An assembly, method, and device for high-speed optical format data transmission includes a printed circuit board containing mounting locations for electrical components, optical components, and a heatsink device. A tray may also be mounted on the printed circuit board to route optical fiber to various components. The heatsink is positioned at a predetermined height above the printed circuit board so that it physically contacts the electrical and optical components that require cooling. The printed circuit board may include one or more openings in which one or more of the electrical or optical components that are significantly taller than the other components are embedded. The heatsink may also include one or more openings in which one or more of the taller electrical or optical components are positioned. Additional compliant heat conductive material may be placed between the top of one or more electrical or optical components and the heatsink when the components are not as high at the position of the heatsink. Material may also be removed from the bottom of one or more portions of the heatsink to accommodate one or more of the electrical or optical components that are slightly higher than the position of the heatsink. The layout of the printed circuit board assembly includes positioning the electrical and optical components for receiving data on one section of the printed circuit board, while the electrical and optical components for transmitting data are positioned on another section of the printed circuit board. The electrical and optical components that are sensitive to temperature variation are positioned near the portion of the printed circuit board that receives the greatest amount of cooling.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to optical signal processing cards in add/drop multiplexers. More specifically, this invention relates to a high-speed optical signal processing card that incorporates electrical and optical components on a single card in an add/drop multiplexer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical networks are increasing in importance, and high speed digital signals are commonly transmitted using Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) standards at speeds ranging from 51.84 Mb/s (OC-1) to 9.95 Gb/s (OC-192). A wide range of equipment incorporates SONET/SDH transmission functionality, including add/drop multiplexers (ADMs) which allows digital transmission signals to be removed or inserted from incoming/outgoing optical streams.
Because space is limited in telecommunications equipment, it is essential to be able to provide the maximum amount of functionality in the minimum volume. As an example, optical cards in add/drop multiplexers must operate at very high speeds and must contain powerful optical components, but should not occupy multiple slots within the add/drop multiplexer. This can be particularly challenging at OC-192 operating speeds, where 10 gigabits per second signals must be routed around the card, and where high power optical components must be utilized. In addition, crosstalk and thermal issues must be addressed.

Long reach unamplified optical SONET/SDH card


A method and apparatus for measuring a channel in a wireless communication system is provided. A user equipment (UE) performs radio link monitoring (RLM) measurement and/or channel quality indicator (CQI) measurement according to phases of in-device coexistence (IDC) interference. The RLM measurement does not reflect the IDC interference in phase 2 and 3. The CQI measurement does not reflect the IDC interference in phase 3.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for performing radio link monitoring and/or channel quality indicator measurement in a wireless communication system.
Related Art
Universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) is a 3rd generation (3G) asynchronous mobile communication system operating in wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) based on European systems, global system for mobile communications (GSM) and general packet radio services (GPRS). A long-term evolution (LTE) of UMTS is under discussion by the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) that standardized UMTS.
In order to allow users to access various networks and services ubiquitously, an increasing number of user equipments (UEs) are equipped with multiple radio transceivers. For example, a UE may be equipped with LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (BT) transceivers, etc, for a wireless communication system, and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers. For example, a UE may be equipped with a LTE module and a Bluetooth module in order to receive a voice over Internet (VoIP) service, multimedia service using a Bluetooth earphone. A UE may be equipped with a LTE module and a Wi-Fi module in order to distribute traffics. A UE may be equipped with a LTE module and a GNSS module in order to acquire location information additionally.
Due to extreme proximity of multiple radio transceivers within the same UE, the transmit power of one transmitter may be much higher than the received power level of another receiver. By means of filter technologies and sufficient frequency separation, the transmit signal may not result in significant interference. But for some coexistence scenarios, e.g. different radio technologies within the same UE operating on adjacent frequencies or sub-harmonic frequencies, the interference power coming from a transmitter of the collocated radio may be much higher than the actual received power level of the desired signal for a receiver. This situation causes in-device coexistence (IDC) interference. The challenge lies in avoiding or minimizing IDC interference between those collocated radio transceivers, as current state-of-the-art filter technology might not provide sufficient rejection for certain scenarios. Therefore, solving the interference problem by single generic radio frequency (RF) design may not always be possible and alternative methods needs to be considered.
Meanwhile, a UE may persistently perform measurement in order to maintain link quality with a serving cell. Specifically, the UE may persistently perform monitoring of link quality in order to determine whether communication with the serving cell is available or not. In 3GPP LTE, it is called radio link monitoring (RLM). If link quality of the serving cell is bad enough that communication with the serving cell is not available, the UE may declare a radio link failure. IF the UE declares the radio link failure, the UE may abandon maintaining communication with the serving cell, and may select a cell by a cell selection procedure. The UE may try to an RRC connection reestablishment with the selected cell.
Whether to reflect IDC interference for RLM and/or channel quality indicator (CQI) measurement is not defined yet. Accordingly, a method for performing RLM and/or CQI measurement considering IDC interference may be required.

Method and apparatus for performing radio link monitoring and/or channel quality indicator measurement in wireless communication system


The object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for using network and computer resources effectively. Resources are spread out on network 3. Spread abroad herein are: structuralized documents d1, d2 on server 1a; structuralized documents d3, d4 on server 1b; and structuralized document d5 on server 1c. Server 1a, for example: 1) accepts a reference request for structuralized document d1 from client 2a; 2) acquires fragments f2, f3, f4, f5 for referee structuralized document d1 from server 1a itself and from other servers 1b,c; 3) embeds fragments f2-f5 in structuralized document d1; and 4) transmits embedding-processed structuralized document d1 to requester client 2a. A “fragment” here is all or a portion of a structuralized document.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to technology for providing network-based resources, especially structuralized text, to user terminals.
"Resources" as set forth in the present invention are data that, regardless of the data form, can be provided on a network. Resources may be, to give an example, any such as structuralized documents, text files, image files, or program files. Further, resources may be data files in their entirety, or partially. A portion of a structuralized document could also be a resource.
A "structuralized document" means a data file described in a structuralized language (markup language) such as XML (Extensible Markup Language), or SGML (Stand Generalized Markup Language). A "fragment" means a portion of a structuralized document.
2. Description of Related Art
In displaying network-based resources on user terminals, methods that greatly load down the networks and user terminals are used. FIG. 14 shows a user terminal 1 connected through a network to resource-storing servers S1, S2. A link to fragment f2 is included in structuralized document d1 stored on the server S1. Fragment f2 is a portion of structuralized document d2 stored on the separate server S2.
The user terminal 1 requests structuralized document d1 from server S1, and acquires it from the server S1. Subsequently, the user terminal 1 structurally parses structuralized document d1. When the user terminal 1 carries out a section reference—that is within structuralized document d1—to the other structuralized document d2, it acquires structuralized document d2 from the server S2.
The user terminal 1 next parses structuralized document d2, and extracts fragment f2, indicated by a partial-reference identifier xl2 within structuralized document d1, from structuralized document d2. The user terminal 1 thereafter embeds extracted fragment f2 into structuralized document d1.
When carrying out the process just noted, even if the section reference xl2 refers only to a portion f2 of structuralized document d2, the user terminal 1 must acquire the entire structuralized document d2. This is true despite the fact that the section referent is often quite small compared to the entire structuralized document. Accordingly, with the goal of acquiring an extremely small part of a structuralized document, acquiring the structuralized document in its entirety over a network is a largely wasteful process.
The reason why is that the time required for data transmission ends up occupying a relatively large block in the structuralized document processing time. This is caused by the data transmission speed on the network being in general slow compared to the data transmission speed on the bus within the computer. Networks among server-user terminals especially are low speed compared to networks among servers. Accordingly, in situations where the process just described is carried out on a user terminal, much time is consumed by data transmission, whereupon most of the acquired structuralized document is discarded as unnecessary information.
Moreover, in situations where section references within structuralized documents are increased, or situations where within the structuralized document at a referent, further section references are included, the processing burden on the user terminals ends up being great. The reason why is that fragments have to be extracted by parsing the relevant structuralized document in its entirety.
On the other hand, whether a user terminal seeks to refer to an entire structuralized document, or seeks to refer to a portion of a structuralized document cannot be judged on the server end. This therefore risks copyright problems arising with respect to the section references. The reason being most text providers assume that the texts are referred to as is in their original form. More precisely, text providers are displeased by portions of their structuralized documents being extracted without permission and embedded into other structuralized documents, and yet not being able to grasp the places referring to those portions.
Furthermore, controlling the section-reference referents according to the text providers' intentions by the method described above is problematic. The reason why is that structuralized documents are acquired, and the fragment-extracting process is carried out, on the user end. Services that control fragments provided in reply to referrer users are for example contemplated. In this case, leaving control of the section-reference referents to the user-terminal end is not secure. This is because the user terminals are able to gain all of the information in the foregoing structuralized documents. Likewise, it is difficult for administrators of reference-destination structuralized documents to make practicable a process by which, e.g., only section references from certain specified structuralized documents are permitted. Therefore, administrators themselves have to monitor how structuralized documents are referred to.

