upon installation or first execution, to record serial number information (e.g., medium access control or MAC address) regarding predetermined hardware components of the computer system. The software permits the user a specified number of hardware serial number changes before it disables itself. This method, though effective, is unfair to users who, over time, legitimately exceed the number of permitted serial number changes through reuse of the software on a number of different systems and/or periodic replacement of some of the predetermined hardware components in a given system to upgrade or maintain the system.
The drawbacks of the various licensing methods discussed above are addressed by the licensing method discussed in detail in copending U.S. patent application entitled "Securing Feature Activation in a Telecommunication System", Ser. No. 09/357,679, filed Jul. 20, 1999, to Serkowski, which is incorporated herein by this reference. In this method, a valid license file is required to run a computational component. The license file contains a serial number that must be present on the hardware that is to execute the licensed software for the license to be valid and the software to be executable. In telecommunication applications, for example, the serial number of the control processor must be in the license file for the control processor to run the licensed software.
The license file also contains a name and/or version of the licensed telecommunication application and licensed features. The data structures corresponding to the features are of two types. In a type 1 feature, the data structures reflected enablement or disablement of the corresponding feature using a simple on/off state. Examples of features falling into this category include abbreviated dialing enhanced list, audible message waiting, vectoring, answer supervision by call classifier, ATM trunking, agent states, dial by name, DCS call coverage, echo cancellation, multifrequency signaling, and wideband switching. In a type 2 feature, the data structures include a single numeric value and/or a name kind of entry. Examples of features falling into this category include logged-in agents, offer category, maximum numbers of concurrently registered IP stations, administered IP trunks, ports, and concurrently administered remote office stations/trunks, and call center release.
A drawback of all of the above licensing methodologies is that the computational system is either completely enabled or completely disabled, depending upon whether or not a specified licensing protocol is satisfied. There are situations in which it is desirable for the system to be operational even if the licensing protocol is not satisfied. During system maintenance and/or hardware replacement the customer could potentially be out of service until a new license is generated and installed. Alternatively, the licensing algorithm and/or system configuration can malfunction causing system shutdown. In many applications such as telecommunication applications, such outages can not only place great demands on maintenance personnel but also create customer dissatisfaction and cause lost sales revenue. Moreover even when a customer fails to obtain a valid license for a telecommunication application or feature thereof, it is often desirable for the system to remain operational to permit customers to make emergency (e.g., 911) telephone calls and/or maintenance calls for licensing enablement.


A method for thermal control of a lamp assembly which includes an arc lamp and an associated reflector enclosed within an outer housing. The method includes providing a predetermined air flow path within said housing whereby a continuous flow of ambient air is passed over the lamp during lamp operation which reduces the operating temperature of the lamp and increases lamp life.

The invention relates to metal halide and mercury arc lamps and to the thermal control of a metal halide or mercury arc lamp in operation through the use of a directed air flow.
The invention in general relates to the thermal control of an arc lamp in operation and more specifically to the use of a directed air flow to the arc chamber of the lamp.
In the prior art it is common to use arc lamps with a reflector to form an assembly which are used in an enclosed housing to provide directed light which is used for projector systems and the like. When used in an enclosed housing, an arc lamp generates high internal heat which can result in short lamp life and high lamp infant mortality rate due to the localized heat generated by the lamp in combination with a reflector within the confines of the enclosed housing. In these instances, venting and laminar flow cooling techniques are often employed to lower thermal values such that system installation is possible. Yet, in systems of this type it is common that highly loaded arc lamps exhibit a short life of 200 hours and a high infant mortality rate of less than 100 hours with an average life of approximately 400 hours or 20-45% of rated life. Lamp life times of this duration are unacceptable and result in high replacement cost to the ultimate user and discourage their use in systems of the type described above.
In addressing the problems described above, the prior art has believed and been taught away from directing any coolant air flow directly onto the lamp chamber in that such an approach would be unsatisfactory, and result in instability of lumen output and color. There has therefore been a continuing need in the field for a system which would allow for extended lamp life without compromising stability of lumen output or color for arc lamps used in the systems described above.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of lamp thermal control which overcomes the problems of the prior art described above.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a method of lamp thermal control which results in improved lamp life.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for increasing lamp life without compromising stability.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of thermal control in which the arc lamp achieves thermal equilibrium in a relatively short time.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for the thermal control of an arc lamp through the directed air flow to the interior at the lamp chamber and surrounding reflector.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of increasing the life of an arc lamp assembly.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide for lamp thermal control for an arc lamp positioned in an enclosed chamber which utilizes controlled direct air flow directly around and past the lamp chamber.
The present invention is directed to situations where a lamp assembly, which includes an arc lamp and a reflector, is used in an enclosed housing or as a sealed module which acts as a high intensity light source.
In the present invention, an ambient air flow is allowed to flow into the interior volume defined by the reflector geometry, and pass over the lamp chamber at a critical angle from the vertical. Lamp thermal control is effected, resulting in a dramatic increase in lamp life and a reduction in infant mortality of the lamp. The process of the present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art in systems of this type, in that lamp failure caused by the early onset of devitrification of the lamp chamber and quartz to foil hermetic seal separation are eliminated. Through the use of this process the anode temperature dropped approximately 50-70xc2x0 C., and the cathode temperature dropped approximately 30-40xc2x0 C. By employing this invention lamp life is improved by a factor of 3.

Lamp thermal control by directed air flow


A multilayer reflection electrode film includes a Ag film that is formed of Ag or an Ag alloy; and a transparent conductive oxide film that is disposed on the Ag film, in which the transparent conductive oxide film is formed of an oxide that includes Zn and Ga and further includes one element or two or more elements selected from the group consisting of Sn, Y, and Ti.

In general, an organic EL display is formed of organic EL elements arranged on a transparent substrate. An organic EL element includes an anode, an organic EL light emitting layer, and a cathode that are formed on a transparent substrate in a predetermined pattern and is a light emitting element that uses a principle in which light is emitted when holes and electrons are injected into the organic EL layer from the anode and the cathode, respectively, and are combined with each other in the organic EL light emitting layer.
As a light extraction type of the organic EL element, a bottom emission type of extracting light from the transparent substrate side and a top emission type of extracting light from a side opposite to the transparent substrate are known. Here, the top emission type has a higher aperture ratio than the bottom emission type, and thus is advantageous in increasing luminance. The anode used in the top emission type organic EL element is desired to have a reflectance that is high in order to efficiently extract light generated from the electroluminescence layer to the outside; a high conductivity; and a work function that is sufficiently high such that holes can be efficiently injected into the electroluminescence layer.
For example, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a multilayer film in which a work function is increased by performing an oxygen plasma treatment or the like on a surface of a metal film to form a surface oxide film is used as an anode of an organic EL element.
Further, in Patent Documents 3, 4, and 5, a multilayer film in which a transparent conductive film such as an ITO film is formed on a surface of a metal film is used as an electrode of an organic EL element. Further, in Patent Document 6, a surface-modified ITO film in which a work function is increased by irradiating a surface of an ITO film with oxygen ions or electrons to modify the surface is used as an anode of an organic EL element.
Patent Document 7 describes that zinc oxide (ZnO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), or gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) is used as a metal oxide in a multilayer film in which a metal oxide thin film is laminated on a conductive layer including Ag as a major component.
However, as described in NPL 1, a metal oxide including ZnO is likely to be dissolved in a resist remover (weak alkali) used in an etching method. Therefore, it is difficult to form a fine electrode pattern in which a multilayer film using a metal oxide including ZnO such as AZO or GZO is used as an electrode for an organic EL display through an etching method.

