A method and system for determining reachability of a terminal group are disclosed. The method includes that: when a service network element needs to acquire reachability of a terminal group, the service network element sends a terminal group reachability notification request message to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), wherein the terminal group reachability notification request message includes information of the terminal group; and when the HSS determines that the terminal group is reachable, the HSS notifies the service network element that the terminal group is reachable. In the disclosure, the reachability of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) terminal group may be directly determined, so that it is unnecessary to determine the reachability of all terminals in the terminal group one by one, thereby saving network processing resources and alleviating network congestion.

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a traditional cellular wireless communication system. As shown in FIG. 1, the cellular wireless communication system mainly includes a Core Network (CN), a Radio Access Network (RAN) and a terminal. The CN is responsible for a transaction for a non-access stratum, such as terminal position update, and is an anchor point for a user plane. The RAN includes base stations, or the base stations and a base station controller. The RAN is responsible for a transaction for an access stratum (such as management of radio resources). There may be physical or logical connections between the base stations according to a practical situation, e.g., the connection between a base station 1 and a base station 2 and the connection between the base station 1 and a base station 3 as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, each base station may be connected to one or more CN nodes. The terminal refers to a User Equipment (UE), and is one of various devices that may communicate with a cellular wireless communication network, e.g., a mobile phone or a laptop.
A Machine Type Communication (MTC) service refers to a service used for communication between machines. In the MTC service, there is no need of human participation and all communication is completed by machines independently. A machine terminal obtains data through a sensing device including a sensor, then reports the data to a mobile communication network through the communication module of the machine terminal and accesses a public data network via the mobile communication network. The MTC service may include applications such as logistics monitoring, safety monitoring, remote medical detection and remote meter reading. Data of the MTC service may be managed by a mobile communication operator or a specific server of a special MTC operator, and may be checked by an MTC subscriber or an MTC manager. In this process, a device which obtains data required for the service is a terminal.
A characteristic different from traditional mobile communication technology is introduced into the MTC service, e.g., the group-based MTC characteristic. When the group-based MTC characteristic is activated, a network can control, manage or charge an MTC terminal group according to requirements of an operator. In this way, the group-based MTC characteristic provides a simpler mode for controlling/updating/charging MTC terminals by taking groups as granularities, and reduces redundant signalings to avoid network congestion. When there are a large number of MTC terminals, the group-based MTC characteristic can further save network resources. All terminals in a group may be in the same region, and/or be provided with the same MTC properties and attributes, and/or belong to the same MTC subscriber. With regard to a network, all terminals in the group are visible.
For the group-based MTC characteristic, when an MTC subscriber subscribes a terminal group, the operator needs to set and activate the group characteristic in subscription information of all terminals in the group, and stores the set subscription information of all terminals into a Home Subscription Server (HSS). Here, the HSS is an entity which is responsible for storing identity information, authentication information, authorization information and the like of a user or a terminal in a telecom network. According to different conditions, the HSS may be configured to store the identity information of the user and binding information of the user and the terminal, or may only store the identity information of the user, or may only store the identity information of the terminal. Here, the binding information of the user and the terminal may be stored by a Gateway (GW) when the HSS only stores the identity information of the user. In addition, the HSS is further responsible for a subscription database of a user, user identity authentication and authorization and the like. A service platform may inquire subscription information of the user or the terminal device from the HSS.
When a terminal is attached to a network, a Mobility Management Entity (MME) acquires the subscription information of the terminal from the HSS and stores the subscription information locally. The MME is an entity for managing control signalings of terminals in a CN, and is responsible for access control. The access control includes authentication control, identity assignment, user identity and device identity authentication, encryption for a signaling plane, protection of consistency with an Evolved Node B (eNB), conversion of safety parameters and Quality of Service (QoS) parameters between 2G/3G and Evolved Packet Systems (EPSs), access permission control, determination of whether to be able to acquire and reserve requested resources, legal interception, mobility management, session management, related operations for EPS bearers, network element selection and the like. The identity assignment refers to assignment of Globally Unique Temporary Identity (GUTI), Tracking Area Identity (TAI) list and the like. The mobility management may specifically refer to implementation of tracking and recording of the current location of a UE and the like.
In existing technologies, a terminal reachability notification request procedure (UE Reachability Notification Request Procedure) and a terminal activity notification procedure (UE Activity Notification Procedure) are defined in a terminal reachability procedure (UE Reachability Procedure), so as to implement network management for terminal reachability, namely, the reachability of a terminal may be acquired by any service-related entity in a network.
However, existing network functions fail to control the terminal reachability procedure of a terminal group according to subscribed group information after the group-based MTC characteristic is introduced, such that network congestion may be caused when the reachability of a large number of MTC terminals in the terminal group are acquired simultaneously by any service-related entity.