Information-provision method and information-provision device for structuralized documents stored in different devices connected to a network


A multipurpose panel structure formed of a relatively thin resilient type material adaptable for use as a container device, the panel structure comprising a relatively flat one-piece wall member having a cooperatively engageable interlocking arrangement associated therewith enabling the wall member to be formed into substantially closed-wall structure capable of standing on end to form a container device, the cooperatively engageable interlocking arrangement providing an easily assembled yet stable container which may be shipped in its flat condition and later assembled without the need for special tools or equipment. The container assembly may take various shapes adaptable for holding a wide variety of materials including tissue paper.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a re-usable container assembly for holding a variety of materials that is easy to manufacture, transport and assembly. The container of the present invention is particular suited to hold tissue paper. The tissue container of this invention has a unique configuration which enhances ease of assembly because the container is formed from a single foldable panel.
b) Description of Related Art
In an office, store, merchandising or any other environment, many different types of containers are abundantly used for collecting and storing promotional articles. Typically, known prior art container devices are of a totally rigid, noncollapsible construction and, importantly, few of the known devices are designed to be transported in a disassembled state for ease of portability, while providing a design which is easy to assemble on-site. A totally rigid construction makes the known devices expensive to manufacture as well as bulky, awkward and difficult to transport from one location to another. There therefore exists a need for an inexpensive container assembly which can be easily and conveniently employed in a wide variety of environments, both indoors and outdoors, which container assembly can be stored and shipped in a compact, flat package and can be easily and readily assembled and disassembled by a single non-skilled person without tools and without external fasteners or other components.
Several prior art containers having been proposed which are formed from a foldable, resilient member. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,269 to Sutton et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,022 to Tipps. These prior art devices however are awkward to assemble, overly expensive to manufacture, lack the stability necessary for a wide variety of applications, and are not suitable for use as a tissue holder.

Container made from single foldable panel


A processor includes a core for providing speed reduction in communications between a transmission media and a processor having an upper link layer in a parallel-serial architecture. The core includes a lower logic layer, serial lanes connecting the logic layer to the transmission media, at least one selector connected to the serial lanes for supporting at least two differing data widths. The logic layer controls the selector, and multiple buffers are interposed in the serial lanes. The selector enables the speed reductions is the upper link layer of the processor. The processor is particularly applicable to interface components used in InfiniBand-type hardware.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to input/output (I/O) data transmission devices, and more particularly to first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer devices in I/O data transmission paths.
2. Description of the Related Art
InfiniBand (registered Trademark of the InfiniBand Trade Association, Portland, Oreg.) architecture is a new common I/O specification to deliver a channel based, switched-fabric technology that the entire hardware and software industry can adopt. A network and components associated with an InfiniBand network 100 are shown in FIG. 1a. InfiniBand based networks are designed to satisfy bandwidth-hungry network applications, such as those combining voice, data, and video on the Internet. InfiniBand architecture is being developed by the InfiniBand Trade Association that includes many hardware and software companies. Its robust layered design enables multiple computer systems and peripherals to work together more easily as a single high-performance and highly available server.
Being a fabric-centric, message-based architecture, InfiniBand is ideally suited for clustering, input/output extension, and native attachment in diverse network applications. InfiniBand technology can be used to build remote card cages 15 or connect to attached hosts 35, routers 40, or disk arrays 50. InfiniBand also features enhanced fault isolation, redundancy support, and built-in failover capabilities to provide high network reliability and availability. Featuring high-performance and reliability, these devices provide solutions for a range of network infrastructure components, including servers and storage area networks.
In FIG. 1b, a block diagram is shown in exemplary form of InfiniBand components in a portion of the network shown in FIG. 1a. These components have input/output interfaces, each forming part of a target channel adapter (TCA) 10, host channel adapter (HCA) 20, an interconnect switch device 30, and routers 40, each that have application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) core interfaces that include InfiniBand Technology Link Protocol Engine (IBT-LPE) cores that connect ASICs between each of these components through links 25 in an InfiniBand Technology (IBT) network 100. The IBT-LPE core supports a range of functionality that is required by all IBT devices in the upper levels of the physical layer and the lower link layer. It also handles the complete range of IBT bandwidth requirements, up to and including a 4-wide link operating at 2.5 gigabits per second. The IBT-LPE core (large integrated circuit design) in the upper levels of the physical layer and the link layer core of the ASIC comply with standards established by the InfiniBand Trade Association in the IBTA 1.0 specifications (2001). Such architectures decouple the I/O subsystem from memory by using channel based point to point connections rather than shared bus, load and store configurations.
The TCA 10 provides an interface for InfiniBand-type data storage and communication components. Creating InfiniBand adapters that leverage the performance benefits of the InfiniBand architecture is accomplished through a cooperative, coprocessing approach to the design of an InfiniBand and native I/O adapter. The TCA 10 provides a high-performance interface to the InfiniBand fabric, and the host channel communicates with a host based I/O controller using a far less complex interface consisting of queues, shared memory blocks, and doorbells. Together, the TCA and the I/O controller function as an InfiniBand I/O channel deep adapter. The TCA implements the entire mechanism required to move data between queues and to share memory on the host bus and packets on the InfiniBand network in hardware. The combination of hardware-based data movement with optimized queuing and interconnect switch priority arbitration schemes working in parallel with the host based I/O controller functions maximizes the InfiniBand adapter's performance.
The HCA 20 enables connections from a host bus to a dual 1× or 4×InfiniBand network. This allows an existing server to be connected to an InfiniBand network and communicate with other nodes on the InfiniBand fabric. The host bus to InfiniBand HCA integrates a dual InfiniBand interface adapter (physical, link and transport levels), host bus interface, direct memory target access (DMA) engine, and management support. It implements a layered memory structure in which connection-related information is stored in either channel on-device or off-device memory attached directly to the HCA. It features adapter pipeline header and data processing in both directions. Two embedded InfiniBand microprocessors and separate direct memory access (DMA) engines permit concurrent receive and transmit data-path processing.
The interconnect switch 30 can be an 8-port 4×switch that incorporates eight InfiniBand ports and a management interface. Each port can connect to another switch, the TCA 10, or the HCA 20, enabling configuration of multiple servers and peripherals that work together in a high-performance InfiniBand based network. The interconnect switch 30 integrates the physical and link layer for each port and performs filtering, mapping, queuing, and arbitration functions. It includes multicast support, as well as performance and error counters. The management interface connects to a management processor that performs configuration and control functions. The interconnect switch 30 typically can provide a maximum aggregate channel throughput of 64 gigabits, integrates buffer memory, and supports up to four data virtual lanes (VL) and one management VL per port.
FIG. 2a illustrates the core logic 210 that connects an InfiniBand transmission media 280 (the links 25 shown in FIG. 1b) to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 246 (such as the TCA 10, the HCA 20, the switch 30, the router 40, etc. as shown in FIG. 1b). The core logic 210 illustrated in FIG. 2a is improved using the invention described below. However, the core logic 210 shown in FIG. 2a is not prior art and may not be generally known to those ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing of this invention. The receive and transmit data transmission media clock 280 may operate at a different frequency (e.g., 250 MHz +/−100 parts per million on the receive path and the core logic 210 transmit data path operates at 250 MHz), which in turn may operate at a different frequency compared to the ASIC 246 clock speed (e.g., 62.5 MHz).
To accommodate the different speeds of the data signals being handled, the core logic 210 includes a serialization portion 270 that includes serialization/deserialization (SERDES) units 225. The structure and operation of such serialization/deserialization units is well known to those ordinarily skilled in the art and such will not be discussed in detail herein so as not to unnecessarily obscure the salient features of the invention.
The InfiniBand transmission media 280 is made up of a large number of byte-striped serial transmission lanes 200 that form the links 25. The receive serialization/deserialization units 225 deserialize the signals from the transmission media 280 and perform sufficient conversion to reduce the frequency to one that is acceptable to the core logic 210. For example, if the serialization/deserialization receive units 225 operate to deserialize 10 bits at a time, a 10-to-1 reduction occurs that reduces the 2.5 gigabit per second speed on the transmission media 280 into a 250 MHz frequency that is acceptable to the core logic 210.
The core logic 210 also includes a frequency correction unit 260. The frequency of the signal propagating along the transmission media 280 may not always occur at this wire speed, but instead may be slightly above or below the desired frequency (e.g., by up to 100 parts per million). This inconsistency in the frequency is transferred through the serialization/deserialization units 225. The frequency correction unit 260 includes FIFO buffers 261 that buffer the signal being output by the serialization/deserialization units (SERDES) 225 so as to provide the signal in a uniform 250 MHz frequency to the upper layer logic 250.
The upper link layer logic 250 includes additional FIFO buffers 251 that convert the frequency of the signal output from the frequency correction unit 260 into a frequency that is acceptable to the ASIC 246. During transmission of a signal from the ASIC 246 to the transmission media 280, the process is reversed and the upper link layer logic 250 use FIFO buffers 253. Similarly, the serialization unit 270 uses other transmission serialization/deserialization units 227. Note that no correction is required by the frequency correction unit 262 for signals that are being transmitted to the transmission media 280 because the ASIC 246 generally produces a signal that does not need to be corrected.
One disadvantage of the core logic 210 shown in FIG. 2a is the large number of buffers 251, 253, 261 that are required by the upper link layer logic 250 and the frequency correction unit 260. These buffers use substantial circuit power and reduce operational speed of data being processed through the core logic 210. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the number of buffers within the core logic 210 to reduce this power usage and increase processing speed.

