A method, system and program product for remote scheduling of at least one job to run on a plurality of computers in a computer network. The job scheduler enables selection of a domain that includes at least a subset of the computers on which the job is to run. A list of computers in the selected domain is automatically generated. The computers on which the job is to run can be selected from the generated list of computers. A configuration file is created for storing an identification of the selected domain and the job to be run on the selected computers in the domain.

The present invention relates generally to scheduling tasks for execution on a plurality of computers in a wide area network and, more particularly, to remote scheduling of tasks for execution on servers and workstations in the network.
In a large enterprise with many thousands of file servers and workstations, the conventional methods of running maintenance software on remote computers in a wide area network have proven to be very inefficient. Every Windows-based machine has a built in tool called the task scheduler. Scheduled tasks are created and executed based on standard security permissions. The task scheduler is fully integrated into the operating system. The task scheduler is useful for scheduling a task to run at a certain time on a machine in a Windows-based computing environment when the machine is not being utilized or when it doesn't interfere with production. However, this approach only works if the administrator can get to the server or workstation to configure the task.
There is a need for a method for remotely placing tasks (jobs) in the task schedulers of multiple workstations in the network simultaneously. The task scheduler on each server or workstation then runs the actual job at the assigned time or when a certain event occurs.

Job scheduler for remote maintenance of servers and workstations


The invention concerns a method for the automatic control of a neutral position and a parking lock of an automatic or automated motor vehicle transmission, such that the neutral position and the parking lock of the transmission provided in order to immobilize the motor vehicle can be engaged as a function of a drive setting selected by the driver of the motor vehicle using a selector device, and as a function of other operating parameters of the vehicle. In addition, the invention concerns a motor vehicle controlled by the method.

Known automatic or automated motor vehicle transmissions as a rule have a parking lock by way of which a transmission output shaft can be mechanically fixed. Besides a purely mechanical system for actuating of such a parking lock with an active mechanical connection between a selector lever operated by the driver inside the motor vehicle and the parking lock in the transmission, electro-mechanical and electro-hydraulic systems for actuating such a parking lock are also known from DE 41 27 991 C2. The parking lock in the transmission is connected by an active electric connection to a selector device operated by the driver inside the motor vehicle and the parking lock can be actuated electro-mechanically or electro-hydraulically byway of a parking lock function implemented in an electronic control unit of the transmission and as a function of other operating parameters of the motor vehicle.
Furthermore, various methods for automatically engaging such a parking lock are known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,105 it is proposed to engage the parking lock of the transmission automatically and independently of the drive position selected by the driver if an ignition circuit of the motor vehicle is interrupted and simultaneously the motor vehicle is still rolling at a speed lower than a defined, low threshold value.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,014 a method is known, in which the parking lock of the transmission is automatically engaged by an electric motor if an ignition circuit of the motor vehicle is interrupted and simultaneously the speed of the vehicle is below a defined low threshold value, but also if the driver's door of the motor vehicle is open and simultaneously the driver's seat in the motor vehicle is unoccupied and simultaneously the speed of the vehicle is below the low threshold value. In both cases, it is provided that when the parking lock is engaged automatically, in addition a parking brake of the motor vehicle is automatically actuated. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,014 it is also proposed that when the ignition circuit is engaged, but without the drive engine of the motor vehicle running, the transmission is automatically shifted to its neutral position by an electric motor without this having to be done by the driver.
Finally, from EP 0 814 287 B1 a method for automatically engaging the parking lock of an automatic transmission is known in which the parking lock in the automatic transmission is automatically engaged by the transmission control unit when the speed of the vehicle is zero and simultaneously an ignition circuit has been interrupted and, as a further condition, either a predetermined time interval after the interruption of the ignition circuit has passed or a door of the vehicle is open, but at the latest when—and in that case as the sole condition—the ignition key has been removed from the ignition lock. To achieve better availability of the vehicle, as a special feature in all three cases the engagement of the parking lock is prevented, directly before switching off the engine or within a predetermined time interval after the engine has been switched off, if the driver has selected neutral by way of the selector lever.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method alternative to those of the prior art for the automatic engagement of a neutral position and a parking lock in an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle, which secures the motor vehicle sufficiently well against starting or free rolling unintended by the driver, and avoids changes of the operating condition of the transmission or the vehicle that could take the driver by surprise while interfering as little as possible with the vehicle's ability to be driven or operated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for the automatic control of a neutral position and a parking lock of a motor vehicle transmission

Abstract: It is proposed that a N-holding phase in which the transmission is in a friction-force-free neutral position can be activated by way of a separate operating device provided in addition to the selector device, only when the motor vehicle is at least almost at rest and at the same time an ignition circuit that acts upon a drive motor of the motor vehicle is electrically interrupted, and at the same time a drive setting “Neutral” (N) is set by way of a selector device, and so long as the parking lock of the transmission has not yet been engaged.


A millimeter waveguide is disclosed which includes: a first single crystal substrate having a groove therein; a conductor film on a surface of said groove and a surface of said first single crystal substrate connected to said surface of said groove; a second single crystal substrate covering said conductor film; and a microstrip line on a surface of said second single crystal substrate, exposed to a cavity in said groove. A protruding portion may be formed on a bottom surface of the groove. The microstrip line including foundation (nickel chromium) and conductive (gold) layers may be formed on a surface of the groove. A protruding portion may be formed on the second single crystal substrate, wherein the height of this protruding portion is less than the depth of the groove. A millimeter waveguide for a resonator is also disclosed wherein a cavity is formed in substrates with grounding conductive layers on surfaces of the cavity, a probe extending from a microstrip line on a top surface of the substrates. Similar millimeter waveguide is also disclosed wherein the probe is replaced by magnetic field coupling structure. A circuit apparatus is also disclosed which comprises the millimeter waveguide apparatus mentioned above mentioned and an active circuit fixed on the millimeter waveguide apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a millimeter waveguide for transmitting millimeter waves and a circuit apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A millimeter waveguide for transmitting millimeter waves is known. As a such a waveguide, a shielded membrane microstrip is disclosed in 1996 IEEE MTT-S Digest at pages 797 to 800.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of this prior art millimeter waveguide.
Silicon dioxide 802 is formed on a silicon substrate 801 and a microstrip line 803 is formed on the silicon dioxide 802. The silicon substrate 801 is sandwiched by a carrier substrate 804 on which a metal is formed and a silicon substrate 805 subjected to micromachining processing, so that the microstrip line 803 is shielded.

Millimeter waveguide and a circuit apparatus using the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


To improve the task processing speed, when a large number of small-sized tasks are executed. When a task is completed, the event check means checks whether or not an event of the same kind as that of the event which created the completed task is registered in the event storing unit. When it is not registered, the resources which have been used by the completed task and should be rewritten are returned from the task resource management means to the task resource storing unit. When an event of the other kinds is registered in the event storing unit, the task creation and resource acquisition are repeated. When an event of the same kind is registered, the same task is continuously processed without release and re-acquisition of resource.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a task processing system, and particularly, to a task processing system for speeding up task processing by controlling generation of overhead for task switching in the case of processing a large number of small sized tasks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional task processing system, when the tasks to be processed are known in advance, the task processing speed of the system is optimized by scheduling the tasks beforehand.
On the other hand, when it is impossible to schedule the tasks, the tasks are processed as asynchronous events such as interrupts. For example, in the "Queue Processing Method" as disclosed in JP10-326197 A (1998), ordinary events from software and interrupt events caused by a timer or hardware interrupt are accepted at any time, and are registered into an input key. Then, they are executed sequentially without prohibiting interrupt.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the above-mentioned "Queue Processing Method", the queue entries of ordinary events and interrupt events are prepared. When interrupt 1 event occurs, its content is stored in interrupt 1 event information block, and its event queue is added to the interrupt 1 event queue. Interrupt 2 event is processed in the same way. The data stored in the interrupt 1 event information block and the interrupt 2 event information block is registered again as the ordinary event, by releasing the registration of the interrupt event queue without transferring it to the ordinary event information block.
However, the above-mentioned conventional task processing system has a disadvantage that it cannot improve the speed of the task processing of the whole system, because it is impossible to schedule the tasks beforehand. Therefore, it becomes necessary to generate overheads for acquiring and releasing the resources necessary for the task processing.
The conventional task processing system has another disadvantage that it is not suitable for processing a large number of small-sized tasks, because a lot of overheads for task switching becomes necessary.