Method and system for determining reachability of terminal group


A centrifugal separator has a centrifugal rotor that is rotatable about a vertical axis and has both a rotor body for separation of two liquids, having different densities, and a pumping member that is designed to pump via the outside of a conical body a mixture of said two liquids into the rotor body from a surface layer of a liquid body situated below the rotor body.

A centrifugal separator of this kind may be used to remove from a liquid body having a free liquid surface a thin surface layer of the liquid body and thereafter directly separate from each other two liquids with different density, e.g. oil and water, included in the surface layer.
A previously known centrifugal rotor having a pumping member of the initially defined kind is shown and described in WO 00/59639 and WO 00/59640.
In WO 00/59639 a centrifugal rotor of the kind here in question is proposed to be used together with a special device for removal of a surface layer from a liquid body. The pumping member of the centrifugal rotor in this case is arranged to pump liquid into the rotor from the special device and, thus, not to pump liquid into the rotor directly from the liquid body. A special device of this kind makes the entire separation equipment complicated and expensive.
In WO 00/59640 a centrifugal rotor having a pumping member of the initially defined kind, instead, is proposed to be provided with a special sealing device adapted to prevent liquid being pumped up from the liquid body from flowing on the outside of the pumping member and being thrown back therefrom to the liquid body. This would cause turbulence in the surface layer of the liquid body to be removed therefrom and to be treated in the centrifugal rotor. Thus, also in this case a special device is required in addition to the actual pumping member, i.e. the sealing device, for the pumping of liquid into the centrifugal rotor.
Centrifugal rotors having pumping members, intended to operate substantially as those in WO 00/59639 and WO 00/59640 but having no special devices for removal of a surface layer from a liquid body and no special sealing devices, respectively, are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,375, GB 884 812 and CH 345 599.
A main object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator having a simple and inexpensive centrifugal rotor of the initially defined kind. Another object is to provide such a centrifugal separator which can effectively remove a surface layer from a liquid body and pump ft into the centrifugal rotor without causing substantial turbulence in the surface layer while this is still on the liquid body.

Centrifugal separator with conical pump inlet


A fragmentary pulse width data train extractor scans a bar code label on a moving article with a scan beam projected onto the bar code label. The extractor receives the reflection of the scan beam, converts the reflected beam into an electric signal, and extracts only pulse width data trains corresponding to black and white bars of a bar code on the basis of the pulse width of the electric signal as fragmentary pulse width data trains. A synthesizing unit synthesizes a complete bar code pulse width data train from the extracted fragmentary pulse width data trains on the basis of position data of data pieces in the data trains, and outputs the complete bar code pulse width data train. A decoding unit converts the complete bar code plus width data train from the synthesizing unit into numerals, characters, etc. An outputting unit outputs the result of the conversion to an external apparatus.

