A calibration technique is presented for calibrating non-reference indirect measurement systems with respect to a reference indirect measurement system. A reference map function filling procedure fits a reference map function based on known values of a parameter of interest associated with reference calibration samples and corresponding reference values associated with the reference calibration samples. A correction function fining procedure fits a correction function based on reference values for calibration samples measured on or simulated for the reference indirect measurement system and corresponding values measured on the non-reference indirect measurement system. During normal use, the non-reference indirect measurement system obtains measurements, corrects the measurements using the correction function, and estimates the parameter of interest of the object of interest using the reference map function based on the corrected measurements.

The present invention relates generally to instrument calibration and more particularly to a novel method and apparatus for calibration of indirect measurement and inspection systems.
Inspection and measurement systems often depend on accurately sensing one or more physical parameters reflecting a process of interest. In electronics, for example, automated test equipment (ATE) may, in various situations, be required to accurately measure voltage, current, resistance, or phase. In radiation dosimetry, systems may be required to accurately measure total accumulated dose or radiation level. Similarly, systems may be required to measure length, time, mass, or any of a variety of physical parameters. It is generally desirable that the measured result be repeatable, portable, and accurate. Repeatability means that multiple consecutive readings of the same parameter on a single system give the same result within the required tolerance. Repeatability is primarily a function of system design and is beyond the scope of the present invention. Portability means that comparable results should be obtained if the same measurement is taken using different instances of the same system (i.e., two voltmeters of the same model should return similar or identical results when performing the same measurement). Accuracy means that the measured results should be a true reflection of the underlying process, without the introduction of bias. Since all measurement and inspection systems are subject, in varying degree, to manufacturing variations and drift, periodic calibrations of the measurement system are typically required to assure portability and accuracy.
Frequently, calibration involves adjusting the system to obtain a correct reading on one or more known calibration samples. It is desirable and often required, for the calibration samples to be traceable to a primary standard maintained by a widely recognized agency. In the United States, for example, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) typically maintains primary calibration standards. Depending on the economics of a particular situation, calibration samples may be shipped with the system or may be incorporated into the system itself. More commonly, however, small systems are returned to centralized metrology labs for periodic calibration, while for larger systems it may be necessary to transport the standards to the system. Such approaches are widely used and often suffice when the physical property of interest is directly sensed by the system in question, or when the relationship between the quantity sensed and the physical property of interest is well known. (An accurate voltage sensor can be combined with a known resistance to provide a current sensor, for example).
In many cases, however, inspection and measurement systems must rely on measurements that only indirectly reflect the physical parameters of interest. The Agilent 5DX Automated X-ray Inspection (AXI) System manufactured by Agilent Technologies Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., for example, uses penetrating radiation, specifically x-rays, to form cross-sectional images of solder joints in electronic assemblies, and to automatically identify defective and/or unreliable joints. A key physical parameter for such identification is solder thickness. Unfortunately, the relationship between solder thickness and the gray value observed in cross-sectional or transmission images is complex and difficult to model accurately. While thicker joints typically appear darker, all other factors being equal, the relationship is complicated by several factors. Due to scatter, the gray value observed for a particular joint can be affected by neighboring or even distant portions of the assembly. Additional problems arise from the use of broadband (typically bremsstrahlung) x-ray sources in conjunction with monochromatic detectors. When the object under inspection comprises multiple materials, each material has an x-ray attenuation coefficient that depends on energy in a characteristic way. Monochromatic detectors sense only the integrated intensity reaching the detector, so it is typically not possible to unambiguously recover the thickness of the intervening materials. Similar problems are well known in other areas, for example, in various forms of quantitative medical imaging including, but not limited to, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon positron emission computed tomography (SPECT).
Calibration in such indirect-sensing systems is often expensive, time-consuming, and error prone. A calibration coupon, for example, comprising differing known values of a parameter of interest may be provided with each indirect-sensing system to be used as a set of calibration samples. For calibration, measurements are taken of an indirect parameter under standard conditions, and a fitting procedure generates a mathematical model describing the non-linear relation between the measured indirect parameter value and the actual parameter of interest. The fitting procedure must be repeated periodically to compensate for drift of known and unknown origin.
As a specific example, consider automated X-ray inspection systems such as the Agilent 5DX AXI System mentioned previously. Using the prior art technique, each 5DX system site is provided with a thickness coupon containing eight copper strips of varying thickness (including a thickness of zero) which intersect nine solder strips of varying thickness (including a thickness of zero), for a total of seventy-two "representative" calibration samples. During calibration, the gray values of each intersection point are measured under standard conditions, and a fitting procedure, such as one described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,850 (hereby incorporated by reference for all that it teaches) to Heumann and owned by the present assignee of interest, constructs a mathematical model describing the non-linear relation between measured gray values and corresponding solder thicknesses.
A number of disadvantages, representative of indirect measuring systems, are apparent in the above example. A large number of calibration samples may be required, resulting in large expenses. Additionally, measuring many samples accurately is time consuming, reducing system availability for normal use. Fabrication of the calibration samples can pose its own challenges. In the case of a thickness coupon, described above, eutectic solder is soft and easily deformed. As a result, strips whose thickness is controlled to the desired accuracy are not readily available commercially. This necessitates measuring the thickness of each solder strip using a NIST traceable instrument. However, mechanical measurement can alter solder strip thickness. Thickness may therefore not be known precisely, and may vary within a coupon or from coupon to coupon. Thickness measurements may suffer from portability and accuracy problems as a result. Finally, the need to minimize the time that the system is unavailable for production use limits the sophistication of the fitting procedure used to describe the relationship between measured gray values and solder thickness.
Accordingly, a calibration technique for indirect measurement and inspection systems is needed that avoids the aforementioned problems, yet is economical, automated, fast, highly repeatable, portable, and accurate.

Method and apparatus for calibration of indirect measurement systems


A system and method are disclosed for improving suspension-to-slider attachment in a hard disk drive. A slider having a number of bond pads on its leading edge and a number of bond pads on its trailing edge is to be coupled to a suspension flexure having a number of leading bond pads and a number of trailing bond pads. The slider is to be coupled to the suspension flexure at the leading bond pads and the trailing bond pads by a method such as gold ball, solder ball, or solder bump bonding.

The present invention relates to hard disk drives. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and method for improving slider attachment.
FIG. 1 graphically illustrates a typical head-gimbal assembly (HGA) of a hard disk drive with disk media as used in the art. Hard disk drive storage devices typically include a rotating disk 9 containing concentric data tracks in which data is read from and written to by a slider 1 (containing a transducer head, not shown). The slider 1, which 'flies' close to the surface of the rotating disk 9, is typically attached to a load beam 8 by a suspension flexure 6. The slider (head) 1 is mounted to the flexure 6 by epoxy bonding 5 (See FIG. 2). The suspension flexure 6 allows the slider 1 to pitch and roll with respect to the disk 9 while the load beam 8 provides loading force (by spring action) towards the disk 9 during flight (countering the slider's lift).
Typically, the load beam 8 provides resilient spring action, which biases the slider towards the surface of the disk 9, while the flexure 6 provides pitch and roll flexibility for the slider as the slider rides on a cushion of air between the air bearing surface (slider 1 surface) and the rotating disk 9.
FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of a typical slider-suspension flexure assembly as used in the art. In a typical slider-suspension assembly, the slider 1 is epoxy-bonded to the suspension flexure 6, and the head's 1 transducer leads are electrically coupled to leads formed on the suspension flexure 6. The electrical connections 3 between the slider pads 2 and the flexure trace pads 4 are typically created by gold ball, solder ball, or solder bump bonding. The fabrication of such a slider suspension assembly is time consuming and costly.
FIG. 3 illustrates the attachment of a slider to a suspension flexure as typically performed in the art. Typically, a predetermined amount of epoxy 5 is placed on the tongue portion of the suspension flexure 6 where the slider 1 is to be located. The slider 1 is subsequently positioned onto the suspension flexure 6 with an alignment device, such as a vacuum tube 21. After the epoxy hardens to a degree, e.g. by ultra-violet (UV) light, electrical connections (such as by gold/solder ball or solder bump bonding) are made between the pads 2 of the slider head transducer and the suspension pads 4. The epoxy 5 is then further hardened by a method such as oven baking.
FIG. 4 provides a graphical illustration of a slider mounted upon a suspension flexure as is typical in the art. There are several disadvantages associated with the typical method of slider-suspension attachment. One problem involves the residual welding stress caused by the hardened epoxy 5 and soldered bump/gold ball 3 bonding. Typically in the art, it is difficult to apply the epoxy perfectly evenly, and as a result, the thick portion of the applied epoxy and the residual internal stress of the solder/gold ball bonding, cause changes in the slider 1 attitude angle and force the slider 1 to become askew with respect to the suspension flexure 6. (See also FIG. 5).
FIG. 5 illustrates a slider mounted askew with respect to a suspension flexure as is common in the art. The pitch 22 attitude angle of the slider 1 may seriously degrade while the epoxy 5 is curing.
It is therefore desirable to have a simplified system and method for manufacturing a hard disk drive slider-suspension assembly that avoids the above-mentioned problems, as well as having additional benefits.

