Method for managing a response to a triggering event in connection with a fugitive emissions monitor of a component. In one implementation, the method may include determining whether an input is a triggering event. If the input is a triggering event, then a message regarding the triggering event and one or more actions to remedy the triggering event may be displayed. The method may further include displaying one or more queries to confirm that the actions have been completed.

1. Field of the Invention
Implementations of various technologies described herein generally relate to monitoring fugitive emissions and management of response to triggering events in connection with monitoring fugitive emissions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Industrial plants that handle volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sometimes experience unwanted emissions of those compounds into the atmosphere from point sources, such as smokestacks, and non-point sources, such as valves, pumps, and/or vessels containing the VOCs. Emissions from non-point sources typically occur due to leakage of the VOCs from joints and/or seals and may be referred to herein as "fugitive emissions". Fugitive emissions from control valves typically occur as leakage through the packing set around the valve stem. Control valves used in demanding service conditions involving large temperature fluctuations and frequent movements of the valve stem commonly suffer accelerated deterioration of the valve stem packing set.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated regulations specifying maximum permitted leakage of certain hazardous air pollutants, such as benzene, toluene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, from certain components, e.g., control valves, pump seals, compressor agitators, valves, pipe connectors and the like. As such, the regulations require facility operators to perform periodic surveys of the emissions from these components. The survey interval frequency may be monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual. If the facility operator can document that a certain percentage of the components with excessive leakage are below a prescribed minimum, the required surveys become less frequent. Thus, achieving a low percentage of leaking valves reduces the number of surveys required per year, which may result in large cost savings.
In addition to conducting the surveys, facility operators may be required to comply with an array of regulatory, safety and commercial parameters. For example, facility operators may be required to repair identified leaks on the components and generate reports with proper codes in compliance regulatory, safety and commercial parameters. As another example, facility operators may be required to maintain proper calibration on the toxic vapor analyzers used to monitor the leakage. Most, if not all, of the surveys and compliance are typically performed manually by technicians. Unfortunately, due to the wide array of compliance parameters, some of these parameters are often not met.

Management of response to triggering events in connection with monitoring fugitive emissions


Methods of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit having thin film transistors using an SEG technique are provided. The methods include forming an inter-layer insulating layer on a single-crystalline semiconductor substrate. A single-crystalline semiconductor plug extends through the inter-layer insulating layer, and a single-crystalline epitaxial semiconductor pattern is in contact with the single-crystalline semiconductor plug on the inter-layer insulating layer. The single-crystalline epitaxial semiconductor pattern is at least partially planarized to form a semiconductor body layer on the inter-layer insulating layer, and the semiconductor body layer is patterned to form a semiconductor body. As a result, the semiconductor body includes at least a portion of the single-crystalline epitaxial semiconductor pattern. Thus, the semiconductor body has an excellent single-crystalline structure. Semiconductor integrated circuits fabricated using the methods are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods of fabricating semiconductor integrated circuit devices and semiconductor integrated circuit devices fabricated thereby and, more particularly, to methods of fabricating semiconductor integrated circuit devices with thin film transistors using a selective epitaxial growth (SEG) technique and a partial planarization technique, and semiconductor integrated circuit devices fabricated thereby.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor integrated circuits employ discrete devices, such as metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors, as switching devices. Most of the MOS transistors are directly formed in a semiconductor substrate. That is, the MOS transistors are formed to have channel regions and source/drain regions in the semiconductor substrate. In this case, the MOS transistors may be referred to as bulk MOS transistors.
When the semiconductor integrated circuits employ bulk MOS transistors, there is a limitation in improving integration density of the semiconductor integrated circuits. In particular, when the semiconductor integrated circuits are complementary MOS (CMOS) circuits composed of N-channel bulk MOS transistors and P-channel bulk MOS transistors, it is more difficult to improve the integration density of the semiconductor integrated circuits due to a latch-up phenomenon that occurs in the CMOS circuit.
In recent years, in order to solve the issues of the latch-up phenomenon as well as the integration density of the semiconductor integrated circuits, thin film transistors stacked on the semiconductor substrate are widely used. For example, the thin film transistors are used in a unit cell of a static random access memory (SRAM). The SRAM may offer advantages of lower power consumption and faster operating speed as compared to a dynamic RAM (DRAM). Accordingly, the SRAM is widely used in portable appliances or as a cache memory device of a computer.
A unit cell of the SRAM is typically categorized as either a resistor-load SRAM cell or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) SRAM cell. The resistor-load SRAM cell employs a high resistor as the load device, and the CMOS SRAM cell employs a p-channel MOS transistor as the load device. The CMOS SRAM cell is also classified into two types: a thin film transistor (TFT) SRAM cell that employs the TFT as the load device, and a bulk CMOS SRAM cell that employs the bulk MOS transistor as the load device.
The bulk CMOS SRAM cell exhibits high cell stability as compared to the TFT SRAM cell and the resistor-load SRAM cell. In other words, the bulk CMOS SRAM cell shows excellent low voltage characteristics and low stand-by current. This is because all of the transistors constituting the bulk CMOS SRAM cell are formed at a single-crystalline silicon substrate whereas the TFTs of the TFT SRAM cell are typically formed using a polysilicon layer as a body layer. However, the bulk CMOS SRAM cell shows low integration density as well as weak latch-up immunity as compared to the TFT SRAM cell. Accordingly, in order to realize a highly integrated SRAM having high reliability, it is required to continuously improve the characteristic of the load transistors employed in the TFT SRAM cell.
In the meantime, semiconductor devices having the TFTs stacked over a semiconductor substrate are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,766 to Chen et al., entitled "Semiconductor Structure Incorporating Thin Film Transistors and Methods for its Manufacture". According to Chen et al., a conventional bulk MOS transistor is formed at a single-crystalline silicon substrate, and a TFT is stacked over the bulk MOS transistor. One of the source/drain regions of the bulk MOS transistor is electrically coupled to one of the source/drain regions of the TFT through a metal plug such as a tungsten plug. Therefore, when the bulk MOS transistor and the TFT are an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor, respectively, the bulk MOS transistor has an ohmic contact with the TFT through the metal plug.
Furthermore, a body layer of the TFT is formed by depositing an amorphous silicon layer on the semiconductor substrate having the metal plug and by crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer through an annealing process. In this case, the body layer corresponds to a polysilicon layer having large grains. That is, it is difficult to transform the body layer to a perfect single-crystalline silicon layer. In conclusion, it is difficult to form the TFT having excellent electrical characteristics that correspond to that of the bulk MOS transistor. Thus, methods for improving the characteristics of the TFT stacked over the semiconductor substrate are continuously required.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of fabricating semiconductor integrated circuits using selective epitaxial growth and partial planarization techniques


Provided are a nanofiber mesh bioelectrode including: a nanofiber mesh sheet in which nanofibers containing a biocompatible water-soluble polymer are entangled in a network form; and a conductive layer coated on the nanofiber mesh sheet and including a conductive material, and a method of producing the same. The nanofiber mesh bioelectrode according to the present invention does not cause discomfort when applied to a living body due to its excellent biocompatibility and excellent flexibility, and easily measures a biosignal or easily applies stimulation for a long period of time, as the nanofiber mesh bioelectrode is not easily detached.