A transaction request is received. The transaction request includes a merchant identifier. The merchant identifier is for identifying a merchant. The merchant's banking details are appended to the transaction request. The transaction request, with the appended banking details, is transmitted to a user's bank. Confirmation is received that a transaction has been performed in accordance with the transaction request. A confirmation is transmitted to the merchant to indicate that the transaction has been performed.

For many merchants, there are a number of options available for accepting payment for goods and services provided to consumers. One form of payment is cash, and others include credit and debit cards. It is, however, generally the case that merchants are not equipped to receive payment by funds transferred directly to their bank accounts. It could be contemplated to provide an infrastructure at the point of sale to support merchant payment acceptance by electronic funds transfer (EFT), but such infrastructure—if it were to resemble a typical POS (point of sale) terminal in its main aspects—might prove to be quite expensive.
The present inventors have now recognized a cost effective approach to enabling merchant payment acceptance via EFT.

Optical-scan triggered electronic funds transfer for purchase transaction


A method for controlling a motorized barrier operator after detecting an obstruction includes the steps of providing a motorized barrier operator that moves a barrier between limit positions and providing at least one control switch that upon actuation moves the barrier in a direction toward one of the limit positions. Actuation of the at least one control switch during movement of the barriers at least causes the barrier to stop. If an obstruction is detected by the motorized barrier operator during movement of the barrier, the operator allows only uni-directional movement of the barrier, regardless of actuation of the at least one control switch, after the detecting step.

For convenience purposes, it is well known to provide garage doors which utilize a motor to provide opening and closing movements of the door. Motors may also be coupled with other types of movable barriers such as gates, windows, retractable overhangs and the like. An operator is employed to control the motor and related functions with respect to the door. The operator receives command signals for the purpose of opening and closing the door from a wireless remote, from a wired or wireless wall station or other similar device. It is also known to provide safety devices that are connected to the operator for the purpose of detecting an obstruction so that the operator may then take corrective action with the motor to avoid entrapment of the obstruction.
How safety devices are used with a door operator system have evolved from the days of no uniform standard to the currently applied government regulations as embodied in Underwriters Laboratories Standard 325. UL Standard 325 encompasses safety standards for a variety of movable barriers such as gates, draperies, louvers, windows and doors. The standard specifically covers vehicular gate or door operators intended for use with garages and/or parking areas. Such devices require a primary safety system and a secondary safety system which are independent of each other. Primary entrapment systems sense the operator motor's current draw, or motor speed and take the appropriate corrective action if the monitored value is exceeded. Primary systems must be internal within the operator head. Secondary entrapment systems are typically external from the operator head and may include a non-contact or contact type sensor. But, secondary systems may also be internal to the operator head as long as they are independent of the primary system.
One of the more widely used non-contact safety devices is a photo-electric eye which projects a light beam across the door's travel path. If the light beam is interrupted during closure of the door, the operator stops and reverses the travel of the door. Contact type safety devices such as an edge-sensitive pressure switch, which is attached to the bottom edge of the door and runs the complete width of the door, may also be used. Other contact safety devices directly monitor the operating characteristics of the driving motor to determine whether an obstruction is present. Typically, shaft speed of the motor is monitored by projecting an infrared light through an interrupter wheel. Alternatively, Hall effect switches or tachometers can be used to monitor shaft speed. Or, the motor Current can be monitored such that when an excessive amount of current is drawn by the motor—which indicates that the motor is working harder than normal—it is presumed that an obstruction has been encountered. It is also known to monitor door speed with a sliding potentiometer, wherein a rate of change is equated to the speed of the door and wherein unexpected slowing of the door triggers corrective action by the operator. The secondary entrapment requirement may also be met by providing an operator that is capable of receiving continuous pressure on an actuating device that is in the line of sight of the door and maintains the opening or closing motion until the respective limit position is reached. Regardless of how the safety devices work, their purpose is to ensure that individuals, especially children, are not entrapped by a closing door. Opening forces of the door are also monitored to preclude damage to the operating system for instances where an object or individual is caught upon a door panel as the door moves upwardly.
Safety devices perform their function within the operator's direction control logic sequence where each operational signal sent to the motor controls initiates a different movement of the barrier. For example, if a barrier door is fully-closed, the next user command causes the door to open. If the barrier is fully open, the next user command causes the barrier to close. If the barrier is stopped, partially open, that is, between the fully-open and the fully-closed, then the barrier operator typically uses one of the following controlling logic sequences:                a) Four-Phase Logic: The barrier's next direction is opposite of its last direction. If the barrier's last direction was opening, then the next direction will be closing. If the barrier's last direction was closing, the barrier's next direction will be opening.
That is, each user command to the barrier operator steps the barrier's movement through four-phases: Open-Stop-Close-Stop-Open- . . . .                b) Open Only Logic: A stopped, partially open barrier can only be commanded to open. Only when the barrier is fully open, can a user command the barrier to close.
Although the operational logic remains the same, there are also motors that have separate directional windings where the first winding moves the door in the first direction and a second winding moves the door in the opposite direction. One exemplary device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,253 to Fitzgibbon, et al. The '253 patent discloses a garage door opening and closing apparatus having improved operational safety features. The apparatus includes a control circuit which responds to a number of input stimuli to generate commands to open and close a garage door as well as to stop garage door movement. Three relays respond to the commands via drive circuitry to actually connect door operating voltages to the windings of a door controlling motor. By redundancies in the operation of the three relays, faults in the operation of those relays result in safe door operating conditions. Additionally, the control circuitry upon issuing a door stop command performs a test to determine whether or not the door is still moving. If the door is still moving, door up commands are generated by the control circuitry to place the door in a safe position.
In the prior art, garage door operators can create un-anticipated hazards using "four phase logic" and can be less of a hazard but a nuisance using "open only logic." To give an example, if a user partially opens their garage door from the fully closed position to a height to allow venting of the garage or egress of a pet and the pet becomes lodged or wedged in the opening, then the user's first reaction may be to activate the door to open freeing the trapped animal. If the operator has "four phase logic," the next movement of the door would be in the closing direction increasing the force on the trapped animal. If the operator used "open only logic," the door would go up to its fully open position and the animal would be freed. However, stopped partially opened doors controlled by operators with "open only logic" will always go up when activated and must reach the upper travel limit before it can go down again. Therefore in the evening when the user wants to close the door, the door must travel to its upper limit, stop, and receive another signal to send it to the closed position.
Garage door operators should undergo a monthly obstruction reversal test where the door is closed on a 2″ by 4″ block of wood and the door must reverse when it hits the obstruction. If the door doesn't reverse, the user is required to reduce the down force by making an adjustment and continue to test and adjust until the door reverses. With an "open only logic," the door always returns to the full open position before another adjustment is made. Accordingly, making the adjustment for obstruction detection of operators with this type of control logic time is quite time consuming. This is normally considered to be an unacceptable nuisance. Further, if the number of door opening and closing cycles necessary to establish the force settings is excessive, the motor will heat up and the motor's thermal protector will open. This action shuts the motor down for a period of time preventing further settings until the motor cools down which also results in an unacceptable nuisance.
