A production control system for producing products from parts, the production control system, comprising: a product data obtaining module configured to obtain product data including an effective surplus production quantity from a parent product production location, which is a location producing parent products using the products as their direct parts; a part data obtaining module configured to obtain part data including a surplus production quantity from a part production location producing the parts; an effective surplus production quantity calculation module configured to calculate an effective surplus production quantity of a production department which produces the products from the parts based on the effective surplus production quantity and the surplus production quantity; and, a part data transmission module configured to transmit part data including an effective surplus production quantity of the production department to the part production location.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a production control system, a production control method and a production control program, which are for calculating an effective surplus production quantity, a consolidated contribution profit and a change in time of cash flows at each production location in the flow of producing a product.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of producing products at a certain production department in general, parts produced at various production locations, for instance, a lower-level department, another company or an outside manufacturer, are used. These parts, along with parts produced at the production department are then assembled. Thus, the products are produced. Moreover, the production department products may become parts of a plurality of products at a plurality of other production locations. As described above, through the various production locations, the products at a certain production department come to marketable final products.
A surplus production quantity for products P at a certain production department is determined by a surplus production capability of the production department with regard to the products P and a surplus production quantity of parts related to the products P. When a surplus production quantity of parent products using the products P as their parts is relatively smaller than the surplus production quantity of the products P of the certain production department, even if the products P are produced for the surplus production quantity, not all of the products P can be processed at production locations of the parent products. Consequently, inventory of the products occur. Thus, estimation for production/sales by the surplus production quantity is limited by the surplus production quantity of the parent products. Moreover, the parent products are also influenced by a surplus production quantity of their parent products. However, in the case where products of a certain department pass through a complex route before becoming final products, it is difficult to perform an appropriate estimation for production/sales by the surplus production quantity.
Meanwhile, when products are produced and sold in a certain production department, a profit contribution is made not only by a profit earned in the production department but also by production and sales of product parts in an upstream. The upstream profit is included, for example, in the material cost of the product and the product is sold in the production department by further accumulating the profit on the material cost. In such a manner, profits are earned at respective production locations in the flow of the product. When a plurality of production locations in the flow mutually belong to a department such as an entire company or an operational headquarter, profit contributions made at these locations mutually contribute to a consolidated profit of the department. However, it is difficult to calculate the profit contribution of each product, because, the profit contribution of each destination profits from the product of the production department in the flow of producing the product, and thus is complicated.
Furthermore, in production of a product at a certain production department, plans for production and inventory for the product based on a sales plan are required. However, in preparing the production and inventory plans, it is difficult to know the cash flows of the product in real time.

Production control system, production control method and production control program


An assembly for a medical lead includes an elongated lead body, and a conductive element located at a distal portion of the lead body. The conductive element substantial!)′ encircles a longitudinal axis of the lead body. The assembly further includes a plurality of insulated conductors extending within the lead body, each of the insulated conductors being in electrical contact with the conductive element and extending to a proximal end of the lead body. Each of the insulated conductors contacts a different circumferential portion of the conductive element. The conductive element is configured to facilitate mechanical and electrical separation of different circumferential portions of the conductive element to form two or more electrode segments for the medical lead from the conductive element.

Implantable electrical stimulators may be used to deliver electrical stimulation therapy to patients to treat a variety of symptoms or conditions such as chronic pain, tremor, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, urinary or fecal incontinence, sexual dysfunction, obesity, or gastroparesis. In general, an implantable stimulator delivers neurostimulation therapy in the form of electrical pulses. An implantable stimulator may deliver neurostimulation therapy via one or more leads that include electrodes located proximate to target tissues of the brain, the spinal cord, pelvic nerves, peripheral nerves, or the stomach of a patient. Hence, stimulation may be used in different therapeutic applications, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), spinal cord stimulation (SCS), pelvic stimulation, gastric stimulation, or peripheral nerve stimulation. Stimulation also may be used for muscle stimulation, e.g., functional electrical stimulation (FES) to promote muscle movement or prevent atrophy.
Implantable medical leads carry electrodes that may be used to deliver electrical stimulation and/or sense electrical physiological signals. Different examples of implantable medical leads include cylindrical leads carrying ring electrodes or segmented electrodes and paddle style leads that carry electrode contacts. Paddle style leads may provide directional stimulation, but often require surgical implantation, although percutaneous implantation is possible. Cylindrical leads with ring or segmented electrodes may be implanted surgically or percutaneously. Ring electrodes may provide a less focused stimulation field that extends radially from the lead in many directions. Segmented electrodes may provide directional stimulation.


A memory system and method includes a cache having a filtered portion and an unfiltered portion. The unfiltered portion is divided into block sized components, and the filtered portion is divided into sub-block sized components. Blocks evicted from the unfiltered portion have selected sub-blocks thereof cached in the filtered portion for servicing requests.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data processing and efficient use of cache space systems, and more particularly to systems where each processor has at least one level of cache memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Caches hierarchies are used in data processing systems to reduce the latency and bandwidth in accessing memory. Caches are effective because of the temporal and spatial locality that exists in the memory reference streams. Caches exploit temporal locality by keeping a local copy of recently accessed data. Caches exploit spatial locality by fetching and storing more data than is required to service a single cache access. This unit of storage stored in the cache is called a block or line. Lines and blocks will be used interchangeably, hereinafter. Typically, a block can be 128 or 256 bytes. Logically, any memory access is either serviced by the first level cache or initiates a transfer of at least one block from the next level in the memory hierarchy to the first level cache.
A block can be divided into one or more equal sized partitions called sub-blocks. The size of each sub-block is at least large enough to satisfy a single cache access. For example, a block of 256 bytes can be divided in 8 sub-blocks each of 32 bytes. When there is low spatial locality, a block includes sub-blocks that are stored in the cache and are never used. These unused sub-blocks consume cache space without contributing to cache hits. This reduces cache efficiency and degrades system performance.
Significant work has been done, both in the industry and in academia, with a focus on using cache space efficiently. Some of the relevant work is described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,673 to Kever discloses an apparatus and methods for cache line compression. When blocks of data are stored in compressed form, more blocks can fit into the cache. This increases the probability of a cache hit. Cache compression is dependent only on the values stored in the block and not on the spatial locality of the block. This implies that a compressed block still contains data for unused sub-blocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,388 to McCormick et al. describes a method and apparatus for reducing cache pollution. Prefetched blocks do not update the least recently used (LRU) stack on installation. This reduces pollution caused by unused prefetched blocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,227 to Finell et al. discloses a method to decrease the number of stall cycles resulting from a cache miss in a multilevel cache system. On a cache miss, the requested block is fetched. If there are any invalid blocks in the cache as a result of consistency protocol, additional blocks are prefetched along with the requested block.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,654 to Pomerene et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,535,961 to Kumar et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,080 to Burger et al., disclose a method to prefetch sub-blocks from low speed memory to high speed memory depending upon the state of sub-block reference bits or the outcome of a spatial footprint predictor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,894 to Webber describes a mechanism for optimizing the tag storage identifier used in a computer system. Upon initial power-on of the computer system, the amount of system memory is determined and a minimum number of sub-blocks for the cache memory is selected such that when maximum system memory is installed, fewer sub-blocks are selected for the cache memory.
Splitting a cache based on reference locality is described in an article by Gonzalez et al. titled "A data cache with multiple caching strategies tuned to different types of locality" published in the International Conference on Supercomputing, 1995. Their design consists of a spatial cache, a temporal cache, and a predictor history table. Depending on the prediction history table, the fetched block is either placed in the spatial cache or the temporal cache. This scheme is targeted toward numerical codes that have very predictable spatial locality characteristics.
Johnson et al. in "Spatial Locality Detection and Optimization", published in IEEE-Micro 1997, describe a method to predict spatial locality of the incoming block. Their design consisted of a table called Memory Address Table (MAT) to track spatial locality. MAT controls the number of blocks fetched in case of a cache miss. This scheme requires that the cache be organized using a very small block size and a separate spatial locality prediction structure be accessed before the incoming block is fetched from memory.
Choosing the line size for a cache is one of the fundamental decisions a designer makes in the design of a cache. Large cache line sizes can prefetch nearby data and avoid misses that a smaller line must incur. However, not all of the data in a large line gets referenced by the processor and cache pollution will result. Workload analysis has shown that many database applications use less than 50% of a 256 byte line when brought into the cache. Additionally, large lines require more bus cycles to transfer a line into the cache than a smaller line. This can result in bus queueing during periods of high miss rates.
Thus, it is desirable to design a cache that can have the advantages of both a large line (to prefetch nearby misses) and, when appropriate, a small line that can be transfer quickly and avoid cache pollution by only keeping the referenced information in the cache. By allowing the cache to include a high percentage of useful information (less pollution) misses are avoided and performance is increased.

