A connection for a rod and pin includes a two piece housing molded from hard plastic which defining a cavity enclosing a soft elastomeric isolator on one end of the rod. The housing pieces also define a pin receiving cavity with retention prongs which engage and hold a pin inserted therein. The housing pieces are able to be snap fit assembled by interfitting prongs and receptacles formed on each housing piece. The housing pieces are molded together as one part, connected by an integral hinge allowing the housing parts to be swung into abutment with each other to be snap fit together.

This invention concerns mechanical connections between control rod ends and a pivot pin, as are commonly used to connect control rods to a pin in transmission linkages for automobiles.
In these connections, it is now usual to incorporate a soft elastomeric isolator between the rod and the pin to minimize the transmission of vibrations to a shift lever for example which is gripped by the hand of the driver of an automobile. A disadvantage of such isolators has been the looseness or lash introduced into the connection by the pin contact compressing the isolator material.
Such looseness has also been introduced by the clearances necessary to assemble the component parts of the connection.
Labor costs are also incurred by the need to fit together complex components to complete the connection when the automobile is assembled, and the need to insure proper assembly.
Another difficulty has been involved in attempting to reduce the force necessary to fit the pin to the connection to simplify assembly while still insuring that an adequately high separation force would be required to disconnect the pin after the connection is made to prevent unintended disconnection.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an arrangement and method for connecting one end of a rod to a headed pin which incorporates a vibration isolator without introducing excessive looseness in the connection.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an arrangement and method in which there are minimal clearances necessary for assembly purposes.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an arrangement and method which requires only low installation forces while insuring that separation forces are sufficiently high to preclude unintended disconnection of the components.

Arrangement and method for connecting a rod end to a headed pin


A liquid ink, drop on demand page-width printhead comprises a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of drop-emitter nozzles fabricated on the substrate; an ink supply manifold coupled to the nozzles; pressure means for subjecting ink in the manifold to a pressure above ambient pressure causing a meniscus to form in each nozzle; a means for applying heat to the perimeter of the meniscus in predetermined selectively addressed nozzles; a means for controlling the volume of poised drops in the selectively addressed nozzles; and a means for transferrring the poised drops onto the recording media.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of digitally controlled ink transfer printing devices, and in particular to liquid ink drop-on-demand printheads which may integrate multiple nozzles on a single substrate and in which the volume of a poised liquid meniscus on a nozzle, controlled by thermal activation, can be preset.
2. Background Art
Ink jet printing has become recognized as a prominent contender in the digitally controlled, electronic printing arena because, e.g., of its non-impact, low-noise characteristics, its use of plain paper and its avoidance of toner transfers and fixing. Ink jet printing mechanisms can be categorized as either continuous ink jet or drop-on-demand inkjet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398, which issued to Kyser et al. in 1970, discloses a drop-on-demand ink jet printer which applies a high voltage to a piezoelectric crystal, causing the crystal to bend, applying pressure on an ink reservoir and jetting drops on demand. Other types of piezoelectric drop-on-demand printers utilize piezoelectric crystals in push mode, shear mode, and squeeze mode. Piezoelectric drop-on-demand printers have achieved commercial success at image resolutions up to 720 dpi for home and office printers. However, piezoelectric printing mechanisms usually require complex high voltage drive circuitry and bulky piezoelectric crystal arrays, which are disadvantageous in regard to manufacturability and performance.
Great Britain Pat. No. 2,007,162, which issued to Endo et al. in 1979, discloses an electrothermal drop-on-demand ink jet printer which applies a power pulse to an electrothermal heater which is in thermal contact with water based ink in a nozzle. A small quantity of ink rapidly evaporates, forming a bubble which cause drops of ink to be ejected from small apertures along the edge of the heater substrate. This technology is known as Bubblejet.TM. (trademark of Canon K.K. of Japan).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728, which issued to Vaught et al. in 1982, discloses an electrothermal drop ejection system which also operates by bubble formation to eject drops in a direction normal to the plane of the heater substrate. As used herein, the term "thermal ink jet" is used to refer to both this system and system commonly known as Bubblejet.TM..
Thermal ink jet printing typically requires a heater energy of approximately 20 .mu.J over a period of approximately 2 .mu.sec to heat the ink to a temperature between 280.degree. C. and 400.degree. C. to cause rapid, homogeneous formation of a bubble. The rapid bubble formation provides the momentum for drop ejection. The collapse of the bubble causes a tremendous pressure pulse on the thin film heater materials due to the implosion of the bubble. The high temperatures needed necessitates the use of special inks, complicates the driver electronics, and precipitates deterioration of heater elements. The 10 Watt active power consumption of each heater is one of many factors preventing the manufacture of low cost high speed pagewidth printheads.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,290, which issued to Cielo et al., discloses a liquid ink printing system in which ink is supplied to a reservoir at a predetermined pressure and retained in orifices by surface tension until the surface tension is reduced by heat from an electrically energized resistive heater, which causes ink to issue from the orifice and to thereby contact a paper receiver. This system requires that the ink be designed so as to exhibit a change, preferably large, in surface tension with temperature. The paper receiver must also be in close proximity to the orifice in order to separate the drop from the orifice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,277, which also issued to Cielo et al., discloses a related liquid ink printing system in which ink is supplied to a reservoir at a predetermined pressure and retained in orifices by surface tension. The surface tension is overcome by the electrostatic force produced by a voltage applied to one or more electrodes which lie in an array above the ink orifices, causing ink to be ejected from selected orifices and to contact a paper receiver. The extent of ejection is claimed to be very small in the above Cielo patents, as opposed to an "ink jet", contact with the paper being the primary means of printing an ink drop. This system is disadvantageous, in that a plurality of high voltages must be controlled and communicated to the electrode array. Also, the electric fields between neighboring electrodes interfere with one another. Further, the fields required are larger than desired to prevent arcing, and the variable characteristics of the paper receiver such as thickness or dampness can cause the applied field to vary.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,531, which issued to Saito, a heater is located below the meniscus of ink contained between two opposing walls. The heater causes, in conjunction with an electrostatic field applied by an electrode located near the heater, the ejection of an ink drop. There are a plurality of heater/electrode pairs, but there is no orifice array. The force on the ink causing drop ejection is produced by the electric field, but this force is alone insufficient to cause drop ejection. That is, the heat from the heater is also required to reduce either the viscous drag and/or the surface tension of the ink in the vicinity of the heater before the electric field force is sufficient to cause drop ejection. The use of an electrostatic force alone requires high voltages. This system is thus disadvantageous in that a plurality of high voltages must be controlled and communicated to the electrode array. Also the lack of an orifice array reduces the density and controllability of ejected drops.
Each of the above-described ink jet printing systems has advantages and disadvantages. However, there remains a widely recognized need for an improved ink jet printing approach, providing advantages for example, as to cost, speed, quality, reliability, power usage, simplicity of construction and operation, durability and consumables.
Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/750,438 entitled A LIQUID INK PRINTING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM filed in the name of Kia Silverbrook on Dec. 3, 1996, discloses a liquid printing system that affords significant improvements toward overcoming the prior art problems associated with drop size and placement accuracy, attainable printing speeds, power usage, durability, thermal stresses, other printer performance characteristics, manufacturability, and characteristics of useful inks. The invention provides a drop-on-demand printing mechanism wherein the means of selecting drops to be printed produces a difference in position between selected drops and drops which are not selected, but which is insufficient to cause the ink drops to overcome the ink surface tension and separate from the body of ink, and wherein an additional means is provided to cause separation of said selected drops from said body of ink. To cause separation of the drop the system requires either proximity mode, for which the paper receiver must be in close proximity to the orifice in order to separate the drop from the orifice, or the use of an electric field between paper receiver and orifice which increases the system complexity and has the possibility of arcing.
In Lam et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,280, a method is described using reduction of viscosity by heating of the fluid to enable a controlled amount of the colored ink to flow through a nozzle onto the ink transfer surface which can be then transferred to the printing media by contacting the media. In this method the ink volume to be printed must be heated to a temperature close to 100.degree. C. to achieve the necessary viscosity change. Depending on the quiescent viscosity of the ink the nozzle refill time could be slow, leading to slow printing speeds.