Network for decreasing transmit link layer core speed

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided is a reusable food storage container, comprising a vessel that can store a food and/or beverage and a removable cap that closes the vessel. The cap can have a tube or other through-passage formed therein to enable a user to squeeze or draw out the contents of the vessel. The cap can include a mouthpiece and a plug to close the mouthpiece. The cap can be configured to make at least one of a seal, e.g., an airtight and/or water tight-seal, with the vessel, by being press fit into the top of the vessel. And the plug can be configured to close and seal the mouthpiece.

Presently, myriad forms of reusable food and beverage containers exist in the marketplace. As an example, many types of water bottles, or other drink containers, exist. And, many type of food storage containers exist. Some are geared for infants, while others are geared for teens and adults. Some beverage containers are made with insulating properties, e.g., travel coffee mugs and thermoses.
Reusable beverage containers can include screw-type caps. In such cases, the cap has a "female"-threaded rim configured that corresponds to a "male"-threaded opening of a vessel that holds the beverage. The cap is screwed off to provide access to the opening of the vessel and screwed on to close the opening, or vice versa. Some food containers include snap-on caps (or lids, or covers), wherein the cap includes a recess that accommodates a corresponding protruding rim at the opening of the vessel, e.g., as with a sandwich container.
With particular regard to beverage containers, some such caps include a rigid mouthpiece through which a person can receive a beverage within the vessel, such as with children's "sippy cups." The rigid mouthpiece can be formed as part of the cap and immovable, e.g., as a molded plastic cap. In other designs, a "pop cap" is used, where a mouthpiece has an open position and a closed position, and the mouthpiece can be popped open from the closed position. These can be effective in preventing leakage of the vessel's contents, and for preventing contamination of the container contents from entry of external matter.
Despite these various types of reusable food and beverage containers, it would be beneficial to have a reusable food and beverage container that was configured to allow a user to easily form an airtight and/or water-tight seal between the cap and the vessel that is simple to use and cost effective. Such an container could further reduce the waste and environmental impacts of widely used disposable containers, such as disposable food and beverage containers. That is, in a world where all things single-use, are made of plastic, there is a detrimental environmental impact—particularly given the sales and distribution volume of such single-use food and beverage containers.

Reusable food container with re-sealable cap


An apparatus for assembling a liner from a plurality of longitudinal sections of flexible material having longitudinal edges adapted to be joined one to another to form the liner includes a path means along which the longitudinal sections of flexible material can be conveyed in a laterally reduced condition, an assembly zone at which the longitudinal edges can be joined together to form the liner, and a guide structure about which the flexible material can turn upon exiting from the path means to provide an inner section and an outer section turned back with respect to the inner section. The guide structure presents a guide, surface over which the longitudinal sections of flexible material can pass, the surface being configured to facilitate spreading of each longitudinal section from the laterally reduced condition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for assembling a liner for lining a passage. The passage may comprise a duct such as for example a pipeline, or an underground passage such as for example a tunnel.
The liner may be assembled in a pre-existing passage or it may be assembled during construction or formation of a passage. The liner may be for any appropriate purpose, such as for example to seal a passage against ingress or egress of fluid through the side wall thereof, or to provide internal support to a passage.
2. Background Art
A particular application of the apparatus is in the recovery of material from the ground (including the floor of bodies of water) and in particular from underground locations.
The invention has been devised specifically, although not solely, for underground mining operations including in particular mining operations in continuously collapsing sand environments. In such an application, the invention is concerned with improvements to apparatus disclosed in International Application Nos. PCT/AU96/00106 and PCT/AU95/00667 in the name of Neil Deryck Bray Graham, the contents of which are incorporated herein by way of reference.
In International Application No. PCT/AU96/00106 there is disclosed a system for recovery of materials from underground locations. Specifically, there is disclosed apparatus for recovering material from an underground location, comprising a recovery head for receiving material to be recovered and a conveying means for conveying the material from the recovery head to a remote location. The recovery head comprises a chamber for receiving material to be recovered and a screen associated with the chamber for screening material entering the chamber. The screen has a first side from which material being screened passes therethrough. The screen has a plurality of elongate screen openings which extend from the first side of the screen to a second side. A plurality of tines are mounted on a support means disposed on the second side of the screen, with each tine being movable along a path at least part of which includes one of the elongate screen openings, whereby the tine is received in and movable along the elongate screen opening, with the tine extended beyond the first side of the screen for at least part of the movement thereof along the screen.
Typically, the conveying means comprises a pipe string and the recovery head is positioned at the lower end of the pipe string. A structure for operating the pipe string is provided at a receiving and handling station situated at ground level. The recovery head is delivered to the underground location at which a mining operation is to be performed and also moves through that location by progressively excavating material to create a passage for itself and the pipe string trailing behind it. The difficulty with this arrangement is that the passage excavated by the recovery head can collapse about the pipe string, particularly in circumstances where the surrounding material is unstable, such as in soft sandy conditions.
International Application No. PCT/AU95/00667 discloses an arrangement for progressively installing a lining within the passage created by the recovery head as the passage is formed. The lining comprises a casing defined by a shroud provided about the pipe string to line the passage so as to prevent the surrounding material from collapsing onto the pipe string. The shroud is formed from flexible material delivered in two longitudinal sections and then assembled to form the shroud around the pipe string. Each longitudinal section of flexible material is stored in roll form at a station situated at ground level and is unwound from the roll as the pipes string advances. This arrangement allows the shroud to be deployed over long distances.
As disclosed in International Application No. PCT/AU95/00667, the shroud formed from flexible material is assembled around the pipe string behind the recovery head for lining the passage created by the recovery head so as to prevent material in the surrounding environment from collapsing onto the pipe string. The shroud is assembled from flexible material delivered in two longitudinal sections. The pipe string has a head end section which is provided with two rollers one corresponding to each longitudinal section of the flexible material. Each section of flexible material is delivered to its respective roller in a compact condition and turns about the respective roller to provide an inner section and an outer section. The outer sections spread from the compact condition and are subsequently brought together to form the shroud.
The rollers are accommodated in a casing which surrounds the head end section. Because of their nature, the rollers form protuberances in the casing. Unfortunately, the protuberances have a detrimental influence in that their presence imparts a significant amount of drag on the overall assembly.
The quest for a solution to this problem has led to the present invention.