The present invention relates to a bar code reader and, more particularly, to a bar code data train synthesis bar code reader for reading a bar code by synthesizing fragmentary pulse width data trains obtained through fragmentary scanning of the bar code.
In a prior art bar code data train synthesis bar code reader, fragmentary pulse width data trains obtained by one bar code scanning and the next scanning, i.e., two successive fragmentary pulse width data trains, are compared with each other, and a state in which the two data trains are most identical, i.e., a maximum identity degree state, is determined by shifting the data trains relative to each other for each go scanning. This state is used as a synthesis state, in which the two data trains are combined. With successive scannings, the resultant data train is successively extended, and finally a complete bar code data train containing the entire bar code is obtained.
Such bar code readers are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-9946, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 64-86283, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 64-86284, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2-170290, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 4-15774.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a prior art bar code data train synthesis bar code reader. FIG. 5 is a view for describing a synthesis scheme in the prior art bar code data train synthesis bar code reader. In the prior art bar code data train synthesis bar code reader shown in FIG. 4, a fragmentary pulse width data train obtained as a result of one bar code scanning and one obtained as a result of the next scanning, are stored in a data shifter 43. A comparator 44 executes identify degree determination by comparing these fragmentary pulse width data trains. This comparing process is performed by shifting each data to determine the shift state which gives the maximum identity degree state, i.e., the synthesis state. A synthesizer 45 combines the two fragmentary pulse width data trains in the maximum identity degree state, and with successive scannings, the fragmentary pulse width data are successively extended to obtain a complete bar code data train containing the entire bar code.
The operation will now be described with reference to FIG. 5. As a result of comparison of an N-th and an (N+1)th scanning fragmentary pulse width data trains D.sub.N and D.sub.N+1, identity degree A is obtained. As a result of comparison of the data train D.sub.N+1. and a data train D.sub.N+1 (1) which is obtained by shifting the data train D.sub.N+1. to an extent corresponding to one bar code, identify degree B is obtained. As a result of comparison of the data train D.sub.N+1. and a data train D.sub.N+1 (2) which is obtained by shifting the data train D.sub.N+1 to an extent corresponding to two bar codes, identity degree C is obtained. In the comparison, two vertically aligned binary data pieces of either "0" or "1", as shown in the figure, are compared. The identical degree is represented by the number of identical binary data is piece pairs. The binary data pieces of "0" or "1" in each fragmentary pulse width data train are actual pulse width data, with each representing a thin or a thick bar of a bar code. Specifically, the binary data piece of "0" represents a thin bar, and the binary data piece of "1" represents a thick bar.
The identity degree A, which is obtained without any data shift, is 4 in value; the identify degree B, which is obtained as a result of one-data-piece shift, is 9, the identity degree C; and which is obtained as a result of a two-data-piece shift, is 2. In this case, the maximum identity degree is obtained with one-data-piece shift. Synthesis is thus performed in one-data-piece shift state of one of the data trains which are used. That is, the N-th scanning fragmentary pulse width data train D.sub.N and the data train D.sub.N+1 (1) obtained as a result of one-data-piece shift of the (N+1)-th scanning fragmentary pulse width data train D.sub.N+1 are used for synthesis. The overlap of the (N+1)-th scanning fragmentary pulse width data train over the N-th scanning one, results in extension of the latter by one data piece. Successive fragmentary pulse width data trains are combined one after another with resultant successive data train extension, and in this way a complete bar code pulse width data train is obtained, which contains the entire bar code.
In the above prior art bar code data train synthesis bar code reader, the maximum identity degree state, i.e., the synthesis state, in which the fragmentary pulse width data trains are combined, is determined through comparison and shifting thereof on the basis of the pulse width data pieces in the data trains.
With fragmentary pulse width data obtained by scanning a bar code containing a succession of the same numerals or characters, the fragmentary pulse width data train that is obtained has a succession of the same patterns because of the scanning of the same pattern of black and white bars representing the same numeral or character. In this case, with the prior art bar code data train synthesis bar code reader, the maximum identity degree is increased by increasing the number of shifts since the synthesis state is obtained or the complete overlap is obtained by shifting by the recurring cycle portion of the pulse width data, i.e., a portion corresponding to one numeral or character on the bar code label. Therefore, it has been difficult to obtain a correct synthesis state. That is, with a bar code which contains a number of resembling portions, it is difficult to obtain a correct synthesis state and accurate reading of the bar code.
In the case of scanning a bar code label having a low height level, the obtained number of data pieces in each fragmentary pulse width data train is reduced, and consequently the identity degree is reduced. This means that the regular synthesis state is not substantially different from the other states, thus making it difficult to obtain a correct synthesis state.