Normally, as the door is traveling in a downward direction and the door movement is blocked by an obstruction, the door will stop and reverse to the fully open position. During the reversal period, it is common to restrict further door movement commands for a period of time or distance to ensure the door will properly be removed off the object that caused the reversal. Indeed, typical residential garage door operators, upon detecting an obstruction of a downward moving door, stop the door's travel, pause for a short time (0.1 s to 1.0 s typical), and then the door begins upward travel to the full-open position. During this stop-pause-upward sequence, a user may command the door using a remote control or a wired control. A user door command during the stop-pause-upward sequence could stop the door completely, not allowing the sequence to complete. Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,569. And published patent application U.S. 2003/0154656 A1, discloses a system which inhibits user commands during the stop-pause-upward sequence.
Another system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,553 to Scott, Jr. which discloses a system that controls a motor which drives an operating mechanism for moving a barrier, such as an overhead garage door, in either direction between a closed position and an open position in response to actuation of a start switch. The control system includes an encoder including a rotatable disc driven by the motor, and control circuitry including an encoder pulse verification circuit associated with the encoder for detecting the direction of door movement as well as increments of travel by the door when the door is moved by the motor under control of a motor command circuit in response to actuation of the start switch. The start switch and a start circuit cooperate with the motor command circuit for energizing the motor to move the door in one direction, for de-energizing the motor to stop the door at any position, and for re-energizing the motor to reverse the door in response to repeated actuation of the start switch. An up/down counter circuit is responsive to the direction as well as the increments of travel by the door for containing a count representative of the actual position of the door. A programming circuit is included for setting an up limit set point which is stored in a latch circuit. A decoder circuit cooperates with the motor command circuit, the up/down counter circuit, the latch circuit, and a comparator circuit for de-energizing the motor when the door reaches the up limit set point as the door is opened. The decoder circuit cooperates with the motor command circuit and the up/down counter circuit for de-energizing the motor when the door reaches the threshold as the door is closed. An obstruction detector circuit is responsive to rate of movement of the door for sensing an obstruction. The obstruction detector circuit cooperates with the motor command circuit for de-energizing the motor if an obstruction is sensed as the door is opened and cooperates with the motor command circuit, the up/down counter circuit, and the decoder circuit for reversing the motor if an obstruction is sensed as the door is closed unless the door is a predetermined distance or less above the threshold whereupon reversal of the motor is inhibited and the motor is merely de-energized. A reset circuit is included for resetting the control circuitry so that the initial actuation of the start switch will cause the door to be opened. This type of system uses the basic close/stop/open/stop sequence logic for motor response to push button input, either from a hardwired switch or radio frequency remote.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,268 to Duhame discloses an automatic door operator with a continuously monitored supplemental obstruction detector. In a first embodiment, the obstruction detector is a radiant beam obstruction detector that transmits a beam of modulated radiant energy across the door opening. A safety signal generator produces an active safety signal only on unobstructed receipt of radiant energy by a receiver. Failure to receive the active safety signal when the motor is closing the door at least stops the door. A two-wire cable, which carries both power and the active safety signal, connects the supplemental obstruction detector to the automatic door operator. Constant activation of a portable transmitter or of a local push button can override the supplemental obstruction detector to close the door. An alternative supplemental obstruction detector includes a safety edge having a compressible tube disposed on a leading end of the door. Plural conductors change their conductive state upon compression of the compressible tube. This embodiment may include a delay upon detection of compression of the compressible tube so that contact with the floor is not detected as an obstruction. This type of controller includes a provision to override the obstruction signal to close the door. Constant activation of the portable transmitter or constant depression of the local push button overrides the obstruction detector. In an alternative embodiment, only constant depression of the local push button will override the obstruction detector permitting closure of the door.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,480 to Murray discloses a garage door operator with a microcomputer based control which is programmed to measure door position from full open position by counting motor revolutions and to determine motor speed and deceleration for each revolution. The program learns the open and closed position limits as well as force sensitivity limits for up and down operation with minimal user input. During normal door operation the closed limit and the sensitivity limits are adaptively adjusted to accommodate changes in conditions. The lowest up and down motor speeds in each operation are stored for comparison with motor speeds in the next like operation for obstruction detection. Motor deceleration is also monitored for obstruction detection. For more sensitive obstruction detection during closing, the motor speed is mapped for each revolution for the last several inches of closing. The map is stored after each successful closing operation and the corresponding speeds in the next closing are compared point-by point with the mapped speeds to detect slow down due to touching an obstruction. To make the door operator more responsive to an obstruction during its lower range in closing direction than is possible by the single value closing sensitivity limit, the motor speed is mapped at each motor revolution during each closing over the final several inches of travel, say, from 12 inches above the closed position limit to the obstruction reference, and the mapped values are stored in the controller. Then, during the next closing operation each newly measured motor speed is compared to the stored speed at the corresponding door position. If the motor speed is below the stored value by a predetermined offset, an obstruction is detected and the door will be caused to stop and then reopen. Whenever the door closes without detection of an obstruction, the most recent set of mapped speeds is substituted for the previous one. Although this method causes the door to "stop and then reopen" there is no provision to allow the door to stop in response to the next command and continue to open on the subsequent command.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,136 to Duhame discloses an automatic door operator with a continuously monitored supplemental obstruction detector much like the one disclosed in Duhame's '268 patent. This disclosure is distinguishable in that it includes an oscillator sealed within the tube at one end which supplies the safety signal. This embodiment may include a delay upon detection of compression of the compressible tube so that contact with the floor is not detected as an obstruction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,923 to Waggamon discloses that a light beam utilized in an obstruction detector is coded into packets of pulses by a transmitter according to a code generated only by the transmitter. When the light beam is received, the receiver recovers the code signal and supplies it to a code detection circuit. In one preferred embodiment, to detect the code, the code detection circuit supplies the code signal and a delayed version of the code signal to an "exclusive or" gate. In another embodiment, a frequency detection circuit determines whether the code signal detected by the receiver is within a predetermined permissible range. If the code is not present, the door operator system reverses the door if it is closing, and prevents the door from closing if it already is in the up position, or if it is opening. The door operator system will operate in this way not only in response to obstructions, but also, in response to errors and malfunctions in the wiring to the transmitter and receiver, and in the transmitter and receiver themselves.
In summary, the prior art either accepts and handles the user's barrier command as a normal command to start or stop the barrier; uses the command sequence to open/stop/close/stop the barrier; or, in the event of an obstruction detection, the user commands are locked out for a period of time while the door stops, reverses, stops or returns to its fully open position. As noted, some prior art prevents the user from entering a door command for a period of time after an obstruction event or until the barrier has traveled a predetermined distance. In either case, the user, who may be in an excited condition at the occurrence of an entrapment, may repeatedly actuate the control buttons which may result in the barrier moving downwardly and causing further injury. Therefore, there is a need in the art for corrective action to be taken by the operator upon detection of an obstruction, but wherein the correction action still allows the user to have at least limited control of barrier movement.