Multilayer reflection electrode film, multilayer reflection electrode pattern, and method of forming multilayer reflection electrode pattern


A data prefetching technique optimizes the batch size of prefetch requests. The optimized batch size may be determined based on a prefetch transfer time of a previous prefetch operation, where the prefetch transfer time is measured as an elapsed time interval from when data from the previous prefetch operation is first received to when the data from the previous prefetch operation is finished being received.

A. Field of the Invention
Concepts described herein relate generally to data prefetching, and more particularly, to optimizing prefetching over wide area networks (WANs).
B. Description of Related Art
Geographically distributed entities, such as a business with multiple local offices in different locations, frequently desire to maintain a logically unified proprietary network that is accessible by all of the geographically distributed entities. To accomplish this, a wide area network (WAN) may be used to link the different locations.
Information technology (IT) managers within geographically distributed entities face the conflicting requirements of keeping costs in check while providing users with new and faster applications. This conflict is most acute on the WAN, where costs can be high and getting applications to perform well is hampered by limited bandwidth and high latency.
Solutions are known to help improve performance over the WAN portion of a network. These solutions may be based on a number of technologies, including data compression, data caching, application-specific acceleration, policy-based bandwidth allocation, and data prefetching.
Data prefetching, in particular, may be used to reduce the perceived latency (response time) of data being accessed over a WAN. One problem encountered when prefetching data is the determination of how much data to prefetch in a single prefetch "batch." On one hand, prefetching too little data may result in lost opportunities for WAN optimization. On the other hand, prefetching too much data in one batch may hurt the client-perceived latency instead of improving it.

Optimizing batch size for prefetching data over wide area networks


A digital-analog converter having a sigma delta cascade modulator with two outputs, particularly a third order sigma delta modulator 2+1. The digital-analog converter includes a sigma delta modulator of the type having two outputs able to supply a first and a second signal to the two outputs; a reconstruction circuit of the first and second signals able to provide a reconstructed signal; a filter able to filter the reconstructed signal; the reconstruction circuit combining the first and second signals according to the following relationship:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a digital-analog converter having a sigma delta cascade modulator with two outputs, and more particularly to a third order sigma delta 2+1 modulator.
2. Description of the Related Art
The two output signals of a third order sigma delta modulator must be combined by means of an appropriate reconstruction transfer function to get a correct output signal.
A digital-analog converter has a sigma delta modulator with two outputs that are connected to a reconstruction circuit and then to a leveling filter. The reconstruction circuit transfer function depends on the modulator topology. In the case of a sigma delta modulator of the type 2+1, the reconstruction transfer function is the following:
Yout=Y1xe2x88x92(1xe2x88x92Zxe2x88x921)2*Y2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where Yout is the combined signal, Y1 is the signal present at a first output, Y2 is the signal present at a second output, and Z corresponds to the Z transform.
The transfer function should be realized at a low cost, and it should not influence the system performance in terms of signal-to-noise ratio and distortion.
A reconstruction circuit is effectuated by means of digital circuits. The signal after the reconstruction has a resolution of a thermometric code with 6 bits, so that a digital-analog converter is necessary to send the signal to the leveling filter that normally is analogical. The resolution of this digital-analog converter is equal to that of the whole structure. Therefore, linearisation techniques are necessary to reach the requested distortion performances.
Another reconstruction circuit is realized by means of analogical circuits. This system is based on the fact that a leveling filter is constituted by a cascade of integrators. In fact, if the signal is applied to the input of an integrator inside the cascade, its equivalent transfer function is composed by N derivatives in cascade where N is the number of integrators between the filter main input and this additional input. Since the reconstruction function generally uses only derivatives and multiplier factors to adapt the filter coefficients, by opportunely choosing the additional input point it is possible to realize the desired transfer function. In the case of the use of the transfer function above, the signal Y1 is applied to the filter main input, the signal Y2 to the third integrator input, and the opportune multiplier factors are chosen to get the desired gain. The disadvantages are in the fact that in order to reach the desired reconstruction function structure, limitations are necessary, and the performances depend on the capacitor tolerances and on the parameters of the operational amplifiers used as integrators, like the finished gain values, the speed and the rise time.
The disclosed embodiments of the present invention are directed to a digital-analog converter having a sigma delta modulator of the type with two outputs and a reconstruction circuit that does not require a digital-analog converter, is insensitive to the operational amplifier parameters, and does not impose limits in the choice of the leveling filter.
In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are attained by means of a digital-analog converter having a sigma delta modulator of the type with two outputs able to provide a first and a second signal at said two outputs; a reconstruction circuit of said first and second signals able to provide a reconstructed signal; a filter able to filter said reconstructed signal; the reconstruction circuit configured to combine said first and second signals according to the following relationship:
xe2x80x83Yout=Y1*(1+Zxe2x88x921)xe2x88x92Y2*(1Zxe2x88x921)+Y2*Zxe2x88x922*(1xe2x88x92Zxe2x88x921),
where:
Yout corresponds to said reconstructed signal,
Y1 corresponds to said first signal,
Y2 corresponds to said second signal,
Z corresponds to the Z transform.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a digital-analog converter is provided that includes a sigma delta modulator of the type having a first and a second output able to provide a first and a second output signal; an operational amplifier having a positive input and a negative input, said negative input is connected to a first node; a first switch connected between said first node and a second node; a second switch connected between said first node and a third node; a third switch connected between said first node and a fourth node; a fourth switch connected between said second node and a first prefixed bias voltage; a fifth switch connected between said third node and a second prefixed bias voltage; a sixth switch connected between said fourth node and a third prefixed bias voltage; a first capacitor connected between said second node and a fifth node; a second capacitor connected between said third node and a sixth node; a third capacitor connected between said fourth node and a seventh node; a seventh switch connected between said fifth node and a first input; an eighth switch connected between said sixth node and a second input; a ninth switch connected between said seventh node and a third input; a tenth switch connected between said fifth node and a fourth input; an eleventh switch connected between said sixth node and a fifth input; a twelfth switch connected between said seventh node and a sixth input; said first input is applied to said first output; said second input is applied to said first inverted output; said third and said fourth input are applied to said second delayed twice and inverted output; said fifth and said sixth input are applied to said second output.
Because of the present invention, it is possible to realize a low cost analogical type reconstruction circuit, simple and with good performance in terms of signal-to-noise ratio and distortion.

