A method and apparatus using a spectral analysis technique are disclosed. In one form of the invention, probabilities are selected to characterize the presence (and in another form, also a quantification of a characteristic) of peaks in an indexed data set for samples that match a reference species, and other probabilities are selected for samples that do not match the reference species. An indexed data set is acquired for a sample, and a determination is made according to techniques exemplified herein as to whether the sample matches or does not match the reference species. When quantification of peak characteristics is undertaken, the model is appropriately expanded, and the analysis accounts for the characteristic model and data. Further techniques are provided to apply the methods and apparatuses to process control, cluster analysis, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, and other procedures involving multiple comparisons of indexed data.

The present invention relates generally to the evaluation of objects using spectral data, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a method for evaluating spectrum data to determine whether samples include a particular characteristic.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cindexed data setxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cspectrumxe2x80x9d refers to a collection of measured values (xe2x80x9cresponsesxe2x80x9d) where each response is related to one or more of its neighbor elements. The relationship between the one or more neighbor elements may be, for example, categorical, spatial, or temporal. In addition, the relationship may be explicitly stated or implicitly understood from knowing the type of response data and/or how such data were obtained. When a unique index, either one-dimensional or multi-dimensional, is assigned (implicitly or explicitly) to each response, the data are considered indexed. One-dimensional indexed data is defined as data in ordered pairs (index value, response). The index values represent values of a parameter such as time, distance, frequency, or category; the response values can include but are not limited to signal intensity, particle or item counts, or concentration measurements. A multi-dimensional indexed data set or spectrum is also ordered data, but with each response indexed to a value for each dimension of a multi-dimensional array. Thus a two-dimensional index has a unique row and column address for each response (index value1, index value2, response).
Spectral/chromatographic data (as that produced by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) or gas chromatography) is gathered and analyzed to characterize samples. For example, such data sets may be analyzed in an attempt to determine whether or not a known substance is present in the sample. In other applications, the data may be analyzed in an attempt to evaluate whether a chemical or biological process is performing within acceptable bounds. Some existing methods for analysis include pattern recognition techniques and visual interpretation of spectrum plots. Many techniques use principal components analysis, including partial least squares and principal component regression methods.
The identification and/or characterization of significant or useful features in the analysis of indexed data is a classic problem. Often this problem is reduced to separating the desired signal from undesired noise by, for example, identifying peaks that may be of interest. For indexed data, each of such peaks appears as a deviation, that is to say a rise and a fall (or fall and rise), in the responses over consecutive indices. However, background noise can also result in such deviations of responses leading, for example, to the identification of false peaks in indexed data.
Traditionally, peak detection has been based upon identifying responses above a threshold value. Whether this peak detection has been performed manually or by use of an automated tool, threshold selection has been a critical function that has resisted an objectively optimal solution. Thus such previously known methods for threshold selection typically require arbitrary and subjective operator/analyst-dependent decision-making and are therefore an art. The effectiveness of such artful decision-making using these known traditional methods, and peak detection as a result, is also affected by signal-to-noise ratio, signal drift, and other variations in the baseline signal. Consequently, the operator/analyst often has had to apply several thresholds to the responses over different regions of indices to capture as much signal as possible. This approach has been shown to yield results that are not reproducible, to cause substantial signal loss, and to be subject to operator/analyst uncertainty.
An example of the problems with traditional peak detection and characterization algorithms and methods is illustrated by the development of statistical analysis methods for MALDI-MS. The MALDI-MS process begins with an analyte of interest placed on a sample plate and mixed with a matrix. The matrix is a compound selected to absorb specific wavelengths of light that are emitted by a selected laser. Light from the laser is then directed at the analyte mixture causing the matrix material to become ionized. This ionization of the matrix material, in turn, ionizes some molecules of the analyte which become analyte ions 100 (FIG. 1). A charge is applied just beyond the source region to extract ions into flight tube 102 and at a detector 104 to attract analyte ions 100, where detector 104 measures the ionic charge that arrives over a time interval. This measure of charge is converted to an abundance of ions, and the measured flight time of each packet of ions is converted to a mass/charge (m/z) ratio based on flight time measurements of 2-3 known analytes. Since ions 100 arrive at detector 104 in a dispersed packet that spans multiple sampling intervals, ions 100 are binned and counted over several m/z units as illustrated in FIG. 2.
Currently used algorithms require an operator/analyst to specify a detection threshold 200 for the intensities observed so that only peaks 202 that exceed this specified threshold will be detected and characterized. This procedure for setting the detection threshold appears conceptually appealing and suggests that m/z values for which no ions are present will be read as having a baseline relative abundance, while m/z values for which ions are present will result in a peak. However, as a result of this procedure, peaks 202 that are detected for a specific analyte are not only dependent on the MALDI-MS instrument used but also on the skill of the operator/analyst in setting the detection threshold 200 used for the analysis. If such a user-defined threshold 200 is too low, noise might erroneously be characterized as a peak; whereas if threshold 200 is too high, small peaks might erroneously be ignored as noise. Thus the manual setting of detection threshold 200 introduces variability that makes accurate statistical characterization of MALDI-MS spectra difficult. In addition, baseline noise is not constant over the entire data collection window and such variability decreases even further the effectiveness of current peak detection algorithms based on baseline thresholding. Also related to the problem of distinguishing signals from noise is the bounding uncertainty of the signal. It is well known that replicate analyses of a given sample often produce slightly different indexed data due to instrument variability and other factors not tied to an operator/analyst.
The related disclosures cited above provide improved methods of identifying significant features of test spectra. There remains, however, a need for improved methods of testing samples using peak indices and characteristics that are discovered using such techniques. Such applications include qualitative analysis (wherein one attempts to determine whether a sample does or does not contain a particular substance) and process control (wherein one attempts to detect at what point in time a process degrades to an unacceptable state).
The goal of process control in this context is to take sample spectra at given time epochs, and based on those spectra, to determine when the process begins to degrade or fail (i.e., becomes xe2x80x9cout of controlxe2x80x9d). Several techniques have been developed for control of analytical processes. Many of these methods take a series of sample spectra and compare each to the statistical distribution of a reference spectrum to determine if that spectrum falls inside or outside the expected range of variation for an under-control process. Such methods are useful for identifying dramatic changes in a monitored process, but they are generally deficient when processes undergo gradual or subtle changes over time.
An often-used process control method in chemometrics is the Hotelling T2 chart operating on principal components of the original spectrum/chromatogram. (See, e.g., Russell, E. L.; Chiang, L. H.; Braatz, R. D.; Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, vol. 51, pp. 81-93 (2000); Wilkstrom, C.; Albano, C.; Ericksson, L.; Friden, H.; Johansson, E.; Nordahl, A.; Rannar, S.; Sandberg, M.; Kettaneh-Wold, N.; Wold, S.; Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, vol. 42, pp. 221-231 (1998).) The T2 chart is a multivariate alternative to standard univariate process control methods (see, e.g. Zwillinger, Daniel (ed.), Standard Mathematical Tables and Formulae, 30th Ed. (CRC Press, 1996)), which monitor each variable (e.g., principal component or peak) separately. The T2 chart is a powerful alternative to univariate process control methods because a single test can be used to monitor all variables, and correlation between variables can be accounted for using traditional multivariate techniques.
The T2 test is easy to implement, and requires monitoring of only one statistic. The method can be used to monitor dramatic changes in a monitored process, but it is not adept at identifying gradual or subtle changes over time because it has no memory for recent observations-each observation is compared individually to the training sample. The decision for the current observation is not influenced by the test statistic for preceding observations even if they were almost out of control.
Sequential analysis has been developed to overcome this insensitivity to subtle process changes. Conceptually, a sequential test performs a random sample size hypothesis test:
xe2x80x83H0=Spectrum matches reference sample
HA=Spectrum does not match reference sample
on each spectrum in the sequence until an alternate (out of control) decision is made. Whereas the standard chemometrics methods test a single spectrum at a time for degradation or failure, a sequential test relies on the combined information from current and past observations to make this decision. As a result, sequential tests have been proven to be an improvement in the sense that they are more sensitive (i.e., detect process change more rapidly) than their non-sequential counterparts. (See Ghosh, B. K.; Sen, P. K.; Handbook of Sequential Analysis (Marcel Dekker, Inc., N.Y. 1991) for background on sequential testing.)
In 1954, Page developed a univariate sequential test for the purpose of rapidly detecting a change in processes at random time points. (See Page, E.; Biometrika (1954) pp. 100-114.) Page""s test is essentially a modification of Wald""s sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) (cf. Wald, A.; Sequential Analysis (Wiley, 1947)) and is known as the cumulative sum (xe2x80x9cCUSUMxe2x80x9d) procedure. Developed for testing the parameters (such as the mean) of univariate random variables, this procedure has many desirable properties. Nonetheless, success of CUSUTM analysis depends on proper selection of its input parameters and accurate modeling of the underlying random variables. There is, therefore, a need for improved modeling of spectral sequences and analysis thereof in relation to the CUSUM procedure.
One form of the present invention is a unique model for indexed data, applied to determine more accurately whether a sample matches a reference object. Other forms include a unique method for process control based on this unique model wherein a sequence of indexed data sets is analyzed to determine at what point in time the process degrades to an unacceptable state.
In another form of the present invention, one determines whether a sample matches a reference species by selecting N indices lj of peaks in an indexed data set characterizing the reference species; selecting a first set of probabilities pj that peaks will occur at the corresponding indices lj, respectively, of an indexed data set that characterizes the sample when the sample matches the reference species; selecting a second set of probabilities qj that peaks will occur at indices lj, respectively, of an indexed data set that characterizes the sample when the sample does not match the reference species; choosing a threshold Kc; obtaining an indexed observation data set x1, x2, . . . xN, where xj∈{0, 1} and xj=1 if and only if a peak is present in the sample at lj; deciding that the sample matches the reference species if xcexxe2x89xa6Kc where       λ    =                            ∑                      1            ≤            j            ≤            N                                            xe2x80x83                                  log                                (                                          1                -                                  p                  j                                                            1                -                                  q                  j                                                      )                              +                        ∑                      1            ≤            j            ≤            N                                            xe2x80x83                                              x            j                                          log                                      [                                                                    p                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              q                        j                                                              )                                                                                q                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              p                        j                                                              )                                                              ]                                            ;
and deciding that the sample does not match the reference species if xcex greater than Kc.
In another form of the present invention, a method is provided for determining whether a sample matches a reference species. From the peaks in an indexed data set, N indices lj are selected that characterize the reference species. Probabilities pi and qi are selected to reflect that peaks will occur in an indexed data set characterizing the sample when the sample does or does not, respectively, match the reference species. A threshold Kc is chosen, and an indexed observation data set X=x1, x2, . . . xN, where xj∈{0, 1} and xj=1 if and only if a peak is present in the sample at index lj. It is decided that the sample matches the reference species if xcexxe2x89xa6Kc where       λ    =                            ∑                      1            ≤            j            ≤            N                                            xe2x80x83                                  log                                (                                          1                -                                  p                  j                                                            1                -                                  q                  j                                                      )                              +                        ∑                      1            ≤            j            ≤            N                                            xe2x80x83                                              x            j                                          log                                      [                                                                    p                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              q                        j                                                              )                                                                                q                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              p                        j                                                              )                                                              ]                                            ;
and it is decided that the sample does not match the reference species if xcex greater than Kc.
In various implementations of this form the invention, one or more of the xe2x80x9cselectingxe2x80x9d steps is done with iterative proportional scaling, iterative weighed leased squares, or through application of a Lancaster or latent class model.
In another form of the invention, the indices of peaks in an indexed data set characterizing a reference species are selected, and the probabilities that peaks will occur at those indices of an indexed data set that characterizes a sample matching the reference species are selected. A set of probability density functions gi(yi; xcex8i) that characterize a measurable feature yi of the peak at index li (given the presence of a peak at index li) of a data set that characterizes a sample matching the reference species. Probabilities qi that peaks will occur at indices li of an indexed data set that characterizes a non-matching sample, and probability density functions gi(yi; xcexa9i) that characterize the measurable feature yi of the peak at index li (given the presence of a peak at index li) of a data set that characterizes a non-matching sample are selected. A threshold Kc is selected, and an indexed observation data set x1, x2, . . . xN is obtained (where xj ∈{0, 1}, and xj=1 if and only if a peak is present in the sample at lj). A feature data set yi, y2, . . . yN is obtained where yi=0 if no peak is present in the sample at index li, and where yi ∈(0, 1} if a peak is present in the sample at index li. It is decided that the sample matches the reference species if       λ    =                            ∑                      i            =            1                    N                                  xe2x80x83                                  [                                    log                                            xe2x80x83                                                                            1                  -                                      p                    i                                                                    1                  -                                      q                    i                                                                        +                                          x                i                                                          {                                                      log                                                              xe2x80x83                                                                                p                          i                                                                                (                                                      1                            -                                                          q                              i                                                                                )                                                                                q                          i                                                                                (                                                      1                            -                                                          p                              i                                                                                )                                                                                +                                      log                                                              xe2x80x83                                                                                g                          i                                                                                (                                                                                y                              i                                                        ;                                                          θ                              i                                                                                )                                                                                g                          i                                                                                (                                                                                y                              i                                                        ;                                                          Ω                              i                                                                                )                                                                                }                                              ]                    ≤              K        c              ,