Motorized barrier operator system for controlling a barrier after an obstruction detection and related methods


Apparatus, and an associated method, for selecting at which processing unit of a plurality of processing units positioned at a data center that a processing task is to be performed. Temperature sensors are positioned throughout the data center and associated with the individual ones of the processing units. Indications of sensed temperature levels are collected and monitored by a collector and monitor. The indications of the sensed temperatures are used both pursuant to cooling operations, controlled by a cooling controller, and pursuant to processing-task placement, determined by a workload placement controller.

Advancements in digital processing and mass storage technologies have had profound impact upon many facets of modern society. Collection of data and its subsequent processing has many business, and other, applications. Storage capacities of storage devices permit storage of seemingly, ever-increasing amounts of data and processing capabilities of processing devices, permit increasingly-large amounts of data. Large amounts of data, once collected and stored, are easily accessible, available for ready processing thereof.
While portable and desk top computers exhibit storage capabilities and processing capacities that, just a few years ago, would have seemed astounding, data-center, computing systems are of correspondingly increased capacities and capabilities. Data-center systems are sometimes constructed to include multiple processing units, typically capable of concurrent, i.e., parallel, operation. The processing units are configured as part of, or have access to, storage servers that maintain large amounts of data.
A data center is typically created at an enclosed area at which ambient conditions are controlled. The control includes temperature control to maintain the temperatures, or place the temperatures, within an acceptable range of temperatures.
The processing units generate heat energy as a by product of their operation. Cooling devices, referred to herein as chillers, are positioned within the data center and operated, when needed or desired, to dissipate heat energy, including the heat energy generated during operation of the processing units. Cooling places or maintains the data center temperature beneath a maximum temperature of the allowable temperature range. When a data center is of even moderate dimensions, multiple chillers are regularly utilized. Different ones of the chillers are independently triggered. That is to say, the chillers are sometimes independently operable, turned on and off independently, when needed, or no longer needed, respectively. A chiller is typically controlled by a controller that triggers the chiller responsive to detected temperature levels detected by one or more temperature sensors, e.g., thermocouples, thermometers, or the like. If, any, or any group, of sensors associated with a chiller indicate that chilling operations are required, the associated chiller is caused to provide cooling, either for a selected time period or until the temperature sensor or sensors indicate that cooling is no longer required.
Particularly when the data center is of large dimensions, there is sometimes a temperature variance in different parts of the data center. That is to say, the ambient conditions are heterogeneous, and sometimes, some areas of the data center require cooling while other areas of the data center are not in need of cooling. Separate chillers are associated with separate or non-identical groups of temperature sensors, thereby separately to be triggered responsive to temperatures sensed by the separate temperature sensors or groups of temperature sensors.
As noted, the processing units generate heat energy during their operation. When a processing task is performed at the processing unit, increased amounts of heat energy are generated as a by product of the operation of the processing unit to perform the processing task. The heat energy generated as a result of performance of a processing task at a processing unit, or performance of processing tasks at a group of processing units positioned in proximity to one another, increases the possibility that a set point of a temperature sensor in proximity to the processing unit or group of processing units shall be triggered, thereby causing a cooling controller to cause an associated chiller to perform cooling operations. If a processing task were, however, instead performed at a different processing unit, the increase in temperature at the localized area of the group of processing units might not otherwise result.
While processing units positioned at a data center are controlled by a controller with respect to assignation of processing tasks, existing controllers typically do not take into account temperature levels within the data center when making the assignations.
If a manner could be provided by which to take into account the temperature levels at the data center when making the processing-task assignations, improved data center operations would be possible. Improved distribution of heat energy generated during operation of the processing units would thereby be possible.
It is in light of this background information related to data center processing operations that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Apparatus, and associated method, for selecting distribution of processing tasks at a multi-processor data center

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A continuous electroforming process to form a strip for battery electrodes, comprising the steps of providing a mandrel having on its surface a reusable pattern subdivided into conductive and non-conductive areas; moving said mandrel through an electroforming bath to deposit a metal layer on said mandrel while it moves through the electroforming bath until the metal layer has assumed the shape of the conductive pattern and a thickness at least sufficient to provide strength for the layer to be removed from said mandrel; and separating said layer from said mandrel; is characterised by moving said strip through at least one subsequent bath in which electrodeposition of metal takes place on both sides of said strip while it is moved through said subsequent bath, applying a current density of at least 10 A/dm2 and up to 300 A/dm2 to the conductive surface of the moving mandrel and to the metal surface of the strip in each of the subsequent baths; and directing a forced flow of electrolyte onto the surface of the layer and said strip, wherein the reusable conductive pattern of the surface of the mandrel takes the form of at least one battery electrode and the electrolyte contains additives providing increased hardness, increased corrosion resistance and being suited specifically to permit combining a high rate of deposition with controlled surface roughness and controlled composition of the deposit.

The invention relates to a continuous electroforming process to form a strip for battery electrodes, comprising the steps of providing a mandrel having on its surface a reusable pattern subdivided into conductive and non-conductive areas; moving said mandrel through an electroforming bath to deposit a metal layer on said mandrel while it moves through the electroforming bath until the metal layer has assumed the shape of the conductive pattern and a thickness at least sufficient to provide strength for the layer to be removed from said mandrel; and separating said layer from said mandrel. The invention further relates to a mandrel to be used in the electroforming process. The present invention is concerned specifically with the continuous production of electrodes, preferentially in foil and grid form, by electroforming, and with obtaining products of specified optimal properties.
DE 44 04 817 C1 describes a process to manufacture battery grids by electroforming. However, the discontinuous process claimed there is limited to a production of individual grids on a plate-shaped cathode. Such a process is difficult to control and is not sufficiently economical. Furthermore, modern technology of battery plate production has changed over to a continuous process. It requires that the electrodes are provided in the form of an "endless" strip-shaped feed material of electrodes connected to each other. Any new process which is to provide competitive or superior productivity and product properties will have to satisfy the requirements of the continuous plate making process.
Electrodeposition processes to produce metal continuously as a strip in sheet or foil form have been known for a long time.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,567,079 discloses a continuous electrolytic process of forming sheet cathodes comprising the initial formation of a single sheet cathode on a horizontally moving, vertically disposed surface in a winding direction, then parting the cathode from the moving surface in an unwinding direction without interrupting the electrodeposition, then interrupting the deposition and then continuing the deposition upon the initially formed cathode, as it is moved horizontally in a vertical plane, whereby a plurality of sheet cathodes will be formed upon the surface of the cathode initially formed.
DE 585 633 uses a horizontal cylinder in a similar process.
DE 197 38 513 C1 relates to a process for producing a metal foil consisting of plural metals where different electrolyte baths are used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,018 discloses a process for electroforming thin copper foil on aluminum carrier material for use in printed circuits wherein a continuous strip of aluminum material is prepared by etching and rinsing steps, whereupon the prepared carrier material is passed through a single preselected composition copper plating bath having nitrate ions in the concentration of between 3 and 30 grams/liter and fluoride ions in the concentration of between 0.05 and 10 grams/liter. This bath is operated at a constant, predetermined cathode current density of between about 5.5 and 33 A/dm2 (50 and 300 A/foot2).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,572 which has been used to formulate the preamble part of patent claim 1 discloses a method for continuously manufacturing parts requiring precision micro-fabrication. A surface of a mandrel having a reusable pattern thereon is moved through an electroforming bath. While the mandrel surface moves through the bath, a metal layer is deposited on the mandrel surface to define a pattern. After the metal layer has been deposited to the selected thickness, the metal layer is separated from the mandrel surface.

Continuous electroforming process to form a strip for battery electrodes and a mandrel to be used in said electroforming process


A range manager system has a range definition controller, a range label handler, and a range definition indicator controller. The range definition controller controls setting of one or more boundary values defining one or more ranges. The range label handler handles labels of the ranges. The range definition indicator controller controls presentation of a range definition indicator representing definition of the ranges. The range definition indicator controller presents the ranges in vertical arrangement so as to provide an intuitive representation of the definition of the ranges.

In the Business Intelligence domain, reports are created in order to discover relationships between dimensions. One of the report creation needs is to easily identify ranges of values and assign a certain presentation characteristic to it. For example, users may want to see all Sales values above $200.000 highlighted in green to easily identify the products that sold the best.
In many definitions of ranges, it is easy for business users to make the mistake of overlapping ranges. For example, a business user may erroneously create a rule of "Sales>100,000 and SALES<120,000". In these cases, a business intelligence system needs to solve any overlapping ranges by either asking the user to create correct rules, or to apply rules automatically which may result in a confusing solution for the user.
Also, when the user wants to create multiple ranges, the user needs to include the ranges in the right "order" by moving them Up or Down in a list of ranges.
In order to assist users to define ranges, some existing business intelligence tools use "from-to" text boxes such that the user can insert values. These text boxes however do not provide to the user any clear indication as to what the values exactly mean, i.e., it is not clear if a value is included in the range or excluded.
Some existing business intelligence tools use operators, e.g., like >, <, and >=. This approach leaves the business users to understand the exact definition of the operators and to prevent overlaps.
Some existing business intelligence tools use horizontal lines that allow users to insert a value in the "right" spot along the lines. This approach causes problems with screen real estate when users want to use multiple ranges. Also, it is still unclear of the exact definition of the ranges at the borders.
It is therefore desirable to provide a mechanism that allows users to define correct ranges easily without getting problems of overlapping of ranges.