Ink transfer printing apparatus with drop volume adjustment


Methods for preparing disubstituted 3,4-diamino-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione compounds that correspond to general formula (I) are described. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions that include the compounds, and methods of using the compounds and compositions for the treatment of chemokine-mediated diseases.

Chemokines or cytokines are small soluble proteins. Their most well-known role is the attraction of immune system cells and the control of the activation state of said cells. All chemokines perform their functions by binding to G protein-coupled receptors. Some chemokines are considered to be pro-inflammatory. The secretion of these chemokines can be induced during the immune response in order to promote the arrival of immune system cells at an infectious site.
There are two types of chemokines: pro-inflammatory chemokines and constitutive chemokines.
The pro-inflammatory (or "inducible") chemokines are produced at sites of inflammation by tissue cells or leucocytes that have infiltrated, after contact with a pathogenic agent.
The constitutive (or "homeostatic") chemokines are produced in the lymphoid organs and in certain non-lymphoid organs such as the skin and mucous membranes. They regulate lymphocyte trafficking and the localization of lymphocytes within these organs during lymphopoiesis, but also for maintaining immunosurveillance.
The nomenclature of these chemokine receptors is based on the group of chemokines to which its ligand belongs. Thus, the receptors corresponding to the chemokines of the CXC group are, for example, called CXCR1, CXCR2, CXCR3, CXCR4, etc., and the receptors corresponding to the chemokines of the CC group are, for example, called CCR1, CCR2, CCR3, etc. These receptors all have a similar tertiary structure, and they are coupled to a G protein: they are therefore part of the GPCR (G Protein-Coupled Receptor) superfamily.
Interleukin-8 or IL-8 (also known as CXCL-8) is a member of the CXC chemokine family, which plays an essential role in the recruitment of neutrophils to the inflammation site. Two receptors, CXCR1 and CXCR2, are known to be specifically activated by IL-8. While CXCR2 binds with strong affinity to IL-8 and to the related chemokines, such as CXCL6, CXCL5, CXCL3, CXCL2 and CXCL1, CXCR1 binds only to IL-8. High levels of IL-8 and of related chemokines (CXCL5, CXCL2 & CXCL1) have been described in the lesions of inflammatory acne (J Invest Dermatol. 2006; 126:1071-9; Am J Pathol. 2005; 166(6):1691-9; Diagn Pathol. 2007 Jan. 30; 2:4).
First indications demonstrate the expression of CXCR2 in inflammatory acne (Trivedi et al. J Invest Dermatol. 2006 126(5):1071-9). Thus, double antagonists of CXCR1 and CXCR2 might make it possible to rapidly reduce the harmful effects of the IL-8-mediated inflammatory response.
Patent application WO 02/083624 (Schering/Pharmacopeia) discloses more particularly substituted 1,2-cyclobutenedione compounds capable of modulating the activity of CXC-type chemokine receptors, and more particularly the activity of the CXCR1 and CXCR2 receptors. Among these compounds, the compound SCH-527123 (corresponding to example 360.71 on page 281), also called Navarixin, is in the process of being developed (Phase II) for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD). This compound has also been the subject of phase II studies in asthma and in psoriasis, but these developments have been stopped.
It is currently known that many pathologies of inflammatory type are mediated by chemokines. However, there is a need, which has not been satisfied to date, to treat the inflammatory component of the pathologies of interest in the dermatology field, for instance acne, rosacea or alternatively neutrophilic dermatosis, in particular psoriasis.
Likewise, the promise of obtaining effective new therapies for treating chemokine-mediated diseases using chemokine receptor antagonists has not been fulfilled. Indeed, several clinical studies have failed in phase II. One of the reasons which may explain these failures is the overlap of the biological effects of the various chemokines induced in a pathological situation. To date, the objective of the standard drug discovery process is to identify molecules which target a specific receptor without an off target effect. This approach is without doubt not the most suitable for treating complex inflammatory diseases. An increasing number of approaches appear to favor the search for antagonist molecules with a broad spectrum of action (promiscuous compounds), said approaches possibly thus proving to be more effective in treating complex and multifactorial diseases, (Franz S. Drug discovery: playing dirty. Nature. 2005 Oct. 13; 437(7061):942-3; Roth B L, Sheffler D J, Kroeze W K. Magic shotguns versus magic bullets: selectively non-selective drugs for mood disorders and schizophrenia. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2004 April; 3(4):353-9).
As it happens, the applicant has discovered novel compounds which not only have an antagonist activity with respect to receptors of CXCR1 and CXCR2 type, but also a strong antagonist activity with respect to chemokine receptors, in particular CCR6 and CXCR3 receptors. These novel compounds surprisingly exhibit a polypharmacology, which makes them of additional interest compared with the already known compounds in the treatment of chemokine-mediated pathologies, and more particularly pathologies of dermatological type.
Furthermore, these novel compounds exhibit a hepatic stability which is much lower than that of the already described compounds capable of blocking the activation of CXCR1 and CXCR2 receptors, for instance the SCH-527123 compound. This particular property provides the advantage of having novel compounds which, surprisingly, have a profile that is more suitable for the topical treatment of pathologies of dermatological type. Indeed, their hepatic instability leads to low, or even zero, systemic exposure, and therefore limited side effects.
Another particularity of the compounds described in the present invention is their dissociation constant with respect to receptors of CXCR1 and CXCR2 type, said constant being much lower than that of the compounds described in the patent application WO 02/083624, for instance SCH-527123. Indeed, the SCH-527123 molecule has been described as having a dissociation time of about 22 h (pseudo-irreversible dissociation) (Pharmacological Characterization of SCH-527123, a Potent Allosteric CXCR1/CXCR2 Antagonist. JPET 322:477-485, 2007), whereas the dissociation times of the compounds of the present invention are much shorter.
Examples in the literature show that rapid dissociation of antagonists promotes a decrease in their toxicity. This has been described for the antagonists of dopamine D2 receptors (Am J Psychiatry (2001) 158(3):360-369), and of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (Nat Rev Drug Disc (2006) 5(2):160-170.) and also for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Lett Drug Des Discov (2006) 3(8):569-574. and Pharm Med (2008) 220:23-34). Indeed, a long dissociation time would instead have a tendency to induce adverse effects. With rapid dissociation times, the compounds according to the invention consequently exhibit reduced side effects.

Disubstituted 3,4-diamino-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione compounds for use in the treatment of chemokine-mediated diseases


The invention provides a resistive memory apparatus including at least one first resistive memory cell, a first bit line selecting switch, a first source line selecting switch, a first pull down switch and a second pull down switch. The first bit line selecting switch is coupled between a first bit line and a sense amplifier. The first source line selecting switch is coupled between a source line and the sense amplifier. The first and second pull down switches are respectively coupled to the bit line and source line. When a reading operation is operated, on or off statuses of the first bit line selecting switch and the second pull down switch are the same, on or off statuses of the first source line selecting switch and the first pull down switch are the same, and on or off statuses of the first and second pull down switches are complementary.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a resistive memory apparatus. Particularly, the invention relates to the resistive memory apparatus with reversible sensing architecture.
Description of Related Art
In recently years, non-volatile memory apparatuses are getting important in electronic products. Correspondingly, a resistive random access memory (RRAM) apparatus is provided.
In convention art, it is a big challenge to select a good set or reset voltage and to overcome a read disturbance of RRAM cell. In conventional art, even a very small read voltage applied on the RRAM cell may change the cell state of the RRAM cell due to the read disturb condition. The RRAM cell is disturbed by the read voltage which is applied to the drain or source during the read operation which has the same voltage polarity of set or reset operation. Such as that, the RRAM cell has data disturb with continuous read.

Resistive random access memory apparatus with forward and reverse reading modes


A 5G Network Architecture uses virtualization and network slicing. The user equipment (UE) interacts with an underlay network that interacts with virtual network slices. The UE interacts with the underlay network (ULN) to establish a connection to a virtual network slice. Procedures are defined to assign a new slice instance to a UE (UE initiated and ULN initiated); to change a UE Profile (UE initiated and ULN Initiated); and to change a UE's assigned slice instance (ULN Initiated).

