A master Timestamp Synchronization Circuit (TSC) in a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) estimates a master timestamp value for an upcoming time reference. The master TSC sends the master timestamp value asynchronously over an Internet Protocol (IP) network to slave TSCs in other CMTSs. The slave TSC compares a local timestamp value with the master timestamp value when the upcoming time reference occurs. If the local timestamp value does not match the master timestamp value, the slave TSC is resynchronized using the master timestamp value.

This invention relates to digital computer network technology. More specifically, it relates to methods and apparatus for synchronizing components within the Head End of an access network.
In conventional Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) systems, there may be multiple Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTSs) each including a plurality of physically distinct line cards having appropriate hardware for communicating with cable modems in the network. Each CMTS and each line card is typically assigned to a separate DOCSIS domain, which is a collection of downstream and upstream channels.
Typically, each DOCSIS domain includes a single downstream channel and one or more upstream channels. The downstream channel is used by the CMTS to broadcast data to all cable modems (CMs) within that particular domain. Only the CMTS transmits data on the downstream. In order to allow the cable modems of a particular DOCSIS domain to transmit data to the CMTS, the cable modems share one or more upstream channels within that domain.
Access to the upstream channel is controlled using a time division multiplexing (TDM) approach. Such an implementation requires that the CMTS and all cable modems sharing an upstream channel within a particular domain have a common concept of time so that when the CMTS tells a particular cable modem to transmit data at time T, the cable modem understands what to do. "Time" in this context is tracked using a counter, commonly referred to as a timestamp counter, which, according to conventional implementations is a 32-bit counter that increments by one every clock pulse.
In conventional configurations, each line card in each CMTS may have its own unique timestamp counter which generates its own local time reference. Thus, each line card in the DOCSIS system operates according to its own local time reference, and is not synchronized with other line cards in the same CMTS or with line cards in other CMTSs.
Each line card in the DOCSIS system periodically distributes a timestamp value of its local time reference to the respective group of cable modems serviced by that line card. For this reason, a first group of cable modems serviced by a first line card in a first CMTS will not be synchronized with a second group of cable modems serviced by a second line card in a second CMTS.
The present invention addresses this and other problems associated with the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System for synchronizing circuitry in an access network


The present disclosure is directed to methods and devices for reducing or otherwise mitigating accumulated reagent material and/or fluids within a dispense nozzle of a dispenser.

Immunostaining and in situ DNA analysis are useful tools in histological diagnosis and the study of tissue morphology. Immunostaining relies on the specific binding affinity of antibodies with epitopes in tissue samples, and the increasing availability of antibodies which bind specifically with unique epitopes present only in certain types of diseased cellular tissue. Immunostaining requires a series of treatment steps conducted on a tissue section mounted on a glass slide to highlight by selective staining certain morphological indicators of disease states. Typical steps include pretreatment of the tissue section to reduce non-specific binding, antibody treatment and incubation, enzyme labeled secondary antibody treatment and incubation, substrate reaction with the enzyme to produce a fluorophore or chromophore highlighting areas of the tissue section having epitopes binding with the antibody, counterstaining, and the like. Each of these steps is separated by multiple rinse steps to remove unreacted residual reagent from the prior step. Incubations are conducted at elevated temperatures, usually around 40° C., and the tissue must be continuously protected from dehydration. In situ DNA analysis relies upon the specific binding affinity of probes with unique nucleotide sequences in cell or tissue samples and similarly involves a series of process steps, with a variety of reagents and process temperature requirements.
Automated biological reaction systems include the biological reaction apparatus and the dispensers for the reagents and other fluids used in the biological reaction apparatus. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,707, inventors Copeland et al., entitled Automated Biological Reaction Apparatus, assigned to Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. which is incorporated herein by reference, the biological reaction apparatus may be computer controlled. However, the computer control is limited in that it is dedicated to and resident on the biological reaction apparatus. Moreover, the memory, which is used in conjunction with the computer control, contains data relating to the reagents including serial number, product code (reagent type), package size (250 test), and the like.
One of the requirements in a biological reaction system is consistency in testing. In particular, the biological reaction system should apply a predetermined amount of fluid upon the slide in order to consistently test each slide in the automated biological reaction apparatus. Therefore, an important focus of a biological reaction system is to consistently and efficiently apply a predetermined amount of fluid on the slide.
Further, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,664 entitled Liquid Dispenser by inventors Krawzak et al. and assigned to Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., which is incorporated herein by reference, reagents are dispensed on the slide in precise amounts using a fluid dispenser. The fluid dispenser, which is used in conjunction with the biological reaction apparatus, should be easy to manufacture, reliable and compact in size.


A storage device is provided. The storage device includes a plurality of ports for a first kind of access, a second kind of access having a band-secured access period longer than that of the first kind of access, and other kinds of access; and an access controller. The access controller is configured to prepare a total schedule by connecting a plurality of slot units for the first kind of access having a time frame within a band-secured access period to obtain the band-secured access period within the access period for the second kind of access on a time axis, and to allocate one time slot to one slot unit regarding the ports for the first kind of access and to allocate one time slot to one period of the total schedule regarding the ports for the second kind of access among the plurality of ports.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage device having a plurality of ports to which time slots are allocated respectively to control access, and particularly to the storage device and a method of controlling access in the case where a necessary access period for securing a band varies depending on a kind of access.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a data storing and reproducing system in which a plurality of external apparatuses store and reproduce data in a single storage device. A plurality of ports are provided to the storage device, and time slots (time frames for receiving access from the ports) are allocated to respective ports through which the apparatuses individually access to the storage device.
FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing access to a storage device provided with a plurality of ports. Time slots are allocated to n ports (Port1 to Portn) provided in the storage device respectively. Buffer memories 21 (21(1) to 21(n)) are provided corresponding to the respective Port1 to Portn in the storage device.
In the case where data is stored from a Porti in the Port1 to Portn, the data input from the Porti is stored temporarily in a buffer memory 21(i), then, is read from the buffer memory 21(i) at a time slot allocated to the Porti, and is written into a storage medium 20 (for example, a flash memory in the case of a flash memory device that is a kind of semiconductor storage device) in the storage device.
Further, in the case where data is reproduced from a Portj, the data is read from the storage medium 20 at a time slot that is allocated to the Portj, and is stored temporarily in a buffer memory 21(j), then is read from the buffer memory 21(j), and is output to the Portj.
In the case of allocating the time slots to the plurality of ports of the storage device as described above, in order to secure a band for access to the storage device (in order to secure a specific traffic volume), it is necessary to access to the storage device for a certain period of time per unit time from the port where the band-secured access is carried out.
Here, in the case where a length of access time per unit time necessary for securing the band is uniform irrespective of the kind of access, the same number of time slots each having an equal length are allocated to ports where the band-secured access is carried out (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-234625, paragraphs 0013 to 0019, FIGS. 1 and 5; and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-308558, paragraphs 0022 to 0025, FIGS. 1 and 2).
However, the length of access time per unit time necessary for securing the band may vary depending on the kind of access. For example, time necessary for reproducing a certain amount of data is longer than time necessary for storing the same amount of data in a flash memory device. Therefore, a long access time per unit time is necessary for securing the band for a port accessed for data reproduction, compared with a port accessed for data storage.
Further, in the case where data is reproduced, a larger amount of data should be reproduced per unit time at a transfer rate of 50 Mbps, compared with the reproduction at a transfer rate of 30 Mbps, for example. Therefore, access time per unit time necessary for securing the band at a port accessed for reproduction at a transfer rate of 50 Mbps is longer than that at a port accessed for reproduction at a transfer rate of 30 Mbps.
FIG. 2 shows a method of controlling access according to the related art regarding the above described case. Here, three kinds of access modes such as a Mode1, Mode2 and BestEffort are shown. Both the Mode1 and Mode2 are access modes the bands of which should be secured, but a necessary access time per unit time for securing the band of the Mode1 is longer than that of the Mode2. The BestEffort is an access mode the band of which is not secured, but a transfer rate thereof is made as high as possible (performance-based mode).
Further, there are provided ten ports (Port1 to Port10), and the Mode1 accesses the Port1, 2, 5, 10, and the Mode2 accesses the Port3, 4, 7, 8, and the BestEffort accesses the Port6, 9.
One time slot is allocated to each of the Port1, 2, 5, 10 for the Mode1 and to each of the Port3, 4, 7, 8 for the Mode2. A time slot length Taccess 1 for each of the ports for the Mode1 and a time slot length Taccess 2 for each of the ports for the Mode2 are set so that the following condition is satisfied.
Condition: an access period necessary for securing a band for the access of the Mode1, which is an amount of data in terms of a time length that buffer memories (buffer memories 21 in FIG. 1) corresponding to the ports for the Mode1 should store per access, is expressed as Tbuf 1 and an access period necessary for securing a band for the access of the Mode2 is similarly expressed as Tbuf 2, and the relationship between the Tbuf 1 and Tbuf 2 is represented by:
(Formula 1)Tbuf1≈Tbuf2  (1)
Further, time slots for the Port6, 9 for the BestEffort are located at the end, and a time slot length Taccess_best of the ports for the BestEffort is controlled so that a total of all the time slot lengths Ttotal_access satisfies the condition expressed by the following formula, thereby securing the band for the access of each of the Mode1 and Mode2.
(Formula 2)Tacccss1×Nmode1+Taccess2×Nmode2+Taccess_best=Ttotal_access≦Tbuf  (2)
where Tbuf is the shorter one of Tbuf 1 and Tbuf 2, and Nmode1 and Nmode2 are the number of ports accessed by the Mode1 and Mode2 respectively (here, Nmode1 is four, Nmode2 is four).