A color filter substrate includes a substrate, a color filter and a common electrode. The substrate includes a transmissive region and a reflective region adjacent to the transmissive region. The color filter is formed on the substrate, and the color filter includes a first portion formed in the transmissive region, and a second portion formed in the reflective region. The first and second portions have different thickness each other. The common electrode is disposed on the color filter. The common electrode includes a third portion formed in the transmissive region, and a fourth portion formed in the reflective region. The third portion and the fourth portion have different height each other with respect to the substrate. Thus, a luminance becomes uniform, even though a light passes through the liquid crystal layer of the reflective region twice, and a light passes though the liquid crystal layer of the transmissive region once.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color filter substrate, a liquid crystal display panel, liquid crystal display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the color filter substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a color filter substrate having enhanced luminance, a liquid crystal display panel, liquid crystal display apparatus having the color filter substrate, and a method of manufacturing the color filter substrate for reducing cost.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes an array substrate having a thin film transistor, a color filter substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate. Liquid crystal material in the liquid crystal layer has anisotropic dielectric constant and anisotropic transmittance. Thus, when electric fields are applied to the liquid crystal layer, liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are rearranged, so that transmittance of a light is adjusted to display an image.
Generally, liquid crystal material does not emit a light. Thus, the liquid crystal display apparatus uses an ambient light or a light generated from an internal device of the liquid crystal display apparatus to display an image.
When the liquid crystal display apparatus of a mobile equipment uses only light generated from an internal device, a size of a battery for supplying power increases, leading to increase a size of the mobile equipment. When the liquid crystal display apparatus uses only an ambient light, the liquid crystal display apparatus may not display an image in a dark place. However, when the liquid crystal display apparatus uses both the light generated from the internal device and the ambient light, problems of above may be solved.
General reflective transmissive type liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display panel, an optical film assembly and a backlight assembly.
The liquid crystal display panel includes a color filter substrate, an array substrate and a liquid crystal layer. The color filter substrate includes a color filter and a common electrode. The array substrate includes a reflective electrode, a transparent electrode and a thin film transistor. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate. The optical film assembly includes a polarizer and a compensating film. The backlight assembly is disposed under the liquid crystal display panel to provide the liquid crystal display panel with light.
The liquid crystal may be aligned in various ways. Thus, the liquid crystal display apparatus may be classified into twisted nematic (TN) mode, super twisted nematic (STN) mode, mixed twisted nematic (MTN) mode, vertical alignment (VA) mode or electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) mode in accordance with an alignment of the liquid crystal.
The color filter allows a light having a wavelength corresponding to a color of the color filter to pass through the color filter. Thus, when a light passes through the color filter, a luminance decreases.
An external light that enters the liquid crystal display apparatus passes through the color filter and the liquid crystal layer to be reflected on the reflective electrode. Thus, the reflected light passes through the liquid crystal layer and the color filter again to exit the liquid crystal display apparatus. Thus, the external light passes through the liquid crystal layer and the color filter twice.
A light generated from the backlight assembly passes through the transparent electrode, the liquid crystal layer and the color filter to exit the liquid crystal display apparatus. Thus, the light generated from the backlight assembly passes through the liquid crystal layer and the color filter once.
When a light passes through color filter, a luminance of the light decreases. Thus, the luminance of the light that is reflected from the reflective electrode is lower than the luminance of the light that passes through the transparent electrode.
Korea Laid Open Patent Publication number 2001-0055636 discloses a color filter substrate including a color filter that has different thickness. That is, the color filter has first and second portions corresponding to the transparent electrode and the reflective electrode, respectively, and the first portion is thicker than the second region.
However, the light reflected from the reflective electrode passes through the liquid crystal layer twice, and the light passing through the transparent electrode passes trough the liquid crystal layer once. Thus, an optical condition of the light reflected from the reflective electrode is different from the optical condition of the light that passes through the transparent electrode, so that a display quality is deteriorated.