Range condition managing system and user interface thereof

International Business Machines Corporation


A measuring device for the measurement of workpieces has a base frame with a workpiece receiver to receive a workpiece to be measured, and at least one measuring unit for the measurement of the workpiece. In order to utilize the measuring device as flexibly as possible, and permit the measurement of different workpieces in as simple a manner as possible, the measuring unit can be brought into at least two different positions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a measuring device for measuring workpieces, and more particularly to a measuring device which includes a base frame with a workpiece receiver to receive a workpiece to be measured, and at least one measuring unit to measure the workpiece.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Such measuring devices are already well known in the state of the art. Thus there are, for example, so-called portal measuring devices which are usually constructed as follows. They include a base frame in the form of a baseplate, to which a workpiece receiver is fastened. By means of this, a workpiece to be measured can be fastened to the baseplate. A portal measuring unit is fastened to the baseplate for measuring the workpiece, and includes two guides which are fastened laterally of the baseplate, and on which a portal is guided which completely spans the baseplate. The portal can be moved along the baseplate over the guides. The spanning portion of the portal has, for its part, guides on which a slide can be moved transversely of the baseplate. In addition, guides are also provided in the slide. By means of the guides, a measuring arm, with a sensing head located on the measuring arm, can be moved up and down. Thus the sensing head can be moved in three mutually orthogonal directions by means of the above-described mechanism of the portal measuring unit. By means of the position of the sensing head, a workpiece to be measured can be measured in the x-, y- and z-directions.
Furthermore, so-called stand measuring units are also known from the state of the art. The stand measuring devices are essentially distinguished from the portal measuring devices solely in the design of the measuring unit. In contrast to a portal measuring device, the measuring unit in this case has a stand which runs on a guide fastened laterally of the base frame, so that the stand can be moved along the baseplate. The stand is in turn provided with guides, so that a slide can be moved up and down on it. The slide is furthermore provided with guides, by means of which a horizontally oriented measuring arm, with a head fastened to it, can be moved transversely of the baseplate. Workpieces can likewise be measured in three mutually orthogonal directions, x, y and z, by means of the said stand measuring device.
The special feature of the measuring devices known from the state of the art is seen to be that the measuring devices are rigidly fastened in their position. Portal measuring devices, for example, have a measuring arm which is oriented perpendicularly to the baseplate and is thus lowered onto the workpiece to be measured, and therefore can measure measurement points which are difficult to reach, such as, for example, lateral bores in a workpiece, only by the use of relatively expensive sensing heads. In particular, problems arise when different workpieces with differing geometry are frequently measured with one and the same measuring device, since for this purpose many special sensing heads often have to be provided.

Measuring device for measuring workpieces

Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung trading as Carl Zeiss


A rotary valve for switching supply passages, and discharge passages of high-temperature and high-pressure steam for a rotor rotatably supported at a casing is constructed by making a fixed side valve plate and a movable side valve plate abut to each other on a slide surface. A pressure chamber into which the high-temperature and high-pressure steam is introduced from the supply passage is opened to a mating surface of a valve body portion with the fixed side valve plate. The fixed side valve plate supported to float is pressed against the movable side valve plate with a pressing load generating in the pressure chamber to bring it into close contact with the slide surface. Leakage of the high-temperature and high-pressure steam from the pressure chamber is prevented by placing a V-packing inside the pressure chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotating fluid machine including a casing, a rotor rotatably supported at the casing, a working part provided at the rotor, and a rotary valve provided between the casing and the rotor to control supply and discharge of a working medium to and from the working part.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-155610 discloses a rotating fluid machine for supplying a combustion gas generating in a combustor to an axial piston cylinder group via a distributing mechanism (rotary valve), in which a pressing member is pressed with a spring to bring the pressing member into close contact with a slide surface when the combustion gas is not supplied, and the pressing member is pressed via a free piston with pressure of the combustion gas to bring it into close contact with the slide surface when the combustion gas is supplied, thereby securing the sealing performance of the slide surface of the distributing mechanism (valve seat).
A small swing occurs to the rotor, which is supported at the casing with ball bearings, during rotation, and therefore it is inevitable that swing also occurs to the slide surface of the rotary valve. At this time, it is difficult to secure sealing performance with the pressing member following the swing of the slide surface by only biasing the pressing member with a resilient force of the spring, pressure of the combustion gas, pressure of a supply gas at high temperature and high pressure or pressure of steam to bring the pressing member into close contact with the slide surface.
In a rotary valve for an expansion machine, it is considered to form a pressure chamber open to a mating surface with the fixed side valve plate in a valve body portion and make the pressure of the working medium act on a back surface of a seal member having flexibility, such as a V-packing, housed in the pressure chamber, to thereby press the fixed side valve plate against a movable side valve plate to secure the sealing performance of the slide surface.
However, when the pressure of the working medium does not rise sufficiently just after the start of the expansion machine, the seal member cannot exhibit the sufficient sealing function due to insufficient pressure, and if a foreign matter such as an oxidized scale is contained in the working medium, the seal member is damaged, and the sealing performance is further reduced, which brings about the possibility that the expansion machine cannot exhibit sufficient performance.
The movable side valve plate provided at the rotor inevitably oscillates a little. If the fixed side valve plate in contact with the movable side valve plate via the slide surface oscillates, there is the possibility that the close contact of a seat surface of the fixed side valve plate and a lip of the seal member is impaired and steam leaks out of this portion to make it impossible for the expansion machine to exhibit sufficient performance.
When the pressure of the working medium supplied to the pressure chamber is low, the outer periphery surface of the V-packing cannot be firmly pressed against an inner periphery surface of the pressure chamber, and the working medium sometimes leaks out of the pressure chamber due to reduction in the sealing function. Once this leakage occurs, the leakage cannot be stopped even if the pressure of the working medium increases, and therefore it is necessary to stop the operation of the expansion machine and restart it thereafter. In order to solve these problems, it can be considered to enhance sealing performance by pressing the V-packing in the axial direction with coil spring. However, since it is difficult to bias the V-packing outward in the radial direction with the coil spring placed in the axial direction and the resilient force of the coil spring reduces when the working medium is at high temperature, a sufficient effect cannot be expected.


A slip and cone assembly for a downhole tool that includes a composite slip having a one-piece configuration and having at least two grooves disposed therein; and a cone having a first end configured for engagement with the composite slip, wherein the composite slip and the cone are configured for application of a load therebetween that results in a fracture in material between the at least two grooves.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure generally relates to tools used in oil and gas wellbores. More specifically, the disclosure relates to downhole tools that may be run into a wellbore and useable for wellbore isolation, and methods pertaining to the same. In particular embodiments, the tool may be a frac plug or bridge plug having one or more parts made of composite drillable materials.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Oilfield drilling and production technology continues to evolve in order to attempt to meet the ever-increasing worldwide demand for valuable hydrocarbons. As reservoirs that contain hydrocarbons are typically found in layers that run parallel with the earth's crust, horizontal drilling technology was developed in order to maximize the amount of reservoir fluid accessible with a wellbore. In contrast to vertical drilling, which requires multiple vertical wellbore completions in order to produce from such a layer, only a single horizontal completion that runs through the reservoir is needed. Hence horizontal completions are inherently more efficient than vertical counterparts. The main constraint on this technology is how to drill and produce economically, as horizontal drilling is orders of magnitude costlier than vertical drilling. Thus, the industry is also continually striving to improve technology and reduce costs associated with horizontal drilling.
Among specific concerns, horizontal operations require higher pressure and faster flow rates, which tends to result in greater likelihood of parts or components of downhole tools loosening or disconnecting entirely. As a consequence of small tolerances between casing, tools, and parts of the tool, there is increased chance of catching something in the well during deployment, especially if anything is loose on the tool. This is of particular significance when it comes to deployment and operation of plugging tools.
Like horizontal drilling, fracing is a process that continues to grow in popularity, as it is known to enhance and assist production of formations. Typically, the frac process includes the use of a downhole plugging tool set in the wellbore below or beyond a respective target zone, which serves the function of being able to isolate a section of the wellbore in order to treat the zone. Isolation tools for this kind of operation are usually bodies constructed of durable metals that have a seal element made of compressible material associated therewith, where the seal element is expanded radially outward to engage the tubular and seal off a section of the wellbore. The setting of the tool is followed by pumping or injecting high pressure frac fluid into the target zone, resulting in fractures or "cracks" in the formation. The end result is the valuable hydrocarbons are more readily and easily produced through the fractures in the formation.
At present, the fundamental shift in the industry from vertical drilling to horizontal drilling has resulted in a void of technology selectively designed and useable specifically for horizontal drilling. That is, downhole tools, such as frac plugs, originally designed for vertical drilling operations are now used in horizontal operations, which ultimately means these tools do not work as well as they were designed to perform.
More problematic is that the use of plugs in a wellbore is not without other concerns, as these tools are subject to known failure modes regardless of wellbore orientation. For example, when the plug is run into the wellbore, slips have a tendency to loosen or pre-set before the plug reaches its destination, resulting in damage to the casing, as well as operational delays in order to fix the casing and/or deploy a new plug.
To combat pre-setting, operators typically wrap bailing wire (and the like) around the slips. Although this may prevent pre-setting, this has the inadvertent consequence of creating additional surfaces (i.e., surface areas) from which the tool may get caught up or catch against the tubular. Moreover, the wire is often wrapped around inserts disposed in the slip, thus rendering the inserts unable to smoothly or completely contact, and hence grip, the surrounding tubular surface. This results in unequal or inadequate load distribution during setting, and the tool is prone to being moved from the desired set position at a load far less than what it is designed for.
Frac fluid is also highly pressurized in order to not only transport the fluid into and through the wellbore, but also extend into the formation in order to cause fracture. Upon proper setting, the plug may be subjected to extreme pressure and temperature conditions, thus the plug must be capable of withstanding these conditions without destruction of either the plug or the seal formed by the seal element. High temperatures are generally defined herein as downhole temperatures above 200° F., and high pressures are generally defined herein as downhole pressures above 7,500 psi, and even in excess of 15,000 psi.
With these aspects in mind, it becomes imperative for an operator to be provided a downhole tool that can account for all of the problems associated with use of such a tool. As most problems encountered often center around the slips, the design and/or fabrication of such slips is typically the significant expense of the overall tool cost.
There are needs in the art for new and improved apparatus, systems, and methods for isolating wellbores in a viable and economical fashion. There remains a great need in the art for downhole plugging tools that form reliable engagement against a surrounding tubular, and are not subject to pre-setting. There is also a need for a downhole tool made substantially of a drillable material that is easier and faster to drill. It is highly desirous for these downhole tools to readily and easily withstand extreme wellbore conditions, and at the same time be cheaper, smaller, lighter, and useable in the presence of high pressures and flow rates associated with drilling and completion operations.