Various microelectrodes for measuring a biosignal have been produced, and most of the microelectrodes have been produced by using a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) technique based on silicon.
In a case of a silicon-based electrode which has been developed, measurement characteristics vary and measurement performance is degraded due to progression of gliosis around the electrode caused by reduction of biocompatibility over time. In addition, since fixibility of the electrode is insufficient, the electrode is not easily fixed to a nerve tissue and causes damage to the nerve tissue.
In particular, in a case of an implantable electrode to be connected to artificial eyes, artificial ears, and brain cells, it is very important to have biocompatibility because the implantable electrode needs to be directly connected to a sensitive cell.
In order to solve such problems, bioelectrodes of various types and purposes have been produced using a flexible substrate formed of polyimide, parylene, SU-8, polydimethylsiloxane, or the like.
Among them, polydimethylsiloxane, that is a polymer having flexibility similar to that of a biological tissue, has been widely used as a material for a microfluidic chip because it has transparent material properties and to be easily produced by a soft lithography process.
In particular, polydimethylsiloxane has excellent biocompatibility and excellent permeability to moisture and air, and thus, polydimethylsiloxane is sufficiently useful for an electrode that may measure a biosignal or may apply electrical stimulation in a state of being implanted in a living body for a long period of time.
However, in spite of the excellent biocompatibility of polydimethylsiloxane, in a case where an electrode is formed based on polydimethylsiloxane, a metal layer is difficult to be formed due to differences between materials, such as differences in lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients between polydimethylsiloxane, which is a silicon-based organic polymer, and the metal layer, and the metal layer and polydimethylsiloxane are easily separated from each other due to a weak adhesive force there between when the metal layer is patterned to have a line width in a micrometer unit.
In addition, in a case of a bioelectrode formed on a flat substrate, permeability to sweat and gas is not good, and an adhesive material needs to be used for adhesion between skin and the bioelectrode, which causes dermatitis. Further, even in a case where a flat substrate having excellent flexibility is used, the flat substrate is not soft compared with skin but is hard, and thus, the flat substrate is easily detached from skin or causes discomfort. Therefore, the bioelectrode formed on a flat substrate has a limitation in monitoring a biosignal while being attached to skin for a long period of time.
Therefore, the present inventors intend to provide a bioelectrode capable of being easily produced while having excellent biocompatibility, excellent permeability to moisture and air, and excellent flexibility similar to that of skin, and a method of producing the same.
Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1284373 is suggested as a similar related art.

Nanofiber mesh bioelectrode, and method for producing the same

DAEGU GYEONGBUK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


The present invention provides an animal feeder comprising a hopper and a feed tray into which feed is gravity fed from the hopper. The hopper has an inverse funnel shape to prevent feed jams. The feeder is formed from two halves with a metering gate that meters the feed fed from the hopper to the tray. The metering gate has a limited swing with pegs mounted thereon to further agitate jammed feed inside the hopper as the animal feeds from the tray.

The field of invention is animal feeders, more particularly animal feeders for dry feed material for small animals.
Domesticated and caged animals require feeding at regular intervals. Manually filling a dish with food on a regular basis can be inconvenient and in the case of caged animals may require opening the cage providing the animal with the opportunity to escape or injure the attendant.
Known feeders that accommodate such circumstances are gravity animal feeders. These feeders normally are composed of a hopper in which the feed is stored. An opening in the bottom of the hopper allows feed to flow with the aid of gravity into a dish from which the animal feeds. The hopper can extend outside of a cage for refilling without opening the cage. Such feeders are particularly useful for supplying animals with dry granular or pelletized feed.
Prior feeders of this type tend to have metering gates disposed between the hopper and the dish to prevent too much feed from filling the dish at one time. These gates are often nudged by the feeding animals to a position limiting their usefulness. Additionally, feed can get jammed in the hopper preventing the gravity flow of feed into the dish.
The construction of prior feeders tend to be unduly complicated requiring the assembly of the hopper to the dish portion. In larger gravity feeder used in commercial applications, such as in the fur industry, assembly of the feeders is cumbersome and expensive.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above.


A concentration measuring device, in an electrographic printer, for measuring the concentration of developer liquid supplied from a mixing container to a development device. The concentration measuring device includes a variable thickness body installed between the mixing container and the development device for changing the thickness of a developer liquid passage for light to transmit; a light emitting device installed a predetermined distance from one side of the variable thickness body for emitting light; and a light detector installed a predetermined distance from the other side of the variable thickness body for detecting the light from the light emitting device and measuring the concentration of developer liquid according to the amount of received light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a concentration measuring device for measuring the concentration of a developer liquid in an electrographic printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional electrographic printer.
Referring to FIG. 1, an electrographic printer includes: a photosensitive belt 14 which is supported by a driving roller 11, a steering roller 12 and a backup roller 13, and circulates in a closed loop; four development devices 17a through 17d; and a transfer roller 25 which rotates in contact with the backup roller 13. The surface of the photosensitive belt 14 is charged by a corona charger. Laser scanning units 18a through 18d are installed in the vicinity of the respective development devices 17a through 17d, and the laser beams from the laser scanning units 18a through 18d scan the surface of the photosensitive belt 14, and change the potential of the surface of the photosensitive belt 14 to form an electrostatic latent image. The photosensitive belt 14 formed with the electrostatic latent image is sequentially developed by the development devices 17a through 17d containing respective developer liquids of black, yellow, cyan and magenta colors, and accordingly a color image is formed on the photosensitive belt 14. In this case, a cleaning roller 23 removes a carrier from the color image formed on the photosensitive belt 14, and heating rollers 24 evaporate the carrier on the surface of the cleaning roller 23.
The developed color image on the photosensitive belt 14 is transferred to the transfer roller 25, and the color image transferred to the transfer roller 25 is transferred to a paper 27 by the difference of the surface energies. The color image transferred to the paper 27 is firmly fixed to the paper 27 by a fixing roller 26. Once printing is completed in this manner, an eraser 15 completely removes the charge on the photosensitive belt 14, and prepares the photosensitive belt 14 to form a new electrostatic latent image.
The developer liquids contained in the development devices 17a through 17d are mixtures of respective toners and a carrier, the toners are stored in toner containers 19a through 19d and are supplied to mixing containers 21a through 21d by pumps 20a through 20d, and the carrier is stored in a carrier container 28 and is supplied to the mixing containers 21a through 21d. The toners and the carrier supplied to the mixing containers 21a through 21d are mixed to have an appropriate concentration, and are supplied to the development devices 17a through 17d by pumps 22a through 22d, respectively.
In the printer as described above, the concentrations of the developer liquids supplied to the respective development devices 17a through 17d must be maintained to be constant, and therefore the mixing ratios of the toners and the carrier which are supplied from the toner containers 19a through 19d and the carrier container 28 are maintained within an appropriate range.
In order to decide whether the mixing ratio of the toner and the carrier is appropriate, the concentration of the developer liquid must be measured. However, since an appropriate device capable of measuring the concentration of the developer liquid is not provided in a conventional printer, it is impossible to know whether the developer liquid is at an appropriate concentration. Therefore, the tones of a color image are abnormal when the concentrations of the developer liquids are irregular.

Concentration measuring device of electrographic printer


The present invention is a rotatable work machine that includes a lower frame assembly having a recessed area in which the operator portion of an upper frame assembly and power source are at least partially positioned. Further, a method of manufacturing and assembling the lower frame assembly enables various size configurations for the work machine. The method of manufacturing and assembling the work machine, along with the specific design and positioning of the various components therein, enhances stability, clearance, and operator visibility with reduced costs and complexity.

In current rotatable and telescopic work machines, such as material handling machines, the overall height of the work machine is generally increased due to the "stacking" of various components, such as, the rotation means, cab, engine and telescopic boom. The significant height of the work machine limits its ability to enter certain work areas or buildings that have space constraints at access doors, service entries, and the like. Further, the positioning of the various components on some of these work machines causes weight distribution problems as the center of gravity is elevated and focused. Weight distribution problems can reduce efficiency or performance of the work machine. Additionally, an elevated center of gravity reduces stability of the work machine and reduces operator visibility as the various components are placed at higher levels. Visibility may be further impaired on some of these work machines when the telescopic boom is mounted on one side of the cab and blocks the operator's view of a work implement, attached to the telescopic boom, or the surrounding terrain.
One known rotatable and telescopic work machine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,869 issued to John J. Grove on Aug. 12, 1980, discloses an industrial crane that has a chassis mounting a housing. The chassis has a horizontal deck with a central well that provides access to a bearing for a rotatable upper works. The upper works has a portion that extends into the well and to the bearing. The upper works also includes a cab directly over the bearing, a boom support rearward of the cab, an engine rearward of the boom support and above the chassis, and a lifting boom journalled to the boom support rearward of and extending forwardly over the cab. The boom, cab, and engine have their lateral centers in line along the median plane of the upper works. The median plane of the upper works coincides with the median plane of the chassis when the upper works is in the forward or reverse position. Although the positioning of a portion of the upper works within the well assists in lowering the center of gravity of the crane, the positioning of the engine above the chassis distributes weight at an elevated level that nullifies the low center of gravity benefits. Additionally, the positioning of the engine rearward of the boom support may create an unfavorable distribution of weight at the rear of the crane, lowering its efficiency and stability. Further, the positioning of the engine in such a manner results in a low clearance height for the swing radius of the boom and effectively blocks all rear visibility for the operator during operation of the crane.
Other rotatable work machines that do not have telescopic booms, such as excavators, may also have similar deficiencies as those work machines with telescopic booms. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,461 issued to Ingebret Soyland on Jul. 25, 1978, discloses a rotatable excavator with a low center of gravity. The excavator includes a vessel-like lower frame with a vertical side wall and a bottom wall that forms a support plate. An upper frame is mounted on the lower frame for rotation about a vertical axis. The upper frame carries a cabin, a boom, and a bucket assembly. The engine and other heavy equipment components for operating the excavator along with the rotation means are secured to the underside of the upper frame in a suspended manner. In order to rotate the upper frame, along with the boom, bucket assembly, and engine, the rotating means engages with a gear in the lower frame. Although the center of gravity is lowered and visibility is improved in this excavator design, the height of the excavator is still defined by the full height of the lower and upper frames due to the upper frame being "stacked" on the lower frame. While this may not be as great an issue in a rotatable excavator that typically works in an external environment, any increase of height in a rotatable and telescopic work machine lowers its accessibility to enclosed work areas or buildings that have space constrained entryways.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.