Method for manufacturing a hard disk drive arm


A supinely reading stand which barely blocks the text of the book, barely interferes with the sight of the eyes, and is more simply constructed, easy in assembly and lower-cost. The supinely reading stand comprises a book-supporting structure. The book-supporting structure comprises a four-sided frame and at least one tension-resistant thin line distributed in the inner area of the four-sided frame. The four-sided frame includes first opposite sides and second opposite sides. The tension-resistant thin line(s) is/are connected to the first opposite sides of the four-sided frame in tension state.

The invention relates to the field of reading stands, and more particularly to a reading stand for a user in a supine position.
Nowadays, cervical spondylosis and lumbar spondylosis are becoming more and more prevalent. Such patients cannot bend their heads or spines for a long time, but often need lie down for a while. There existed many reading stands in the Prior Art that allowed reading in a supine position. Chinese Utility Patent CN2619518Y discloses a reading stand that enables one to read on a bed, including a tempered glass board. While in use, the opened book is supported by the glass board with the text sides facing down towards eyes of an individual lying supine, so the one is looking the book through the glass board. Chinese utility patent CN202552770U discloses a technical solution in which a book is supported by multiple iron wires, for an individual lying supine under the book to look up to read the book.
Although the above two solutions allow people to read books lying on their backs, they will both block or hide the text of the book to a certain extent. Although the glass board is transparent, the light transmittance is limited after all; and the text of the book is facing downward, the light is very poor so the text looks darker; and the glass board may reflect light to interfere with vision and to lower the transmittance more. The solution of supporting the book with iron wires will also cause the iron wires to block part of the text, which will interfere with the sight of the eyes and cause a poor reading experience. The technical solutions in the aforementioned patents still have the problems of complex products structure and troublesome page-turning ways. Because the text sides of the book is blocked by supportive parts, it is necessary to remove the book from the support when turning the page, and then put the book back after it is turned by hands, which is very inconvenient to operate.


Tunable laser diode, whereby two waveguide lasers (5, 7) are arranged transversely relative to one another. A separate current injection into each of the two waveguide layers (5, 7) is possible due to an intermediate layer (6) situated between these waveguide layers (5, 7). An absorber layer (4) periodically interrupted in a longitudinal direction is arranged transversely relative to the layer plane, resulting in forward coupling with an imaginary degree of coupling.

The present invention is directed to a tunable laser diode based on a TTG laser diode.
Electronically tunable laser diodes having an extremely great tuning range are required in modern optical communications technology (for example, wavelength - division multiplex systems), in metrology (for example, in range-finding) and in sensor analysis (for example, air analysis with infrared spectroscopy). A tunable laser diode having an active layer and tuning layer arranged transversely relative to one another is disclosed in European Patent Application EP 0 360 011 (TTG laser). In the prior art, it was predominately hybrid designs composed of a laser diode and an external resonator with mechanical wavelength setting that were used for an especially broad tuning range. For example, the ACA laser or the Y laser are monolithically integrated designs. In the ACA laser (see ECOC'91/IOOC'91, pages 21-24), the principle of forward coupling is utilized for enlarging the tuning range. The longitudinal sectioning into three zones represents a disadvantage of the ACA laser, this making manufacture of the component more difficult and increasing the laser length. The Y laser (see M. Schilling et al., "Widely Tunable Y-Coupled Cavity Integrated Interferometric Injection Laser" in Electron. Lett. 26, 243-244 (1990 )) has the critical disadvantage of an extremely complicated drive due to four control currents, whereby the control functions of light power and wavelength are not completely separated but are simultaneously influenced by all four control currents.


A fishing tool apparatus for retrieving an object from within a well bore, wherein the object has an opening for receiving the apparatus, comprises a support rod, an expandable sleeve, and a biasing means. The expandable sleeve may be externally threaded for engaging the object, is slidably mounted on the support rod, and is movable from a narrow diameter insertion position to an expanded engaging position. Once inserted, the biasing means biases the expandable sleeve to the expanded engaging position, thus facilitating engagement. Thus the expandable sleeve is inserted and engaged without applying torque thereto.

The present invention relates to an improved apparatus and improved method for retrieving objects from a well bore.
Diesel, solar and wind powered water wells are often used where it is difficult or expensive to provide electrical power. While solar power and windmills can be operated to generate electricity for an electric pump, the most common type of pump used with such water wells is a positive displacement cylinder pump. A positive displacement cylinder pump is driven by a reciprocating rod connected, for example, to a gear box at the windmill rotor.
Generally, any mechanism that seals water in a chamber and then forces it out by reducing the volume of the chamber can be considered a positive displacement pump. Piston, or plunger pumps are reciprocating pumps that use a piston or plunger to move the water through a cylindrical chamber. When such pumps are used in a well bore, the cylinder and piston are positioned below the water table in the well bore, and water must flow into the well bore from below the cylinder. When the piston moves up, a bottom, or lower check valve allows water to flow into the cylinder. When the piston moves down, the bottom check valve closes and water is forced through an upper, or top check valve to the surface.
Many repairs required in wells that use positive displacement pumps are due to debris in the cylinder or "working barrel" of the pump. The debris can be foreign material entering the well from the surface or silt and sand entering from the subterranean formation. The debris can also be worn rings, seals, sleeves, or other material from the pump itself. Whatever the source, the debris can jam the plunger in the cylinder and can also plug the opening of one of the check valves, which makes it impossible to close or open the valve and operate the pump efficiently. The plugging debris must be removed to restore operability to the pump.
Raising the plunger and upper check valve does not generally present a problem since both are already connected to the surface by the plunger rod. The plunger and upper check valve can be repaired or replaced on the surface and positioned back in the well. However, removal of the plugging debris requires pulling the pipe string, and this is a major cost.
Because the lower check valve is not connected to the plunger rod, it will generally remain in place. Check valves used in displacement pumps have an internally and externally threaded neck at the top thereof (the part facing up when placed in the well bore). The most commonly used check valves are ball type and spool type check valves. When the bottom check valve becomes plugged, it will either not close properly or not open properly. If the check valve cannot close completely, the plunger will displace water back to the formation rather than to the surface. If the check valve cannot open completely, water will not enter the well at the desired rate from the reservoir. Thus, when the bottom check valve is plugged, it must in many cases be removed. Because of the difficulty and high cost to remove the bottom check valve, such wells are often abandoned.
In some circumstances, the bottom check valve can be removed using a threaded tool at the end of a rod to threadedly engage the threaded valve neck. To remove the bottom check valve, the threaded tool must be rotated into the bottom check valve. In many wells this is very risky, in that the torsion required to thread the tool into the bottom check valve can cause the rod to break. Retrieval of the bottom check valve is made more difficult if any silt or other material is on the surface of the inner threads of the valve neck. Additionally, if the bottom check valve is not properly aligned vertically within the well, it is very difficult, and may be impossible, to thread the threaded tool into the check valve.
There is a need for a tool which will enable efficient removal of the lower, or bottom check valve from a water well, thus reducing repair costs and extending the life of the well.

Method and apparatus for retrieving an object from a well bore


An improved 3-dimensional musical keyboard apparatus comprises a plurality of planar, longitudinally extending keys mounted for both downward depression and longitudinal displacement; spring components to return an unguided key to its at-rest position; means to limit the extent of key motion; sensing means to detect key position at any point in its range of motion; and electronic digital signal processor means responsive to key position signals and productive of musical control information. Additionally, it comprises a single line of contact structure for restraining keys from lateral motion; differential damping for the vertical and horizontal components of key motion; simplified means for signaling key center position in the displacement axis; and support for musical articulation in the direction of key displacement when a key is moving upward from a depressed position.