The term (S)Gi-LAN refers to the packet data network that sits between the GGSN or P-GW of the Mobile Core network and the Internet. The (S)Gi-LAN is under control of the Mobile Network Operator (MNO). When uplink data packets leave the (S)Gi-LAN, they are no longer under control of the MNO and can be generally considered to have gone to the public internet. This is shown in FIG. 1.
The (S)Gi-LAN may include Value Added Services (VAS) 2052. Examples of VAS 2052 are NATs, Firewalls, Video Compression, Data Compression, load balancers, HTTP Header Enrichment functions, TCP optimizers, etc. Generally, Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) techniques determine if each VAS 2052 should operate on a data flow.
Traffic may be routed to/from the (S)Gi-LAN and Servers in the public Internet such as an M2M Server. Moreover, the M2M server may be deployed inside the (S)Gi-LAN by the operator or service provider to provision a set of value added services for M2M/IoT use cases.
The IETF has developed an architecture framework for efficiently deploying VAS's, or "Service Functions". The architecture framework is described in IETF, Service Function Chaining Working Group, Internet Draft, Service Function Chaining (SFC) Architecture. The framework allows traffic to be "steered" through just the services that apply to each individual flow rather than requiring that all traffic be serially routed through all service functions. The terms "Service Function" and "Value Added Service" can be used interchangeably.
FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the main components of the IETF's SFC architecture framework.
The Service Classification Function (SCF) accepts input packets. In a traditional (S)Gi-LAN, input packets may be IP packets from the P-GW/GGSN or the Internet. The SCF may encapsulate the input packets with another header, determine what Service Functions that packet should be routed through, the order that the packet should be routed through the service functions, and attach metadata to the packet to assist the service functions.
The Service Function Forwarder (SFF) will accept packets from SCF and route them through the Service Functions. Once a packet has been routed through its service path, the SFF will forward the packet to an egress node. The Egress node will remove any extra header information that was inserted by the SCF, SFF, or a service function and send the packet out of the (S)Gi-LAN and into the P-GW/GGSN or public Internet.
The Network Services Header (NSH) was developed by the IETF's Service Function Chaining (SFC) WG and is defined in IETF, Network Working Group, Internet-Draft, Network Service Header. The NSH contains metadata and service path information. The metadata and service path information are used in the services plane to steer traffic through network services.
FIG. 3 shows where the NSH sits relative to the IP Datagram.
FIG. 4 shows the format of the NSH. The Base Header includes:                A version field        A 'C' Bit to indicate that critical metadata is present in the Network Services Header        A length field to indicate the total length of the NSH.        A Meta Data Type field to indicate the format of the Meta Data        A Next Protocol Field to indicate the format of the original payload.
The Service Path Header includes:                A Service Path ID which is a 24 bit field that indicates the service path that should be selected for the packet.        A Service Index that is used to indicate the packets location in the service path.
The Context Headers can all be in one of two formats, depending on how the Meta Data Type field is set in the Base Header. The context header values can all be of fixed length or they may contain variable length values. For the case of variable length headers, IETF, Network Working Group, Internet-Draft, Network Service Header describes how to format the metadata and how to indicate the length of each value in the context header.
When the Meta Data Type field indicates that metadata is variable length, it is formatted as shown in FIG. 5.
The TLV Class field describes the scope of the Type field. In other words, it identifies the vendor or standards body who allocated the type field.
The Type field indicates the type of information that is in the metadata. The MSB of the type field is used to indicate whether or not it is mandatory for an entity who processes the NSH to understand the metadata value.
The R bits are reserved for future use.
The Len field indicates the length of the metadata in 4-byte word.
Service aware nodes are permitted to perform header related actions such as inserting the header, removing the header, selecting the service path, updating context headers, and policy selection based on the header contents. Of course, service aware nodes are also able to inspect as well as modify more than just the NSH header. Service nodes such as NATs, Firewalls, HTTP header enrichment can inspect and modify the IP, UDP/TCP/application data as well.
The 3GPP SA2 Working Group has a work item called Flexible Mobile Service Steering (FMSS). The objective of this work item is to define service requirements to enable the 3GPP Core Network to define and modify traffic steering policies that will be used to select required service enablers of the operator deployed (S)Gi-LAN. The aim is to realize efficient and flexible mobile service steering in the (S)Gi-LAN.
The most recent output of this work item is captured in 3GPP TR 23.718, Architecture Enhancements for Flexible Mobile Service Steering.
FIG. 6 is a representation of how the 3GPP architecture that is proposed in TR 23.718 would be applied to the architecture that is proposed by the IETF in IETF, Service Function Chaining Working Group, Internet Draft, Service Function Chaining (SFC) Architecture. The green shaded boxes are standardized by 3GPP and owned by the MNO. The Orange boxes are not standardized by 3GPP, but they are typically deployed in the (S)Gi-LAN and owned by the MNO.
IETF, Service Function Chaining Working Group, Internet Draft, Service Function Chaining (SFC) Architecture proposes an St reference point that allows the PCRF to provide traffic steering policies to the SCF in the (S)Gi-LAN. TR 23.718 also proposes that the Sd interface with the TDF may be used to provide traffic steering policies to the TDF. The TDF may then be used to apply packet markings (i.e. an NSH) to the traffic based on the detected application, user, etc. TR 23.718 also proposes that the P-GW apply packet markings (i.e. an NSH) based on policies from the PCRF.
IT services can be deployed on varying operational environments (hardware platforms, operating systems, etc.). Message Based Middleware provides a "message layer" between communicating services, thus abstracting the underlying operational environment that each service runs on. In other words, the "message layer" acts as a middleman in exchanging messages between services.
FIG. 7 shows a high level representation of message based middleware. In this example, 4 services communicate via a common middleware platform. Each service may run on varying different platforms (i.e. hardware platforms, operating systems, etc.). The middleware abstracts the underlying operational environment of each service so that they can communicate via some defined messaging protocol.
There are many well-known message based middleware architectures. The following sub-sections will give an overview of some key message based middleware concepts and terms.
A middleware layer can be based on the concept of a message Queue as shown in the example of FIG. 8. In this example, there is a dedicated Queue that can be used to send messages to Service 1. Services 2, 3, and 4 are able to submit messages to the Service 1 Queue and the messages will be delivered to Service 1 in a first-in first-out (FIFO) manner.
Notice that each service may communicate via a different transport layer protocol, the details of which are abstracted by the middleware.
Queue based middleware architecture can take many different forms; there may be a single shared queue that is used to send messages to all services, a dedicated Queue for each service to receive messages from (shown in FIG. 8), a dedicated Queue for each service to send messages to, etc.
In a Publish/Subscribe model, messages are sent (published) to a destination in the middleware. The destination depends on the message "topic" (sometimes called channel). Services that want to receive messages related to a particular topic "subscribe" to the topic.
FIG. 9 shows an example of a publish/subscribe system where:                Service 1, 2, and 3 publish to Topic 1.        Service 2 and 3 publish to Topic 2.        Service 1 subscribes to Topics 1 and 2.        Service 2 subscribes to Topic 2.
Topics can be based on any number of factors. Topics could be related to the message type (debug, alarm, warning, task request, etc.).
The term message broker commonly refers to entity that receives all messages and distributes all messages as shown in FIG. 10. The broker may be implemented with a number of queues, as a publish/subscribe architecture with a number of topics, etc.
Messages sent to and from a middleware broker may be characterized in several different ways. Four common types of messages are.                Non-Confirmable and Non-blocking Request Messages—Messages that are simply sent to a broker by a service. Once the service sends the message to the broker, the service expects no response; execution of the service continues.        Confirmable and Blocking Request Messages—Blocking messages are messages that will cause the service to pause (block) until the service receives the message. For example, if a service attempts to read a message from a broker, or queue, and the message is not ready, then the service's execution will block.        Confirmable and Non-Blocking Messages—Non-blocking messages are messages that will not cause the service to pause (block) until the message is ready. For example, if a service attempts to read a message from a broker, or queue, and the message is not ready, then the service's execution continue until the message is ready. When a service attempts a non-blocking read, it may provide the broker with a callback function that may be called when the message is ready.        Notifications—Notification messages are messages that the broker sends to a service as a result of some previous request. For example, the previous request may have been a non-blocking read attempt or a subscribe request.
Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP) [OASIS Advanced Message Queueing Protocol (AMQP)] is a message bus protocol. A message bus is a type of middleware.
FIG. 11 shows the relationship between AMPQ Exchanges and Queues. An AMQP Exchange accepts messages from a service and routes the message to one or more Queue. The Exchange can be designed to route the message based on a static rule (i.e. all send the message to these 5 services), based one whatever queues bind themselves to the exchange, based on the message topic, or based on values in the message header.
Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) [OASIS MQTT V3.1.1 Committee Specification 01, 18 May 2014] is another message bus protocol. A message bus is a type of middleware.
MQTT is a message based middleware protocol was initially developed by IBM and Eurotech in the late 1990s; it was submitted to the OASIS standards body in 2013 for formal adoption (process ongoing) and further development. MQTT is a low overhead message queuing and transport protocol tailored for constrained devices and low bandwidth networks that is most famously deployed in the Facebook Messenger mobile app. It uses a publish/subscribe model as shown in FIG. 12.
The core elements of MQTT are clients (which can be both publisher and subscriber), servers (also referred to as brokers), sessions, subscriptions and topics. These are shown in FIG. 13.
Like HTTP, the MQTT protocol is asymmetric in that it distinguishes between two different roles: client and server.
In MQTT terms, a Client is a program or device that uses MQTT. It always establishes the Network Connection to the Server. A Client can                Publish application messages that other Clients might be interested in.        Subscribe to request application messages that it is interested in receiving.        Unsubscribe to remove a request for application messages.        Disconnect from the Server.
An MQTT Server is an entity that accepts connections from Clients. Unlike HTTP it generally does not run any application logic, instead an MQTT Server acts as an intermediary between Clients publishing application messages and the Clients which have subscribed to receive them.