Digital-analog converter comprising a third order sigma delta modulator

Abstract: Yout Y1*(1+Zxe2x88x921)xe2x88x92Y2*(1xe2x88x92Zxe2x88x921)+Y2*Zxe2x88x922*(1xe2x88x92Zxe2x88x921),

Abstract: where:

Abstract: Yout corresponds to said reconstructed signal, Y1 corresponds to said first signal, Y2 corresponds to said according to signal, Z corresponds to the Z transform.


Magnesium-copper compositions are used for the evaporation of magnesium and container up to 43.34% by weight magnesium.

The present invention relates to the use of magnesium-copper compositions for the evaporation of magnesium and to magnesium dispensers employing these compositions. Magnesium has recently found a new field of application in the production of OLED displays (Organic Light Emission Displays) and in the so-called "Top Emission OLEDs", which are referred to in the field as TOLEDs.
In summary, an OLED display is made of a double-layer or of a multi-layer of different organic materials, positioned between two series of electrodes being perpendicular to one another, one series being formed of cathodes and one series being formed of anodes. This assembly is accommodated in a hermetically closed container, which is provided with at least one transparent face that is the area where the image is displayed. For a detailed description of the structure and of the operation of OLED displays, reference may be made, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,384. For the TOLED configuration, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,502.
In the OLEDs, magnesium is used in alloy with silver in order to produce the cathodes, arranged as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,774 (although the latter refers to cathodes made from alkaline metals, lithium in particular) or in the article "Transparent stacked organic light emitting devices. I. Design principles and transparent compound electrodes" by G. Gu et al., J. Appl. Phys. 86, (8) 4067 (1999).
The production of deposits containing magnesium is carried out by evaporation of the magnesium and condensation thereof on the required portions of the OLED (in particular, in the cited patent co-evaporation of magnesium and silver is carried out).
Magnesium evaporation may be carried out from pure metal sources, but this exhibits some drawbacks. In fact, metallic magnesium is rather reactive towards atmospheric gases and humidity. Possible compounds formed upon exposure of magnesium to air, such as the oxide, the hydroxide or the carbonate, make the evaporation of the element less reproducible and would result in pollution of the formed deposits by oxygen and carbon. Consequently, the use of pure magnesium requires a constant treatment in a controlled atmosphere, which makes complex the operations of transporting and stocking, which are preliminary to the use of pure magnesium. Therefore, it is preferable to use magnesium not in the form of pure metal, but in the form of compositions which are stable in air at room temperature.
Japanese Patent No. JP-47-044415 discloses a system for evaporating magnesium, based on the use of magnesium and aluminum alloys, and particularly on compositions containing beta and gamma phases in the Al—Mg phase diagram. However, magnesium evaporation from these alloys is very sensitive to temperature variations and its rate is thus poorly controllable, in particular during the initial steps. In addition, chemical analyses carried out on evaporated films starting from these alloys have determined the presence of aluminum, although in small amounts, which is undesirable since it can modify the electrical characteristics of the cathodes.
International patent application publication WO 2005/111260 discloses a method for evaporating metals chosen among alkaline, alkaline-earth and lanthanide metals. The method includes in forming a compound of these metals which is stable at room temperature, introducing powders of this compound into a filiform metal container (e.g., made of steel) provided with openings for the evaporation of the alkaline, alkaline-earth or lanthanide metal, and heating the filiform system by direct flow of electric current through the metal of the container. Compounds useful to provide magnesium evaporation cited in WO 2005/111260 are magnesium-aluminum, magnesium-indium and magnesium-silver alloys.

Use of magnesium-copper compositions for the evaporation of magnesium and magnesium dispensers


The disclosed embodiments provide a payment card. The payment card may have a first face and a second face opposite the first. Additionally, the payment card may comprise a first smart chip, the first smart chip having contacts that are electronically accessible from the first face of the card. The payment card may further comprise a first antenna coupled to the first smart chip, the first antenna providing near-field contactless access to the first smart chip and a second smart chip, the second smart chip having contacts that are electronically accessible from the second face of the card. Additionally, the payment card may comprise a second antenna coupled to the second smart chip, the second antenna providing near-field contactless access to the second smart chip and an RF block that electronically isolates the first antenna and the second antenna from each other.

Consumers often have multiple credit and debit cards. Carrying multiple credit and debit cards may be an inconvenience for consumers, who may prefer to carry minimal payment cards while enjoying the benefit of having multiple payment cards (e.g., membership rewards, miles, and credit score). Further, some wallets may not include enough card slots for all a consumer's payment cards. Moreover, a wallet filled with multiple payment cards may not fit into a consumer's purse or pocket. In view of these and other shortcomings, a multi-faced payment card that combines multiple payment cards into a single card is disclosed. The multi-faced payment card of the present disclosure provides, among other things, the ability to deploy more than one smart chip and contactless payment antennae on a single card while eliminating interference during operation, and enabling a user to select between available payment accounts supported by the card.

Multi-faced payment card with partitioned dual smart chips and antennae


Fibrous monolith processing techniques to fabricate multifunctional structures capable of performing more than one discrete function such as structures capable of bearing structural loads and mechanical stresses in service and also capable of performing at least one additional non-structural function.

Multitask functions typically are performed using different components within a system. In other words, the system contains more than one linked component each with its own discrete function. These systems, however, contain many limitations and disadvantages due to the number and types of components required to perform the various tasks. Size and weight restrictions, material compatibility, effective linkage between components and cost, for example, all must be considered when designing systems.
A smart material is one that receives, transmits, or processes a stimulus and responds by producing a useful effect. One example of a smart material is a shape memory alloy. When perturbed from its original shape, for example through bending, a shape memory alloy is capable of returning to its original shape when subjected to certain thermal treatments. In general, a component composed of a shape memory alloy can be deformed at a relatively low temperature and upon heating to a higher temperature will return to its original shape. Examples of shape memory alloys include gold-cadmium (AuCd), iron-platinum (FePt), nickel-titanium (NiTi), nickel-aluminum (NiAl), copper-zinc-aluminum (CuZnAl), and copper-aluminum-nickel (CuAlNi). Although such smart materials are known, typically, multiple materials must still be used in a system to perform differing functions within the system.
Another example of a smart material is a component having electromechanical functionality. Such a component can produce an electric field when exposed to a change in dimension caused by an imposed mechanical force (piezoelectric or generator effect), or conversely, can produce mechanical deformation or a change in shape when exposed to an applied electric field (electrostrictive or motor effect). Typically, piezoelectric and/or electrostrictive ceramics are used as the basis for electromechanical functionality.
Examples of piezoelectric and/or electrostrictive ceramics include lead zirconate titanate (PZT), lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT), lead barium zirconate titanate (PBZT), lead stannate zirconate titanate (PSZT), lead magnesium niobate (PMN), aluminum nitride (AlN) and barium titanate. These ceramics can be manufactured in almost any given shape or size, are chemically inert, and immune to moisture and other atmospheric conditions. Moreover, these ceramics exhibit multifunctional characteristics and are used in devices including transducers, linear actuators, vibrators, switches, speakers, benders, acoustic-canceling devices, sensors and smart systems.
Use of these piezoelectric and/or electrostrictive ceramics is limited by certain disadvantages of the materials. One significant disadvantage is that the ceramics tend to be brittle and weak. Thus, tensile strength limitations are often a limiting factor in design systems utilizing these materials.
Poling of piezoelectric and/or electrostrictive ceramics is an important aspect of the manufacture of transducers. During the poling process, a strong electric field is applied to the ceramic and then removed. This results in a poling field with the same orientation as the initial electric field. The poling process, however, is a challenging task that often results in electric breakdown before the poling process is complete, thus ruining the transducer. As a result, piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramics must be fabricated with electrodes located on the inside and the outside, thus resulting in lower poling and driving fields. However, the fabrication of complex piezoelectric and/or electrostrictive ceramic structures having electrodes located on both the inside and outside is not an easy task. Conventional methods of fabricating these complex structures are expensive and time consuming.
Accordingly, there exists a need for materials that have improved mechanical properties and are capable of performing multiple tasks (both structural and non-structural) within a system to increase system reliability, reduce system complexity, reduce costs and otherwise improve design limitations encountered heretofore with use of conventional materials. There further exists a need in the industry for low cost, versatile techniques for the fabrication of such materials, including structures having internal or embedded electrodes and sensors.