A power plant system particularly useful for hybrid vehicles driven by electric motors, the power plant system including a positive displacement engine with a bifurcated exhaust forming first and second exhaust passages for expansion gases, each passage being separately controlled by an independently operated engine exhaust valve, the first exhaust passage supplying expansion gases to a turbine connected to a compressor delivering compressed air to the engine and the second exhaust passage supplying expansion gases to a turbine connected to an electric generator, the power plant system having a system control module independently controlling each exhaust valve for optimum air compression for the load and speed of engine operation.

This invention relates to an optimized power plant for vehicle propulsion or stationary power production. In particular, the power plant relates to an energy optimization and recovery system for a high pressure thermal engine operating under attenuated load conditions for maximizing fuel efficiency.
Modern reciprocal engines operate at high pressure to maximize the efficiency of converting thermal energy to mechanical work. Unfortunately, conventional high pressure engines are characterized by a pronounced "hook shape" in the graph of specific fuel consumption under changing load conditions. At loads higher or lower than the "optimum point," fuel efficiency rapidly degenerates. The ordinary driving conditions for a family vehicle provide a wide range of operating loads, and the vehicle engine is rarely operating at optimum efficiency.
To gain the advantage of high engine efficiency and yet accommodate varying load conditions of ordinary driving, modern power plant designers for vehicles are turning to hybrid propulsion systems. By coordinating engine operation with power from a stored energy reserve, load demands are attenuated allowing engine operation within a narrower optimum range.
Certain solutions for boosting the efficiency of a thermal engine in a hybrid propulsion system have been proposed, and reference is herein made to our copending applications, Ser. No. 08/563,923, filed 29 Nov. 1995, entitled ADVANCED THERMOELECTRIC SYSTEMS FOR HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
Typically, to achieve high operating pressures, engines are supercharged by a turbocharger which is a turbine driven compressor that delivers air to the engine at an optimal pressure for the engine load. However, typical turbine driven compressors also have a narrow range of efficient operation, and under higher engine loads, a waste gate is employed to prevent over-compression. A waste gate allows a portion of expanding exhaust gases from the engine to by-pass the turbocharger and be vented without generating useful work. Frequently, long-haul trucks and passenger vehicles spend a high percentage of travel time on freeways, where valuable thermal energy during this high load, high rotation operation would be lost, drastically reducing the overall fuel efficiency of a turbocharged engine.
A stored energy reserve may comprise a flywheel, a high-density capacitor or more conventionally a plurality of batteries forming a battery bank. Because of the cost and inherent weight of a battery bank, or a combination-type energy reserve, it is desirable that the capacity and hence the size and weight be minimized. Therefore, to achieve the advantages of a hybrid propulsion system, where electrical drive motors supplement or are supplied electricity by the power output of the thermal engine, the stored energy reserve is reduced in capacity by the supplemental electrical energy recoverable in the novel power plant of this invention. The stored energy reserve, for example, can be sized to accommodate storage of recovered energy from brake regeneration systems that transform deceleration of the vehicle into electrical power.
Since the direct recovery of thermal energy and its transformation into electrical energy in the invented system occurs under high demand and output conditions, the converted energy is immediately placed in service to supplement the power output of the thermal engine. There is little or no requirement that the storage capacity of the energy reserve be expanded to accommodate any carryover, except to replenish a depleted reserve.
Similarly, in stationary power generating plants, the recovery of the thermal energy ordinarily lost in a waste gate is immediately recovered as supplementary power, thereby reducing the size of the thermal engine required for a particular service.
In each case, the compressor delivering air to the thermal engine operates at optimum efficiency and is driven by the required expansion gas stream to maintain optimization. Excess combustion gases are separated at the engine for passage through an auxiliary turbine that drives an electrical generator for the capture of otherwise lost thermal energy, as electrical energy.

Thermo-electric power plant with asymmetric exhaust system


A method including: displaying on a display a reference image; displaying on the display a start position within the reference image; displaying on the display an end position within the reference image; determining a trajectory between the start position and the end position; and defining a target image for each of a plurality of waypoints along the determined trajectory.

A camera sensor is capable of capturing an image as an array of pixels.
In some implementations, the process of controlling a camera sensor to capture one or more images may be automated. For example, focus may be automatic, exposure may be automatic and white balance may be automatic. Also, in a burst mode, a sequence of images may be taken automatically in rapid succession in response to a single user action.

Image control method for defining images for waypoints along a trajectory


A Gaussian-distributed excitation light beam of an excitation spectrum emitted from an excitation light source enters a light pipe and is there converted to a top-hat spatially distributed excitation beam. The top-hat distributed excitation beam is focused on a phosphor-coated or reflective portion of a surface of an optical wavelength conversion element. Fluoresced and reflected beams travel outward from the wavelength conversion element and re-enter the light pipe to be homogenized during transit through the light pipe. A homogenized fluoresced or reflected beam is relayed to an output as one of a sequence of colors of homogenized light. The functions of Gaussian to top-hat conversion of the excitation beams directed toward the optical conversion element and homogenization of beams directed outward from the optical conversion element are both efficiently performed using a single, shared light pipe.

