The present disclosure relates to a method for protecting stored agricultural dry products during storage, consisting of a controlled release system of essential oils and a shell for allowing oil diffusion in vapour phase towards the outer atmosphere without direct contact of the support material with stored products. This system is characterized by being suitable for use within containers for protecting stored dried agricultural plant products for a long period of time, in particular more than 4 weeks, more preferably more than 8 or 12 weeks.

Control of insects and microorganisms are of most importance for improving storage period of stored products.
The main antimicrobial preservation technologies used to preserve the overall quality of the food over certain duration, known as the shelf life are thermal processing, chilling and freezing, concentration, drying, ionizing radiation, chemical preservation, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric field, and intense light.
Regarding the protection against insects physical, biotechnical, biological and chemical methods are involved.
The physical control is the manipulation of the physical environment so that insect populations do not increase or are reduced and eliminated. The physical attributes refer to temperature, relative humidity, moisture content, structures containing the commodity (silos, elevators, bags, packaging), forces on commodity (compression, impaction), inert dusts (diatomaceous earth), irradiation and packaging. Inert dusts control insects by damaging the cuticle and causing the insects to desiccate. Inert dusts are used to a limited extent commercially.
The main problems with the use of inert dusts are that they decrease the bulk density and flow ability of grain, are dusty to apply, and are ineffective in some cases. Gases are also a component of the physical environment. The main advantages are that they are not toxic to mammals and provide continued protection from insects. The hermetic storage of grain is one form of modified atmospheres by which grain itself through respiration creates an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide and low oxygen. The atmospheres are modified to attain low oxygen environments by adding carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or burning the storage facility atmosphere and recirculating the combustion products. The term "controlled atmosphere" usually refers to the process of changing the atmosphere of a facility artificially by introducing CO2 or N2. In changing the atmosphere of a storage facility, we expect to create an environment that will not support insects or mycoflora in the storage facility.
The disadvantages of using modified atmospheres for insect control are the length of time required to obtain control as well as the cost of application and getting an adequate supply of gas to the treatment site. CO2 can cause flavour deterioration.
Ambient air cooling is used mainly for control of insects in bulk grain storage. However, it has been also used in controlling insects in flour mills as an alternative to fumigation. Modified atmospheres have many advantages. They provide a way to eliminate insects from stored commodities without polluting the atmosphere and are safer than fumigants.
The biotechnical methods are related to traps with pheromones and traps with food baits which are not directly related to the object of present disclosure.
The biological control employs parasites, predators, or pathogens, microorganisms that cause disease and are distinguished by the fact that they are capable of reproducing after release, to suppress pest populations. It is important to understand that biological control can only be used as a prophylactic, not remedial, strategy, and that it will be most effective when integrated with other control strategies such as sanitation, fumigation, aeration, and packaging.
All insect pest populations tend to increase exponentially as long as there is adequate food, suitable environment, and no predators or parasites. Pest control has focused on the use of pesticides, exclusion (packaging), and adverse environmental conditions (desiccation, modified atmosphere, or temperatures extremes) to suppress stored product insects.
Most stored-product insect pests are probably not suitable for classic biological control, because their natural enemies have been distributed as widely as the pests.
The application of microbial agents for biological control of stored product pests is similar in technique and philosophy of use to the application of chemical protectants.
Further reductions of chemical control can be achieved by substituting biological and physical for chemical control methods. Decreased reliance on chemical control methods is the best resistance management program. Synthetic chemicals must be used to a lesser degree because of the concern about chemical residues on grain, worker safety, the environment, and insecticide-resistant populations. Extreme temperatures are currently the most widely used physical control method. Insects cannot grow and reproduce below 13° C. or above 35° C.
The main method by which storage fungi can be controlled is through drying and cooling. Chemical treatment to prevent fungal growth can only be used on grain for animal feed (FAO-www.fao.org/docrep/x5036e/x5036eOp.htm, site accessed at 24 Aug. 2015).
Modified atmospheres containing high CO2 levels could also be employed and that O2 should preferably be completely excluded for the protection of maize from fungal spoilage and mycotoxin contamination during the post-harvest period.
Gamma irradiation can be used to prevent the growth of aflatoxigenic fungi and to reduce the AFB1 levels in various goods intended for animal and human consumption, thus minimizing the animal and human exposure to this carcinogenic mycotoxin.
However, in low to medium scale of production mainly in developing countries synthetic fungicides are still used to control stored grains pests. The indiscriminate use of synthetic antifungals has led to the development of resistant strains which has necessitated utilization of higher concentrations, with the consequent increase in toxic residues in food products.
The salts of weak acids, such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, can inhibit growth of several postharvest fungal pathogens. Using these compounds for fungal inhibition presents several benefits, such as their low mammalian toxicity, a wide spectrum of activity and relatively low cost. However, high concentrations of these compounds are needed to act as fungicides, bringing associated potential organoleptic changes [Lucía da Cruz Cabral, Virginia Fernández Pinto, Andrea Patriarca (2013). Application of plant derived compounds to control fungal spoilage and mycotoxin production in foods. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 166:1-14].
The indiscriminate and excessive use of fungicides in crops has been a major cause of the development of resistant pathogen populations, resulting in the use of higher concentrations of these antifungals and the consequent increase in toxic residues in food products. Some of these compounds are not biodegradable, so they can accumulate in soil, plants and water, and consequently affect humans through the food chain. Although chemical treatments have been considered to be the cheapest and most effective way to prevent postharvest diseases, the development of resistant microorganisms has reduced their acceptance. The type and concentration of fungicides allowed for postharvest application are restricted due to their long degradation period and potential effects on food and human health (carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, high and acute residual toxicity, hormonal imbalance and spermatotoxicity). Because of these undesirable effects, recent studies resulted in the revocation of registration of some of the more effective fungicides. Furthermore, public concern about food contamination with fungicidal residues has significantly increased. Considering all these factors, the development of new safe and biodegradable alternatives that are both effective and economically feasible is needed [Lucía da Cruz Cabral, Virginia Fernández Pinto, Andrea Patriarca (2013). Application of plant derived compounds to control fungal spoilage and mycotoxin production in foods. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 166:1-14].
Knowledge on biocidal properties of plant essential oils increased their relevance to solve problems of pest control in food stuff and food commodities. There are several reports of the use of essential oils in controlling pests of crops. The essential oils from aromatic plants have antiseptic and biocidal properties, potentially useful for the protection and conservation of foods, in particular applicable in increased shelf life strategies, as known in the prior art. However there are few reports of its use in food preservation, in particular food grain, dried, stored for long periods of storage.
The present disclosure relates to the use of essential oils rich in eugenol and pulegone. More specifically relates to essential oils from Syzygium aromaticum (clove) and Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal). The oils may be obtained by any of the methods known in the art (e.g. hydrodistillation, supercritical extraction). Some reports on the use of essential oils for food products stored are known. For instance the WO 2001000049 A1 and the US 20030091661 A1 describe methods to control pests, mites and beetles respectively, and affecting food stored products by the use of pesticides based on plant essential oils. However in both cases the pesticide is a fumigant applied by contact to foods within the containers or cartons where food products are stored.
This disclosure is not a fumigant and it should not be sprayed for contact action. The document CN102388958 describes a method for grain pest control using essential oils. However, its use in containers is not included. The objective of the present application is to contribute to solve the need for methods to protect stored products from pest thereby preserving the stored products inside closed containers of considerable dimension (over 60 L). Other studies related to repellence of spices are also known, even against S. zeamais; however repellence effects are not considered for the present objective.
The effects of plant oils based on repellence activity to avoid external contaminations in stored packaged foodstuff were also found, when applied only to very small capacity containers, based on a method very different from the present purposed system.
These facts are disclosed in order to illustrate the technical problem addressed by the present disclosure.