A hybrid drive of a motor vehicle includes a combustion engine, an electric machine, a gear box, and a superimposed transmission. The gearbox includes an input shaft, and first and second output shafts, and the input shaft is connected to the first and second output shafts via switchable spur gear stages. The superimposed transmission is connected non-rotatably to a hollow shaft arranged coaxially with the second output shaft. The hollow shaft is connected non-rotatably to an idler of an axially adjacent switchable spur gear stage via a first coupling-switching element, and the hollow shaft is fixed at a housing via an interlock switching device. A bridging contact member connects the hollow shaft to the superimposed transmission, and the superimposed transmission is also permanently connected to a rotor of the electric machine.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
It is generally known that in a hybrid drive a superimposed transmission constructed in planetary design can be used for superimposing the torques and speeds of a combustion engine or an electric machine. Compared with other construction types of superimposed transmissions, a planetary transmission has the advantage that the transmission components have compact measurements and adjusted bearing forces.
DE 199 34 696 A1 describes a combination of a combustion engine, an electric machine and a superimposed transmission depicted as an electrodynamic drive system (EDA), which precedes a gearbox in countershaft design and allows for an abrasion-free start. According to FIG. 1 of the above-mentioned patent specification, a first embodiment of this hybrid drive shows that the superimposed transmission is designed in the form of a simple planetary transmission with a sun wheel, a planet carrier supporting multiple planetary gears and a ring gear. The ring gear of the planetary transmission is connected non-rotatably to the drive shaft of the combustion engine and forms the first input element of the superimposed transmission. The sun wheel of the planetary transmission is connected non-rotatably to the rotor of the electric machine and forms the second input element of the superimposed transmission. The planet carrier of the planetary transmission is connected non-rotatably to the input shaft of the gearbox and forms the output element of the superimposed transmission.
In this hybrid drive, the abrasion-free start occurs in that the combustion engine maintains a mostly constant speed and the electric machine is first controlled in generator operation with increasing drag torque until the rotor reaches a standstill and then accelerated in engine operation with opposite direction of rotation until the transmission components of the planetary transmission achieve synchronized movement. When a synchronized movement in the planetary transmission is achieved, a lock-up clutch situated between the sun wheel and the planet carrier is closed so that during further combustion operation the planetary transmission revolves in the block. In this operating condition, the electric machine can be run as a motor for a boost operation, operated as a generator for charging an electric energy storage device or switched powerless. When the drive shaft of the combustion engine is connected to the ring gear of the planetary transmission via a decoupler which can be engaged and disengaged, the combustion engine can also be disconnected and shut off to allow for pure electric drive. Without changing anything, the gearbox of this hybrid drive can also be used for a conventional drive, in which a start with the combustion engine takes place wear-prone via the slip operation of a decoupler designed in the form of a friction clutch.
DE 10 2010 030 567 A1 and DE 10 2010 043 354 A1 describe hybrid drives in which a respective gearbox in countershaft design, which is combined for drive-connecting an electric machine to a superimposed transmission constructed in planetary design, is specifically configured for use in a hybrid drive. Therefore, the respective gearbox cannot be modified with only a few changes to be used in a conventional drive train nor can it be derived therefrom. Therefore, its development and production are comparatively expensive.
In a first version of the hybrid drive described in DE 10 2010 030 567 A1, according to FIG. 1, the two input shafts are arranged coaxially and axially adjacent to one another and can be connected with one another non-rotatably via a coupling-switching element. The first input shaft is connected via a decoupler designed in the form of a friction clutch to the drive shaft of the combustion engine and can be connected via a switchable spur gear stage to the output shaft. The superimposed transmission designed in the form of a simple planetary transmission is arranged coaxially and axially adjacent to the second input shaft. Therefore, the ring gear of the planetary transmission forms the first input element of the superimposed transmission. The sun wheel of the planetary transmission is connected non-rotatably to the rotor of the electric machine and therefore forms the second input element of the superimposed transmission. Via a bridging contact member, the planet carrier of the planetary transmission can be connected non-rotatably to the second input shaft of the gearbox and via a further switchable spur gear stage, it can be connected to the output shaft. As a result, the planet carrier of the planetary transmission forms the output element of the superimposed transmission.
Besides the possibility for an abrasion-free start, this well-known hybrid drive has three gears for combustion operation and two gears for electric drive. In addition, there is the possibility of independently charging an electric energy storage device by means of the combustion engine, as well as the ability of starting the motor of the combustion engine by means of the electric machine. However, this hybrid drive has the disadvantage of having only a small number of gear steps available in the combustion operation and low transmission efficiency in the electric drive resulting from the drag losses of the spur gear stages.
In the hybrid drive according to DE 10 2010 043 354 A1, the superimposed transmission designed in the form of a simple planetary transmission is arranged within the gearbox in countershaft design, which has two input shafts and one output shaft. The first input shaft of the gearbox is arranged axially parallel to the output shaft, connected to the drive shaft of the combustion engine via a decoupler designed in the form of a friction clutch, and can be connected to the output shaft of the gearbox via two spur gear stages respectively consisting of idlers. The second input shaft of the gearbox is arranged axially parallel to the first input shaft and output shaft, connected non-rotatably to the rotor of the electric machine, and can be connected to the output shaft of the gearbox via two spur gear stages also respectively consisting only of idlers. The spur gear stages of the first input shaft and the second input shaft are arranged in identical, or almost identical, gear levels and utilize in the one case a mutual idler which is arranged on the output shaft. In the other case, the idlers of the two spur gear stages arranged on the output shaft are connected with one another in a rotationally fixed manner. The superimposed transmission designed in the form of a simple planetary transmission is arranged coaxially with the output shaft between the two gear levels. The ring gear of the planetary transmission is connected non-rotatably to the two idlers of the first gear level, which are also connected with one another in a rotationally fixed manner. Via a respective switching device, said idlers can be connected to the first input shaft or the second input shaft, and via a further switching device they can be connected non-rotatably directly to the output shaft. As a result, the ring gear of the planetary transmission can form the first input element or the second input element of the superimposed transmission. By means of a switching device, the sun wheel of the planter transmission can be connected non-rotatably to the mutual idler of the second gear level, which idler, in turn, can be connected via a respective switching device to the first input shaft or the second input shaft, and via a further switching device, it can be connected non-rotatably directly to the output shaft. Therefore, the sun wheel of the planetary transmission can also form the first input element or the second input element of the superimposed transmission. The planet carrier is connected non-rotatably to the output shaft and, accordingly, forms the output element of the superimposed transmission.
Besides the possibility for an abrasion-free start, this well-known hybrid drive has seven gears for combustion operation, including four winding gears, and seven gears for electric drive, also including four winding gears. This hybrid drive also involves the possibility of independently charging an electric energy storage device by means of the combustion engine and the possibility of starting the motor of the combustion engine by means of the electric machine. However, this hybrid drive has the disadvantage of having a large number of required switching devices, a large number of switching devices to be engaged and disengaged for most of the gears, and poor transmission efficiency in the winding gears.
On the other hand, in the non-prepublished patent DE 10 2013 215 114 A, the same applicant proposes several embodiments of a hybrid drive of the design mentioned above, which have a gearbox in countershaft design and a superimposed transmission in planetary design. Said hybrid drive has a large number of gears for combustion operation and two gears with high transmission efficiency for electric drive, and it has a gearbox which can be derived with a few modifications from a conventional gearbox.
In this well-known hybrid drive, the superimposed transmission is arranged coaxially with a free end of an output shaft of the gearbox. A first input element of the superimposed transmission is connected non-rotatably to a hollow shaft which is arranged coaxially with the output shaft. Via a coupling-switching element, said hollow shaft can be connected non-rotatably to an idler of an axially directly adjacent spur gear stage of the gearbox in order to couple the combustion engine. For bridging the superimposed transmission, it is possible via a bridging contact member to connect non-rotatably the hollow shaft to a further transmission component of the superimposed transmission. For shifting a second gear step for the electric drive, the hollow shaft is fixed at the housing via a switching device. A second input element of the superimposed transmission is permanently drive connected to a rotor of the electric machine, and the output element of the superimposed transmission is connected non-rotatably to the output shaft of the gearbox.


Immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase on a carrier selected from the group consisting of macroporous adsorbent resin of the acrylic type, synthetic epoxy activated resin and Mg—Al-hydrotalcite enhances its enantioselectivity by six to seven folds. The immobilized Candida rugosa lipase is suitable for use in resolution of racemic alcohols and/or carboxylic acids, particularly in resolution of racemic menthol or production of menthyl esters.