Storage device and method of controlling access


A method, apparatus, and system for periodically measuring the level of ambient noise found on a radio frequency channel used by a radio frequency identification interrogator to read radio frequency identification tags. The ambient noise is measured after the radio frequency identification interrogator has transmitted a signal. The measured level of ambient noise is then used to dynamically adjust a threshold value used to predict collisions on the channel.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems are employed to identify and thus track a wide array of objects. Some examples of objects that use RFID technology for identification and tracking are documents (i.e., passports and drivers license), retail merchandise, portable electronics, furniture, parts, pharmaceuticals, and shipping containers. The RFID systems comprise one or more RFID interrogators that read information stored in RFID tags and a computer for processing the information. The RFID tag is normally attached directly to an object or is placed inside packaging that contains the object. Whenever an RFID tag is within range of an RFID interrogator, the RFID interrogator reads the information encoded on the RFID tag.

Method and system for tuning an RFID interrogator


A cutting tool insert for machining by chip removal includes a body of a hard alloy of cemented carbide, cermet, ceramics or cubic boron nitride based material onto which a hard and wear resistant coating is deposited by CVD. The coating includes at least one multitextured α-Al2O3 layer with a thickness between 0.5 μm and 30 μm characterized with an ODF texture index>1 and at least two dominant texture components with 2<ODF density<100 coexisting within the layer. A method of making and using the cutting tool insert are also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coated cutting tool comprising a body coated combining a multi textured alpha-alumina (α-Al2O3) layer, the method of making and use the same. The layer is grown by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and the invention provides an oxide layer with improved wear properties and good chip forming machining properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, CVD alumina based coatings comprise an inner layer of titanium carbonitride and an outer layer of Al2O3. The development and use comprise different Al2O3 polymorphs, e.g., α-Al2O3, κ-Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3 as well as multilayer structures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,035 discloses an α-Al2O3 coated cutting tool insert where the layer is bonded to the insert through a thin intermediate layer of an iron group metal aluminate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,392 discloses an α-Al2O3 coated cutting tool insert where the layer is deposited directly onto the insert.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,896 discloses an α-Al2O3 coated cutting tool insert where an intermediate carbide or nitride layer is deposited prior to the oxide layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,866 discloses an α-Al2O3 coated cutting tool insert where the oxide is deposited utilizing a dopant selected from the group consisting of sulphur, selenium, tellurium, phosphorous, arsenic, antimony, bismuth and mixtures thereof, dramatically increasing the growth rate of the layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,595 discloses a cutting tool insert coated with single- or multilayers, comprising at least one layer of a {210} textured κ-Al2O3.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,147 discloses a cutting tool insert coated with an inner α-Al2O3 layer and an outer κ-Al2O3 layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,569 discloses a multilayer oxide coated cutting tool insert comprising layers of either α-Al2O3 or κ-Al2O3.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,614 discloses a cutting tool insert coated with a multilayer structure of TiN/TiC on a thick layer of a single and/or bi-layer of α-Al2O3 and κ-Al2O3.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,514 discloses a cutting tool insert coated with a multilayer of κ-Al2O3 and TiN or Ti(C,N) layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,470,296 discloses a cutting tool insert coated with a multilayer comprising layers of Ti(C,N) and Al2O3, preferably κ-Al2O3.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,855,413 discloses a cutting tool insert coated multilayer comprising layers of TiN and κ-Al2O3.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,991 discloses an oxide coated cutting tool insert with an outer layer a layer of γ-Al2O3.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,450 discloses a coated cutting tool insert having a multilayer of κ-Al2O3 and or γ-Al2O3 or TiN.
Further enhancement of the oxide layers has recently been achieved through the control of crystallographic orientation, texture, especially for the α-Al2O3 polymorph. This has been achieved by the development of new synthesis routes comprising the use of nucleation and growth sequences, bonding layers, sequencing of the reactant gases, addition of texture modifying agents and/or by using alumina conversion layers. Commonly, the texture is evaluated by the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques and the concept of texture coefficients.
Textured Alumina Layer Synthesis Using Various Bonding/Nucleation Layers and Growth Sequences
U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,447 discloses a method to produce textured α-Al2O3 layers with improved wear resistance and toughness. The α-Al2O3 layer is formed on a (Ti,Al)(C,O,N) bonding layer using a nucleation sequence composed of aluminizing and oxidization steps. The layer is characterized by a {012} growth texture as determined by XRD.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,442,431 discloses a method to produce textured α-Al2O3 layers on a (Ti,Al)(C,O,N) bonding layer using a nucleation sequence composed of short pulses and purges of Ti-containing pulses and oxidizing pulses. The layer is characterized by a {110} growth texture as determined by XRD.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,455,900 discloses a method to produce textured α-Al2O3 layers on a (Ti,Al)(C,O,N) bonding layer using a nucleation sequence composed of short pulses and purges consisting of Ti+Al pulses and oxidizing pulses. The layer is characterized by a {116} growth texture as determined by XRD.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,442,432 discloses a method to produce textured α-Al2O3 layers on a (Ti,Al)(C,O,N) bonding layer with a modified but similar technique as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,455,900. The layer is characterized by a {104} growth texture as determined by XRD.
US 2007104945 discloses a textured α-Al2O3 coated cutting tool insert for which a nucleation controlled α-Al2O3 layer texture is obtained. The layer is characterized by a {006} growth texture as determined by XRD.
US 2008187774 discloses a texture-hardened α-Al2O3 coated cutting tool insert with a {006} growth texture as determined by XRD.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,103 discloses a textured α-Al2O3 layer grown on a Ti(C,O) bonding layer characterized by a {10(10)} growth texture as determined by XRD.
Textured Alumina Layer Synthesis Using Sequencing of Reactant Gases
U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,035 discloses a body coated with refractory single- or multilayers, wherein specific layers are characterized by a controlled microstructure and phase composition with crystal planes grown in a preferential direction with respect to the surface of the coated body (growth texture). The textured α-Al2O3 layer is obtained by sequencing of the reactant gases in the following order: CO2, CO and AlCl3. The layer is characterized by a {012} growth texture as determined by XRD.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,782 discloses a cutting tool coated with refractory single- or multilayers including α-Al2O3, wherein specific layers are characterized by a controlled growth texture with respect to the surface of the coated body. The textured α-Al2O3 layer is obtained by sequencing of the reactant gases such that first CO2 and CO are supplied to the reactor in an N2 and/or Ar atmosphere followed by supplying H2 and AlCl3 to the reactor. The layer is characterized by a {104} growth texture as determined by XRD.
Textured Alumina Layer Synthesis Using Texture Modifying Agents
U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,867 discloses a coated cutting tool comprising one or more layers of refractory compounds out of which at least one layer is an α-Al2O3 layer having a columnar grain-structure and a {300} growth texture as determined by XRD. The microstructure and texture is obtained by adding ZrCl4 as a texture modifying agent to the reaction gas during growth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,988 discloses a {110} textured α-Al2O3 layer as obtained by using SF6 as a texture modifying agent during growth. The texture is determined by XRD.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,808 discloses a {110} textured α-Al2O3 layer as obtained sequencing SF6 and H2S during growth. The texture is determined by XRD.
Textured Alumina Layer Synthesis Using Conversion Layers
US RE41111 discloses a {0001} textured α-Al2O3 layer as obtained using an initial heat treated alumina core layer (conversion layer) with a thickness of 20-200 nm. The texture is determined by electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD).
An explanation of EBSD and the analysis for texture evaluation by using pole figures, pole plots, orientation distribution functions (ODFs) and texture indexes can for instance be found in Introduction to Texture Analysis: Macrotexture, Microtexture, and Orientation Mapping, Valerie Randle and Olaf Engler, (ISBN 90-5699-224-4) pp. 13-40.