A single piece, single cavity, reusable waterproof catheter cover having an elongated body closed at the bottom end with a catheter entry opening to the cavity (C) surrounded by a flange (A) at the opposite top end. When the wrapped or unwrapped catheter and the catheter's entry port into the body are encased in the catheter housing (B), the flange lies flat against the skin and a waterproof adhesive film patch having a hole (D) in the center is used to affix the flange to the skin all the way around, providing a secure water-tight seal. The cover is made out of a pliable yet sturdy, durable, easily sanitized, medical grade material that allows the cover to be reused frequently and indefinitely.

Performing the function that damaged kidneys cannot do effectively, hemodialysis is a process whereby a machine intercepts blood flow, removes toxins and excess water, and returns the cleansed blood to the body in an uninterrupted continuous circulation. This is accomplished with the aid of two methods of blood retrieval and return (i.e., through a tube [a hemodialysis catheter implanted in and protruding out of the chest] or a "fistula" [an artery-vein connection within the arm]). The preparation of a patient for hemodialysis is a two-step process involving the following surgical procedures:                1. the insertion of the catheter into the upper chest cavity—half of its length inside the body and half of its length hanging loosely outside of the chest cavity—for the purpose of immediately beginning dialysis, and        2. the creation of the fistula by connecting an artery to a vein buried under the skin inside one arm.
The fistula will ultimately become the permanent port for hemodialysis. However, it requires maturation time for the fistula to heal properly—anywhere from 3 to 6 months—in order to be usable. Therefore, the catheter is the initial means to begin hemodialysis up until the fistula under the skin is ready for use, at which time the catheter is removed.
The fistula under the skin is accessed by using two large hypodermic needles inserted at the beginning of each session and removed at the end of each session. The needle insertion points close over and heal between each treatment so there is no risk of infection from waterborne contaminants.
However, some people's skin and arm flesh react poorly to this method, and the catheter must be relied upon indefinitely.
Unlike the needle used with the fistula, the catheter remains permanently in place during its months or years of use, leaving a possible avenue for infection to enter the body. To minimize the risk of infection, the end of the catheter that protrudes from the body is lightly wrapped in fresh gauze by the nurse. Before each hemodialysis treatment, the wrap is taken off from around the catheter and at the end of the treatment a fresh gauze wrap is applied around the catheter. All this time, the catheter does not move from its implanted position. Since the gauze wrap is not waterproof, moisture and water coming in contact with any part of the catheter or its entry port into the body present a serious risk of infection. Consequently, the patient is cautioned to keep dry the catheter's components and entry port.
This restriction poses obvious problems with regard to bathing, showering, and swimming.
There are several types of waterproof hemodialysis catheter covers available to protect the catheter and its entry port from water infiltration, each with its own disadvantages.
Korshield is a reusable, soft plastic, rubber-collared one-piece cape that is pulled on and off over the head and used for showering only. The collar can come unglued or stretch, and there is some discomfort after showering because the cape is dripping wet and the material quickly gets cold. In addition, it is sold in three sizes so obtaining the correct size is essential in order for the product to be effective.
Cover Cath (for shower and bath only), Liquishield (for shower only), Shower C.A.P. (for shower only), and Shower Shield (for shower only) are one-time use, disposable products that employ a plastic bag configuration or plastic film sheet with an adhesive material around the underside perimeter that seals to the skin. Most appear to require considerable manipulation to apply and remove. Cath Dry (for shower, bath, and swimming) is also a one-time use, disposable product. In addition, the examples of these competing products, with the exception of Cover Cath, are shown using an unwrapped catheter. This suggests that the unskilled patient may be required to take extra, time-consuming steps to unwrap and re-wrap the catheter every time he/she wants to bathe.