For modern systems of illumination, whether illumination associated with ambient lighting, image capture, image projection, image viewing, signage illumination and/or projection, etc. it is often desirable to generate one or more specific narrow spectra of light. In particular, it is often desirable to generate narrow spectrum light corresponding to one or more of the additive primary-color components red ("R"), green ("G") and blue ("B") and/or spectra corresponding to one or more of the subtractive color components magenta ("M"), cyan ("C") and yellow ("Y"). A full set of such primary color narrow spectra may be color-balanced to create white light. White light may in turn be filtered to create any other color.
Another example use of a set of primary colors of light is the time-sequencing of each primary color onto a digital micro-mirror device ("DMD") associated with a Texas Instruments Incorporated Digital Light Processing ("DLP")™ projection system. Each micro-mirror of a two-dimensional matrix of micro-mirrors on the DMD surface may be separately re-positioned at the start of each primary color time slot to reflect a single pixel of the current primary color into or away from an optical projection system. Doing so produces a projected two-tone pixel image of the current primary color. A series of such two-tone pixel images projected while rapidly sequencing between primary colors is integrated by the human eye to create the illusion of full-color image frames seen as a still or moving picture.
Many systems of illumination require significant light power expressed in lumens. In turn, energy efficiency standards often dictate minimum light generation efficiency expressed in lumens of output light power per watt of electrical input power. A laser is a potentially powerful and efficient light source due to its low etendue and narrow spectral band. In particular, blue light emitted at approximately 448 nm and ultraviolet ("UV") light emitted at approximately 405-420 nm are energetic and can be generated by lasers at high efficiencies. To take advantage of this phenomenon and to engineer simpler multi-wavelength illumination systems, light from one or more blue or UV lasers may be used to excite one or more luminescent phosphors coating one or more portions of a surface of a wavelength conversion element such as a phosphor wheel. Various phosphors are available, each capable of luminescing in a narrow spectrum when excited by a particular excitation spectrum of light. This technique may be used to create multiple primary colors from a low etendue, narrow band excitation light source.
FIG. 1 is a prior-art schematic diagram of a multi-wavelength light generation apparatus 100 using a low etendue, narrow band excitation light source 110. The excitation light source 110 is an emitter of high-energy light 115 (e.g., a blue laser). The emitted light 115 is processed by one or more condensing, collimation, diffusion and/or beam shaping excitation optical element group(s) 118 to generate an excitation beam 122. The element group 118 may include a beam-shaping element such as an optical diffuser, for example. The beam-shaping element homogenizes the excitation beam 115 from the excitation light source 110 in order to better distribute the intensity of the excitation beam 115 over the beam area at the phosphor wheel 138. The excitation beam 122 is reflected by a dichroic mirror 127 through condensing and collimation optics group 133 and onto a surface of a phosphor wheel 138. Each of various phosphors coated onto various areas of the surface of the phosphor wheel 138 luminesces at a predetermined wavelength as it is illuminated by the excitation beam 122.
It is noted that the various phosphor-coated areas may be exposed to the excitation beam 122 at different times by locating the areas radially around the wheel surface and rotating the wheel. Doing so may desirably temporally separate the output colors. Each resulting wavelength of light emanating from the phosphor wheel 138 (e.g., as represented by light rays 143, 148, and 150) corresponds to a desired output color (e.g., R 153, G 158 and Y 160). The phosphor-emitted wavelengths are collected and collimated by the optics group 133 and are passed to the output 165 through the dichroic mirror 127.
If the excitation light source 110 emits light of a visible wavelength such as blue as illustrated in the example apparatus 100, it may be desirable to include the excitation light color in the color sequence at the output 165. However, doing so is not easily accomplished by simply reflecting light of the excitation spectrum from the phosphor wheel surface, because the dichroic mirror is designed to reflect and not pass light of the excitation spectrum. Consequently, such a dichroic mirror-based system may include a separate light source 170 to emit light of a color corresponding to the excitation spectrum for sequencing at the output 165. The latter configuration may also include one or more condensing, collimation, diffusion and/or beam shaping optical element group(s) 175. Such additional components add cost and complexity.
FIG. 2 is a prior-art schematic diagram of a multi-wavelength light generation apparatus 200 using a low etendue, narrow band excitation light source. The apparatus 200 includes one or more blue light excitation lasers 110, light 115, excitation light optical element group 118, excitation beam 122, dichroic mirror 127, condensing and collimation optics group 133, phosphor wheel 138 and output 165, all as described above with reference to FIG. 1. Additionally, the apparatus 200 includes an opening 210 in the phosphor wheel (e.g., a slot along a radius) to pass light of the excitation spectrum (e.g., blue) at a time when the color corresponding to the excitation spectrum is desired. A series of mirrors (e.g., the mirrors 215, 220 and 225) create a "wrap-around" path 230 to direct light in the excitation spectrum to a diffusion and collimation optical group 235. Collimated light in the excitation spectrum is subsequently reflected by the dichroic mirror 127 to the output 165. The wrap-around path 230 may increase the overall size of the apparatus 200.
As noted, the prior-art apparatus 100 and 200 may both include a duplication of optical elements such as diffusers and/or beam-shaping elements. One set of duplicate elements is included in the excitation light optics group 118 to process the excitation light 115. The other set of duplicate optical elements is included in the element group 175 of the apparatus 100 and the element group 235 of the apparatus 200 to process blue light to be sequenced at the output 165. The duplicate optical elements add cost and complexity.

Shared-path illumination and excitation optics apparatus and systems


A casting roll unit (U) with side weirs (6) and a delivery nozzle (8) being detachably attached thereto is fixed at a casting position. Side-weir and delivery-nozzle preheating furnaces (29, 30) are arranged away from the casting roll unit (U). Arranged adjacent to the roll unit (U) are replacing robots (31, 32) which can selectively clamp the side weirs (6) or the delivery nozzle or nozzles (8) and which can move between the roll unit (U) and the side-weir or delivery-nozzle preheating furnace (29 or 30) for installation/removal of the side weirs (6) or delivery nozzle or nozzles (8).