Alumina layer with multitexture components


A two-phase cooling system operated at atmospheric pressure. A reservoir containing cooling fluid has a stack that is vented to the atmosphere. The stack is shaped to allow condensation of substantially all of the cooling fluid in vapor form entering the stack. Condensation may be enhanced by cooling the stack, such as with flowing air along the outer walls of the stack or placing a thermoelectric device in contact with the stack. The system provides high thermal capacity but is easy to use and service.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic systems and more particularly to cooling systems for use in electronic systems.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Electronic systems contain components that consume power, much of which is dissipated as heat. For many electronic systems, the packaging density of the electronic components is low enough that the heat generated as the system operates can be dissipated into the air surrounding the electronic system. For systems that dissipate large amounts of power as heat or that are packaged into smaller areas, cooling fans are often used. The fans enhance the airflow across hot components to increase the rate at which heat is dissipated into the air.
As the heat density of electronics systems increases, either because the components in the system generate more heat or because the components are packaged into smaller areas, air cooling is not able to keep the electronic system operating in a desired temperature range. To provide greater cooling, some systems have used water or other fluids with a higher specific heat than air. In such systems, a cold plate is often positioned next to electronic components that generate substantial heat. The cooling fluid circulates through passages in the cold plate. The temperature of the fluid increases as it absorbs heat from the electronic components. The fluid is circulated to a heat exchanger away from the electronic circuitry. The heat exchanger is used to dissipate the heat from the fluid into the air. The cooled fluid is then recirculated through the cold plate, where it again absorbs heat from the electronic components. An example of such a system is given in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/741,542, filed on Dec. 19, 2003 and entitled MODULAR RACKMOUNT CHILLER (now U.S. patent application publication 2005/0133214), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The fluid temperature of the before-mentioned cooling system will depend on the heat load. As a result, the fluid expands and contracts. If the system is left freely vented to the outside atmosphere, fluid loss will result. Therefore these types of cooling systems are typically sealed from the outside to minimize fluid loss due to these thermal expansion effects, and also due to direct evaporation if it were left freely venting to the outside ambient environment. However, to avoid excessive pressures in the system, a pressure-relief valve is used to limit the pressure in the system typically to about 10 psig at the tank location. When the system vent opens, vapor and entrapped air escape. As a result of the pressure-relief valve, the undesirable loss of fluid is reduced but not eliminated. In addition, a vacuum-relief valve is used to limit the minimum pressure to about −5 psig.
Such cooling systems in which heat is removed from a system by a temperature increase of a fluid are often called single-phase cooling systems, where the heat removed based on a temperature change is called sensible heat. The amount of heat removed by a single-phase system depends on the mass flow rate of the cooling fluid, its specific heat capacity, and its allowable temperature rise. There are practical limits on the sensible heat removal in a cooling system and also on the rate of flow of such fluids.
Where greater cooling than can be provided with a single-phase system is desired, two phase cooling systems are sometimes used. In a two-phase system, the cooling fluid is allowed to boil or evaporate. The fluid thus undergoes a phase change. When a fluid changes its state from a liquid to a vapor, it absorbs heat in proportion to a material property known as the "latent heat of vaporization" of the material. The latent heat is generally much larger than the sensible heat. Thus, by allowing some or all of the cooling fluid to undergo a phase change, the amount of heat removed from the electronic system can be greatly increased or the mass flow rate of the fluid can be greatly reduced, allowing for a smaller cooling system.
Most two-phase cooling systems are closed loop systems, meaning that the vapor from the cooling fluid is condensed back to a liquid and recirculated for further cooling of the electronic system. Most closed loop cooling systems therefore include a condenser or other form of heat exchanger. An example of a closed loop two phase cooling system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,955 to Marsala, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
We have recognized a drawback in using available two phase closed loop cooling systems with electronic systems. Electronic systems are often assembled from printed circuit boards or other subassemblies that are plugged into a rack or similar structure. A backplane or other interconnection structure makes the electrical connection between the printed circuit boards. For liquid cooling, a cold plate is often attached to each printed circuit board. A manifold or other fluid distribution network built into the card cage runs fluid to and from the cold plates. Quick disconnect couplings are often used to connect the cold plates on the printed circuit boards to the fluid distribution manifold. Quick disconnect couplings provide an easy way to connect or disconnect the cold plates to the fluid distribution system when inserting or removing printed circuit boards or other assemblies.
While quick disconnect couplings are generally reliable, they inherently release a small amount of fluid each time a printed circuit board is removed, and inject a small amount of air each time a printed circuit board is inserted. Over time, the loss of cooling fluid and the introduction of air into a sealed cooling system can become a significant problem. For a two phase cooling system to work properly, some portion of the cooling fluid must always be in a liquid state. Otherwise, no liquid is available to absorb heat through a phase change and the electronic system will likely overheat.
The presence of air in a two phase cooling system, even when sufficient cooling fluid is available in its liquid state, can also lead to significant problems. Air is considered a "non-condensable" and impedes heat transfer particularly in the condenser component of a two-phase cooling system. Further, the addition of non-condensables increases the pressure within the fixed-size closed-loop cooling system. The two-phase cooling system maintains the electronics at a temperature proportional to the boiling point of the cooling fluid. Boiling point is directly related to the pressure in the system. As the amount of non-condensables in the sealed system increases, the boiling point of the cooling fluid therefore increases. Thus as air is introduced into the closed loop cooling system, the operating temperature of the electronic devices increases. If sufficient air is introduced into the cooling system, the electronic system may reach a temperature that is outside its acceptable operating range.
To avoid problems caused by the introduction of air, conventional two-phase cooling systems are hermetically sealed and do not allow fluid lines to be repeatedly connected and disconnected. The consequence on usage for cooling electronics is that to remove a printed circuit card the cold plates must now be detached. This results in a very lengthy and cumbersome process because of the number of required fasteners involved with cold plate attachments, requirements for the proper application of the thermal interface material that resides between the cold plate and the electronics components, and the precision alignment requirements.
A means to allow for the use of cold plate would be to utilize a pressure-relief valve that vents any excessive pressure due to induced air to the outside atmosphere. The drawback just as before for single-phase cooling systems is that a mixture of air and vapor will leave the system rather than solely the undesired air. The negative consequence is that the fluid amount will decrease over time.

Thermally enhanced pressure regulation of electronics cooling system


A screwed connection has a threaded bolt; a nut; a washer arranged between the nut and a surface of a component to be clamped; a screwing device with a housing, a holding tool connected to the housing, and a tightening tool that engages positively the nut; a measuring element arranged in the washer for measuring a compressive force generated by tightening the screwed connection. The washer has an anti-rotation device oriented toward the surface of the component. The outer periphery of the washer is positive-lockingly engaged by the holding tool. The washer has no positive or frictional connection to the threaded bolt, and the holding tool has no torque supporting action on the threaded bolt or on any other part so that a reaction moment, generated when tightening the nut, is introduced from the housing of the screwing device through the washer into the component to be clamped.

The invention concerns a screwed connection comprised of a threaded bolt, a nut, and a washer positioned between the nut and a surface of a component to be clamped.
Such screwed connections wherein the washer is engaged by a holding tool and the nut by a tightening tool are disclosed in EP 0 988 935 A2, EP 1 080 847 A2, and EP 1 435 279 A1.
According to EP 0 988 935 A2 a positive locking connection between the threaded bolt and the washer exists while according to EP 1 435 279 A1 a friction connection between the threaded bolt and the washer is provided. Additionally, according to EP 0 988 935 A2 a further holding element connected to the first holding element can positively engage the threaded bolt. In contrast to this, in the screwed connection according to EP 1 080 847 A2 there is no connection between the threaded bolt and the washer but holding tools that are connected to one another engage the washer as well as the threaded bolt in a positive locking way.
These prior art solutions have in common that the holding tool is supported on the washer as well as directly and/or indirectly on the threaded bolt to be tightened that therefore absorbs when tightening the nut the reaction forces of the screwing tool which forces are directed in a direction opposite to the tightening torque.
The frictional anti-rotation action of the washer relative to the threaded bolt according to EP 1 435 279 A1 can cause damage on the thread of the threaded bolt and thus lead to fatigue occurring too early. Moreover, the washer is designed in a special way so that its manufacture is complex.
The positive connection between the threaded bolt and the washer according to EP 0 988 935 A2 requires a matching configuration of the threaded bolt and, below the threaded part, it must be provided with one or several longitudinal grooves that are engaged by matching elements of the washer. In this way, the manufacture of the threaded bolt and of the washer is more complex and the fatigue strength of the threaded bolt may be impaired.
When in accordance with EP 0 988 935 A2 and EP 1 080 847 A2 a positive-locking engagement on the threaded bolt by means of a holding tool that, in turn, engages a holding tool engaging the washer is provided additionally, the arrangement is made more complicated and more complex.
The screw clamping force is determined in these known screwed connections by measuring the torque applied to the nut but this measurement is extremely imprecise because the frictional conditions in the screwed connection can fluctuate within a wide range as is well known in the art.

Method for effecting a screwed connection


A radio wave reception converter receives a radio wave and converts the radio wave into an electric signal, and includes a horn introducing a radio wave, and a waveguide arranged at the rear of the horn for guiding a radio wave introduced by the horn. An insulation sheet is located between the waveguide and the horn to seal hermetically the interior of the waveguide and the horn. The connecting part between the waveguide and the horn is covered with an exterior cabinet. The front opening of the horn is covered with a feedome. The structure facilitates the connecting work between the waveguide and the horn, and can ensure airtightness at the connecting part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio wave reception converter (LNB: Low Noise Block down Converter) receiving radio waves such as those of satellite broadcasting and converting the radio wave into an electric signal, and an antenna apparatus including such a radio wave reception converter.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a structure of a conventional radio wave reception converter.
As shown in FIG. 7, the conventional radio wave reception converter has a horn 102 secured by a screw 109a to a chassis main unit 101 having a waveguide 110. Connection between horn 102 arid an exterior cabinet 105 is established by attaching a nut 124 to the screw portion of an output terminal 108 provided at chassis main unit 101. Accordingly, exterior cabinet 105 is urged against and secured to horn 102: At the front of horn 102, a feedome 104 (also called horn cap) is secured by a screw 109b.
An O ring 111 is located at the connection between horn 102 and exterior cabinet 105. Additionally, an O ring 113 is located at the connection between exterior cabinet 105 and output terminal 108. These O rings function to establish hermetic sealing of the interior of exterior cabinet 105 against outside air. Furthermore, an O ring 112 is located at the connection between feedome 104 and horn 102. This O ring functions to establish hermetic sealing of the interior of horn 102 and the interior of waveguide 110 against outside air.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a structure of another conventional radio wave reception converter.
As shown in FIG. 8, this another conventional radio wave reception converter has a horn 202 press-fitted and secured at the front end of a waveguide 210 formed of a cylindrical metal pipe. At the rear of waveguide 210, a circuit board 207 having a converter circuit formed is attached. Waveguide 210, horn 202 and circuit board 207 are covered with bisected exterior cabinets 205a, 205b and feedome 204. Connection of the bisected exterior cabinets 205a and 205b is established through press-fitting or adhesion-fixing. Additionally, connection between exterior cabinet 205a and feedome 204 is established by press-fitting or adhesion-fixing. Thus, the interior of the radio wave reception converter is maintained in an airtight manner.
The structure of other conventional radio wave reception converters is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 64-5501, Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 64-15410, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-75226, Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 62-100710, Japanese Utility Model. Laying-Open No. 4-57927, and the like.
The radio wave reception converter of the structure shown in FIG. 7 has the problem that extremely strict accuracy is required in the surface roughness of respective faces of feedome 104, horn 102, exterior cabinet 105 and the like brought into contact with O rings 111–113 as well as the dimension of the groove in which O rings 111–113 are fitted since airtightness is ensured by O rings 111–113. If the accuracy of such elements are not maintained at a high level, moist air will flow into the radio wave reception converter to significantly degrade the product lifetime. It is therefore necessary to realize the high accuracy set forth above, imposing constraints on the fabrication cost.
The radio wave reception converter of the structure shown in FIG. 8 is absent of O rings, and maintains airtightness by press-fitting or adhesion-fixing. This imposes the problem that strict dimension accuracy is required. However, exterior cabinets 205a and 205b as well as feedome 204 are generally resin-formed components, relatively harder to achieve critical dimension accuracy as compared to metal. Therefore, when the press-fitting process is employed, airtightness of a level that can prevent intrusion of rain can be ensured. However, it is extremely difficult to prevent intrusion of moist air. In the case where adhesion-fixing is employed, the working process becomes tedious since the adhesive must be applied evenly over the entire face of connection. Furthermore, overflow of the adhesion will become the cause of deterioration in appearance.