Topics are the "Q" in MQTT—they are named message queues maintained by the server in order to link publishers with subscribers. An MQTT Client assumes the role of publisher when it issues a PUBLISH message to an MQTT Server (i.e., an instruction to deliver the opaque message payload to any Client subscribed to the supplied Topic Name), and assumes the role of subscriber when it issues a SUBSCRIBE message to the MQTT Server (i.e., an instruction to receive any PUBLISH messages that match the supplied Topic Filter). A Topic Filter is an expression contained in a Subscription, to indicate an interest in one or more topics. A Topic Filter may include wildcard characters. PUBLISH messages are delivered with one of three QoS levels of assurance (at-most-once, at-least-once, exactly-once).
Sessions and subscriptions represent two levels of attachment between a Client and a Server. A session is a stateful interaction (i.e., an active TCP/IP network connection) between a Client and a Server, and is identified by a unique Client Identifier. A session can be established only by a Client sending a CONNECT message to a Server. Flags in the CONNECT, PUBLISH and SUBSCRIBE messages determine how session state is maintained if a session is disconnected.
Network Function Virtualization (NFV) aims to transform the way that network operators architect networks by evolving standard IT virtualization technology to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume servers, switches and storage, which could be located in Data centers, Network Nodes and in the end user premises. It involves the implementation of network functions (e.g., mobility management, session management, QoS) in software that can run on a range of industry standard server hardware, and that can be moved to, or instantiated in, various locations in the network as required, without the need for installation of new equipment. An illustrative example, copied from ETSI GS NFV 002, Network Functions Virtualization (NFV); Architectural Framework, is shown in FIG. 14.
NFV is applicable to any data plane packet processing and control plane function in mobile and fixed networks. Potential examples may include:                Switching elements: BNG, CG-NAT, routers.        Mobile network nodes: HLR/HSS, MME, SGSN, GGSN/PDN-GW, RNC, eNodeB.        Functions contained in home routers and set top boxes to create virtualized home environments.        Converged and network-wide functions: AAA servers, policy control and charging platforms.        Application-level optimization: CDNs, Cache Servers, Load Balancers, Application Accelerators.        Security functions: Firewalls, virus scanners, intrusion detection systems, spam protection.
Application of NFV brings many benefits to network operators, contributing to a dramatic change in the telecommunications industry landscape. NFV could bring the following benefits:                Reduced equipment costs and reduced power consumption through consolidating equipment and exploiting the economies of scale of the IT industry.        Increased velocity of Time to Market by minimizing the typical network operator cycle of innovation.        The possibility of running production, test and reference facilities on the same infrastructure provides much more efficient test and integration, reducing development costs and time to market.        Targeted service introduction based on geography or customer sets is possible. Services can be rapidly scaled up/down as required.        Enabling a wide variety of eco-systems and encouraging openness.        Optimizing network configuration and/or topology in near real time based on the actual traffic/mobility patterns and service demand.        Supporting multi-tenancy thereby allowing network operators to provide tailored services and connectivity for multiple users, applications or internal systems or other network operators, all co-existing on the same hardware with appropriate secure separation of administrative domains.        Reduced energy consumption by exploiting power management features in standard servers and storage, as well as workload consolidation and location optimization.
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has formed a specification group "Network Functions Virtualization" to publish some white papers, and to produce several more in-depth materials, including standard terminology definitions and use cases for NFV that act as references for vendors and operators considering implementing NFV.
ETSI GS NFV 002, Network Functions Virtualization (NFV); Architectural Framework is an ETSI publication that establishes an Architectural Framework for applying NFV concepts to the Mobile Core Network.
FIG. 15 is an exemplary end-to-end Network Service with VNFs and nested forwarding graphs copied from ETSI GS NFV 002. This figure illustrates the concept of a Virtualized Network Function Forwarding Graph (VNF-FG). A VNF-GW describes how a set of VNF's are connected to provide a service.
Network Slicing, such as described in Next Generation Mobile Network (NGMN) Alliance, "Description of Network Slicing Concept", is a mechanism that could be used by mobile network operators to support multiple 'virtual' networks behind the air interface across the fixed part of the mobile operator's network, both backhaul and core network. This involves 'slicing' the network into multiple virtual networks to support different RANs or different service types running across a single RAN. Network slicing enables the operator to create networks customized to provide optimized solutions for different market scenarios which demands diverse requirements, e.g. in the areas of functionality, performance and isolation. FIG. 16 shows a conceptual architecture of network slicing. Different colors are used to indicate the different network slice instances or sub-network slice instances.
3GPP is designing a 5G network and is considering to incorporate the network slicing technology, which is a good fit for the 5G network. Because the 5G use cases (e.g., massive IoT, critical communications, and enhanced mobile broadband) demand very diverse and sometimes extreme requirements. The current architecture utilizes a relatively monolithic network and transport framework to accommodate a variety of services such as mobile traffic from smart phones, OTT content, feature phones, data cards, and embedded M2M devices. It is anticipated that the current architecture is not flexible and scalable enough to efficiently support a wider range of business need when each has its own specific set of performance, scalability and availability requirements. Furthermore, introduction of new network services should be made more efficient. Nevertheless, several use cases are anticipated to be active concurrently in the same operator network, thus requiring a high degree of flexibility and scalability of the 5G network.
Network slicing enables the operator to create networks customized to provide optimized solutions for different market scenarios which demands diverse requirements, e.g. in the areas of functionality, performance and isolation. However, there are some challenges and issues to support network slicing in the future 5G network:                How to achieve isolation/separation between network slice instances and which levels and types of isolation/separation will be required;        How and what type of resource and network function sharing can be used between network slice instances;        How to enable a UE to simultaneously obtain services from one or more specific network slice instances of one operator;        What is within 3GPP scope with regards to Network Slicing (e.g. network slice creation/composition, modification, deletion);        Which network functions may be included in a specific network slice instance, and which network functions are independent of network slices;        The procedure(s) for selection of a particular Network Slice for a UE;        How to support Network Slicing Roaming scenarios;        How to enable operators to use the network slicing concept to efficiently support multiple 3rd parties (e.g. enterprises, service providers, content providers, etc.) that require similar network characteristics.
More details (i.e., issues, problems and possible solutions) could be found in 3GPP TR 23.799, Study on Architecture for Next Generation System about how 3GPP applies the network slicing in the 5G network architecture.
To enable a UE to simultaneously obtain services from multiple Network Slices of one network operator, a single set of Control Plane Functions is shared across multiple Core Network Instances as shown in FIG. 17. This figure was copied from 3GPP S2-162259, update of solution for support of multiple connections to multiple network slices.
A Core Network Instance consists of a single set of Control Plane Functions and a single set of User Plane Functions. Moreover, a Core Network Instance is dedicated for the UEs that are belonging to the same UE type. Identifying the UE type is done by using a specific parameter, e.g., the UE Usage Type, and/or an information from the UE's subscription. A set of User Plane Functions in a Core Network Instance is responsible for providing a specific service to the UE and for transports the User Plane data of the specific service. For example, one set of User Plane functions in Core Network Instance #1 provides an enhanced mobile broadband service to the UE, whereas another set of User Plane functions in Core Network Instance #2 provides a critical communication service to the UE. When a UE first connects to the operator's Network, a default Core Network Instance that matches to the UE Usage Type is assigned to the UE. Each UE can have multiple User Plane connections to different sets of User Plane Function that are available at different Core Network Instances simultaneously. Control Plane functions may be shared across network slices.
The Core Network Selection Function (CNSF) is responsible for:                Selecting which Core Network Instance to accommodate the UE by taking into account the UE's subscription and the specific parameter, e.g., the UE Usage Type.        Selecting which Control Plane Functions within the selected Core Network Instance that the Base Station should communicate with. This selection of Control Plane Functions is done by using the specific parameter, e.g., UE Usage Type.        Selecting which set of User Plane Functions that the Base Station should establish the connection for transporting User Plane data of different services. This selection of User Plane Function is done by using the specific parameter, e.g., UE Usage Type and the Service Type.
To enable the interconnection of network functions, the Interconnection & Routing Function (IRF) 2058 is proposed in 3GPP TR 23.799, Study on Architecture for Next Generation System. FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 show the reference models of IRF 2058 for non-roaming and roaming scenarios respectively. The functions of IRF 2058 include:                Stores the binding between UE's identity and the interface layer identity (e.g. instance number) of each serving NF, which has an active session for the UE. For the NFs, which do not interface with the IRF 2058 directly, e.g. in roaming scenario, the IRF 2058 stores the identity of the remote-PLMN's IRF 2058 via which those NFs are reachable.        Updates the binding repository when the identity of the serving NF changes for a given UE, e.g. due to UE mobility, load re-balancing (i.e. scale-in or scale-out of virtual machines) or restoration reasons.        Examines the message header to determine the identity of the UE (for which message is sent) and the destination NF. For UE's identity, looks up the internal binding repository to determine the interface layer identity (e.g. instance number) of the destination NF or the identity of the remote IRF 2058. Routes the message accordingly.        Optionally performs authorization of the message based on the operator's configuration, e.g. if operator's configuration prohibits NF1 from sending certain message (such as "change of UE's APN-AMBR") towards NF4 then the IRF 2058 rejects the corresponding message. Optionally protects NFs during a signaling storm by performing overload control, e.g. pacing of messages sent to a given NF based on its load/overload condition.
Each NF interfaces with the IRF 2058 via a given reference point in its own PLMN. NFs do not interface with each other directly but can communicate (i.e. send request or response message) with each other via IRF 2058. Thus, when required, this model allows any NF to communicate with any other NF directly without involving any other unrelated network functions in the path, e.g. NF1 can send message to NF3 via IRF 2058 without involving NF2 if the involvement of NF2 is not needed.