Side weirs, a delivery nozzle or nozzles, a tundish and the like installed on a casting roll unit in a twin-roll caster are members in direct contact with molten metal so that they need to be preheated before start of casting.
Thus, JP 06-339753 A discloses techniques for preheating side weirs, a delivery nozzle and a tundish to be installed on a casting roll unit before start of casting.
A twin-roll caster in JP 06-339753 A will be outlined with reference to FIGS. 1–4. This device comprises, as shown in FIG. 2, a casting roll unit U having two water-cooled, contra-rotatable parallel casting rolls 1 which are supported by a carriage frame 3 of a casting roll carriage 2. The casting roll carriage 2, which supports the casting roll unit U, is adapted to be displaced between an assembly station B and an actual casting station A in a lateral direction perpendicular to a widthwise direction of the roll unit U or to a lengthwise direction of the casting rolls 1.
Side-weir mounting/dismounting devices 4 shown in FIG. 4 are arranged widthwise outward of the casting roll unit U when the roll unit is at the casting station A. Each of the side-weir mounting/dismounting devices 4 comprises a hydraulic cylinder unit 5a and a plate holder 5b movable in the above-mentioned widthwise direction by actuating the hydraulic cylinder unit 5a. Side weirs 6 are mounted on the plate holders 5b and urged by the expanded cylinder units 5a into engagement with opposite stepped ends 7 of the casting rolls 1 to thereby close the opposite ends of the casting rolls 1.
A tapered delivery nozzle 8 is arranged above and between the casting rolls 1, and is long in the widthwise direction to provide an inwardly and downwardly converged bottom as shown in FIG. 3 to fit into a mounting bracket 9 on the carriage frame 3 of the roll carriage 2, thereby entering into a nip between the parallel casting rolls 1.
Furthermore, a tundish 10 is positioned via its mounting bracket 11 on the carriage frame 3 of the roll carriage 2.
A ladle 12 (FIG. 1) is adapted to be positioned above the casting roll unit U at the casting station A and to supply molten metal via the tundish 10 and delivery nozzle 8 during casting. Thus, furnaces to preheat the side weirs 6, delivery nozzle 8 and tundish 10 and robot devices to displace them are arranged at positions not interfering with the ladle 12.
More specifically, electric resistance heater furnaces 13 are arranged above the cylinder units 5a for movement of the plate holders 5b of the side-weir mounting/dismounting devices 4 at the casting station A in FIG. 4. Side-weir robot devices 14 are arranged above and between the heater furnaces 13 and widthwise ends of the roll units U, respectively. Each of the robot devices 14 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a telescopic unit 18 fixed to an upper member of a main machine frame 15 and vertically expanded or contracted by cylinder units 16 and 17, a rotary head 19 on a lower end of the telescopic unit 18 and horizontally rotatable over 180° by actuation of an air motor and a clamp mechanism 20 carried on a bottom of the rotary head 19.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a ceiling rail 21 is arranged on the upper member of the main machine frame 15 at the assembly station B to extend parallel to the widthwise direction of the casting roll unit U. A nozzle preheating furnace 22 is installed below an end of the ceiling rail 21 to preheat the delivery nozzle 8. A gas furnace 23 is installed below the other end of the ceiling rail 21 so as to preheat the tundish 10.
A telescopic, nozzle robot device 25 is arranged on the ceiling rail 21 above the nozzle preheating furnace 22 and has a clamp mechanism 24 at its lower end. Arranged on the ceiling rail 21 above the gas furnace 23 is a tundish robot device 26 (particulars thereof not shown) which can be lifted up and down while supporting the tundish 10. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 27 denotes a receptacle adjacent to the casting station A and to which the molten metal is transferred when it overflows through an overflow port 10a of the tundish 10 (FIG. 3) or when an emergency plug 10b is drawn out because of, for example, extreme deformation of a strip during a casting operation. Lift-up of a stopper rod 12a causes the ladle 12 to supply the molten metal via an outlet nozzle 12b and a refractory shroud 28 to the tundish 10.
Casting in accordance with a twin-roll caster with the above-mentioned construction will be conducted as follows.
Before starting of a casting operation, the side weirs 6, delivery nozzle 8 and tundish 10 are preheated by the furnaces 13, 22 and 23, respectively; and the casting roll unit U is displaced to the assembly station B. All the tundish 10, delivery nozzle 8 and side weirs 6 are preheated to use temperature which is, in the case of iron casting, on the order of 1200–1300° C.
The nozzle robot device 25 is displaced to above the nozzle preheating furnace 22 and is expanded to clamp the delivery nozzle 8 preheated in the nozzle preheating furnace 22, through the clamp mechanism 24. Then, the nozzle robot device is contracted and runs along the ceiling rail 21 to a position of the casting roll unit U where the nozzle robot device 25 is expanded to position the delivery nozzle on and in the mounting bracket 9 of the carriage frame 3 of the casting roll carriage 2. Then, the clamp mechanism 24 is released and the nozzle robot device 25 is contracted and runs toward the nozzle preheating furnace 22 into a stand-by position.
Next, the tundish robot device 26 is displaced to above the gas furnace 23 and is expanded to bear the tundish 10 preheated in the gas furnace 23. Then, the robot device is contracted and runs along the ceiling rail 21 to the position of the casting roll unit U where the tundish robot device 26 is expanded to position and fix the tundish 10 via its mounting bracket 11 on and to the carriage frame 3 of the casting roll carriage 2. Then, the tundish robot device 26 is contracted to be withdrawn toward the gas furnace 23 into a stand-by position.
Then, the casting roll unit U with the delivery nozzle 8 and tundish 10 is displaced from the assembly station B to the casting station A.
With the rotary heads 19 being rotated such that the clamp mechanisms 20 of the side-weir robot devices 14 at the widthwise opposite ends of the casting roll unit U are directed to the corresponding heater furnaces 13, the side-weir robot devices 14 are expanded to clamp the side weirs 6 preheated in the heater furnaces 13 through the clamp mechanisms 20; then, the side-weir robot devices 14 are contracted to take the side weirs 6 out of the heater furnaces 13. The clamp mechanisms 20 are then rotated over 180° by the rotary heads 19 and the side-weir robot devices 14 are expanded to locate the side weirs 6 on the plate holders 5b of the side-weir mounting/dismounting devices 4; and the clamp mechanisms 20 are released and the side-weir robot devices 14 are contracted, which leaves the side weirs 6 on the plate holders 5b. The hydraulic cylinder units 5a are then expanded to engage the side weirs 6 with the opposite stepped ends 7 of the casting rolls 1 of the casting roll unit U positioned at the casting station A, thereby closing the opposite ends of the casting rolls 1.
With the casting rolls 1 being rotated while being water-cooled, the ladle 12 is displaced to above the tundish 10; and lift-up of the stopper rod 12a causes the molten metal to flow from the ladle 12 via the outlet nozzle 12b and refractory shroud 28 to the tundish 10 so that the molten metal is supplied via the delivery nozzle 8 to between the casting rolls 1; and shells solidify on the casting rolls 1 into the nip, resulting in a solidified strip produced at roll exit.
However, in the conventional apparatus shown in FIGS. 1–4, first of all, the casting roll unit U is displaced to the assembly station B. Installed on the casting roll unit U are the preheated delivery nozzle 8 through running and expansion/contraction of the nozzle robot device 25 as well as the preheated tundish 10 through running and expansion/contraction of the tundish robot device 26. Then, the roll unit U is displaced from the assembly station B to the casting station A where the preheated side weirs 6 are installed on the plate holders 5b of the side-weir mounting/dismounting device 4 through expansion/contraction of the side-weir robot device 14 and rotation of the rotary heads 19. Thus, the conventional apparatus is problematic or disadvantageous in that displacement motions of the respective preheated members or delivery nozzle 8, tundish 10 and side weirs 6 become complicated and require much time for such series of operations, that the entire apparatus becomes complicated and large-sized and that position control is much troublesome since a great number of limit switches are required for controlled decelerations of the respective preheated members so as to accurately position the same.
Moreover, as mentioned above, much time is required until installation of all the preheated members on the casting roll unit U is completed, which will result in a problem that especially the side weirs 6 and delivery nozzle 8 which are less voluminous than the tundish 10 tend to become low-temperatured before such completion of the installation. In particular, structurally, installation of the delivery nozzle 8, which is installed on the casting roll unit U at the assembly station B, must precede that of the tundish 10. That is, in the conventional construction, the preheated members are installed in a specific order and the delivery nozzle 8 must be arranged first. In other words, the delivery nozzle 8, which is less voluminous, has to await the installation of the side weirs 6 being completed, leading to a problem that the nozzle is allowed to cool and the molten metal may solidify in the delivery nozzle 8.
In order to overcome such problem in particular, temperature lowering of the delivery nozzle 8 must be taken into account to preheat the delivery nozzle 8 to a temperature by far higher than that of the molten metal, which may lead to a fact that much time is needed for the preheating and consumed energy is increased. There may be also a problem of deteriorated strength of the nozzle due to extreme high-temperature heating.
The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems. An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for displacing preheated members for a twin-roll caster that is simple in structure and that can promptly install preheated side weirs and delivery nozzle or nozzles on a casting roll unit.

Preheating member changer of dual roll casting apparatus

Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.