Converter for radio wave reception and antenna apparatus


A method and system to warn the user in the event of potential confidential document security violations. The method includes using a computer, electronically embedding a digital marker in an electronic document to create a marked document; storing the document on a non-removable non-transitory computer readable medium of the computer; upon a request for transmission of the marked document from the computer or for copying the marked document to a removable non-transitory computer readable medium, determining that the marked document contains the digital marker and displaying a warning on a display unit of the computer of the request based on the marked document containing the digital marker; and allowing the transmission or the copying only upon approval of release of the marked document by a human user of the computer.

Confidential paper documents are often marked or stamped "XYZ Confidential." In the case of electronic documents, often the document simply includes "XYZ Confidential" in the header or footer of the document. In both cases a set of policies must be followed in disseminating the paper or electronic documents. The weak link in this system is control of electronic confidential documents because electronic document dissemination is subject to user distribution selection errors. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to mitigate the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.

Method and system to warn the user in the event of potential confidential document security violations

International Business Machines Corporation


A turboprop engine in the pod of which an air-oil cooler is disposed downstream of a cooling air inlet opening. The oil cooler exhaust air is discharged via an air duct with which a cooling air conveying device is associated. In this way it is ensured that there is always a sufficient cooling air flow and that this air flow, as a relatively cold air flow, can also cool other units in the engine pod before acting on the oil cooler.

The invention relates to a turboprop engine having an inlet opening provided in the engine cage for cooling air for the cage interior and for an air/liquid heat exchanger arranged in this interior, having a cooling air delivery device as well as having an air guiding duct which accommodates the liquid/air heat exchanger and carries away the heat exchanger exhaust air.
Such a turboprop engine is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,541. In this case, the air flow provided for an air oil cooler arrives directly from an inlet opening in the engine cage at the air oil cooler. The oil cooler exhaust air is carried away by way of the turbine exhaust air duct, the corresponding introduction device of the cooling air flow into the turbine exhaust air duct being constructed in the form of an ejector so that a cooling air delivery device is provided in the shape of this ejector. Such a cooling air delivery device is useful for those operations of the turboprop engine in which an aircraft equipped with this engine rolls along on the ground, particularly if a rolling along in the reverse direction takes place.
Another turboprop engine having a liquid-air heat exchanger, particularly an air oil cooler, is illustrated in European Patent Document EP 0 514 119 A1. Here, the air oil cooler is arranged in the area of the inlet opening so that the cooling of the cage interior takes place by means of the oil cooler exhaust air flow. In this case, the oil cooler exhaust air flows around the assemblies to be cooled which are arranged in the engine cage and is then also carried off by way of the turbine exhaust air duct, again the corresponding introduction device of the cooling air flow into the turbine exhaust air duct being constructed in the shape of an ejector.
At high exterior temperatures, for example, the oil cooler exhaust air flow can assume such high temperatures that the assemblies arranged in the engine cage which are acted upon by this air flow may be damaged.
It is an object of the invention to indicate measures by which an assembly arranged in the engine cage can be reliably cooled and in the process a sufficiently intensive air flow is guided through the liquid/air heat exchanger.
The achieving of this object is characterized in that the cooling air inlet opening is adjoined by an air guiding duct which is directed to at least one assembly to be cooled, and in that the cooling air delivery device is constructed as a fan which is disposed in front of the heat exchanger and is arranged in the air guiding duct.
In that the heat exchanger or oil cooler is arranged away from the inlet opening and a cooling air delivery device is provided which is constructed as a fan, the cooling air flow arriving through the inlet opening in the cage interior can first optimally act upon the assemblies to be cooled and will only then arrive on the oil cooler. From this oil cooler, this then heated air flow is carried away as the oil cooler exhaust air flow in a targeted manner, specifically by way of an air guiding duct so that any heating of the cage interior by the oil cooler exhaust air is virtually excluded.
In order to, in the process, guide the cooling air flow, which arrives in the engine cage by way of the inlet opening and which, because of the fan, is definitely of a sufficient intensity, in a targeted manner to the assemblies to be cooled, the air inlet opening is adjoined by an appropriately designed air guiding duct. In this air guiding duct or generally at the cooling air inlet opening, a separating device for water and/or particles, which may damage the cage interior, may also be provided.
The cooling air delivery device constructed as a fan can be driven by an electric motor, which has the advantage that, in a simple manner, only at a few operating points, specifically when a separate cooling air delivery is required at all, the required fan power must be provided. Since, however, a corresponding electric motor also results in an increased weight, the fan can also be driven mechanically by way of the so-called gear box, that is, by way of the transmission arrangement for the auxiliary unit drive of the flight gas turbine known to the person skilled in the art. Here, it is recommended to arrange a shifting coupling between the fan as well as the corresponding gear box output shaft in order to again only have to drive the fan if the delivery of a cooling air flow is required.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


Provided are methods for determining the birefringence level of optical material such as polymeric film. In one embodiment, the method uses a setup of optical components that has known system reference angle. The sample may be a stretched polymeric film that has a fast axis angle that has a predetermined orientation in the sample. The system is operated to align the direction of the fast axis of the sample with the reference angle of the system and to measure the birefringence level at a location of the sample. As one aspect of the invention, embodiments and methods are described for accurately determining birefringence levels across a very wide range and up to tens of thousands of nanometers.

Thin polymeric films are formed of thermoplastic polymers that are made into sheets using any of a variety of processes, such as film extrusion. The polymeric films have a multitude of applications, such as packaging, magnetic media coatings, etc. The polymer may be "oriented" during formation of the film. One technique produces what is commonly referred to as "stretched polymer film," whereby the long polymer molecules are substantially aligned in one direction. Stretching the film improves its physical properties, such as its stiffness and dimensional stability. Stretching also improves a film's optical properties and vapor-barrier effectiveness. There are other ways of orienting polymeric material. For example, photoalignment processes may be employed, whereby polymer alignment results from irradiation of a polymeric film with ultraviolet light.
Polymeric films have birefringence properties that are described in more detail below. In short, the measure of the film's birefringence properties can yield useful insights into the physical, optical, or other properties of the film. For example, the measured level of birefringence in a polymer film can be readily correlated to the extent of polymer orientation or stretch that the film possesses and, therefore, correlated to a desired physical property in the film.
Birefringence means that different linear polarizations of light travel at different speeds through a light-transmissive element such as polymeric film. Retardation or retardance represents the integrated effect of birefringence acting along the path of a light beam traversing the film. If the incident light beam is linearly polarized, two orthogonal components of the polarized light will exit the sample with a phase difference, called the retardance. The fundamental unit of retardance is length, such as nanometers (nm). It is frequently convenient, however, to express retardance in units of phase angle (waves, radians, or degrees), which is proportional to the retardance (nm) divided by the wavelength of the light (nm).
Oftentimes, the term "birefringence" is interchangeably used with and carries the same meaning as the term "retardance." Thus, unless stated otherwise, those terms are also interchangeably used below.
The two orthogonal polarization components described above are parallel to two orthogonal axes, which are characteristic of the measured portion of the polymeric film sample and are respectively referred to as the "fast axis" and the "slow axis." The fast axis is the axis of the polymeric film that aligns with the faster moving component of the polarized light through the sample. Therefore, a complete description of the retardance of a polymeric film sample along a given optical path requires specifying both the magnitude of the retardance and the relative angular orientation of the fast (or slow) axis of the sample. Oriented (stretched) polymeric film will have an axis that corresponds to the orientation direction of the polymers and that, in turn corresponds to either the "fast" or "slow" axis described above. This fact can be exploited for simplifying the measure of retardance in the stretched polymeric film and for quickly determining the very high levels of retardance that can be present in such films.