Apparatus and method for filtering unused sub-blocks in cache memories

International Business Machines Corporation


Techniques for language-based manipulation of data visualizations are disclosed. A system presents a data visualization representing a multidimensional data set. The system receives user input including language associated with a particular interaction with the data visualization. The particular interaction is configured to manipulate presentation of one or more subsets of the multidimensional data set. The user input does not identify any particular subset of the multidimensional data set. The system determines that the interaction is applicable to two or more candidate subsets of the multidimensional data set and presents, as candidates for the particular interaction, the two or more candidate subsets. The system receives user input selecting a particular subset from candidates. Based on the user inputs, the system generates a complete command corresponding to the particular interaction. Based on the complete command, the system performs the particular interaction to manipulate, in the data visualization, presentation of the particular subset.

Data analytics uses programmatic data processing techniques to extract meaningful information from raw data. In this context, "raw data" refers to data that, without further processing, does not supply some or all of the meaningful information provided by data analytics. Raw data may have undergone other processing prior to data analytics processing. For example, data generated by a business application (i.e., an application that supports one or more business operations such as sales, supply chain management, human resources, finance, customer relationship management, and/or another business operation or combination thereof) may be considered raw data for data analytics purposes.
Data analytics may use many different kinds of programmatic data processing techniques. For example, data analytics may use one or more of: data filtering; aggregation; deduplication; trend analysis; statistical analysis; and/or another kind of processing technique or combination thereof. Data analytics may apply raw data to a machine learning model, statistical model, predictive model, and/or another kind of data processing model or combination thereof. Data analytics may produce meaningful information in many different formats. For example, data analytics may produce database entries, charts, graphs, tables, lists, alphanumeric text, and/or another format or combination thereof.
Visual data analytics supplies a graphical user interface that allows one or more users to view and interact with information produced by data analytics. The graphical user interface presents a data visualization that corresponds to a visual representation of the information produced by data analytics. The graphical user interface includes controls (i.e., interactive user interface elements) that allow a user to manually manipulate the presentation of elements in the data visualization. Depending on the complexity of the data visualization, the graphical user interface may include many controls. Alternatively or additionally, for a user to manipulate the presentation of elements in the data visualization, using the controls may require a sophisticated understanding of the underlying data analytics system.
Some computing devices are not as well-suited to using manual controls for visual data analytics. For example, mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, etc.) typically have relatively small screens, with less space available to present data visualizations and/or manual controls. In addition, some computing devices lack a physical keyboard and/or mouse, thus limiting the modes of user interaction that are available to access controls. Due to such constraints, the functionality and/or controls available on mobile versions of visual data analytics tools may be limited, relative to versions that operate on non-mobile computing devices.
In computer systems, a multidimensional database represents data as a hypercube or multidimensional array. A multidimensional database has multiple dimensions. Each dimension corresponds to a different index into the data. As one example, a multidimensional database stores employee data. In this example, the different dimensions may include "Employee," "Department," and "Salary." The different dimensions may be visualized as the axes of a cube. A multidimensional database may have any number of dimensions. A particular data value within a multidimensional database may be referred to as an attribute. For example, for the dimension "Department," a multidimensional database may include the attributes "Sales," "Legal," "Human Resources," etc. Data analytics may use programmatic data processing techniques to extract meaningful information from data in a multidimensional database. A visual data analytics tool may supply a graphical user interface that allows one or more users to view and interact with that information.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Language-based manipulation of data visualizations


An ultra wide angle zoom lens is composed, in the order from the object side, of a first lens group of a negative refractive power, a second lens group of a positive refractive power, a third lens group of a negative refractive power, and a fourth lens group of a positive refractive power, in which the lens groups axially move, in the zooming operation from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, in such a manner that the distance between the first and second lens groups decreases, while that between the second and third lens groups increases and that between the third and fourth lens groups decreases, and in which the lens groups satisfy additional conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens adapted for use in a single lens reflex camera of so-called 35 mm Leica format, an electronic still camera, a video camera or the like, and more particularly to an ultra wide angle zoom lens of an F-number of about 2.8 with the image angle at the wide angle end of 90.degree. or larger.
2. Related Background Art
As an ultra wide angle zoom lens with the image angle exceeding 90.degree. at the wide angle end there are already known a 2-group zoom lens consisting of a front group of a negative refractive power and a rear group of a positive refractive power as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,153, and a zoom lens in which the rear group of a positive refractive power is divided into three groups of positive, negative and positive refractive powers, thus forming four groups in total, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,550.
However, the former zoom lens described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,153 has an F-number of only about 3.5 in the examples described therein, and, if the aperture ratio is made larger, the lenses in the rear group become thicker, whereby the enough rear focal length becomes difficult to secure. On the other hand, the latter zoom lens described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,550 can attain a larger aperture ratio while securing a certain rear focal length, by dividing the rear lens group into three groups respectively of positive, negative and positive refractive powers and, in the zooming operation, maintaining the amount of movement of the negative lens group in the rear group less than that of other positive lens group, thereby reducing the amount of movement of the entire rear group.
However, in such zoom lens, as well as in the former one, the front lens group of negative refractive power tends to become huge in comparison with other lens groups because of the large incident angle.


A computer-implemented method of determining moisture content of a composite structure is provided. The method includes performing a thermal analysis calculation on the composite structure to determine a temporal surface temperature profile of the composite structure based on temporal environmental parameter profiles, wherein the surface temperature profile is determined independently of a moisture content of the composite structure. The method also includes performing a moisture content analysis calculation on the composite structure to determine a moisture content of the composite structure, wherein the moisture content analysis calculation is based on the determined temporal surface temperature profile and a thickness of the composite structure. The thermal analysis calculation is performed iteratively with a first time period and the moisture content analysis calculation is performed iteratively with a second time period that is longer than the first time period.

The present application relates to a method of determining an allowable moisture content of a structure, and, more particularly, to a method of determining an allowable moisture content of composite structure used in the manufacture of aircraft.
Non-metallic structures have many advantages over their metallic counterparts. Most notably, they provide significant weight savings without a corresponding loss of strength, for example through the accurate alignment of non-metallic fibers to the direction of the expected applied load. The fibers are arranged in a number of overlapping layers, or plies.
Certain groups of materials, such as certain plastics and epoxy resin composite structures, readily absorb moisture by diffusion. Whilst this is a relatively slow process (the amount of absorption is measured in terms of millimeters over time periods measured in weeks, months and years), the presence of moisture within a material may shorten the useful service lifetime of the material. Additionally, prolonged exposure to relatively high temperatures may also shorten the useful service lifetime of the material. It is therefore necessary to take into account the effects of high temperature and moisture content during the design process.
Conventionally, a constant saturation level has been used in the design of composite materials independent of the size and scale of the composite structure. The constant saturation level is measured as a moisture percentage weight of the dry composite structure. For example, the maximum allowable moisture content (saturation level) is attained when the weight of the moisture content within the structure reaches a predetermined percentage weight of the composite structure with zero moisture. The conventional saturation level was designed for relatively thin composite structures having between about 30-40 plies. However, modern composite structures may include as many as 50-100 plies. Modern composite structures having increased thickness are able to absorb proportionately more moisture without affecting the service lifetime of the component. As such, the traditional predetermined saturation level results in over-engineered composite structures that increase the weight of the aircraft and increase manufacturing time and costs.
Furthermore, the calculations performed to determine the saturation level include performing a thermal analysis and a moisture diffusion analysis as a coupling. Such calculations include vast amounts of data and require a significant amount of computing power and time to determine.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of determining a moisture saturation level for relatively thick composite structures that requires less time and computing power.

Methods and systems for designing a composite structure


Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of communicating traffic to a plurality of wireless devices. For example, an apparatus may include logic and circuitry configured to cause a Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) device to communicate one or more discovery messages during at least one Discovery Window (DW) of a NAN cluster including the NAN device; and communicate data within a data link group after the DW, the data link group including the NAN device and one or more NAN devices of the NAN cluster.

In some wireless communication networks, communication may be performed during discovery windows (DWs).
Stations may be allowed to transmit a discovery frame during a DW, in order to enable the stations to discover other devices or services that are running on the other devices.
Transmissions may be performed during the DW based on a contention mechanism.