1. Field
The invention relates generally to a musical keyboard apparatus for controlling electronic sound, and specifically to those keyboards whose keys may be actuated both up-and-down and in-and-out.
2. Defined Terms
Positions and movements of keyboard elements are described from the point-of-view of a player facing the instrument.
The axis in which the plurality of keys is arrayed left and right is termed the x-axis, and motion in that axis is termed lateral, or side-to-side; the axis is which the long axes of the keys lie towards and away from the player is termed the y-axis, and motion in that axis is termed longitudinal, or in-and-out; and the axis in which the keys move up-and-down is termed the z-axis, and motion in that axis is termed vertical, or up-and-down.
Key movement in the z-axis is termed 'depression', or 'key dip', and key movement in the y-axis is termed 'displacement'.
A key is said to be in its 'at-rest' position when it is fully up in the z-axis, or undepressed, and centrally located in the y-axis, or undisplaced; and in an 'active position' when it is not at-rest.
The term 'unguided' refers to the state of a key that has been depressed, whether or not displaced, and released.
The term 'key space' refers to the locus of all positions in the vertical plane in which the long axis of a key lies to which the key may be moved.
Of the two key forms, 'upper-rank' keys are analogous to those commonly called 'black keys' in conventional claviers, and lower-rank' keys are analogous to those commonly called 'white keys' in conventional claviers.
3. Prior Art
Tone producing means and control means in acoustic instruments are tightly bound to each other. A drumhead, for example, may be struck by hand, or with a stick—a distinction with a difference—but not so much you wouldn't know it was a drum.
Control means for electronic sound, on the other hand, may be entirely separate from tone producing means. Drum sounds can be played via keyboards, though, as is well understood by those skilled in the art, without the control of actually drumming.
Almost a century of effort since the Telharmonium (U.S. Pat. No. 580,035 (1897), Cahill) first made the sounds of electrical circuits audible has gone toward devising control means as expressive as those of acoustic instruments. The Telharmonium utilized multiple keyboards having position sensitivity in the z-axis to expand expression, but the instrument weighed several hundred tons and cost millions of dollars to fabricate.
Less inherently expensive but still very limited was the keyboard of Maurice Martenot (U.S. Pat. No. 2,562,471 (1948), Martenot). This patent teaches a platform, displaceable in the x or y-axis direction, on which all keys are mounted. The platform's excursion is directed at effects that can be controlled with short motion, like vibrato, but is not useful for control of higher resolution sonic events like pitch bending. Further, Martenot recognizes that the platform, when unguided, will continue to oscillate as a function of its mass and springing, eventually losing energy. Such oscillation is inherently distracting to the player, all the more so if it has a hearable result. Martenot's solution, balancing mass and spring force so that the platform has a natural frequency higher than that of an effect like vibrato, attempts to hide the problem of damping, and can only work for low frequency sonic events.
One known way to expand the expressive capability of an electronic keyboard controller is to recognize individual key-based playing gestures made in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the keys, in-and-out, in the y-axis.
Robert Moog described at the International Computer Music Conference in 1982 a 'multiple-touch-sensitive keyboard', later completed with help from one of us (DeRocco). The key surfaces of its otherwise conventional organ/synthesizer style keyboard were circuit boards that continuously recognized finger location. In one of its playing modes, absolute location of the initial contact in the y-axis was treated as a starting point for modulation, and in another, location relative to a 'first touch', that is, a note-on condition following a note-off condition, was recognized. Whichever the mode, however, player perception and control was principally mediated through skin sensation rather than via the more discriminating flexors and extensors of the hand.
The same ergonomic limitation applies to the more contemporary instrument taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,552 (2004), Haken. The instrument is an uninterrupted planar surface (a membrane keyboard) with very sophisticated processing to extract player intent; but it, too, like Moog's keyboard, does not use the hand's more complex sensing and control capabilities.
FIG. 1a is a side elevational view of the prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,114 (1974), Okamoto, showing a digitally operable electronic organ key with limited 3-dimensional capability. A key 110 is supported by a leaf spring 111 "resilient enough to permit each . . . [key] . . . to move back and forth in the lengthwise direction of each said key". Such motion is limited by interference between the 'white' key (as shown in the drawing) and a 'black' key (not shown). At the front end of the key, a member 112 supports a stop 113 at its upper end, which stop is "somewhat loosely received in a housing of any suitable shape formed on the underside of the key 110, in such a manner that the angle of swing of the key 110 is thereby delimited." That is, the stop is only directed at and suitable for z-axis motion. Thus Okamoto shows a digitally operable electronic organ key with limited 3-dimensional capability. Its longitudinal, or y-axis, motion is very short, of necessity, as there is little space between the front of black keys and 'L-shaped' portions of adjacent white keys. Short key travel is suitable only for sonically low resolution musical features, like tremolo. Significantly greater travel in the y-axis would be needed to control higher resolution sonic events, like pitch. Also, Okamoto makes no provision for frictionless guidance at the front of the key; increased friction under the natural lateral loads in playing, having no sonic purpose, only distract the player. Okamoto speaks specifically of the restraint at the front of the key as "somewhat loosely received in a housing of any suitable shape formed on the underside of the key, in such a manner that the angle of swing of the key is thereby delimited." The structure is directed only at z-axis motion and does not adequately support y-axis motion suited to control high resolution musical events. Finally, Okamoto makes no provision for physically signaling a key's center position in the y-axis.
FIG. 1b is a side elevation, partly sectionalized, view of the prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,552 (1978), Allen, showing an electronic key mechanism with extended 3-dimensional capability. The pin 115, which makes sliding contact with the inside of slot 116, is subject to binding if torsion is exerted on the key 114 through lateral loading, which is a natural component of playing. At the rear of the key, a pivoting mount is comprised of a yoke 117 to which the key 114 is pivotally pinned. The yoke 117 is then attached to a leaf spring 118. These joints are is a source of instability and play in the mechanism, require a complexity of parts, and the need for adjustment. While Allen describes an electronic key mechanism with extended key displacement range through the use of cantilevered, or undercut, 'black keys', the pin mechanism used to control lateral loads is susceptible to cocking and binding in its associated slot; no means is provided for damping the longitudinal oscillations of an unguided key; and the rear key mount requires a bearing in its upper aspect, at the expense of play which may be amplified over the length of the key, and shows a complexity of parts needing assembly and adjustment, and hampering long term reliability.
FIG. 1c is an exploded view of the prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,365 (1985), Tripp et al., showing a pressure and longitudinal sensor coupled to a longitudinally displaceable key with extended 3-dimensional capability and center signaling. A rocker assembly 119 establishes a central detent for longitudinal key motion through a complexity of elements, including slots 120 and 121 in a rocker body 122 and a key 123, respectively. Rocker body 122 is pinned at one of its ends to a leaf spring 124 through holes 125 and 126 and attached at its other end by a coil spring 127 to a pin 128. A perpendicularly extending pin 129, inserts into a slot 130 in key 123, acts as a key travel limit and supplies lateral key motion restraint at the front of the key. A second rocker assembly 131 requires that pins 132 and 133, "mutually parallel and non-skewed", be assembled at one end into bearing holes 134 of key 123 and, at the other end, into hole 135 and its mate (not shown) in a bracket 136. The rocker assembly, which provides a central detent for longitudinal key motion, comes at the expense of a complexity of elements and of assembly and disassembly when pinning the rocker body both to the leaf spring at one end and the key at the other. No provision is made to damp both the z and y-axis components of unguided longitudinal key motion beyond the damping internal to the key/springs themselves. There is no means to resist substantially without play and friction lateral loads at the front of the key as longitudinal key guidance is supplied by a pin oriented perpendicularly in a slot, which is thus subject to cocking and binding. Lastly, a second rocker assembly at the rear of the key is complex to manufacture and assemble as well as a source of looseness in the keys and error in their mutual alignment.
Lastly, none of the prior art addresses how the mass of a key and the spring and player forces acting on it must be organized for player control simultaneously in the z and y axes, adding articulation to the sound.


Providing a natural-language interface to a repository includes retrieving information from at least one repository, and generating a computer-readable ontology using the information. The computer-readable ontology is configured for use in interpreting user-entered natural-language statements regarding the at least one repository. A computer system including at least one repository has an ontology-generating module generating a computer-readable ontology using information retrieved from the at least one repository. The ontology may be created in any or all of several forms, such as a separate entity, a pointer structure or an index.

Computer systems commonly store information in a repository such that it can be used for one or more purposes. For example, the repository can include a database with information organized in tables. The structure of the repository can be configured to fit a particular type of information that it is expected to hold, such as when a custom database is created for a particular type of customer records. Or, the information can be input in a way that fits a predefined structure of the repository, such as when an address is entered according to the particular formatting of a database template.
Computer systems may provide that users can access the information in the repository. A user interface may be generated so that the user can add information to the repository or modify existing information, or run queries on the repository to determine what information it contains. Generating a user interface may require a substantial work effort, and can typically be done only by a system administrator or someone with detailed knowledge about the repository. Moreover, the resulting interface may be technically complex and therefore require the user to have expert knowledge about the repository or its contents.

Providing natural-language interface to repository


An improved, multicolored video imaging system to provide a video image on a projection surface, which system includes a red, blue and green pulsed laser as a light source to provide inlet beams, an acoustic-optical cell to receive the inlet beams, an electrical signal to a sound transducer on the cell to provide a sound-modulated outlet beam; a projection surface to display the multicolored image and a projection system to project the outlet beam onto the projection surface to display the video image. The system includes as an improvement a solid state actuator to move a distance in a 45.degree. direction to backtrack the line of image of the outlet beam and a ramp signal device to provide a ramp signal that is proportional in time to the pulse duration of the input beams when the pulse duration is longer than the pixel propagation time for a line of image to be displayed, thereby minimizing the blurring of the line of image displayed.

A pulsed laser video imaging system and method is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,918, issued Jul. 25, 1989, hereby incorporated by reference, which system employs one or more pulsed lasers to provide a light input beam. One or more acoustical-optical cells receive the input light beam or beams and one or more transducers on the acoustical cells provides one or more sound modulated output beams. The system includes a signal means to drive the transducers to produce modulated sound waves which correspond with the electrical signal for a line of the video image to be projected. A compression means is employed with the signal means to decrease the time required for the sound waves to enter the acoustical cell so as to reduce the time direction for a signal representing a line of the video imaging system. A sequential plane projector is used to focus the modulated output beam and to illuminate a portion of a projection screen corresponding to each line to provide a video image on the projection screen. Preferably, three metal vapor, pulsed lasers to provide red, green and blue light beams are used to produce a full color video imaging system of high resolution.
It is desirable to provide an improved, particularly a multicolored, video imaging system and method which permits the use of a wider variety of lasers as a light source, such as a pulsed laser light source whose pulse duration is longer than a single pixel time for a line of the image.