Birefringence measurement of polymeric films and the like


This invention relates to a liquid container, a liquid ejection device and a liquid container case, which may effectively use a liquid stored in the liquid container, and may be reduced in size in simple constitution. An ink cartridge (11) as a liquid container includes a plurality of ink packs (12) and a container case (13) for storing the ink packs. Each ink pack (12) includes an ink outlet member (15) having an ink supply port, which is mounted on a bag part. The container case (13) has a substantially box-shaped case body part (21) and a lid case (22) covering an opening. In the ink cartridge (11), the ink packs (12) are inclined at an angle of θ to the container case (13), and the ink packs (12) are accommodated in the state of overlapping a part of the adjacent ink pack (12).

This invention relates to a liquid container, a liquid ejection device and a liquid container case.
As a liquid ejection device, an ink jet printer has been known, in which ink is ejected from a nozzle to perform printing. This type of printer has been provided with a recording head having a plurality of nozzles and a carriage having the recording head with the reciprocating movement of the carriage, ink is ejected from the nozzles to perform printing. An ink cartridge storing ink supplied to the nozzles is provided in this type of printer as a replaceable liquid container.
In the case of the printer for printing a large-sized paper sheet, a large quantity of ink is used, so an ink cartridge storing a large volume of ink is needed. When such an ink cartridge is mounted on a carriage and moved, a great deal of load is applied to a driving part. Therefore, in the printer for printing a large-sized paper sheet, the ink cartridge has not been mounted on the carriage (the constitution is the so-called off carriage type).
The ink cartridge used in the off carriage type is generally made up of an ink pack storing ink and a case for storing the ink pack. In more detail, the ink pack is generally formed such that an outlet member having an ink outlet port is sandwiched between two sheets of laminated films, and the peripheries of the films are welded to each other. The case is formed of plastics or the like, and stores the ink pack with the outlet member projected outward (as disclosed, for example, in JP-A-2002-120382 and JP-A-2000-296626). As indicated in JP-A-2002-120382, generally one ink pack is stored in one case. Therefore, in the printer including ink of two or more colors, the ink cartridges are arranged corresponding to the number of the colors. Consequently, in the printer including ink of two or more colors, the space for providing the ink cartridges cannot be reduced, so it is difficult to reduce the size.
On the other hand, in the ink cartridge disclosed in JP-A-2000-296626, one ink pack having a plurality of storing parts, each for storing ink is accommodated in one case. In more detail, the ink pack disclosed in JP-A-2000-296626 is so constructed that a plurality of storing parts are defined by welding two sheets of films and ink of different colors is stored in the respective storing parts.
In the ink cartridge of JP-A-2000-296626, however, the intervals of the respective storing parts storing ink of the respective colors are determined depending on the size of the welded part. Consequently, it is difficult to further reduce the size of the ink cartridge. Since the ink of different colors is stored in one ink pack, when ink of a specified color is consumed, it is impossible to replace only the ink of that color, and the whole ink pack needs to be replaced. Therefore, the ink stored in the ink pack cannot be used effectively.
The invention has been made in the light of such circumstances and provides a liquid container, a liquid ejection device and a liquid container case, which may effectively use a liquid stored in the liquid container and may be reduced in size in simple constitution.

Liquid container, liquid ejection device and liquid container case


A method of removing silicon nitride over a semiconductor surface for forming shallow junctions. Sidewall spacers are formed along sidewalls of a gate stack that together define lightly doped drain (LDD) regions or source/drain (S/D) regions. At least one of the sidewall spacers, LDD regions and S/D regions include an exposed silicon nitride layer. The LDD or S/D regions include a protective dielectric layer formed directly on the semiconductor surface. Ion implanting implants the LDD regions or S/D regions using the sidewall spacers as implant masks. The exposed silicon nitride layer is selectively removed, wherein the protective dielectric layer when the sidewall spacers include the exposed silicon nitride layer, or a replacement protective dielectric layer formed directly on the semiconductor surface after ion implanting when the LDD or S/D regions include the exposed silicon nitride layer, protects the LDD or S/D regions from dopant loss due to etching during selectively removing.

Over the past decades, the MOSFET has continually been scaled down in size. Modern CMOS integrated circuits incorporate MOSFETs with channel lengths of tens of nanometers. Smaller MOSFETs are desirable for several reasons. The principal reason is to pack more devices in a given chip area. Smaller ICs allow more chips per wafer, reducing the price per chip.
Smaller transistors also switch faster. For example, one approach to size reduction is a scaling of the MOSFET that requires all device dimensions to reduce proportionally. The main device dimensions are the transistor length, width, and the oxide thickness, and junction depths. However, for the state-of-the-art MOSFETs reduction of the transistor dimensions does not necessarily translate into higher chip speed because the RC delay due to interconnections is more significant.
Several difficulties arise due to MOSFET size reduction. The difficulties include higher subthreshold conduction, increased gate-oxide leakage, increased junction leakage, lower transconductance, lower output resistance, interconnect capacitance, and process variations.
Lightly doped drain (LDD) structures are commonly used in MOS devices. LDD technology relies on sidewall spacers to produce improved source-drain (S/D) diffusion/doping profiles that addresses some of the device difficulties described above. LDD processing comprises a series of steps where the same series of processes are repeated for each transistor being built (e.g., Low Vt NMOS, Low Vt PMOS, High Vt NMOS, and High Vt PMOS). The repeated steps typically comprise a photolithographic pattern (exposing the area to be doped), ion implantation, pattern removal, post pattern removal clean and then the process is repeated. To further improve the transistor characteristics, sidewall spacers on the gate stack of various thicknesses, optimized for forming a particular transistor, have been used. S/D processing follows LDD processing.
Regarding process variations, with MOSFETS becoming smaller, the number of atoms in the silicon that produce many of the transistor's properties is becoming fewer, with the result that control of dopant numbers and placement is more erratic. During chip manufacturing, random process variations affect all transistor dimensions including length, width, junction depths, oxide thickness etc., that become a greater percentage of overall transistor size as the transistor shrinks. The transistor characteristics become less certain and thus more variable.
Regarding processing associated with S/D doping, process variations have become increasingly problematic as S/D junction depths have reached ≦40 nm which have been accompanied by increasing dopant levels at the silicon surface, particularly as S/D junctions depths have approached 15 nm. Variations in the thickness of screen dielectric for implanting into the S/D regions, for example, can result in high levels of S/D junction profile variation both locally on each IC die and from IC die to IC die. Etch of the silicon surface in the S/D regions after S/D implantation can also result in significant dopant loss that can lead to additional variation in the S/D doping profiles. Accordingly, new processes for forming S/D regions are needed that reduce process induced variation in the S/D doping profiles.

Nitride removal while protecting semiconductor surfaces for forming shallow junctions


This invention relates to a yarn, and a process for making the yarn, the yarn comprising a plurality of spun filaments having a distinct, continuous, uniform-density sheath of a first polymer surrounding a distinct, continuous core of a second polymer; the first polymer further having a thermal decomposition temperature at least 50 degrees Celsius lower than the thermal decomposition temperature of the second polymer.

Field of the Invention. This invention relates to yarns of filaments comprising at least two different polymers, each filament having a distinct continuous sheath of a first polymer and a distinct continuous core of a second polymer, wherein the polymers have widely different thermal decomposition temperatures, and methods of making the yarns.
Description of Related Art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,271 to Tse discloses wet-spinning a polymer composition that consists of an admixture of polyacrylonitrile and an aromatic polyamide for use in the manufacture of textile filaments, fibers, yarns, and/or fabrics.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,476 to Nakamura et al. discloses a core-in-sheath type aromatic polyamide fiber having satisfactory dyeing properties made from a single aromatic polyamide material. When the core-in-sheath fiber is dyed with acid dyes, only the sheath portion is colored. U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,995 to Sasaki et al. discloses the use of the fiber of Nakamura in a paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,239 to Moulds discloses improved composite filaments that have crimp reversibility. The filaments have at least two hydrophobic polymers in eccentric relationship, wherein one of the hydrophobic polymers further contains mixed therewith a minor amount of polymer having a high water absorption rate.
In some fiber applications a bicomponent fiber is desired; however, solution spinning of yarns having good quality sheath-core bicomponent filaments creates temperature processing issues when one of the polymers happens to have a much lower decomposition temperature than the second polymer and the filaments are spun at high temperatures.
Further, in order to form stable spinning solutions of certain polymers, a certain degree of inorganic salt must be added to the polymer solution. It is believed this inorganic salt associates with and forms a chemical complex with the solvent and the polymer, which helps maintain the polymer in solution; but this chemical complex also hinders the later removal of the solvent from the spun filaments. Other polymers do not require the addition of an inorganic salt to form stable spinning solutions.
So in addition to desiring useful bicomponent filament yarns made from polymers having widely differing thermal decomposition temperatures, methods are needed for spinning useable high quality sheath-core filaments made from two different polymer solutions, wherein the first polymer is readily soluble in a solvent and forms a stable-for-spinning first polymer solution without the addition of an inorganic salt and the second polymer requires a certain amount of inorganic salt be added to the solvent to make the second polymer soluble in the solvent and form a stable-for-spinning second polymer solution.