Apparatus and method are disclosed for selecting multimedia information, such as video, audio, graphics and text residing on a plurality of Data Warehouses, relational database management systems (RDMS) or object-oriented database systems (ODBA) connected to the Internet or other network, and for linking the multimedia information across the Internet, or other network, to any phrase, word, sentence and paragraph of text; or numbers; or maps; charts, and tables; or still pictures and/or graphics; or moving pictures and/or graphics; or audio elements contained in documents on an Internet or intranet web site so that any viewer of a web site, or other network resource, can directly access updated information in the Data Warehouse or a database in real time. The apparatus and method each: (i) stores a plurality of predetermined authentication procedures (such as user names and passwords) to gain admittance to Data Warehouses or databases, (ii) stores the Universal Resource Locators of intranet and Internet addresses of a plurality of expert predetermined optimum databases or Data Warehouses containing text, audio, video and graphic information, or multimedia information relating to the information on the web site or other network resource; (iii) stores a plurality of expert-predetermined optimum queries for use in the search engines of each of the pre-selected databases, each query representing a discrete searchable concept as expressed by a word, phrase, sentence or paragraph of text, or any other media such as audio and video on a web site, or other network resource; and (iv) presents to the user the results of a search of the Data Warehouse or database through a graphical user interface (GUI) which coordinates and correlates viewer selection criteria with the expert optimum remote database selection and queries.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information retrieval, and the application and deployment architecture for such information retrieval. Specifically, the present invention concerns a multi-tier client/server model for record retrieval wherein optimum record retrieval from a database is achieved based on embedded expert judgments linked to words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs of text; or numbers; or maps, charts, and tables (including spread sheet; or still pictures and/or graphics; or moving pictures and/or graphics; or audio elements (hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the "links" or "Linked Terms," or when any one of the aforementioned elements are used singly, as the "link" or "Linked Term"), contained in documents on a network resource, such as a web site and incorporating an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) to correlate through a plurality of frames the retrieved records with records from one remote database or a large collection of remote databases maintained by one company, called a Data Warehouse, plus a means to select various databases or Data Warehouses and a comprehensive selectable index of the linked embedded expertjudgments.
2. Background Information
"Pull" Technology
A conventional information retrieval system includes a database of records, a processor for executing searches on the records, and application software that controls how the retrieval system, such as a database management system (DBMS), accepts the search queries, manages the search, and handles the search results. Generally, the database includes records such as text documents, financial or court records, medical files, personnel records, graphical data, technical information, audio and video files or various combinations of such data. Typically, a user enters a password and client billing information, and then initiates the search by finding the appropriate database or groups of databases to search and formulating a proper query that is sent to the DBMS. This process is known as searching by pull technology. To effectively search and retrieve records from the database, the DBMS typically offers a limited variety of search operations, or query models, specifically designed to operate on the underlying records in the database. The query models are coordinated and executed by an application generally referred to as a search engine. For example, a document database, such as a database of court opinions, may be organized with each court opinion as a record with fields for the title of the case, jurisdiction, court and body text. A simple search engine may support a full text searching query model for all the text fields, individual field searching, such as searching by court or jurisdiction, and various Boolean search operations such as and, or, and not. More sophisticated search engines may support the following query models:
1. nested Boolean or natural language searches; PA0 2. grammatical connectors that search for terms in a grammatical relationship such as within the same sentence or paragraph (e.g., "/s", "/p", etc.); PA0 3. proximity connectors that require search terms to appear within a specified number of terms of each other (e.g., "w/5"); PA0 4. exclusion terms ("BUT NOT"); PA0 5. weighted keyword terms; PA0 6. wildcards; PA0 7. specification of the order in which the database processes the search request (e.g., grouping words in parenthetical expressions); PA0 8. restriction of the search to certain fields, and formulation of a restricted search such as by date, subject, jurisdiction, title, etc.; and PA0 9. combination of the fields of search. PA0 1. The great majority of the Internet search engines have no control over the records in their database. Unlike the commercial Data Warehouses who have an ongoing relationship with the content provider (usually by a license agreement), and who carefully screen, cleanse and format the information provided by their information providers, many Internet search engines sweep through the WWW periodically and automatically, and catalogue web sites as records in their databases. They also permit any web publisher to submit his or her web site as a record entry with little or no prior screening. PA0 2. As a result of little or no screening, and absolutely no contact with the information provider, Internet search engines often provide search results that have multiple "dead ends," the result of links which are often moved or deleted after the search engines have catalogued them. Moreover, the web sites' authors can sometimes manipulate the words on their site and cause the Internet search engines to list their websites higher on the search engine's relevancy lists than other web sites. PA0 3. The search engines' databases include only a fraction of the Internet's content, and even then, the content may be from dubious sources, or sources which are not updated frequently. PA0 4. Where the web sites include embedded search terms in links in documents to existing Internet search engines or current awareness "news" databases, since the words are linked to the free Internet search engines discussed above, the information retrieved, for reasons explained above, is not reliable and users often receive multiple irrelevant responses. Words linked to the current awareness databases receive more useful information, but there is no GUI correlating and synchronizing the records of multiple databases. Typically, those web sites pass authentication information by the QUERY.sub.-- STRING environment variable. Once placed on the command line by the browser, the viewer can see all passwords and usernames in the authentication argument.
In addition, large commercial database providers, such as BLOOMBERG, DIALOG, LEXIS/NEXIS and WESTLAW typically have thousands of individual databases. These large commercial database providers are Data Warehouses, which comprise an architecture and process where data are extracted from external information providers, then formatted, aggregated, and integrated into a read only database that is optimized for decision making. Users subscribe to the Data Warehouses by monthly or yearly subscription, and then typically pay stratified levels of hourly charges for access to certain databases, or groups of databases.
Drawbacks of Pull Technology
One limitation of existing information retrieval systems, especially among the commercial Data Warehouses, is the burden on the user to first enter client and billing information and passwords to gain access and initiate the search, and then formulate the search query. Typically, the subscription based commercial database services provide password administration and extensive catalogues, both in print and on-line, describing the content and scope of the databases offered, and in some cases, live assistance by telephone by reference librarians who assist the user to find the proper databases. However, the user must remember the password, and spend time finding the proper database by catalogue, on-line access, or phone, or else incur more expensive hourly charges searching through single databases or groups of databases for the appropriate database content and scope.
A second limitation of pull technology is the formulation of the search query. To use the more powerful commercial Data Warehouses effectively, a user must be trained to use all of the aforementioned query models, and have sufficient knowledge of the topic to choose the appropriate keywords or natural language terms. The complexity of the search process compels the commercial Data Warehouses to offer training and keyword help to their subscribers by multiple publications that describe search tips; interactive software based training modules; account representatives who visit the user and train him or her; and customer service and reference librarians available by phone.
A third limitation of pull technology concerns how it is employed on the World Wide Web area of the Internet ("WWW") by such search engines as THE ELECTRIC LIBRARY, EXCITE!, FOUR ONE ONE (411), HOTBOT, INFOSEEK, LINKSTAR, LYCOS, MAGELLAN ALTA VISTA, OPEN TEXT INDEX, WEB CRAWLER, WWWWORM, and YAHOO!, just to name a few. These search engines' query models are beginning to approach the sophistication and complexity of those of the commercial database companies, but unlike the commercial databases, they offer minimal customer support. Another drawback of the Internet search engines, well documented in the computer business and popular press, is that their search engine algorithms cause multiple irrelevant responses to a query. Other drawbacks of Internet search engines employing pull technology include:
The considerable logistical and practical drawbacks of pull technology are illustrated in the following example of an investment banker who is responsible for buying bonds for an institutional investor, such as a bank or an insurance company. This hypothetical investment banker, based on an actual person, will be used at different points throughout this patent application to illustrate and support the novelty and unobviousness of the present invention.
Every week, this investment banker must go before a board of executives at his bank and provide them with a list of bonds that he had examined and analyzed and recommends to the bank to buy. In order to do his due diligence he must cover in his report five areas of research concerning the bond: 1) compare the bond price to other bond prices (the Bond Comparables); 2) obtain historical data concerning the bond and the company issuing the bond (the Historical Data); 3) obtain the Securities and Exchange filings, such as 10K's, and 10Q's for the company issuing the bond (the SEC Filings); 4) obtain specific information from a wide variety of publications concerning the industry in which the company operates (the Industry Data); and 5) obtain information concerning the historical and anticipated performance of the company's stock (the Stock Data). Furthermore, he has to read various newsletters and white papers issued by investment banks desiring to sell the bonds to him, and which analyze the bonds using the same criteria mentioned above. In order to collect the data, this investment banker must log on and enter password and billing information; find the appropriate databases; and formulate the search and obtain the results in three to five different Data Warehouses, each of which are organized differently from one another and have different methods to enter search queries, and different query models. While pull technology satisfies the demands for the breadth and depth of the search (since the user can formulate his or her own queries, and make unlimited selections of databases to search) it is time consuming, cumbersome and expensive because the user must find the appropriate query formulation and database or databases within which to run the query, sometimes even in different Data Warehouses.