and it is decided that the sample does not match the reference species if xcex greater than Kc. In various implementations of this invention, gi(xc2x7) is a lognormal, gamma, or Poisson density. In some implementations, the xe2x80x9cmeasurable featurexe2x80x9d is the intensity of the peak at index li, the width of the peak at index li, or a quantification of the skew of the peak at index li.
In another form of the invention, the status of a process at any point t in time is characterized by an indexed observation data set Xt={x1,t, x2,t, . . . xN,t}, where xj,t∈{0, 1}, and xj,t=1 if and only if a peak is present at time t in the sample at index lj. A first set pj and a second set qj of probabilities are selected, where j=1, 2, . . . N, and pj and qj reflect the probabilities that a peak will occur at index lj when the process is or is not (respectively) operating normally. A sequence X1, X2, . . . XT of indexed observation data sets is acquired, and the process is stopped when it is determined that the Cn equals or exceeds a predetermined value A, where
C0=0;
Cn=Snxe2x88x92min1xe2x89xa6jxe2x89xa6n {Sj} for nxe2x89xa71; and
      S    n    =                    ∑                  1          ≤          j          ≤          N                                  xe2x80x83                          log                          (                                    1              -                              p                j                                                    1              -                              q                j                                              )                      +                  ∑                  1          ≤          j          ≤          N                                  xe2x80x83                                    x                      j            ,            t                                                        log                                      [                                                                    p                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              q                        j                                                              )                                                                                q                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              p                        j                                                              )                                                              ]                                .
In one implementation of this form, A is selected as a function of the desired false alarm rate of the test.
In another form of the invention, the status of a process at any point t in time is characterized by an indexed observation data set Xt={x1,t, x2,t, . . . xN,t}, where xj,t ∈{0, 1}, and xj,t=1 if and only if a peak is present at time t in the sample at index lj. A first set pj and a second set qj of probabilities are selected, where j=1, 2, . . . N, and pj and qj reflect the probabilities that a peak will occur at index lj when the process is or is not (respectively) operating normally. A first set of probability density functions gi(yi; xcex8i) and a second set of probability density functions gi(yi; xcexa9i) are selected to characterize a measurable feature yi of the peak at index li (given the presence of such a peak) in a data set that characterizes the sample when the sample matches (or does not match, respectively) the reference species. A sequence X1, X2, . . . XT of indexed observation data sets is acquired, and the process is stopped when it is determined that the Cn equals or exceeds a predetermined value A, where
C0=0;
Cn=Snxe2x88x92min1xe2x89xa6jxe2x89xa6h{Sj} for nxe2x89xa71; and
      S    n    =            ∑              i        =        1            N                  xe2x80x83                          [                              log                                      xe2x80x83                                                                  1                -                                  p                  i                                                            1                -                                  q                  i                                                              +                                    x              i                                                  {                                                log                                                        xe2x80x83                                                                                p                        i                                                                                (                                                  1                          -                                                      q                            i                                                                          )                                                                                q                        i                                                                                (                                                  1                          -                                                      p                            i                                                                          )                                                                                +                                  log                                                        xe2x80x83                                                                                g                        i                                                                                (                                                                              y                            i                                                    ;                                                      θ                            i                                                                          )                                                                                g                        i                                                                                (                                                                              y                            i                                                    ;                                                      Ω                            i                                                                          )                                                                                }                                      ]            .
In one implementation of this form, A is selected as a function of the desired false alarm rate of the test. In some implementations, at least one of the probability density functions gi(xc2x7) is either a normal, lognormal, gamma, or Poisson density function.
Still another form of the present invention is a system for analyzing a sample in comparison with a reference species, comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer-readable medium. The memory stores data indicative of probabilities pj (j=1, 2, . . . N) that peaks will occur at indices lj of an indexed data set that characterizes a sample matching the reference species; data indicative of probabilities qj that peaks will occur at indices lj of an indexed data set that characterizes a sample not matching the reference species; data indicative of a threshold value; and an indexed sample data set xj characterizing the sample, wherein each xj is a binary value that indicates whether or not a peak is present at index li. The computer-readable medium is encoded with programming instructions executable by the processor to calculate a log-likelihood ratio       λ    =                            ∑                      1            ≤            j            ≤            N                                            xe2x80x83                                  log                                (                                          1                -                                  p                  j                                                            1                -                                  q                  j                                                      )                              +                        ∑                      1            ≤            j            ≤            N                                            xe2x80x83                                              x            j                                          log                                      [                                                                    p                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              q                        j                                                              )                                                                                q                    j                                                                          (                                          1                      -                                              p                        j                                                              )                                                              ]                                            ,
to generate a first signal when xcex is less than the threshold value, and to generate a second signal when xcex is greater than the threshold value.
In some embodiments of this form, Kc is selected such that, given that the sample matches the reference species, P{xcex greater than Kc}xe2x89xa6xcex1 for a predetermined type I error probability xcex1. In other embodiments, the selecting steps comprise iterative proportional scaling calculations, iterative weighted least squares calculations, or application of a Lancaster model or latent class model.
Yet another form of the present invention is a method of determining whether a sample matches a reference species. The method includes selecting N indices lj of peaks in an indexed data set characterizing the reference species; selecting a first set of probabilities pj that peaks will occur at indices lj, respectively, of an indexed data set that characterizes the sample when the sample matches the reference species; selecting a first set of probability density functions gi(yi; xcex8i) that characterize a measurable feature yi of the peak at index li given the presence of a peak at index li in a data set that characterizes the sample when the sample matches the reference species; selecting a second set of probabilities qj that peaks will occur at indices lj of an indexed data set that characterizes the sample when the sample does not match the reference species; selecting a second set of probability density functions gi(yi; xcexa9i) that characterize the measurable feature yi of the peak at index li given the presence of such a peak in a data set that characterizes the sample when the sample does not match the reference species; selecting a threshold Kc; obtaining an indexed observation data set x1, x2, . . . xN where xi ∈{0, 1} and xi=1 if and only if a peak is present in the sample at li; deciding (a) that the sample matches the reference species if xcexxe2x89xa6Kc where   λ  =            ∑              i        =        1            N                  xe2x80x83                  [                        log                                xe2x80x83                                                        1              -                              p                i                                                    1              -                              q                i                                                    +                              x            i                                          {                                          log                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                                p                      i                                                                                (                                              1                        -                                                  q                          i                                                                    )                                                                                q                      i                                                                                (                                              1                        -                                                  p                          i                                                                    )                                                                                +                              log                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                                g                      i                                                                                (                                                                        y                          i                                                ;                                                  θ                          i                                                                    )                                                                                g                      i                                                                                (                                                                        y                          i                                                ;                                                  Ω                          i                                                                    )                                                                                }                              ]
or (b) that the sample does not match the reference species if xcex greater than Kc.
In some embodiments of this form, one or more gi(xc2x7) are lognormal densities given by                     g        i                          (                              y            i                    ;                      θ            i                          )              =                            q          i                                  (                                                    y                i                            ;                              μ                i                                      ,                          σ              i              2                                )                    =                        1                                    y              i                                                                  2                                                  πσ                  2                                                                            exp                          {                      -                                                            (                                                            log                                                                    xe2x80x83                                                                                y                        i                                                              -                                          μ                      i                                                        )                                2                                            2                                                  σ                  i                  2                                                              }                      ,            y      i        ≥    0.
In some other embodiments, one or more gi(xc2x7) are gamma densities given by                     g        i                          (                              y            i                    ;                      θ            i                          )              =                            q          i                                  (                                                    y                i                            ;                              α                i                                      ,                          β              i                                )                    =                        1                                    Γ                              α                i                                                                β              i                              α                i                                                                      y          i                                    α              i                        -            1                                            exp                                (                                          -                                  y                  i                                            /                              β                i                                      )                                ,            y      i        ≥    0.
In still other embodiments, one or more gi(xc2x7) are Poisson densities given by                     g        i                          (                              y            i                    ;                      θ            i                          )              =                            θ                      y            i                                            exp                                (                          -                              θ                i                                      )                                                y          i                !              ,            y      i        =    0    ,  1  ,  2  ,      …              xe2x80x83        .
In some embodiments of this form of the invention, the measurable feature is the intensity of the peak at index li. In other embodiments, the measurable feature is the width of the peak at index li; while in still other embodiments, the measurable feature is a quantification of the skew of the peak at index li.
In yet another form of the invention, various distinct classes of spectra are created, each with pi and qi (and possibly gi(yi; xcex8i) and gi(yi; xcexa9i)) derived from control spectra. The spectrum for a sample is obtained, and a xcex is calculated for the spectrum relative to the model for each class. The sample is associated with one of the distinct classes using a maximum likelihood approach, i.e., the class for which the xcex obtained.
Still another form of the invention is in the field of cluster analysis, wherein the analysis described herein is applied to identify distinct classes or groups in a set of spectra. In doing so, one may embed the comparison technique disclosed herein in cluster analysis techniques such as k-means, hierarchical, leader, and fuzzy clustering methods.
A further form of the invention is in hypothesis testing, with applications in process control (as discussed in detail herein), simple or composite hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, or other statistical procedures involving multiple comparisons.
Still further forms of the invention will occur to one skilled in the art in light of the disclosure herein.

