The present invention provides a system and method for scheduling tasks in a computing system. The disclosed system model has multiple levels, with each level having at least one queue. Each queue has at least one processing function and zero or more clusters associated with it. Flow control technique is used amongst queues at various levels in order to schedule tasks efficiently such that task drop rate reduces. Based on the flow control directives, corrective actions, such as varying the dispatch rate or changing the buffer capacity of queues may be performed by a queue. The disclosed system and method can be implemented as Cooperative Load Distributor (CLD) architecture or as Cooperative Load Distributor framework.

A computing system may be defined as a system, having a memory and processing capability, which carries out various tasks and processes various requests. Such requests may range from a simple data request, such as accessing a database over a network, to more complex ones, such as a request for running an application, which, in turn, may require some data (in databases) in order to process the original request.
Any computing system that receives requests (or tasks) and processes them has certain limitation on its capacity. There is a bound on the maximum number of requests it can process simultaneously. Such a limitation may arise due to the design and capacity of the computing system. Thus, parameters such as CPU speed, memory capacity, network connection speed etc. on which the system is deployed—limit the number of requests that can be handled by the system. Therefore, if the number of requests exceeds this limit, there will be certain requests that will not be completely processed. There will be some requests that will be dropped before reaching the computing system. These requests will not be received by the computing system at all. Also, there will be some requests that will be received by the computing system, but these will only be processed partially before they are aborted. This usually happens due to lack of memory or timeout of a network connection.
One example of such a system may be an Internet-based online stock trading service. Such a service provides information about the prices of specific stocks to its users on user's requests. However, with growing number of users of such online Internet services, the number of user requests handled concurrently by a server of the online Internet service becomes unmanageable some times. For instance, server of an online Internet service, which provides specific information about basketball, gets overloaded with user requests during the finals of a national level basketball tournament. Indeed, there would be some user requests that will only be partially processed, and some requests that will not be processed at all due to the overload of requests. These requests, which are not processed completely, or not processed at all are also regarded as dropped.
The request is regarded as dropped in case any transaction that is critical for the complete processing of the request itself is unprocessed. Suppose a request B generated by partial processing of a request A is critical for complete processing of request A. However, if request B is dropped (say, due to overload of requests on component that processes request B), request A cannot be completely processed. In such a case, request A is regarded as dropped as well.
Thus, to summarize, a request is regarded as dropped if (i) prior to the processing —partial or full—of the request by the system or a system component, it is eliminated from any future consideration for processing (i.e. is completely dropped) due to request overload on the component; (ii) any transaction that is critical for the complete processing of the request is aborted; (iii) another request, which is generated out of the processing of the original request and whose complete processing is critical for the complete processing of the original request is dropped.
One way of addressing the problem of request drops due to overloading is to use multiple replicas of the same system (i.e. multiple servers) to process incoming requests. Thus, a cluster of servers may be used instead of a single server to process the requests. A load balancer is used in front of the cluster to receive requests and ensure fair distribution of requests among the replicas. Load balancers are hardware devices or software programs that distribute user requests evenly among various components of the cluster in order to prevent overloading of components. For instance, a load balancer may be used to distribute user requests among a number of replicas of a server (such as http1 servers). This distribution may be based on predefined criteria, such as workload on each component, content type of the request (video or text), geographical location of components and expected QoS and SLA. Furthermore, there may be predefined method/technique of distributing these requests among similar components as will be discussed later.
With use of multiple instances of same server, there is a reduction in the number of requests processed by each server. This, in turn, reduces the chances of overloading of a server. However, the number of requests in certain cases may be so high that it would be impractical to have multiple servers to meet the requirements. With increased network transmission speeds and increased number of users/clients, the transmission of requests over a network is much faster than the rate of processing requests at a component and/or the rate of forwarding request by a load balancer. This causes an accumulation of requests at a component/load balancer and thus overloads the component/load balancer. This leads to request drops at the component/load balancer. In some other cases, a component starts processing a request, but due to high load conditions, the processing does not complete within a pre-defined period. This may also lead to request drops.
Request drops adversely affect the performance of a computing system. First, there is wastage of resources—resources of load balancer(s) that processed and forwarded the request and/or resources utilized for the partial processing of the request. This leads to reduction in resource utilization. Second, a request, upon being processed, may result in a change of state in some of the components (that have processed the request). If the request is dropped at an intermediate component, the system may have to be rolled back to its most recent consistent state. In other words, the whole system has to be brought back to the state that the system was in, before the processing of the dropped request had started. Each rollback worsens the response time of the system in processing requests, reduces the throughput of the system and also wastes system resources. Third, wastage of system resources may cause dropping of other requests, which otherwise could have been processed, due to non-availability of sufficient system resources. Fourth, for the same reason as stated above, some other requests would be processed with a lower quality of service, which otherwise could have been processed at a better quality of service. Fifth, the time wasted for partial processing of a dropped request adds to the user response time for dropped or failed requests. This may hamper the Quality of Service (QoS) provided to the user and may also lead to the violation of Service Level Agreements (SLA) between the user and the network. Finally, user dissatisfaction increases with higher response time for processing of requests.
In light of the abovementioned disadvantages of request drops, it is imperative to reduce the number of request drops. There are a number of methods and techniques to use load balancers in order to reduce the request drops. One exemplary method for carrying out the distribution of user requests by a load balancer is the Round Robin Domain Name Server (RR-DNS) approach. In this method, the requests are routed to multiple servers one by one on a rotational basis (that is in a round robin fashion).
There are some other load-balancing solutions that are based on the idea of flow of information among individual components in a cluster (of similar components) in order to determine the target component for a particular user request. This information may relate to the load levels of each component in the cluster whose load is being balanced by the load balancer.
One such solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,732, titled "Load balancing and fail over of network services". It deals with maintenance of communication within a cluster of components and coordination of the cooperation amongst them. This is done to ensure that the service provided by that group remains available, even if one or more components providing the service become unavailable from time to time, such as through failure. Each processing element periodically sends a control message to all other processing elements within the group helping to maintain the communication. This message consists of the status of the sending components as well as data about the perceived status of the other components within the group.
Another solution has been proposed in research paper titled "Flow Control and Dynamic Load Balancing in Time Warp" authored by Myongsu Choe and Carl Tropper. It discloses an algorithm that integrates flow control and dynamic load balancing. Flow control is employed by processors in a cluster (of processors) to share or distribute the load amongst them. Flow control in this case is among the target components.
The research paper titled "The Design and Performance of an Adaptive CORBA Load Balancing Service" authored by Ossama Othman, Carlos O'Ryan, and Douglas C. Schmidt also proposes a solution. This paper, in its future works, raises the need to employ flow control among various load balancers to determine the target replica (component) from a given cluster (of components).
All the solutions described above use information exchange among various components in a cluster (of similar components) to determine the target component that would process the request(s). However, none of them address the problem of request drops in systems that intend to work at high request rates. Requests that are finally dropped before their completion are also processed, thereby causing wastage of resources and increasing the processing time and power consumption. This results in lower system efficiency. These solutions also have the usual disadvantages of request drops that have been described above.
Therefore, in light of the discussion above, there exists a need for a system and method that can reduce the number of request drops in a computing system. More specifically, there is a need for a system and method for reducing the number of requests dropped at the load balancers. There also exists a need for a system and method for facilitating Quality of Service (QoS) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) enforcement at load balancers. There also exists a need for a load-balancing framework for increasing the throughput of system. This is required for reducing the wastage of system resources.

System and method for task scheduling based upon the classification value and probability