Color filter substrate having color filter portions of different thickness, and overcoating layer on common electrode, LCD having the same, and method of manufacturing


According to an aspect, influence filtering in a graphical model includes accessing the graphical model in a data store. The graphical model includes a plurality of nodes connected by edges having edge strengths representing a degree of relation between the nodes. A target relation strength for a pair of nodes in the graphical model is received. An edge strength of an edge in a direct path between the pair of nodes is determined by traversing, in the graphical model, one or more paths other than the direct path between the pair of nodes. The determining also includes estimating a cumulative strength of the traversed paths, and calculating the edge strength for the edge in the direct path based on the cumulative strength of the traversed paths and the target relation strength. The calculated edge strength is assigned to the edge in the direct path between the two nodes.

The present disclosure relates generally to graphical models, and more specifically, to influence filtering in graphical models.
Graphical models are widely used in artificial intelligence and machine learning. They are often used to represent the patterns of dependence between variables and to predict the distribution of some variables given some other variables. Much of the literature on graphical models has focused largely on learning graphical models from statistical resources. These might include correlations or conditional dependencies between variables. Another type of graphical model is one that is constructed based on one or more knowledge sources. For example, a phrase in a medical textbook such as "pneumonia causes fever in most patients" may be extracted and used to generate the knowledge that fever is present more often in patients that also have pneumonia, as compared to patients that do not have pneumonia. Post processing, such as relation extraction from natural language processing and/or querying a database of relations, may be performed on the extracted phrase to generate one or more relations associated with the phrase. The output of the post processing is a relational resource includes a set of relations that are then used to build a graphical model. When constructing graphical models from a relational resource, some issues arise that do not arise when constructing graphical models from a statistical resource. In particular, sets of relations from the knowledge source may be redundant with each other, causing an overestimation of the influence of one variable on another. Redundant sets of relations do not occur when graphical models are generated directly from statistical data, as influence can be estimated directly.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Salts of polyaspartic acids are used as milling agents for the milling of mineral materials to obtain aqueous suspensions of finely divided mineral materials which are pumpable and non-sedimenting, and have high concentrations of mineral materials which are useful in papermaking and in paper coating.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the use of salts of polyaspartic acids as agents to assist in the milling (comminution and related processing) of mineral materials in aqueous suspension. The invention also relates to a milling process employing salts of polyaspartic acids as auxiliary milling agents. Further, the invention relates to aqueous suspensions of finely divided minerals which suspensions contain the described agent(s) and are intended for pigment applications in the paper industry.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those skilled in the art, in order to use such an aqueous suspension of minerals in the field of pigments, will seek to carry out comminution of the minerals such that an aqueous suspension is produced in which the particle sizes are extremely fine, indeed as fine as possible, in particular less than a few microns.
At the same time, it is desirable that such a suspension have a Brookfield viscosity which is sufficiently low that any risk of sedimentation, setting, or agglomeration is eliminated. In this way the suspension can be manipulated easily by the user without agitation, even after being allowed to stand in a tank for several days. Such a suspension should also have the maximum possible content of the mineral materials, so as to minimize the manufacturing-related and transport-related costs which are correlated to the amount of water present.
It is problematic to those skilled in the art to devise milling operations in aqueous media, i.e. operations wherein the sizes of mineral particles are reduced and their specific surface is increased, which operations will result in the described ideal suspensions which combine all the desired fundamental qualities.
The problems which arise during the milling operations in aqueous media at high concentrations of the mineral materials, said problems including notably a rapid increase in viscosity which is experienced, are due to the fineness of the particles. Setting of the suspensions in the storage tanks can occur, or clogging of the milling implements. Such problems are not encountered in operations confined to dispersion of a mineral material in a liquid where the object is to effect the dispersion without changing the sizes of the particles of the mineral material.
It has been long known to use water-soluble polymers based on polyacrylic acid or its derivatives as milling agents (Eur. Pats. 0,100,947, 0,542,643, and 0,542,644), for the purpose of preparing aqueous suspensions of minerals which satisfy the abovementioned quality criteria. However, a drawback of such known milling agents is poor biodegradability.
The prior art did not offer those skilled in the art a satisfactory means of solving this problem of using a milling agent for mineral materials which enables the preparation of aqueous suspensions of finely divided mineral materials of high concentration in such materials, wherewith the minerals do not settle and the suspensions are pumpable and are environmentally benign.