Downhole tool system and method related thereto


This invention disclosure describes the application of a polarization insensitive acoustically-tuned optical filter used in a multichannel WDM system to equalize variations in the power level of the WDM channels. The invention also describes a simple means for providing a low frequency control system which enables the equalizer to determine the signal levels of N optical carriers prior to equalizing the signals.

It is known that long optical fiber transmission links for telecommunications can be built using cascaded chains of optical amplifiers. Erbium doped optical fiber amplifiers are particularly well-suited for implementing these long distance transmission systems due to their excellent performance characteristics and ease of fabrication.
However, multiplexed optical- signals utilizing wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) systems and erbium doped optical amplifiers exhibit a variation in signal gain that is a function of the individual wavelengths. Moreover, utilizing cascaded optical amplifiers to compensate for attenuation over the transmission link only exaggerates the variation in signal gain for the separate wavelengths. For example, a 10 channel WDM system with a 1 nm channel spacing could easily have a gain variation over the 10 nm signal band of from 1 to 3 dB after amplification. The total gain variation is increased by the product of the number of cascaded amplifiers, and thus will certainly be much larger. While a 1 to 3 dB gain variation may be acceptable for short amplifier chains, with 10 or more cascaded amplifiers the resulting 10 to 30 dB gain variation is not likely to be acceptable.
Large variation in component signal levels of a multiplexed signal over the wavelength spectrum complicates the design and performance of optical receivers and -detectors, and thus it is advantageous to equalize variation in signal level for any wavelength-dependent elements in the optical transmission path, particularly wavelength-dependent gain due to amplification.

Optical signal equalizer for wavelength division multiplexed optical fiber systems


An improved spraying device for mixing a first fluid with a second fluid prior to dispensing into the environment. The spraying device includes a spraying head connected to a cartridge bottle. A shroud covers the spraying head to cartridge bottle connection. The chemical remains in a closed system even after the cartridge bottle is attached to the spraying head. A unique gear and/or cam system is provided to open the flow path of the second fluid and provide a positive operation. Also, the orifice diameter of the second fluid flow path is predetermined.

There are many spray gun type applicators known in the art of lawn and garden chemical application. Typical hose end lawn or garden sprayers are aspirator units which apply fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals at a fixed, low dilution ratio. To utilize concentrates which must be diluted to high ratios, the user normally predilutes the concentrate with water. This is accomplished by volume measurement of the concentrate with a spoon, cap or other measuring device into a sprayer mix jar. Water is then added to obtain the proper premix concentration. The prediluted concentrate is then further diluted to the final dilution ratio as the sprayer is operated.
Such predilution procedures require the manual handling of concentrated chemicals with its attendant risks. Moreover, the user must generally purchase the concentrate in larger quantities than are necessary for a single application and, thus, containers of the concentrated chemical must be stored for extended periods after they have been opened. On the other hand, devices which attempt to avoid predilution by diluting the concentrate at a high ratio in one (1) step are not satisfactory because of very poor accuracy. The concept of two-step mixing or dilution of chemicals, including such use in spraying devices is known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,006,437; 2,599,678; 2,711,928; 2,760,820; 3,104,823; 3,181,797; 3,499,606; and 4,027,822. However, the devices shown in these patents are either cumbersome or otherwise unsuitable for garden spray devices. U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,114 issued to Garrett discloses a dispensing package of fluid soluble material capable of use with a standard feed mixer device. Some of the flowing water is diverted down through a nipple and inlet tube into the bottom of the package. Suction draws the dissolved material through an outlet tube. The device requires water to constantly flow through it, and does not provide a barrel valve which could shut off or control the flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,198,438 issued to Hultgren, et al. requires a trigger action to push a tapered plug out of an aperture, allowing water to flow into a mixing chamber to create a venturi suction to draw fluid out of a collapsible container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,972, also issued to Hultgren, et al. discloses a disposable container for use with sprayers of the type disclosed in the '438 patent. U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,450, issued to D'Muhala teaches a spray gun which accommodates removable cartridges containing various solids or liquids. An end cap is unscrewed to control water through a mixing chamber and out a nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,191 discloses a water mixing device for a shower which may be fitted to the taps of a bath. A selector valve selectively permits water from an inlet chamber to flow through various enclosures of a second chamber. At least one (1) enclosure has a container to receive a soluble substance such as soap. No initial dissolution of the soap is provided for, and the soap is transported by direct flow of the water, and not drawn by aspiration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,254 issued to Viets, et al. teaches an applicator for dispensing a chemical in dilute aqueous form. The applicator has two (2) containers. The second container receives a chemical which has been diluted with water from the first container. A two-position, rotatable valve directs the flow of water into either the first container to predilute a chemical, or to flow across an aspirator to mix with the prediluted chemical and discharge it through the exit end of a passageway. Viet's device requires removing caps from the containers to add chemicals, and to thread the containers together to attach them, a cumbersome and potentially unsafe procedure. The valve taught by Viets, et al. only has two (2) positions. Water is constantly flowing either into the second container to dilute a chemical or through the passageway. An operator must use a conventional nozzle, which must be specially adapted to attach to the applicator to turn the water on or off to control the flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,264 to Styne teaches a spraying apparatus having a sprayer head and a cartridge. A barrel valve controls whether an entering fluid flows directly into a mixing chamber, or flows through a tube into the cartridge, or does not flow at all. A membrane is required at the top of the cartridge, and is punctured by sprayer head tubes during attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,158 to Styne teaches a spraying device with an interchangeable cartridge. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,158 teaches a sprayer having a fluid inlet port which directs fluid into a mixing conduit. An aspirator port connects the mixing conduit with a second fluid in the cartridge. A vent port in the sprayer head connects with a vent in the cartridge to reduce the pressure differential in order to allow proper aspiration and reduce leaks. A nozzle means permits a controlled jet spray.
The prior work is limited in the attempts to easily, economically, safely, and environmentally provide a device to dilute and dispense various insecticides, herbicides, cleaners, and fertilizers. There is a need for a spraying device that keeps the chemical in a closed system until the operator engages the trigger. There is also a need for a sprayer in which the metering orifice is preset so that the end user does not have to worry about adjusting the water to chemical ratio.