The demand for enantiomerically pure pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and food additives is increasing due to the fact that different forms of enantiomers often have different behavior and can cause different biological effects.
Lipases are most useful in the preparation of enantiomerically pure compounds because lipase is comparatively economical and the lipase catalyzed process can be scaled up.
Although a large number of lipases have been evaluated for resolution of racemic alcohols and/or carboxylic acids, they have not generally met with great success due to low enantiospecificities. Various methodologies have been described to increase the enantioselectivity of lipase in resolution of racemates and immobilization of lipase is one of the methodologies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,963 reports that immobilization of lipase on macroporous adsorbent resin of the acrylic type leads to a product with higher interesterification activity than prior art methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,955 reports that lipase or phospholipase immobilized on a macroporous adsorbent resin having an epoxy group on the surface thereof exhibits an excellent lipase activity, which is suitable for use for transesterification reaction in a system containing very small amount of water.
The above mentioned U.S. patents do not discuss about the enantioselectivity of the immobilized lipase.


Technologies and implementations for transferring operation from an origin virtual machine to a destination virtual machine while the origin virtual machine continues to execute an origin executable are generally disclosed.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Current cloud computing services may be stopped and then restarted over again when moving between virtual machines that have different capabilities such as memory and API types. Accordingly, components that can't be distributed between servers (e.g., as may often be the case with database services) may be run on the largest hardware virtual machine so that they can reasonably handle peak usage conditions. The alternative to selecting virtual machines based on peak usage conditions is to face a significant delay and loss of transient state data. Such delay and loss of transient state data may be due to services being stopped and then restarted during switchovers to larger hardware virtual machines.
Accordingly, current cloud computing services may typically be run at all times on virtual machines selected to be capable of handling peak usage conditions. However, virtual machines selected to be capable of handling peak usage conditions may only need maximum resources for less than five percent of the time. For example, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) pricing takes advantage of this to some degree with a "large" virtual machine priced at four times the price of a "small" virtual machine and an "extra large" virtual machine priced at eight times the price of a "small" virtual machine.

Operation transfer from an origin virtual machine to a destination virtual machine while continue the execution of the operation on the origin virtual machine


A photoresist pattern is formed on an insulating substrate so that it has a reverse tapered cross section and a reverse pattern of a wiring pattern to be formed. Next, a nanoparticles-containing ink is injected on a wiring region using an inkjet system, followed by a leveling process, a drying process, a resist separation process and a baking process. Thus a wiring pattern is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a wiring pattern on panel substrates of display devices such as liquid crystal display devices and plasma displays. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method of forming a wiring pattern using inks containing metallic nanoparticles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various processes, that is, a sputtering process, a photolithography process and an etching process are used to form a wiring pattern on substrates that are used for liquid crystal display devices and the like and include thin film transistors (TFTs) arranged in an array.
For example, the sputtering process is the process for adhering a metal film or the like, constituting a wiring pattern, to the substrate, and the photolithography process is the process for forming a predetermined pattern for a wiring pattern. In addition, the etching process is the process for removing unnecessary portions while leaving necessary portions that will constitute the wiring pattern.
When TFTs are intended to be formed on the substrate in this way, the manufacturing cost is increased due to the use of vacuum systems in the sputtering process. As an alternative to the above-described method of forming a wiring pattern, the technique disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open No. 2001-35814 (hereinafter referred to as patent document 1) is known, which is the method of applying a metallic nanoparticles-containing ink onto a substrate. The metal nanoparticles are conductive ultrafine particles (hereinafter referred to as nanoparticles) with particle diameters of the order of nanometer (1 nm=0.001 μm).
FIGS. 1A to 1E are cross-sectional views of principal portions of a substrate, which are shown in order of production process, for explaining the technique of forming a wiring pattern disclosed in Patent document 1. First, an ink 31 containing Ag and Pd nanoparticles is applied on a substrate 1 by a spin coating. The ink 31 applied is then dried to form a thin film 32. Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, an etching process is performed on the thin film 32 in such a way as to only leave necessary portions intact. Thus, a photoresist 2 with an wiring pattern is formed on the thin film 32. Next, as shown in FIG. 1C, using the photoresist 2 as a mask, unnecessary portions of the thin film 32 is removed by etching. And then, as shown in FIG. 1D, the photoresist 2 on the thin film 32 is removed. Subsequently, when the substrate 1 is baked in a furnace as shown in FIG. 1E, the thin film 32 is baked, and a wiring 33 is formed which is composed of a thin film made of an alloy of Ag and Pd.
In the above-described method of forming a wiring pattern disclosed in Patent document 1, an ink material is applied on the entire surface of the substrate, and therefore the manufacturing cost is increased.
Hence, in order to achieve reduction in the manufacturing cost by reducing the amount of nanoparticles-containing inks to be used, an inkjet system is employed that enables local application of inks. However, this inkjet system has poor accuracy in positioning of inks, and is not generally suited for the formation of fine patterns.
In order to solve the conventional problems, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-188497 (hereinafter referred to as Patent document 2) discloses a technique in which a water repellent film is formed.
The technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 involves: after forming a water repellent film on a substrate, removing the water repellent film formed on the wiring forming regions by irradiating it with laser beams; and applying, using an ink jet system, a nanoparticles-containing ink onto regions where the water repellent film has been removed.
FIGS. 2A to 2E show cross-sectional views of the principal portions of the substrate, which are shown in order of production process, for explaining the technique of forming a wiring pattern disclosed in Patent document 2. First, a water repellent film 4 such as fluorine resin is formed on the surface of the substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 2A. Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, a laser beam 5 is irradiated on the surface of the substrate 1 in accordance with an wiring pattern to be formed. As a consequence, the portions of the water repellent film 4, irradiated with the laser beam 5, are removed. Thus, the surface of the substrate 1 is exposed. Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, when the exposed surface is roughened, the surface of the substrate 1 is cleaned to remove scrap pieces of the substrate 1, followed by drying of the surface of the substrate 1. Next, as shown in FIG. 2D, using an inkjet system, a jet of the nanoparticles-containing ink 31 is directed at regions where the water repellent film 4 has been removed. In the drawing process in which the ink 31 is injected, an inkjet apparatus equipped with inkjet nozzles is used to direct a jet of the nanoparticles-containing ink at the surface of the substrate 1, and thereby a conductive circuit pattern is formed. The conductive circuit pattern is drawn by driving the XY table according to the wiring pattern to be formed on the substrate 1. Even when the nanoparticles-containing ink 31 lies off the regions where the water repellent film 4 has been removed, the hydrophobic properties of the water repellent film 4 allows the nanoparticles-containing ink 31 to move to the wiring regions. While maintaining this state, the formed pattern is dried. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2E, the water repellent film 4 on the substrate 1 is removed by cleaning, and then the substrate 1 is dried. Subsequently, the ink 31 formed on the wiring region is subjected to a baking treatment, whereby a wiring pattern is formed.
In patent document 1 described above, after applying the nanoparticles-containing ink onto the substrate by spin coating, a photolithography process and an etching process are adopted for the formation of a wiring pattern.
For this reason, consumption of materials may be increased when the ink is applied by spin coating, and the ink may be applied on the unnecessary portions of a substrate. Thus, materials are not efficiently used and the manufacturing cost is increased.
In such cases, inkjet systems can be used to apply the nanoparticles-containing ink onto only wiring portions, and thus materials can be used more efficiently. However, conventional inkjet systems have poor accuracy in positioning of inks, and are not suited for the formation of fine wiring patterns. Moreover, in Patent document 2, a water repellent film is formed on the surface of the substrate to form a finer pattern by using an inkjet system in order to relax the accuracy in positioning of the ink. However, in Patent document 2, a laser beam is directly irradiated onto the water repellent film to form a pattern. Accordingly, there is a problem that the shape and thickness of the water repellent film that needs to be removed cannot be controlled accurately. As a result, the shape of a wiring pattern, reflecting the portions of the water repellent film that have been removed, cannot be controlled accurately.
In addition, when multilayered wiring patterns are to be formed, a wiring pattern in the lower layers are damaged by the laser beam, and voids are generated in insulating films provided between the upper and lower layers of a wiring pattern.