Apparatus, system and method of communicating in a data link group


According to a radiation imaging apparatus, any separate AEC sensor need not be prepared. Additionally, the apparatus main body can be made compact. To accomplish this, the radiation imaging apparatus has a first optical conversion element that converts incident radiation into an electrical signal, and generates image information on the basis of the electrical signal output from the first optical conversion element. Below a portion that is aligned to the gap between the first optical conversion elements, a plurality of second optical conversion elements which detect the incident amount of the radiation from the gap are formed. Exposure control for the radiation or control of the optical conversion elements is executed on the basis of the detection result by the second optical conversion element.

A conventional radiation imaging apparatus separately incorporates an imaging radiation detector for two-dimensionally detecting radiation transmitted through a human body to generate an image and a radiation automatic exposure controller (AEC) for controlling exposure of radiation incident from a radiation source.
In a typical imaging radiation detector of this type, generally, pixels each comprising a MIS optical conversion element and a switching TFT are laid out in a matrix, and a phosphor layer which converts radiation into visible light is arranged on the radiation incident surface.
FIG. 12 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a conventional imaging radiation detector. FIG. 13 is a plan view of the imaging radiation detector shown in FIG. 12.
Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, reference numeral 4008 denotes a semiconductor conversion element such as an optical conversion element; and 4007, a switching TFT. The semiconductor conversion element 4008 and switching TFT 4007 constitute a pixel.
The gate electrodes of the TFTs 4007 are connected to common gate lines (Vg) 4001. The gate lines 4001 are connected to a gate driver 4002 which ON/OFF-controls the TFTs. The source or drain electrodes of the TFTs 4007 are connected to common signal lines (Sig lines) 4003. The signal lines 4003 are connected to an amplifier IC 4004. As shown in FIG. 12, optical conversion element driving bias lines (Vs lines) 4005 are connected to a common electrode driver 4006.
Radiation that becomes incident on an object to be inspected passes through the object to be inspected while being attenuated by it. The radiation is converted into visible light by a phosphor layer. The visible light strikes the optical conversion element and is converted into charges. The charges are transferred to the signal line 4003 through the TFT 4007 in accordance with a gate driving pulse applied from the gate driver 4002 and read out to the outside by the amplifier IC 4004. After that, charges that are generated by the optical conversion element and remain there without being transferred are removed through the optical conversion element driving bias line (Vs line) 4005. This operation is called "refresh".
FIG. 14 is a schematic sectional view showing the layer structure of one pixel area which is formed from a MIS optical conversion element and a switching TFT (at a position corresponding to a line D–D′ in FIG. 13). In this example, the MIS optical conversion element and switching TFT are simultaneously formed.
The MIS fourth embodiment is constituted by a first conductive layer (lower electrode) 4101, first insulating layer 4102, first semiconductor layer 4103, ohmic contact layer 4105, second conductive layer (bias line) 4106, and transparent electrode 4113 (e.g., ITO). The lower electrode is connected to the source or drain electrode of the TFT 4007. The TFT 4007 comprises the first conductive layer 4101 (gate electrode layer), first insulating layer 4102 (gate insulating layer), first semiconductor layer 4103, ohmic contact layer 4105, and second conductive layer 4106 (source and drain electrodes). Each gate line is connected to the electrode layer where the gate electrode of the TFT 4007 is formed. Each signal line is connected to the layer where the source and drain electrodes are formed. Then, a protective layer (e.g., an SiN and organic film) 4118 and phosphor layer 4119 which converts radiation into visible light are formed on the resultant structure.
An imaging radiation detector constituted by combining a radiation direct conversion material conventionally represented by a-Se, a storage capacitor, and a switching TFT has also been put into practical use.
A radiation automatic exposure controller (AEC) which controls exposure for radiation that becomes incident from a radiation source in the radiation imaging apparatus will be described next.
Generally, in a radiation imaging apparatus having two-dimensionally arrayed sensors, an incident radiation dose must be adjusted (AEC-controlled) for each object or every imaging. Conventionally, an AEC control sensor is arranged independently of the imaging radiation detector. A plurality of thin AEC sensors which attenuate radiation by about 5% are separately arranged in front of the imaging radiation detector. Incidence of radiation is stopped on the basis of the outputs from the AEC sensors, thereby obtaining an appropriate radiation dose for imaging. As an AEC sensor, a sensor which directly extracts radiation as charges by using an ion chamber, or a sensor which converts radiation into visible light through a phosphor, extracts the visible light through an optical fiber, and causes a photomultiplier to convert the visible light into charges is used. FIG. 15 is a view showing the imaging radiation detector and radiation automatic exposure controller (AEC), which constitute the conventional radiation imaging apparatus.
However, as described above, when AEC sensors are prepared independently of the two-dimensionally arrayed imaging radiation detectors to adjust (AEC-control) the incident radiation dose, the layout of the sensors poses a problem. Generally, information necessary for AEC is present at the center of an object. If AEC sensors should be laid out without impeding image sensing by the imaging radiation detectors, AEC sensors that attenuate radiation by only a minimum amount are necessary, resulting in an increase in cost of the entire apparatus.
In addition, there are no sensors that do not attenuate radiation at all. Hence, the image quality inevitably degrades at the central portion of an object, where an image that is very important for diagnosis is obtained. Furthermore, such separately prepared AEC sensors are disadvantageous for size reduction of a radiation imaging apparatus that is portable and can photograph various portions.
Contrary to this arrangement, U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,613 discloses an arrangement in which a second pixel group is arranged in a sensor substrate and driven by a shift register different from that for an image read sensor to detect the integration of signal charges.
However, when this arrangement is simply employed, some of image read pixels are replaced with second pixels. Accordingly, the opening ratio of pixels related to image reading with respect to all the pixels decreases. In addition, lead interconnections must be prepared separately for the first pixels and second pixels. This may complicate the interconnection structure.
There is still room for improvement in the arrangement of the above prior art in association with the pixel layout and interconnection structure.

Imaging method and apparatus with exposure control


This invention provides a data-recording/reproduction apparatus that creates hierarchical-structured video data for partial contents data based on telops, and that is capable of easily and accurately reproducing a summary searching for an arbitrary scene in contents data desired by the user. The data-recording/reproduction apparatus 100 detects change locations in extracted telop data, and when at least two or more change locations are detected from one or two or more telop data, it detects the number of changes and point of change at each detected change location. Also, the data-recording/reproduction apparatus 100 sets hierarchical levels for each change location based on the detected change locations and number of changes, and together with generating index data the indicates a plurality of scenes in the contents data based on the set hierarchical levels and detected points of change of for each change location, it reproduces contents data based on the generated index data.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a contents data recording/reproduction apparatus that generates index data for the contents data, and generates contents data based on the generated index data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as recording apparatuses such as a VTR (video tape recorder) that records or reproduces data such as that of a program from a television broadcast have become widely spread, performing a summary reproduction that provides a summary in a short period of time of the contents data without having to watch all of the recorded contents has been employed.
Conventionally, as methods for performing this kind of summary reproduction, there is a method of performing summary reproduction by paying attention to the audio data that accompanies the contents data, and a method of performing summary reproduction by mainly paying attention to the video data itself. Particularly, the summary reproduction method that performs summary reproduction by paying attention to the video data itself is such that it recognizes telop text that indicates the contents of the time progression that are presented in the main image data of the video, and identifies the contents of the images of each part of the main image data based on that recognized text, then performs a summary reproduction based on the identified partial image data (see; Institute of Image Electronics Engineers of Japan Paper 02-07-33, "Auto-Indexing and Summary Generation of the Baseball Season Driven by Telop")
However, in the conventional method of performing summary reproduction using telop, a plurality of partial image data in the main image data is identified based on information in a recognized telop, and an index for the contents data is set based on the identified partial image data.
Therefore, in that summary method, the relationships between partial image data, such as the importance occupied in the entire video data by each partial image data that was identified by the index, were not displayed, and it was not possible to easily search for arbitrary scenes in the contents data desired by the user based on the generated index.

Index data generation apparatus, index data generation method, index data generation program and recording medium on which the program is recorded


A process and apparatus for treating yarn formed on an open-end spinning machine of the type wherein the yarn is drawn from a rotor through a navel and through draw-off rolls is provided. The yarn is guided from the navel to the draw-off rolls in a path at least a portion of which is inclined with respect to the axis of the navel and a false twist is applied to the yarn during its travel in the inclined portion of the path between the navel and the draw-off rolls. The yarn is permitted to untwist between the false twist application and the draw-off rolls in response to the applied false twist. The untwisting of the yarn causes fiber ends on the surface of the yarn to project outwardly in a hairiness or fleeciness producing manner. The false twist applying element can include a member which produces a rotating air stream about the periphery of the traveling yarn. An initial false twist applying element or elements may be located obliquely at the change of direction location to impart an initial false twist to the yarn.