For manufacturing a scintillator ceramic of a rare earth oxisulfide, a pigment powder is compressed by single-axis hot-pressing to form a ceramic member having at least 99.9% of the theoretic density, the pigment powder having the general formula (M.sub.1 xLn.sub.x).sub.2 O.sub.2 S, whereby M denotes at least one element from the group Y, La and Gd, Ln represents at least one element from the group Eu, Ce, Pr, Tb, Yb, Dy, Sm and Ho, and whereby 1.times.10.sup.-6 .ltoreq.x.ltoreq.2.times.10.sup.-1, and the powder having a specific surface according to BET of at least 10 m.sup.-2 /g.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to producing a scintillator ceramic for use in a scintillator member for detecting high-energy radiation, for example x-rays, gamma rays and electron beams.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scintillator members for detecting high energy radiation contain a phosphor that can absorb the high-energy radiation and convert it into visible light. The luminescent emission thereby generated is electronically acquired and evaluated with the assistance of light-sensitive systems such as photodiodes or photomultipliers. Such scintillator members can be manufactured of single-crystal materials, for example, doped alkali halides. Non-single-crystal materials can be employed as powdered phosphor or in the form of ceramic members manufactured therefrom.
Scintillator ceramics consisting of pigment powders of the rare earth oxisulfides that obey the general total formula EQU (M.sub.1-x Ln.sub.x).sub.2 O.sub.2 S
are well-suited for highly sensitive radiation detectors as required, for example, in x-ray computer tomography. In this formula, M stands for at least one element from the group of rare earths and Ln stands for at least one element suitable as an activator from the group of europium, cerium, praseodymium, terbium, ytterbium, dysprosium, samarium and holmium, whereby x can assume a value up to 2.times.10.sup.-1. The scintillator ceramic should have an optical transmission characteristic of translucent through transparent for a high light yield in the conversion of the high-energy radiation, in order to assure a high transmissivity of the luminescent emission within the scintillator member.
Further, a high quantum efficiency is required in the conversion, whereas an excessive afterglow is undesired.
A high transparency of the scintillator member can only be achieved with a high-density ceramic that has optimally low residual porosity. In addition to a crystal anisotropy of the optical refractive index due to non-uniform crystal structure, foreign phase inclusions as well as grain boundaries and, in particular, pores are disruptive for an optimum transmission of the luminescent emission.
German OS 36 29 180 discloses a method for manufacturing a scintillator ceramic of phosphor powders of the rare earth oxisulfides. In this known method powdered scintillator material, which is acquired according to a conventional flux process, is enclosed vacuum-tight in a metal container and is isostatically pressed therein at a temperature from 800.degree. through 1700.degree. C. and a pressure of 50 through 200 Mpa. In order to obtain an optimally high compression of the powdered scintillator material, a compression additive, for example a complex alkali fluoride, is previously added thereto, prior to compression, in a weight proportion up to 10%. A scintillator ceramic is thus obtained that has a residual porosity below 4% by volume, but which still has individual foreign phase inclusions due to the compression additive and therefore does not have an optimum transmission for visible light.
In addition, disadvantages also exist in this known process, since isostatic hot-pressing is technologically complicated and, for example, requires a 200 Mpa high-pressure technique. Further time-consuming and cost-intensive steps are molding the pigment powder in a metal container that is gastight at high-pressure, and the subsequent unmolding (removal) of the scintillator member from the container.

Method for producing a scintillator ceramic


It is an object of the invention to provide an ion diffusing apparatus having higher ability by suppressing the disturbance or turbulent flow generated in the vicinity of an ion generating apparatus and by enhancing the ion generating efficiency and the ion transfer efficiency. To achieve this object, the ion diffusing apparatus includes an ion generating apparatus which generates ions from an electrical discharging surface, a wind-blowing path which transmits the ions generated from the ion generating apparatus, and a blowout opening which is formed in an end of the wind-blowing path and which discharges the ions, and the wind-blowing path upstream from the ion generating apparatus is provided with a rectifier which rectifies flow of ions.

One example of conventional ion diffusing apparatuses is described in a later-described comparative example 2 (see FIG. 36). A refrigerator having this ion diffusing apparatus 110a (see FIG. 35) is described in Patent Publications 1 and 2. This refrigerator 200 emits ions outside the refrigerator to sterilize the outer periphery of the refrigerator. By sterilizing suspended bacteria outside the refrigerator, sanitary living space is provided, and it is possible to prevent suspended bacteria from entering the refrigerator from outside when its door is opened/closed, and to provide sanitary inside environment of the refrigerator.
FIG. 37 shows ion concentrations of various portions in a room at 15° C. in temperature when cluster ions are discharged into the room from an outer-side ion blowout opening 22 of a refrigerator 200 having a conventional ion diffusing apparatus 110a. Herein, the sterilizing effect has been confirmed when the plus ion concentration is 2000 ions/cm3 or more and the minus ion concentration is 2000 ions/cm3 or more.
In FIG. 37, although there exist ions having high concentration around the outer-side ion blowout opening 22, its region is narrow and this is not always sufficient. For example, ion concentration at a position in front of the outer-side ion blowout opening 22 by 10 mm is about 100000 ions/cm3. Although sufficient ions are generated from the ion generating apparatus 14, ions of high concentration are retained in the vicinity of the blowout opening, and the ions are not dispersed over the entire room.
In order to achieve this problem, there is a method to increase the length of a blowout opening 15 in its widthwise direction and to sent out air current in a wide range.
A later-described comparative example 4 is taken as an example. In an ion diffusing apparatus 110c of the comparative example 4 (see FIG. 40), an enlarged pipe portion 13b extends from an ion generating apparatus 14 to a diffusing apparatus blowout opening 15. A cross-sectional area thereof is smoothly increased from the ion generating apparatus 14 toward the diffusing apparatus blowout opening 15. The enlarged pipe portion 13b is provided with a plurality of wind introducing plates 16 from a downstream portion immediately after the ion generating apparatus 14 to a slightly upstream portion of the diffusing apparatus blowout opening 15, and is divided into plurality of portions by the wind introducing plates 16. The ion generating apparatus 14 is disposed immediately upstream of the plurality of wind introducing plates 16, if a width of the electrical discharging surface 14a of the ion generating apparatus 14 in a direction perpendicular to a flow is defined as w1 and a width of the wind-blowing path 13 facing the electrical discharging surface 14a is defined as w2, a relation of w2=2×w1 is established. A center of the electrical discharging surface 14a of the ion generating apparatus 14 in a direction perpendicular to the flowing direction and a center of the wind-blowing path 13 facing the electrical discharging surface 14a coincide with each other.
Patent Publication 1: JP-A 2002-204622
Patent Publication 2: JP-A 2002-206163


A system and method is provided for providing power managed common mode logic (CML) transmitters for use with main and auxiliary power sources. Power switch circuitry comprising two PMOS transistors switches the CML transmitter output circuit between a main power source node (VDD) and an auxiliary power source node (TXRAIL). A bias circuit biases the two PMOS transistors to place the main power source voltage on the auxiliary power source node (TXRAIL) when the value of the main power source voltage is nonzero. The bias circuit also biases the two PMOS transistors to remain off when the value of the main power source voltage on the main power source node (VDD) is zero.

One advantage of common mode logic (CML) transmitters is that they operate at high speeds. One disadvantage, however, is that CML transmitters continuously burn current. In some CML transmitter applications power saving measures are employed to reduce the power consumption that is required to continuously provide current. In such instances the main power source of the CML transmitter is switched off and an auxiliary power source is switched on when the CML transmitter is placed into a power conservation state.
PCIExpress is a well known serial bus interface standard. One of the PCIExpress power conservation states is referred to as a P2 state. Assume that a CML transmitter has been placed in a PCIExpress P2 state and is operating on an auxiliary power source. Some level of functionality in the CML transmitter must still be maintained in order for the CML transmitter to operate properly. For example, the CML transmitter must operate in a P2 Beacon mode in order to indicate the existence of a valid serial connection. In a P2 Beacon mode the CML transmitter needs to switch to a separate regulated power supply.
There is a need in the art for an improved system and method for providing power managed CML transmitters for use with main and auxiliary power sources. There is also a need in the art for an improved system and method for switching between a main power source for a CML transmitter and an auxiliary power source for the CML transmitter.

System and method for providing power managed CML transmitters for use with main and auxiliary power sources


An absorbent binder coating including monoethylenically unsaturated polymer units, polyacrylate ester units that include an alkoxysilane functionality, and polyolefin glycol units and/or polyolefin oxide units, can be applied to various substrates. For example, the coating can be self-applied to an article of clothing or to a person's skin to provide absorbency. Alternatively, the coating can provide moisture absorbency, as well as adhesive properties, when incorporated into various articles including medical devices, wound dressings, laminates, absorbent garments, packaging materials, and horticultural products.