Model for spectral and chromatographic data


A router bit case that includes a bottom half that having a plurality of router bit-shaped recesses with a substantially flat bottom surface that includes a sloped portion and a deepened cavity. The router bit case also includes a top half having a plurality of recesses formed therein, a plurality of hinges and a closing device.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to a case or housing that may be used to store router bits. More particularly, the instant invention relates to a router bit case having recessed router bit compartments with a sloped bottom portion that corresponds to the bottom end of a router bit's shank.
2. Background of the Invention
Typically, machine bits such as router and drill bits are stored in plastic, metal or wooden cases or housings. With respect to router bits, these cases usually come in two varieties. One type of case contains recessed portions in the shape of the bit profile into which the router bits are placed and held. In this type of case or housing, the shank portions of the bit are usually recessed below the surface of the case making it difficult for a user to remove the bit without grabbing the body portion of the bit that contains the sharpened cutting blades. Another type of router bit case contains holes into which the shank portions of the router bits are placed. In this type of case, the body portion of the bit remains exposed making it an obvious choice for a user to grasp in order to remove the desired bit.
With both types of prior art cases, the router bits are usually held in place by some type of retaining means or by frictional forces. Therefore, a user removing a router bit from either of the two conventional router bit cases or housings is required to exert a force in order to remove the bit. Because the body portions of the router bit are usually the only portions of a router bit that remain exposed while the bits are stored in a case, a user is forced to grasp the body portions that contain the cutting blades to forcibly remove the bits from the case. This, however, places a user at high risk of injuring himself or herself on the sharpened cutting blades.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide an alternative to current router bit storage means that is safer than those that exist in the art.