Connecting to virtualized mobile core networks


A semiconductor light emitting device including: a substrate made of GaAs; and a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, in which part of the substrate on a side opposite to the semiconductor layer is removed by etching so that the semiconductor light emitting device has a thickness of not more than 60 μm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor light emitting device manufactured by growing semiconductor layers on a GaAs substrate and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor light emitting device in which semiconductor layers including a light emitting layer composed of an InGaAlP layer or the like are stacked on a GaAs substrate is hitherto known. However, the conventional light emitting device has a problem that the output light emitted to the outside is small because the GaAs substrate absorbs light emitted by the light emitting layer. To solve the problem, there is a known technique of removing the substrate by abrasion. However, removing the substrate by abrasion causes another problem of cracks occurring in the semiconductor light emitting device cracks. Therefore, there is a disclosure of a technique to solve such a problem of cracks of the semiconductor light emitting device occurring at removal of the substrate.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 1999-168236 (Patent Literature 1) discloses a semiconductor light emitting device manufactured by growing semiconductor layers including a light emitting layer composed of an InGaAlP layer on a GaAs layer. In this semiconductor light emitting device, after the semiconductor layers are grown on the substrate, an alternate supporting member composed of a flexible and conductive film is attached to the semiconductor layer. The substrate is then removed by etching, and a metallic electrode is formed on a surface of the InGaAlP layer from which the substrate is removed to manufacture the semiconductor device.
As described above, in the semiconductor light emitting device of Patent Literature 1, the removal of the substrate reduces the absorption of light emitted from the light emitting layer, thus increasing the output light emitted to the outside.
However, the semiconductor light emitting device of Patent Literature 1 has a difficulty in forming an ohmic contact between the metallic electrode and semiconductor layers because the GaAs substrate is removed and the metallic electrode is formed on the InGaAlP layer exposed by the removal of the GaAs substrate.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor light emitting device including GaAs substrate


A data backup system for backing up a data file from a source device having a source processor and an input device to a target device having a target processor and a database over a communication network. The source processor determines whether the data file has been modified, and if so, determines the modified data block(s). The modified data block(s) are transmitted from the source processor to the target processor over the communication network. The target processor receives the modified data block(s) from the source device over the communications network, and uses the modified data block(s) to construct the data file, and to store the data file on the database. Concurrently, it is determined if the input device is active at any time during the backup process, and if so, the backup processing is interrupted until the input device has been inactive for a predetermined period of time.

The concept of backing up data file information stored on a computer is well known. Typically, computers within an organization are split into two categories, namely servers and personal workstations. Conventionally, an organization performs nightly tape backups of all of the data files stored on their servers. Employees who work on workstations that are networked to a central server using local area networks are instructed to keep all of their important data files on their server so that the important data files can be backed up by the nightly process. Even though employees are instructed to keep important data files on their server, it is also quite common for employees to keep important data files on their workstation hard drives. Employees who typically use laptop computers to work on data files when they are away from the office (i.e. not connected through the local area network) tend not to copy active data file to their server.
Though backup systems are available to backup data files on workstations, logistics and manual processes generally prevent these backups from being conducted on a regular basis. Typically, users are concerned about response time while working on documents and organization networks are not configured for backups while resources are being consumed by users. Backup solutions have been developed as alternatives to the conventional tape backup process. These solutions generally involve a scheduled backup that begins at a predetermined point in time. At this point a large amount of data is assembled and transported across a local area network to a server for storage. Since this solution requires the transfer of a large amount of data, they do not function well over a slow or intermittent Internet connection or during peak network operation.
Also, in the case of scheduled backups, a system administrator typically executes the backup application software and configures the software to run the backup job at a pre-determined time (e.g. every night at midnight) usually selected to ensure that the data to be backed up is not being utilized by anyone. The backup software sits idle until the pre-determined time and then initiates the backup. If there are impediments to completion of the backup (e.g. communications errors, connectivity problems, un-powered devices, hardware failures, etc.) then the backup will not be completed. The incomplete backup will be discovered by the administrator the next morning and accordingly, data remains unprotected until at least the following evening when the backup software is re-executed.