Laser video imaging system with pulse backtrack and method


A snow removal device and method includes a core having provision for adhering snow to the core. This includes recesses which receive packed snow. Snow to be removed contacts the packed snow and adheres to the core. The core is rolled on a portion of a surface covered with snow so the snow from the surface communicates with the packed snow, clings thereto and builds upon the surface of the member as the member is rolled.

This invention relates to devices for removing snow, in particular using a core to which snow adheres.
Snow removal is a tedious task and frequently exhausting and even dangerous for elderly persons or persons with heart disease or other such problems. The conventional way of removing snow from steps, walkways and driveways is the use of a shovel to lift the snow and pile it to one side, or use a plow to push the snow from the portion of the surface which is to be snow-free. These plows may be simple manual devices with a curved blade and a handle attached thereto or can be large, heavy plows connected to vehicles.
Snowblowers are another conventional way of removing snow. Again, they may be relatively small powered units pushed by hand and typically used for residential walkways and driveways. Alternatively, they may be large units attached to vehicles for blowing large volumes of snow.
Small snowblowers are the main powered way of removing snow from residential walkways and driveways to reduce the effort associated with shoveling or using manual plows. These devices however are relatively expensive and are not within the budget of many persons. This is particularly true for areas where snow falls are relatively infrequent.
One particular type of snow presents more problems than most others. This is heavy, wet snow. Such snow typically accumulates in more temperate climates where the temperature at snowfall is near the freezing point. Shoveling or plowing such heavy, wet snow to one side is a particularly arduous task. Furthermore, most snowblowers are not effective with such heavy wet snow. They are more efficient when blowing relatively light, powder snow which accumulates at temperatures well below the freezing point.
Various rotary devices have been developed for plowing snow. An example is found in United States found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,684.
A manual snow removal device employing rotating members is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,667 to Dixon. In this case a handle is connected to an auger which is pushed through the snow. There is a blade adjacent the auger. Snow accumulating on the blade is moved to one side by the auger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,654 discloses a snow scoop for removing snow from a sloping roof. This includes a blade which is C-shaped in section and mounted on rings at the ends thereof. A pulling device is connected to the rings.
Canadian Patent App. No. 2,095,399 discloses an apparatus for removing ice and snow which includes a plurality of flexible arms extending from a rotatable member.
Canadian Patent No. 2,113,260 discloses hand held powered rotary sweepers with belt mounted blades.
The prior art however does not provide a convenient way of removing heavy, wet snow from walkways, driveways and the like with minimal expenditure of effort, but requiring a relatively modest investment.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved snow removal device which is capable of removing snow, particularly heavy wet snow, from surfaces.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved a snow removal device which requires relatively little effort from persons using the device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved snow removal device which is simple and economical to produce and sell.


The invention relates to a method for controlling a surface quality variable (300) in one or more fiber webs (3) in a shoe calender (1) comprising one or more calender nips. In each calender nip of the shoe calender, the overall loading pressure of the shoe element (8) and the loading pressure difference between the leading edge (8′) and the trailing edge (8″) of the shoe element are controlled so as to achieve minimum difference between the determined values (300″) for the surface quality variables of the fiber web and the set values (300′) for the same quality variables after the shoe calender.

A shoe calender is formed of one or more calendering nips, where calendering is performed. Each calendering nip, in turn, comprises a heated thermo roll and an endless belt, which is located opposite this and under which a shoe element pressurized by loading means is provided at the roll nip. The loading means comprises two rows of hydraulic cylinders, one of the rows of hydraulic cylinders being located at the trailing edge of the shoe element and the other one at the leading edge of the shoe element. The endless belt rotates about the stationary plate frame of the shoe roll located opposite the thermo roll. The fiber web runs between one or more roll nips in the shoe calender, its surface being thus calendered with the desired smoothness, thickness, opacity and glaze (quality variables of the fiber web). The quality variable values, in turn, depend on the actions to which the fiber web is subjected in the calendering nip, i.e. the nip process. The nip process is affected by the roll nip condition, i.e. the total weight, the weight distribution and the temperature of the roll nip, and also the humidity and temperature of the fiber web when running through the nip, and finally the calendering period, i.e. the residence time of the fiber web in the roll nip.
The factors acting on the nip process are usually controlled by the following control variables:                the linear pressure acting on the roll nip condition is formed by the mutual pressure of the shoe roll and the thermo roll against each other, this pressure being adjustable for instance by varying the weight of the shoe roll and the thermo roll. The linear pressure in the shoe calender also depends on the overall loading pressure of each shoe element.        the humidity and temperature of the fiber web can be controlled by the dewatering degree of the fiber web and by blowing steam onto the fiber web surface before the roll nip.        the roll nip temperature is primarily controlled by the thermo roll temperature, which has been generated either by internal or external heating of the roll, by means of a separately controlled actuator, induction heater, heat blower or the like.        the calendering period depends on the fiber web rate and the roll nip length, the former being used as an active variable for controlling the nip process.
Besides the active control variables mentioned above, the state of the calendering nip in shoe calendering depends on the overall loading pressure of the shoe element and on the weight distribution between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the shoe element. In this context, the leading edge of the shoe element stands for the edge that is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shoe roll and that the fiber web contacts as it reaches the roll nip, whereas the trailing edge stands for the edge of the shoe element that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shoe roll and that the fiber web leaves as it is detached from the roll nip.
The inclination of the shoe element is varied by means of the loading pressure difference between the rows of hydraulic cylinders provided under the leading and trailing edge of the shoe element, so that the load exerted by the hydraulic cylinders on the trailing edge of the shoe element is greater than the load exerted on the leading edge. The loading pressure difference between the trailing edge and the leading edge of the shoe elements is called "tilt", in other words, the load exerted on the trailing edge of the shoe element exceeds the load on the leading edge by the tilt. In shoe calenders, the tilt and the total pressure of the shoe element act on the state of the roll nip and thus affect the calendering result.

Method for controlling one or more surface quality variables of a fiber web in a shoe calender


An equalization circuitry that includes a digital-to-analog converter having a voltage divider and a multiplexer coupled to the voltage divider is described. In one implementation, the digital-to-analog converter provides a control signal to a plurality of single-stage equalizer control logic circuits. Also, in one implementation, the multiplexer receives a plurality of inputs from the voltage divider and selects an output from the plurality of inputs. Furthermore, in one implementation, the voltage divider includes a plurality of resistors coupled in series. Also, in one implementation, the voltage divider further includes a first resistor coupled to the plurality of resistors, ground, and a lowest voltage input terminal of the multiplexer, where a voltage across the first resistor is an input voltage to the lowest voltage input terminal. Additionally, in one implementation, the voltage divider further includes a second resistor coupled to the plurality of resistors and a supply voltage, where the supply voltage minus a voltage across the second resistor and a voltage across a resistor of the plurality of resistors is an input voltage to a highest voltage input terminal of the multiplexer. In one implementation, the first and second resistors are programmable in user mode.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to equalization circuitry.
In some equalization circuitry, a digital-to-analog converter is used to control the amount of equalization. One type of digital-to-analog converter used in this context is an R-2R digital-to-analog converter. There are a number of disadvantages to using an R-2R digital-to-analog converter to control the amount of equalization in an equalization circuitry.
The R-2R digital-to-analog converter in such an equalization circuitry functions across two voltage domains, an upper voltage domain and a lower voltage domain, where the upper voltage domain has a voltage that is twice as large as that of the lower voltage domain. The output of the R-2R digital-to-analog converter feeding into the equalizer control knob circuits is in the lower voltage domain, whereas the digital binary high voltage input to the R-2R digital-to-analog converter and the supply voltage to the operational amplifier of the R-2R digital-to-analog converter are in the upper voltage domain. The control circuitry that feeds into the R-2R digital-to-analog converter and may use the same voltage supply as the equalizer (in this case, the lower voltage domain) communicates with the R-2R digital-to-analog converter across the two voltage domains. As a result, a voltage level shifter is used to convert voltages from one voltage domain to the other. The use of the voltage level shifter increases the overall device layout area. Similarly, the operational amplifier of the R-2R digital-to-analog converter also increases the overall device layout area.
Furthermore, the operational amplifier with its high power supply voltage consumes a large amount of power. Thus, the use of an R-2R digital-to-analog converter in an equalization circuitry results in both a larger device layout area and higher power consumption.
The higher power consumption and larger device layout area are further compounded by the fact that each single-stage equalizer control knob circuit has a separate R-2R digital-to-analog converter associated therewith. As used herein, a single-stage equalizer control knob circuit refers to an equalizer control knob circuit that directly controls the equalization of only a single stage of a multi-stage equalizer. This is in contrast to a multi-stage equalizer control knob circuit which directly controls the equalization of multiple stages of a multi-stage equalizer. In some cases, there are four single-stage equalizer control knob circuits, a separate one for each of the four stages of the equalizer. In such a case, there are four separate R-2R digital-to-analog converters, one for each of the four single-stage equalizer control knob circuits.
Moreover, in the R-2R digital-to-analog converter, the resistor ratio that determines the analog output voltage varies with temperature, process, and uncertainties in resistor ratios/values (e.g., poly resistor ratios/values). The variation in the resistor ratio distorts the analog output voltage and causes it to differ from its target value. This destroys the linearity between the output analog voltage and the digital binary value input to the R-2R digital-to-analog converter. As a result, in the R-2R digital-to-analog converter, there is a tradeoff between linearity and tuneability of the output analog voltage versus the digital binary input value.
Embodiments of the equalization circuitry of the present invention arise in this context.