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for treating yarn formed in an open-end spinning machine of the type wherein the yarn is drawn from a rotor through a navel and through draw-off rolls.
In the production of yarn in an open-end spinning process, it is known that the yarn is characterized by a relatively hard feel. It would be desirable to have the capability to produce yarn by an open-end spinning process which is characterized by hairiness or fleeciness so as to have a relatively soft feel. Such a yarn would particularly enhance goods such as knitwear or knitted goods produced from such yarn.

Process and apparatus for producing hairiness in an open-end spinning yarn


A system and method for identifying high order associations between variables in complex systems that is particularly useful where there is no correlation or weak correlation between variables due to the influence of a third variable, a ternary relationship. The ternary relationship describes how the variation in the pattern of association between a pair of variables, including its sign and strength, is mediated by a third variable. In one embodiment applied to gene expression data, the activity of pairs of correlated genes due to the activity of one or more third genes is shown.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to large database analysis, and more particularly to a system and method for identifying global association patterns in databases to facilitate an understanding of complex systems with numerous variables such as biological systems.
2. Description of Related Art
The development of computer systems with high-density memory devices and efficient communications, have lead to the appearance of large databases with complex data structures. For example, point of sale information from retailers, financial and insurance transactions and claims, credit card activity and similar information from across the country is stored in a number of large databases. Extracting useful information from substantially large databases to develop business or sales strategies is problematic. Various methods of "data mining" have been developed to identify and interpret patterns and global relationships in such databases so that information can be derived about the individual variables and allow strategic decision making and reliable predictions. Data mining allows the observance of trends, rules, patterns, constraints, irregularities and correlations and the like from large volumes of collected data. The process of data mining may use such methods as clustering, decision trees, association rule generation, memory based reasoning and neuro-analysis. The most suitable analysis will depend on the nature of the collected data to be analyzed and purpose of the analysis.
Databases relating to the research of biological systems tend to be particularly large and complex. Cellular activities form a complex biological system including a network of often interrelated subsystems. The rules for governing the genetic circuitry of expressing some genes and repressing others, in response to a variety of both inner and outer stimuli, are largely unknown. Modern DNA gene arrays allow the simultaneous measurement of the levels of expression of thousands of genes from a single biological sample. The gene or micro array is a high throughput biochemistry technique for generating data about the quantity of mRNA expressed by each gene in cells of an organism under a set of conditions. Here "conditions" broadly refers, for example, to doses of a tumor growth inhibition agent, times in a cell cycle, strains of mutation, types of cancer, and so on. The data, commonly referred to as a gene expression profile, can be used to infer the global cellular activities that would be hard to describe otherwise.
However, the statistical analysis of gene array data in molecular biology is usually the greatest difficulty faced with the use of the technique. Large volumes of array data typically overwhelm traditional methods and models of data analysis. The ultimate use of this powerful biotechnology hinges on how to process the data.
One procedure for distilling information from microarray data is through the use of correlation. Correlation is a traditional way of summarizing the relationship between any two variables in a system after the collection of empirical data. A positive correlation between variables implies similar behavior and a similar role within the system while a negative correlation indicates the opposite behavior and complementary role.
It is well-accepted that genes with similar profiles are likely to share common cellular roles and participate in related pathways. Pearson's correlation coefficient, (a popular measure of similarity), is thought to conform well to the intuitive biological notion of what it means for two genes to be "coexpressed". For any pair of genes (X, Y), a correlation can be computed using formulas in the prior art. Then all correlations are compared with each other or with a default value to determine the statistical significance. High and significant correlation is interpreted as a likely evidence for functional association between genes, meaning that their gene products are more likely to form a protein complex or participate in common metabolic or regulatory pathways and biological processes. This correlation-based similarity analysis together with variations and extensions for clustering or classification has generated enormous biologically significant results. Indeed, many gene clusters with similar expression patterns and shared roles in common cellular processes have been observed, including histones, cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins, proteasome, cytochrome-C, ATPase complex, and others.
Positively or negatively associated variables, once detected, can be used as building blocks toward the understanding of the system and for predicting the behavior of the system. But in the extremely complex systems, the vast majority of cases turn out producing no or weak correlations between variables. This often is the rule, even for those variables that are suspected to be closely related in theory. This renders the traditional correlation-based similarity analysis useless.
Despite the many successful applications, the use of Pearson's correlation coefficient, including the related Spearman's rho and Kendall's tau known in the art, are not flexible enough to describe all of the kinds of in vivo association patterns between genes. There are numerous cases of failure with conventional correlation analysis where functional association is evident according to experimental evidence, yet the statistical correlation from gene assay evidence is practically zero. The abundance of such negative results constitutes a bottleneck in distilling more information from microarray data.
The observed lack of correlation can be due to the noises in the data. But quite often the primary reason is due to the biological complexity of the subsystem and nature of its components such as the pleiotropic or multiple functions of a protein, varying cellular oxidization-reduction states, fluctuating hormone levels or other cellular signals, and the like. The case of two transcription factors, Max and thyroid hormone receptor (TR) are illustrative. These factors can serve either as activators or as repressors, depending on the other molecules that are bound to them. Max can bind to Myc and form a Myc-Max dimer that acts as a transcription activator. But when bound to Mad, the Mad-Max dimer serves as a repressor. For the case of TR, it associates with RXR to form a TR-RXR dimer that serves as a repressor in the absence of thyroid hormone. In the presence of thyroid hormone, the TR-RXR dimer is converted into an activator. Histone deacetylation is involved in both repressing events. Thus for example, if X is taken to be the expression profile of the gene encoding TR and Y is taken to be the profile of one of its target genes, then X and Y may be either positively correlated or negatively correlated, depending on the hormone level. If the hormone level fluctuates in an unspecific manner, the opposing directions of correlation may cancel out each other and no similarity based analysis may succeed in detecting the functional association between X and Y. Thus, uncovering the biological reasons behind the lack of detectable correlation is a new approach for understanding the gene expression network.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that aims at the identification of an advanced type of association between variables in complex systems where the correlation between variables is not readily apparent but is in fact existent and is constantly changing in response to the change of a state variable from unknown sources. The present system simultaneously identifies such variables and points to variables that are correlated with the state variable. The present invention generally overcomes the deficiencies found in existing equipment, systems and methods that fail to exploit structures that are not correlated or are weakly correlated.

System and method for identifying networks or ternary relationships in complex data systems

The Regents Of The University Of California


An optical assembly for use in an optical telecommunications system and method for aligning the optical assembly. The assembly uses a pair of ball bearings to support an optical fibre on a baseplate. The optical fibre is aligned with respect to an optical device and then the first ball bearing is inserted and welded in place. The fibre alignment is then fine tuned and the second ball bearing is inserted and welded in place, thereby providing a simpler and more accurate method of aligning an optical fibre to an optical device.

Current methods of aligning optical fibres to optical devices such as laser diodes and photo diodes are expensive and time consuming. In addition they do not provide the accuracy required for modern optical fibre applications such as is required in optical telecommunications systems.
The present invention overcomes these technical problems by providing a simpler optical assembly and method for aligning and fixing the optical assembly.

Optical assembly and method for alignment thereof

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Ptd. Ltd.


Examples disclosed herein relate to a method comprising receiving a data packet originating from a first device and intended for a second device, wherein the first device and the first access device belong to a first branch of a Wide Area Network (WAN) using a MPLS overlay and the second device belongs to a second branch of the WAN. The method includes encapsulating the data packet in VXLAN including a VXLAN label identifying a role type and transmitting the data packet to a first core device. The method includes determining an MPLS label corresponding to the role type and transmitting the data packet over the MPLS overlay to a second core device belonging to the second branch of the WAN. The method includes translating the MPLS label into the VXLAN label and transmitting the data packet including the VXLAN label to a second access device for an enforcement action.