There are provided an inexpensive copper alloy plate having excellent bending workability, excellent stress corrosion cracking resistance and excellent stress relaxation resistance while maintaining the high strength thereof, and a method for producing the same. The copper alloy plate has a chemical composition which contains 17 to 32% by weight of zinc, 0.1 to 4.5% by weight of tin, 0.5 to 2.0% by weight of silicon, 0.01 to 0.3% by weight of phosphorus and the balance being copper and unavoidable impurities, wherein the total of the content of silicon and six times as much as the content of phosphorus is 1% by weight or more and wherein the copper alloy plate has a crystal orientation satisfying I{220}/I{420}≤2.0 assuming that the X-ray diffraction intensity on {220} crystal plane on the plate surface of the copper alloy plate is I{220} and that the X-ray diffraction intensity on {420} crystal plane thereon is I{420}.

The materials used for electric and electronic parts, such as connectors, lead frames, relays and switches, are required to have a good electric conductivity in order to suppress the generation of Joule heat due to the carrying of current, as well as such a high strength that the materials can withstand the stress applied thereto during the assembly and operation of electric and electronic apparatuses using the parts. The materials used for electric and electronic parts, such as connectors, are also required to have excellent bending workability since the parts are generally formed by bending. Moreover, in order to ensure the contact reliability between electric and electronic parts, such as connectors, the materials used for the parts are required to have excellent stress relaxation resistance, i.e., resistance to such a phenomenon (stress relaxation) that the contact pressure between the parts is deteriorated with age.
In recent years, there is a tendency for electric and electronic parts, such as connectors, to be integrated, miniaturized and lightened. In accordance therewith, the plates of copper and copper alloys serving as the materials of the parts are required to be thinned, so that the required strength level of the materials is more severe. In accordance with the miniaturization and complicated shape of electric and electronic parts, such as connectors, it is required to improve the precision of shape and dimension of products manufactured by bending the copper alloy plates. In recent years, there is a tendency to proceed with the decrease of environmental load, saving resources and saving energy. In accordance therewith, the plates of copper and copper alloys serving as the materials of the parts are increasingly required to decrease the raw material costs and production costs and to recycle the products thereof.
However, there are trade-off relationships between the strength and electric conductivity of a plate, between the strength and bending workability thereof and between the bending workability and stress relaxation resistance thereof, respectively. For that reason, a relatively low-cost plate having good electric conductivity, strength, bending workability or stress relaxation resistance is suitably chosen in accordance with the use thereof as conventional plates used for electric and electronic parts, such as connectors.
As conventional general-purpose materials for electric and electronic parts such as connectors, there are used brasses, phosphor bronzes and so forth. Phosphor bronzes have a relatively excellent balance between the strength, corrosion resistance, stress corrosion cracking resistance and stress relaxation resistance of a plate thereof. However, for example, in the case of the second-class phosphor bronze (C5191), it is not possible to carry out the hot rolling of a plate thereof, and it contains about 6% of expensive tin, so that the costs of the plate thereof are increased.
On the other hand, brasses (Cu—Zn alloys) are widely used as materials having low raw material costs and low production costs and having excellent recycling efficiencies of products thereof. However, the strength of brasses is lower than that of phosphor bronzes. The temper designation of a brass having the highest strength is EH (H06). For example, the plate product of the first-class brass (C2600-SH) generally has a tensile strength of about 550 MPa which is comparable with the tensile strength of the temper designation H (H04) of the second-class phosphor bronze. In addition, the plate product of the first-class brass (C2600-SH) does not have excellent stress corrosion cracking resistance.
In order to improve the strength of brasses, it is required to increase the finish rolling reduction (to increase the temper designation). In accordance therewith, the bending workability in directions perpendicular to the rolling directions (i.e., the bending workability in directions in which the bending axis extends in directions parallel to the rolling directions) is remarkably deteriorated. For that reason, even if a brass having a high strength level is used as the material, there are some cases where it is not possible to work the plate to produce an electric and electronic part such as a connector. For example, if the finish rolling reduction of a plate of the first-class brass is increased to cause the tensile strength to be higher than 570 MPa, it is difficult to press the plate to produce a small product.
In particular, in the case of a brass being a simple alloy of copper and zinc, it is not easy to improve the bending workability thereof while maintaining the strength thereof. For that reason, there is improved to enhance the strength level by adding various elements to brasses. For example, there are proposed copper-zinc alloys wherein a third element, such as tin, silicon or nickel, is added thereto (see, e.g., Patent Documents 1-3).

Copper alloy plate and method for producing same


An electronic device can include a semiconductor fin overlying an insulating layer. The electronic device can also include a semiconductor layer overlying the semiconductor fin. The semiconductor layer can have a first portion and a second portion that are spaced-apart from each other. In one aspect, the electronic device can include a conductive member that lies between and spaced-apart from the first and second portions of the semiconductor layer. The electronic device can also include a metal-semiconductor layer overlying the semiconductor layer. In another aspect, the semiconductor layer can abut the semiconductor fin and include a dopant. In a further aspect, a process of forming the electronic device can include reacting a metal-containing layer and a semiconductor layer to form a metal-semiconductor layer. In another aspect, a process can include forming a semiconductor layer, including a dopant, abutting a wall surface of a semiconductor fin.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, more particularly, to electronic devices including a semiconductor fin overlying an insulating layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lowering the resistivity of electrical pathways can improve the performance of electrical devices. One method for achieving this is to form a metal-semiconductor layer along conductive features of the pathway. Reacting a metal-containing layer with a portion of a semiconductor layer can form a metal-semiconductor layer. Examples of metal-semiconductor materials can include NiSi, WSi, TiSi, CoSi, ErSi, PtSi, NiSiPt or any combination thereof. Such a reaction can consume a portion of the semiconductor layer. While the process can lower the electrical resistivity of a subsequently formed electrical pathway, the consumption of semiconductor material can make the process difficult to use in manufacturing electrical device with small features. The consumption of semiconductor material can be particularly problematic when the small features are designed to have semiconductor properties.
The structure of the metal material in the metal-containing layer, the semiconductor material in the semiconductor layer, the metal-semiconductor material in the metal-semiconductor layer, or any combination thereof can each be different from the other. The structural difference can result in an interface between the resulting layers with a roughness average ("Ra") value greater than 4 nm. The roughness of the interface can cause problems with the electronic device such as a spike shorting the source/drain region to the channel region.
Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the invention. The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

Process of forming an electronic device including a semiconductor fin


An erosion control wall system is provided and methods of making it that protect a bank, beach or bluff from soil/sand erosion. The erosion control system includes a plurality of wall members, each formed to have a front face that dissipates and deflects the energy from oncoming waves and a rear face with a stabilizing member extending therefrom for securing the wall member in position along a bank or bluff, or in the water adjacent to a bank, bluff or beach for example. The wall sections are self-stabilizing by action of sand, gravel and/or stone flowing over the wall section and anchoring the stabilizing member. The erosion control wall sections may be constructed on-site using slip form construction methods.