Equalization circuitry including a digital-to-analog converter having a voltage divider and a multiplexer


A floor care appliance includes a housing having a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet. A dirt collection vessel and a suction generator are carried on the housing. A control handle pivotally connects to the nozzle assembly and is selectively displaceable between a storage position and an operating position. A latch assembly is displaceable between a locking position to secure the control handle in the storage position and a release position to allow full movement of the control handle into the operating position. The latch assembly is characterized by a latch stop and a latch carried on the nozzle assembly. The latch has two mounting points with one of the mounting points being displaceable between a home position and a control handle break-over release position.

Canister vacuum cleaners have long been known in the art to be useful for cleaning dirt and debris from bare floors, rugs, carpets and other above floor surfaces. Such vacuum cleaners typically include a canister assembly housing a dirt collection vessel and suction generator. In addition, such vacuum cleaners include a nozzle assembly, often equipped with a power driven rotary agitator and a wand and hose assembly for connecting the nozzle assembly and canister assembly. In one possible embodiment the wand is releaseably secured to the nozzle assembly and serves the additional function of a control handle for manipulating the nozzle assembly to and fro across the floor during the cleaning operation.
Typically the wand/control handle may be locked into an upright storage position. The present invention relates to a new and improved latch assembly for the wand/control handle. The latch assembly is displaceable between a locking position to secure the control handle in the storage position and a release position to allow full movement of the control handle into the operating position. The improvement comprises a structure allowing the latch to move to a control handle break-over release position which prevents damage to the latch assembly in the event the operator inadvertently forces the control handle into the operating position from the storage position without first releasing the latch assembly.

Floor care appliance equipped with break-over protected latch assembly


A convenient frame has a stand the use of which can be selected between use in a state that the frame is hung on a wall and use in a state that the frame is stood on a table surface for displaying pictures, photos, diplomas, certificates and the like. A folding stand is formed by a turning base plate and a ground seat pivotally joined to the turning base plate via an opening and closing hinge positioned on a straight line parallel to one side of a rectangular frame main body so that the ground seat can be freely operated to open and close to stand up and down to the turning base plate, and the stand is shaped into a size the whole of which is hidden behind the frame main body.

The present invention relates to a convenient frame with a stand the use of which can be selected between use in a state that the frame is hung on a wall face of a building and use in a state that the frame is stood on a table surface for showing various exhibit sheets such as pictures, photos, diplomas, certificates at home.
This type of frame with a stand has already been proposed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-219037, and this is regarded as a known technique most approximate to the present invention.
Namely, in the second embodiment disclosed in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 of this known invention includes is a tabletop stand (stand) (5), and a pair of strap-hanging hook portions (A1) and (A1) arranged in line along the shorter side of a rectangular photo ornament fixture (frame) and a pair of strap-hanging hook portions (A2) and (A2) arranged in line along the longer side of the same photo ornament fixture, provided on a back side structure (2) of the frame (1).
By tying a strap (R) to the strap-hanging hook portions (A1) and (A1), the photo ornament fixture can be hung on the wall face of a building and used in a state that a shorter side is at the top, and by tying the strap (R) to the other strap-hanging hook potions (A2) and (A2), the photo ornament fixture can be hung on the wall face of the building and used in a state that a longer side is at the top.
However, the summary described in the claims of the known invention simply aims at an increase in easiness of production and relates to "a photo ornament fixture including a frame (1) whose back side (1a) is formed into a flat plane, and a back side structure (2) to be fixed to the back side (1a) of the frame (1), wherein the back side structure (2) includes a glass plate (3), a plastic-made holder plate member (4), and a tabletop leg (5), and on the holder plate member (4), a shallow concave portion (6) in which the glass plate (3) is fitted is formed and the tabletop leg (5) is attached, and a slit (7) is provided for inserting a photo (P) between the back side (3a) of the glass plate (3) and the bottom face (6a) of the concave portion (6) in a state that the glass plate (3) is fitted," and no description is included about an explanation of a construction for turning the tabletop leg (5) according to the usage state that a shorter side or a longer side is at the top of the photo ornament fixture or a method for operating this turning.
With this point of view, even if the reciprocal arrow shown in FIG. 3 suggests turning of the tabletop leg (5), when it means free turning at 360 degrees, in a case where the photo ornament fixture is hung on a wall face of a building in a state that a longer side is at the top as shown in FIG. 6, the tabletop leg (5) is not hidden behind the frame (1) but dangles and is ungracefully exposed from the lower end of the frame (1) due to its own weight.
This is because no fixing member for locking the tabletop leg (5) so as to prevent it from dangling is provided, and this phenomenon also happens when the photo ornament fixture is hung on a wall face of a building in a state that a shorter side is at the top.
In addition, in the construction of the known invention, when hanging the photo ornament fixture on a wall face of a building, it is necessary to specially find a strap (R) for hanging the photo ornament fixture and selectively tie the prepared strap (R) to either the strap-hanging hook portions (A1) and (A1) or the strap-hanging hook portions (A2) and (A2), and therefore this is still very troublesome and inconvenient.
Furthermore, in the back side structure (2) of the known invention, the number of slits (7) for inserting a photo (P) formed between the back side (3a) of the glass plate (3) and the bottom face (6a) of the concave portion (6) is one and its size is unaltering, so that it cannot be adapted to a change in size of the photo (P), and when a small photo (P) is inserted, an excessive margin appears and the ornamental effect is impaired.


A pluggable electro-optical module is mounted completely within the housing of a host device, e.g. testing equipment, to protect the module from external forces, such as ESD, dust and impacts. Furthermore, an equipment manufacturer can use any form of electro-optical module with any type of optical connector receptor, and adapt the electro-optic module into their optical equipment by using an adaptor cable and an optical connector adaptor, which optically couples the module to their end customer's network regardless of the optical connector on the module or the network cable.

A conventional pluggable electro-optical module 1, e.g. a transceiver, is guided into a cage or a guide rails 2, which is mounted on the edge of a printed circuit board 3, through an opening 4 in a faceplate 5 enclosing a host device. An electrical connector 6 on the electro-optical module 1, extending from housing 7, is guided into position by the cage 2 with a mating electrical connector 8 positioned in the cage 2 and electrically connected to circuits on the printed circuit board 3. Accordingly, the front end of the optical module 1, which includes an optical connector 9, protrudes from the faceplate 5 beyond the wall of the host device making it susceptible to electro-static discharge, impact damage or misalignment from outside sources. Furthermore, externally mounted electro-optical modules limit the type of optical connector that must be used by the customer or they increase the amount of inventory required by the manufacturer to satisfy the different customers' requirements.
Pluggable electro-optical modules used in mobile testing equipment are subjected to much harsher environments, e.g. vans, various customer premises, etc, than typical telecom or datacom modules. Moreover, test equipment is used in different ways to perform different tests in a variety of locations. Accordingly, the optical test signal produced by the test equipment needs to be variable in wavelength, signal strength and data content, and test equipment needs to be adaptable to a variety of connector types. To solve this problem prior art test equipment has included relatively expensive electro-optical modules with added and/or non-standard capabilities. Alternatively, conventional test equipment uses a large number of externally mounted conventional pluggable devices necessitating large inventories of devices to provide the necessary functionality and customer connector requirements with high turn-over rates, due to excessive insertion and removal cycles.
Conventional internally-mounted electro-optical modules are typically soldered or otherwise fixed to the printed circuit board of the host device to provide an electrical connection thereto, while an optical connection is provided by a long pig-tail connection, thereby increasing cost and complexity of fiber routing and decreasing reliability.
An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a pluggable optical module mounted completely within the housing of a host device.