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a networking technique where data is directed from one node to the next based on short path labels instead of traditional network addresses. A label may be, for example, an identifier with some local significance.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover, the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


The present invention provides a fastener mounting clip for use in securing a fastener to sheet material having a bore hole formed therein. The fastener mounting clip is preferably formed of a single sheet of thin spring steel. The mounting clip includes a rectilinear planar surface having opposing retainer arms extending beneath its outer edge at obtuse angles. The retaining arms are resiliently flexible and compress and expand during insertion wherein a top end of the retaining arm abuts against the sheet material when the fastener mounting clip is fully seated within the bore hole. The planar surface includes support tabs for supporting the planar surface in the plane of the sheet material and also includes a recessed aperture for receiving and retaining a fastener therein.

Sheet metal nuts or mounting clips are used in the automobile industry as well as in the household appliances industry for fastening trim work or other components to the sheet metal body. Many conventional sheet metal nuts are designed to be pushed onto the edge of a sheet material work-piece having a hole adjacent thereto until a hole of the sheet metal nut and the work-piece coincide.
However, many motor vehicle construction processes require that trim work or other components be fastened to the interior vehicle chassis, exterior body panels or other fastening points which do not lie at the edge of the sheet material or work-piece but in other areas of the work-piece surface, such as the middle. For this case, the present invention provides a sheet material mounting clip that may be received into a bore hole formed in the sheet material and operative to be easily inserted while providing a substantial resistance to pull out forces.


The method of forming an oxidation resistant coating layer is for forming an oxidation resistant coating layer containing aluminum on a surface layer of a member (A) formed of metallic material. The method includes a plating treatment step (S1) of plating aluminum on a surface of the member (A) in a solvent, and a heat treatment step (S2) of heat-treating the member (A) whose surface has been plated by the plating treatment step (S1).

In the related art, a majority of members such as turbine blades that are used in a high-temperature environment are formed of metallic material such as nickel-based alloy or titanium-based alloy that is heat resistant material.
Furthermore, in recent years, a technology of improving the oxidation resistant characteristics of the members by forming an oxidation resistant coating layer on a surface layer of the members has been generally used.
In the technology of forming this oxidation resistant coating layer, the surface layer of a member is enriched with aluminum (the content of aluminum is increased) and this surface layer is used as the oxidation resistant layer to form the oxidation resistant coating layer.
Specific examples of a method of enriching the surface layer of the member with aluminum include a method of diffusing aluminum in the surface layer of the member, a method of thermally spraying an alloy containing a large amount of aluminum, a method of forming a film of an alloy containing a large amount of aluminum using sputtering, a plating process using molten salt or molten aluminum, and the like.
According to the method of diffusing aluminum in the surface layer of the member, aluminum is diffused in the surface layer of the member by vapor phase reaction of aluminum halide and thus an aluminum-rich oxidation resistant layer is formed.
According to the method of thermally spraying an alloy containing a large amount of aluminum, an alloy containing a large amount of aluminum is thermally sprayed to a surface of the member to make the alloy containing a large amount of aluminum be attached to the surface of the member, whereby the aluminum-rich oxidation layer is formed.
According to the method of forming a film of an alloy containing a large amount of aluminum using sputtering, an alloy containing a large amount of aluminum is deposited on the surface of the member in a manner of physical vapor deposition by using a target formed of an alloy containing a large amount of aluminum, whereby the aluminum-rich oxidation resistant layer is formed.
According to the plating process using molten salt or molten aluminum, the member is dipped in the molten aluminum, whereby the aluminum-rich oxidation layer is formed.

Method for forming oxidation resistant coating layer


A thermal interface material is for being applied to the contact surfaces to eliminate the air interstices between the heat dissipating apparatus and the electronic component in order to improve heat dissipation of the electronic component. The thermal interface material includes pentaerythritol oleate as base oil and fillers filled in the pentaerythritol oleate for improving the heat conductivity of the thermal interface material. The pentaerythritol oleate is used for holding the fillers therein and filling the air interstices to achieve an intimate contact between the heat dissipating apparatus and the electronic component. The fillers include aluminum powders, zinc oxide powders and zinc oxide nano-particles.

With the fast development of the electronics industry, advanced electronic components such as CPUs (central processing units) are being made to have ever quicker operating speeds. During operation of the advanced electronic components, a larger amount of heat is generated. In order to ensure good performance and reliability of the electronic components, the operational temperature of the electronic components must be kept within a predetermined range. Generally, a heat dissipating apparatus such as a heat sink or a heat spreader is attached to a surface of the electronic component, so that the generated heat is dissipated from the electronic component to ambient air via the heat dissipating apparatus. However, the contact surfaces between the heat dissipating apparatus and the electronic component are rough and therefore are separated from each other by a layer of interstitial air, no matter how precisely the heat dissipating apparatus and the electronic component are brought into contact; thus, the interface thermal resistance is relatively high. A thermal interface material is preferred for being applied to the contact surfaces to eliminate the air interstices between the heat dissipating apparatus and the electronic component in order to improve the heat dissipation.
The thermal interface material includes silicone oil as base oil and fillers filled in the silicone oil. The silicone oil is used for filling the air interstices to achieve an intimate contact between the heat dissipating apparatus and the electronic component, whilst the fillers are used for improving the heat conductivity of the thermal interface material to thereby increase the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipating apparatus. However, the amount of the fillers receivable in the silicone oil is limited since the holding capability of the silicone oil for the fillers is limited, so that the thermal conductivity of the grease is limited.


An oil tank sight glass monitor comprising a housing having an opening therein sized to receive the sight glass of an oil tank; an emitter for emitting a beam of light, the emitter being mounted to the housing on one side of the opening so that the beam of light is directed across the opening; a detector for detecting the beam of light generated by the emitter, the detector being mounted to the housing on the other side of the opening, in optical alignment with the emitter, so as to detect the beam of light emitted by the emitter; and an alarm for producing an audible sound when the detector fails to detect the beam of light generated by the emitter.

Many home heating systems use oil as their fuel. In the typical situation, the oil furnace and its associated oil tank are located in the basement of the house, with heat being delivered to the upstairs living spaces by hot water circulated through radiators or hot air discharged through vents.
The oil tanks typically have a refill line which extends from the oil tank up to the side of the house, where the refill line can be accessed for refilling by an oil truck. In addition, the oil tanks typically have a fuel level gauge, commonly called a sight glass, on the top of the tank to show how much oil is in the oil tank.
More particularly, and referring now to FIGS. 1–3, there is shown a conventional oil tank sight glass SG. Sight glass SG is transparent and contains a moving indicator MI which is supported by a shaft S which is in turn attached to a float (not shown) located in the oil tank (not shown). The height of moving indicator MI within sight glass SG corresponds to the height of the oil in the oil tank: as the level of the oil in the oil tank decreases, the height of moving indicator MI drops within sight glass SG.
The foregoing arrangement provides a simple, reliable and economical means for indicating the amount of oil present in the oil tank. Unfortunately, however, this arrangement also suffers from the fact that it is limited to line of sight. Thus, where the oil tank is located in the basement of a house, a person must go down to the basement in order to check on the level of oil in the oil tank. This can be inconvenient and may lead to a failure to regularly monitor the level of oil in the oil tank, which may in turn result in accidentally depleting all of the oil in the oil tank.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


One aspect of the present invention relates to the spiral cutting of a meat product. The meat product is spirally cut to produce a food item that will cook more evenly, retain condiments better, fit a standard bun, and is healthier. In addition, a food item prepared in accordance with the present invention will be more pleasant to the gustatory senses.

Sausages and related meat products having an outer skin have many well known problems. The typical method for cooking them is to apply direct heat which unless done with extreme care, results in rupturing of the meat product and uneven cooking. Further, the methods of cooking retain much of the fat, producing an high fat food product. Additionally, the skin of the meat products often presents an unpleasant gustatory sensation due to the rubbery sensation on the teeth.
There is a need for a method and device to prepare processed meat products to cook evenly, better retain condiments and fit a standard bun. Processed meat products also need a method and device to prepare them in a healthier manner resulting in a more gustatorily pleasing food item.