Disclosed is a method and system for testing integrated circuit devices after manufacture wherein, an initial group of devices is tested to produce an initial failing group of devices that failed the testing. The devices in the initial failing group are identified by type of failure. Then, the devices in the initial failing group are retested to identify a retested passing group of devices that passed the retesting. Next, the devices in the retested passing group are analyzed to produce statistics regarding the likelihood that a failing device that failed the initial testing will pass the retesting according to the type of failure. Then, these statistics are evaluated to determine which types of failures have retest passing rates above a predetermined threshold. From this, a database is produced that includes an optimized retest table listing the types of defects that are approved for retesting.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention presents a method and system for wafer/probe testing integrated circuit devices after manufacture which optimizes the retest process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Every test facility deals with the problem of not having enough tools to handle the capacity on high volume products. The options to alleviate this issue are either to purchase more testers or to reduce test cycle time (increase productivity). Since a new tester costs millions and lead times are long, using probe data analysis to increase productivity is the most cost effective solution.

Increase productivity at wafer test using probe retest data analysis


A phase shift mask, e.g. a halftone phase shift mask, which need not to form an ultra-fine pattern and is capable of suppressing during exposure the occurrence of a sub-peak of light intensity, which has an adverse effect on the image formation, and which has a light-blocking pattern with a reduced transmittance at a region outside a device pattern area which corresponds to a region subjected to multiple exposure during transfer effected by using the mask. The halftone phase shift mask has on a transparent substrate (101) a halftone phase shift film (102) comprising a single layer or a plurality of layers. The composition of the halftone phase shift film (102) is changed in a region (107) outside a device pattern area on the transparent substrate (101) which corresponds to a multiple-exposure region by a method wherein the region (107) is irradiated with an electromagnetic wave, a particle beam, heat rays, etc., or a method wherein after a region in which the composition is not desired to change has been masked, the whole blank is exposed to an active atmosphere, thereby reducing the transmittance for exposure light at the region (107).

The present invention relates to a phase shift mask and a method of producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a phase shift mask which is used to produce VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated) circuits, and which is easy to produce and capable of forming fine-line line patterns. The present invention also relates to a method of producing such a phase shift mask.
As one type of phase shift mask, a halftone phase shift mask is known. The halftone phase shift mask is useful to form fine-line patterns, but suffers from two problems as stated below:
(1) During transfer, a sub-peak of light intensity appears in the vicinity of a pattern which is desired to be formed on a wafer by exposure, causing the exposed pattern to be undesirably deformed. This problem is particularly seen in the vicinity of a large open pattern. For a large open pattern which can be satisfactorily resolved without using the phase shift lithography technique, the halftone phase shift mask is inferior to a conventional chromium mask in terms of transfer characteristics. PA1 (2) When transfer exposure is sequentially carried out on a wafer by using a stepper, a multiple-exposure region occurs on the wafer in which adjacent shots (each of which is an area where pattern transfer is effected by a single exposure operation) overlap each other. When it is desired to prevent the multiple-exposure region from being undesirably exposed to exposure light, in the case of the conventional chromium mask, the peripheral portion of the mask is formed as a masking pattern (black pattern) portion. By doing so, exposure light is completely blocked at the peripheral portion of the mask, and thus the multiple-exposure region is prevented from being undesirably exposed. However, in the case of the halftone phase shift mask, the masking pattern portion is also translucent. Therefore, the multiple-exposure region is undesirably exposed to exposure light by being repeatedly subjected to multiple exposure. PA1 (A) A method in which an ultra-fine repeated pattern, which is finer than the resolution limit, is disposed at a mask region where practically no exposure light should pass (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication (KOKAI) No. 6-175347). PA1 (B) A method in which a halftone phase shift film and a light-blocking film or a film capable of providing a high contrast are stacked, and after the whole stack structure has been processed into a predetermined pattern, the light-blocking film or the film capable of providing a high contrast is processed into a necessary pattern. PA1 (i) An overlying shifter type phase shift mask which is obtained by a process in which a light-blocking film is provided on the whole surface of a transparent substrate, and after the light-blocking film has been formed into a predetermined pattern by a photoengraving process, a phase shift film is provided on the whole surface and subjected to a photoengraving process. PA1 (ii) An underlying shifter type phase shift mask which is obtained by a process in which, after a phase shift film and a light-blocking film have been provided in the mentioned order on the whole surface of a transparent substrate, the light-blocking film is processed into a predetermined pattern, and then the phase shift film is patterned. PA1 (1) In the latter, a so-called optical waveguide effect is produced, and a complicated pattern data adjustment is required to cancel it. However, the former needs no pattern data adjustment. PA1 (2) In the former, a process concerning the phase shift film, which is a process unique to a phase shift mask, can be additionally carried out after the conventional chromium mask process, whereas, in the latter the phase shift film process must be carried out during the chromium mask process. Accordingly, the former can use the conventional light-blocking film process without any change, whereas the latter necessitates reviewing a part of the light-blocking film process because of the presence of the phase shift film.
In other words, the halftone phase shift mask indispensably needs to impart light-blocking properties to some region on its substrate from a practical point of view. Accordingly, either of the following two methods has heretofore been adopted:
There are other types of conventional phase shift masks, e.g. a LEVENSON type phase shift mask, in which a mask has on a transparent substrate at least a light-blocking film for forming a first pattern and a phase shift film for forming a second pattern. Such phase shift masks are known to be useful for forming fine-line patterns. As phase shift masks of this sort, the following two types are generally known:
A comparison between the two types of phase shift mask reveals that the former is more advantageous than the latter for the following reasons:
Incidentally, the above-described solution (A) for halftone phase shift masks has the advantage that a mask can be produced by a single lithography process. However, since the above-described repeated pattern must be exceedingly fine, it is extremely difficult to fabricate.
In the case of the solution (B), the pattern formation is easy, but it is essentially necessary to carry out photoengraving twice. Therefore, the process undesirably lengthens.
Among the LEVENSON and other similar types of phase shift mask, the overlying shifter type phase shift mask also suffers from the following disadvantages: When a phase shift film is formed over a patterned light-blocking film, the phase shift film cannot uniformly be formed by the influence of steps in the light-blocking film. Nonuniformity in the thickness of the phase shift film causes the amount of phase shift given to exposure light passing through the film to become nonuniform, thus markedly degrading the performance of the phase shift mask.
In order to eliminate nonuniformity in the thickness of the phase shift film and to obtain a phase shift mask having an accurately controlled phase angle, it is necessary to reduce the thickness of the light-blocking film and to minimize steps in the light-blocking film. However, if the thickness of the light-blocking film is reduced, the light-blocking performance of the film is degraded, and when step-and-repeat exposure is carried out, a multiple-exposure region, in which adjacent shots (each of which is an area where pattern transfer is effected by a single exposure operation) overlap each other, is undesirably exposed to exposure light, causing the contrast to be undesirably reduced. Therefore, it is difficult to solve the above-described problem by reducing the thickness of the light-blocking film.
As a light-blocking film, it is common to use a chromium film formed by sputtering. FIG. 15 shows the relationship between the thickness of a chromium film and the transmittance thereof. Light-blocking performance usually required is 0.1% or less in terms of transmittance. Thus, it will be understood that a light-blocking film is required to have a thickness of at least 60 nm. In general, a light-blocking film may be required to have an anti-reflective function. In this case, an anti-reflective film is needed in addition to the chromium film. Accordingly, it is common for the light-blocking film to have a thickness of 100 nm or more.
In general, when a phase shift film is formed over a light-blocking film pattern having steps, steps which are equal or close to those of the light-blocking film pattern also occur on the surface of the phase shift film. Further, it is generally observed that, as shown in FIG. 16, the surface of the phase shift film (shifter film) is tapered toward an opening portion of the light-blocking film, depending upon the type of method used for forming the phase shift film. In this case, the amount of phase shift given to exposure light becomes nonuniform at the opening portion, causing the effect of the phase shift mask to be reduced.
Phase shift films are generally formed by using a silicon oxide film. In a case where the silicon oxide film has a thickness variation of 60 nm, which is equal to the above-described chromium step height, in the opening portion, the variation of the phase shift is as large as about 30.degree. in the case of i-line lithography and nearly 45.degree. in the case of KrF excimer laser lithography. When the variation of the film thickness, including the anti-reflective film, is 100 nm, the phase shift variation is about 50.degree. in the i-line lithography and about 70.degree. in the KrF excimer laser lithography. A phase shift mask having such a large phase shift variation cannot be used in practical application.
Conversely, when the phase shift variation allowable range is assumed to be .+-.10.degree., the thickness variation allowable for the phase shift film of silicon oxide is only about 20 nm in the case of i-line lithography and about 14 nm in the case of KrF excimer laser lithography. Accordingly, unless a special film forming method is adopted, the allowable step height of the light-blocking film pattern becomes considerably smaller than the above-described step height 60 nm, although it depends on the type of shifter film forming method employed. Thus, the light-blocking performance is undesirably degraded, as will be clear from FIG. 15.