An address detection circuit may include one or more address storage units, an initialization unit suitable for deleting an address stored in an address storage unit having a value greater than N, wherein the value is obtained by dividing a respective total input number that addresses have been inputted after the corresponding address is stored by a respective input number corresponding to the stored address, a detection unit suitable for detecting an address having an input number that is a reference number or more from the addresses stored in the one or more address storage units, and a selection unit suitable for selecting an address storage unit in which an address is not stored and storing an input address in the selected address storage unit.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an address detection circuit and a memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A memory cell of a memory device includes a transistor operating as a switch and a capacitor which stores a charge, which corresponds to data. The data is divided into 'High' (logic 1) or 'Low' (logic 0) depending on whether a charge is present in the capacitor of the memory cell, that is, whether the terminal of the capacitor has a high voltage level.
In principle, the retention of data does not consume power because data is retained as an accumulated charge in the capacitor. However, data may be lost as the initial amount of charge stored in the capacitor is reduced due to current leakage in the PN junction of the MOS transistor. In order to prevent this concern, data within a memory cell needs to be read before the data is lost and capacitor needs to be recharged. Such an operation must be periodically repeated to maintain the data. The process of recharging cells is referred to as a refresh operation.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing part of a cell array in a memory device which will be used to describe a word line disturbance phenomenon. In FIG. 1, BL0 and BL1 denote bit lines.
In FIG. 1, WLK−1, WLK, and WLK+1 denote word lines arranged in parallel in the cell array. The word line WLK indicated by HIGH_ACT is a highly active word line (or a frequently activated word line) that has a high activation number (or frequency), and the word lines WLK−1 and WLK+1 are adjacent to the word line WLK. CELL_K−1, CELL_K, and CELL_K+1 denote memory cells coupled to the respective word lines WLK−1, WLK, and WLK+1. The memory cells CELL_K−1, CELL_K, and CELL_K+1 include cell transistors TR_K−1, TR_K, and TR_K+1 and cell capacitors CAP_K−1, CAP_K, and CAP_K+1, respectively.
In FIG. 1, when the word line WLK becomes active and precharged (or deactivated), the amount of charge stored in the cell capacitors CAP_K−1 and CAP_K+1 is influenced by the rise and fall of voltages at word lines WLK−1 and WLK+1 due to a coupling phenomenon generated between the word line WLK and the adjacent word lines WLK−1 and WLK+1. Accordingly, if the word line WLK is toggled between an active state and a precharge state, data stored in the memory cells CELL_K−1 and CELL_K+1 may be damaged due to a change in the amount of charge stored in the cell capacitors CAP_K−1 and CAP_K+1.
Furthermore, data stored in a memory cell may be damaged because electrons within the cell capacitor of a memory cell coupled to an adjacent to word line are introduced and drained due to an electromagnetic wave that is generated when a word line is toggled between an active state and a precharge state.

Address detection circuit and memory device including the same


A system and method for multiplexing control signals over data signal conductors comprises an audio source for generating audio signals, a speaker device for monitoring the audio signals, a first high-pass filter for filtering the audio signals, a signal cable over which the audio signals are transmitted, a second high-pass filter for again filtering the audio signals, and headphones for monitoring the audio signals. The system and method further comprises a current source for generating a control signal whenever the headphones are connected and for transmitting the control signals over the signal cable, and a detector device for receiving the control signals and responsively using them to mute the speaker device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer systems and more particularly to a system and method for multiplexing control signals over data signal conductors.
2. Description of the Background Art
The efficient and accurate transmission of electronically-encoded information is an important consideration of manufacturers, designers and users of electronic information systems. The goal of designing and building an effective and reliable electronic device can frequently result in improved performance and reduced manufacturing costs, and can thus provide significant economic benefits for both users and manufacturers.
Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a prior art system 110 for transmitting control signals and data signals is shown. Conventionally, a data signal source 112 generates data signals and then transmits the generated data signals over line 114 to data destination 116. Data destination 116 may then process and utilize the generated data according to the general design and purpose of system 110. System 110 may also conventionally include a control signal source 118 which generates control signals and then transmits the generated control signals over line 120 to govern the operation of a particular controlled device 122. The prior art system 110 of FIG. 1 thus requires two separate and discrete signal paths (lines 114 and 120) to effectively transmit the data signals and the control signals to respective data destination 116 and controlled device 122.
Multiplexing is a special transmission method which allows simultaneous communications to occur between multiple source and destination devices. Multiplexing techniques typically utilize a single signal path over which the various communications simultaneously occur. The use of a single signal path to perform several different communication functions advantageously results in a simpler and less costly system design. The increased efficiency and reduced cost of such a design may thus allow system manufacturers to provide a more economic overall system for the benefit of system users. Therefore, an improved system and method is needed for multiplexing control signals over data signal conductors.

System and method for multiplexing control signals over data signal conductors


A method for facilitating semiconductor wafer lot disposition includes providing detailed descriptive information of the semiconductor wafer layout and generating data concerning at least one defect in the semiconductor wafers at an intermediate processing stage. At least one layer model is generated from the information and data to disclose the effects of the defect upon at least one later layer of the semiconductor wafers. The layer model is utilized to determine the subsequent disposition of the wafer lot.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor technology and more specifically to semiconductor research and development.
2. Background Art
At the present time, electronic products are used in almost every aspect of life, and the heart of these electronic products is the integrated circuit. Integrated circuits are used in a wide variety of products, such as televisions, telephones, and appliances.
Integrated circuits are made in and on silicon wafers by extremely complex systems that require the coordination of hundreds or even thousands of precisely controlled processes to produce a finished semiconductor wafer. Each finished semiconductor wafer has hundreds to tens of thousands of integrated circuits, each worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.
The ideal would be to have every one of the integrated circuits on a wafer functional and within specifications, but because of the sheer numbers of processes and minute variations in the processes, this rarely occurs. "Yield" is the measure of how many "good" integrated circuits there are on a wafer divided by the total number of integrated circuits formed on the wafer divided by the maximum number of possible good integrated circuits on the wafer. A 100% yield is extremely difficult to obtain because minor variations, due to such factors as timing, temperature, and materials, substantially affect a process. Further, one process often affects a number of other processes, often in unpredictable ways.
In a manufacturing environment, the primary purpose of experimentation is to increase the yield. Experiments are performed in-line and at the end of the production line with both production wafers and experimental wafers. However, yield enhancement methodologies in the manufacturing environment produce an abundance of very detailed data for a large number of wafers on processes subject only to minor variations. Major variations in the processes are not possible because of the time and cost of using production equipment and production wafers. Setup times for equipment and processing time can range from weeks to months, and processed wafers can each contain hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of integrated circuits.
The learning cycle for the improvement of systems and processes requires coming up with an idea, formulating a test(s) of the idea, testing the idea to obtain data, studying the data to determine the correctness of the idea, and developing new ideas based on the correctness of the first idea. The faster the correctness of ideas can be determined, the faster new ideas can be developed. Unfortunately, the manufacturing environment provides a slow learning cycle because of manufacturing time and cost.
Recently, the great increase in the complexity of integrated circuit manufacturing processes and the decrease in time between new product conception and market introduction have both created the need for speeding up the learning cycle.
This has been accomplished in part by the unique development of the integrated circuit research and development environment. In this environment, the learning cycle has been greatly speeded up and innovative techniques have been developed that have been extrapolated to high volume manufacturing facilities.
To speed up the learning cycle, processes are speeded up and major variations are made to many processes, but only a few wafers are processed to reduce cost. The research and development environment has resulted in the generation of tremendous amounts of data and analysis for all the different processes and variations. This, in turn, has required a large number of engineers to do the analysis. With more data, the answer always has been to hire more engineers.
However, this is not an acceptable solution for major problems. For example, semiconductor wafers are manufactured in large groups, or lots. At various stages in the manufacturing or fabrication process, decisions must be made about the quality and condition of each lot, in order to determine the subsequent dispositions of the lots.
Unfortunately, engineers in charge of the manufacturing processes must make those decisions with only limited information. For example, defects are often found on wafer lots in early processing stages. It is then necessary to make a determination concerning whether or not those defects will cause problems in subsequent processing, and if so, the nature and importance of those problems. Considering the enormous complexity of the circuit features on semiconductor wafers, the information that is available to the process engineers is typically far too little for such sophisticated determinations. As a consequence, those decisions can end up appearing somewhat like educated guesswork.
What is needed is an analytical tool that can show the process engineers the actual effects of the various defects at subsequent stages of the wafer fabrication process.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.

Predicting defect future effects in integrated circuit technology development to facilitate semiconductor wafer lot disposition


A one-way router combines benefits of a network diode and router, and thus can route data between networks of varying confidentiality and/or integrity in a secure, one-way fashion. Secure routing is provided transparently so that the router is compatible with standard network applications by synthesizing responses for standard network protocols to provide many-to-many network connections while preventing bidirectional data flow. Separate network stacks are provided for each connected network, and the network stacks are separated from each other by data diodes that enforce one-way data flow. The one-way router can be implemented in hardware or software, and provides architectural flexibility to customize levels of assurance, performance, reliability, and cost.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention is generally directed to routing network traffic. More particularly, it is directed to transparently routing network traffic across networks in a unidirectional fashion.
2. Description of Related Art
Many standard network protocols, e.g., FTP, require bidirectional communication to function properly. Even unidirectional data transfers require bidirectional communication at the protocol level for these standard network protocols. However, various protected environments, such as power plants, secure government facilities, and Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) environments, for security and other reason may need to pass outbound data, while preventing and/or limiting inbound data. A similar need to control network traffic exists networks communicating classified data. For example, there may be a need to allow lower classification data to pass from a user having a "confidential" clearance level to a user having a "secret" clearance level while at the same time preventing higher classification data from passing from a "secret" clearance level user to a "confidential" clearance level user.
Conventional unidirectional networks, utilizing data diodes and data pumps, can enable one-way flow of data to provide some measure of security, but are expensive and cumbersome to deploy, manage, and use because of overhead associated with implementing and managing such networks. For example, transferring data over a conventional data diode network requires custom developed servers and/or custom protocols to be developed to accompany the conventional data diode, the custom servers usually placed on either side of the conventional data diode. Additional training for users is required to accommodate use of the custom servers interacting with the conventional data diodes, typically requiring manual user intervention on each side of the conventional data diode. Furthermore, data diodes do not provide network routing, and are therefore limited only to point-to-point data transfer.
Data Pumps require development and use of custom wrappers for each protocol, and are limited to point-to-point communication (e.g., a custom system is required to be attached to each side of the data pump). Point-to-point unidirectional networks require custom client and server software. Consequently, new techniques are required for providing secure transparent unidirectional routing of network traffic using standard network protocols.