Waterproof chest catheter protector sheath


A network interface device for connecting telephone company lines and subscriber lines comprising an enclosure with a base and a cover and a socket having at least two sets of three switchable contacts, the first and second contacts (telco and customer) of each set being of a heavier gauge material than the third contact (test) of each set to improve reliability, the socket providing a point of demarcation between the telephone company and subscriber lines. Use of operational plugs (FIGS. 44, 47, 50) and dummy plugs (FIGS. 46, 49) is disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telephone network interface apparatus and to modular devices for interconnecting telephone company ("telco") wiring and subscriber telephone wiring. In particular, the invention relates to a modular device having a replaceable protection unit with overvoltage protection and/or an transient protection and a replaceable electronics unit with a maintenance termination unit and/or a half ringer. The protection and electronics units may be integrated to form a single replaceable protection/electronics unit. The modular a device may also have a plug-actuated switchable socket or a switch connected to an external socket for providing a point of demarcation between the telco wiring and the subscriber wiring such that an operating telephone can be plugged into the socket to determine whether a fault exists in the telco equipment or the subscriber premises. In addition, the modular device may have tool-less wire termination mechanisms for terminating and unterminating the telco and subscriber wiring at the modular network interface device without the use of tools.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Telephone subscribers may purchase and install their own telephone equipment and related appliances. Those subscribers are responsible for the proper operation of their equipment and the telephone company is responsible for service only up to the juncture between the telco wiring and the subscriber wiring. Thus, it is desirable to provide a telephone network interface apparatus which allows connection and disconnection of subscriber wiring from telco wiring so that the subscriber can readily isolate problems to the telco or subscriber equipment.
Modular devices are now available for use in telephone network interface apparatus that permit connecting and disconnecting the subscriber and telco wiring. Typical in the art are the modular devices shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,209 issued to Thomas J. Collins et al. on Dec. 18, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,910 issued to N. Peter Mickelson et al. on Oct. 6, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,553 issued to Thomas J. Smith on Mar. 1, 1994 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,199 issued to Thomas G. Graham et al. on Mar. 22, 1994. There remains, however, a need in the art for easily installable modular devices having low cost and maintenance and increased functionality and reliability.
The Collins et al., Mickelson et al. and Graham et al. patents disclose modular devices having an RJ-11 telephone plug connected to the subscriber wiring and an RJ-11 telephone socket connected to the telco wiring to form a series electrical connection between the telco and subscriber wiring. When the plug is removed from the socket, the subscriber wires are disconnected from the telco wires and the subscriber may plug an operating telephone into the socket to determine whether a fault exists with the telco or subscriber equipment. The Mickelson et al. patent discloses a protective element and a test circuit as permanent parts of the modular device. The Collins et al. and Graham et al. patents disclose an internal space in the modular device for a telephone circuit. The Collins et al. patent further discloses overvoltage protection devices separate from the modular devices. The Collins et al., Mickelson et al. and Graham et al. patents disclose connecting the subscriber wires and the telco wires using screws and/or nuts.
The Smith patent discloses a modular device with a special, normally conducting RJ-11 socket to connect the telco and subscriber wiring. This special socket is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,123 issued to C. Kevin Silver on Jul. 9, 1991. When a telephone is plugged into the socket, the subscriber lines are disconnected from the telco lines and the telephone is connected to the telco lines through the contacts in the socket. As an alternative embodiment, the Smith patent discloses a conventional RJ-11 socket and a conductive cap member to complete the circuit between the telco and subscriber wiring. When the cap member is removed from the socket, the subscriber wires are disconnected from the telco wires and a telephone can be plugged into the socket to determine the location of the fault. The Smith patent further discloses an overvoltage protection device and a specific terminating impedance for the telco wires as a permanent part of the modular device. Finally, the Smith patent discloses connecting the subscriber wires to terminals using screws and connecting the telco wires to terminals using nuts.
The prior art also discloses that telco and subscriber wires may be terminated using insulation displacement contacts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,911 issued to Thomas J. Smith on Oct. 6, 1992 discloses a weatherproof telephone terminal apparatus which employs a bolt which is turned to drive two mating parts together to force wires into slots in the insulation displacement contacts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,311 issued to Charles Tanzola on Jan. 9, 1991 shows a similar termination method. U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,449 issued to John S. Mattis et al. on Dec. 28, 1993 shows a method for attaching telephone "drop wires" to a plug in which wires are inserted into the plug and a cover is snapped shut, driving the wires into slots in the insulation displacement contacts. The Mattis et al. patent also discloses using a reenterable gel material in connection with the insulation displacement contacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,638 issued to Paul C. Dondero on Aug. 10, 1993 discloses a telephone network interface apparatus having separate telco and subscriber compartments. The subscriber compartment contains sets of modular devices while the telco compartment has sockets for receiving plug-in overvoltage protection modules and plug-in electronics modules which form side-by-side protector and electronics fields. U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,345 issued to Robert J. Marks on Jun. 18, 1991 discloses an overvoltage protection module with an integral 5-pin plug for use in a protection field. U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,662 issued to George A. DeBalko et al. on Dec. 29, 1992 discloses a module with an integral 5-pin plug which includes both overvoltage protection and a maintenance termination unit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,994 issued to Lou Suffi on Nov. 9, 1993 discloses a modular maintenance termination unit with a 5-pin plug which contains, as part of the module, a telephone socket and a telephone plug.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 1,303,383 issued to Ralph W. Osborne on May 13, 1919 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,212 issued to Donald W. Moses et al. on Feb. 21, 1984 disclose the use of inductances in series with telco lines.

Network interface device with switchable contacts


A database system may include an array of storage devices configured to store a plurality of database tables and a plurality of histograms. Each histogram may correspond to one or more columns of a database table. The database system may further include a processor in communication with the storage device. The processor may receive an indication that a histogram is to be rebuilt, wherein the histogram has a first number of intervals. The processor may determine at least one condition associated with a distribution of column values of at least one column in the histogram. The processor may determine a second number of histogram intervals based on the at least one condition. The processor may rebuild the histogram to include the second number of intervals. A method and computer-readable medium may also be implemented.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to histograms in a database system query processing, and more particularly to, rebuilding histograms based on histogram content.
2. Related Art
A database is a collection of stored data that is logically related and that is accessible by one or more users or applications. A popular type of database is the relational database management system (RDBMS), which includes relational tables, also referred to as relations, made up of rows and columns (also referred to as tuples and attributes). Each row represents an occurrence of an entity defined by a table, with an entity being a person, place, thing, or other object about which the table contains information.
In identifying an optimal plan for responding to a database query, the information of value frequencies for a column greatly helps in choosing the optimal plan for the queries referring to the column. However, it requires prohibitively large amount of space to keep the frequencies of all values on the column. Most database systems support histograms on one or more columns, which is a set of intervals that group adjacent column values together. Each interval of a histogram consists of the minimum value, the maximum value and an average frequency. Instead of using actual frequencies of the values in an interval, a database system typically uses the average frequency for its query planning. The average frequency of an interval works fine when the value frequencies are similar one another. But, when significantly different frequencies are grouped into the same interval, the average frequency could mislead the database system to pick a non-optimal plan. In general, as a histogram has more number of intervals, there is less chance that the values whose frequencies are different significantly are grouped into the same interval, but the histogram may requires more space and time to store/maintain/use.


A method for categorizing information regarding a failure in an application program module. The failure may be a crash, a set-up failure or an assert. For a crash, a name of an executable module where the crash occurred in the application program module, a version number of the executable module, a name of a module containing an instruction causing the crash, a version number of the module and an offset into the module with the crashing instruction are determined. This bucket information is then transmitted to a repository for storage in a database. The database may be examined to determine fixes for the bug that caused the crash.

Despite the best efforts of software developers, software programs inevitably fail at one time or another. One type of failure is a crash. A crash occurs while a program module is running and results in the suspension of operation of the program module. Crashes are frustrating to users and, in some cases, may cause the user to lose work. Another type of software program failure is a set-up failure. Set-up failures occur during installation of a program module onto a user's computer. Set-up failures may prevent certain aspects of the program module, or even the entire program module, from being installed on a user's computer.
Crashes and set-up failures create a significant amount of work for product support personnel. Product support personnel, typically contacted via telephone, are often limited in their ability to diagnose problems due to the limited amount of information they can receive from the user. For example, the product support personnel may only know what the user was doing when the crash occurred or at what point of the installation the set-up failure occurred. There may be a significant amount of information on the user's computer that may be useful to the product support personnel or to the software developers to diagnose the failures. However, because product support personnel and the software developers are not physically present at the user's computer, this information can not be extracted and analyzed.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system for extracting from a computer relevant information regarding a failure of a program module, including the location of the failure, and transmitting this information to a software manufacturer so, that the failure may be diagnosed and corrected. There is also a need for a method and system for requesting information from a failed program module, in addition to the location of the failure, and transmitting this additional information to a central repository for storage and analysis.
In developing such a method and system for reporting failures in a program module, there is a need for a method and system for categorizing failures to differentiate between separate failures. One way to differentiate between separate failures is to transmit and analyze massive amounts of data regarding a failure. However, sending massive amounts of data regarding a failure to a server is extremely inefficient and virtually impossible. For example, it is important that a lot of failure data not be transmitted to the server because many users will transmit the data via modems, etc. taking a lot of time to upload. Thus, there is a need for a method and system for categorizing failures using a minimal amount of uploadable data, while still differentiating between separate failures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for categorizing failures of a program module