Method and apparatus for spiral cutting a tubular meat product


A lead frame casing for housing a stack of lead frame strips. The casing includes a central volume-defined between substantially rigid members and resilient members. The former define at least one reference plane and the latter are deflected toward the former when a lid is placed over the casing to align the strips of the stack against the reference plane and immobilize the stack to prevent damage during transport and handling of the casing and to facilitate handling of the lead frames by automated equipment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for loading and storing lead frames such as are employed for the physical support and electrical connection of semiconductor devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a lead frame casing mechanism that aligns and immobilizes lead frames within the casing against a reference plane, for prevention of damage to the lead frames and ease of unloading by automatic mechanisms as employed in the art.
2. State of the Art
Integrated circuit (IC) semiconductor dies, also termed "chips," are enclosed in packages that provide protection from hostile environments and enable chip electrical interconnection to printed-circuit boards and other components. Lead frames are widely used in the packaging of semiconductor dies, for physical support of the die and to provide conductors for the die to the exterior of the package, which may be a transfer-molded plastic package, a ceramic package, a so-called "glob top" package, or other package structure known in the art.
Included within each lead frame of a conventional design are a plurality of leads and a central die attach pad area, typically termed a paddle, tab or island. The die attach pad area may be downset from the plane defined by the leads. With such a design, when a die is attached on the pad area, the top or active surface of the die is substantially co-planar with the leads of the lead frame so that bond wire lengths between the bond pads on the active surface and the inner lead ends are minimized. With other conventional lead frame designs, the entire frame is co-planar, and longer bond wires are employed to connect the bond pads on the active surface of the die with the inner ends of the leads. Another variation of lead frame design is the so-called leads-over-chip, or LOC, design, which eliminated the central die attach area and adhesively suspends the die by its active surface from a number of leads extending over the active surface.
In practice, a plurality of laterally adjacent lead frames are etched or stamped from a strip of metal, the frames remaining secured together through the packaging or encapsulation step of the fabrication process. This intermediate structure is commonly known as a "lead frame strip." The number of lead frames fabricated within each lead frame strip varies, depending on the size of the individual lead frames and the equipment and materials for processing them to attach the dies, wire bond and encapsulate the devices.
Lead frames are often fabricated by a vendor to the semiconductor device fabricator, rather than by the fabricator itself. The lead frames are stamped or etched, as noted above, and then shipped to the fabricator for die attachment, wire bonding, and encapsulation. At a minimum, the lead frame strips may be bundled, wrapped in thin paper or plastic wrap, and placed into a shipping tray. Layers of paper or plastic may be interposed between strips for additional protection. Conventional shipping trays consist of a flat bottom, two sets of opposing sides, and an open top. Within the tray, one or more movable partitions may be provided for accommodating the adjacent bundles of lead frame strips. Alternatively, stuffing materials may be included within the tray to accommodate the lead frame strips.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,305 issued Jan. 17, 1989 to Laverty discloses a variety of prior art shipping trays, including a tray design with movable partitions to accommodate different sizes and quantities of lead frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,509 issued Jun. 30, 1992 to Takei et al. discloses a rectangular lead frame container including a container body and a snap-on lid, the container body optionally including fixed or rigid projections or protrusions from the side walls to abut a stack of lead frames in the container.
A more complex shipping tray, also termed a "magazine", is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,055 issued May 10, 1994 to Chu. The Chu patent provides a magazine for automatically collecting lead frame strips dispensed from an automated lead frame quality inspection machine. The magazine includes a cover that is placed over the magazine to provide a packaging tray for shipment of the collected lead frame strips. A plurality of holes are positioned within the base of the magazine. The magazine holes are positioned to lie directly underneath index holes within the lead frame strips when the lead frame strips are stacked inside the magazine. To prevent movement of the lead frame strips within the magazine during shipment, pins are inserted vertically into the index holes of the lead frame strip and through the magazine holes. Similarly-aligned holes to receive the pin tops are also included in a shield covering the top lead frame strip to protect the lead frame stack from oxidation and contamination.
The prior art shipping trays and containers of Laverty and Takei do not provide positive alignment of the lead frame strips against a reference plane, and their construction dictates that a snug fit or abutment of the lead frame strips against the partitions or projections may damage the strips if they are forced into the volume provided in the tray or container. If some clearance is allowed between the partitions or projections and the strips, movement is thereby permitted and damage may also ensure in that situation.
The prior art tray of Chu utilizing indexing pins to immobilize a lead frame strip stack has a significant disadvantage from a production standpoint, since any change in the positioning of the index holes within the lead frame strips requires a change in the production mold for the magazine and shield. Additionally, the pin alignment mechanism requires removal of the pins in order to release the lead frame strips from the tray for pick up by a strip unloading apparatus.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a lead frame casing that aligns at least one side of a vertical stack of lead frame strips against a common reference plane and prevents any motion of the lead frame strips within the casing during shipment to avoid damage, but which still permits easy release and removal of the lead frame strips from the casing. It would be a further advantage to develop a lead frame casing design which is adaptable to permit immobilization of lead frame strips having assorted lengths and widths as well as index hole patterns without significant design changes, the use of different-sized partitions, or additional parts such as indexing pins.


A composable infrastructure update system includes a composable infrastructure management system coupled to a composable infrastructure system including composable infrastructure components. The composable infrastructure management system identifies workload solutions that are being provided by at least one of the composable infrastructure components and, for each workload solution, generates a respective workload solution catalog that identifies the at least one of the composable infrastructure components that are providing that workload solution. The composable infrastructure management system then receive a software update for a first composable infrastructure component, determines that the first composable infrastructure component is being used to provide at least two of the workload solutions, and schedules the performance of the software update for the first composable component in consideration of the at least two of the workload solutions.

The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to providing updates to a composable infrastructure information handling system.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems may sometimes be provided as composable infrastructure systems that treat compute, storage, and networking devices as pools of resources that may be provisioned as needed depending on the needs of different workloads. As such, composable infrastructure systems may provide solutions for workloads ("workload solutions") from relatively large pools of compute, storage, and networking resources, which may enable multiple entities (e.g., system administrators) to compose and build workload solutions from the same pool of resources. Such workload solutions provided via composable infrastructure systems may be logically discrete and, as such, the workloads associated with them independent from each other. However, conventional converged infrastructure systems are configured to update their pool of resources as integrated unit(s) without the consideration of the workload solutions they provide, which can raise some issues. For example, a converged infrastructure system may include multiple chassis, with each chassis including combinations of server systems and/or storage systems, and conventional converged infrastructure system updates are often applied to all of the server systems and/or storage systems in any particular chassis. However, as discussed above, any particular chassis may be used to provide at least a portion of multiple different and discrete workload solutions, and thus the entire-chassis update operations discussed above will result in downtime for multiple different and discrete workload solutions. As such, the lack of consideration and independent treatment of discrete workload solutions by conventional converged infrastructure systems as part of their composable system lifecycle update operations can result in unavailability issues for workload solutions.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a composable infrastructure update system that addresses the issues discussed above.


Porous biosupports for the support of microorganisms which are used in the biotreatment of an aqueous waste stream comprising a polymeric material and, optionally, fiber reinforcement, adsorbent material and/or inorganic filler wherein the biosupport has a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of water and pores of sufficient diameter to enable microorganisms to readily colonize within the pores, a process for preparing same, and processes for biodegrading an aqueous waste stream containing organic contaminants utilizing the porous biosupports.