The present disclosure relates to an erosion control wall system that protects a beach, bank or bluff from soil erosion and methods relating thereto.
Shorelines and beaches may be subject to erosion from the action of waves or movement of water. Wave action may erode beaches by several different mechanisms. Waves mobilize shoreline materials and then redistribute them, leading to erosion. Rising and falling water levels may erode beaches over a long period of time. Shoreline structures, including seawalls, pilings and levees, often increase beach erosion adjacent to those structures, by causing wave reflection, turbulence, eddies and currents. These currents mobilize the beach materials which may be transported along shore or offshore. Offshore currents can carry the beach materials many miles away until the current slows and the beach materials sink due to the influence of gravity.
Further, heavy storms can impinge high waves on beaches and shorelines, imparting forces which carry away the beach or crumble the shoreline leading to erosion. During severe storm conditions, when the waves are commonly two to three, and occasionally ten times their normal height, the typical beach response is the loss of material from the beach zone.
Municipalities and individuals often place sand on the shoreline to establish a beach to increase the leisure value of shoreline. Storms having higher wave heights than normal will often severely depreciate the amount of beach material. During such storms, the artificial beaches commonly wash away, because the shoreline, sea bed or lake bed structure is not compatible with the existence of a beach at the location of the artificial beach.
Erosion control wall systems may reduce erosion at a bank or bluff by diverting and dissipating the energy from oncoming waves. Known erosion control systems have various deficiencies, such as not dissipating wave or water movement effectively. Systems are also subject to movement or destruction from the wave action or water movement itself, reducing the effectiveness.
The erosion control wall system of the invention provides a system which is both effective and resists movement or destruction. The wall system and methods may utilize slip form construction. Slip form construction allows constructing wall sections according to the invention in place that results in reduced construction periods and cost savings. The slip form method can be applied with benefit to a range of structures for a predetermined location and environment. Openings, tapering profiles, reductions in wall thickness and large embodiments can be accommodated. The use of slip form manufacturing results in significant cost benefits when compared with traditional formwork or jump form systems. The slip form process may be used during almost every weather condition. Construction requirements for slip form can be met in any but the most severe of weather conditions. The erosion control structures as presently disclosed can be formed using slip form construction at a site, and the wall sections can be positioned, avoiding the need for transportation and/or storage of such systems.
According to the present disclosure, the erosion wall system stabilizes the soil along a bank or a bluff. The wall system includes a plurality of members, each having a center section, one or more sidewalls, a front face extending from the left sidewall to the right sidewall; wherein the front face is positioned to divert wave energy from incoming waves near a beach or bank, or relative to movement of water adjacent thereto. A rear face is formed to extend from the left sidewall to the right sidewall that stabilizes the retention wall in position, and a stabilizing member extending from the rear face. The member further includes a top face, and a bottom support surface.
A present disclosure also relates to a method of on-site manufacturing of erosion control wall sections that includes providing a slip form having a front section, back section and stabilizing member section. The method includes positioning rebar inside the front section, back section, and stabilizing member section, and pouring concrete into a slip form having a front section, back section, and stabilizing member section. The wall section is the sealed, wherein sealing of the front section, back section and stabilizing member section is performed with a sealing compound, to strengthen the surfaces thereof for enhanced wearing and longevity.


A method and apparatus for processing a thin metal layer on a substrate to control the grain size, grain shape, and grain boundary location and orientation in the metal layer by irradiating the metal layer with a first excimer laser pulse having an intensity pattern defined by a mask to have shadow regions and beamlets. Each region of the metal layer overlapped by a beamlet is melted throughout its entire thickness, and each region of the metal layer overlapped by a shadow region remains at least partially unmelted. After completion of resolidification of the melted regions following irradiation by the first excimer laser pulse, the metal layer is irradiated by a second excimer laser pulse having a shifted intensity pattern so that the shadow regions overlap regions of the metal layer having fewer and larger grains.

In the field of semiconductor device processing, there has been a trend to reduce the size of features in integrated circuit devices, including metal interconnect lines therein. Due to such decreases in feature size, metal interconnect lines in integrated circuit devices have smaller cross-sectional areas and must therefore carry higher current densities. Carrying higher current densities increases the occurrence of electromigration in such interconnect lines. Consequently, electromigration is becoming an increasingly common failure mechanism in integrated circuit devices as the feature sizes in such devices become smaller.
Electromigration is observed as a transport of the metal material of a metal interconnect line caused by the transfer of momentum from the electrons flowing in the interconnect line to the metal ions therein. Electromigration can cause a metal layer interconnect line to fail when the transport of metal material creates a void or break in the interconnect line. Electromigration can also cause dislodged metal material in the metal layer interconnect line to accumulate so as to form bulges sufficiently large to make undesired electrical contact with an adjacent interconnect line. These failures occur most often when electron transport takes place parallel to grain boundaries in the metal layer of an interconnect line since grain boundaries can provide channels for the transport of dislodged metal ions.
The problem of failures in metal layer interconnect lines caused by electromigration may be alleviated by increasing the size of the grains in the metal layer interconnect lines so as to reduce the total grain boundary density along the direction of electron transport in the metal layer interconnect lines and to control the orientations of grain boundaries so as to form large angles (ideally 90°) with respect to the direction of electron transport.
In addition to alleviating the problem of electromigration in metal layer interconnect lines in integrated circuit devices, there is a general need in other applications for thin metal layers having higher conductance and greater mechanical strength, which may be obtained by increasing the grain size, and controlling the locations and orientations of grain boundaries in the metal layer. Accordingly, a need clearly exists for a method and apparatus for controlling grain size, grain shape, and the locations and orientations of grain boundaries in a metal layer, including metal layer interconnect lines in integrated circuit devices.

Method and apparatus for processing thin metal layers

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


The present invention relates to a method and system for automatic test data generation for lookup tables. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for generating test data for an automotive lookup table including the steps of dividing the automotive lookup table into categories, generating a list of assertions corresponding in a one-to-one relationship with the categories such that each of the categories has an assertion corresponding to it, generating an execution trace for each assertion using a constraint solver, and generating test data for each execution trace.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a method and system for automatic test data generation for lookup tables.
2. Background
In order to test lookup tables, test data should be generated. However, generating test data can be extremely tedious and require a large amount of time. Furthermore, when test data is used to test the lookup table, the lookup table is often tested in environments which may not accurately simulate the real world.
Thus, there is a need for a more efficient method and apparatus to generate test data for lookup tables and to more accurately test the lookup tables.

Method and system for automatic test data generation for lookup tables

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A system and method for dynamic scheduling and allocation of resources to parallel applications during the course of their execution. By establishing well-defined interactions between an executing job and the parallel system, the system and method support dynamic reconfiguration of processor partitions, dynamic distribution and redistribution of data, communication among cooperating applications, and various other monitoring actions. The interactions occur only at specific points in the execution of the program where the aforementioned operations can be performed efficiently.