"Push" Technology
In response to the flood of information facing the typical Internet user under the pull model, the complexity of the query statements, and the well documented inability of the Internet search engines to locate and deliver relevant content, software companies developed software agents to push information to users. The push model is also known as webcasting.
Under push, computers sift through large volumes of information, filtering, retrieving and then ranking in order of importance articles of current interest. The user fills out a "profile" (also called a "channer"), that defines a predefined area of interest or activates a filter. This, in turn, causes the webcast search engine to search its own databases, or the databases of others, for content matching the profile or the filters submitted by the user. The user, in order to access the channels and have the content "pushed" to him or her, must download special client software which acts either independently of, or in conjunction with, the user's browser. Altematively, a user can access a dynamically generated web page on the webcaster's server that lists the found articles. (An example of a dynamically generated web page is "Newspage Direct" by Individual, Inc.)
One early version of the Internet push model, developed by Pointcast Inc., clogged the network behind a company's employees' firewall when large numbers of the company's software agents pulled information from Pointcast's servers on the Internet at or near the same time. Pointcast later alleviated this problem by providing remote servers that could operate behind a company's firewall and request and collect (or cache) information at once or at predetermined times from the Pointcast severs on the Internet. These intermediate servers then pushed the information to employees, which effectively centralized the distribution of information in the Information Services (IS) department.
As mentioned above, all push technology requires that users compile a "profile" to detail their interests. The prior art of delivering the information obtained by the search engine pursuant to the profile is divided into three broad categories: offline browsers; e-mail delivered content providers and information channels.
The offline browsers typically operate by requiring a user to complete a profile with predetermined categories; automatically search the Internet for the information specified in the profile and download the materials to the user's hard drive for viewing at a later time when the user is off the Internet. This first category of products include: Freeloader by Freeloader, Inc.; Smart Delivery by FirstFloor, Inc.; WebEx by Traveling Software, Inc.; WebRetriever by Folio Inc. and Web Whacker by ForeFront Group, Inc.
The second category of push products delivers the results of searches performed pursuant to the user's profile directly to the user's e-mail box, and includes: Netscape's Inbox Direct and Microsoft Mail.
The third category of push products arranges the predetermined categories into "channels" and uses filters to allow users to customize their news deliveries from a broad range of proprietary news sources. It is claimed that the results of the searches are pushed or "broadcast" in real time to the viewer. Examples of this type of service include: BackWeb by BackWeb, Inc.; Headliner by Lanacom, Inc.; Incisa by Wayfarer, Inc.; Intermind by Intermind, Inc.; Pointcast by Pointcast, Inc.; and Marimba by Marimba, Inc. However, since the retrieved data is first cached on the service provider's server (e.g. Pointcast's server), and then again on the companys' servers behind the firewall, the results of the search are not really "broadcast in real time."
There is a fourth category of push products which do not fall neatly into any of the above three categories of delivery. Citizen 1 by Citizen 1 Software, Inc., is a human organized hierarchical listing of free Internet search engines. The user can then select a number of databases which fall under that category, and run several simultaneous queries in the databases. Digital Bindery by Digital Bindery Company allows users to "subscribe" to web pages as they browse. Once a subscriber, the user will automatically receive via e-mail any updates to the web pages to which the user subscribed.
Webcasting attempts to eliminate the inefficiencies of pull technology, namely the time consuming and unproductive hunt for information through Internet search engines. Instead of an open ended search through many databases linked to the web by various search engines, as is done under the pull model, push substitutes one central secure database which has collected either the content itself, or the links to the content. However, in spite of the name, push, the information provider does not drive the distribution of data. Instead, a client (in a client/server arrangement) contacts the information provider and requests the information. The client then downloads the information in the background, giving the impression that it is broadcast, when in fact, it is only automatically downloaded at a predetermined time.
Shortcomings of "Push" Technology
"Push" may be a satisfactory method for serving information to knowledge workers who depend on a constant stream of updated factual information served in narrow categories. Examples of these kinds of workers would be sales representatives who must find new prospects, staff in field offices who must be aware of sudden price changes, information managers who must distribute software upgrades and marketing professionals who must be aware of the new products released by the competition.
However, there is a category of knowledge workers whose information needs are not properly satisfied by push technology. The hypothetical investment banker discussed above is an example of such a knowledge worker. These knowledge workers cannot use "filters" and "profiles" to provide the most relevant information since the information they need cannot easily fit into categories, but rather spans categories. These knowledge workers use information to solve problems that are rarely alike. They need information to solve a problem, but they do not know what they need day to day.
This knowledge worker culls information and sparks creativity by comparisons and contrasts, juxtapositions, and induction and deduction, rather than by looking at raw news reports. The investment banker discussed above, usually does not know well in advance what industry or company he will be analyzing. He also does not always know where his research and analyses will take him, or what databases he will use. His decisions are tied into so many variables that exist in the marketplace that his information cannot be predetermined by a general form or profile. A further limitation of webcasting is that it has not struck the optimum balance between burdening the viewer with a persistent stream of alerts versus alerting the viewer when new information has arrived.
Moreover, since webcasting centralizes the development, control and the administration of "profiles" within an Information Services (IS) department, certain knowledge workers' information needs may not be satisfied by such centralization. IS departments, already strapped for resources to manage mail servers, web servers, Lotus Notes servers and application servers, may not be capable of managing servers that maintain lists of user "profiles" and dispatch software agents into the World Wide Web (WWW). The push model works only if IS departments proactively keep the profile lists current and advertise them internally. Furthermore, there may be enormous legal ramifications, as of yet not addressed, to companies downloading copyrighted material to their internal servers and redistributing it internally, especially if the push purveyor links to other websites or search engines without permission. See, "Legal Situation Is Confused on Web Content Protections,". New York Times, Jun. 9, 1997, at page D5.
Finally, all the above examples of "push" technology, except for "Digital Binder," require the buying, installation, maintenance and updating of software by both the publisher and the user.
In addition to the above-mentioned disadvantages, both the push and pull models fail to address the need to efficiently, inexpensively, and frequently augment web sites with current or historical data. According to the Mar. 11, 1997 Wall Street Journal, in an article entitled At Thousands of Web Sites, Time Stands Still: "Nearly five million pages of a total 30 million indexed by AltaVista on the Web haven't been updated at all since early 1996 . . . Some 424,000 pages haven't been refreshed since early 1995--and 75,000 Web pages haven't been touched since before 1994."
Therefore, it is desirable to dynamically augment a static web page containing text, audio, graphics, and/or video information on a network resource with Linked Terms connected to current awareness and/or historical records from expert pre-selected Data Warehouses or single databases, thereby saving the enormous labor and time costs involved in updating web pages.
It is similarly desirable to permit users to choose and narrow their own search criteria through pull technology by clicking on Linked Terms in a written document, and still obtain the benefits of push technology by having current awareness and historical records pushed to update their selections without introducing new protocols or application programmers interfaces (API's) to operate. It is therefore desirable to provide a method and apparatus use of which does not encumber the user's or publisher's computer system in the following ways: 1) neither the user, nor the publisher has to buy, install, maintain or update software to use the invention; 2) use of the method and apparatus does not require large hard disk and memory allocations by the user; and 3) as a result of "2," use of the method and apparatus does not preclude using other push products simultaneously. This invention can work with any operating system that employs a browser, and can accommodate any binary data type, including FTP repositories, full Java applets and VRML, and any browser plug-in, such as Shockwave applications. Moreover, it can deliver information from a variety of sources, including from the Internet, company databases, groupware and intra- and extranets.
Finally, given the almost exclusive use of current awareness and historical data on databases for research purposes in the prior art, the present invention is unique and unobvious because it is the only invention that updates Linked Terms in any written document, including web pages, with current and/or archived information from databases and Data Warehouses using a proprietary user interface and embedded expert judgment. Updating web pages and written content in this matter effectively transforms raw information into data which can support any point made in any written document. So, for example, if the document is used for marketing purposes, this invention would permit raw information to be used for marketing purposes, etc.
It is also desirable to provide a method and apparatus, which, rather than seeking to identify records on a database whose characteristics exactly match what the user types into a query model, embody one or more kinds of expert judgement data for the purpose of selectively retrieving on demand the best fitting or most appropriate records in response to user data entry. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a query architecture for an information retrieval method and apparatus that utilizes both pull and push technologies wherein knowledge workers can select their database resources based on the issue they must solve and current awareness or historical data can be pushed to them based upon embedded expert judgment based on the same issue once they have selected the database resources.
It is further desired that the Linked Terms in any document be augmentative and allow for the efficient integration of embedded expert judgment that correlates a user's choice of a Linked Term with optimum data information judgments or designations to identify those data where the fit between the user's choice of a Linked Term and optimum data for that Linked Term is best.