This invention relates to porous polymeric biosupports, particularly porous nylon biosupports. In one aspect, this invention relates to use of porous polymeric biosupports in processes for biodegradation of aqueous waste streams containing organic contaminants. In another aspect, this invention relates to use of porous polymeric biosupports in packed bed and fluidized bed reactors for biotreatment of aqueous waste streams. In a further aspect, this invention relates to the process for preparing the porous polymeric biosupports.
Commercial utilization of immobilized bacteria technology (IBT) for cost-effective biological treatment of chemical wastes has been increasing. IBT utilizes highly selected, chemical-degrading bacteria in bioreactors designed to provide optimal conditions for microbial activity.
In IBT, biosupports are hosts for the bacteria which degrade toxic or polluting chemicals in waste streams into environmentally harmless products. This is usually done by flowing the waste stream through a reactor vessel containing the bacteria on a biosupport media.
Chemical degrading bacteria immobilized in bioreactors have been shown to achieve exceptional performance for the biotreatment of chemical industry wastes. Use of IBT in fluidized bed reactors (FBRs) and packed bed reactors (PBRs) achieve high rates of chemical removal, tolerate harsh conditions, survive dormancy, tolerate surge loadings, and produce lower levels of biological solids than conventional waste treatment technologies.
The biosupports which are typically used in commercial scale bioreactors are predominantly sand, granular activated carbon (GAC) particles and porous inorganic particles such as diatomaceous earth, alumina oxide and sintered glass. Although these biosupports, also known as biocarriers, are commercially available and have been well-proven as supports for chemical-degrading bacteria, they all have some disadvantages. The GAC and inorganic biosupports are expensive and experience attrition of 5-20% per year. In addition, the removal of excess biomass from these biosupports is problematic since their high density and fragility make vigorous back-flushing or mechanical biomass separation difficult. Sand is affordable and non-fragile, but requires a significantly longer period of time for microbial colonization (slower startup) and lacks the advantage of chemical adsorption as a supplementary removal mechanism. In addition, microorganisms on sand are more prone to performance failure and slow recovery after physical or chemical upsets.
Lodaya et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,487) has disclosed the use of microporous synthetic resinous materials, including nylon, as biosupports for use in treating aqueous waste streams in aerated packed bed reactors. The microporous synthetic resinous materials of Lodaya et al have a density less than the density of water, i.e. float in the reactor, and therefore require a screen to hold the resin particles in place. The density of the microporous synthetic resinous materials of Lodaya et al creates the significant problem of not being able to handle biofouling and biomass control in the packed bed reactor. The packed bed reactor of Lodaya et al also requires use of a recycle stream. In addition, the microporous synthetic resinous materials of Lodaya et al cannot be used in fluidized bed reactors because they float.
A biosupport material which solves the problems of the commercially available biosupports and of materials such as those disclosed in Lodaya et al would be highly desirable. It has now been found that the porous polymeric biosupports of the invention solve the above-described problems. Specifically, the porous polymeric biosupports of the invention have the following advantages: (1) high porosity permitting rapid and heavy colonization by inoculated bacteria, (2) large pore sizes and open structure promoting higher levels of microorganism growth inside the biosupport and resulting in greater tolerance to upsets, less biomass loss during fluidization and higher overall performance, (3) high physical strength eliminating attrition, (4) inert to most chemicals and waste streams, (5) density slightly greater than the density of water eliminating the problems of Lodaya et al and permitting simple, cost-effective fluidization by air injection to control biomass in PBRs, (6) high rigidity providing good abrasion of excess biomass during fluidization, (7) chemical biodegradation rates equal to or exceeding commercially available biosupports, and (8) production process allowing flexibility in size, density, porosity and composition of the biosupports.
The porous polymeric biosupports of the invention also have the advantage of utilizing waste polymer or recycle polymer as feedstock. This utilization of waste or recycle polymer is an environmentally friendly process resulting in waste recycling and reduction.


An overturn prevention control device includes a bicycle robot capable of freely laterally inclining, an angular velocity sensor mounted on the bicycle robot such that a detection axis thereof extends in a substantially longitudinal direction of the bicycle robot, a motor mounted on the body such that a rotating shaft thereof extends in a substantially longitudinal direction of the body, a rotation sensor that detects a rotational position or a rotational speed of the motor, and an inertial rotor coupled to the rotating shaft of the motor. The overturn prevention control device corrects inclination of the bicycle robot by rotating the inertial rotor using the motor and by utilizing a reaction torque occurring when the inertial rotor is rotated. The overturn prevention control device further includes an inclination angle estimating portion arranged to estimate an inclination angle relative to a balanced state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an overturn prevention control device that controls balance to prevent overturning of a body that is capable of freely laterally inclining such as, for example, a two-wheel vehicle or a biped robot.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-190654 describes a two-wheel traveling toy including a steering portion, a front wheel steerable by the steering portion, a rear wheel, a flywheel swinging in accordance with the direction of the front wheel, a first driving portion arranged to drive the flywheel, and a second driving portion arranged to drive the rear wheel. The two-wheel vehicle is resistant to overturning while traveling due to the gyro effect of the flywheel produced by changing the direction of the flywheel in accordance with the direction of the front wheel.
However, in the aforementioned two-wheel traveling toy, because the direction of the flywheel is merely changed in accordance with the direction of the front wheel, although the vehicle is prevented from overturning during normal travel by steering, it is difficult to prevent the vehicle from overturning when stopped or while moving at a very low speed by steering alone. As a result, there is a problem in that overturning cannot be effectively prevented.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-47454 describes an inversion control toy in which overturning is prevented by inputting an inclination detected by an inclination detecting sensor into a control circuit, driving of a motor using the control circuit, rotating a high-inertia rotor using the motor, and generating a reaction couple by increasing the number of revolutions of the rotor in the direction opposite to the direction in which the inclination is to be corrected. This inversion control toy maintains its balance by controlling the revolutions of the rotor, such that overturning is prevented even when stopped or when the toy moves at a very low speed.
The above-described inversion control toy uses, as the inclination detecting sensor, an optical sensor that detects an inclination using a photo detector receiving light reflected from the surface of the floor after being emitted from a light-emitting device. However, in practice, it is not easy to accurately detect the inclination. For an inclination detecting sensor that uses a light-emitting device and a photo detector, although there is no problem when the surface of the floor that is to reflect light is flat, it is impossible to accurately detect the inclination when the surface of the floor is uneven or the floor is not present on both sides (for example, when the toy crosses a narrow bridge).
In addition, the above-described inversion control toy detects the inclination by obtaining the difference from the amount of received light in an upright state as the reference amount. However, the upright state (in a vertical direction) is not always a balanced state. For example, when the position of the center of gravity of the toy is laterally displaced from the central position or when the toy is subjected to a side wind, a state that is slightly inclined relative to the vertical direction is a balanced state. In this case, although that balanced state (angle) should be used as a reference position, the vertical direction is used as the reference position in the above-described method. Therefore, the toy may be unable to maintain its balance and may overturn.
One possible method of detecting the inclination of a body is detecting the angular velocity using an angular velocity sensor, integrating the detected value, and thereby estimating the inclination. However, in the method of integrating the output angular velocity, a problem arises in that noises or offsets are accumulated and it is not possible to continue to estimate an inclination angle and prevent overturning. Another device for detecting an inclination is an inclination sensor that uses a weight. However, in this case, the inclination corresponding to a balanced state cannot be detected, and additionally, responsiveness is poor, resulting in a disadvantage in that the inclination cannot be immediately detected.


A communication control apparatus, mounted on each node of a telecommunications system, receives node type information selected by a neighboring node, and transmits node type information selected by the own node and node type information of another node. The apparatus receives the state variable signal of the neighboring node reflecting a phase representing another node's data transmission timing, and transmits a state variable signal representing the own node's data transmission timing. Subsequently, the apparatus selects the own node's node type in accordance with another node's type information received. The apparatus then varies, based on the own node's node type information selected, another node's node type information and the neighboring node's state variable signal, the state of the own node's phase in accordance with a time evolution rule based on a phase response function and a synchronization alliance function for thereby determining the own node's data transmission timing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication control apparatus for a telecommunications system, and more particularly to a communication control apparatus applicable to a telecommunications system, such as a sensor network, a local area network (LAN), which is formed by a plurality of network node devices spatially distributed or carried on mobile bodies to transmit data therebetween, for obviating a collision between transmitted data ascribable to interference of electromagnetic waves or similar cause.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For allowing a plurality of spatially distributed nodes to transmit and receive data therebetween without any collision, available are a time division multiple access (TDMA) system and a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) system such as a CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) system and a CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) system, as taught in Y. Matsushita et al., "Wireless LAN Architecture", pp. 47, 53-59 and 69, Kyoritsu Shuppan Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1996.
One of the problems with the TDMA system is that, when a central or management node expected to allot time slots fails, the entire telecommunications system goes down. In light of this, there have been proposed various methods of obviating a collision between transmitted data by causing the individual nodes to mutually adjust the allotment of time slots in a distributed coordination or self-organizing fashion without resorting to a central control server. For such mutual adjustment, each node transmits and receives periodic impulse signals to and from its neighboring nodes to interact with them.
More specifically, each node is adapted for using expressions modeling nonlinear oscillation to take account of the timing at which another node transmits an impulse signal to thereby adjust its own timing for the transmission of an impulse signal. With this adjustment scheme, the individual nodes execute mutual adjustment such that the transmission timing of an impulse signal from the own node is apart as far from the transmission timing of an impulse signal from another node as possible, implementing the allotment of time slots in a distributed coordination or autonomous fashion.
Further, when nodes are spatially distributed in a planer lattice or matrix arrangement, there may be implemented an optimum time-division transmission pattern in which only neighboring nodes, lying in a first range, mutually share a time slot, as also proposed in the past. More specifically, the transmission timings of nodes, lying in a third range and held in a particular positional relation free from collisions, are synchronized to each other, so that neighboring nodes, lying in the first range, can mutually share a single period with each other. Consequently, a time slot which each node is acquirable can be maximized. In this sense, the optimum time-division transmission and hence ideal, high-level communication efficiency is achievable.
However, the above-stated communication control system, implementing the optimum time-division communication by the individual nodes, is applicable to a telecommunications system or network in which a plurality of nodes are spatially distributed in a lattice configuration, but not to other types of telecommunications systems or networks not using the lattice configuration.