When a program is executed on a multiple resource system, many resources may be used to execute the program to completion. Depending on the requirements of the program, different kinds of resources may be required to run the program to completion. For example, a program requires processing resources for executing the program and for manipulation of data; it also requires memory to store intermediate and final results; and it may require resources of a file system. A program may be constructed so that multiple resources of the same kind can be used in order to speed up the program execution or to handle larger problem sizes and/or larger data sets. The resources used by a program may be allocated at the beginning of program execution or may be allocated during the course of execution just prior to its use. For example, all memory used by a program during the course of execution might be allocated only once at the beginning of program execution or instead might be allocated during execution just prior to generation of data and then deallocated when no longer necessary. Resources may be requested by a program explicitly or implicitly. In an explicit allocation, the program makes a request for specific resources explicitly; for example, a program may request a certain amount of memory or may request a specific set of processors prior to commencing the computations. Implicit resource allocation takes place as a result of use or allocation of some other resource (which may have been allocated explicitly or implicitly). An example of implicit allocation is the allocation of additional pages (in a virtual memory environment) as a result of explicit memory allocation by the program. Another example is the case of implicit allocation of a larger amount of memory to a parallel program when it is run on a larger number of processors in a distributed memory environment.
In the context of a uniprocessor environment, allocation of resources to a sequential program is well defined. Resource allocation requests can be made explicitly by an application program or can be inferred by a compiler from language constructs. A run-time environment or the operating system can make these resources available dynamically either in anticipation or on demand. In a uniprocessor environment resources have well defined boundaries; i.e., the number of resources of each kind is fixed (usually one of each kind) and the size of a particular resource (e.g., real or virtual memory size) is also fixed. Compilers and run-time systems (operating system and extensions of it) can take advantage of these predefined resource boundaries and optimize the execution of the code and/or the utilization of the system resources.
In a parallel execution environment, the word "resource" takes on a broader meaning and gives rise to a more demanding apparatus to manipulate resources. The kinds of resources encountered are physical resources such as processors, memory, interconnects, devices for i/o and mass storage, visualization and other special purpose instruments, etc. Typically, the resources are shared by multiple parallel applications. Moreover, it is desirable that programs written for such environments be able to adapt to the scalable nature of these parallel environments. Because of these considerations, in a scalable multiprocessor environment, the resource boundaries cannot be fixed at the time applications are written or even at compile time. For example, the number of processors on which an application may be run cannot be fixed a priori, or it may not be desirable to do so in order to realize the flexibility associated with scalable architectures. Furthermore, it has been observed that the data input to an application can have a large impact on the performance of the computations since concurrency and data distribution are both affected by the particular problem being solved. See J. Saltz, H. Berryman, and J. Wu, Multiprocessing and Run-Time Compilation, "Concurrency: Practice and Experience", vol. 3(6), pp. 573-592, December, 1991. In such cases, the actual resource requirements to solve a problem to completion can be known only after the inputs to the problem are defined and the utilization of these resources may be determined only during the course of the program execution. When multiprocessor systems are multiprogrammed, a new dimension is added to the scheduling problem as multiple parallel jobs compete dynamically for resources. In some research systems, as discussed in C. Polychronopoulos, "Multiprocessing versus Multiprogramming", Proceedings of the 1989 International Conference on Parallel Processing, Aug. 8-12, 1989, pp. II-223-230; A. Gupta, A. Tucker, and L. Stevens, "Making Effective Use of Shared-Memory Multiprocessors: The Process Control Approach", Technical Report CSL-TR-91-475A, Computer Systems Laboratory, Stanford University, 1991; and S. Leutenegger and M. Vernon, "Multiprogrammed Multiprocessor Scheduling Issues", Research Report RC-17642, IBM Research Division, February 1992, resources are rearranged during the lifetime of a parallel job. In the presence of multiple applications, all vying for the same resources, some form of efficient dynamic scheduling of resources is essential.
The scalable nature of parallel environments requires that an application be able to adapt to a particular configuration of the underlying system whenever it is invoked to solve a particular problem. Not only should the program as a whole be able to reconfigure, but to achieve flexibility and efficiency, the components of a program should be reconfigurable with respect to one another. For example, for any specified level of resources, the program data structures may have to be distributed suitably and the bounds for loops executed by each processor may have to be adjusted accordingly.
In summary, parallel applications developed for scalable systems with multiple resources have the following important characteristics:
i. Dynamism: Resource requirements change dynamically during the course of computations. PA1 ii. Reconfigurability: Each stage of computations can be designed to operate under multiple levels of resources. PA1 iii. Shareability: Applications often are required to share data and physical resources. PA1 i. Dynamism: It should be possible to acquire and release resources dynamically on demand. PA1 ii. Reconfigurability: It should be possible to reconfigure the allocated resources to individual applications. PA1 iii. Shareability: It should be possible to dynamically partition the resources both in space and time. PA1 i. A scheme for annotating and instrumenting application program segments such that (a) each segment can operate at multiple resource levels, and (b) the program segment can be reconfigured at run-time to execute with a specified resource level. These annotations and the associated instructions may be generated by a programmer, by a pre-processor, by a compiler, by a library call, by a run-time system, or by combination of these. All are within the scope of this invention. PA1 ii. A run-time system that monitors the progress of a program and provides an interface to a user and/or to a system-wide resource coordinator at each point in the program at which resource revisions and reconfigurations are amenable. PA1 iii. A run-time system that takes a given allocation of resources during the course of a program execution and reconfigures the data and control structures as dictated by the annotations.
Thus, any resource management system for controlling of the resources associated with a parallel environment must have the following characteristics:
To realize these characteristics, it is necessary for the end users and for the system itself to monitor the resources allocated to each segment of computations in an application and to steer the program to maximize the respective performance goals. In view of the above, a run-time system is necessary to integrate the resource manager and the parallel application in an intelligent manner.

Method for resource control in parallel environments using program organization and run-time support


In the production of stretch Oriented poly(hydroxycarboxylic acid) filaments suitable for use in medical products (e.g. sutures), high speed production is achievable by application, prior to the drawing step, of a lubricant which minimizes filament breakage and facilitates the use of draw ratios of at least 2:1, more typically at least 5:1.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of polyhydroxy acid (PHA) filamentary products, particularly bioabsorbable products. An aspect of this invention relates to a process for making PHA filamentary products at high speed and with.gtoreq.2X stretch orientation (a draw ratio.gtoreq.2:1). Still another aspect of this invention relates to a method for using lubricant for facilitating the stretch orientation of filaments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bioabsorbable filamentary products compatible with living tissue have been used for decades. For example, surgical wounds can be closed with the aid of such products (sutures, clamps, etc.). Over a period of time, the product gradually loses its physical strength as it becomes absorbed into the wound site, and it also seems to disappear because of its compatibility with or susceptibility to degradation by living tissue. However, enough physical strength is retained by the product to hold the wound closed until a considerable amount of healing has taken place.
Early on, bioabsorbable monofilament surgical products were developed from naturally-derived collagen materials (e.g. the so-called "catgut" sutures), and these collagen products are still in use today, but it has long been recognized that collagen products and particularly monofilament collagen products have certain inadequacies, such as nonuniformity and antigenic characteristics. "Poly(hydroxy acid)", i.e. poly(hydroxycarboxylic acid) or "PHA," monofilament and polyfilament (e.g. braided) surgical products have become welcome additions in the field of surgical products, due to their uniformity and predictability. (The PHA polymers are polyesters containing repeating hydroxycarboxylic acid units.) However, some of the essential mechanical properties of bioabsorbable PHA surgical products can only be obtained when the freshly-spun filaments are drawn (stretch-oriented). See U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,033 (Schmitt et al), issued Jan. 10, 1967 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,956 (Schneider), issued Jan. 25, 1972. For an early appreciation of stretch orientation of PHA fibers, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,136 (Higgins), issued Jul. 6, 1954.
The chemistry of the polymers that contain repeating hydroxycarboxylic acid units and that are suitable for the production of filaments or fibers is described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,636,956, 3,839,297, 4,033,938, 4,243,775, 4,300,565, and 4,700,704.
For suture use, monofilaments were initially used. However, particularly in the case of PHA surgical products, it is generally conventional to spin a fine filament and then improve its handling characteristics, tensile strength, knotting strength, etc. by twisting together or braiding or otherwise combining several fine filaments into a multifilament structure, as in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,297,033; 3,839,297 (Wasserman et al), issued Oct. 1, 1974; and 4,027,676 (Mattei), issued Jun. 7, 1977.
Although these synthetic sutures have excellent use properties, their production is relatively slow. For example, excessive breakage of the small denier individual filaments during the conventional processing steps of spinning, drawing to orient, annealing, and one or more wind-up steps can slow down production. Because of this breakage problem, the freshly-spun filaments are generally collected at relatively low speeds and then drawn in a separate step in which the drawn fiber is also collected at relatively low speeds (e.g. <100 m/min.), in some cases as slow as just a few meters per minute. See Example 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,565 (Rosensaft et al), issued Nov. 17, 1981, wherein the collection speed of the drawn filament is 5.2.times.10 feet/min or about 52 ft./min. Nevertheless, as indicated above, drawing or stretch orientation can be vital to the production of surgical products of good quality.
In the field of filament processing generally, processing finishes or lubricants have been used to minimize running tensions and filament-to-filament friction, reduce static buildup, prevent filament breaks due to running tension, etc. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,063 (Chandler), issued Jan. 3, 1967. Chandler's finishes do not appear to be hygroscopic, but other prior art finishes can pick up moisture (e.g. atmospheric moisture). The PHA filaments preferred for use in surgical structures are water-sensitive, and some are rather easily hydrolyzed, resulting in polymer degradation and loss of physical properties. Accordingly, finishes or lubricants for PHA filament processing must be carefully formulated to accommodate the peculiar problems of these polymers.
Various finishes have been used as coating materials on spun PHA filamentary products, typically prior or subsequent to processing these products into sutures, e.g. to improve handling properties, knot tying strength, etc. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,676, U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,635, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,033. U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,635 (Cummings et al) mentions the problem of flaws in the fiber which arise due to passage of the fiber through processing machinery (e.g. braiding apparatus). Typically, Cummings et al form the fiber into a yarn and then draw it at a ratio such as 4:1 and a temperature of 140.degree. F. (60.degree. C.) to obtain a yarn of, say, 50 denier.

Process of producing bioabsorbable filaments