Device for stored products protection and uses thereof

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE INVESTIGAÇÃO AGRÁRIA E VETERINÁRIA

Domingos De Montenegro Baptista Malheiro De Magalhaes


A roll or tilt responsive switch includes a housing formed from an electrically conductive material and having an inclined face formed on the bottom to gradually rise concentrically outwardly substantially from the center of the bottom, and a header fixed to the housing to close its open end and having a through-aperture in which a terminal pin is fixed in an insulated relation. A contact is fixed to an end of the terminal pin located inside the housing and has a plurality of feather portions each having a predetermined elasticity and disposed concentrically with the terminal pin. An inertia ball is enclosed in the housing to be located substantially at the center in the housing in a normal position of the switch in a stationary state. The inertia ball rolls when subjected to oscillations, so that the inertia ball slides on the feather portions of the contact except for distal ends of the feather portions such that the inertia ball electrically conducts between the contact and the housing and such that the feather portions are elastically deformed, thereby receiving a force pushing the inertia ball against the bottom of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rolling or tilting responsive switch mounted on an automatic shutoff valve having an integrated microcomputer and employed in a city gas equipment and a commercial propane gas equipment or mounted on control devices of oil space heaters, gas burning appliances and electrical equipment, for detecting oscillations such as an earthquake to thereby supply a detection signal to the automatic shutoff valve or the control devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has proposed various types of seismosensitive device. Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 63-29286 (1988), which will be referred to as "first reference," discloses a seismosensitive device wherein a seismosensitive ball drives a first contact in response to an earthquake of a predetermined seismic intensity to cause the same to be engaged with a second contact. The seismosensitive ball is designed to automatically maintain its horizontal state in a casing. Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 2-186224 (1990), which will be referred to as "second reference," discloses a seismosensitive device wherein a seismosensitive ball rolls in a receptacle such that a movable contact suspended from over the ball is engaged with and disengaged from a fixed contact disposed in an inner casing. The receptacle is suspended in an outer casing with a liquid filled therein. Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 64-79624 (1989), which will be referred to as "third reference," discloses a seismosensitive device wherein a mercury globule is enclosed in a metal receptacle.
The seismosensitive devices have recently been mounted on automatic shutoff valves having an integrated microcomputer and employed in a city gas equipment and commercial propane gas equipment. Oscillations due to an earthquake or the like are detected by the seismosensitive device, which thereby generates a detection signal. The signal is supplied to the automatic shutoff valve so that necessary countermeasures are taken. In these valves, the oscillations due to the earthquake need to be distinguished from an oscillation caused by collision of a flying object with the valve and an artificial noise caused by driving of a dump truck or the like, civil engineering works and the like. For this purpose, the seismosensitive device is required to have predetermined operating characteristics in a frequency band of the oscillations due to the earthquake and different operating characteristics in the other frequency band. The above-mentioned first reference discloses nothing about this requirement. More specifically, in the disclosed seismosensitive device, the movable contact is held between the fixed contact and the ball serving only as the driving source of the movable contact when the movable contact is engaged with the fixed contact. Actually, however, the substantial collision of the ball with the fixed contact, both members being rigid bodies, takes place and a resultant repulsion causes the ball and the movable contact to instantaneously depart from the fixed contact. This construction cannot ensure a desirably long contact time period and accordingly, the duration of an "on" signal cannot be rendered long enough when the seismosensitive device serves as a switch. Thus, the oscillations due to the earthquake cannot be distinguished from that due to the artificial noise or electrical noise when the device disclosed in this reference is employed for detecting the oscillations due to the earthquake.
The movable contact is suspended with a point of support slightly higher than the center of gravity of the seismosensitive device disclosed in the above-mentioned second reference, which increases the number of parts and complicates the construction of the seismosensitive device. Consequently, it is difficult to assemble and miniaturize the seismosensitive device. Furthermore, this seismo-sensitive device cannot provide a long contact time period as in the device of the first reference. The second reference discloses that the repulsion due to the collision of the movable contact with the fixed contact is absorbed by resilient members so that the contact is prevented from being instantaneous. However, this further increases the number of parts and complicates the construction. Although this reference also discloses that the seismosensitive ball can be rendered small since the movable contact is moved with the ball, a friction between the ball and the movable contact prevents the miniaturization of the ball. Additionally, the receptacle enclosing the ball is formed from an insulating material. Where the insulating material is a synthetic resin, organic contaminants which cause failure in electrical conduction between the contacts are apt to be produced. The production cost of the seismosensitive device is increased where the insulating material is a glass or ceramic. Furthermore, the rolling of the ball or the collision thereof with the movable contact deforms, particularly, projected or corner portions of the receptacle when the receptacle is formed from the synthetic resin. Consequently, initial operating characteristics cannot be achieved after some period of service.
The seismosensitive device employing the mercury as disclosed in the third reference is a high-performance switch having characteristics matching with control by means of a microcomputer and providing a stable performance for a long period of time. However, a seismosensitive device wherein the mercury is not employed has recently been desired from a view of protection against environmental contamination.
In view of the foregoing, a small-sized, rigid, cost-effective seismosensitive device suitable for the mass production has been desired. The mercury should not be employed in the seismosensitive device and yet, it should have the same operating characteristics as in those of the seismosensitive device employing the mercury. In this respect, however, the construction of the seismosensitive device employing the mercury globule cannot automatically be applied to the seismosensitive device wherein the solid conductive ball is employed, since the mercury globule is liquid.


A cam actuator for selectively moving cam elements axially between distinct operative positions in a circular knitting machine, the actuator including a series of adjacent pistions arranged along the axial line of displacement, and stop means for limiting the axial stroke of each piston in the direction of extension. Each piston co-operates with adjacent pistons in the series such that displacement of a given piston in the extend direction causes the remaining pistons located between the cam element and the given piston to be displaced in the extend direction by the stroke length undergone by the given piston.

In particular, the present invention relates to a double cylinder type circular knitting machine.
In such knitting machines a double ended knitting needle is used which during knitting can be transferred between the upper and lower needle cylinder assemblies. Such machines are commonly used for knitting of hosiery and/or knitwear and during each knitting cycle the selected needles will undergo various motions such as knit, miss, tuck or transfer between cylinder assemblies. These motions are imparted to the needles by sliders which have butts running along tracks in upper and lower cam assemblies associated with the upper and lower cylinder assemblies respectively.
Actuators are provided which move cam elements such as for example bolt cams in the cam assemblies for altering the path of travel followed by the butts of the sliders and thereby alter the motion undergone by the needles controlled thereby. Normally these actuators are mechanically operated from a cam drum assembly which is driven by the main drive shaft of the knitting machine via a timing transmission which normally comprises a timing chain which is indexed by a pawl mechanism.
Since a separate cam wheel is required for each actuator a large number of cam wheels have to be provided. In addition a large number of rods, cables etc. for transmitting drive from the cam followers to the components to be actuated need to be provided also. Accordingly the conventional construction of providing cam wheel assemblies for operating cam element actuators has inherent disadvantages; for example flexibility of control is restrictive since to change sequences of operation requires time consuming modification to the timing chain and/or the cam wheels. In addition the provision of a large number of mechanical components around the upper and lower cylinder assemblies not only restricts access to the cylinders and associated cam assemblies but also imposes the need to continually lubricate and/or service the mechanical linkages.
An advantage of using a cam drum assembly for operating cam elements is that positive positional control under adequate power is provided for moving the cam element into and out of cam tracks in the cam assemblies. This is particularly so for cam elements which need to be accurately located a several distinct positions when being inserted into or retracted from a cam track. For instance in the cam assembly associated with the lower cylinder of a double cylinder circular knitting machine adapted for knitting half hose having a heel pouch it is necessary for a cam element to be positioned at 4 discrete positions, viz a fully retracted position whereat it does not co-operate with butts on any needle slider, a fully inserted position whereat it co-operates with butts on all needle sliders and two intermediate positions whereat it co-operates with butts of selected needle sliders having a predetermined butt height.
In view of this multi-stage positioning and power capability provided by actuators operated by a cam wheel assembly such assemblies have remained in common usage despite the disadvantages exemplified above.


A demountable bottom opening, foldable and reusable container for finely divided materials such as chopped glass fiber strands and other bulk, flowable materials is disclosed. The container is adapted to be mounted on a permanent pallet of great rigidity. The pallet is comprised of a skeletal base frame on which is mounted a shallow crown which receives and supports the container. The crown surrounds a central opening which is closed by hinged hexagonally-shaped flaps locked in position when the loaded containers are stored or transported. The flaps are unlocked to swing down to the sides of the opening so that they do not interfere with unloading of the container thereby insuring complete emptying. The use of an impervious foldable sleeve extending from the opening in the container and which unfolds to serve as a funnel through which the material is unloaded into a hopper beneath the pallet is also disclosed. Also disclosed are vertical support struts for interconnecting pallets so that the containers may be stacked vertically.

In a number of industrial applications, it is the practice to transport large quantities of finely divided materials, granular or otherwise, such as chopped up fiber glass strand, in containers like standard corrugated cardboard boxes that open towards the top or the bottom and contain 700 kg or more of material.
The use of cardboard boxes opening towards the top is only partly suitable to such heavy loads because it is necessary to use costly equipment in order to invert and unload their contents into mill hoppers or mixng apparatus. For this reason, various types of containers, formed especially of cardboard, are available which are made to open from the bottom; their lower part, is frequently reinforced by extra thickness or by a wooden floor, and are formed into a pallet assembly on their lower side to allow handling. Such arrangements usually include interlocking tongues or flaps that can be folded up into a closed position along a separation line generally provided with a glued tear-strip or with perforations, or small releasable tongues, and for emptying purposes, a passage or even a funnel, usually situated in the center. Usually, these costly and relatively fragile containers can be reused only a few times.
It must be noted that the larger the said passage, the less the stiffness remaining in the container during the emptying operations; moreover, there is a risk of incorrect draining by premature rupture of the locking mechanism in the course of handling.
On receptacles of substantial size, the passage size must be proportionally reduced, with the result that the emptying will often be incomplete because pockets of the material tend to form in dead zones, particularly in the corners. A more serious disadvantage is that a certain number of substances present flow difficulties because of their inherent nature. This is especially true of fibrous materials. During the unloading of a container which only partially opens at the base, bunching can form arches in the inside causing cessation of the unloading, especially if the passage is relatively narrow.