This invention is directed to a combination of an absorbent binder coating and various substrates to which the coating is applied.
A number of products that are exposed to moisture or humidity during use often lack absorbent properties because of impracticalities. More particularly, it may seem impractical to apply an absorbent layer of material to a surface because absorbent materials are often bulky, thus there may not be any perceptible space on the article to which absorbent material may be attached without getting in the way. Furthermore, the cost of adding absorbent material may be prohibitively expensive. Additionally, it may be difficult to find a binder material that can attach the absorbent material to the article without damaging the article.
While adhesives beneficially hold products together, such as adhering an absorbent material to a product, adhesives may also have a tendency to interfere with the absorbency of fluids in adhesively attached absorbent materials. Adhesives are typically hydrophobic and therefore are not conducive to absorbency or liquid transfer functions. Furthermore, most adhesives are non-absorbent and thus serve no liquid retention function.
Hydrophilic adhesives are known, such as adhesives formulated from water-soluble polymers such as poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl methyl ether), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(ethylene oxide), or cellulose derivatives such as hydroxypropyl cellulose. Dextrans, starches and vegetable gums have been used to provide hydrophilic adhesives. These materials provide adhesion under dry conditions. However, upon exposure to aqueous fluids, these materials lose bonding capability because they are substantially soluble in aqueous fluids.
A known approach for making hydrophilic adhesives more functional upon exposure to aqueous fluid is to crosslink the water-soluble polymers. As a result of crosslinking, the material becomes swellable, and no longer soluble, in aqueous fluid. However, crosslinked polymers are difficult to apply to substrates or to establish intimate contact with surfaces because the crosslinked polymers are solid materials and have little or no ability to flow. Some crosslinked materials are fairly stiff, and inhibit the flexibility of the absorbent product.
What is therefore needed is a hydrophilic binder or coating that has latent crosslinking capability and which can be produced at an attractive cost. Such binder or coating could be easily applied to various surfaces, since the hydrophilic binder or coating would be capable of flow prior to crosslinking. Latent crosslinking capability would also provide a simple means of crosslinking the polymer after the polymer has established intimate contact with substrates or has formed a desired final shape or form.
Post-application crosslinking techniques are well known. Typical means of inducing the formation of crosslinks include high temperature "curing" or exposure to radiation, such as ultraviolet or gamma radiation. Another known means of post-application crosslinking is moisture-induced crosslinking.
Recent development efforts have provided coating materials for a variety of uses. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,523, to Braun et al., describes materials that are formed from organopolysiloxanes containing groups that are capable of condensation, a condensation catalyst, an organopolysiloxane resin, a compound containing a basic nitrogen, and polyvinyl alcohol. The materials are reported to be suitable for use as hydrophobic coatings and for paints and sealing coatings.
Anderson et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,470, reported an alcohol-based, water-soluble binder composition. Because this composition is water-soluble and not cross-linked, it has no absorbency.
Others have reported the production of graft copolymers having silane functional groups that permitted the initiation of cross-linking by exposure to moisture. Prejean (U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,728) describes a melt-processable, moisture-curable graft copolymer that was the reaction product of ethylene, a 1–8 carbon alkyl acrylate or methacrylate, a glycidyl containing monomer such as glycidyl acrylate or methacrylate, onto which has been grafted N-tert-butylaminopropyl trimethoxysilane. The resulting copolymers were reported to be useful as adhesives and for wire and cable coatings.
Furrer et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,919, reported a moisture-crosslinkable polymer that was produced by blending a thermoplastic base polymer, such as polyethylene, or a copolymer of ethylene, with 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, or the like; a solid carrier polymer, such as ethylene vinylacetate copolymer (EVA), containing a silane, such as vinyltrimethoxysilane; and a free-radical generator, such as an organic peroxide; and heating the mixture. The copolymers could then be cross-linked by reaction in the presence of water and a catalyst, such as dibutyltin dilaurate, or stannous octoate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,071 to Keough reported moisture cross-linkable ethylene copolymers having pendant silane acryloxy groups. The resultant cross-linked polymers were reported to be especially resistant to moisture and to be useful for extruded coatings around wires and cables. The same group has reported similar moisture curable polymers involving silanes in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,047,476, 4,767,820, 4,753,993, 4,579,913, 4,575,535, 4,551,504, 4,526,930, 4,493,924, 4,489,029, 4,446,279, 4,440,907, 4,434,272, 4,408,011, 4,369,289, 4,353,997, 4,343,917, 4,328,323, and 4,291,136.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,404 to Werner reported crosslinkable hydrophobic acrylate ester copolymers including 0.1 to 10% acrylic acid. The resultant cross-linked polymers were reported to be useful for painting and refinishing the exterior of automobiles.
These examples of moisture-induced crosslinking are applied to substantially hydrophobic polymers. Since the cured products of these formulations are reported to be useful for coverings for non-conductive coatings for electrical conductors, and for painting and refinishing the exterior of automobiles, it would be expected that they are durable coatings for which properties such as water absorbency would be a disadvantage.
There is thus a need or desire for a multi-purpose absorbent crosslinkable binder coating that can be applied to a variety of articles to create an absorbent coating that is thin, durable, cost efficient, non-obtrusive, and possibly removable.


A computerized interactor system uses physical, three-dimensional objects as metaphors for input of user intent to a computer system. When one or more interactors are engaged with a detection field, the detection field reads an identifier associated with the object and communicates the identifier to a computer system. The computer system determines the meaning of the interactor based upon its identifier and upon a semantic context in which the computer system is operating.

This invention relates generally to computer interfaces and more particularly to computerized interactor systems that utilize user programmable interactors for providing computer interfaces.
People are constantly interacting with computerized systems, from the trivial (e.g., the computerized toaster or the remote control television) to the exceedingly complex (e.g., telecommunications systems and the Internet). An advantage of computerization is that such systems provide flexibility and power to their users. However, the price that must be paid for this power and flexibility is, typically, an increase in the difficulty of the human/machine interface.
A fundamental reason for this problem is that computers operate on principles based on the abstract concepts of mathematics and logic, while humans tend to think in a more spatial manner. Often people are more comfortable with physical, three-dimensional objects than they are with the abstractions of the computer world. In short, the power and flexibility provided by the computer and related electronic technology are inherently limited by the ability of the human user to control these devices. Since people do not think like computers, metaphors are adopted to permit people to effectively communicate with computers. In general, better metaphors permit more efficient and medium independent communications between people and computers. The better metaphor will provide the user a natural and intuitive interface with the computer without sacrificing the computer's potential.
There are, of course, a number of computer interfaces which allow users, with varying degrees of comfort and ease, to interact with computers. For example, keyboards, computer mice, joysticks, etc. allow users to physically manipulate a three-dimensional object to create an input into a computer system. However, these computer interfaces are quite artificial in nature, and tend to require a substantial investment in training to be used efficiently.
Progress has been made in improving the computer interface with the graphical user interface (GUI). With a GUI, icons that represent physical objects are displayed on a computer screen. For example, a document file may look like a page of a document, a directory file might look like a file folder, and an icon of a trash can may be used for disposing of documents and files. In other words, GUIs use "metaphors" where a graphical icon represents a physical object familiar to users. This makes GUIs easier for most people to use. GUIs were pioneered at such places as Xerox PARC of Palo Alto, Calif. and Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. The GUI is also often commonly used with UNIX™ based systems, and is rapidly becoming a standard in the PC/MS-DOS world with the Windows™ operating system provided by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.
While GUIs are a major advance in computer interfaces, they nonetheless present a user with a learning curve due to their still limited metaphor. In other words, an icon can only represent a physical object; it is not itself a physical object. It would be ideal if the computer interface was embodied in a physical medium which could convey a familiar meaning, one perhaps relevant to the task at hand.
Recognizing the problems, a number of researchers and companies have come up with alternative computer interfaces which operate on real-world metaphors. Some of these concepts are described in the July, 1993 special issue of Communications of the ACM, in an article entitled "Computer Augmented Environments, Back to the Real World." Another example is the electronic white boards of Wacom and others where ordinary-looking erasers and markers are used to create an electronic "ink." Wellner describes a "DigitalDesk" that uses video cameras, paper, and a work station to move between the paper and the electronic worlds. Fitzmarice has a "Chameleon" unit which allows a user to walk up to a bookshelf and press a touch-sensitive LCD strip to hear more about a selected book. Finally, MIT Media Lab has a product known as Lego/Logo which lets children program by snapping plastic building blocks together, where each of the building blocks includes an embedded microprocessor.
Bishop has developed a "marble answering machine" which appears to store a voice mail message in a marble that drops into a cup. The marble, in fact, triggers a pointer on a small computer which stores the message. To play back the message, the marble is dropped into the machine again. This marble answering machine has been publicly known at least as of June, 1993.
While strides have been made in attempting to improve computer interfaces, there is still progress to be made in this field. Ultimately, the interface itself should disappear from the conscious thought of users so that they can intuitively accomplish their goals without concern to the mechanics of the interface or the underlying operation of the computerized system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for providing programmable computerized interactors