A device and method of producing a multi-layer film composite is provided. In accordance with the device and method, a temperature-controllable or heatable roll serves as a sealing tool, on the circumferential surface of which a number of plastic film webs are sealed together under the application of pressure and heat. The plastic film webs come into contact with the circumferential surface of the roll at equal or varying distances from each other and are guided over pressure rolls. These pressure rolls are in contact with the circumferential surface of the heatable roll under pressure. The plastic film webs pass through the gaps between the pressure rolls and the heatable roll. The plastic film webs are alternately sealing layer-free or provided on one or both sides with sealing layers, which are fused by the action of heat, so that sealing of the laminated plastic film webs on the circumferential surface of the heatable roll occurs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for producing a multi-layer film composite from plastic films having a number of supply rolls, onto which the plastic films in web form are wound. This invention also relates to a process for producing a multi-layer film composite from films including biaxially stretched thermoplastic, monoaxially stretched thermoplastic and unstretched thermoplastic, coextruded films. The films are laminated to each other with the application of pressure and heat.
2. Background
Various industries, for example apparatus engineering, automotive and aeronautical engineering or safety technology, are taking an increasingly intense interest in high-strength film composites and composite bodies. Such composites typically are in the form of webs as well as of semi-finished products, such as sheet, and as finished components. Following this development, techniques for producing mechanically relatively high-strength products are being developed by sheet manufacturers. Simultaneously with the modification of the polymeric materials provided for sheet production by the incorporation of reinforcing materials such as textile, glass or carbon fibers, techniques are being developed for manufacturing inherently strengthened sheets by orientation mechanisms.
These techniques include roll-press stretching, or the process disclosed in EP-A 0,207,047, which consists of pressing a plurality of biaxially stretched films treated with thin coextruded sealing layers under the application of pressure and heat to form a homogeneous sheet of any desired thickness. To this end, the stack of films inserted between two press plates typically is introduced into a batch-operation such as hydraulic platen presses of single or multi-platen design. The pressing operation is governed by process parameters such as pressure, temperature and time. Time, in particular stands in the way of economical production of composite laminates, especially in the case of through-heating very thick sheets. Continuously operating presses, especially double-belt presses, represent a practical, time-saving solution in this regard, but can only be used to a limited extent due to their speed of operation.
German Patent 35 30 309 discloses a process and a device for the continuous production of thermoplastic webs, especially for further processing to sheets or films, from at least one extruded thermoplastic web. The web typically is heated to processing temperature, and is cooled under pressure while in the heated state between two stationary plates so that the surface of the thermoplastic web is sized and smoothed. The cooling of the thermoplastic web takes place under the effect of surface pressure, and the web is guided, during cooling, between two continuously moving, endlessly circulating press belts.
A uniform surface pressure is exerted from the plates hydraulically or mechanically onto the inner side of the moving press belts and transmitted from these to the thermoplastic web. The plates typically are held at a lower temperature than the final temperature of the thermoplastic web in order to maintain a temperature gradient between the thermoplastic web, the press belt and the plate. Cooling of the thermoplastic web generally takes place by heat dissipation from the web via the press belt to the plates by thermal conduction. During normal operation, the surface pressure acts throughout the cooling of the thermoplastic web between the press belts.

Device and process for producing a multi-layer film composite


In order to store thermoplastic preforms in a container, the outside faces of the preforms are treated so as to make said outside faces more slippery, and the preforms are stored in bulk in the container, with the outside faces of the preforms after treatment presenting a coefficient of friction that is low enough to ensure that the packing density, i.e. the number of preforms stored per unit volume, is greater than the packing density that would be obtained under the same conditions with non-treated preforms.

Receptacles made of polyester, for example bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are conventionally manufactured in two successive stages: in a first stage, a thermoplastic preform is made by injecting one or more thermoplastic resins into a mold; in a second stage, the preform is blown and stretched in a blow mold so as to form the receptacle. These two stages are not necessarily performed immediately in line one after the other, and indeed they can be performed on different production sites. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to store the preforms on the site where they are produced so that they can subsequently be taken to the blowing machine which might possibly be situated on a different production site that is remote from the site where the preforms are produced.
A first known storage method consists in filling a container with the preforms in bulk. The container can be made of various materials (metal, card, . . . ), and can have a variety of shapes and sizes. The preforms are inserted from above, dropping under gravity into the inside of the open container. In order to reduce the mechanical impacts to which the preforms are subjected on being introduced into the container, special equipments have been developed so as to cause the height through which the preforms fall to be matched automatically relative to the height of the pile of preforms that is building up inside the container, so as to limit the height of fall.
The major drawback of that method of bulk storage lies in poor use of the storage volume of the container, which amounts to low packing density, i.e. a small number of preforms being stored per unit volume. In practice, it is also observed that a convex dome forms at the top portion of the pile of preforms, where such a dome is characteristic of poor utilization of storage volume. However, for manifest economic reasons, associated mainly with the cost of transporting preforms, it is naturally preferable for storage volumes to be as small as possible, particularly for the purpose of making it possible to transport as large as possible a number of preforms in a given number of containers.
In order to improve the packing density of preforms in a container, proposals have already been made in the past to store preforms in ordered manner, by stacking preforms so that they are oriented in such a manner that the preforms in a given row point in the opposite direction to the preforms in an adjacent row. That solution is described in particular in U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,706. That solution does indeed enable the volume occupied by the preforms inside the container to be optimized in comparison with bulk storage. However, it presents the drawback of requiring special equipment that is complex and expensive in order to store the preforms in the container.

Method for storing thermoplastic preforms in a container


A method of protecting a bond pad during die-sawing comprising the following steps. A substrate having a bond pad formed thereover is provided. A bond pad protection layer is formed over the bond pad. The substrate is die-sawed and the bond pad protection layer is removed by heating.

A probe mark is left on bond pads after chip probe (CP) sorting. This probe mark will be enlarged during the integrated circuit (IC) assembly wafer die-sawing due to a so-called "Galvanic effect," i.e. an electrochemical reaction on the bond pad during the die-sawing. This may: expose the bond pad under-layer which has a great impact on the subsequent wire bonding process; degrade the wire bond integrity; and lead to assembly yield loss.
This probe mark enlargement is especially so and more serious for the larger 12-inch wafers since longer die-sawing is required for the larger area of the 12 inch-wafer. To minimize this exacerbated problem for the larger 12-inch wafers conventionally, attempts are made to shorten the 12-inch wafer die-saw process time although sometimes this is not possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,224 B1 to Peterson et al. discloses protection of microelectronic devices during packaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,561 B1 to Liu et al. discloses a semiconductor chip.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,694 B1 to Liu et al. discloses a method of testing and packaging a semiconductor chip.