Bottom discharge palletized container system


Embodiments of the present disclosure set forth methods for selecting a preferred data set from distributed databases including a first database having a first probability attribute and a second database having a second probability attribute. One example method may include receiving a first data set from the first database and a second data set from the second database. The first data set includes a first monotonic attribute. The second data set includes a second monotonic attribute. It may further include selecting a candidate data set from one of the first data set and the second data set based on a comparison of the first monotonic attribute and the second monotonic attribute and determining whether the selected candidate data set is the preferred data set.

Multiple criteria decision analysis generally refers to an approach of making numerous and sometimes conflicting evaluations among multiple relations having various uncertainties. Such multiple criteria decision analysis has various applications. One example application is in finding travel deals through an interface from different sources. The interface is configured to access the different sources which have no direct access to each other. Some example sources may include travel search engines (e.g., kayak.com, fly.com, skyscanner.com) and hotel search engines (e.g., trivago.com, room77.com, google.com/hotelfinder). The data at these sources typically are not maintained at one central repository but instead in different databases.

Multiple criteria decision analysis in distributed databases


The present invention relates to a modified polyimide including a terminal group represented by Formula 1:

The present invention relates to a modified polyimide and a curable
1. Field of the Invention resin composition. More specifically, the present invention relates to a curable resin composition for the production of a more colorless transparent polyimide film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic films have the advantages of higher bendability, less brittleness, and lighter weight than glass. With the recent trend towards flexible displays, substrates for flat panel displays have been replaced with organic films.
Transparent polymer plastics are advantageous in terms of ease of processing, mass productivity, and price. Due to these advantages, transparent polymer plastics are widely used at present as materials for cover windows and touch panels for the protection of windows of flat panel display devices.
Like films for displays, films for touch panel substrates are also optical components for better visibility of LCD and OLED screens and are thus required to have low haze and high transmittance. Further, films for touch panel substrates should be highly durable under various environmental conditions as well as against fingernails due to the frequent finger touch. For high durability, transparent polymer plastics need surface treatment with high-hardness hard coating. High surface hardness, impact resistance, and flex resistance are requirements for the manufacture of high hardness products. PET or cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) films are currently in use for touch panel substrates. However, high retardation of PET causes diffuse reflection of incident light, making screen images invisible. High deposition temperature is required to lower the resistance of ITO in touch panels. However, the deposition temperatures of some COP substrate films are difficult to increase due to their poor heat resistance. That is, there are no materials that can simultaneously meet three requirements: excellent heat resistance, optical properties, and mechanical properties for high processability.
In recent years, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin sheets have been used for outer windows of portable display devices in place of transparent glass substrates. Due to their poor impact resistance, however, PMMA resin sheets tend to be brittle even when small external impacts are applied thereto. Some transparent sheets for outer windows of potable display devices are produced by coextrusion of a PMMA resin with a polycarbonate (PC) resin. The polycarbonate (PC) resin imparts impact resistance to the transparent sheets. However, the outer windows are pushed back when pushed down with a finger because of relatively low flexural modulus of the sheets.
On the other hand, cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) films exhibit excellent characteristics in terms of transparency, hygroscopicity, etc., but they have relatively low flexibility, heat resistance, and surface hardness. Particularly, relatively low surface hardness of cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) films leads to low scratch resistance. That is, cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) films are not sufficiently protected from scratches.
In attempts to solve such problems, many methods have been developed for producing flexible films in which transparent resin layers with good heat resistance and high strength are laminated. However, the lamination of multiple resin layers is inefficient in terms of processing and problems may arise from poor adhesion between the resin layers.
Some processes, such as evaporation deposition and sputtering, are essential for the production of transparent electrodes. Since such processes are carried out at high temperatures of at least 200° C., heat resistance of flexible substrates is considered an important factor in the production of transparent electrodes. Fillers may be added to maintain the basic mechanical properties (e.g., heat resistance) of flexible substrates. In this case, however, voids may be formed on the surface of substrates, resulting in poor hygroscopicity. Particularly, high dielectric constant fillers are used to improve the heat resistance of substrates but may deteriorate the adhesion of substrates to copper foils. When polymeric materials containing fillers are used for substrates, the substrate materials lose their flexibility, tending to be brittle. A method for improving the strength, heat resistance, and adhesiveness of a substrate is known in which a glass fiber is used to make a polymeric material into a prepreg. However, this method is difficult to use in applications where high dielectric constant is needed because the polymeric material loses its dielectric constant.
Hard coating agents are coated on substrates, dried, and UV cured to form hard coatings. Such hard coating agents include a polyfunctional acrylic oligomer, a polyfunctional acrylic monomer, a photoinitiator, and a solvent. However, most hard coating agents suffer from the disadvantages of poor flex resistance and impact resistance when it is intended to increase the crosslinking density of coatings for better hardness. The use of high molecular weight acrylic oligomers or flexible acrylate oligomers and monomers including ethylene oxide in their molecules contributes to improvements in the flex resistance and impact resistance of substrates but leads to low hardness.
Particularly, fluorine compounds and silicon compounds are mainly used to improve the scratch resistance and fouling resistance of films. Fluorine-containing polymers with low refractive index and fluorine-containing olefin copolymers exhibit extremely high water and oil repellency and expose —CF2— or —CF3 groups at the surface of films to ensure good antifouling properties, but are not readily formed into films by coating because they are hardly soluble in solvents. These polymers and copolymers are very expensive and undergo drastic changes in physical properties depending on molding conditions.
In addition to good heat resistance, polyimide resins have outstanding mechanical properties, including mechanical strength, wear resistance, dimensional stability, and chemical resistance, and excellent electrical properties, including insulation performance. Due to these advantages, polyimide resins are used in a wide range of industrial applications, including electrical and electronic applications.
Polyimides are widely used as highly heat resistant advanced materials, such as automotive materials and aeronautical materials, and in the field of electronic devices, such as interlayer insulating films for semiconductors, buffer coats, substrates for flexible printed circuit boards, liquid crystal alignment layers, and electrical insulating materials, because of their excellent mechanical properties, heat resistance, chemical resistance, and electrical insulation properties.
However, general polyimide resins have high transmittance in the visible region owing to their high density aromatic cyclic structure and are colored yellowish owing to their very low transmittance, particularly at wavelengths of around 400 nm, limiting their use in applications where transparency is required.
Colorless transparent polyimide resins can be used as raw materials for the production of highly heat resistant transparent coatings and films in the field of electronic devices, for example, materials for electrode insulating films and transparent protective films in the field of liquid crystal displays, hard coating films of touch panels, and hard coating films and transparent films in transparent flexible substrates.
Under these circumstances, continued efforts have been made to develop polyimides that can exhibit better chemical resistance and storage stability, sufficient mechanical properties, and excellent high temperature stability.

Modified polyimide and curable resin composition

Abstract: wherein D is a heat curable or photocurable functional group, R is a divalent or higher polyvalent organic group, and n is an integer of 1 or greater. The modified polyimide undergoes less reduction in transmittance and is protected from discoloration when cured. Due to these advantages, the modified polyimide can provide a highly transparent colorless polyimide film. Particularly, the modified polyimide is suitable for use in display substrates, interlayer insulating films of semiconductor devices, passivation films, buffer coat films, insulating films for multilayer printed circuit boards, insulating films of OLEDs, and protective films of thin film transistors of liquid crystal display devices. The present invention also relates to a curable composition including the modified polyimide.


An improved implementation of a 2×4 divider formed from a bridge junction is described. The bridge junction uses parallel and series connections of coaxial lines to eliminate impedance transformers that are normally required in a 2×4 power divider. In a preferred embodiment, the bridge junction is comprised of UT-085 coax transmission lines, 20 gauge twin lead wire and SB-805-61 ferrite beads with ½ turn windings to provide a wide bandwidth, compact, high power and rugged arrangement.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to the field of radio frequency (RF) power dividers and more particularly relates to a class of 2×4 power dividers that produce two pairs of differential unbalanced outputs from two unbalanced inputs.
2. Background
The general input-output relationship of a 2×4 divider, which has two input ports labeled I1 and I2, and four output ports labeled O1, O2, O3, and O4, is shown in FIG. 1. The relative phase of the ports is indicated by FIG. 1 and in the following:
Phase (deg)PortO1O2O3O4I101801800I201800180
In the current state of the art, 2×4 dividers are built using a corporate connection of three 180-degree hybrids as depicted in FIG. 2. The general operation and design of 180-degree hybrids is described in the open literature. See, for example, the IRE Standards on Antennas and Waveguides (1955), Microwave Principles by Reich et al. (1957), Radar Handbook by Skolnik (1990), The RF and Microwave Circuit Design Cookbook by Maas (1998), and "On an Ultrabroad-Band Hybrid Tee" by Barabas (1979), and a few specific designs that are described by U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,587 (1967), U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,171 (1970), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,090 (1992).
The corporate arrangement of 180-degree hybrids shown in FIG. 2 requires two interconnecting transmission lines, two resistive loads, and normally requires two impedance transformers to return the impedance to 50-ohms between the hybrids. Such a 2×4 divider can be utilized to generate dual-linear polarization from a four port antenna as depicted by FIGS. 3 and 4. Dual-linear polarized antennas simultaneously support two orthogonal linear polarizations.
Power dividers comprising 180-degree hybrids, resistive loads, and impedance transformers tend to be large, especially at low frequencies; partially due to the fact that 180-degree hybrids are bulky devices. Moreover, such 2×4 dividers have high insertion losses and the two resistive loads do not serve any purpose for applications where the divider feeds into a symmetric device. Hence there is a need to reduce the size and insertion loss of the 2×4 divider by eliminating the interconnecting transmission lines, the resistive loads, and the impedance transformers.