A page mode program sequence is described that includes first and second bias applying cycles. In the first cycle, a program bias is applied to a first part of a page of memory cells, while a program verify bias is applied to, and data is sensed from, a second part of the page. In this manner, a first part of the page is programmed, while a second part of the page is verified. This operation is followed by a second bias applying cycle, in which a program bias is applied to the second part of the page, while a program verify bias is applied to, and data is sensed from, the first part of the page.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nonvolatile memory devices, including flash memory and page mode flash memory, which include program and program verify operations.
2. Description of Related Art
Nonvolatile memory devices typically include a memory array comprising memory cells that maintain their data even when electrical power has been removed from the device. There are a variety of types of nonvolatile memory devices. One type includes so-called "read-only memory," like mask ROM in which the data is stored in the memory cell by implanting impurities in the channel region of MOS transistors. The data stored in mask ROM devices, and other nonvolatile read-only memory devices, cannot be changed in the field. Another type of nonvolatile memory device includes electrically erasable and programmable memory cells, such as flash memory. The data stored in flash memory cells, and other nonvolatile electrically erasable and programmable memory cells, can be changed in the field using electronic programming and erasing procedures. Representative flash memory technologies include floating gate memory cells and charge trapping memory cells such as SONOS, NROM, PHINES and the like.
There are a variety of biasing procedures that are used for programming and erasing memory cells in flash memory. The biasing procedures for floating gate memory cells and charge trapping memory cells cause tunneling of electrons and/or holes into and out of the floating gates or charge trapping structures. The concentration of charge held in the floating gates or the charge trapping structures has an effect on the threshold voltage of the memory cell. Thus, by controlling the amount of charge held in the floating gates, or in the charge trapping structures, the threshold voltage of the memory cell can be set, and data stored.
Due to demand for faster access times combined with large, high-density arrays for flash memory, page read and burst read flash memories have been developed. In normal flash memory, the read operation is executed word by word so that within a specified time, such as time after address transition (TAA of for example 100 ns to 70 ns or less) or time after a chip enable signal (TCE), only one 16-bit word is addressed, its contents sensed, and its data output. In page mode devices, the input and output structures for the array may include a fast access buffer storing a page including for example, 1024 bits or 2048 bits, on the chip. The programming and reading procedures use the page buffer to improve throughput, and in some cases are set up to provide for addressing more than one word at a time, such as four words (64 bits) or more, during programming to and reading from the page buffer. Data stored in the page buffer can be read out in burst mode or otherwise with very short cycle times.
According to a typical process, to program a page in the array, a page buffer is loaded with data to be programmed, which is then transferred in chunks to bit latches associated with a set of sense amplifiers, including for example 32 or 64 sense amplifiers, coupled via decoding circuits to columns in the array, and programming the chunks of the page in parallel, with the program bias for each bit line being controlled by the data in the corresponding bit latch. A verify procedure for page mode programming can include automatically clearing the bits in the page buffer which correspond to cells that are successfully programmed. The data stored in the page buffer is then read to confirm that all bits have been cleared to indicate a successful page program operation.
As mentioned above, the operation to program the cells in a flash memory device typically involves a procedure that causes injection or ejection of charge into a charge storage structure that affects the threshold of the cell. The charge injection or ejection procedure must be tightly controlled for modern, high density operations. For multiple bit per cell embodiments, even greater control of the charge injection or ejection operation is required.
Because of the need for precise control of cell thresholds in memory devices along with variations in memory cell characteristics, variations in voltages applied, and variations in other parameters across an array, the biasing procedures used for programming and erasing operations in flash memory can result in non-uniform levels of charge stored in the cells distributed across the array. Therefore, the biasing procedures applied in many devices include a sequence of programming with verify operations between each pulse, or between each set of pulses. A typical verify process includes driving word line voltages to program verify levels, which are changed slightly from the standard read level in order to provide program or erase margin. Then, data is sensed from the memory cells to determine whether each cell has been successfully programmed or erased. If the verify process fails, then retry program pulses, followed by verify operations, are applied iteratively until a successful verify is achieved, or a maximum number of retries is reached.
For precise control of the threshold, memory devices are designed so that several iterations of the program and verify procedure may be required, that cause small increments in change of the threshold voltages for convergence on a target threshold level in a given cell on the device. The time required for a program operation therefore includes a plurality of cycles including both the program pulse and the program verify interval. See, U.S. Pat. No. 6,714,457 by Hsu et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,414 by Hung et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,535 by Lin et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,637 by Chen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,039 by Chen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,326 by Hollmer et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,253 by Lin.
It is desirable to provide an architecture for nonvolatile memory and program and program verify procedures for such memory, that reduces the time required for the program operation while supporting precise control over memory cell threshold voltages.

Nonvolatile memory with program while program verify


An apparatus is provided that includes circuitry for decomposing an input signal to multiple substantially constant-envelope components and an outphasing path for each substantially constant-envelope component. The apparatus also includes a modulator for discrete phase control in each outphasing path, an amplifier in each outphasing path and a combiner for combining output signals from the outphasing paths. A system and method are also provided.

In order for radio signals to be transmitted over distances it is necessary for them to be amplified before transmission. Power amplifiers are typically used for this purpose. It can be desirable for the power amplifiers to amplify the signal linearly so that non-linear distortions are not created in the amplified signal.
However, linear amplifiers are inefficient and can be expensive.


A pressure plate for a dry friction clutch has a central hole with a set of ventilating fins formed on its inner periphery.

A conventional friction clutch has at least one pressure plate and a reaction plate, each of which is formed with a machined, generally transverse friction surface, together with a clutch friction wheel or friction disc carrying friction liners. The friction liners are gripped between the friction surfaces of the pressure and reaction plates when the clutch is engaged, which is the normal condition of the clutch.
In a clutch for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the engine torque is transmitted via the pressure and reaction plates, to the friction disc which is mounted on the input shaft of the gearbox for rotation with it. Both the pressure plate and the reaction plate are mounted on the engine crankshaft for rotation with the latter.
The clutch pedal, operated by the driver of the vehicle, actuates a declutching fork, which in turn operates a clutch release bearing for disengaging the clutch. The clutch release bearing acts in either a thrust (or pushing) mode or a pulling mode. In both cases it is engaged on the ends of the fingers of the clutch diaphragm. The clutch also includes a cover plate fixed to the reaction plate, while the pressure plate has a generally transversely oriented back face. The diaphragm bears on the cover plate and on the back face of the pressure plate, so as to urge the latter towards the clutch friction wheel, whereby the friction liners are gripped between the respective friction surfaces of the pressure and reaction plates.
Thus, when the clutch release bearing is engaged on the diaphragm, it cause the latter to pivot and so relieves the pressure plate of the force normally exerted by the diaphragm. In this way, the pressure plate is displaced axially towards the base of the cover plate. Resilient tongues couple the pressure plate to the cover plate, in such a way that the pressure plate and cover plate rotate together but are capable of relative axial movement.
The travel of the clutch bearing during the declutching operation takes place in two stages, namely an approach stage, at the end of which the friction liners come into kissing engagement with the friction surfaces of the pressure and reaction plates; and a modulation stage, during which the liners are progressively gripped between the associated friction surfaces. During the modulation stage, there is rotational friction between the liners and the friction surfaces, which tends to polish the liners and which causes heat to be produced. The clutch may be part of an automatic transmission, in which the operations of engaging and disengaging the clutch are controlled by an actuator which actuates the clutch release bearing, and which is itself governed by a computer in response to, for example, the speeds of rotation of the engine crankshaft and the gearbox input shaft. In an application of this kind, the friction liners may be deliberately polished beforehand, in order to improve absorption of vibration in a predetermined running mode of the engine, corresponding for example to the natural frequency.
Whether or not the clutch is part of an automatic transmission, not only the liners themselves, but also the pressure and reaction plates and the friction discs all tend to become heated.
Moreover, under severe conditions, for example following a series of consecutive hill starts of the vehicle, it is found that the pressure plate assumes a conical shape under the effect of this heating.
It is therefore desirable to provide means for cooling the pressure plate itself, as well as the friction disc with its liners.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,412 disclosed cooling of the friction disc and the pressure plate with the aid of a coolant liquid. With such an arrangement, the clutch is no longer a dry clutch. Such an arrangement involving a coolant liquid is costly, and requires considerable modification of the clutch.
In the context of a clutch which operates dry, it has also been proposed to provide the back face of the pressure plate, i.e. the face opposite to the face on which the friction surface of the pressure plate is defined, with a set of ventilating fins whereby the pressure plate, and to a lesser extent the friction disc and its liners, can be cooled.

Annular pressure plate for a friction clutch, especially for a motor vehicle


A massage device having kneading balls includes a vibrating device provided between each of the kneading balls and a connecting member for vibrating the ball. The connecting member is a spring, such as a coiled spring, which is elastically deformable in a direction perpendicular to its axis. The connecting member is attached to a rotary plate rotatable inside a housing, eccentrically with respect to the rotary plate and rotatable relative thereto. The housing is further provided therein with a rotation control device for preventing the connecting member from rotating about its own axis with the rotation of the rotary plate. This prevents the vibrating device on the connecting member and the kneading ball from rotating with the rotation of the rotary plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for massaging shoulders and other parts of the human body to relieve stiffness.
2. Description of Related Art
Such massage devices are divided generally into those of the kneading ball type and the vibrator type. Known massage devices of the former type comprise a pair of opposite rotary plates arranged in a housing and rotatable in directions opposite to each other, and kneading balls mounted on the respective rotary plates eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the plate with a connecting member provided between the ball and the plate (see, for example, Examined Japanese Patent Publication SHO 53-36275). Massage devices of the latter type heretofore known comprise a contact member attached to one end of a tubular body which can be held by one hand, and an electric motor housed in the contact member and having an eccentric weight (see Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication SHO 63-51862 or Examined Japanese Utility Model Publication SHO 44-12708).
The conventional device of the kneading ball type has the function of slowly massaging stiff parts with a great pressure, while the known device of the vibrator type has the function of gently massaging stiff parts by giving a vibration of high frequency. However, the known devices are not adapted to perform both functions at the same time.
It appears possible to incorporate an electric motor having an eccentric weight into the massage device of the kneading ball type between the ball and the connecting member for the device to selectively perform a kneading action and/or a vibratory action.
Nevertheless, if the conventional massage devices of the different types are merely combined into such a device, a vibratory force is imparted to the kneading ball which is originally adapted to exert a high pressure, so that when the neck, leg or like body part is held between the kneading balls, an excessive pressure is likely to act on the part to adversely affect the part. Moreover, the vibration of the eccentric weight between the kneading ball and the connecting member is transmitted through the connecting member to the interior of the housing to cause damage to the electric circuit and rotary plate support mechanism within the housing.