An optical film includes a layer of simultaneous biaxially stretched polyolefin film that is substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The layer has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal. The layer has an in-plane retardance of 100 nm or less and an absolute value of an out-of-plane retardance being 55 nm or greater.

Liquid crystal displays, such as for example, twisted nematic (TN), single domain vertically aligned (VA), optically compensated birefringent (OCB) liquid crystal displays and the like, have inherently narrow and non-uniform viewing angle characteristics. Such viewing angle characteristics can describe, at least in part, the optical performance of a display. Characteristics such as contrast, color, and gray scale intensity profile can vary substantially in uncompensated displays for different viewing angles. There is a desire to modify these characteristics from those of an uncompensated display to provide a desired set of characteristics as a viewer changes positions horizontally, vertically, or both and for viewers at different horizontal and vertical positions. For example, in some applications there may be a desire to make the viewing characteristics more uniform over a range of horizontal or vertical positions.
The range of viewing angles that are important can depend on the application of the liquid crystal display. For example, in some applications, a broad range of horizontal positions may be desired, but a relatively narrow range of vertical positions may be sufficient. In other applications, viewing from a narrow range of horizontal or vertical angles (or both) may be desirable. Accordingly, the desired optical compensation for non-uniform viewing angle characteristics can depend on the desired range of viewing positions.
One viewing angle characteristic is the contrast ratio between the bright state and the dark state of the liquid crystal display. The contrast ratio can be affected by a variety of factors.
Another viewing angle characteristic is the color shift of the display with changes in viewing angle. Color shift refers to the change in the color coordinates (e.g., the color coordinates based on the CIE 1931 standard) of the light from the display as viewing angle is altered. Color shift can be measured by taking the difference in the chromaticity color coordinates (e.g., Δx or Δy) at an angle normal to the plane containing the screen and at any non-normal viewing angle or set of viewing angles. The definition of acceptable color shift is determined by the application, but can be defined as when the absolute value of Δx or Δy exceeds some defined value, for example, exceeds 0.05 or 0.10. For example, it can be determined whether the color shift is acceptable for a desired set of viewing angles. Because the color shift may depend upon the voltage to any pixel or set of pixels, color shift is ideally measured at one or more pixel driving voltages.
Yet another viewing angle characteristic that can be observed is substantial non-uniform behavior of gray scale changes and even the occurrence of gray scale inversion. The non-uniform behavior occurs when the angular dependent transmission of the liquid crystal layer does not monotonically follow the voltage applied to the layer. Gray scale inversion occurs when the ratio of intensities of any two adjacent gray levels approaches a value of one, where the gray levels become indistinguishable or even invert. Typically, gray scale inversion occurs only at some viewing angles.
Compensators have been proposed to address these issues. One concept includes a compensator film made of discotic molecules. One drawback of current discotic compensators is the typical occurrence of comparatively large color shifts. Other concepts include specific combinations of birefringent layers. There is a need for new compensator structures to provide improved or desired viewing angle characteristics.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for performing correlated double sampling for a sensor, such as an image sensor. The method includes collecting a first charge corresponding to a first parameter, transferring the first charge to a first storage component, transferring the first charge from the first storage component to a second storage component, resetting the first storage component, transferring the first charge from the second storage component to the first storage component, and reading the first storage component to determine the first charge. The method may be implemented in electronic devices including image sensors.

Cameras and other image recording devices often use one or more image sensors, such as a charged-coupled device (CCD) sensor or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. A typical CMOS image sensor may include a two-dimensional array of pixels, where each pixel may include a photo detector, such as a photodiode, and one or more transistors to activate each pixel. An image sensor may be implemented in a rolling shutter configuration or a global shutter configuration.
In a rolling shutter, each of the pixels within the image sensor capture light row by row, and the captured light is then read out to a processor row by row. In this configuration, there may be a time delay between when the first pixel row captures light from the scene and when the last pixel row captures light from the scene. Accordingly, if there is movement in the scene between the first and last pixel rows, the movement may be captured as blurred lines or other motion artifacts. In a global shutter, each of the pixels capture light at the same time (i.e., have the same integration period) and then the pixels transfer the light to a storage component until the pixels can be read out by a processor. In a global shutter configuration, motion is captured and reproduced in an image that has less blurring than a rolling shutter, as each of the pixels capture light at the exact same time. However, in this configuration, the image sensor generally must include storage space for each pixel, which may require a reduction in resolution or an increase in size for the image sensor.
In some instances, the light signals corresponding to the images may include noise (e.g., due to residual charge left in the photodiode or photogate). To reduce noise, correlated double sampling may be used that resets a floating diffusion (or other storage node) after an initial read out and then reads the node a second time. However, for multiple images (such as a video or long exposure time), the photodiode or photogate may be reset multiple times during the length of exposure. In these instances, the captured signals readout between resets may be averaged together digitally, but this may introduce additional noise into the system.


A high side DMOS provides high breakdown voltage with small termination area. The high side DMOS has three parts which may comprise a stair-field plate in the termination part of the poly gate.

DMOS devices are widely used in circuits. Typically, for low-side DMOS, because the source potential may be at reference zero, both the source and body in termination are connected to an isolation ring. So no additional layer is needed to execute isolation with other devices or to improve the breakdown voltage. As a result, the termination area is quite small. However, for high-side DMOS, due to the high-side DMOS's work condition (e.g., the high voltage potential across the high-side DMOS and the source potential is float), full isolation is required). A common way to achieve full isolation is to extend the Nwell region, as shown in FIG. 1A, so that the source and body of the DMOS are enclosed by the Nwell region. However, this may cause low breakdown voltage between the Pbase region and the Nwell region in termination.
An improved way is to insert a Pwell region in the Nwell region in termination. As shown in FIG. 1B, the Pwell region 11 which partially surrounds the Pbase region 12 is embedded in the Nwell region 10. The Pbase region 12 acts as the body region. This approach changes Pbase-Nwell breakdown (the breakdown voltage between the Pbase region 12 and Nwell region 10) to Pwell-Nwell breakdown (the breakdown voltage between the Pwell region 11 and Nwell region 10). Generally, the Pwell-Nwell breakdown voltage is much higher than Pbase-Nwell breakdown voltage in DMOS. However, the inserted Pwell requires a large area and increases the size of the device.

High side DMOS and the method for forming thereof


A drum type washing machine in which wash water and laundry contained in a rotating tub are heated by steam supplied into the rotating tub, so as to rapidly increase the temperature of the wash water and laundry, thereby being capable of reducing the total wash time while reducing the amount of wash water to be used, and reducing the consumption of energy caused by heating of the wash water. The washing machine includes a steam generating unit for heating water supplied thereto, thereby generating steam, and a control unit for rotating the rotating tub at a high speed to cause the laundry contained in the rotating tub to be in constant contact with an inner peripheral surface of the rotating tub without falling down, by virtue of a centrifugal force generated during the rotation of the rotating tub, the control unit supplying the steam from the steam generating unit into the rotating tub during the high-speed rotation of the rotating tub, to increase the internal temperature of the rotating tub and the temperature of the laundry.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to a washing machine and, more particularly, to a washing machine wherein wash water is heated so that wash and rinse cycles are carried out, using hot water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Drum type washing machines, in which laundry is raised, together with wash water, along a cylindrical rotating tub containing the laundry and wash water, and subsequently falls down, during rotation of the cylindrical rotating tub, such that it is washed by virtue of an impact applied thereto when it falls down, are well known. Such a drum type washing machine includes a water tub for containing wash water, a rotating tub rotatably mounted in the water tub, and provided with through holes for spin-drying at a peripheral wall thereof, and a heater for heating the wash water contained in the water tub. During a wash cycle of the drum type washing machine, washing of laundry is carried out as the rotating tub rotates within the water tub at a relatively low speed under the condition in which wash water and detergent have been supplied into the water tub. In order-to effectively wash the laundry, the wash water is used in the wash cycle in a state of being heated by the heater.
However, such a conventional washing machine has a problem in that a great deal of time is required to heat the wash water to a desired wash temperature because a large amount of wash water contained in the water tub is heated entirely by the heater, which is disposed at the bottom of the water tub, so that the overall wash time is increased.
Furthermore, the conventional washing machine involves waste of wash water because the wash water fills even a heater case installed at the bottom of the water tub. Waste of energy is also caused by the fact that it is necessary to heat the water contained in the heater case.