Yarn from polymers having different decomposition temperatures and process for forming same


Validation of full-chip power distribution networks can be performed very early, and continuously throughout the design cycle, to detect real physical power connection problems and enable early correction of power grid designs using early floor plan and power grid design data. Common power connection and distribution errors are automatically addressed as an integral part of the early chip floor planning and chip power build processes providing efficient solutions requiring no extra wiring resource to be implemented and reducing the runtime of required final full-chip physical design checks, and the overall design cycle.

Power connection problems typically are not identified until late in the design phase when full-chip layout-versus-schematic (LVS) check and/or full-chip power grid analysis (PGA), which includes electromigration (EM) and voltage (IR) drop evaluations, are performed. These problems usually have to be corrected, either manually or with various post-processing scripts, at each iteration of final chip assembly.
As a chip floor plan evolves over time, a chip power grid becomes susceptible to connectivity issues. A minor change in circuit placement, a circuit's reserved metal blockage, or a circuit's power image may result in new power distribution problems. Unfortunately, such issues are often not identified until full-chip physical design (PD) checks are performed. Then, rebuilding an existing chip power distribution network may even become necessary in order to resolve the new conflicts. However, complete re-implementation of full-chip power grid for designs that are already in controlled engineering change (EC) mode is usually not desired, as this action may result in changes that may require design re-qualifications beyond the original intended circuit's EC.
Pre-processing of design data is required for conventional PD checks. Both a logical and a physical netlist representing the full-chip hierarchy are constructed from the graphical design database. These are used as inputs for full-chip LVS or LVS-continuity (LVSC) based check. Both the logical and the physical chip netlists are typically very large and very time-consuming to produce. In addition to these netlists, full-chip PGA also needs more complete circuit and technology power characteristics to perform its checks.
Construction of the logical netlist is based on the connectivity information already existing in the chip floor plan. Connectivity information in the chip floor plan, which includes all power nets, is typically created automatically by a computer-aided process, which translates and imports the full-chip logical description (usually coded in a hardware description language) into the graphical chip floor plan in the physical design database.
Construction of the physical netlist is based on the actual implementation of the complete physical design hierarchy including all metallurgy and via structures for all power nets. For the full-chip power grid, power net connectivity is created automatically by the automated chip power router as part of its routing process.
The chip physical netlist also expects a complete full-chip power via structure. Power vias are usually created automatically by the same automated chip power router and based on the power net connectivity already existing in the routed power grid. The success of the power via generation step is highly dependent on the quality of the input power grid.
In addition to the chip power via generation process, advanced chip power routing methods also support personalization of the chip power grid on specific metal layers for selective circuits. Such personalization is performed after a full-chip power grid is created by an automated router. An effective personalization technique called "power pin extensions" is used to add power wiring continuity to the full-chip power grid for any power metal of any circuit. This technique allows design flexibility for the custom circuit's power grid while maintaining the overall robustness of the complete chip power distribution. Similar to the above power via generation process, the result of such personalization also depends on the quality of the input power grid, ideally with zero shorts or other errors between metal layers. It is therefore costly to wait until final full-chip checks to perform needed corrections, and then to repeat the whole routing process.
Finally, after translating the design data into netlists to be used as inputs for checking, the actual full-chip checks are themselves very memory- and run-time intensive. As large chips such as chip multiprocessor (CMP) designs continue to grow in demand and grow to contain more than one billion transistors, the speed of these full-chip checking processes is increasingly a major concern. These checking jobs not only take a long time to complete, but also when they complete, additional analysis is still necessary to identify the actual source of problems. For example, a full-chip LVS or LVSC check typically finds the first short and then stops. An extra function is then required to trace the approximate location of the short. After this short is fixed, a repeat of LVS or LVSC is needed to find the next problem.
Some chip distribution network contains power metals that add no value to the complete chip power distribution network. These metals typically are created by the automated power router for certain types of voltage region and macro placement boundary conditions. They typically are very short wires and are discovered only by chip EM or IR-drop analysis. For instance, if large IR-drops are discovered because of truncation at macro cell boundaries, the underpowered rails should be removed from the network to enable a more efficient solution. If such problems are discovered too late in the design cycle, less ideal solutions, such as those requiring extra wiring resources, may have to be implemented.

Automated method and apparatus for very early validation of chip power distribution networks in semiconductor chip designs


An automatic multi-lingual recognizing method for distinguishing multi-lingual characters among different codes is disclosed. The method includes determining the code legitimacy of characters of a whole text by comparing code blocks of the characters with predefined code ranges of code systems. Next, if the code legitimacy of the characters is not uniquely recognized, the characters of the whole text is analyzed to determine whether the characters are common phrases by comparing the characters with common-phrase data bases. Finally, if the analysis of the common phrase of the characters is not uniquely recognized, the characters of the text is then analyzed to determine whether the characters are common words by comparing the characters with common-word data bases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic lingual recognizing method, and particularly, to an automatic multi-lingual recognizing method for distinguishing multi-lingual characters among different code systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Window-based softwares, such as Microsoft Windows, are widely used in modem computers, such as IBM personal computers or IBM compatibles. However, for those non-English window-based softwares (referred to as windows hereinafter), each kind of the windows uses its proprietary code to generate the corresponding characters displayed on the screen. For example, Big 5 code is used in Taiwanese windows, GB 2312 code in (Mainland) Chinese windows, Shift-Jis code in Japanese windows, and KSC-5601 in Korean windows. Due to the incompatibility among these non-English windows, a multi-lingual browser, which is usually construed under a window-based operating system, is used to facilitate readers in a multi-lingual circumstance, such as the internet. However, users of the multi-lingual browsers should firstly select a specific code so that the characters the users want to read can be correctly shown. For example, under Microsoft's Win 95 of Taiwanese edition, users can recognize paragraphs construed in GB 2312 code by firstly selecting GB 2312 in a conventional multi-lingual browser. Unfortunately, the original displayed characters, which are construed in Big 5 code, on, for example, a title bar or pop-up menu, become no longer recognizable after GB 2312 is selected.
It is further inconvenient for readers to read paragraphs with more than one kind of language by repeatedly switching among different codes (or code systems). Moreover, the conventional multi-lingual browsers do not allow readers to correctly read a line or a paragraph construed in more than one kind of code.

Multi-lingual recognizing method using context information


A mobile apparatus and a localization method thereof which perform localization of the mobile apparatus using a distributed filter system including a plurality of local filters independently operated and one fusion filter integrating results of localization performed through the respective local filters, and additionally apply accurate topological absolute position information to the distributed filter system to improve localization performance (accuracy, convergence and speed in localization, etc.) of the mobile apparatus on a wide space. The mobile apparatus includes at least one sensor, at least one first distribution filter generating current relative position information using a value detected by the at least one sensor, at least one second distribution filter generating current absolute position information using the value detected by the at least one sensor, and a fusion filter integrating the relative position information and the absolute position information to perform localization.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a localization method in which the position of a mobile apparatus is estimated using information detected through a plurality of sensors installed in the mobile apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Localization is technique which allows a mobile apparatus itself to have space perception ability and becomes a key in implementation of an autonomous mobile function of implementation of augmented reality (AR) of the mobile apparatus. Here, the mobile apparatus includes a mobile robot (a robot cleaner or a walking robot) which has sensors corresponding to human eyes and having a detection function like a computer and thus autonomously travels without human manipulation, and a mobile device (a mobile communication device, such as a mobile phone) which does not have an autonomous mobile function but has a small size to allow a user to manipulate the device in hand and thus to carry and manipulate the device while moving.
Most localization technologies have been developed in the field of mobile robots having wheels. These technologies have a single filter structure using a Kalman filter or a particle filter as a key algorithm and are implemented through a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) method. The position of a mobile robot is estimated by repeatedly performing a prediction step and an update step. In the prediction step, the position of the mobile robot in the next step is predicted using a robot motion model, and in the update step, position information of the mobile robot predicted using information of sensors is updated.
In the localization technologies, research regarding sensor fusion in which image sensors such as cameras or distance sensors such as laser sensors, ultrasonic sensors, etc., are installed in a robot main body and pieces of information acquired through the respective sensors are simultaneously processed, has been mainly developed. The robot simultaneously estimates position information of the robot and landmarks using feature points extracted from image information acquired through the cameras or corners, walls or a lattice map acquired through distance information detected through the laser sensors as natural landmarks.
In general, when localization through multiple sensor fusion is implemented, as the number of sensors increases, accuracy in localization is improved. In the conventional localization technologies having a single filter structure, as the number of sensors increases, the structure and implementation process of the filter become complicated, calculated information is concentrated on only one filter and thus information processing load of the filter increases. Particularly, in the update step, since the amount of measurement information increases in proportion to the number of mounted sensors, the amount of calculation of the filter increases and the operation speed of the filter decreases.
Further, in the case of the single filter structure, if the filter malfunctions or defective sensor information is input, there is no method to prevent such a defect and thus the filter is sensitive to disturbance. Consequently, a result of localization of the robot is easily diverged. In general, when the estimated value of the filter is diverged even once, it may be difficult to recover the original function of the filter, and if localization of the robot using image information is performed, the original function of the filter may be recovered using a separate technology named kidnap recovery but a calculation and implementation process may be complicated.