Daito Electric Machine Industry Company Limited


A composite intermediate structure for joining two dissimilar materials together. The structure has a non-porous base with two bonding faces. A porous member is bonded to each of the faces. The base may be a metallic foil and the porous members may each be a metallic mesh.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to composite intermediate bonding structures and, more particularly, to composite intermediate bonding structures for joining together dissimilar materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are frequent occurrences where two dissimilar materials must be joined together. When this occurs, frequently the surfaces are incompatible since a common adhesive may not be available to properly bond to both surfaces. Furthermore, in some circumstances, the material of one of the elements to be bonded together is more suitable to bonding by a heat melt process or by use of a solvent. Additionally, even where there is a method of bonding the two dissimilar elements together, the bonding method is usually a compromise and, therefore, the bond produced is not extremely strong and may be subject to deterioration with time.
One method which has been proposed in the past for bonding dissimilar articles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,827 (issued. June 16, 1981). The adhesive assembly therein described contains a first adhesive and a second adhesive which is of a different strength or chemical composition than the first adhesive. Positioned between the first and second adhesives is a barrier for preventing contamination of the respective adhesives or the substrate to which they adhere. The combination of adhesives includes a spongy or foam layer. At least one of the adhesives is encapsulated or retained in bubbles of a plastic film and is released by pressing the adhesive assembly against one of the substrates.
While this adhesive assembly is suitable for use with certain adhesives which may be readily encapsulated in bubbles of a plastic film, each adhesive assembly manufactured in the manner described therein is suitable for only certain substrate materials. Furthermore, certain adhesives cannot be encapsulated in this form and certain other techniques of bonding cannot be applied, such as the use of solvents or heat melting, to bond two dissimilar materials when using the adhesive assembly described therein.
What is needed, therefore, is an intermediate composite bonding structure which may be used with each of the various bonding methods, such as those involving heat melting, solvent and adhesives. Furthermore, it would be useful if such a structure could be manufactured inexpensively. It would also be useful if such a structure could be easily adapted for use with several dissimilar materials.
A bonding method which is known in the orthodontic industry is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,379, issued Jan. 17, 1978. This technology involves brazing or spot welding foil to a machined orthodontic bracket and diffusion bonding metallic mesh to the foil. The mesh is then adhesively bonded to the side of the tooth. This method works well for joining a metallic structure to the tooth, but in general still does not provide a method for joining any two dissimilar materials.
The purpose of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an intermediate composite bonding structure having two bonding faces separated by a non-porous base wherein the individual bonding faces may be bonded to elements having dissimilar materials to thereby join these elements together.


A cutter blade assembly that presents a sequential series of perpendicularly oriented cutting knife arrays which are attached to a frame. A first set of cutting knives is comprised of knives that are generally scalloped shaped. A second set of cutting knives is comprised of knives that are generally straight and are connected in general perpendicular orientation to the first set of strip knives. When a vegetable product such as a potato is forced through the cutter blade assembly, the first set of knives cuts the potato into a scalloped shaped slab. The second set of knives then cuts the slab into a scoop shaped potato piece emulating a portion of a cut stalk of celery.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cutting blade assemblies for hydraulic food cutting apparatuses. More particularly it relates to a cutter blade assembly for hydraulic food cutting apparatuses that cut a food product into a plurality of scoop shaped pieces, each piece generally emulating the shape of a cut section of celery, and ready for use without further cutting.
2. Background Art
Many food products, particularly vegetables and fruits, are processed prior to sale either by canning or freezing. Unless the product involved is of a naturally occurring edible size, for example peas, the product is usually trimmed and sliced, or diced, to an edible size prior to preservation processing such as canning or freezing. These slicing, dicing and other cutting operations have traditionally been accomplished with mechanical cutters. However, relatively recent advances in food product cutting technologies have resulted in the common use of hydraulic cutting apparatuses which can be used to cut relatively huge quantities of food product at very high speeds. Cutting capacities of 13,600 kilograms to 22,700 kilograms per hour are not unusual.
In a typical hydraulic cutting apparatus wherein potatoes are to be cut, the potatoes are dropped into a tank filled with water and then pumped through a conduit into an alignment chute wherein the potatoes are aligned and accelerated to high speeds before impinging upon a cutter blade assembly where the potato is cut into a plurality of smaller pieces. Hydraulic cutting apparatuses, or as they are known in the trade, hydroknives, can be utilized to cut extremely high volumes of potatoes if the potatoes can be properly aligned and accelerated to high speeds immediately prior to impact with the cutter blade assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,184 to Fisher et al. discloses a cutter blade assembly for use in coring a potato.
Quite obviously there are a variety of applications for hydraulic cutter knives other than just for potatoes. Some of these would include beets, pickles, carrots, apples, pineapples and literally a host of other edible food products.
None of the prior art discloses or teaches a method of utilizing a hydroknife apparatus for cutting a potato into a finished decorative form so as to enhance the marketing value of the processed food product. Likewise, none of the prior art discloses a device that cuts decorative potatoes in a finished decorative form. While the prior art does disclose the direct cutting of a decorative shape within a core, which is then passed on for further cross cutting, see for example my patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,045, the prior art does not disclose a device, which can cut a plurality of finished decorative potato pieces through the use of a hydroknife.
Likewise, while cutting processes have been developed which cut potato products into variety of decorative or fanciful designs and shapes. These processes require further processing such as cross cutting in order to finalize the preparation of the food product. Likewise, none of the prior art discloses or teaches a method of utilizing a hydroknife apparatus for cutting a potato into a shaped form that is both decorative as well as useful. None of the prior art describes a cutting process that produces an edible product with a scoop portion capable of delivering another food product to a user.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a cutting device which provides a plurality of decoratively shaped vegetable pieces in final form from a single vegetable piece. It is another object of the invention to provide a cutting blade assembly for use in a hydraulic cutting apparatus that cuts a plurality of decoratively shaped vegetable pieces in final form from a single vegetable piece. A further object of the invention is to provide a cutter blade assembly for use in a hydraulic cutting apparatus which produces a plurality of generally elongated scoop shaped pieces generally emulating a section of a piece of celery from a vegetable such as a potato.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Cutter blade assembly for cutting scoop shaped vegetable products


Assignment of component carriers Carrier aggregation, and assignment of component carriers is disclosed. In a method a capability of a communication device for carrier aggregation of a plurality of component carriers is determined. Loading of at least one of the component carriers is determined. The communication device is assigned to one or more of the component carriers on the basis of determining the capability and determining the loading.

A communication system can be seen as a facility that enables communication sessions between two or more entities such as user terminals, base stations and/or other nodes by providing carriers between the various entities involved in the communications path. A communication system can be provided for example by means of a communication network and one or more compatible communication devices. The communications may comprise, for example, communication of data for carrying communications such as voice, electronic mail (email), text message, multimedia and/or content data and so on. Non-limiting examples of services provided include two-way or multi-way calls, data communication or multimedia services and access to a data network system, such as the Internet.
In a wireless communication system at least a part of communications between at least two stations occurs over a wireless link. Examples of wireless systems include public land mobile networks (PLMN), satellite based communication systems and different wireless local networks, for example wireless local area networks (WLAN). The wireless systems can typically be divided into cells, and are therefore often referred to as cellular systems.
A user can access the communication system by means of an appropriate communication device or terminal. A communication device of a user is often referred to as user equipment (UE). A communication device is provided with an appropriate signal receiving and transmitting apparatus for enabling communications, for example enabling access to a communication network or communications directly with other users. The communication device may access a carrier provided by a station, for example a base station of a cell, and transmit and/or receive communications on the carrier.
Carrier aggregation can be used to increase performance. In carrier aggregation a plurality of carriers are aggregated to increase bandwidth. Carrier aggregation comprises aggregating a plurality of component carriers into a carrier that is referred to in this specification as aggregated carrier.
The communication system and associated devices typically operate in accordance with a given standard or specification which sets out what the various entities associated with the system are permitted to do and how that should be achieved. For example, it can be defined if carrier aggregation is used. Communication protocols and/or parameters which shall be used for the connection are also typically defined. An example of attempts to solve the problems associated with the increased demands for capacity is an architecture that is known as the long-term evolution (LTE) of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio-access technology. The LTE is being standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The various development stages of the 3GPP LTE specifications are referred to as releases. The aim of the standardization is to achieve a communication system with, inter alia, reduced latency, higher user data rates, improved system capacity and coverage, and reduced cost for the operator. A further development of the LTE is referred to as LTE-Advanced (LTE-A). The LTE-Advanced aims to provide further enhanced services by means of even higher data rates and lower latency with reduced cost.


A toner includes a plurality of toner particles that each include a core and a shell layer disposed over a surface of the core. The shell layer contains a unit derived from a thermoplastic resin and a unit derived from a monomer or prepolymer of a thermosetting resin. A surface of each of the toner particles has a Young's modulus that changes by a proportion of no greater than 20% from 30° C. to 50° C., and changes by a proportion from 50° C. to 70° C. that when divided by the proportion of change from 30° C. to 50° C., yields a value of at least 3.0 and no greater than 10.0. The Young's modulus is measured in a state in which an external additive is not adhered to the toner particle using a scanning probe microscope while raising a cantilever temperature thereof.