A multicast tree is provided in an application multicast network. A child node in the multicast tree detects a degradation of quality of service associated with a service being received at the child node. The child node determines whether the degradation of quality of service is resulting from a child-parent link or an upstream link in the multicast tree.

The Internet, as it has grown considerably in size and popularity, is being used to provide various services and applications to users. Diverse applications, such as streaming a short movie demonstrating how to assemble a piece of furniture, taking a virtual tour of a real estate property or a scenic spot, watching a live performance of an artist, and participating in a networked multi-user computer game or conference, are all available to users via the Internet.
An important trend is that users are no longer satisfied with receiving services that are targeted at mass audiences. Users are demanding services that are tailored to their individual needs. For example, a user may desire to receive content in a particular language, or a user may require a transcoded-down version of a movie to view on a personal digital assistant (PDA). With the proliferation of personalized services, an important challenge facing future network infrastructure is balancing the tradeoffs between providing individualized services to each user and making efficient use of network resources. Due to high bandwidth requirements and intensive computations incurred by multimedia applications, traditional unicast delivery of services may not be able to meet the transmission requirements of individualized services and is not scalable to efficiently meet the demands of a large number of service providers and users.
Network layer multicasting, also known as IP multicasting, is more scalable and more efficient than unicast delivery of services. However, IP multicasting is not widely supported in the Internet infrastructure and is not widely used in private networks. In addition, services, such as multimedia applications, typically have stringent delivery requirements for maintaining the perceptual quality of the delivered multimedia as seen by a user. Traditional IP multicast trees may not support a level of end-to-end quality of service (QoS), which may be needed for the delivery of certain services. In addition, tree reconfiguration, which is performed periodically in conventional IP multicasting for network maintenance, may cause further degradation of the quality of delivered services.


A fingerprint detection device has a fingerprint sensor chip and a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film covering the outermost surface of the sensor chip. The DLC film provides sufficient strength and enhanced electrostatic discharge withstand voltage to the fingerprint sensor chip. Thus, the DLC film protects the fingerprint sensor chip without any conventional protective cover. The DLC film is less scratchable and less stainable. Since the fingerprint detection device has no protective cover, the device can be provided in a thin and compact form. In addition, the device has high reliability.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fingerprint detection device and a method of its manufacture. More particularly, the invention relates to a fingerprint detection device having a semiconductor chip for detecting a fingerprint (hereinafter referred to as fingerprint detectable semiconductor chip), the outermost upper surface of the semiconductor chip covered with a protective film of a carbon based material (the protective film hereinafter referred to as carbon based protective film) which can enhance the intensity of the surface and the electrostatic discharge withstand voltage of the semiconductor chip without any protective cover. The invention also relates to an apparatus for forming such protective film.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there are many occasions in banks and government offices for example where a fingerprint detection device is used to identify a person, to allow operation of an electronic device, and to authorize entrance to a specific facility.
Fingerprint detection devices for such uses as mentioned above have sense electrodes arranged in a grid on a semiconductor substrate and a protective film for covering the surface of the sense electrodes. These semiconductor chips are also called fingerprint sensor chips. When a finger is placed on the protective film, condensers are formed between a surface of the finger and the sense electrodes, with the protective film serving as a dielectric. The capacitance, and hence the voltage of each of these condensers vary from point to point, in accordance with the protrusions and recesses, i.e. ridges and troughs, of the fingerprint Thus, by detecting the voltage distribution, a pattern indicative of the fingerprint can be detected (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,447).
In order to permit a finger to directly touch the surface of the semiconductor chip of the fingerprint detection device, the surface of the chip must be exposed. Therefore, the protective film must have strength to withstand such physical attack as scratching by fingers, nails, coins, pencils and the like. Besides the strength against such physical attacks as mentioned above, the protective film is also required to have resistance against static electricity. In addition, the capacitances must be easily detected. Specifically, the protective film is required to have a small friction coefficient, good hardness, high dielectric breakdown strength, high melting point, high thermal conductivity, small thermal expansion coefficient, and large specific dielectric constant.
In conventional fingerprint detection devices, a silicon nitride film is formed on the outermost surface of the semiconductor chip. The silicon nitride film serves as a protective film and dielectric layer of a respective condenser.
However, silicon nitride film has hardness on the order of 9–10 GPa, which is not hard enough to be a scratch-proof protective film. In order to avoid exposing the fingerprint detectable semiconductor chip (also hereinafter referred to as semiconductor chip), a metal cover is commonly used to protect the semiconductor chip. However, such cover that must be opened and closed each time is, at least mentally, unfavorable. Moreover, opening/closing mechanism of the cover hinders fabrication of a fingerprint detection device in a thin and/or compact form, and also hinders reduction of the manufacturing cost.
This is a serious problem especially when a fingerprint detection device is mounted on a portable electronic apparatus for enhancing its personal identification function.

Fingerprint detection device and method of its manufacture, and apparatus for forming a protective film


A method for diagnosing the presence of a vulvovaginal disorder is provided. The method uses a source of cross-polarized light to detect subsurface irritation in the vulvovaginal area. The presence of subsurface irritation is then used to diagnose the presence of a vulvovaginal disorder.

There are several disorders that affect the vulvovaginal area, examples of which include vulvodynia and vulvar vestibulitis syndrome. These diseases can case discomfort, and in some instances if left untreated can lead to more severe ailments. Due to the physical location of the diseases they are often difficult to diagnose, as visual assessments of vulvovaginal irritation can be quite difficult. Genital pigmentation and blood flow create an erythematous appearance that can mask underlying epithelial irritation. Moreover, certain vulvovaginal syndromes, such as vulvar vestibulitis syndrome and idiopathic vulvodynia, cause perplexing sensory effects without objective visual findings. Adding to the complication of proper diagnosis is that often the discomfort associated with the disease has no corresponding physical symptoms. This leads practitioners to inaccurate or incorrect diagnosis.
Presently most practitioners use some form of visual assessment of the vulvovaginal skin surface area to diagnose the cause of any discomfort. Such visual assessment is usually done with a colposcope. A colposcope functions as a lighted binocular microscope to magnify the skin surface view of the vulvovaginal area. However, when using visual assessment, discomfort in the vulvovaginal area is not always correlated with detectable physical symptoms. Thus, the absence of skin or mucosal lesions or visual signs of irritation cannot be explained and sometimes cannot be clear.
It would be desirable to provide a method that detects subsurface irritation indicative of vulvovaginal disorders.

Method for diagnosing vulvovaginal disorders


A method of analyzing an electromagnetic wavefield includes the steps of measuring the electric and magnetic fields at at least one receiver, formulating a respective spatial domain filter in respect of each of mutually orthogonal components of each of the electric and magnetic fields, and applying the filters to the measured acquired data to decompose the wavefield into upgoing and downgoing components.

The electromagnetic seabed logging (EM-SBL) technique is a new hydrocarbon exploration tool based on electromagnetic data, and is disclosed in Eidesmo et al., (2002) "Sea Bed Logging, a new method for remote and direct identification of hydrocarbon filled layers in deepwater areas", The Leading Edge, 20, No. 3, 144-152 and in Ellingsrud et al., (2002) "Remote sensing of hydrocarbon layers by seabed logging SBL: Results from a cruise offshore Angola", First Break, 21, No. 10, 972-982. EM-SBL is a special application of controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) sounding. CSEM sounding has been used successfully for a number of years to study ocean basins and active spreading centres. SBL is the first application of CSEM for remote and direct detection of hydrocarbons in marine environments. The two first successful SBL surveys published were offshore West Africa (Eidesmo et al and Ellingsrud et al above) and offshore mid-Norway, Røsten et al., (2003) "A Seabed Logging Calibration Survey over the Ormen Lange gas field", EAGE, 65th An. Internat. Mtg., Eur. Assoc. Geosc. Eng., Extended Abstracts, P058. Both studies were carried out in deep water environments (greater than 1,000 meter water depth).