Implementation of protection layer for bond pad protection

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A system adapted to dry microelectronic, optical or other critical parts which in the course of their processing are rendered wet and become contaminated unless fully dried. The system includes an upright drying chamber having an inlet at its lower end and an outlet at its upper end, the parts to be dried being supported in a work zone between the inlet and outlet. Coupled to the inlet of the drying chamber is an input chamber having a blower therein which blows heated gas into the drying chamber through a filter unit covering the inlet thereto The blower creates a negative pressure in the input chamber and a positive pressure in the drying chamber in which the filtered heated gas acts to evaporate moisture from the parts in the work zone. Surrounding the drying chamber and communicating with the input chamber is an annular duct which due to the negative pressure in the input chamber draws heated moist gas from the outlet of the drying chamber into the input chamber for recirculation in the drying chamber in a toroidal flow patterns Because the heated gas flowing through the annular duct envelopes the drying chamber, it acts to maintain this chamber at a uniform operating temperature to promote uniform drying of the parts.

1. Field of Invention:
This invention relates generally to systems for drying microelectronic, optical or other critical parts which in the course of their processing are rendered wet with water or other liquids, and more particularly to a system in which the parts to be dried are subjected to a laminar flow of heated gas in a toroidal flow pattern which promotes uniform evaporative drying of these parts
2. Status of Prior Art:
In critical parts drying systems of the type currently in use in fabricating integrated circuit silicon wafers and other microelectronic devices, in which the parts are rendered wet in the course of their processing, in order to achieve optimum cleanliness and a high yield of uncontaminated parts it is vital that the wet parts be subjected to uniform treatment throughout the work zone of the drying chambers.
Thus if the parts to be dried are supported within a chamber into which is fed a heated gas to promote evaporative drying, and no means are included to govern or direct the gas stream being fed into the chamber, stagnant pockets of gas will develop in those regions of the chamber which are displaced from this gas stream, and not all of these parts will be adequately dried. Because some of the parts remain contaminated by residual moisture, their quality is impaired.
With a view to producing more satisfactory gas flow patterns in a critical parts drying system, it is known to use for this purpose flow diffusers, such as perforated screens, baffles, and other expedients to modify or split up the gas stream to create a desirable flow pattern. However, the stringent demands now imposed on process control are such that deflectors and other means for modifying gas flow are inadequate, and satisfactory drying results are not realized.
In order to overcome these drawbacks, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,543,776 to Layton discloses a drying chamber in which the parts to be dried in a work zone are subjected to the flow of a heated inert gas, such as nitrogen. The arrangement is such that the gas flow pattern is laminar, thereby effecting a uniform and efficient drying action.
The advantage of a laminar flow pattern over a pattern that is somewhat turbulent is that it helps to avoid streaking and water spotting, thereby ensuring complete and uniform drying.
To this end, incoming gas is fed into a pressure chamber disposed below the work zone in the drying chamber, the pressure chamber being covered by a porous membrane. Under this membrane is a diffuser screen which prevents the gas from directly striking the membrane. As a result, the incoming gas which fills the pressure chamber filters through the membrane into the work zone thereabove in the drying chamber, the membrane producing a pressure differential and hence laminar flow in the work zone.
In practice, the membrane used to establish a laminar flow of nitrogen has a limited ability to serve as an effective particulate filter except for slow gas flow rates. The reason for this limitation is that in all but the smallest pressure chambers, it is necessary that the membrane have a fairly large pore size, otherwise one runs the risk of membrane rupture. To make possible greater flow rates without damaging the membrane, carefully designed membrane supports are provided to this end. But, in general, it was found necessary to augment gas filtration with an auxiliary filter in the gas supply line in all but laboratory scale versions of the drying chamber.
The need to use an auxiliary in-line submicron filter did not impose serious limitations on the utility of the evaporative drying chamber until the disadvantages of solvent drying and the environmental problems created thereby led to a growing interest in the use of evaporative drying in areas other than semiconductor and integrated-circuit processing, using purified air instead of nitrogen. Thus the precision optics industry and even the eyeglass lens processing industry are at present actively engaged in replacing existing hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon solvent drying systems with other available and cost effective methods.
In my prior Layton U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,201, there is disclosed a parts drying system in which the parts to be dried are subjected to a laminar flow stream created by a high-efficiency particulate air filter unit of the Hepa type which ensures point-of-use submicron filtration with minimal pressure drop. As a consequence, one may use a low-pressure blower to draw in environmental ambient air rather than more costly purified compressed air or dry nitrogen.
The system in the Layton '201 patent includes an open-ended drying chamber having a work zone in which the parts to be dried are supported for exposure to a gas stream One end of the chamber defines a gas inlet to admit the gas stream which sweeps the entire chamber. Coupled to the drying chamber is a pressure chamber in which a submicron particle filter unit of the Hepa type producing a relatively low pressure drop is disposed to cover the gas inlet. Gas fed into the pressure chamber and heated to an elevated temperature imposes a distributed pressure on the entry face of the filter unit and passes therethrough to yield at its exit face a laminar stream of hot gas that subjects the parts in the work zone to a substantially uniform drying action. In this way all parts being treated are fully dried.
In order to conserve thermal energy and render the system more efficient in operations the '201 Layton patent system includes a duct which couples the outlet of the drying chamber to the pressure chamber. The duct acts to return heated gas emerging from the outlet of the drying chamber back to the pressure chamber for recirculation through the system.
When this system operates in a recirculating mode, the vapor content of the recirculating heated gas increases in the course of a drying operation. It is necessary therefore from time-to-time to purge the vapor-laden gas into the atmosphere and to thereafter resume operation with a fresh supply of dry gas. To this end my prior '201 Layton system includes gates which can be switched from a position in which moist gas is recirculated by way of the duct, to a position in which the moist gas is exhausted into the atmosphere.
In the prior '201 Layton patent system, in order to maintain an operating temperature in the drying chamber that is uniform and therefore effects uniform drying of the parts, attached to the walls of the drying chamber are external heating blankets These blankets which supplement the electrical heater element in the pressure chamber contribute substantially to the cost of manufacturing the system and they also add to energy operating costs.

Laminar flow system for drying critical parts


An apparatus and method for determining a physical parameter affecting an optical sensor or a number of sensors in a network. The apparatus uses a narrow linewidth source at an emission wavelength λe and an arrangement for varying the emission wavelength λe of the radiation. An analysis module with curve fitting is used to generate a fit to the response signal obtained from the optical sensor. The physical parameter is determined form the fit rather than from the response signal. The apparatus can be employed with Bragg gratings, etalons, Fabry Perot elements or other optical sensors.

A number of optical sensors including respond to environmental changes by varying a property of an incident radiation. Some example properties that can be varies are transmittance, reflectance, absorbance or polarization of the incident radiation. As a result, systems for monitoring environmental effects using optical sensors such as Fabry-Peron elements and, even more so, Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) have received considerable attention. FBGs are regions in optical fibers where the refractive index is varied in accordance to a certain pattern. Specifically, an FBG has a grating pitch Λ and an effective refractive index n that define a Bragg wavelength λB at which radiation is reflected by the FBG in accordance with the following equation:λB=2nΛ.
Since pitch Λ and effective index n are very sensitive to changes in environmental effects such as temperature, pressure, strain, vibration, acoustics, etc., FBGs are effective in monitoring such changes. Consequently, numerous prior art systems teach to determine environmental changes directly from variations in Bragg wavelength λB using different systems and various operation modalities. For example, the reader is referred to U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,913 to Ball et al. for a description of an active operation mode and to U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,312 to Kersey for a description of time domain reflectometry with modulated signal. Of further interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,684,297; 5,723,857; 5,798,521; 6,448,551 and 6,492,636.
Several prior art systems designed to measure stress and temperature variations in mechanical structures employ a fiber network with a number of FBGs at locations where these variations are to be monitored. These systems use a broadband light source for supplying radiation to the FBGs. The reflected portions of the radiation corresponding to the Bragg wavelengths of the FBGs are detected with the aid of a tunable filter. Davis et al. teaches an exemplary system of this kind in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,585.
Unfortunately, the use of broadband light sources and tunable detectors incurs a number of disadvantages. First, since broadband sources intrinsically cover a wide emission spectrum they tend to consume a lot of energy. Second, such sources are unable to provide high radiation intensities within the narrow wavelength windows to which the Bragg wavelengths are confined. Hence, the intensities of the reflected portions tend to be low. Third, tunable filters tend to have wide and difficult to control passbands. Thus, they are not well suited for precisely monitoring Bragg wavelengths that are very narrow band. This situation is aggravated in cases where the Bragg wavelengths shift quickly and/or by small amounts due to correspondingly rapid or small variations of the environmental factors. Finally, systems using broadband sources tend to be complex and expensive.
To overcome some of the disadvantages associated with broadband sources U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,956 to Dunphy et al. teaches a diagnostic system for fiber grating sensor using tunable light sources. The system scans the light sources across a predetermined wavelength range and illuminates each sensor. This system can operate in a transmission or reflection mode. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,920 to Ellerbrock et al. entitled Optical Fiber Sensor System teaches the use of one tunable light source, e.g., an LED and a tunable etalon, for delivering light to all sensors. Still more recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,507 to Malvern et al. entitled "Modulated Fibre Bragg Grating Strain Gauge Assembly for Absolute Gauging of Strain" discloses the use of tunable light sources and frequency modulation to determine absolute direction and magnitude of strain from a ratio of reflected intensity values 1f:2f, where f is the modulation frequency.
Despite these advances, problems associated with precise monitoring of light reflected at Bragg wavelengths that are very narrow band and fluctuate due to environmental perturbations and system instabilities remain.