The present disclosure relates a toner and a method of manufacturing the same, and in particular relates to a capsule toner and a method of manufacturing the same.
A capsule toner includes toner particles that each include a core and a shell layer (capsule layer) disposed over the surface of the core. For example, in a known method of manufacturing a capsule toner, shell layers are formed using resin particles (specifically, acrylic resin particles) having a Martens hardness of at least 120 N/mm2 and no greater than 180 N/mm2.

Toner and method of manufacturing the same


Provided are an imaging device, program, memory medium, and noise reduction method capable of appropriately reducing noise without causing degradation in a target sound such as voice. The imaging device of the present invention has: a video imaging unit for capturing video; a signal converter for converting a sound generated during video capture to a sound signal; subject determination units that predict or recognize a specific subject; a noise detector for detecting noise included in the sound generated during video capture; a noise reduction unit for reducing the noise signal from the sound signal; a voice detector for detecting non-noise signals in the sound signal; and a noise reduction performance change unit that lowers the noise signal reduction performance of the noise reduction unit when the subject determination units predict or recognize the specific subject.

In recent years, an imaging device having a function of shooting a movie has become popular. Sound generated during the shooting of a movie sometimes includes noise. For example, the driving sound of an auto-focusing lens corresponds to noise. In particular, such driving sound is loud in a lens barrel which is not designed in consideration of the movie shooting, in which case the noise increases. In view of this, a noise reduction process may be performed.
For example, there is a technique (VAD: Voice Activity Detection) for distinguishing a sound signal including human voice (voice section) from a sound signal excluding human voice (non-voice section) by emphasizing and extracting the human voice included in sound signals collected with a microphone (see Patent Document 1). The noise can be suppressed by calculating estimated noise with the use of the sound signal in the non-voice section and subtracting the estimated noise from the sound signal utilizing VAD (for example, see Patent Document 1).
During the shooting of a movie with an imaging device capable of shooting a movie, the noise such as the operation sound caused along with the operation of a drive unit of the auto-focusing lens (hereinafter, AF noise) might be collected by a sound collection device such as a microphone and mixed in with target sound such as the voice of a subject, in which case the quality of the target sound is deteriorated.
As a method of reducing the AF noise as above, a method for reducing the noise has been suggested in which a power value of a voice signal input before the operation of the AF drive unit is obtained and the flooring coefficient is controlled (varied) on the basis of the power value of the voice signal (for example, see Patent Document 2).    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2009-294537    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2008-252389

Imaging device, program, memory medium, and noise reduction method


An auxiliary member for assembly/disassembly includes a fixing portion which is fixed to one half casing of a lower half casing and an upper half casing, and a jack receiving portion which extends from the fixing portion and faces an outer surface of the other half casing. When an interval between both end portions in the radial direction of the upper half casing is widened due to heat deformation, the fixing portion of the auxiliary member for assembly/disassembly is fixed to the lower half casing, a jack is disposed between the jack receiving portion of the auxiliary member for assembly/disassembly and the outer surface of the upper half casing, and the interval between both end portions of the jack is widened.

For example, as described in Patent Document 1 below, a gas turbine includes a compressor which compresses outside air and generates compressed air, a plurality of combustors which mix fuel with the compressed air, combust the mixture, and generate combustion gas, and a turbine which is driven by the combustion gas. The compressor includes a compressor rotor which is rotated about a rotational axis and a compressor casing which covers the compressor rotor. The turbine includes a turbine rotor which is connected to the compressor rotor and is rotated about the above-described rotational axis, a turbine casing which covers the turbine rotor, and an exhaust casing through which combustion gas which has driven the turbine rotor passes as exhaust gas.
The compressor casing, the turbine casing, and the exhaust casing are all formed in a tubular shape. The compressor casing, the turbine casing, and the exhaust casing are connected to one another by a bolt and a nut, and configure a tubular gas turbine casing.
Generally, the compressor casing, the turbine casing, and the exhaust casing all include upper half casings which form the upper side of the casing and lower half casings. The upper half casings and the lower half casings are connected to each other by bolts and nuts.

Auxiliary member for assembly/disassembly of gas turbine casing, gas turbine having the same, assembly method of gas turbine casing, and disassembly method of gas turbine casing


A dispensing spray container which delivers only liquid whether in the upright or inverted position. A container with an exit port from a storage cavity is fitted with an imperforate dip tube having an open-end located farthest from the exit port to feed the liquid when the container is in the upright position. In circuit with the dip tube is a porous element located nearest to the exit port whose surface conditions are such that when wetted by the liquid will from a force resulting from the liquid surface tension to prevent the gas from passing when the container is in the upright position and which will pass liquid when held in the inverted position.

There are two basic spray bottle or spray can configurations: one employs a hand pump device to draw the liquid up the feed tube (commonly called, "dip tube") and then sprays the liquid out of the exit port; the second employs a pressurized gas to force the liquid up the dip tube and then sprays the contents out when the exit value is actuated. The use of hand pump bottles or pressurized cans to dispense a wide variety of substances such as glass cleaner, paint, perfume, etc. is widespread. Most of these containers have a single dip tube with an open end that extends into the liquid contents to serve as an entrance when the container is held in an upright position. However, when the container is inverted, the dip tube entrance is exposed to gas, and then only gas can be expelled from the container.
There are numerous patents which relate to the design of novel feed structures that can operate in either the fully upright position or the fully inverted position. The teachings of some of these patents are based on using valves that are dependent on the force of gravity to operate. One group (e.g. Grothoff U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,079) employs one or two balls that open or close flow passages depending on the orientation of the container utilizing the force of gravity. The other group (e.g. Ramsey U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,013 employs slugs that open or close flow passages that also utilize the force of gravity. When the bottle is partially inverted so that the open end of the dip tube is not in contact with liquid, but the component of the force of gravity is insufficient to move the ball or slug to unseat the port, the system will expel gas rather than liquid. Because of the difficulty of obtaining an acceptable gas seal with a ball or slug which is held in position by gravity, none of these patents teaches a concept that will operate consistently at orientations between the fully upright or the fully inverted positions. An additional disadvantage of these concepts is the relatively high cost of the valve.
Another group of patents describes dip tube configurations that will pass some types of fluids but not others. These concepts do not require valves to control the flow into the dip tube. One type is for dispensing a three-phase system wherein phase I is a gaseous propellant and phases II and III are two immiscible liquids. In these patents, a dip tube is described that allows one phase of material to pass but prevents the entrance of another phase. In particular, Pong et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,846) describes two immiscible liquids, one of which is a lipophilic phase and the other is a non-lipophilic phase. The dip tube has an open end through which the non-lipophilic phase flows and a tubular structure formed of a lipophilic material having multi-directional pores through which the lipophilic phase flows. The lipophilic liquid is thereby combined with the non-lipophilic liquid and the combination is passed through the valve means and is dispensed through the valve. Pong et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,654) describes a similar dip tube with an open end through which can pass an aqueous liquid and a tubular structure through which a non-aqueous liquid will flow. There are no claims or description of any inverted operation since these structures operate satisfactorily only if the container is in an upright position. They are mentioned here only because the structures pass one type of fluid but will not pass another.
Nandagiri U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,905 describes an aerosol dispensing device having a porous dip tube that also is closed with the same porous material at the bottom entrance that, in a conventional dip tube, is normally open. The specification contains only a vague description of the operation of the device since it does not include any examples of pore sizes or any method for determining the desired pore size. Also it makes no mention of the percentage of pores (i.e. the ratio of void area to the solid wall area) or the critical dimensions of the porous dip tube (i.e. length, diameter, wall thickness). Since the specification is devoid of any teachings for determining these properties, it is not possible to evaluate the concept precisely. However, it is possible to determine the general performance that could be expected from the dip tube that is fabricated with porous material and that has the bottom entrance also covered with the porous material. While the system may operated satisfactory in the upright and inverted positions when the container is completely full of liquid, it will dispense only gas in either the upright or the invert position when the container is only partially full of liquid. The result is that a large percentage of the original contents of the container can not be dispensed. This problem, very likely, is the reason that the invention has not been in commercial use. The cause and the solution to this problem will be made clear from the teachings of this specification.
There is yet another patent which is of interest in the teaching of the present patent. This patent (Naess U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,414) describes a design for the separation of gas from a liquid in a flow system having at least one permeable blocking layer so arranged along the length of the pipe that the liquid remains on the underside of the blocking medium. This system relies on surface tension and capillary forces to separate the gas from the liquid. It is of interest only because it employs surface tension forces to separate the gas and liquid since it is not related to spray bottles in any manner.
There are several patents for propellant feed systems that operate in zero or near zero gravity fields. Ellion et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,257) is typical of these patents which rely on surface tension to allow liquid to flow and prevent the discharge of gas. Ellion describes a system that has numerous entrances all of which are covered with porous material. A summary article for these zero-gravity rocket motor feed systems is given in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets Vol. 8 No. 2 Feb. 1971 pages 83-88 by S. Debrok. Although these patents employ surface tension devices to prevent gas from leaving the container, none of them relates to spray bottles that operate in a gravity field and they all require multiple, complex, expensive porous material to cover all of the numerous entrances.
It is a principal object of this invention to provide a feed system for a hand held spray bottle that is usable when the bottle is at any orientation.
It is another object of this invention to provide a feed system that operates automatically without requiring manipulation on the part of the user.
It is yet another object of this invention to be able to operate this container feed system on earth and consequently in a gravity field or at any gravity level above or below earth's gravity level.
It is still another object of this invention to have no moving parts which would increase the complexity or cost of the feed system.
It is yet another object of this invention to have the capability to dispense the entire contents of the container.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a feed system that requires only a single porous entrance port in addition to the open dip tube entrance port.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a simple, inexpensive feed system that requires little or no added assembly steps over those required for the existing conventional spray bottles.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specifications and appended drawings.