A scraper blade assembly utilizes an over-center spring to bias the scraper blade assembly both into engagement and out of engagement with a conveyor, such as a moving belt, on a device for separating solids from liquids. The over-center spring extends between a fixed attachment point on the device and a pivoting attachment point on a handle secured to the scraper blade assembly. The invention is particularly applicable to belt filter presses and gravity belt sludge thickeners. An over-center spring may be secured to both ends of the scraper blade assembly to minimize torsional deformation of the scraper blade by the material being separated from the moving belt.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to scraper blades for moving belts and, more particularly, to pivoting scraper blade assemblies which may be biased into engagement and biased out of engagement with the moving belt.
2. Description of Prior Art
Devices for separating solids from liquids, such as belt filter presses and gravity belt sludge thickeners, utilize moving belts. Belt filter presses use a series of cylindrical rollers about which a pair of belts is wrapped in a serpentine path. As the belts pass around each successive roller, liquid is pressed out of a material that is previously introduced between the belts while the solid matter remains trapped inside. Gravity belt sludge thickeners operate in a similar manner but separate the water from the solid mass from the effects of gravity only. These presses and thickeners typically use scraper blades at the discharge point of their process in order to scrape off any dewatered material that may have been pressed into or otherwise stuck to the weave of the belts. Scraper blades may also be positioned at other locations separate from the discharge point to aid in cleaning.
Scraper blade assemblies are necessary to insure that the solid material does not become reintroduced into the closed loop system of the press, which can be detrimental to both the performance and life of the press. At the same time, the scraper blade assemblies must allow some "give" for the seams of the belt, as well as allowing movement of the scraper blade away from the belt for cleaning and maintenance purposes.
Present scraper blade assemblies in use on belt filter presses and gravity belt sludge thickeners include a combination of springs, cams, rollers and brackets in order to engage or disengage the blade from the belt. These are complex and costly arrangements that limit the utility and flexibility of the scraper blade assembly. In addition, for very-wide machines, these arrangements often do not provide sufficient force for the scraper blade to work effectively when held against the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,684 to Maestrelli discloses equipment for pre-filtering a solvent, particularly in dry-cleaning machines, wherein a scraper blade is kept under the action of a counterweight or spring in engagement with the outer cylindrical wall of a rotating drum. The adhesion or friction pressure of the blade against the drum is adjustable by adjustment of the spring force or the counterweight load.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,863 to Zander discloses a stripping device for rotary filters wherein a scraper blade scrapes filter cake from a belt. The scraper blade is carried on a cross bar, which in turn carries a weight. The weight may be adjusted to adjust the force of the scraper blade acting on the belt filter cake. A tilting device is arranged between the cross bar and the weight. A tie bar functions as a safety device against overthrow so that the tilting device is not overthrown when under too great a load. The center of gravity of the weight must always be between a transverse shaft and a belt if the scraper is to be engaged on the belt. The tilting device will tilt out of engagement with the belt when a temporarily large load on the scraper blade arises.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,686 to Ootani et al. discloses an apparatus for continuous liquid-solid separation having pivoting side plates which hold filter cloth on the device. The side plates are connected to a movable lever via a spring. When the lever is pushed outward, the spring causes the pivoting side plates to disengage from the filter cloth.
There remains a need for a scraper blade assembly for devices for removing liquids from solids which eliminates cams, brackets and levers and replaces them with a simplified singular arrangement for both engaging and disengaging the scraper blade. Furthermore, there is a need for a scraper blade assembly which may employ springs on either end of the scraper blade to resist torsional deformation which material being separated from the belt may impose on the scraper blade. There is also a need for a scraper blade which may be securely disengaged from the belt a greater distance from the belt than prior art arrangements, to facilitate cleaning and maintenance of the scraper blade assembly and the belt. There is also a need for a scraper blade assembly which provides a standardized design for various belt filter press and gravity belt sludge thickener machines.


A thin-film coil for use in a flying magneto-optical data storage system is formed on an undercoat layer, and includes an underside and a conductor deposited on the undercoat layer. The conductor is covered by an insulation layer on which a yoke is formed for providing a path to a magnetic field generated by the conductor. The yoke is formed of three sections: an upper section, an intermediate section, and the tip. The yoke tip defines an optical opening and has its underside substantially flush with the underside of the undercoat layer for increasing the density of the magnetic field at a target distance from the coil. The yoke tip underside is defined by an inner edge that delineates the optical opening, and that is formed of two semi-circular sections and two linear sections tangential to the semi-circular sections. The yoke can optionally include an outer section that extends over the peripheral side of the insulation layer and that further extends in an enlarged toe section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to optical and magneto-optical data storage systems, and in particular to a thin film electro-magnetic coil for use in flying magneto-optical heads.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional magnetic storage system includes a magnetic head that has a slider element and a magnetic read/write element, and is coupled to a rotary actuator magnet and a voice coil assembly by a suspension and an actuator arm to be positioned over a surface of a spinning magnetic disk. In operation, lift forces are generated by aerodynamic interactions between the magnetic head and the spinning magnetic disk. The lift forces are opposed by equal and opposite spring forces applied by the suspension such that a predetermined flying height is maintained over a full radial stroke of the rotary actuator assembly above the surface of the spinning magnetic disk.
Flying head designs have been proposed for use with optical and magneto-optical (MO) storage technology. One motivation for using the magneto-optical technology stems from the availability of a higher areal density with magneto-optical storage disks than magnetic storage disks. However, despite the historically higher areal storage density available for use with magneto-optical disks drives, the prior art magneto-optical disk drive volumetric storage capacity has generally not kept pace with the volumetric storage capacity of magnetic disk drives.
One factor that limits MO disk drives is the coil that generates the necessary magnetic field for writing data on the MO disk. The magnetic field is applied to a spot of interest on the MO disk from the direction of the incident laser beam, or from the opposite direction. However, the magnetic coils used in these commercial magneto-optical heads are relatively large and heavy devices with bulky hand wound coils. These large magnetic coils generally have high inductance and low resonance frequencies leading to background noise problems at higher data transfer rates.
The following patents provide examples of electro-magnetic coil designs for use in various applications, including data storage systems:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,178 to Ichibara; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,018 to Vogelgesang et al; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,324 to Lin et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,408 to Lee et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,961 to Yamaguchi et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,050 to Murakami et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,122 to Murakami et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,328 to Jacobs et al.; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,496 to Wu et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,766 to Desaigoudar et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,131 to Albertini et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,871 to Bargerhuff et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,179 to Ito et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,183 to Ishii; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,336 to Albertini et al; PA1 Japanese patent application No. 59-117180; PA1 Japanese patent application No. 06-325-426 A; PA1 Japanese patent application No. 03-260-936 A; and PA1 Japanese patent application No. 03-113-756 A.
What is needed, therefore, is an electro-magnetic coil that presents an improvement over conventional coils. The new coil should improve the disk access time, improve the areal storage density of storage media, and reduce the head weight and size.