System and method for monitoring environmental effects using optical sensors


A connector assembly includes a retractable stabilizer moveable between a blade alignment position and a seated position in a shroud of a male connector. The retractable stabilizer is in the blade alignment position when the connector assembly is unmated and in the seated position when the connector assembly is mated. The retractable stabilizer includes a base and at least one position arm, at least one retention feature, and a securing member that extend from the base. When the connector assembly is unmated, the female connector pulls on the securing member which draws the retractable stabilizer to move from the seated position back towards the blade alignment position. When the at least one retention feature engages a blocking feature on the shroud, the at least one position arm flexes into at least one aperture defined in the shroud to secure the retractable stabilizer at the blade assembly position for reuse.

It is known to use a retractable stabilizer in an electrical connection system, such as may be found in automotive electrical wiring systems. The retractable stabilizer is disposed in a housing of a male connector and moves in the male connector to protect and stabilize male terminals during their connection with female terminals in a corresponding female connector when the male and the female connector are connected together. Stabilizers also assist to keep undesired foreign matter, or debris out of the connector system environment to prevent intermittent electrical connections between the mated terminals and prevent blockage between the connectors that may impede the mating of the connection system.
The retractable stabilizer is moveable between a blade alignment position and a seated position in a housing of the male connector. In the blade alignment position, distal tips of the male terminals are exposed above a surface of the stabilizer facing the incoming female terminals. With connection of the connection system, the female connector makes contact with the stabilizer and urges the stabilizer deep into the male connector that increasingly exposes the male terminals for electrical connection with the advancing insertion of the female terminals. When the connection system is unconnected, the female connector interacts with the stabilizer so that the stabilizer moves back to the blade alignment position for reuse when the connection system is again reconnected. The construction and manufacture of current retractable stabilizer connection systems is such that these systems have retractable stabilizers that require an undesired high coupling force to operate during the mating and unmating of the connection system. It is desirable to have a low coupling force of the connection system during manufacture of a vehicle as this makes it easier for an assembly operator to mate the connection system together and may result in decreased hand and arm fatigue for the assembly operator. Reducing the coupling force to operate the retractable stabilizer reduces the overall coupling force needed to mate and unmate the connection system. As current connection system configurations age over their useful service life in an application, such as a vehicular application, the elements of the connection system, including the retractable stabilizer, may become fatigued where the retractable stabilizer may not retract back to the blade alignment position for reuse when the connection system is unmated. If the retractable stabilizer remains undesirably positioned deep in the male connector when the connection system is unconnected, an increased portion of the male terminals are exposed above the retractable stabilizer which increases the risk for male terminal damage, such as having bent or broken terminals, when connection system is reconnected. Damaged male terminals require servicing to the connection system which undesirably increases repair costs of the connection system.
Accordingly, what is needed is a reliable electrical connector assembly that has a retractable stabilizer that operates with less coupling force to protect the male terminals where the connector assembly mates and unmates while providing robust retractable stabilizer operation over a service life of the connector assembly.

Connector assembly having retractable stabilizer including inward flexing securing member


A lightable corner guard available for attachment to the protruding corner edge of two adjoining walls. The corner guard utilizes a flexible cover to protect occupants and objects that impact the corner edge. In a preferred embodiment, the corner guard utilizes a microphone amplifying control circuit that is activated upon the receipt of sound from a conventional smoke alarm. The control circuit directing battery voltage to a step-up transformer which in turn energizing flash tubes for illuminating the corner guard and surrounding area. The control circuit includes an oscillator for strobing the flash tubes and a sleep cycle to conserve battery power.

Corner guards are well known for their ability to protect the protruding edge of two adjoining walls. The protruding edge is a 90 degree right angle extending from the floor to the ceiling at the juncture of two adjoining walls, the protruding edge also referred to as the corner, the corner edge, or simply the edge. The primary purpose of the conventional corner guard is to protect the edge from damage. For example, if the corner edge is painted and a chair is pushed into the edge, the corner may chip unless protected by a corner guard. If the wall is covered with decorative wall covering such as wallpaper and a person brushes against the edge, the paper will peel unless protected by a corner guard. The use of inflexible materials such as tile or brick for construction assures protection of the corner edge despite the regularity in which the corner edge impacted, however, injury is expected to befall a person who accidentally collides with a corner edge made from inflexible materials.
During an emergency many people, especially the very young and very old, can become confused, disoriented, and lost, increasing the likelihood of injury if the person collides with an inflexible corner edge. If an emergency is accompanied by a loss of hallway illumination the inflexible corner edge becomes a dangerous obstacle. Those familiar with commercial buildings, especially retirement homes and hospitals are cognizant of the safety problems that accompany an emergency situation where no natural lighting is available. Due to these safety problems most jurisdictions require, by law, that commercial buildings whether public or private have emergency lighting to assist persons in avoiding corner edges or other obstacles that become dangerous obstacles in an unlit area.
The most familiar type of emergency lighting is an "EXIT" sign illuminated over designated escape routes. The exit sign is regulated by building codes and strategically placed over doorways or along the ceiling of corridors pointing toward a continuous and unobstructed means of egress to a pubic way. Exit signs are designed to be illuminated at all times whether or not a situation is termed emergency by a light source capable of sign illumination. However, illumination of an exit sign does not provide sufficient illumination for an occupant to safely avoid obstacles that are not illuminated, such as protruding corner edges. Code requires illumination of the exit sign, not the corridor leading up to the exit sign. For example, if smoke fills a corridor, occupants are expected to move through the corridor quickly while remaining as close to the floor surface as possible to prevent smoke inhalation, smoke filling the ceiling area first. The danger then arises that the occupants near the floor may strike a corner edge in their haste to escape. In addition, illumination of an exit sign mounted high overhead will not, in most situations, provide illumination if smoke covers the sign. Thus, without proper illumination the occupants may further succumb to panic leaving them confused, disoriented, or lost increasing the probability of injury to themselves and others.
One device used to overcome insufficient illumination during an emergency is spot lighting. Spot lights employ high intensity tungsten-halogen lamps using 1000 or higher wattage and are well suited for large unobstructed areas like factory warehouses, the singular source of light refracted and distributed over the area. Typically the electrical source is provided by a battery power supply with an AC charger during wait-state conditions. In the event of an emergency, the spot light has a means for automatically switching to the battery supply of electricity necessary to illuminate the spot lights during the emergency to provide the continuous supply. While the size of the battery depends upon the brilliance of light, the combination of battery, battery charger, and switch over device coupled with the spot lights is bulky. Placement of a conventional spot light near the base of a wall creates an unacceptable obstruction that may cause injury in and of itself.
When spot lighting is placed overhead in a confined area such as a corridor, the non-diffused light can add to disorientation or cause temporary blinding if an occupant looks at the light even momentarily. Since smoke is an excellent diffuser of light, spot lighting that illuminates a smoke filled corridor may cause a white-out effect creating a visual situation similar to that of having no light present.
Thus, the need for protecting a person from impacting a corner edge during an emergency is not being met, while efforts have been made toward effectively and simply resolving these problems, no satisfactory solution has heretofore been provided. My invention is specifically designed to compliment and in many situations overcome the aforementioned problems by providing a low cost, energy efficient illuminated corner guard. It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of these problems that the present invention is directed.