A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a contact hole in an insulator layer, filling the contact hole by a conductor material, removing the conductor material from the upper major surface of the insulator layer to form a conductive plug such that the conductive plug fills the contact hole, applying an anisotropic etching process upon the insulator layer, such that the anisotropic etching process acts substantially vertically and selectively to the insulator layer, with an etching rate substantially larger than an etching rate for the conducive plug.

The present invention generally relates to fabrication of semiconductor devices and more particularly to a fabrication process of a semiconductor device having an interconnection structure including a conductive plug filling a contact hole.
In semiconductor devices and integrated circuits that include a multilayer interconnection structure, a lower conductor pattern provided on a substrate is connected to an upper conductor pattern provided above the lower conductor pattern via a conductive plug filling a contact hole formed in an intervening interlayer insulation film.
When forming such a multilayer interconnection structure, an interlayer insulation film is provided so as to cover a lower conductor pattern formed on a substrate, followed by a process of formation of contact holes in the interlayer insulation film thus provided. Next, the contact holes are filled with a conductive material to form conductive plugs, and an upper conductor pattern is provided on the interlayer insulation film in electrical connection with the conductive plugs thus formed.
FIGS.1A-1D show a conventional process for forming such a multilayer interconnection structure on a Si substrate 1.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a first layer metal pattern 2 is provided on the Si substrate 1, and an interlayer insulation film 3 is provided thereon such that the interlayer insulation film 3 covers the first layer metal pattern 2. Further, the interlayer insulation film 3 is provided with contact holes 4 exposing the first layer conductor pattern 2, together with other through holes 4a acting as an alignment mark.
Next, in the step of FIG. 1B, a conductor layer 5 is deposited on the structure of FIG. 1A such that the conductor layer 5 fills the contact holes 4 as well as the holes 4a, and the structure thus formed is subjected to an etch back process as indicated in FIG. 1C, in which the conductor layer 5 is removed by an RIE process applied substantially vertically to the layer 5, leaving behind conductor plugs 7 filling the contact holes 4 or the through holes 4a. Thereby, the RIE process is carried out slightly excessively such that no conductor material is left on the upper major surface of the interlayer insulation film 3. As a result of such an excessive etching, the top surface of the plug 7 is located at a level slightly lower than the upper major surface of the interlayer insulation film 3 as indicated by a recess 6.
Next, in the step of FIG. 1D, a conductor layer is deposited on the structure of FIG. 1C such that the conductor layer fills the contact holes 4 or the through hole 4a now partially filled by the conductor plug 7, wherein the conductor layer thus deposited establishes an electrical contact with the plugs 7 thus filling the holes 4 or 4a. In the step of FIG. 1D, the conductor layer is patterned further to form an upper conductor pattern or interconnection pattern 8.
In such a conventional process of forming a multilayer interconnection structure, there arises a problem, associated with the formation of the depression 6 in the contact hole 4, in that the reliability of electrical connection is poor at the contact between the upper interconnection pattern 8 and the conductive plug 7. Further, because of the filling of the through hole 4a by the plug 7, the alignment mark appearing on the upper major surface of the conductor pattern 8 in correspondence to the through hole 4a is substantially obscured.
In order to improve the reliability of the electrical contact, there is a proposal to planarize the structure of FIG. 1C by employing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process as indicated in FIG. 2A (e.g., Beyer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,836), wherein the upper major surface of the interlayer insulation film 3 is polished, in the structure of FIG. 2A, to form a flush surface with the top surface of the conductive plugs 7. After the planarization process of FIG. 2A, a conductor layer is deposited on the planarized upper major surface of the insulation film 3 and patterned subsequently. Thereby, the conductor pattern 8 is formed as indicated in FIG. 2B.
In the process of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the problem of formation of the recess 6 is eliminated and the reliability of electrical contact at the contact holes 4 is improved. However, such a CMP process completely eliminates the alignment mark that appears on the upper major surface of the conductor pattern 8 in correspondence to the through holes 4a.
Further, in view of possible alignment error at the time of exposure and patterning, there is a possibility that both of the process of FIGS. 1A-1D and the process of FIGS. 2A and 2B cause an excessively increased current density at the part where the conductor pattern 8 contacts the conductive plug 7, as indicated in FIGS. 3A and 3B.
Referring to FIG. 3A showing the structure of FIG. 1D or FIG. 2B in a plan view, it will be noted that the conductor pattern 8 and the conductive plug 7 of a rectangular cross section cause a contact at the hatched region, wherein it will be noted in FIG. 3A that the conductor pattern 8 and the conductive plug 7 cause an overlap in the hatched region. In such a contact structure, a deviation at the time of the exposure of only 0.1 .mu.m in the diagonal direction, as indicated in FIG. 3A by an arrow, causes a severe decrease of the contact area. In such a case, it should be noted that the contact area of FIG. 3A is represented as (x-0.1/.sqroot.2).sup.2, wherein x represents the length of the edge of the conductive plug 7. The foregoing relationship indicates that the alignment error causes a serious effect on the area of the contact and hence the current density, particularly in the case where the size of the plug as represented by the edge length x, is small.
In extremely fine semiconductor patterns such as the pattern of submicron devices, it is known that the corners of the rectangular patterns are rounded as a result of diffraction of exposure beam, even when a rectangular mask pattern is used for the exposure. Thus, in the actual submicron devices, the conductive plug is more closely approximated by a cylinder having a circular cross section than a rectangular block having a rectangular cross section.
FIG. 3B evaluates the effect of alignment error for the case where two conductive plugs, each having a circular cross section in the plan view, are contacted.
In such a case, the area of the contact, represented in FIG. 3B by hatching, is represented as EQU 2{2.pi.r.sup.2 .multidot.cos.sup.-1 (y/2r)/360-(2/y)r.multidot.sin (cos.sup.-1 (y/2r))}
where r represents the radius of the circular cross section of the plug, while y represents the deviation of the pattern caused by the alignment error.
For example, the contact area reduces to 77.7% of the nominal contact area for the plug having a radius r of 0.4 .mu.m, when there exists an alignment error y of 0.1 .mu.m. Further, the reduction of the contact area appears more significantly in the plugs of smaller diameters.
When the contact area is reduced as such, the current density increases as noted before, while such an increase in the current density in turn tends to invite failure of the contact by electromigration effect or by stress migration effect, and the lifetime of the contact is reduced substantially.
In order to avoid the problem of steep decrease of the contact area caused by the alignment error, one may form the conductive plugs such that each conductive plug protrudes in the upward direction from the upper major surface of the interlayer insulation film. By providing an conductor pattern on such an interlayer insulation film, it is possible to cause the conductor pattern to contact not only with the top surface of the conductive plug but also with the exposed side walls thereof. Thereby, the area of contact is increased substantially even in the case the upper conductor pattern contacts with only a part of the top surface of the conductive plug due to the alignment error.
As a method of forming a conductive plug such that the conductive plug protrudes from the upper major surface of an interlayer insulation film, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,534 describes the use of a CMP process including a first CMP step for polishing away a conductor layer from the upper major surface of the interlayer insulation film and a second CMP step for polishing the exposed upper major surface of the interlayer insulation film.
However, the process of the foregoing prior art reference is difficult to use in practice, particularly with regard to the selection of an appropriate abrasive slurry and setting of an appropriate polishing condition for the second polishing step. Thereby, the foregoing process is somewhat unpredictable and cannot be used for the production of semiconductor devices.

Fabrication process of a semiconductor device having an interconnection structure


A motorized knife sharpener includes means of for sharpening heavy, medium, and fine blades at angles appropriate to the cutting edges of such blades.

Powered knife sharpeners are known in the industry. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,726, issued Mar. 18, 1997 to Friel et. al. Such powered knife sharpeners are typically optimized for a single type of blade. For best results, however, each type of blade must be presented to the rotating side face of a grinding wheel at an angle that is suitable for the existing type of cutting edge found on the blade. The angle of presentation changes significantly depending upon the type of blade, for example a cleaver or hunting knife must be presented at a significantly greater included angle with respect to the plane of the rotating side face of a grinding wheel than a paring knife or a fillet knife. The grinding angle for larger blades represented by the cleaver and hunting knife is significantly greater than the presentation angle of a paring knife or fillet knife.
As noted above, the powered knife sharpeners known in the art have a single presentation angle for presenting a blade edge to the grinding wheel. This single presentation angle limits the versatility of the known powered knife sharpeners. There is then a need in the industry for a single powered knife sharpener that could present varying types of blades to a grinding wheel at an angle that is appropriate to each of the various types of blades.