Communication control apparatus for determining data transmission timing with a node type and a state variable


A package substrate having an electrically connecting structure are provided. The package substrate include: a package substrate substance with at least a surface having a plurality of electrically connecting pads formed thereon, allowing an insulating protective layer to be formed on the surface of the package substrate substance and the electrically connecting pads and formed with a plurality of openings corresponding in position to the electrically connecting pads so as to expose a portion of the electrically connecting pads, respectively; and a metal layer provided on an exposed portion of the electrically connecting pads, walls of the openings of the insulating protective layer, and a circular portion of the insulating protective layer encircling each of the openings thereof, and provided with a slope corresponding in position to a bottom rim of each of the openings. Accordingly, solder bleeding and short circuits are prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to package substrates, and more particularly, to a package substrate having an electrically connecting structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are two types of semiconductor package structure, namely wire-bonding packages and flip-chip packages. In wire-bonding packages, a semiconductor chip is electrically connected to the package substrate by bonding wires. In flip-chip packages, a semiconductor chip is flip-chip mounted on the package substrate with the active surface (of the semiconductor chip) facing downward, and the semiconductor chip is electrically connected to a solder material of the package substrate via a plurality of bumps. Flip-chip packages are lightweight, thin, short, and small, because they do not use space-demanding bonding wires at all, and yet render distance of signal transmission shortened. Another advantage of flip-chip packages is that the underfill provided between the semiconductor chip and the package substrate ensures reliable bonding therebetween.
To allow the semiconductor chip-mounted package substrate of a flip-chip package to be electrically connected to an external electronic device (for example, a printed circuit board), a plurality of solder balls are implanted on the bottom surface of the package substrate.
A solder material is usually formed on electrically connecting pads (chip-mounting area) of a package substrate by a stencil printing technique described below. An insulating protective layer with a plurality of openings therein is formed on a package substrate with a completely laid out circuit. From the openings, a plurality of electrically connecting pads on the package substrate are exposed. A stencil with a plurality of openings therein is disposed on the insulating protective layer of the package substrate. Through the openings of the stencil, a solder pile is formed on the electrically connecting pads, using a squeegee blade or by spraying, as a result of accumulation of solder in the openings and subsequent removal of the stencil. Afterward, the solder pile on the electrically connecting pads is solidified by a reflow process so to form a solder structure.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, which are cross-sectional views showing a solder material formed on electrically connecting pads of a package substrate according to the prior art, a package substrate substance 10 has at least a surface 10a formed with a plurality of electrically connecting pads 11 thereon, and an insulating protective layer 12 is formed on the surface 10a and the electrically connecting pads 11. The insulating protective layer 12 has a plurality of openings 120 formed therein. The openings 120 correspond in position to the electrically connecting pads 11 so as to expose portions of the electrically connecting pads 11, respectively. A corner C with an angle of 90° approximately is formed between each of the electrically connecting pads 11 and a corresponding one of the openings 120 of the insulating protective layer 12, and thus a solder material 13 formed in the openings 120 of the insulating protective layer 12 is unlikely to be deposited at the corner C. Also, during a reflow process performed on the solder material 13, the corner C with a 90° angle cannot be fully filled with the molten solder material 13 due to cohesion and surface tension thereof, thus causing a gap S (shown in FIG. 1B) to form between the solder material 13 and the insulating protective layer 12. The gap S generates and holds air bubbles readily. As a result, a subsequent process is flawed by unreliability, for example, detachment of the solder material 13.
As mentioned earlier, the corner C between each of the electrically connecting pads 11 and each of the openings 120 of the insulating protective layer 12 cannot be fully filled with the solder material 13, and thus the area of contact between the solder material 13 and each of the electrically connecting pads 11 is unfavorably small, and in consequence the solder material 13, from which a solder structure is going to be made subsequently, is unlikely to be attached to the electrically connecting pads 11 to the detriment of the quality of solder balls and the electrical connection performance of the package substrate.
Bleeding of the solder material 13 during a reflow process is prevented solely by the solder masking characteristics of the insulating protective layer 12. However, a short circuit is readily formed because of formation of a solder bridge between the bled solder material 13 on the adjacent electrically connecting pads of a package substrate having a fine pitch as soon as the solder material 13 turns molten during the reflow process. To solve the problem, the pitch of the solder material 13 has to be widened, which means that the package substrate is no longer fine-pitch, so to speak.
In view of this, an issue that calls for an immediate solution involves eliminating known drawbacks of the prior art, namely, inefficient formation of a solder material, formation of gaps between the solder material successfully formed and the insulating protective layer, poor electrical connection between a solder structure and the package substrate, and bleeding of the solder material in a reflow process.

Package substrate having electrically connecting structure


A mattress pad or topper is provided. The mattress pad or topper includes an outer layer defining an interior volume. The outer layer includes a body portion and one or more mesh portions. The mattress pad or topper further includes a filler material disposed within the interior volume. The interior volume is in fluid communication with external atmosphere via the one or more mesh portions.

The following description relates to a mattress pad or topper, and in particular, a mattress pad or topper having a mesh insert.
A mattress pad or topper is generally fitted to, or positioned on a top side of a mattress, i.e., a side of the mattress configured to support a person, such that a person using the mattress to sit, lie, rest or otherwise support themselves thereon, may additionally be supported by the mattress pad. The mattress pad is often used to provide increased comfort, compared to the mattress alone, by providing additional cushioning and/or support.
The mattress pad or topper generally includes a padded top surface configured to be positioned on the top side of the mattress. The padded surface may generally be formed by one or more pieces of material, such as a fabric material, positioned relative to one another to define an inner volume. The inner volume is configured to receive a padding material, which acts as a cushion or padding for the padded surface. The one or more pieces of material may be, for example, two pieces of material stitched together at respective peripheral edges. The mattress pad may further include depending sides or edges extending from the padded surface that are configured to fit around corresponding sides of the mattress. The depending sides may include an elastic material so that the depending sides snuggly engage the sides of mattress to secure the mattress pad to the mattress.
A mattress pad is typically made from a single fabric or blend of fabrics, and, as described above, may include a filling or other padding material therein. These fabrics and/or filling may retain heat, for example, when in contact with a person, causing an increase in temperature that the person may find uncomfortable. In some cases, the heat retention is caused by a restricted flow of air through the mattress pad, allowing body heat from the person to be retained. That is, in some cases, a breathability, or ability for air to flow between the inner volume of the mattress and the outer, ambient air may be restricted, especially in areas in direct contact with the person, allowing for a build of heat. In other cases, breathability may be restricted by other bedding articles, such as blankets or linens coming into contact with the mattress pad.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mattress pad that may limit or prevent heat retention.

Mattress pad or topper having a mesh insert


A steam generating device has a handle and a nozzle or pad attached to the handle for treating a surface. The handle includes a heat exchanger, a water reservoir, a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the water reservoir and heat exchanger, and a fluid delivery system for moving water from the water reservoir, through the fluid conduit, and into the heat exchanger. A fuel powered heater is positioned on a side of the wall of the heat exchanger opposite the interior space of the heat exchanger. A first section of the wall of the heat exchanger transfers heat from the heater to water located in the heat exchanger for generating steam from the water located in the heat exchanger. A second section of the wall of the heat exchanger includes an opening that allows steam to exit the heat exchanger and handle and flow through the nozzle or pad.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable device that can be used to generate steam.
2. Description of the Related Art
Steaming devices used to apply steam to objects are known. Steaming devices can apply steam to drapes or garment fabrics to remove wrinkles. Steam-generating warming articles for use on a surface of the human body are also known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,652,228. Devices have also been developed for applying steam to a hard surface to assist in the cleaning of the surface. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0236635 discloses a steam mop.
While the benefits of steam-generating devices in surface treating are known, these devices often require an electrically-powered boiler to generate steam and an associated pump system to direct the steam towards its intended destination. The boiler and pump often require plugging the device into an AC electrical outlet and therefore, these devices cannot be used where an AC electrical outlet is unavailable. Thus, these devices are not truly portable, and battery operated or rechargeable units are heavy and have limited operational times. Also, all electrical versions require some start up time.
What is needed therefore is a portable steam generating device suitable for surface treating applications that does not require an AC electrical outlet and that can be used to treat soft surfaces, such as fabric, and/or hard surfaces, such as floors, walls, sinks, countertops, bathtubs, toilets, other bathroom fixtures, and inner surfaces of an enclosure.