Wide bandwidth integrated 2X4 RF divider


A fluid application system includes: an application apparatus that discharges a fluid to a workpiece; a movement apparatus that moves the application apparatus and the workpiece; and a control apparatus. At the time of adjusting the output of a power source to thereby vary the discharge amount of the fluid from the nozzle by a target variation amount F1, the control apparatus sets the output of the power source to a value beyond a theoretical output N1 of the power source obtained from the target variation amount F1 of the discharge amount, and then sets the output of the power source to the theoretical output N1 such that the change amount of the internal pressure of the nozzle is coincident with an amount P1 by which the internal pressure of the nozzle needs to change, the amount P1 being obtained from the target variation amount F1 of the discharge amount.

In a process of manufacturing an automobile, an electronic member, a solar cell, and the like, a fluid such as an adhesive agent, a sealing agent, an insulating agent, a heat releasing agent, and an anti-seizure agent is applied to a workpiece in some cases. A fluid application system is used to apply the fluid to the workpiece. The fluid application system includes: an application apparatus (example: a dispenser) that discharges the fluid to the workpiece; and a movement apparatus (example: an articulated robot) that relatively moves the application apparatus and the workpiece.
The application apparatus includes: a power source (example: a motor): a fluid supply apparatus (example: a pump, an actuator) that changes the supply amount of the fluid per unit time in accordance with the output of the power source; and a nozzle that discharges the fluid supplied from the fluid supply apparatus, to the workpiece. When the fluid is applied to the workpiece, while the fluid is discharged by the application apparatus such that the line width of the fluid on the workpiece is constant, the nozzle is moved in a linear manner, is then moved in an arc-like manner, and is then moved in a linear manner with respect to the workpiece by the movement apparatus in some cases.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the form of the fluid that is applied to the workpiece in the case where movement of the nozzle with respect to the workpiece is performed in order of a linear manner, an arc-like manner, and a linear manner. In FIG. 1, the region of a fluid 51 applied to a workpiece 50 is indicated by shading, and the application direction is indicated by shaded arrows. If the movement of the nozzle with respect to the workpiece 50 is performed in order of a linear manner, an arc-like manner, and a linear manner, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the fluid 51 applied to the workpiece 50 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the "applied fluid") is formed as a first linear part 51a up to a position A, an arc-like part 51b from the position A up to a position B, and a second linear part 51c starting from the position B. On this occasion, the movement speed of the nozzle is changed by the movement apparatus in some cases.
FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of control in the case of changing the movement speed of the nozzle when the movement of the nozzle with respect to the workpiece is performed in order of a linear manner, an arc-like manner, and a linear manner. Of these drawings, FIG. 2A illustrates the relation between the elapsed time and the movement speed. FIG. 2B illustrates the relation between the elapsed time and the rotation speed of the motor (power source) of the application apparatus. FIG. 2C illustrates the relation between the elapsed time and the discharge amount from the nozzle. FIG. 2D illustrates the form of the applied fluid on the workpiece. A position A and a position B illustrated in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D respectively correspond to the position A and the position B illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2D, an ideal form of the applied fluid in the case where a response delay in the discharge amount is suppressed is indicated by long dashed double-short dashed lines, and the application direction is indicated by shaded arrows.
As illustrated in FIG. 2A, with respect to the workpiece, the nozzle linearly moves at a high speed in the first linear part, starts decelerating just before the position A that is the end point of the first linear part, and ends decelerating at the position A. After the deceleration end, the nozzle moves at a low speed in the arc-like part. The nozzle starts accelerating at the position B that is the start point of the second linear part, and moves at a high speed after the acceleration end.
In the case of changing the movement speed of the nozzle in this way, for example, if the relative movement speed between the nozzle and the workpiece decreases, in order to make the line width of the applied fluid constant, it is necessary to decrease the discharge amount of the fluid per unit time (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the "discharge amount") from the nozzle in accordance with the decrease in the movement speed. On the other hand, if the relative movement speed between the nozzle and the workpiece increases, in order to make the line width of the applied fluid constant, it is necessary to increase the discharge amount from the nozzle in accordance with the increase in the movement speed.
Here, in the above-mentioned application apparatus including the power source (example: a motor), the fluid supply apparatus (example: a pump), and the nozzle, if the behavior of the power source is in a stable state, the discharge amount has a positive correlation with the output of the power source (example: the rotation speed of a motor), and the discharge amount increases as the output of the power source increases. Accordingly, in order to control the discharge amount from the nozzle in accordance with a change in the movement speed of the nozzle with respect to the workpiece for the purpose of making the line width of the applied fluid constant, the output of the power source (example: the rotation speed of a motor) may be varied.
Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, from the state where the rotation speed of the motor is constant, the rotation speed of the motor is decreased in accordance with deceleration in the movement speed of the nozzle, and then the rotation speed of the motor is made constant at the timing at which the movement speed becomes low. After that, the rotation speed of the motor is increased in accordance with acceleration in the movement speed of the nozzle, and then the rotation speed of the motor is made constant at the timing at which the movement speed becomes high.
When the rotation speed of the motor is varied in accordance with a change in the movement speed of the nozzle in this way, a change in the discharge amount takes time to follow a change in the rotation speed of the motor, so that a response delay in the discharge amount occurs. Consequently, the line width of the applied fluid changes, and hence the line width of the applied fluid cannot be made constant.
Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, the discharge amount of the fluid from the nozzle does not follow a change in the movement speed of the nozzle due to such a response delay. Hence, the line width of the applied fluid is not constant. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 2D, the line width of the applied fluid is thicker in the arc-like part and part of the second linear part continuous with the arc-like part.
With regard to a fluid application method using the fluid application system including the application apparatus and the movement apparatus, various techniques have been proposed up to now (for example, Japanese Patent No. 5154879 (Patent Literature 1) and Japanese Patent No. 3769261 (Patent Literature 2)). Patent Literature 1 discloses an application method for a liquid material. In this application method, a workpiece placed on a table and a discharge unit including a screw type dispenser opposed to the workpiece are relatively moved at a non-constant speed, and the liquid material is continuously applied with the discharge amount of the liquid material being non-constant. Specifically, when the discharge amount of the liquid material is changed, the rotation speed of a screw is varied up to a predetermined change rate with a constant gradient.
The application method of Patent Literature 1 includes a response time calculation step, a response time adjustment step, and a discharge amount adjustment step, in order to adjust the change start position of the screw rotation speed and the change rate of the screw rotation speed in the course of varying the screw rotation speed. In the response time calculation step, a response delay time at the time of changing the discharge amount is calculated before application start. In the response time adjustment step, the response delay time at the time of changing the discharge amount is adjusted. In the discharge amount adjustment step, the discharge amount is adjusted such that the volume per unit length of the applied liquid material is constant. Patent Literature 1 describes that, in forming an application pattern made of an arc-like part and a linear part, this application method can keep the application amount and the form of the liquid material uniform in the case where the movement speed changes between the arc-like part and the linear part.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a pattern formation method for a display panel. In this pattern formation method, a dispenser discharges a paste while relatively moving with respect to a substrate, whereby a paste layer in a predetermined pattern is formed on the substrate. A screw thread type dispenser or a dispenser including a two-degree-of-freedom actuator (hereinafter, also referred to as the "dispenser with the two-degree-of-freedom actuator") is used as the dispenser. The dispenser with the two-degree-of-freedom actuator is a dispenser including a first actuator and a second actuator combined with each other. The first actuator linearly drives a piston to thereby generate a positive or negative squeezing pressure on an exit-side end face of the piston. The second actuator rotates the piston on which a screw thread is formed, to thereby generate a pumping pressure and feed a fluid to be applied to the exit side under pressure.
In the case of using the screw thread type dispenser in the pattern formation method of Patent Literature 2, at the time of application start, rotations of the screw thread are accelerated and are then promptly returned to steady rotations. Consequently, kinetic energy that is high enough to overcome a surface tension is given to the fluid immediately after discharge start, and hence the application can be started without forming a clot of the fluid at the leading end of a nozzle. On the other hand, at the time of application end, the rotations of the screw thread are rapidly decelerated and stopped. Consequently, a clot of the fluid at the nozzle leading end can be made as little as possible, and the fluid can be prevented from dripping off at the time of application restart.
Moreover, in the case of using the dispenser with the two-degree-of-freedom actuator in the pattern formation method of Patent Literature 2, at the time of application start, rotations of a motor of a master pump that supplies the paste to the dispenser are started at the same time as the piston is moved downward, and then the dispenser is relatively moved while the motor is rotated, whereby the paste is discharged. Consequently, a precipitous peak pressure (overshoot) occurs in a combined pressure due to a squeezing effect produced along with the downward movement of the piston, and the application can be started without forming a clot of the fluid at the nozzle leading end. Here, the combined pressure is a pressure obtained by adding the squeezing pressure generated by the first actuator including the piston (the exit-side pressure of the first actuator) and the pumping pressure generated by the second actuator of screw type (the exit-side pressure of the second actuator).
On the other hand, at the time of application end, the rotations of the motor are stopped at the same time as the piston is moved upward, and the discharge of the paste is stopped. Consequently, the above-mentioned combined pressure precipitously drops, and a suck-back effect of sucking a clot of the fluid at the nozzle leading end by a slight amount to the inside of the nozzle is obtained. As a result, troubles such as dripping-off of a clot of the fluid can be avoided.
Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 3 to be described below, the line width of the fluid 51 applied to the workpiece 50 is changed halfway in some cases.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the form of the fluid that is applied to the workpiece in the case where the line width thereof changes halfway. In FIG. 3, the region of the applied fluid 51 on the workpiece 50 is indicated by shading. The line width of the applied fluid 51 illustrated in FIG. 3 changes halfway, and a first thin line part 51d, a thick line part 51e, and a second thin line part 51f appear in the stated order.
The applied fluid 51 made of the first thin line part 51d, the thick line part 51e, and the second thin line part 51f as described above is formed through, for example, the following procedure A of (1) to (3).
(1) With the use of a rectangular flat nozzle having a wide discharge port, the fluid is discharged at the same line width as those of the thin line parts (51d and 51f), and the applied fluid is formed in the region of the first thin line part 51d up to a position C.
(2) Subsequently, after the flat nozzle is moved past the region of the thick line part 51e from the position C up to a position D without applying the fluid to the region of the thick line part 51e, the discharge of the fluid is restarted, and the applied fluid is formed in the region of the second thin line part 51f from the position D.
(3) Lastly, the fluid is discharged at the same line width as that of the thick line part 51e, and the applied fluid is formed in the region of the thick line part 51e from the position C up to the position D.
According to the procedure A as described above, nozzle replacement in the application apparatus is necessary between the time of applying the fluid to the regions of the thin line parts and the time of applying the fluid to the region of the thick line part. In the case of manually performing this nozzle replacement, the replacement work is performed in the state where the apparatus is stopped. Hence, the application interruption time becomes longer, and the manufacture efficiency becomes lower. A nozzle replacement apparatus is used to achieve labor-saving nozzle replacement.
With regard to the nozzle replacement apparatus, various techniques have been proposed up to now (for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-104945 (Patent Literature 3)). Patent Literature 3 discloses a nozzle apparatus with a replacement function usable for fluid application using an application apparatus and a movement apparatus. The nozzle apparatus with the replacement function includes a nozzle with a replacement function, an engaging part, and an engaged part. The nozzle with the replacement function includes: a turn part to which a plurality of nozzles are attached: and a base part that turnably holds the turn part. In order to discharge a fluid supplied from a fluid supply port of the base part from a desired nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, the nozzle with the replacement function can rotationally move the desired nozzle to a predetermined discharge position. The engaging part is provided to the turn part. The engaged part is provided to a fixed-side part, and is disengageably engaged with the engaging part.
In the nozzle apparatus with the replacement function of Patent Literature 3, the base part is moved in the state where the engaging part is engaged with the engaged part, whereby the desired nozzle is rotationally moved to the discharge position. Consequently, a nozzle replacement drive mechanism for rotationally moving the desired nozzle to the discharge position is unnecessary, the application apparatus can be downsized, and apparatus costs can be reduced.