A connector and process for coupling a tube and the resulting assembly is disclosed. A receptacle includes a pilot in a mounting position. The pilot including an indicator piece and guide members each located in a respective channel on the receptacle and slidable within the channels from the mounting position to a final position. A retention clip having legs is urged into a spread condition during a transition between the mounting position and the final position wherein in the final position the legs of the retention clip retract to a relaxed condition, the indicator piece becomes visible on the receptacle and the first and second guide members latch the pilot to the receptacle.

In fluid piping in which a tube, such as a pipe or a hose, is joined to another device such as a pump, tank or another tube, a connector may be used for joining the tube to the other device. The connector may have a tubular receptacle for receiving a tube. The tube may include an endform for snap engagement to enable quick connection with a retainer to provide locking relation between the tube and the connector. A wire retainer is often used that has a pair of engagement arms that extend through slots in the receptacle to clip endform in the connector.
The connector may include a seal ring between an inner periphery of a socket in the connector and an outer periphery of the endform to provide a fluid-tight seal that prevents leaking. Insufficient insertion of the endform into the connector can permit the seal to lack engagement with the endform and the connector to leak.
Fluid piping connectors may find use in the auto industry. The connector is often equipped with an indexing member to align with an indexing member on the endform to ensure that endform is inserted with the proper orientation. Several orientations between the endform and the connector are often applicable, multiplying the number of connectors that must be made available to serve all orientations.
A wire retainer can be made of a material that is harder than the tube or an endform on the tube. As the endform of the tube is inserted into the connector, the inwardly biased retainer can scrape the endform of the tube to an extent that it prevents or inhibits a fluid tight seal facilitated by the seal ring. The wire retainer which is mounted to the connector housing has to be retained in a mounted position for snap-engaging with the annular engaging projection of the pipe.
Thus, the wire retainer is configured such that each engaging arm is bent over or inclined radially inward, for example, at a leading end thereof to define an engaging portion, and the engaging portion engages with an outer peripheral surface of the connector housing in a pull-out direction when the wire retainer is mounted to the connector housing.
Connectors of the type described above are known in practice in different embodiments. The known connectors often have the disadvantage that the male plug-in part fixing the female plug-in retainer is difficult to install requiring a considerable amount of force, to position it into its fixed position. The relatively complicated assembly or disassembly of the retainer on the known connectors often causes connection errors or failure-prone connections. A further disadvantage of the known connectors is that the wire retainer is completely separated from the connector, in particular when it is transferred to an open position, and thus represents a component that may be lost. In addition, at least in some known connectors not always a functionally reliable and tight connection between the male plug-in part and female plug-in part may be realized.
It would also be desirable to provide a connector that indicates that connection with the endform is sufficient.
It would be desirable to provide a connector that prevents contact between the tube or its endform with the wire retainer during insertion.


Method and system for determining the total processing time required for executing a plurality of jobs (n). The plurality of jobs along with a mean processing time (μ), and a queue length (k) are received. A number of preliminary jobs (p) of the plurality of jobs (n) are distributed across computing resources based upon the queue length (k). A first processing time (TF) required for the execution of the number of preliminary jobs (p) is determined. Further, a number of remaining jobs (n−p) of the plurality of jobs (n) are distributed for execution across the plurality of computing resources. A second processing time (TS) required for the execution of the set of remaining jobs (n−p) is computed. Finally, the total processing time is determined by summing TF and TS.

In a computing network environment, multiple computing resources are deployed at different geographical locations in order to execute jobs associated with software applications of different technologies. The execution of the jobs is managed through a service level agreement (SLA) between a service provider and a customer. The service provider facilitates the execution of the jobs belonging to the customer. The customer may prescribe its requirements regarding the execution of the jobs through the SLA. In one example, the customer may set a pre-defined time limit (also referred to as total processing time hereinafter) for the execution of the jobs. Based on the requirements of the customer, the service provider may have to accordingly plan and execute the jobs, so that the SLA is complied.
In order to comply with the SLA, the service provider may have to effectively analyze supply and demand of the computing resources, such that the jobs are executed within the pre-defined time limit set as per the SLA. Further, in a typical scenario, while there are first few set of jobs that are being processed for execution by the computing resources, the remaining set of jobs are waiting in a queue for the execution by the computing resources. In certain conditions, processing time required for execution of the first few set of jobs may vary from a predefined threshold time period as per the SLA. Since, there is variance in the execution of the first few set of jobs, it becomes a technical challenge to effectively plan and allocate the computing resources for the execution of the remaining set of jobs, such that the overall jobs including the first few set of jobs and the remaining set of jobs are executed in the total processing time as per the SLA.

System and method for determining total processing time for executing a plurality of jobs


Each of separators for sandwiching a plurality of electrolyte electrode assemblies includes a pair of plates. A fuel gas channel and an oxygen-containing gas channel are formed between the plates. A fuel gas supply hole extends through the separators for supplying a fuel gas, and discharge passages are formed around the fuel gas supply hole. The discharge passages extend through the separators for discharging an exhaust gas. The separator has a fuel gas distribution passage for connecting the fuel gas supply hole and the fuel gas channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell having a plurality of electrolyte electrode assemblies interposed between separators. Each of the electrolyte electrode assemblies includes an anode, and a cathode, and an electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) employs an electrolyte of ion-conductive solid oxide such as stabilized zirconia. The electrolyte is interposed between an anode and a cathode to form an electrolyte electrode assembly. The electrolyte electrode assembly is interposed between separators (bipolar plates), and the electrolyte electrode assembly and the separators make up a unit of fuel cell for generating electricity. A predetermined number of fuel cells are stacked together to form a fuel cell stack.
In the fuel cell, an oxygen-containing gas or air is supplied to the cathode. The oxygen in the oxygen-containing gas is ionized at the interface between the cathode and the electrolyte, and the oxygen ions (O2−) move toward the anode through the electrolyte. A fuel gas such as hydrogen-containing gas or CO is supplied to the anode. Oxygen ions react with the hydrogen in the hydrogen-containing gas to produce H2O or react with CO to produce CO2. Electrons released in the reaction flow through an external circuit to the cathode, creating a DC electric current.
Generally, the solid oxide fuel cell is operated at a high temperature in the range from 800° C. to 1000° C. The solid oxide fuel cell utilizes the high temperature waste heat for internal reforming to produce the fuel gas, and generates electricity by spinning a gas turbine. The solid oxide fuel cell is attractive as it has the highest efficiency in generating electricity in comparison with other types of fuel cells, and receiving growing attention for potential use in vehicles in addition to the applications in combination with the gas turbine.
Stabilized zironia has a low ion conductivity. Therefore, the electrolyte membrane formed of stabilized zirconia needs to be thin so that oxygen ions move through the electrolyte membrane smoothly for improving the power generation performance. However, the electrolyte membrane of the stabilized zirconia can not be very thin for maintaining the sufficient mechanical strength. Therefore, it is difficult to produce a large electricity using the membrane of stabilized zirconia in the solid oxide fuel cell.
In an attempt to address the problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-310164 (prior art 1) discloses a solid oxide fuel cell system. In the solid oxide fuel cell system, a plurality of unit cells each having a small surface area are provided on each of metallic separators, and a fuel gas supply hole and an oxygen-containing gas supply hole are formed centrally in each of the unit cells. According to the disclosure of the prior art 1, the fuel cell system has an improved reliability in which the total surface area of the cells on the separator is large, and the substrate is crack-free.
In the prior art 1, the through holes (the fuel gas supply hole and the oxygen-containing gas supply hole) are formed centrally in each of the unit cells. Further, the unit cell has a fuel gas ventilation groove or an oxygen-containing gas ventilation groove. Therefore, the mechanical strength of the unit cell is low. For example, the unit cell is likely to be damaged during the operation of the fuel cell.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-279364 (prior art 2) discloses another type of solid oxide fuel cell system. As shown in FIG. 16, each of unit cells 1 is interposed between a pair of separators 2. The unit cell 1 is formed of a thin plate, and does not have any holes. The unit cell 1 and a spacer 3 around the unit cell 1 are interposed between separators 2. The separator 2 has a fuel gas inlet hole 4, an air inlet hole 5 extending in the stacking direction.
The fuel gas from the fuel gas inlet hole 4 flows through a fuel gas distribution passage 6, and is supplied to a central region of one surface of the unit cell 1. The air from the air inlet hole 5 flows through an air distribution passage 7, and is supplied to a central region of the other surface of the unit cell 1.
According to the disclosure, since the unit cell 1 is formed of a thin plate, and does not have any holes, the mechanical strength of the unit cell 1 is high. The reactant gases are supplied outwardly from central regions of opposite surfaces of the unit cell 1 to the reaction areas. Therefore, the two reactant gases are separated from each other.
However, in the prior art 2, the leakage (cross leakage) of the fuel gas from the fuel gas inlet hole 4 may occur. For example, the fuel gas may undesirably reach the cathode of the unit cell 1. Therefore, the local reaction of the air and the fuel gas at the cathode would cause heat generation. Consequently, the unit cell 1 and the separators 2 may be damaged by the heat.

Fuel cell configured with discharge passages that preheat fuel gas and prevent cross leakage