Phase shift mask and method of producing the same


In a method for controlling a compression installation (1), the installation has at least two compressor units (i=1, , N) that can be separately turned on or off, a plurality of devices for modifying the output of the compressor units and a control device (10). Known methods and devices do not function optimally in terms of the power consumption of the entire compression installation. The power consumption (EG) for the operation of a plurality of compressor units (i=1, , N) of a compression installation (1) can be optimized by calculating a novel circuit configuration (Si, t) and automatically adjusting the novel circuit configuration (Si, t) by a control device (10).

Compressor plants, for example natural gas compressor plants, for gas transport and/or gas storage are important devices in the sense of the national and international energy supply. A system for gas transport comprises a large number of compressor loans, which in each case can be composed of a plurality of compressor units. Here, the compressor units are given the task of adding sufficient mechanical energy to a conveyed medium in order to compensate for friction losses and to ensure the necessary operating pressures and flows. Compressor units often have very different drives and impellers, since they are for example designed for base load or peak load operation. A compressor unit comprises, for example, at least one drive and at least one compressor.
The automation of plant is given great significance, in particular for operation with optimal costs. The capability of the plant automation system to manage the process and to optimize the compressor plant within the production restraints supplies decisive economic advantages.
The compressors of a compressor plant are frequently driven by turbines which cover their fuel requirements directly from a pipeline. Alternatively, compressors are driven by electric motors. Operation with optimal costs means minimizing the power consumption of the turbines or the electric drives at a given compressor output, delivery output, delivery capacity and/or with a given volume flow.
A usable operating range of compressors is restricted by disadvantageous effects of internal flow processes. This results in operating limits, such as a temperature limit, exceeding the local speed of sound (compressor surge, absorption limit), the circumferential breakdown of the flow at the impeller or the pump limit.
The automation of a compressor plant primarily has the task of implementing set points predefined by a central dispatching facility, such as optionally a flow through the station or final pressure at the output side, as actual values. In this case, predefined limiting values for the intake pressures on the inlet side, the final pressures on the outlet side and the final temperature at the outlet from the plant must not be exceeded.
WO 03/036096 A1 discloses a method for optimizing the operation of a plurality of compressor units of a natural gas compression station. In this method, after a second or a further compressor unit has been started up, the rotational speeds of the running compressor units are run in a fixed rotational speed relationship in relation to characteristic map data for each compressor unit. In order to implement a first reduction in the energy consumption, after an additional compressor has been started up, the rotational speeds of all the units that are operating are changed by an equal-percentage flow rate adjustment until, if possible, all the pump protection valves in the plant are closed. Only after the all pump protection valves have been closed are working points of the compressor units in their characteristic maps displaced as close as possible to a line of maximum efficiency.
According to EP 0 769 624 B1, a method is known for load compensation between a plurality of compressors and for manipulating the working output of the compressors in order to maintain a predetermined relationship between all the compressors if the working points of all the compressors are further from the pump limit than a specified value.
EP 0 576 238 B1 discloses a method and a device for load distribution. Using a compressor intended as a reference compressor, a control signal is generated which is used as a reference variable for the non-reference compressors.

Method for optimizing the functioning of a plurality of compressor units and corresponding device


A method and location determination module is provided for determining a location of one of a plurality of units using neighbor lists. Each unit is communicatively coupled to at least some of the other plurality of units, where at least some of the plurality of units are reference units, whose locations are known. The units communicate with other nearby units within communication range, to establish neighbor lists. A unit to be located then identifies an aggregate value corresponding to the number of occurrences of the reference units in the neighbor list of the unit to be located and the neighbor lists of each of a group of associated units. The location of the unit to be located is then determined, based upon the known locations of the reference units and the number of identified occurrences of the reference units in the corresponding neighbor lists.

In densely populated networks, one such example including a warehouse, where it is desirable to track the location of items located in relatively close proximity, a system may include tens of thousands items to be tracked. Still further, in connection with the warehouse example, the large volume of items may be moving into and out of the warehouse with considerable frequency, where some of the units may stay in place for only a few minutes and others may stay in the same place for days or weeks. The large volume of items and the constant shuffling of the items can make it difficult to maintain an accurate fix on any one item's location within the warehouse. The same is true of other environments, where it is desirable to track the current location of large groups of items, which are within relatively close proximity.
Traditional triangulation or other relative location technologies, often generally require an ability to make good ranging measurements. This is especially problematic for a high density environment, like a warehouse, where there are a large number of surfaces off of which a signal can reflect, and/or where the item density requires a relatively high degree of precision in order to allow for the item to be readily distinguished from the other nearby items.
In absence of a realistic path loss model in an ever changing environment, power-based measurements, such as an indication of received signal strength, may not provide good ranging information. Where ranging is determined using time-based measurements, micro-second range resolution will often only enable a range resolution in the hundreds of meters, while nano-second resolution will often be required to enable a range resolution on the order of approximately one meter. However, generally, there is an inverse relationship between cost and timing resolution, and unfortunately, in environments where large number of items are to be tracked, the higher cost of higher precision timing circuits can be an important factor, and may be impractical if the higher precision timing circuits need to be associated with or incorporated into each of the items to be tracked.
Consequently, it would be beneficial to develop a cost effective method and apparatus for determining a location of a plurality of units. Still further, it would be beneficial to develop systems and methods that produce a sufficiently high location determination precision, which could be used in more crowded environments having higher item density, which largely avoids extensive usage of potentially more costly, solutions involving higher precision ranging measurements.
The present inventors have recognized that the use of neighbor lists, in conjunction with a subset of units who know or are able to determine their location may be a beneficial alternative approach, as opposed to a solution, which makes more comprehensive usage of determined ranging information. The neighbor lists could be used to establish proximity relative to one or more units that are nearby, and whose location are known. By incorporating the use of neighbor lists of nearby units, a relative proximity with respect to the reference units whose location are known may be able to be determined, which in turn can be used to provide a location estimate.

Method and apparatus for determining the location of a unit using neighbor lists


A method and apparatus for predicting channel estimates for non-received signal frequencies provides knowledge of propagation channel characteristics for non-received frequencies. One embodiment predicts uplink (or downlink) channel estimates based on measured downlink (or uplink) channel estimates, which is advantageous in systems having different uplink and downlink frequencies. Another embodiment predicts channel responses for non-received OFDM sub carrier frequencies based on measuring channel responses for received OFDM sub carrier frequencies. Such processing may comprise, for example, measuring channel responses for received OFDM pilot sub carriers, predicting channel responses at frequency intervals corresponding to pilot sub carrier spacing, and interpolating between those values to predict channel responses at data sub carrier frequencies.

The present invention generally relates to communication systems and signals, and particularly relates to communication channel estimation.
Reliable data reception depends on accurate channel estimation. For example, channel estimates may be used to compensate unknown received data symbols for expected channel distortion, thereby improving symbol demodulation. Channel estimates also play a key role in channel quality estimation, which is an increasingly important aspect of rate and/or power control in evolving wireless communication systems, such as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) systems.
As a general proposition, one may assume that the propagation channels are frequency selective, meaning that channel estimation for a given propagation channel is frequency dependent. Frequency dependency complicates channel estimation where it is useful to have channel estimates for multiple frequencies of interest. For example, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) transmission uses a plurality of sub carriers distributed across a given frequency range, where the sub carriers are orthogonal to one another. OFDM finds use in a variety of systems, such as the 802.11a/g standards for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). Evolving wide area communication standards, such as the Universal Mobile Terrestrial Systems (UMTS) standards, also contemplate the use of OFDM.
Several aspects of OFDM make it particularly advantageous for wireless transmissions in multiple access systems. For example, the sub carrier data rate can be varied to suit frequency-dependent channel conditions that vary across sub carriers. Further, different subsets of different sub carriers may be used to serve different users, allowing concurrent transmissions to/from potentially many different users in a wireless communication system.
Thus use of OFDM presents several challenges in terms of channel estimation, however. For example, the particular sub carriers assigned to a particular user may not represent the optimal assignment for that user—i.e., other ones of the sub carriers may offer better performance given the frequency-dependent nature of channel conditions. However, optimizing sub carrier assignments for users is not possible without having channel estimates available for the non-assigned frequencies.