The present disclosure provides systems and methods for providing augmented reality experiences. Consistent with disclosed embodiments, one or more machine-learning models can be trained to selectively process image data. A pre-processor can be configured to receive image data provided by a user device and trained to automatically determine whether to select and apply a preprocessing technique to the image data. A classifier can be trained to identify whether the image data received from the pre-processor includes a match to one of a plurality of triggers. A selection engine can be trained to select, based on a matched trigger and in response to the identification of the match, a processing engine. The processing engine can be configured to generate an output using the image data, and store the output or provide the output to the user device or a client system.

Augmented reality applications are limited in the triggers they can detect, the content they provide in response to detected triggers, and the manner in which such content is provided to users. Such applications may detect a limited set of triggers in image data obtained by user devices, such as QR codes, bar codes, or the like. Furthermore, such applications may only provide a limited range of augmented reality content associated with a particular provider. Augmented reality applications may be provided as downloadable applications, which may reduce user interest, as users may be unwilling to download another application—particularly one providing a limited range of content. Furthermore, content providers may find development of such applications difficult, as they may need to create the entire framework for providing the augmented reality experience. Furthermore, the extent and complexity of the augmented reality experience provided by such applications may be limited by the processing power of the typical (or worst-case) user device.

Systems and methods for stream recognition


Near Field Communication (NFC) supports server information handling system management through communication between a mobile information handling system and a baseboard management controller. Enhanced transfer by NFC of management information is provided by manipulating the NFC tag memory assigned for information transfer with the aid of a microcontroller coordinating NFC transfers at the baseboard management controller, such as with coordinated storage operations at a tag memory an supporting processors/microcontrollers. The microcontroller manages tag memory and/or system memory so that the portable information handling system writes and reads information beyond the capabilities of unaided tag memory.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system wireless communication, and more particularly to near field communication (NFC) with an information handling system supplemented by a management controller.
Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Many enterprises have turned to network-based "cloud" infrastructures to manage information processing requirements. A typical cloud infrastructure attempts to balance processing demands and processing resources by allocating processing tasks across generally generic server information handling systems. For example, a typical cloud infrastructure is a farm of server information handling systems that reside in a datacenter with server tasks assigned through migration of virtual machines between physical resources. In such a cloud infrastructure, the actual physical location of a virtual information handling systems is often difficult to track and generally irrelevant. Often, a datacenter will support multiple enterprises in different "virtual" cloud networking environments that run on the same physical server information handling systems.
One concern that arises with cloud networking is maintaining security for data associated with different entities that share hardware resources. Generally, the cloud infrastructure uses data structures, encryption and password protection to maintain separation of data through network accesses. These techniques also help to restrict access of data when an end user has a physical interface to server information handling systems within a datacenter, such as a datacenter technician. For instance, physical resources within a server information handling system are often managed by a baseboard management controller (BMC) that does not have access to virtual machines running on the server information handling system. Data center technicians interact with the BMC through a management network interface or a direct cable connection. The BMC allows a datacenter technician to monitor the status of physical resources and to configure the physical resources to interact with the cloud infrastructure, such as with network address and other settings.
Generally, communications with the BMC are kept secure and separate from communications through the cloud. Restricting BMC communications helps to prevent malicious accesses that could reconfigure a server information handling system or cause damage to components within the server information handling system. Typically, management network communications take place though wired interfaces, such as an Ethernet cable that connects to a local area network (LAN). In some instances, BMC communications are supported through wireless communications, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN). Generally, however, security requirements limit the ability to use WLAN communications with a server information handling system and the management network associated with a BMC. Wireless networking in a server information handling system data center creates a security risk in that unauthorized individuals might sniff wireless communications or even hack into the server through the wireless network.
One alternative to wireless networking in a server information handling system data center to communicate with a BMC is to include a near field communication (NFC) device that interfaces with the BMC. Mobile telephones that include NFC can communicate directly with the BMC through short range wireless signals that present minimal security risk since the NFC wireless signals do not carry to a distance that would extend beyond a typical datacenter secure area. However, NFC has limited bandwidth for communicating information and generally requires placement of the two communicating NFC devices in close proximity to each other. For example, a typical NFC "tag" memory space has only 3k of flash memory that is reloaded for each transmission or reception of data. As a result, an end user generally has to hold a mobile telephone in close proximity to a server information handling system NFC device for an extended time in order to communicate a meaningful amount of information.
One difficulty that arises with management of server information handling systems by NFC is that some server management data changes frequently and is thus constantly updated, such as system health and hardware logs. In order to ensure that the most recent data is available from an NFC device, this data would need frequent updates to the tag memory of the NFC device, which tends to wear internal flash memory used for tag memory. Other difficulties include ensuring that an NFC transaction has proper authorization with the BMC and ensuring that content is synchronized between NFC access to a BMC and other types of access, such as through a conventional management network interface Although NFC transactions might be arranged to provide the same access to management information at a BMC as is available through conventional management networks, NFC transaction tend to take more time than conventional network communications and sometimes involve holding a portable information handling system in an awkward position within close proximity to an NFC device that can lead to end user discomfort.

NFC communication with an information handling system supplemented by a management controller and advertised virtual tag memory


In an approach to caller ID verification by digital signature, a computing device receives caller ID and URL information associated with a call. The computing device retrieves a digital signature based on the URL. The computing device retrieves public key information associated with the caller. The computing device performs a digital signature assessment based on the public key information in order to ascertain the validity of the caller ID information. The computing device performs one or more actions based on the digital signature assessment.

In the past, when phone carriers were limited in number and easily identified, a call recipient could generally trust the information transmitted by caller ID services. Today, Voice over IP (VoIP) providers and fraudulent caller ID providers make it easier for callers, often criminally motivated, to provide falsifying information to the recipient in a spoofing attack. Additional measures that validate caller ID can help to protect the call recipient from misplacing his or her trust in an unauthorized party.

Digital signature-over-voice for caller ID verification

International Business Machines Corporation


An illuminated pet leash has an elongated light-emitting member mounted in a transparent sleeve and extending alongside a non-extensible tethering line. An electrical power is delivered to the light-emitting member, making the tethering assembly visible in the dark.

The present invention relates to pet leashes and, more particularly, to an illuminating pet leash having an isolated tethering line, and, still more particularly, to an illuminating pet leash comprising a flexible and strong tethering line enclosed in an elongated illuminating light source assembly, wherein the tethering line is isolated from the light source assembly.
Pet leashes or other pet tethering devices are constructed to restrain the distance a pet can move from one end of the leash or tethering device being held by the owner. Therefore, the pet leash typically includes a flexible strap, made of nylon, leather, plastic or the like, or a chain of metal links secured together. The pet leash channels the pulling and tugging forces exerted by the pet to the hand hold the pet leash.
Several devices have been patented that are aimed at illuminating pet leashes or ropes, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,095, issued to Greves, entitled "Illuminated Pet Leash," discloses a pet leash with an elongated strap having an (electro-luminescent) EL strip secured to one side of the strap. In another embodiment, the leash has a circular (or other geometric shap) strap with the EL strip spiraling around the circular strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,807, issued to Keeler, entitled "Illuminated Pet Leash," discloses an illuminated pet leash comprising an elongated non-opaque tube having a bundle of optical fibers longitudinally disposed therein.
U.S. Design Patent No. DES 422,385, issued to Callaghan, entitled "Illuminated Pet Collar and Leash Set," illustrates both a pet leash and collar having a band with spaced illuminating means attached thereto.
Other U.S. patents directed to illuminating articles include U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,118, issued to Barnett, entitled "Illuminated Jump Rope Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,076, issued to Cross, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Light Transmission".
In view of the foregoing, there is a continuing need for an illuminated pet leash that isolates the tethering line from the elongated light source while simultaneously encasing the tethering line so as not to attract from the illumination.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of prior illuminating pet leashes.