Fluid application system and fluid application method


Embodiments provide an OLED display device and a method of operating the same, which distribute a load to sub-pixels other than a specific sub-pixel such that the specific sub-pixel is not overloaded by using a WRGB-based OLED pixel structure, preventing a residual image and degradation of the specific sub-pixel, which may occur in the OLED display device.

The present disclosure relates to an organic light emitting diode (hereinafter, referred to as "OLED") display device and a method of operating the same, and more particularly, to an OLED display device and a method of operating the same, which prevent the degradation of the OLED display device.
Recently, various types of display devices have emerged. Of the various types of display devices, an OLED display device has been widely used. Since the OLED display device is a self-illuminating display device, the OLED display device can be manufactured to have lower power consumption and a thinner thickness, compared to a liquid crystal display device in which a back light is necessary. Also, the OLED display device has a wide viewing angle and a high response time.
In general OLED display devices, one unit pixel is configured with a red (R), green (G), and blue (B) sub-pixels, and an image of various colors is displayed through the three sub-pixels.
If the OLED display device displays a fixed image (for example, broadcaster's logo) for a long time, light emitting elements corresponding thereto also continuously emit light. If a current continuously flows through a specific light-emitting element for a long time, the corresponding light-emitting element is overloaded, thus decreasing the lifespan of the corresponding light-emitting element. Therefore, color expressiveness of the corresponding light-emitting element is degraded. Also, if images are changed on a screen, a residual image of a previous image remains or a burn-in phenomenon, in which a screen is not vividly displayed as a stained screen, occurs.

Organic light emitting diode display device and method of operating the same in which red, green and blue data values are reduced when there is no white property in a pixel


The present invention relates to a system and method for managing Compact Component Interconnect (CPCI) buses in a multi-processing system. More particularly, the present invention improves performance and reliability of boards or systems using CPCI buses as the basic buses, by enabling all slots on a CPCI bus to function as system slots and thus obtaining the effect of parallel processing. The present invention makes it possible for all the slots on the CPCI bus of a board or system, which uses the CPCI buses as basic buses, to function as system slots. Thus, several boards of one and the same function may be applied to all the slots. As a result, the present invention improves performance through the effect of parallel processing effect may also improve the reliability through the flexible operation of the system slot over the related art.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for managing the Compact Peripheral Component Interconnect (CPCI) buses in a multi-processing system, and more particularly to a system and method for improving performance by using multiple system slots on a CPCI bus in a multi-processing system.
2. Background of the Related Art
Generally, there are eight slots for the system clock of 33 MHz and five slots for the system clock of 66 MHz in the CPCI of the related art. Of these, the eight slots of 33 MHz will be explained in the following. As shown in FIG. 1, the related art standard CPCI buses each of which connects the eight slots by using the first pin (P1) or the second pin (P2).
Also, as shown in FIG. 1, one CPCI bus has eight slots (SLOT 0˜SLOT 7) and signals related to the CPCI buses are connected respectively to P1 and P2 throughout the relevant slots (SLOT 0˜SLOT 7). The third pin to the fifth pin (P3˜P5) provide routes for signal transmission between the front card and the rear card. Sometimes, the fourth pin (P4) accommodates H.110 bus.
Accordingly, the system slot usually is either the leftmost slot or the rightmost slot. For example, the slot located at either end of the slots (SLOT 0 or SLOT 7) may be used as the system slot. Further, the location of the respective system slot pins of CPCI bus signals is previously determined. Because such location is different from the location of other slots (SLOT 1˜SLOT 6), the system slot can not be changed once it is determined. Also, because only one slot is assigned as the system slot, there is only one system board on a CPCI bus. The other slots are peripheral slots and a variety of peripheral cards may be located at the peripheral slots according to various system structure requests.
Additionally, all bus arbitrations are conducted by the system board and all peripheral cards may transmit and receive messages only through the system board. For example, peripheral cards do not exchange messages directly among themselves. Also, bus requests from all of the slots and bus grants for all the relevant slots are concentrated on the system slot. Thus, in the related art, the system slot supplies clocks to all of the other slots and performs an interrupt process by receiving an interruption signal from the each relevant slot.
In the CPCI bus of the related art, as illustrated in FIG. 1, there is one system slot, on which all operations of the CPCI bus are concentrated. First, the system board accesses the configuration spaces of the peripheral boards of other slots and reads information regarding each peripheral board. Then, the system board activates the driver for each peripheral board based upon the information read with respect to each relevant peripheral board. All the peripheral slots are given relevant address areas on the CPCI bus according to the locations of the slots. Through this action, a peripheral board may recognize that it has been selected.
All the peripheral boards use a PCI bridge in order to map their local addresses to the address areas allotted on the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.
All operations on a CPCI bus are synchronized through the clock signal provided by the system board. Each of the peripheral boards may obtain the right to use the bus among all the boards on the CPCI bus through the bus request defined in accordance with the CPCI bus specification. Of all the boards on the CPCI bus, the system board takes the role of granting and arbitrating the bus occupancy, by responding to a peripheral board with bus grant signal with respect to a certain bus request. The system board grants the right to use the bus to the board of the slot requesting the bus occupancy.
Each peripheral slot has an interruption signal which has been determined by the CPCI specification. The PCI bridge is set for the assertion of interruption signals and for the system board's observation of the current interruption signal situation. Thus, upon the receipt of an interruption signal, the system board accesses the relevant address and determines the type of interruption.
Thus, in the mode of operations of the related art, because there is only one system board on one bus, it is difficult to satisfy the reliability standard required in a multi-processing system. More specifically, in the related art, the system board on a CPCI bus may not be extended because there is only one system board on one CPCI bus and because all the other slots are used for peripheral boards. Thus, if the system board is in an abnormal state, the other slave boards on the CPCI bus cannot discharge their functions accordingly.
Further, because the CPCI bus of the related art always has a certain number of slots assigned for slave boards, if there are only a few slave boards, there may be wasted space and thus the system integration may be degraded.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

System and method for managing CPCI buses in a multi-processing system


For use with transformers, a protective cover device for protecting exposed transformer terminals from external forces which may damage the terminal to coil lead wire connection. The protective cover includes a rear flange having first and second legs extending perpendicularly from opposite minor edges of the rear flange. A generally L-shaped guard structure having a large radiused knee extends from the rear flange. An inner surface of each of the first and second legs includes mounting devices arranged to interlockingly engage the transformer, thereby positioning the guard structure to shroud and protect the transformer terminals.