Method and apparatus for communication channel estimation


This motor control device is provided with a motor control unit which, on the basis of an operation command signal for driving the motor and a feedback signal from the encoder corresponding to motor operation, generates a command value relating to operation of the motor in accordance with a prescribed feedback method such that operation of the motor follows the operation command signal. Interruption processing of the drive signal is performed on the basis of the comparison result of a prescribed feedback value, which is calculated from the feedback signal from the encoder, and a control calculation value, which, comparable with a prescribed feedback value, is calculated during the process of generation of the command value by the motor control unit. By means of this configuration, it is possible to improve safety performance of the motor control device without hampering the safety performance of the encoder.

In recent years, a servo system has been used for, for example, positioning control of operating units in various machines at manufacturing sites. An example of such a servo system includes a system including a servo motor for operating various mechanical devices, an encoder attached to the servo motor, a servo driver for driving the servo motor, and a control device for outputting a position command information or the like to the servo driver. Efforts to ensure the safety of workers together with cost reduction and improvement in productivity are becoming important requirements at manufacturing sites. Therefore, a servo system is also required to be suitable for corresponding safety standards.
Here, Patent Literature 1 discloses a safety unit that outputs a stop signal for stopping a servo motor to a servo driver when a failure occurs. Specifically, the safety unit is configured to output the stop signal when a determination is made that any one of a value of an operation command signal from a control device to the servo motor, a value of a feedback signal from an encoder, and a determination value calculated from both of the values fails. With such a configuration, it is possible to achieve safety of a servo system. Further, Patent Literature 2 discloses a system configuration that outputs an alarm in a case in which position information from an encoder in a system has shifted between before and after the power of a servo system is switched ON when the power of the servo system is switched from OFF to ON for replacement of a command unit including the encoder. With this configuration, appropriate replacement work for the command unit is secured.


A connector for an automotive windshield antenna includes a thin trace portion that is electrically equivalent to a series inductor and a wide trace portion that is electrically equivalent to a shunt capacitor. The capacitor and the inductor form a matching LC network that is adjustable to match antenna impedance and transmission line impedance.

Vehicle window antennas that include embedded wires or silver print antennas in the rear window and windshield have been used in the prior art as an alternative to conventional whip antennas and roof mounted mast antennas. More recently, vehicle windows that are coated with an infrared reflective, thin metal film also have been used in connection with vehicle antennas. In the case of laminated glazing, the glass is formed of outer and inner glass plies that are bonded together by an interposed layer, preferably of a standard polyvinylbutyral or similar plastic material. The antenna may be screen printed on one of the inner surfaces of the glass plies using conductive ink such as silver paste or, alternatively, the antenna may be a thin conductive wire that is embedded in one of the surfaces of the interlayer.
There have been two ways to feed an antenna that is located in a laminated glazing—galvanic feed or coupling feed. The most common method has been direct feed by a galvanic connection through a flexible, flat connector. The flat connector comprises a conductor trace that is printed on a dielectric layer and covered with a dielectric tape. One end of a flat cable or film connector is soldered to an antenna wire or conductive printed pad and remains in the glazing structure when the window is laminated. The other end of the connector wraps over the outside edge of the glazing to connect to the exterior vehicle electronics.
Another method for connecting to antennas that are located in a laminated glazing has been a coupling feed. The coupling feed eliminates the need to solder the antenna to a connector or to pass a connector beyond the perimeter edge of glass to feed the antenna. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,077,100B2 to Baranski discloses an antenna coupling apparatus that transfers the antenna signal from an antenna wire situated inside laminated glass to a connector on an exterior surface of the glass. However, the Baranski antenna connector is based on transmission line coupling theory so that it cannot meet wide frequency band requirements such as for TV antennas that have as many as five frequency bands.
For efficient performance, the impedance of an antenna must be matched to the impedance of the transmission line that carries signals to and from the antenna. Any mismatch in impedance between the antenna and the transmission line will increase the standing wave that is present on the transmission line when transmitting or reduce the signal present on the transmission line when receiving. Such impedance matching must occur physically at the point of interconnection between the laminated glass antenna and a coaxial cable or an antenna amplifier input. Preferably, the impedance matching occurs in the FM, TV or other operating frequency bands where the input impedance is often 50Ω. WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/136411 to Bernhard discloses a flat antenna connector with a conductive shield on top of the antenna trace to increase capacitive coupling to the ground to improve signal transmission and reduce interference. The coupling capacitance acts as a high pass filter that improves the TV antenna performance at the UHF band (470 MHz-860 MHz). However, that design tends to degrade antenna performance at the lower frequency band such as the TV VHF band from 47 to 240 MHz.
With rapid growth in the demand for vehicle electronics, more and more antennas are being integrated to vehicles. Even though traditional mast or whip antennas have provided satisfactory performance in the past, often they are no longer preferred because they are considered to detract from vehicle aesthetics. With a greater number of antennas being integrated into window glazing, it was seen that there was a need in the prior art for an antenna connector that provided impedance matching to the laminated glass antenna. Such an antenna would be advantageous in comparison to a standard antenna connector.

Window antenna connector with impedance matching


A thermal transfer sheet including: a substrate film, and a release layer, a thermal transfer ink layer, and an adhesive layer provided in that order on one side of the substrate film, the release layer being composed mainly of resin particles which, upon thermal transfer of the ink layer, are fused into a film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer sheet and more particularly to a thermal transfer sheet which can produce a high-quality image even on a paper having a rough surface.
2. Background Art
A thermal transfer sheet comprising a substrate film having a thermal transfer ink layer on one side thereof has hitherto been used for carrying out output printing for a computer or a word processor.
This conventional thermal transfer sheet is prepared by coating a mixture of wax with a colorant, such as a pigment or a dye, onto a substrate film of a paper, such as a 10 to 20 .mu.m-thick capacitor paper or paraffin paper, or a plastic film, such as a 3 to 20 .mu.m-thick polyester or cellophane film, to form a thermal transfer ink layer on the substrate film.
One drawback of the conventional thermal transfer sheet is that, when a rough paper having a poor surface smoothness is used as an object for printing, a transferred ink layer as a print has void-like defects or dropouts, making it impossible to provide a good print.
Various proposals have been made with a view to eliminating the above drawback. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59747/1994 proposes a thermal transfer sheet comprising; a substrate film; and a hot-melt layer (a release layer) composed mainly of wax, a color layer (a thermal transfer ink layer) unmeltable at the time of thermal transfer, and an adhesive layer composed mainly of wax provided in that order on one side of the substrate film.
This thermal transfer sheet has an advantage that, since the release layer is composed mainly of wax, it can be easily melted and brought to a low-viscosity liquid, resulting in improved releasability of the thermal transfer ink layer to provide a high-quality print. This advantage is obtained when the thermal transfer sheet is used in combination with a high-speed printer, for example, a high-speed printer having a serial thermal head used in word processors. The use of low- to medium-speed printers, that is, cold release type printers (printers wherein the melting of the release layer and the transfer of the ink layer do not occur simultaneously and there is a timelag therebetween), however, does not offer this advantage.
The reason for this is that, during the timelag, the melted wax is cooled and becomes viscous or is solidified to create a heat-sealing property, reducing the difference in transferability between a print area and a non-print area. That is, the function of the release layer is lowered, and this tendency becomes significant when the object is a rough paper, posing a problem that no high-precision and high-resolution image can be provided.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 183882/1988 proposes a thermal transfer sheet having a layer construction of substrate film/release layer/thermosoftening layer with any one of the layers being colored. This thermal transfer sheet is characterized in that the thermosoftening layer is formed of an emulsion of an ionomer resin (a resin crosslinked with a metal ion). The thermal transfer sheet is described to enable a high-quality print to be provided on a rough paper. In fact, however, the print quality varies depending upon energy applied at the time of thermal transfer, and it is difficult for the energy applied in the low- to medium-speed printer to provide a print having a satisfactorily high quality on a rough paper.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems of the prior art and to provide a thermal transfer sheet which can form an image having a high quality on a rough paper.