Mobile apparatus and localization method thereof


In one embodiment, a processor is configured to execute a window swap instruction. The processor comprises a register file (that comprises a plurality of registers) and first and second execution units coupled to the register file. A first pipeline associated with the first execution unit has a first number of pipeline stages, and a second pipeline associated with the second execution unit has a second number of pipeline stages. The first execution unit is configured to change the current register window from the first register window to the second register window in the register file in response to the instruction. The second execution unit is configured to perform an operation defined by the instruction and write the result to the register file. The second number of pipeline stages exceeds the first number, whereby the second register window is established in the register file prior to writing the result.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of processors and, more particularly, to register window management in processors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, processors implement pipelines to perform the instruction execution process. A pipeline comprises multiple pipeline stages, each of which is assigned one or more operations in support of the overall instruction execution. Different instructions may be in different pipeline stages concurrently, increasing performance by overlapping the execution of the instructions. In some processor designs, instructions of different types (e.g. integer, floating point, graphics, etc.) may have different numbers of pipeline stages. For example, integer pipelines often have fewer pipeline stages than floating point pipelines. The number of pipeline stages in a given pipeline is often referred to as the "depth" of the pipeline. While the pipelines may differ in numbers of stages, some stages may be shared between the pipelines. For example, pipeline stages that implement the fetch and decode of instructions (and sometimes the scheduling of instruction execution) may be shared between the pipelines in some cases.
Some instruction set architectures (ISAs) define the concept of register windows for the registers addressable by the instructions. Generally, the processor may implement a group of registers greater than the number of registers that are directly addressable using instruction encodings. A register window may be a subset of the implemented registers that are available for addressing by instructions at a given point in time. Registers in the currently-active register window (usually referred to as the "current register window" or simply the "current window") are mapped to the register addresses that can be specified in the instructions. If the current register window is changed to another register window, the registers addressable by instructions are changed.
Register windows may be used to accelerate or simplify the processing of procedure calls and returns in some cases. Adjacent register windows may be defined to overlap in the implemented registers, such that some registers are included in both windows. The overlapping registers may be used to pass parameters between the calling procedure and the called procedure. When a procedure call is to be made, a save instruction may be executed that saves the register window of the calling procedure and provides a new, adjacent window for the called procedure. The called procedure may receive parameters in the overlapping registers. When a procedure return is to occur, a restore instruction may be executed to save the called procedure's register window and restore the calling procedure's register window. The overlapping registers may be used to return results of the called procedure.
For example, the SPARC® ISA defines a register window for 24 of the 32 addressable registers. The remaining registers are global registers which are not affected when the register window is changed. The save and restore instructions are defined to provide the user with the ability to change the current register window to an adjacent register window. Additionally, the save and restore instructions are defined to perform an add on source operands read from the "old" register window (prior to execution of the save/restore instruction) and to store the add result in the "new" register window (established via execution of the save/restore instruction).
The above definition of the save/restore instructions typically creates interlocks in the pipeline implemented by a processor to ensure that the sources are read from the old register window and the result of the add is written to the new register window. For example, if the changing from the old register window to the new register window requires more clock cycles than performing the add operation, then an interlock on the add operation is required to prevent writing the result until the new window is established. Interlocks often cause stalls in the pipeline, and may also be error-prone in implementation. Errors in implementing interlocks may result in erroneous operation of the processor, and may even result in livelock or deadlock.

Register window management using first pipeline to change current window and second pipeline to read operand from old window and write operand to new window


A device for controlling the pouring of a molten material from a crucible or other container. The device (10) includes an annular retainer ring (12) for mounting in the drain opening in the bottom of a conventional crucible (16), the retainer ring defining a opening (14) therethrough. The device (10) also includes a plug member (22) having an annular forward end portion (24) for force-fit reception in the opening (14) of the retainer ring (12) to selectively seal the opening (14) and for being selectively forced through the opening (14). The plug member (22) has a rear end portion (26) for being positioned within the crucible (16), the rear end portion (26) including stop means for prohibiting the rear end portion from passing through the opening (14) in the retainer ring (12) when the forward end portion (24) is selectively forced through the opening. The plug member (22) defines at least one, and preferably a plurality of flutes (32), each extending from a point rearward the annular forward end portion (24) of the plug member (22), and forward the stop means, to a point rearward of the stop means. The flutes (32) permit fluid communication between the interior and exterior of the crucible (16) when the forward end portion (24) of the plug member (22) is forced through the opening (14) in the retaining ring (12) such that the molten material is allowed to flow from the crucible (16).

Crucibles for the melting and pouring of molten materials such as molten metals typically are provided with drain openings disposed in the bottom of the crucible to facilitate the pouring of the molten material from the crucible into a mold. However, heretofore difficulty has been encountered in devising suitable mechanisms for sealing the drain opening of the crucible while the charge material is being melted within the crucible and for selectively unsealing the drain opening to accommodate the pouring of the molten material from the crucible.
One apparatus which has been utilized in the past is a pouring rod which is provided with an distal end for being received in the drain opening to selectively seal the opening. In this regard, the pouring rod is inserted into an opening in the top of the crucible and the distal end is inserted into the drain opening in the crucible. The charge material to be melted is then loaded into the crucible and melted. When pouring of the molten material is desired the pouring rod is removed upwardly, thereby removing the distal end of the rod from the drain opening. However, the necessary presence of the pouring rod in the crucible during the loading of the charge material can obstruct the loading process and may limit the amount of charge material which can be loaded. Further, such pouring rods can be broken during the loading of the charge material, or during the melting process, causing a premature pouring or leaving the drain opening sealed with the distal end of the pouring rod.
Rupture disks are also commonly used to selectively seal the drain openings of crucibles. A rupture disk is received in the drain opening to seal the opening while the charge is loaded and the charge material is melted. When pouring is desired a pouring rod is inserted into the crucible and used to apply force to the disk such that it ruptures and opens the drain opening to the flow of molten material. An example of such a rupture disk apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,824,732. Whereas, the rupture disk obviates the inconvenience of having to leave the pouring rod in the crucible during the loading and melting process, premature pourings (cold pourings) are common due to premature fracturing or rupture of the disk, and failure to pour can result due to inadequate pouring force applied to a ruptured disk or resistance of the disks to fracture. Moreover, even where the disk ruptures in a timely manner, disk material can contaminate the molten material causing defects in the casting which is produced or otherwise compromising the molding process.
Other devices relating to the pouring of molten materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,799,650; 4,709,903; 4,601,415; and 3,651,825.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for controlling the pouring of molten material from a crucible or other container for molten materials.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for controlling the pouring of molten materials from a crucible which effectively seals the drain opening in a crucible and avoid the premature pouring of the molten materials from the crucible.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling the pouring of a molten material which does not contaminate the molten material or otherwise compromise the quality of the casting being produced.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling the pouring of a molten material which is reusable.

Device for controlling the pouring of molten materials


Template-fixed β-hairpin peptidomimetics of the general formulae (I), wherein Z is a template-fixed chain of 7 to 11 α-amino acid residues which, depending on their positions in the chain (counted starting from the N-terminal amino acid) are Gly, or Pro, or of certain types which, as the remaining symbols in the above formulae, are defined in the description and the claims, and salts thereof, have the property to inhibit proteases, in particular serine proteases. These β-hairpin peptidomimetics can be manufactured by a process which is based on a mixed solid- and solution phase synthetic strategy.