Method and apparatus for selectively augmenting retrieved text, numbers, maps, charts, still pictures and/or graphics, moving pictures and/or graphics and audio information from a network resource


Optical apparatus for forming correlation spectrometers and optical processors. The optical apparatus comprises one or more diffractive optical elements formed on a substrate for receiving light from a source and processing the incident light. The optical apparatus includes an addressing element for alternately addressing each diffractive optical element thereof to produce for one unit of time a first correlation with the incident light, and to produce for a different unit of time a second correlation with the incident light that is different from the first correlation. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the optical apparatus is in the form of a correlation spectrometer; and in other embodiments, the apparatus is in the form of an optical processor. In some embodiments, the optical apparatus comprises a plurality of diffractive optical elements on a common substrate for forming first and second gratings that alternately intercept the incident light for different units of time. In other embodiments, the optical apparatus includes an electrically-programmable diffraction grating that may be alternately switched between a plurality of grating states thereof for processing the incident light. The optical apparatus may be formed, at least in part, by a micromachining process.

A spectrometer is an optical apparatus for qualitatively and/or quantitatively analyzing materials of interest such as gases, liquids and solids according to a spectral signature characteristic of each material of interest. Correlation spectrometers provide for the analysis of materials of interest by processing polychromatic light from a source that has impressed thereon a spectral signature due to interaction of the light with the materials of interest and processing the light to generate alternately a first correlation with the spectral signature and a second correlation that is different from the first correlation.
A number of correlation spectrometers have been disclosed in the prior art, being either of a non-dispersive type in which the polychromatic light is selectively filtered or of a dispersive type in which the polychromatic light is dispersed for selective detection and analysis thereof.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,776 to Blau discloses a non-dispersive correlation spectrometer that provides a first correlation between a particular gas of interest and a sample of the gas of interest, with a second correlation being derived from another pressure broadened sample of the gas of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,891 to Knight et al discloses a dispersive correlation spectrometer having Hadamard-matrix spatial filters on the input and exit sides thereof, with a mechanical chopper provided to modulate particular wavelengths of light selected by the spatial filters for detection thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,326 to Tirabassi et al discloses a dispersive correlation spectrometer for measuring concentrations of polluting gases on long and short geometric paths. The correlation spectrometer includes a comparison or reference cell containing a known concentration of the gas of interest for calibration of the spectrometer. The spectrometer includes a rotating correlation mask at an outlet focal plane of the spectrometer for sampling different wavelength ranges corresponding to different portions of the absorption spectrum of the gas of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,691 to Fjarlie discloses a dispersive correlation spectrometer having a prism for dispersing the light to be analyzed, and a liquid-crystal-cell slit assembly for filtering the dispersed light by means of a pattern of slits formed therein that corresponds to a spectral signature of a material being analyzed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,585 to Ward discloses a dispersive correlation spectrometer having a plurality of rotatable slits at the entrance to the spectrometer for alternately selecting between different wavelengths of light to be passed through the spectrometer.
The correlation spectrometers as described in the prior art are, for the most part, large and bulky. Furthermore, the prior art correlation spectrometers are, for the most part, tailored for the analysis of one or, in some instances, a very few materials of interest since some form of mechanical programming is incorporated into the instruments to provide the correlation, either in the form of gas cells which must be filled with a sample of a particular gas of interest or spatial filters (e.g. correlation masks) which must be photographically formed and precisely located. Thus, the prior art correlation spectrometers must be preprogrammed for the analysis of a very limited number of materials of interest; and are not easily reprogrammed for the analysis of other materials of interest, or for the analysis of a material whose composition is not known beforehand.
An advantage of the present invention is that an optical apparatus may be provided in the form of a correlation spectrometer having at least one diffraction grating programmed for analysis of one or more materials of interest. In some embodiments of the present invention, the diffraction grating may be electrically programmed for the analysis of a material of interest, and subsequently be electrically reprogrammed for the analysis of additional materials of interest. In other embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of diffraction gratings may be provided on a substrate and addressed either in sequence or in parallel for the analysis of many different materials of interest.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the analysis of a material of interest whose exact composition is not known beforehand may be performed with the correlation spectrometer by electrically programming the spectrometer for optically correlating a spectral signature from that material with an atlas containing information about many different materials either stored electronically for use in electrically programming a diffraction grating, or stored as an array of many different addressable diffraction gratings formed on a substrate.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the correlation spectrometer may include one or more diffraction gratings formed on a common substrate for alternately processing light at different wavelengths corresponding to a first spectrum that includes at least a portion of the spectral signature of a material of interest, and a second spectrum shifted in wavelength from the first spectrum.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that an optical apparatus may include one or more diffraction gratings having a plurality of grating elements in a multi-periodic spaced relationship for directing a plurality of wavelengths of light to a common point in space wherein a slit, aperture, optical fiber, or detector means may be located for forming a correlation spectrometer or an optical processor.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that the diffraction gratings may be formed on a substrate as an integrated device.
These and other advantages of the apparatus of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art.


Chewy confectionery products, and processes for producing said products, are provided as delivery systems for minerals such as calcium. The carbohydrates of the fortified confectionery products comprise at least one reducing sugar and one non-reducing sugar in a preferred ratio of about 1:0.2 to about 1:1 reducing sugar: non-reducing sugar. The chewy confectionery products offer a matrix for about 0.2 wt. % to 45 wt. % of a fortifying component while maintaining a smooth and soft texture.

Vitamin and mineral supplements often provide fortification otherwise not present in regular dietary intake. The supplements may be delivered in a variety of known forms, such as by tablet, capsule, powders, edible food products and so on. Regardless of the number of delivery systems available, there is a continuing need to provide alternative forms of supplements that are appealing, and therefore increase the likelihood of compliance to those in need of ingesting such supplements. Confectionery based supplements are appealing because they provide good tasting delivery systems.
One of the problems associated with preparing acceptable delivery systems for minerals and vitamins, particularly confectionery delivery systems, is obtaining a product with an acceptable taste, stability, and texture. Undesirable organoleptic characteristics, such as pasty, dry, dusty, chalky, bitterness and aftertaste are problematic in delivery minerals and vitamins in an edible matrix, particularly a chewable matrix. For example, a common occurrence in preparing a calcium fortified confectionery is that the product tends to taste chalky or gritty. Additional challenges in preparing good tasting supplements is that the solubility or strong flavor of the vitamins and/or minerals make it difficult to sustain a good taste throughout the eating process.
Further, when fruit flavored chews are made, particularly those with citric acid, the confectionery products may have a strong acidic, sour flavor or aftertaste. Further still, when the fruit chew employs an acid component, the calcium used to fortify the chew may react with the acid component to form a gas thereby impairing undesirable characteristics for the end product confectionery or prematurely react during product manufacture.
Within the area of fortification, the relationship between certain vitamins and minerals and bone mineral content and associated bone loss, formation, and/or restoration continues to generate much interest. Providing a delivery system having an acceptable matrix to deliver vitamins and minerals specific to the area of bond content would be particularly desirable.
As used herein, weight percentages (wt. %) are based on the total weight of said confectionery composition.

Process for promoting calcium absorption


A carrier socket for receiving a component having a lead portion extending outwardly from the component, wherein the lead portion is a section of a lead remaining after another portion of the lead has been removed, the socket including: a housing having a cavity for receiving the component therein; a contact wheel positioned within the cavity so as to make electrical contact with the lead portion of the component when the component is inserted into the cavity; and a foot portion, extending outwardly from a surface of the housing so as to make electrical contact with an external contact, wherein the foot portion is electrically coupled to the contact wheel when the component is inserted into the cavity.

In the surface mount board manufacturing industry, high speed automated placement machines are used to place surface mount components onto bare PCBs. To accomplish this process, parts are first received from a manufacturer in one of several mediums, including 1) loose parts in a tube; 2) parts in a tape and reel; and 3) parts trays. These parts are extracted from their packaging mediums and then loaded into a placement machine which automatically places them onto the PCB. Prior to placement, the leads of each part are inspected by a machine vision system of the placement machine.
Typical machine vision systems have a back-lighting system, which shines light on a component or part, and a camera which views the illuminated component from a bottom perspective of the component. The light and the component produce a grey-scale image as a result of the shadows produced by the component. This grey-scale image is translated into black or white pixels within the camera. If a lead of the component is bent or damaged, improper pixels will either be black or white, which is detected by the machine vision system. The configuration of black and white pixels produced by an undamaged component is stored within a memory of the machine vision system. The pixel configuration produced by a component being inspected is compared to this "true" pixel configuration and if a mismatch occurs, the component is designated as not passing the visual inspection and is rejected by the automatic placement machine. Of course, machine errors can also cause a component to be rejected. Such automated placement machines, as well as their vision systems, are well-known in the art.
If a part passes the inspection, placement coordinates are calculated, and the part is then placed onto the PCB. If a part is rejected, it is typically taken out of the machine manually and placed into a medium with other damaged parts. During their loading and unloading from the automatic placement machine, parts can be easily damaged. This is particularly true of fine pitch components whose leads are extremely thin and frail, sometimes less than 20 mils thick. The machine vision system will not allow the machine to place these damaged parts. Although these parts can sometimes be fixed manually using tweezers or other tools, often their leads are bent too severely to permit their repair using such devices. These unrepairable parts are then typically destroyed.
The destruction of these fine pitch parts can be very costly to the manufacturer, since fine pitch components may be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars each. When high numbers of components are damaged through shipping, manufacturing, or mishandling, a sizable amount of profit can be destroyed. Therefore, a method and apparatus for reclaiming, or salvaging, and using damaged fine pitch components is needed.

Carrier socket for receiving a damaged IC