Washing machine and control method thereof


An internal combustion engine with adjustable compression ratio with a connecting rod bearing eye for connecting to a piston of at least one cylinder and an eccentrical element adjustment device for adjusting an effective connecting rod length, and wherein the eccentrical element adjustment device includes an eccentrical element cooperating with an eccentrical element lever and eccentrical element rods engaging the eccentrical element lever, wherein the eccentrical element rods are loaded with a hydraulic pressure that is provided in hydraulic cavities interacting with the eccentrical element rods, wherein the eccentrical element lever includes at least one eccentrical element lever segment, wherein the at least one eccentrical element lever segment is positioned in axial direction of the eccentrical element in front and/or behind the connecting rod bearing eye, and wherein the at least one eccentrical element lever segment is fixated at the eccentrical element.

FIG. 1 illustrates a detail of an internal combustion engine known from DE 10 2010 016 037 A1 with an adjustable compression ratio in a portion of a connecting rod. Thus FIG. 1 illustrates a connecting rod 10 which includes a crank pin bearing eye 11 and a connecting rod bearing eye 12 wherein the crank pin bearing eye 11 connects the connecting rod 10 to a crank shaft that is not illustrated in FIG. 1 and the connecting rod bearing eye 12 connects the connecting rod 10 to a cylinder piston of an internal combustion engine that is not illustrated in FIG. 1. An eccentrical element adjustment device 13 is associated with the connecting rod 10 wherein the eccentrical element adjustment device includes an eccentrical element that is not shown in FIG. 1 and an eccentrical element lever 14 and eccentrical element rods 15, 16.
The eccentrical element lever 14 includes a bore hole that is arranged eccentrical relative to a center 17 of the connecting rod bearing eye 12 with a center 18, wherein the bore hole in the eccentrical element lever 14 receives the eccentrical element and a bore hole in the eccentrical element receives a piston pin. The eccentrical element adjustment device 13 is used for adjusting an effective connecting rod length leff, wherein a distance of the center 18 of the bore hole in that eccentrical element lever 14 from a center 19 of the crank pin bearing eye 11 is defined as connecting rod length. In order to rotate the eccentrical element 14 and thus to change the effective connecting rod length leff the eccentrical rods 15, 16 of the eccentrical element adjustment device 13 are moveable. A piston 20, 21 is associated with each eccentrical element rod 15, 16, wherein the pistons are respectively moveably supported in a hydraulic cavity 20, 23. A hydraulic pressure is provided in the hydraulic cavities 20, 23, wherein the hydraulic pressure impacts the pistons 20, 21 associated with the eccentrical element rods 15, 16, wherein moving the eccentrical element rods 15, 16 is possible or not possible as a function of an oil volume in the hydraulic cavities 22, 23.
The adjustment of the eccentrical element adjustment device 13 is initiated through impact of mass and load forces of the internal combustion engine which impact the eccentrical element adjustment device 13 during an operating cycle of the internal combustion engine. During an operating cycle the effective directions of forces impacting the eccentrical element adjustment device 13 change continuously. The adjustment movement is supported by the pistons 20, 21 that are loaded with hydraulic fluid and which impact the eccentrical element rods 15, 16, wherein the pistons 20, 21 prevent a reset of the eccentrical element adjustment device 13 based on various effective directions of the forces impacting the eccentrical element adjustment device 13.
The eccentrical element rods 15, 16 which interact with the pistons 20, 21 are connected on both sides with the eccentrical element 14. The hydraulic cavities 22 and 23 in which the pistons 20, 21 are supported are loadable with hydraulic oil through hydraulic oil conduits 24 and 25 from the crank pin bearing eye 11. Check valves 26 and 27 prevent a flow back of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cavities 23 and 24 back into the hydraulic conduits 24, 25. In a bore hole 28 of the connecting rod 10 a switch valve 29 is received whose function is already known from DE 10 2010 016 037 A1, wherein the switching position of the switch valve 29 determines which of the hydraulic cavities 22 and 23 is filled with hydraulic oil and which of the hydraulic cavities 22 and 23 is emptied, wherein this determines the adjustment direction or direction of rotation of the eccentrical element adjustment device. The hydraulic cavities 22 and 23 and thus are in contact with the bore hole 28 through fluid conduits 30 or 31 which are received by the switch valve 29. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an actuation device 32, a spring device 33 and a control piston 34 of the switch valve 29, wherein the function of the components of the switch valve 29 is already known from DE 10 2010 016 037A1.
As stated supra the hydraulic oil which impacts the pistons 20, 21 supported in the hydraulic cavities 22, 23 is supplied to the hydraulic cavities 22, 23 starting from the crank pin bearing eye 11 through hydraulic conduits 24, 25, wherein the connecting rod 10 engages the crank pin bearing eye 11 at the crank shaft not illustrated in FIG. 1, so that a connecting rod bearing 35 shell is arranged between a crank shaft bearing pin of the crank shaft and the crank pin bearing eye.
DE 10 2005 055199 A1 illustrates further details of a combustion engine with adjustable compression ratio wherein it is known from this document to insert the eccentrical element lever, at which the eccentrical element rods engage, into a slot shaped recess in the connecting rod bearing eye. For mounting purposes the eccentrical element lever which includes a bore hole with inner teething is inserted into a slot shaped recess of the connecting rod bearing eye, wherein the eccentrical element which has external teething is subsequently inserted into the bore hole of the eccentrical element lever. The eccentrical element and the eccentrical element lever are connected with one another through teethings engaging one another. Connecting the eccentrical element with the eccentrical element lever through the teethings engaging one another causes a high level of production and assembly complexity and is therefore subject to wear.

Internal combustion engine and connecting rod


A high yield and high purity method for obtaining taxane analogues from a source containing taxanes. The method employs a polymeric resin membrane for separating the analogues under low pressure without the use of complex and expensive separation/purification steps currently provided in the art.

Paclitaxel is a well known chemotherapeutic drug for treatment of various metastatic cancers. It has been approved by FDA and HPB for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancers.
The compound is a natural product, primarily extracted from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, and is also found in T. baccata, T. walichiana, T. yunnanensis and T. canadensis.
The concentration of paclitaxel in various raw materials is typically low, for example, on the order of between 0.0004 and 0.01% (w/w) in the bark of Pacific yew. Such low concentration render the extraction and purification of the compound to pharmaceutical grade from raw materials very challenging, and heretofore impractical on a commercial scale. Various normal phase chromatography and reverse phase chromatography as well as low and high pressure column chromatography techniques have been developed to purify paclitaxel from a crude extract of raw material.
The success of low pressure chromatography greatly depends on the nature of the column. Various problems are associated with the use of silica gel and alumina trioxide, all of which are classical supports of the stationary phase in partition systems. They form a stable stationary phase with most solvent systems, but it is a strong absorbent and may participate in the separation process to the extent that chromatographic behaviour and recovery of samples are affected.
Chromatographic methods have been developed to detect and isolate paclitaxel from various Taxus species on analytical and preparative basis. These isolation processes are mainly conducted on a small laboratory scale and suffer from low selectivity, recovery and high production cost, thereby presenting a serious and unfulfilled need for an economically practicable method for separating the valuable anti-tumor compound paclitaxel from its close analog cephalomanine as well as other closely related taxanes.
Prior art methods disclose the use of various types of chromatographic techniques to separate paclitaxel and related taxanes, including normal phase and reverse phase chromatography on a silica gel or bonded silica gel column. The prior art methods are end up at low yield, high production cost or involved multiple separation steps which were difficult to scale up to large industrial scale production.
Characteristic of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,875, issued Apr. 15, 1997, to Hoffman et al. The document teaches the separation of paclitaxel and other taxanes by multiple step hexane extractions and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The process is involved, labor intensive and only provides moderate yields of the desired compounds.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,673, issued Sep. 23, 1997, to Rao, the isolation and purification of Taxol and its analogues is delineated. The process includes the use of reverse phase liquid chromatography on a C18 adsorbent with elution of the adsorbed analogues. Although a meritorious procedure, limitations exist with this technique in terms of productivity and purity of compounds obtained.
The present invention provides a simple separation method based on a polymeric resin column which is devoid the limitations of the existing methodology.

Isolation and purification of paclitaxel and other related taxanes by industrial preparative low pressure chromatography on a polymeric resin column


An enteric-coated bead dosage form of cysteamine, and related methods of manufacture and use, are disclosed.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to delayed release formulations of cysteamine and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and related methods of making and treatment, e.g. treatment of cystinosis and other metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Huntingon's disease, Parkinson's disease, Rett Syndrome and others, use as free radical and radioprotectants, and as hepto-protectant agents. More particularly, the disclosure relates to enteric coated beads comprising cysteamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Cystinosis is a rare, autosomal recessive disease caused by intra-lysosomal accumulation of the amino acid cystine within various tissues, including the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, kidney, bone marrow, and eyes. Nephropathic cystinosis is associated with kidney failure that necessitates kidney transplantation. A specific treatment for nephropathic cystinosis is the sulfhydryl agent, cysteamine. Cysteamine has been shown to lower intracellular cystine levels, thereby reducing the rate of progression of kidney failure in children.
An enterically-coated cysteamine composition has been described, for increasing delivering of cysteamine to the small intestine and resulting in less frequent dosing compared to non enteric-coated cysteamine.

Delayed release cysteamine bead formulation, and methods of making and using same