An IC device includes a die and a first package interposer stacked over a second package interposer. The IC device includes a first conductive connection from a first bond pad of the die directly to a bond pad of the first interposer and a second conductive connection from a second bond pad of the die directly to a bond pad of the second interposer. Another IC device includes a second die stacked over a separate first die and a first package interposer stacked over a separate second package interposer. The first die is stacked over the first interposer. A first conductive connection exists from a bond pad of the first die directly to a bond pad of the first interposer and a second conductive connection exists from a bond pad of the second die directly to a bond pad of the second interposer.

Advancement in IC technology continues to allow reduced die sizes with increased numbers of input/output connections to the die. Dies are often housed in a package in order to electrically connect a die with outside circuitry, physically protect the die, and/or dissipate heat from the die, as well as serve other purposes. Corresponding to the reduced die sizes, IC packages containing dies may also be reduced in size, requiring smaller package substrates, whereon dies may be mounted and input/output connections made from the die to the package substrate. Given the scaling down of package substrates coupled with increased numbers of die input/output connections, a significant challenge arises for designers of package substrates. The scaling down of substrate size reduces the available area on a substrate where conductive connection may be made from the die to the substrate. Accordingly, a desire exists to allow decreased substrate sizes without decreasing as significantly the available area for conductive connections between dies and the substrate.

Integrated circuit devices with stacked package interposers


An apparatus for selectively adding weight to the hollow shaft of a hand-held implement. One embodiment includes an upper cylindrical member, a lower member, and an expansion ring that fits between the upper and lower members. These components are sized slightly smaller than the inside diameter of a hollow shaft, such as a golf club shaft. Each component includes an axial bore, through which a screw with an elongated barrel extends. The axial bore of the upper member is enlarged at its upper terminus to receive the cap of the screw, and the axial bore of the lower member is threaded to receive the screw. This assembly is inserted into a hollow shaft, and as the screw is tightened, the lower member is drawn into the upper member, compressing the expander ring axially causing it to expand radially until a friction fit with the inside surface of the hollow shaft is achieved.

The present invention provides an apparatus for improving the dynamic response or feel of a golf club as it strikes a golf ball during play by selectively adding weight to the upper end of the shaft. Although there are many products and prior patents relating to adjusting the swing weight, feel, or balance of a golf club, few if any of these devices are directed towards improving the dynamic response, or feedback, of the club to the golfer at ball impact. Most prior art devices are aimed more specifically at the static or quasi-static feel of the club in the golfer's hand at the initial alignment, or during the back and forward swings. Such devices usually focus on the feel of the club itself, not the feel of the shot through the club. The importance of impact and dynamic response to the golfer's game are often overlooked.
Impact is momentary, but it is at and immediately following this critical moment that the golfer feels his shot through the dynamic response of the club. As many golfers will confess, after impact one often knows where the ball is heading without having to actually see its trajectory. The golfer has only one tactile interface to the club, and that is through his hands which grasp the club's shaft on the grip. It is thus through the golfer's hands gripping the shaft that the dynamic response of the club to the golfer's stroke is communicated. This dynamic response is a result of the vibration characteristics of the club, and the golfer often perceives it simply as feel. Thus it follows that if the club's dynamic response can be increased in this specific gripping area, the golfer will have a better feel for his shot.
The present invention provides an apparatus for improving the dynamic response of the golf club by allowing a golfer to selectively adjust the weight of the club at its grip end. This action in turn enhances the feel of the club to the golfer.


The presently described embodiments solve the problem of getting electronic calendar entries back onto the paper calendar. To do so, in one form, according to the presently described embodiments, an inkjet label printer is mounted next to the paper calendar. Each time a daily entry gets updated online, the label printer prints out a new sticky label whose size and markings correspond to the revised paper calendar entry for that day. It is then a simple process for the user to peel off the label and affix it to the correct location on the paper calendar.

Manual and electronic calendars are widely used. However, it is difficult to maintain synchrony between such calendars, some of which are annotated on paper, others of which are maintained online in computer calendar applications and mobile communication devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs). This is particularly true in a family environment, for example, whereby a central family calendar is typically kept in one room, e.g. the kitchen, and marked-up and referred to by family members as they work out scheduling among themselves and while on the telephone. As such, there is difficulty maintaining synchrony of calendar entries between the central paper calendar and individual family members' electronic calendars maintained on, for example, their computers, PDAs, and mobile phone digital calendaring applications.
There are known solutions to the problem; however, none are particularly convenient for the typical user of both a traditional calendar and an electronic calendar. For example, one could use only electronic calendars. However, this approach does not address the practical reality of, for example, the home environment where more traditional, manual calendars are pervasive. One might also use purely passive paper calendars, and periodically synchronize with electronic calendars by a) hand-writing electronic calendar entries onto the paper calendar, or b) hand-entering paper calendar entries into electronic calendars. This approach is inconvenient and cumbersome to the users of both types of calendars. Moreover, it is subject to a high degree of human error and inconsistency.
In addition, another approach is to print calendars, such as a calendar 10 of FIG. 1, on paper printed with an address carpet, such as the Anoto dot pattern (described in connection with FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B)). When the calendar is marked with a suitable digital pen, such as an Anoto pen (generally described in connection with FIG. 3), the digital ink entries can be transferred to the corresponding dates and times on electronic calendars (not shown). This, of course, permits automatic or semi-automatic updating of electronic calendar entries from paper using, for example, digital ink recognition. However, hand-writing of electronic calendar entries onto the paper calendar is still required. This, too, is inconvenient and cumbersome, and is subject to a high degree of human error and inconsistency.
To further explain operation of a system of this type, with reference back to FIG. 2(A), address carpets allow digital tracking and recording of pen markings on physical paper. As shown, an array 20 of dots is configured in a grid pattern in a non-repeating manner so that each portion of the pattern has a unique dot pattern within its grid. This unique dot pattern provides an address for selected portions of the grid pattern. As is apparent from FIG. 2(B), the unique pattern is established by placing the dot in one of a plurality of positions relative to intersections of the grid. As shown, dot 22 is positioned to the right of the intersection. Dot 24 is positioned "up." Dot 26 is positioned to the left of the intersection. And, dot 28 is positioned "down." In this way, the Anoto dot pattern denotes two-dimensional location on a page by the displacement of dots from a regular grid.
A pen 30 is shown in FIG. 3. The components of the pen may vary and be configured in a variety of suitable manners within and about the pen 30, and is merely representatively shown for ease of reference. However, typically, the pen 30 includes a camera 32, a processor 34 and a memory 36. A battery 38 and wireless transceiver 40 are also housed within the pen 30. Of course, these items support the electronic nature of the pen. To accommodate the manual writing features of the pen 30, an ink cartridge and force sensor unit is provided. In operation, digital ink information can be obtained by the pen 30 through use of these components and then uploaded to a processor (not shown) for inclusion on an electric calendar via the wireless transceiver 40. Handwriting recognition software is, in many cases, able to perform character recognition to convert written text to ASCII symbols. In case handwriting recognition is unsuccessful or of low confidence, the raw digital ink can be transmitted and displayed. In any event, however, this system does not solve the problem of placing electronic calendar entries back onto a paper calendar.

System and method for maintaining paper and electronic calendars


Methods and apparatus for producing an image of an object with a multi-slice imaging apparatus having a row of detectors are provided. The method includes generating a first partial image using projection data acquired at a first imaging position in a step-and-shoot imaging mode, generating a second partial image using projection data acquired at a second imaging position, and combining the partial images to form a final image.

This invention relates generally to the reconstruction of images and more particularly to methods and apparatus for reconstruction of step-and-shoot CT images using partial image data from adjacent scan positions.
Typical multi-slice CT protocols utilize a helical mode for head scans. The advantages of the helical scans are the ability to reconstruct images at arbitrary locations and the elimination of inter-scan delays. The disadvantage of the helical mode, on the other hand, is the production of image artifacts. When the patient table moves during data acquisition, projection interpolation may be performed to estimate projection samples at the reconstruction location. The interpolation process assumes that the patient table location is known for every projection view. In practice, however, due to technical limitations the patient table location may not be known accurately. As a result, certain assumptions may be made relative to the table motion. For example, an assumption that the table moves at a constant speed and the table locations can be directly calculated from its speed and time may be made. However image artifacts may be generated if the table does not index at a constant speed.

Methods and apparatus for image reconstruction