Thin-film electro-magnetic coil design for use in a flying magneto-optical head


An impact ripper (2) mounted on the rear portion of a construction machine, such as a bulldozer (1), for digging a hard soil layer is automatically controlled to reduce the operator's fatigue, to improve operability with regard to the posture of the impact ripper during operation of its vibrating mechanism (3), and to prevent breakdown of the impact ripper caused by wasteful striking. A vehicle tractive force and a vehicle speed required by digging resistance applied to a blade end (2a) of the impact ripper (2) are detected and signals obtained from the detections are inputted to a controller (4). When an automatic strike switch is on, an activating signal is outputted from the controller (4) to the vibrating mechanism (3) of the impact ripper (2) regardless of a vehicle body tractive force when a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value. On the other hand, when the vehicle speed is equal to or grater than the predetermined value, an activating signal is outputted from the controller (4) only when the vehicle body tractive force is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

In conventional large bulldozers mainly used for digging, a blade device is mounted on a front portion thereof while a ripper device is mounted on a rear portion for digging or pushing soil. The ripper device used at a working site where the soil is mixed with hard rocks is mounted on a bracket fixed to the rear surface of a vehicle body through lifting and tilting hydraulic cylinders. The ripper device performs digging by inserting a blade thereof into the ground or by crushing the hard rock while changing the insertion angle. At a relatively soft ground, digging is performed by inserting the blade upright to the ground. At a hard rock ground, the operation of the ripper device is temporarily stopped and the rear portion of the body is floated. In that state, the hard rock is crushed utilizing the weight of the bulldozer and the pushing down force generated by a lifting cylinder of the ripper device. However, there is a limitation in the crushing of a hard rock, and crushing of the hard rock deteriorates the working efficiency. Hence, a ripper provided with a hydraulic breaker to crush hard rocks by giving a blow to it has been employed in recent years. Such a ripper is capable of crushing hard rocks which would be conventionally difficult to crush and can thus increase the digging efficiency.
However, at a working site where the aforementioned type of construction machine is used, the ground is generally composed of soft soils and hard rocks which are present in a mingled state, and the operator determines by intuition the digging condition and operates the bulldozer accordingly. That is, when the machine comes to a hard rock and the digging resistance is thereby increased, the operator crushes it by manually operating the vibrating mechanism of the impact ripper. When the digging resistance reduces, the operator stops the operation of the breaker. Such an operation dependent on the intuition of the operator requires the operator's skill and may generate wasteful striking of the ripper which may lead to breakage of the impact ripper. Thus, the working efficiency is deteriorated, and the operator often has fatigue.
In view of the aforementioned drawbacks of the conventional technique, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of automatically controlling an impact ripper which does not require the operator's skill, which is capable of reducing fatigue and of preventing breakage of the impact ripper caused by wasteful striking, which is capable of increasing the operability of the ripper during the operation of a breaker and which is capable of preventing an increase in the vibrations of a body during crushing of a rock bed.

Method of automatically controlling impact ripper


An apparatus for determining information relating to at least one target alignment mark in a semiconductor device substrate. The target alignment mark is initially at least partially obscured by an opaque carbon or metal layer on the substrate. The apparatus includes an energy delivery system configured to emit a laser beam for modifying at least one portion of the opaque layer to cause a phase change and/or chemical change in the at least one portion that increases the transparency of the portion. An optical signal can propagate through the modified portion to determine information relating to the target alignment mark.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine constructed to apply a desired pattern onto a substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). A lithographic apparatus may, for example, project a pattern (also often referred to as "design layout" or "design") at a patterning device (e.g., a mask) onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on a substrate (e.g., a wafer).
To project a pattern on a substrate a lithographic apparatus may use electromagnetic radiation. The wavelength of this radiation determines the minimum size of features which can be formed on the substrate. Typical wavelengths currently in use are 365 nm (i-line), 248 nm, 193 nm and 13.5 nm. A lithographic apparatus, which uses extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, having a wavelength within the range 4-20 nm, for example 6.7 nm or 13.5 nm, may be used to form smaller features on a substrate than a lithographic apparatus which uses, for example, radiation with a wavelength of 193 nm.
Amorphous carbon layers, which may be used as so-called "hard masks", are deposited on certain substrate layers in order to provide a high aspect ratio etch as part of an IC or semiconductor device manufacturing process. Carbon layers may be used for etching deep, high aspect ratio structures within ICs. Amorphous carbon layers are widely used in manufacturing of Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) and 3D Negative-AND (NAND) devices, for example. However, carbon layers may also be used in manufacturing of other types of ICs and semiconductor devices.
At various stages during the IC manufacturing process, it may be necessary to align a substrate comprising an IC or semiconductor device such that a pattern of structures forming part of the IC or semiconductor device is accurately printed on top of underlying patterns. A misalignment may result in a so-called overlay (OV) error between adjacent layers in the IC or semiconductor device, which may result in a non-operational or sub-optimal device. In order to verify the alignment of the IC or semiconductor device, an appropriate instrument such as an alignment sensor may be used to measure information such as the position and/or orientation of a feature such as an alignment feature or other mark provided in at least one of the layers.
If a carbon layer is present, the alignment sensor may not be able to detect the features underlying the carbon layer due to the carbon layer absorbing radiation at the alignment sensor operating wavelength(s). Without accurate detection of these features, it may be difficult to achieve the necessary accuracy (e.g. nm placement accuracy in some cases) for printing structures in the layers of the substrate.
Similar issues may arise with metallic layers provided in IC devices (e.g. 3D IC devices) and other semiconductor devices. Such devices may create challenges for alignment procedures, because such layers may be opaque to the alignment sensor operating wavelength(s). Metallic layers may have high refraction and extinction coefficients, thus preventing the alignment sensor measuring information obtained from features located below the opaque layer(s).
Opaque metal or carbon layers are or will be used as a hard mask or as functional layers in at least the following devices:                3D-NAND devices may include carbon or doped carbon hard masks. Such devices may include heavy metal (e.g. Tungsten (W)) hard masks having a thickness of ˜0.4-2 μm.        3D X-point devices use multiple metal layers (e.g. W layers) with each layer having a thickness of ˜20-100 nm.
Due to a combination of high reflectivity at interfaces of the metal layer(s) with other substrate layers (e.g. metal/(bottom anti-reflection coating (BARC) or resist), metal/ceramic, metal/semiconductor), and attenuation of light due to the high extinction coefficient of the metal layers, insufficient signal levels may be detected by the alignment sensor after passing through the opaque metal layer(s).
High reflectivity from the opaque metal or amorphous carbon layer(s) may lead to the alignment sensor making erroneous or false measurements. Further, such an opaque layer may follow the topography of layers below, and may thus carry a pattern of a feature (such as an alignment mark, grating, or the like) provided on one of those layers. However, such a feature may be present on the opaque layer at a shifted location with respect to the location of the original feature. For example, a shift of ˜1-10 nm may be observed in some cases, with a shift of comparable magnitude to the thickness of the metal layer being possible in the worst case. The level of shift may be dependent on chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), deposition and/or other operations corresponding to manufacturing of such a layer and the layers below. Similarly, the opaque layer properties (e.g. refractive index n, extinction coefficient k, or the like) may be distorted by the topography or composition of layers below and thus the light reflected from the opaque layer may be imprinted with the shifted feature/mark pattern. For 3D X-point devices, the shift may be of the order of 1-2 nm.
Various techniques may be used to improve alignment where opaque metallic or carbon layers are used. For example, in a clearout procedure, a litho-etch step may be performed on a region of an opaque layer above the feature/mark so that the material in this region can be removed. The region may then be re-filled with an alternative (and preferably not optically opaque) material. Finally, a CMP step may be used to planarize the surface and remove the re-filler material from the rest of the opaque layer (i.e. those regions other than the region above the alignment feature). However, some of these steps may be expensive (e.g. a dry etch which may be used in the case of clear out made in the relatively thick hard mask).
Another procedure used to improve alignment where opaque metallic or carbon layers are used may involve the printing of additional features or other marks that are referenced to original alignment features/marks that are provided within the substrate; such additional features being visible at the top interface of an opaque layer. Such a procedure may require several extra litho-etch/deposit steps, which may: be expensive, lower the yield due to contamination and variabilities introduced with extra process steps; and/or may deteriorate product overlay (i.e. due to the build-up of errors when copying the feature/mark to later layers).
A current approach for alignment of a substrate comprising a carbon layer includes providing additional alignment features or marks in upper or intermediate layers of the substrate to determine the alignment of the substrate using an alignment sensor. In an example, the alignment sensor may be configured to detect a reflection from an alignment feature in a top surface of an amorphous carbon layer.