This invention relates in general to protective covers and, more particularly, to a protective cover designed to prevent accidental damage of transformer terminals and coil winding connections during handling and installation of the transformer.
In modern telecommunication systems, voice transmissions between a central office telephone switching system and a subscriber are normally accomplished via an electronic interface known in the art as a subscriber line card. The voice transmissions are coupled to a subscriber line via a line circuit which includes an audio frequency transformer.
In order to mount many line circuits to the above-mentioned subscriber line card, the line circuit transformers have been miniaturized. However, the miniaturization of the transformer has necessitated the use of components, such as coil wires and terminals, of such small physical size and dimension that forces as small as 2.3 lbs exerted on the transformer terminals are sufficient to cause the transformer terminal ends to deflect and the coil winding connections to break. This results in an intermittent connection at the point of attachment of the coil windings to the transformer terminal. This intermittent connection between the transformer terminals and coil windings manifests itself to the subscriber as call cut-off, intermittent transmission loss and voice fading, severely impacting the reliability and quality of the telecommunication service provided to the subscriber.
The displacement of the terminals with the subsequent damage of the coil winding lead wires has been found to occur from incidental contact with human fingers during manufacturing, handling and cleaning of the transformers. Additionally, displacement of the terminals may occur during manufacture by a misalignment of the transformer in assembly fixtures.
It therefore becomes the object of the present invention to provide a protective cover which can be easily fitted to the transformer thereby protecting the terminals of the transformer from external forces which may damage the lead wires of the transformer.

Protective cover for exposed transformer terminals


Scheduling software provides date and time allocation of resources to a sequence of processes for manufacturing a desired item. Scheduling is performed by a backward-forward method and alternatively by an backward-jump forward method to meet a requested due date. Resources are dynamically allocated to satisfy processes according to pre-established rules for allocation. Also resources are allocated in certain amounts or in a predetermined pattern to minimize waste or left over amounts of the resource. To allocate certain resources, purchase or production of the resource is scheduled first.

In the manufacturing or factory setting, customer orders for various items need to be processed in a certain amount of time (i.e. by a shipment date). For each item ordered which is not already in inventory, the item must be manufactured. To manufacture the item, certain resources (materials, machine time, man hours, etc.) used in a predetermined sequence of events are required. In order to efficiently utilize the resources of the manufacturing plant in such manufacturing of items, and ultimately in fulfilling a multiplicity of orders, the manufacturer generally employs a device for scheduling the use of different resources at different dates and time.
Various scheduling methods exist to aid in and/or optimize such scheduling of resources. Typically, scheduling methods are based on one of two scheduling techniques, forward scheduling or backward scheduling. Briefly, in forward scheduling the sequence of desired manufacturing steps is scheduled beginning at the current date and from then into the future. The capacity of resources influences how far into the future steps are scheduled. Backward scheduling schedules the sequence of manufacturing steps in reverse order from the shipment date backward in time toward the current date without regard to the capacity of the resources required.
Other scheduling methods concern the planning of materials required in the manufacturing process. Scheduling devices which employ these scheduling methods are generally referred to as materials requirement planning (MRP) systems. Typically, MRP scheduling systems assume an infinite capacity of machinery, man hours, etc. and determines the amounts and types of materials that must be on hand at particular dates/times for a given manufacturing plant with given orders.
"Production Management Concept Cuts Delay, Budget Overruns" by J. C. Lowndes, Aviation Week and Space Technology, Volume 122, No. 19, Pages 85-87, May 13, 1985 discloses a scheduling software device called Opt (Optimized Production Technology). The Opt software combines capacity planning with forward scheduling and backward scheduling for "unconstrained" or infinite capacity resources. The core Opt module is a finite forward scheduler that uses resource capacity, orders and inventory data for optimum output from the resources. The core Opt module determines the hour and minute of each day at which bottlenecks or constrained processes will occur, and provides an indication of which due dates will be missed and by how much time the dates will be missed with the current plant configuration. A backward scheduling module of Opt assumes infinite capacity and schedules non-bottleneck processes beginning at the completion times determined by the core module. This ensures that material is available for the first operation in the critical part of the manufacturing process.


An automatic alerting apparatus and method, is herein disclosed, which audibly signals neighbors when a house or building door has not been opened in the previous twenty-four (24) hours. The system comprises a plurality of contacts aligned in a parallel connection on the exterior doors of a residence. The contacts are connected to a resettable twenty-four (24) hour timer. In use, if the timer is not rest in a twenty-four (24) hour period then power is supplied to an audible horn or beacon which alerts others to a potential emergency situation. It is envisioned that the device apparatus would have a back-up battery system for use during power failures and an override button for periods where no one will be in the residence for more than twenty-four (24) hours.

As any home owner will attest, security is an area of primary concern. Due to the fact that people tend to place a high value on their property and personal safety, the marketplace has responded with a variety of products that are intended to protect one's life and property. A recent addition to these types of products are those that alert others to possible falls, dangers or medical conditions for those who live on their own and may be elderly or disabled. While these products work most of the time, they do require action on the part of the home dweller to activate in an emergency. This requirement is of an ironic nature since it is assumed that the person is incapable of helping themselves in the first place. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which elderly or disabled people living on their own can be provided with assistance during emergency situations without requiring action on their part. The development of the invention herein described fulfills this need.
The present invention is an automatic alerting system for incapacitated individuals which audibly signal neighbors when a house or building door has not been opened in the previous twenty-four (24) hours. The system utilizes a series of door contacts arranged in a parallel connection on all exterior doors of a home, apartment or similar structure. The door contacts then switch power to a resettable twenty-four (24) hour timer. Should the timer not be reset within a twenty-four (24) hour period, it will then apply power to an audible alerting device and a visual alerting device, both located on an exterior surface of a dwelling. The audible alerting device and the visual alerting device are intended to alert neighbors, passer-bys, motorists, delivery personnel, mail persons, and others who are in the vicinity of the dwelling that a possible emergency situation exists on the inside of the dwelling. The present invention is equipped with a battery backup for operation during a power failure, and a vacation interrupt switch which disables the system during planned sessions of absence. The use of the present invention provides a means for tracking activities of elderly or disabled people who live on their own in an automatic yet discrete manner which helps address possible medical emergencies.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide alerting systems for incapacitated individuals. U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,058, issued in the name of McMinn et al., describes an illuminated house light display that provides a visual warning signal to guide summoned emergency personnel. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,507, issued in the name of Leighton et al., is a telephone activated emergency light system. However, unlike the present invention, the McMinn and the Leighton systems are activated by dialing a numeric emergency sequence on a telephone.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,636,263 and 5,991,363, both issued in the name of Thomson, disclose a high-intensity light emitting diode that is activated by an emergency service dispatcher over a telephone line used by a person who telephones for emergency help. The Thomson apparatus assures that emergency personnel will quickly and easily find the emergency site when they arrive in the general location. However, unlike the present invention, the Thomson systems are activated over a telephone line.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,373, issued in the name of Phillips, discloses an emergency strobe light system that flashes to alert rescue personnel when a radio frequency signal is transmitted to a telephone interface. However, unlike the present invention, the Phillips system is activated when the dialing of an emergency number has been detected by one of the telephone interfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,018, issued in the name of Merrell et al., discloses an alarm system comprising at least one wireless alarm transmitter, at least one wireless activate transmitter, and at least one wireless signal receiver. However, unlike the present invention, the Merrell system displays a text message alarm to alert hearing impaired people of hazardous conditions.
None of the prior art particularly describes an automatic alerting system for incapacitated individuals which audibly signals neighbors when a house or building door has not been opened in the previous twenty-four (24) hours and that does not require action on the individuals part that the instant invention possesses. Accordingly, there exists a need for an alerting system by which elderly or disable people living on their own can be provided with assistance during emergency situations without requiring action on their part that operates without the disadvantages as described above.