An article of footwear has a plate with an extension portion that enables traction and durability functions to be achieved while providing a greater surface area for forward propulsion. Specifically, a sole structure for an article of footwear has a plate with a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, and an extension portion. The heel portion, the midfoot portion, and the forefoot portion correspond with a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, respectively, of the article of footwear. The extension portion of the plate extends from the forefoot portion forward to a distal end.

Footwear typically includes a sole configured to be located under a wearer's foot to space the foot away from the ground or floor surface. Sole structure can be designed to provide a desired level of cushioning. Athletic footwear in particular sometimes utilizes polyurethane foam or other resilient materials in the sole structure to provide cushioning. It is also beneficial for the sole structure for an article of athletic footwear to have a ground contact surface that provides sufficient traction and durability for a particular athletic endeavor.

Sole structure for an article of footwear with extended plate


Thin films of single crystal, cubic boron nitride phosphide are provided on, and in crystallographic registry with, an underlying silicon substrate which is oriented along a single crystallographic axis. The cubic boron nitride phosphide films are deposited using laser ablation methods. The boron nitride phosphide film has a crystallographic lattice constant which can be systematically varied depending upon the desired film composition and processing parameters. Preferably, the target, and accordingly the resulting thin film composition, is characterized by a chemical formula of BN.sub.(1-x) P.sub.(x) where x is about 0.23. This particular composition results in a crystallographic lattice constant essentially equal to the single crystal silicon substrate. The film may also have the formula BN1-xPx where x<0.ltoreq.1. The phosphorus concentration may also be decreased to zero throughout the film so as to provide boron nitride material at the surface, which is characterized by a good crystallographic lattice match with the underlying substrate. The resulting films are particularly suitable for semiconducting applications over a wide range of temperatures.

Currently within the electronics field, there is a significant demand for an insulating film which can be grown epitaxially and consistently on silicon. Such a film would greatly enhance the capabilities of silicon-based devices for operation at temperatures far exceeding the present limitations.
Boron nitride (BN) is a most interesting III-V compound from both the practical and scientific viewpoints. Boron nitride is characterized by three different crystal structures: hexagonal, wurtzite and cubic zincblende. The boron nitride phase having the cubic zincblende crystal structure is particularly useful since it is characterized by many desirable physical properties including high electrical resistivity and high thermal conductivity. In addition, the cubic zincblende boron nitride is relatively inert chemically. Further, cubic boron nitride films are very hard. Because of these properties, this cubic form of the boron nitride is potentially very useful for electronic devices, particularly for use at high temperatures.
A cubic form of boron nitride has been grown on silicon wafers by means of a laser ablation technique, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/446,758 to Gary L. Doll et al, entitled "Laser Deposition of Crystalline Boron Nitride Films", filed on Dec. 6, 1989, and assigned to the same assignee of this patent application. With this laser ablation method, single crystal cubic boron nitride films were epitaxially grown on a silicon substrate oriented along the [100] axis, such that the resulting cubic boron nitride films were in epitaxial registry with the underlying silicon substrate. Two epitaxial registries have been observed for cubic boron nitride on silicon. One epitaxy has the principle axis of a cubic boron nitride with a 0.362 nanometer lattice constant parallel to the crystallographic axes of the silicon, such that three cubic boron nitride lattices oerlay two silicon lattices. The other epitaxy has the [100] direction of a cubic boron nitride with a lattice constant of 0.384 nanometers notched to align with the [110] silicon axis. In this way, two cubic boron nitride lattices overlay one silicon lattice. Since fewer uncompensated silicon bonds exist in the second epitaxy, it is more energetically favorable than the first.
As stated above, the cubic boron nitride has many characteristics useful for high temperature electronic applications. However, in order to successfully grow the cubic boron nitride on the silicon substrates with the more energetically favorable epitaxy, the crystallographic lattice for the cubic boron nitride must expand to match the lattice constant of the underlying silicon. In particular, the cubic boron nitride films formed on the silicon substrate by the laser ablation method described above, are characterized by a crystallographic lattice constant of approximately 0.384 nanometers as compared to the lattice constant of approximately 0.362 nanometers for bulk cubic boron nitride powder. The lattice constant for the cubic boron nitride films formed by the laser ablation method is approximately 5 percent larger than the bulk material. Because of this lattice expansion, two cubic boron nitride unit cells can fit along the [110] silicon direction, so as to result in epitaxial registry between the silicon and cubic boron nitride.
Although this lattice expansion brings the cubic boron nitride into crystallographic registry with the underlying single crystal silicon lattice, a large dislocation energy is always associated with a lattice expansion of this magnitude. It is believed that this large dislocation energy may be accommodated by the presence of pinholes and internal stresses within the film. Without these mechanisms, or some other vehicle for accommodating this large dislocation energy, the cubic phase for boron nitride is energetically unfavorable.
However, these mechanisms present serious engineering problems within the electronic devices formed form these films. One problem is that there is a substantial electrical current leakage through the pinholes. This effect, as well as other less serious problems, if uncorrected makes the cubic boron nitride a less desirable insulator as compared to other materials, such as amorphous silicon dioxide for example.
Therefore, it would be desirable to alleviate these problems and provide an epitaxial insulator for silicon which has a lattice constant similar to the lattice constant of the underlying silicon, and which thereby avoids the shortcomings of the art. In particular, it would be desirable to provide an epitaxial insulator which is characterized by a lattice constant which is substantially equal to .sqroot.2/2 times the lattice constant of the underlying single crystal silicon substrate, so as to minimize or avoid the lattice mismatch and expansion of the epitaxially grown insulating film. An epitaxial film having the thermal and physical characteristics of cubic boron nitride, but with a matched lattice in epitaxial registry with the underlying silicon, would be an excellent candidate for high temperature electronic devices.


A cooking apparatus has a cooking chamber, a microwave unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber, a convection unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber, a grill unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber, an input unit to receive a cooking command and a control unit to perform a cooking corresponding to the received cooking command by performing one of a first heating stage and a second heating stage, and after performing the one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage, performing the other one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage. In the first heating stage, the control unit operates the microwave unit and at least one of the convection unit and the grill unit, and in the second heating stage, the control unit operates the grill unit and the convection unit while not operating the microwave unit.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a cooking apparatus and control method thereof to achieve a fry-cooking process using microwave-heating, convection-heating and grill-heating.
2. Description of the Related Art
A microwave oven is an appliance to cook food by supplying microwaves to a cooking chamber.
Recently-developed microwave ovens are equipped with a grill-heating unit to generate radiant heat and/or a convection-heating unit to generate convection heat in addition to a microwave-heating unit to generate microwaves, to thereby cook food in various ways. Further, microwave ovens provide a function of automatically cooking food in accordance with the kind of materials to be cooked by using various heating sources. Microwave ovens provide functions of heating food using microwaves, roasting food using a grill-heating unit, or cooking food using a convection-heating unit.
However, different from cooking methods of directly supplying thermal energy to food, such as a roast-cooking method, a fry-cooking method includes processes of supplying thermal energy to oil and cooking food through the heated oil. Thus frying is hard to realize using microwave ovens.

Cooking apparatus and control method thereof