Information determining apparatus and method


In the scheduling method disclosed herein, a genetic algorithm is employed to improve a population of possible schedules represented by respective chromosomes, where the chromosomes upon which the genetic algorithm operates are not a direct encoding of a possible schedules. Rather, the details of the scheduling problem and the real life constraints typically associated with such problems are hidden from the genetic algorithm by the use of a deterministic schedule builder which operates on lists of the desired tasks and which generates legal schedules, i.e. schedules which do not violate hard constraints. The legal schedules so generated are evaluated or scored and the scores are provided to the genetic algorithm as feedback for influencing subsequent operation of the genetic algorithm.

The present invention relates to a method of scheduling and more particularly to a method of scheduling tasks which employs a genetic algorithm for progressively improving possible solutions to a scheduling problem.
As is understood by those skilled in the art, scheduling and planning are difficult problems which do not easily yield to automated solving. They are problems which are typically tackled with a combination of search techniques and heuristics. Scheduling is difficult for various reasons. It is a computationally complex problem described in computer science terms as NP complete. This means that search techniques that deterministically and exhaustively search the space of possibilities will probably fail because of time requirements. On the other hand, search techniques that use heuristics to prune the search space will not be guaranteed to find an optimal solution or even a good one. Further, scheduling problems are often complicated by the details of a particular scheduling task. Algorithmic consideration of the specific constraints must often be embodied in what amounts to a domain specific expert system. Thus, any given such system has limited applicability. How the expert knowledge is embedded into an optimization algorithm is often very algorithm specific.
It has previously been proposed to apply genetic algorithms to scheduling problems. As is understood by those skilled in the art, genetic algorithms function by applying operators, e.g. crossover and mutation, to a population of possible solutions often referred to in the art as "chromosomes". Traditionally, chromosomes are simple binary vectors. This simple representation has substantial appeal and the theoretical grounding of genetic algorithms is based on the binary vectors and simple operators. However, many problems emerge when one attempts to represent complicated problems using binary vectors. The success of genetic algorithms in finding good solutions is in general rather directly a function of the manner in which the chromosomes are encoded to represent possible solutions. The situation is further complicated in scheduling problems in that the usual methods of applying crossover and mutation may generate illegal solutions and the genetic algorithm will then in effect spend substantial effort in exploring unhelpful search space. Encoding methods attempting to avoid these problems are described in Davis, L. (1985). Job shop scheduling with genetic algorithms. Proceedings of an International Conference on Genetic Algorithms and Their Applications. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. and Whitley, D., T. Starkweather, and D. Fuquay (1989). Scheduling problems and the traveling salesman: the genetic edge recombination operator. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Genetic Algorithms and Their Applications. San Mateo, Calif.: Morgan Kaufmann.
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of a novel method for creating schedules; the provision of such a method which will effectively schedule tasks, each of which requires selected resources from a predetermined pool of resources for respective time intervals; the provision of such a method which will schedule tasks having associated therewith various constraints, some of which may be hard or rigid and others of which may be more in the nature of preferences; the provision of such a method which will consistently generate good solutions to complex scheduling problems; the provision of such a method which is easily adaptable to a variety of scheduling problems; the provision of such a method which is adapted to automated or computerized implementation; the provision of such a method which operates quickly; and the provision of such a method which is highly reliable and which may be implemented relatively inexpensively. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
In accordance with the practice of the present invention, a genetic algorithm is employed which utilizes chromosomes which are not simple binary vectors but, rather, are more indirect representations of possible solutions, for example, merely ordered lists of tasks to be performed. Further, the genetic algorithm is insulated from domain specific knowledge by the inclusion, in the overall system, of a deterministic schedule builder. The schedule builder operates to place the tasks in a given list into a legal schedule, i.e. a schedule which complies with the various hard constraints which may be associated with each task. Legal schedules generated in this manner are then evaluated or scored on the basis of the various soft or preferential constraints to determine how good the putative schedule is. The scores of possible solutions are provided as feedback to the genetic algorithm for use in controlling the operators which effect evolution of the population of solutions.
In a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention operates to schedule tasks, each of which requires selected resources from a predetermined pool of resources for respective time intervals, each task having associated constraints and an associated scoring function for evaluating its inclusion within a schedule. An initial population of sequential task lists is generated, preferably randomly. The successive tasks in each list are sequentially fit into a respective legal schedule, observing the associated constraints. Each possible schedule in the population is evaluated in accordance with the scoring function to obtain a ranking of the respective lists. Pairs of higher ranking lists are stochastically selected for combination to generate new member lists to be added to the population and lower ranked lists are stochastically deleted from the population. Preferably, mutation is periodically applied by stochastically selecting a pair of tasks in one of the task lists and reversing the positions of the pair in that list.

Generation of schedules using a genetic procedure