Public distress beacon and method of use thereof


A cache structure for computer architecture evaluates the subblocks actually used in the cache to modify the granularity of subsequent refreshes of the cache. When many subblocks are used, then subsequent fetches will load the entire block. If only a few subblocks are used, subsequent fetches will fetch only a single subblock. Discontinuous subblock fetching is provided for in a second embodiment in which an entire block is fetched if there is no correlation in the pattern of the subblock usage over time whereas a pattern of discontinuous subblocks is fetched if an historical pattern is revealed. A combination of these two embodiments may also be used.

The present invention relates to cache structures for computers and in particular to a cache structure that allows dynamic control of the size and configuration of the data block fetched by the cache from memory.
Standard electronic computers include a processor, executing arithmetic and logical instructions, and a memory system communicating with the processor and holding instructions and data used by the processor. Typically, the memory system will include a range of memory types from disk drives to solid state memory each reflecting a different trade-off between storage cost (per data word), access speed and ultimately storage capacity. A hierarchy is formed of these devices with data being moved from the generally larger and slower memory devices to the smaller and faster memory devices at times when frequent access to the data by the processor is needed.
Cache memory (henceforth termed xe2x80x9ccachexe2x80x9d) is solid-state memory in direct communication with the processor typically both on and off the processor chip. Data is moved to the cache from a larger solid-state memory (henceforth termed xe2x80x9cmemoryxe2x80x9d) to provide faster access to that data by the processor.
The effectiveness of cache depends on how well it is managed. Time saved by faster access between the processor and the cache can be lost if the desired data is not in the cache (a cache xe2x80x9cmissxe2x80x9d) and an updating of the cache from the memory must be performed prior to the data being available to the processor.
For this reason, proper management of the cache attempts to ensure that data is moved to the cache from the memory prior to being needed by the processor. This can be done by moving not only the data requested by the processor, but also data having addresses near the address of the data requested by the processor. The expectation is that requests of data by the processor will cluster in address. The data moved to the cache upon a cache miss will be termed the xe2x80x9cfetch blockxe2x80x9d.
Larger fetch blocks reduce the number of cache misses (until cache pollution causes the miss rate to rise again). Larger fetch blocks, however, also increase the traffic between the memory and the cache reducing performance of the system. Accordingly, computer designers attempt to pick a fetch block size effecting a compromise between the competing requirements of minimizing cache misses and minimizing superfluous traffic between the memory and the cache.
The present inventors have recognized that the tradeoffs between avoiding cache misses and minimizing data traffic between the cache and memory can be improved by dynamically changing the fetch block size based on historical measurement of the success of previous fetch block sizes in satisfying processor requests. The fetch blocks may include data from discontinuous address ranges.
The statistics about the success of a fetch block size will depend on the particular data contained in the fetch block (and thus generally the address of the data in the memory) and hence statistics about the fetch blocks must be linked to particular memory addresses. Nevertheless, simulations indicate that this storage overhead is justified for large cache sizes based on performance gains.
Specifically, the present invention provides a cache structure for a computer having a processor and associated memory. The cache structure includes a cache communicating with the memory for receiving data from the memory and communicating with the processor for providing data to the processor. The cache is divided into blocks, each holding data from an address range of the memory, and each block is divided into sub-blocks. The cache structure also includes a xe2x80x9csubblock use tablexe2x80x9d having entries indicating which subblocks have had their data used by the processor since the block was loaded. A xe2x80x9cfetch size controllerxe2x80x9d provides a fetch size value for a given address range of the memory based on the subblock use table for the data of the given address range. xe2x80x9cMiss processing circuitryxe2x80x9d responds to a request from the processor for data in a given address range (when the data are not found in the cache) by loading the requested data into a number of subblocks of a block of the cache determined by the fetch size value for that address range.
Thus it is one object of the invention to provide for a dynamically changing fetch block size for updating the cache based on statistical data as to how well a previous fetch block size was utilized by the processor. Generally, if the subblock use table shows a large number of subblocks of the block being accessed by the processor, a larger fetch block size is chosen.
The fetch size value may be a single bit and the number of subblocks may be selected from the group consisting of one subblock and all of the subblocks of the block.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide for an extremely low overhead dynamic system in which only two sizes of fetch block are used.
The fetch size controller may determine the fetch size value by comparing the number of subblocks of the block of the cache having their data used by the processor against a predetermined threshold.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide a simple metric for determining effectiveness of a fetch block size that may be used to decide dynamically the size of future fetch blocks for data of a particular memory address range.
The fetch size controller may determine the fetch size value for a given address range based on the subblock use table for data previously loaded for the given address range over several previous loadings of the given address range.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide for a greater statistical base in making a dynamic fetch block size determination by looking at several cycles of use of data from a particular address range.
The fetch size controller may determine the fetch size value for a given address range based on whether the number of subblocks of the block of the cache having their data provided to the processors since the block was last loaded principally exceed or fall short of a predetermined threshold for a predetermined number of loadings of the given address range.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide for a simple statistical evaluation of the success of different fetch block sizes that may be implemented in fast hardware and that may evolve with use toward increasing or decreasing fetch block size.
In an alternative embodiment, the cache and subblock use table may be associated with a xe2x80x9cfetch pattern controllerxe2x80x9d which analyzes patterns of subblock use indicated by the subblock use table for a given address range to provide a fetch pattern associated with the given address range. In this case, the miss processing circuitry responds to a request from the processor for data of the given address range that is not in the cache by loading the requested data into particular subblocks of a block of a cache according to the fetch pattern and the request.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide for a dynamic changing of fetch block size that does not require the subblocks having contiguous address ranges.
The fetch pattern may be the pattern of the entry of the subblock use table associated with the given address range including a subblock holding the requested data.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide a simple determination of a fetch pattern when discontinuous subblocks are indicated but one that always includes the actual requested data from the processor.
The cache structure may include a xe2x80x9cprevious subblock use tablexe2x80x9d having at least one entry indicating which of the subblocks of the block of the cache have had their data provided to the processor since the block was previously loaded. The fetch pattern controller may then compare the patterns of the subblock use between the subblock use table and the previous subblock use table for a given address range to determine the fetch pattern.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide a simple mechanism for evaluating historical correlations between successful fetch blocks holding discontinuous subblocks.
The fetch pattern controller may evaluate the hamming distance between the entries of the subblock use table and the previous subblock use table and compares that hamming distance to a predetermined threshold in determining the fetch pattern.
Thus it is another object of the invention to provide a simple metric for correlation of discontinuous subblock patterns that may be easily implemented at the chip level. As before, this process may be extended over a number of loadings of the cache for the given address range and may allow both for evolution toward discontinuous subblock fetching or continuous block fetching as the historical statistics would indicate.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In this description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention, however, and reference must be made therefore to the claims for interpreting the scope of the invention.

Cache with dynamic control of sub-block fetching


A detection circuit (physical quantity detection circuit) includes a ΔΣ modulator (A/D converter) that digitizes a detection signal corresponding to a physical quantity and outputs detection data, an arithmetic operating portion that includes at least one of adders and a multiplier, a main sequence counter (counter) that counts the number of clocks of a clock signal and initializes a count value periodically, and a control circuit (control portion) that causes the arithmetic operating portion to perform a plurality of arithmetic operation processes, having types different from each other, for generating arithmetic operation data according to a magnitude of the physical quantity on the basis of the detection data, in accordance with the count value.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a physical quantity detection circuit, a physical quantity detection device, an electronic apparatus and a moving object.
2. Related Art
Nowadays, physical quantity detection devices, such as an acceleration sensor that detects an acceleration and a gyro sensor that detects an angular velocity, which are capable of detecting various physical quantities are being widely used in various systems and electronic apparatuses. In recent years, physical quantity detection devices have been mounted on automobiles and the like, and have required high detection accuracy and high reliability even under noisy environments.
The physical quantity detection device that outputs detection information of a physical quantity as a digital signal outputs a digital signal having high noise resistance, thereby allowing high reliability to be secured even under noisy environments. For example, JP-A-2009-229447 proposes a physical quantity measuring device including a detection circuit that detects an analog signal which is output from a vibrator by a detector circuit, and then converts the detected signal into a digital signal by an A/D converter to output the converted signal. In the physical quantity measuring device disclosed in JP-A-2009-229447, it is considered that the detection circuit is constituted by an analog circuit and is replaced by a digital circuit in order to improve detection accuracy. For example, JP-A-2007-327943 discloses that in a detection device that includes a detection circuit having a filter portion, a discrete-time filter (SCF) constituting the filter portion is able to be replaced by a digital filter.
However, there is a problem in terms of cost, because when a detection circuit of an existing physical quantity detection device is simply replaced by a digital circuit, the number of adders or multipliers increases and thus a circuit scale increases.