Inhibitors of proteases are emerging with promising therapeutic uses in the treatment of diseases such as cancers (P. Beckett, A. Davidson, A. H. Drummond, M. Whittaker, Drug Disc. Today 1996, 1, 16-26; L. L. Johnson, R. Dyer, D. J. Hupe, Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 1998, 2, 466-71; D. Leung, G. Abbenante, and D. P. Fairlie, J. Med. Chem. 2000, 43, 305-341), parasitic, fungal, and viral infections (e.g. schistosomiasis (M. M. Becker, S. A. Harrop, J. P. Dalton, B. H. Kalinna, D. P. McManus, D. P. Brindley, J. Biol. Chem. 1995, 270, 24496-501); malaria (A. M. Silva, A. Y. Lee, S. V. Gulnik, P. Maier, J. Collins, T. N. Bhat, P. J. Collins, R. E. Cachau, K. E. Luker, I. Y. Gluzman, S. E. Francis, A. Oksman, D. E. Goldberg, J. W. Erikson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 1996, 93, 10034-9), C. albicans (C. Abad-Zapetero, R. Goldman, S. W. Muchmore, C. Hutchins, K. Stewart, J. Navaza, C. D. Payne, T. L. Ray, Protein Sci. 1996, 5, 640-52), HIV (A. Wlodawer, J. W. Erickson, Annu. Rev. Biochem. 1993, 62, 543-85; P. L. Darke, J. R. Huff, Adv. Pharmacol. 1994, 5, 399-454), hepatitis (J. L. Kim, K. A Morgenstern, C. Lin, T. Fox, M. D. Dwyer, J. A. Landro, S. P. Chambers, W. Markland, C. A. Lepre, E. T. O'Malley, S. L. Harbeson, C. M. Rice, M. A. Mureko, P. R. Caron, J. A. Thomson, Cell, 1996, 87, 343-55; R. A. Love, H. E. Parge, J. A. Wickersham, Z. Hostomsky, N. Habuka, E. W. Moomaw, T. Adachi, Z. Hostomska, Cell, 1996, 87, 331-342), herpes (W. Gibson, M. R. Hall, Drug. Des. Discov. 1997, 15, 39-47)], and inflammatory, immunological, respiratory (P. R. Bernstein, P. D. Edwards, J. C. Williams, Prog. Med. Chem. 1994, 31, 59-120; T. E. Hugli, Trends Biotechnol. 1996, 14, 409-12), cardiovascular (M. T. Stubbs, W. A. Bode, Thromb. Res. 1993, 69, 1-58), and neurodegenerative defects including Alzheimer's disease (R. Vassar, B. D. Bennett, S. Babu-Kahn, S. Kahn, E. A. Mendiaz, Science, 1999, 286, 735-41).
As most proteases bind their substrates in extended or ρ-stand conformations, good inhibitors must thus be able to mimick such a conformation. β-Hairpin mimetics are thus ideally suited to lock peptide sequences in an extended conformation.
Among proteases, serine proteases constitute important therapeutic targets. Serine proteases are classified by their substrate specificity, particularly by the type of residue found at P1, as either trypsin-like (positively charged residues Lys/Arg preferred at P1), elastase-like (small hydrophobic residues Ala/Val at P1), or chymotrypsin-like (large hydrophobic residues Phe/Tyr/Leu at P1). Serine proteases for which protease-inhibitor X-ray crystal data is available on the PDB data base (PDB: www.rcsb.org/pdb) include trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, γ-chymotrypsin, human neutrophil elastase, thrombin, subtilisin, human cytomegalovirus, proteinase A, achromobacter, human cathepsin G, glutamic acid-specific protease, carbopeptidase D, blood coagulation factor VIIa, porcine factor 1XA, mesentericopeptidase, HCV protease, and thermitase. Other serine proteases which are of therapeutic interest include tryptase, complement convertase, hepatitis C-NS3 protease. Inhibitors of thrombin (e.g. J. L. Metha, L. Y. Chen, W. W. Nichols, C. Mattsson, D. Gustaffson, T. G. P. Saldeen, J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol. 1998, 31, 345-51; C. Lila, P. Gloanec, L. Cadet, Y. Herve, J. Fournier, F. Leborgne, T. J. Verbeuren, G. DeNanteuil, Synth. Comm. 1998, 28, 4419-29) and factor Xa (e.g. J. P. Vacca, Annu. Rep. Med. Chem. 1998, 33, 81-90) are in clinical evaluation as anti-thrombotics, inhibitors of elastase (J. R. Williams, R. C. Falcone, C. Knee, R. L. Stein, A. M. Strimpler, B. Reaves, R. E. Giles, R. D. Krell, Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 1991, 144, 875-83) are in clinical trials for emphysema and other pulmonary diseases whereas tryptase inhibitors are currently in phase II clinical trials for asthma (C. Seife, Science 1997, 277, 1602-3). Finally, cathepsin G and elastase are intimately involved in the modulation of activities of cytokines and their receptors. Particularly at sites of inflammation, high concentration of cathepsin G, elastase and proteinase 3 are released from infiltrating polymorphonuclear cells in close temporal correlation to elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, strongly indicating that these proteases are involved in the control of cytokine bioactivity and availability (U. Bank S. Ansorge, J. Leukoc. Biol. 2001, 69, 177-90). Thus inhibitors of thrombin and cathepsin G constitute valuable targets for novel drug candidates.
Of the many occurring proteinaceous serine protease inhibitors, one is a 14 amino acid cyclic peptide from sunflower seeds, termed sunflower trypsin inhibitor (SFTI-1) (S. Luckett, R. Santiago Garcia, J. J. Barker, A. V. Konarev, P. R. Shewry, A. R. Clarke, R. L. Brady, J. Mol. Biol. 1999, 290, 525-533; Y. -Q. Long, S. -L. Lee, C. -Y. Lin, I. J. Enyedy, S. Wang, P. Li, R. B. Dickson, P. P. Roller, Biorg. & Med. Chem. Lett. 2001, 11, 2515-2519), which shows both sequence and conformational similarity with the trypsin-reactive loop of the Bowman-Birk family of serine protease inhibitors. The inhibitor adopts a β-hairpin conformation when bound to the active site of bovine β-trypsin. SFTI-1 inhibited β-trypsin (Ki<0.1 nM), cathepsin G, elastase (Ki˜105 μM), chymotrypsin (Ki˜7.4 μM) and thrombin (Ki˜136 mM).
We illustrate here an approach to inhibitor design which involves transplanting the β-hairpin loop from the naturally occurring peptide onto a hairpin-inducing template. Based on the well defined 3D-structure of the β-hairpin mimetics libraries of compounds can be designed which ultimately can lead to novel inhibitors showing different specificity profiles towards several classes of proteases.
Template-bound hairpin mimetic peptides have been described in the literature (D, Obrecht, M. Altorfer, J. A. Robinson, Adv. Med. Chem. 1999, 4, 1-68; J. A. Robinson, Syn. Lett. 2000, 4, 429-441), but such molecules have not previously been evaluated for development of peptides which inhibit proteases and constitute mimetics of extended peptide conformations. However, the ability to generate β-hairpin peptidomimetics using combinatorial and parallel synthesis methods has now been established (L. Jiang, K. Moehle, B. Dhanapal, D. Obrecht, J. A. Robinson, Helv. Chim. Acta. 2000, 83, 3097-3112). This technology allows to rapidly synthesise libraries of protease inhibitors and to explore key residues which determine the specificity for a given serine protease.

Template-fixed peptidomimetics as inhibitors of serine proteases


Provided is a sheet processing apparatus, including: a stacking unit that is capable of stacking discharged sheets; a drive mechanism that is capable of moving the stacking unit; a storage device that holds data on a moving time of the stacking unit in a rewritable manner; an arithmetic unit that is calculates an estimated value of the moving time of the stacking unit based on the data; and a correcting unit that corrects the data held in the storage device by using an actual measurement value of the moving time of the stacking unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus for receiving sheets, which are discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and a composite machine, or discharged from other business machines, and stacking the sheets on ascendable/descendable sheet stacking means.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sheet processing apparatus for receiving sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile to perform processes such as alignment, sorting, stacking, stapling, bookbinding, punching, and checking has been put into practical use. In addition, in some types of image forming apparatuses, such the sheet processing apparatus is built therein or connected thereto as a so-called purchase option.
Some types of sheet processing apparatuses are provided with an ascendable/descendable stacking tray, and are capable of continuously stacking a large amount of sheets by allowing the stacking tray to descend in accordance with a stacking process of sheets or sheet bundles.
A sheet processing apparatus disclosed JP H10-198101 A is provided with an ascendable/descendable stacking tray having a plurality of stages, and is capable of stacking sheets after positioning a designated stage of the stacking tray having the plurality of stages at a sheet receiving position. In addition, an arithmetic control device of the sheet processing apparatus estimates a total estimated time for sheet processing prior to performing the sheet processing, and notifies an image forming apparatus of a sheet discharge interval (i.e., time) calculated on a predetermined safety time or a safety factor in addition to the total estimated time. Further, the arithmetic control device of the image forming apparatus allows sheets to undergo image formation at the sheet discharge intervals and allows the image forming apparatus to discharge the sheets.
The total estimated time in the sheet processing apparatus is constituted of individual estimated times for respective operations from sheet reception to completion of height adjustment of a stacking tray on which sheets are already stacked, such as a sheet transporting time, a staple process time, and a stacking tray-moving time. In many cases, a length of each of the individual estimated times is 1 second or shorter. Meanwhile, the individual estimated time for an operation of switching a stacking tray of a discharge destination is incomparably long, that is, from 10 seconds to 30 seconds. Accordingly, when the operation of switching the stacking tray is frequently performed, a waiting time for processing of the image forming apparatus increases, thereby remarkably lowering a process speed. As a result, both the sheet processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus cannot utilize potential processing abilities of those.

Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus


This disclosure relates to a system and method for fabricating and using a superlattice. A superlattice can be fabricated by applying alternating material layers on a ridge and then removing some of the alternating layers to expose edges. These exposed edges can be of nearly arbitrary length and curvature. These edges can be used to fabricate an array of nano-scale-width curved wires.

Thin-wire arrays are used in a large number of devices, and have been found particularly suited for use in small or densely structured computer devices, such as sensors, memory devices, and logic chips.
To address this need for thin-wire arrays, arrays of thin-wires have been created using photolithography. As computer devices get smaller and smaller, however, the wires of these arrays need to be thinner and more closely spaced. Photolithography has so far not proven to be an adequate method to create very thin and closely spaced arrays of wires.
To address this need for thinner-wire arrays, two ways of creating them have been used. One of these ways uses an etched, linear-layered superlattice as a mold for imprint lithography. The other uses an etched, linear-layered superlattice and physical vapor deposition to fabricate arrays of thin, linear wires.
An example of etched, linear-layered superlattice imprint lithography is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,443. This example of imprint lithography includes subsequent lift-off processing that may ultimately limit its process capability. It also uses a nano-imprinting step, which has so far not been consistently and successfully used in a production atmosphere.
Current physical vapor deposition uses an atomic beam to directly deposit material on a surface of an etched, linear-layered superlattice. This deposited material is then physically transferred to a substrate. This method, however, often produces wires having an odd cross-section, which can create various structural and usage difficulties. Current physical vapor deposition also can require processing in an Ultra-High Vacuum ("UHV"), which can be costly to use and could restrict the usage of materials that are incompatible with UHV processing.
Both of these current superlattices have linear layers of materials and are used to create arrays of thin wires that are linear. This further limits the usefulness of the arrays created with these current superlattices, as many small or densely structured computer devices are better suited with arrays of wires that are not linear.
There is, therefore, a need for a technique for manufacturing arrays of thinner wires that allows for non-linear wires and/or is reliable, less expensive, more reproducible, and more production-friendly than permitted by present-day techniques.
The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and figures to reference like components and features.