Physical quantity detection circuit, physical quantity detection device, electronic apparatus and moving object


A process for filling recessed features of a dielectric substrate for a semiconductor device, comprises the steps (a) providing a dielectric substrate having a recessed feature in a surface thereof, wherein the smallest dimension (width) across said feature is less than ≦200 nm, a conductive layer being present on at least a portion of said surface, (b) filling said recessed feature with a conductive material, and (c) prior to filling said recessed feature with said conductive material, treating said surface with an accelerator.

Semiconductor manufacturers are continuously striving to produce faster and more complex integrated circuits. One way to achieve this is to reduce the dimensions of the semiconductor circuits, thereby decreasing the gate (transistor) delay. However, as the dimensions of the circuits are reduced, the physical properties of the materials making up the circuits become increasingly important. In particular, as the size of the conducting interconnects contained in the circuit, and more particularly their width, decreases, the electrical resistance of the interconnect is proportionately increased. This causes an increased interconnect time delay. Until recently, aluminium had been traditionally used to manufacture these interconnects. However, in order to combat the problems associated with the reduction in the circuit dimensions, semiconductor manufacturers have decided that copper provides better material characteristics than aluminium for use in interconnects because of its lower bulk resistivity, higher heat conductivity and higher melting point, which results in improved speed and reliability performance. In addition, copper also has lower rate of grain boundary diffusion, and therefore higher electromigration resistance.
In order to provide conducting interconnects between and within layers of a semiconductor device, a method sometimes termed a "damascene" process has been developed. This process first involves deposition of a dielectric layer, lithography and then etching of the dielectric layer to form vias and/or trenches in the layer. A barrier layer such as Ta is first deposited (typically via physical vapour deposition or atomic layer deposition) in the trenches followed by a thin seed layer. The seed layer may also be deposited by physical vapour deposition, chemical vapour deposition or atomic layer deposition. The seed layer is a conducting layer that allows electrodeposition to occur and typically comprises copper or a copper alloy such as CuAl. The substrate is then subjected to an electroplating (electrodeposition) process in order to fill the recessed trenches and vias with copper. The electroplating may continue until all of the recessed features are filled, which may involve continuing with electrodeposition until an overburden is formed (a layer on the surface of the substrate typically less than 2 microns thick). The overburden may be removed using a process such as chemical mechanical polishing.
It is known to use a pre-rinse step after the deposition of a seed layer and before electrodeposition of the copper, which is simply to clean the surface of the substrate and to remove contaminants, which may result in defect formation. Generally, the dielectric substrate is pre-rinsed with deionised or distilled water. Such a process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,806 B1.
Researchers have found that, for increasingly narrow vias (having a diameter less than 200 nm), there is an increased likelihood of defect formation in the copper interconnects when they are filled during electrodeposition. This is due to the way the copper is deposited onto the surfaces in and around recessed features during electrodeposition. During 'normal' electrodeposition (in which no organic additives are present in the electrolyte solution) onto a seeded dielectric substrate, it has been found a metal will deposit more quickly around the top edges of a via or trench compared to the bottom. The increased amount of copper deposition on the sides around the rim of a recessed feature can lead to a cavity forming in the copper as the electrodeposition progresses. This increased deposition around the rim of a recessed feature is due to two factors: (i) the transport of copper ions to the top of recessed feature is greater than to the bottom of recessed feature, largely due to diffusion, and (ii) there is higher electric field around the rim due to its closer proximity to the anode.
Alternatively, the recessed feature may be filled 'conformally', i.e. the metal deposition follows the conformation of recessed structure. This can lead to a vertical thin seam forming at the centre of recessed structure, which is undesirable. This seam can interfere with copper recrystallization and may trap electrolyte. It has been found that an excess of a suppressor in the electrolyte solution seems to promote this conformal filling.
With large recessed features (width>1 micron) 'normal' and 'conformal' deposition do not tend to result in defect formation, so the nature of the deposition was not so much of a concern for the filling these larger recessed features.
The most desirable way in which a narrow recessed feature is filled is in a 'bottom-up' or 'superconformal' manner, i.e. where the conductive material is deposited significantly faster at the bottom of the feature than on its side walls. Recent advances have provided deposition processes in which the filling of vias is in a superconformal manner. This generally involves using a combination of additives in the electrolyte solution, such as a organic polyether "suppressor" additive (such as PEG or copolymers of PEO/PPO), in combination with a smaller organic thiolate molecule "accelerator" additive (such as SPS).
The adsorption and incorporation behaviour of the adsorbed suppressor and accelerator molecule are unique. The thiolate accelerator, for instance, tends to float at the surface undergoing deposition while the suppressor may be displaced or incorporated into the electrodeposited copper. The difference in adsorption causes the floating thiolates to crowd together in the bottom of recessed structures. As a result of thiolate crowding at the bottom of recessed structures, the local deposition rate is increased (or accelerated) and bottom-up or superconformal filling is realized.
A "suppressor" is defined as a species that can adsorb on to the surface of a conductive material (for example a metal such as copper or an alloy thereof) and decreases the rate of electrodeposition of a metal (for example copper or an alloy thereof) on to the surface (on which the suppressor is adsorbed) compared to electrodeposition under the same conditions but in which no suppressor is present. Typical examples of suppressor polyethers are polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene glycol (PPG) and block copolymers of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide. Molecular weights of the suppressors may range from 500 to 20000 g/mol.
An "accelerator" (which is sometimes referred to in the art as a brightener or an anti-suppressor) is defined as a species that can adsorb on to the surface of a conductive material (for example a metal such as copper or an alloy thereof) and increases the rate of electrodeposition of a metal (for example copper or an alloy thereof) on to the surface (on which the accelerator is adsorbed) compared to electrodeposition under the same conditions but in which no accelerator is present. Typically, accelerators are sulphur-containing thiolates such as SPS (bis(3-sulfopropyl)-disodium-sulfoxide).
Accelerators and suppressors are known to those skilled in the art.
The present inventors have found that in electrodeposition processes in which superconformal filling occurs (e.g. using electrolytes containing accelerators and suppressors), there is still usually an initial stage where deposition onto the seed layer is conformal. There is a desire to reduce or eliminate this initial conformal filling since excessive conformal deposition results in voids.

Process for filling recessed features in a dielectric substrate


A guard casing encloses a substantial portion of the blade of a circular power saw. A cylindrical tube is carried by the casing for connection to a source of vacuum, the cylindrical tube having a slot extending longitudinally from one end thereof for accommodating therein a peripheral segment of the saw blade so that the sawdust produced by the blade is more efficiently collected. The cylindrical tube is adjustably mounted so that its slot can be appropriately positioned relative to the saw blade.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to circular power saws, and pertains more particularly to a dust collection system therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various bonnets, shrouds and hoods have been utilized in conjunction with power saws of various descriptions. For the most part, these devices enshroud the entire power saw and the dust is induced to enter a discharge port in the casing for removal via a flexible hose, there being a vacuum cleaner or other source of vacuum attached to the opposite or remote end of the hose. The difficulty with prior art devices, generally speaking, is that the casing cannot completely enclose the circular saw blade and thus a considerable amount of sawdust can escape into the surrounding environment which appreciably detracts from the previously-used arrangements. The problem is compounded by reason of the need for viewing the work being cut with the particular power saw, thereby providing space through which the sawdust exists without being drawn into the vacuum system.

Apparatus for collecting sawdust produced by a circular power saw


An assembly for adjusting the vertical height of a pipe in an animal waterer includes a bracket for securing the assembly to pen gating and a locking portion for locking the pipe at a particular height. The bracket includes a plurality of retaining loops having an arch portion with a pin protruding inwardly therefrom. The locking portion, having a locked position and an unlocked position, urges the pipe to engage the pins of the retaining loops in the locked position. In the unlocked position, the locking portion allows the pipe to move away from the pins so that the pipe may slide for height adjustment.

Young livestock confined to gated pens typically obtain drinking water from animal waterers. The height of the animal waterer must be periodically adjusted to accommodate for the growing size of the animals. Conventional animal waterers include a metal pipe, with the top end of the pipe being attached to a water supply and the bottom end of the pipe terminating in a nipple. The nippled end is shaped to fit into the animals' mouths. The pipe is usually attached to the gate by a metal bracket. The metal bracket includes a spring located between two tabs, with each tab having an oval shaped opening for the pipe to pass through. The spring forces the tabs apart and into a position angled with respect to the pipe, resulting in a frictional engagement of the pipe and the tabs. As the tabs are squeezed together, the spring compresses and the tabs become substantially perpendicular to the pipe, allowing the pipe to move vertically through the oval shaped openings and to adjust for the appropriate height of animals. Releasing the tabs results again in frictional engagement of the pipe at the newly adjusted height.
One problem that arises with existing animal waterers is that metal corrodes. Corrosion necessitates frequent replacement of parts and of the entire assembly. Also, corrosion of both the pipe and the bracket makes moving the pipe vertically within the tabs difficult. Another problem with conventional animal waterers is that a certain force must be exerted to compress the spring. An even greater amount of force is required to compress the spring when the spring and the tabs corrode. Additionally, existing animal waterers are costly because these assemblies include many parts that require labor intensive assembly.