Use of salts of polyaspartic acids as milling agents


Methods, systems, and media for presenting media content are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving, at a streaming media device connected to a display device, an instruction, from a mobile phone communicatively coupled with the streaming media device using a peer-to-peer networking protocol, to launch an application for presenting media content on the display device; in response to receiving the instruction, transmitting a request to a media content sharing service associated with the application for presenting media content to render a video player on the display device; receiving, from the mobile phone, an instruction to present a media content item on the display device using the video player; transmitting, to the mobile phone, a request for a first portion of the media content item, wherein a plurality of portions of the media content item including the first portion have been previously downloaded to the mobile phone; receiving, from the mobile phone, the first portion of the media content item using the peer-to-peer networking protocol; storing the first portion of the media content item in memory of the streaming media device; and causing the first portion of the media content item to be presented on the display device using the video player by playing the stored first portion of the media content item from the memory of the streaming media device.

Many users are interested in viewing media content, such as videos, television programs, movies, etc. that are selected on a mobile device, such as a smartphone, on a television device or other display device. For example, a user may want to select a particular media content item, such as a video, on the user's phone, and view the selected media content item on the user's television. In some cases, the mobile phone and the television may both be connected to a communication network, such as a Wi-Fi network in the user's home. However, in other cases, a Wi-Fi access point may not be accessible for the television (or to a streaming media device connected to the television), which can make it difficult for the television device to play a selected media content item. In other cases, the television or streamlining media device may have a network connection, but the connection may be unreliable. This can be a particular issue in some rural areas, which often have sparse and/or unreliable communication networks.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide new methods, systems, and media for presenting media content.


A vehicle computer system includes one or more processors configured to receive context data representative of a vehicle's environment from one or more modules. The one or more processors are programmed and configured to receive the context data from one or more modules, determine an attention demand value utilizing the context data and a workload value corresponding to the context data, and output an indicator to activate or adjust a do not disturb feature based on the attention demand value.

Many states and localities have passed laws prohibiting the use of cellular phones while driving (without a hands-free connection), prohibiting texting while driving, and generally discouraging cellular phone usage while operating a moving vehicle.
In response to this, drivers are now frequently seeking out hands-free connectivity for their portable wireless devices, such that calls can more safely be made while operating a vehicle. In some advanced connectivity solutions, such as the FORD SYNC system, the vehicle computing system, in communication with a wireless device, is capable of reading incoming text messages to a driver, as well as handling incoming calls.
United States Pub No. 2012/0157069 discloses a computer-implemented method that includes receiving, at a vehicle computing system, a notification that an incoming communication is being sent to a wireless device in communication with the vehicle computing system. The method also includes determining that a do not disturb function is active in the vehicle computing system and blocking a notification to a driver regarding the incoming communication. Finally, this method includes sending a command from the vehicle computing system to the wireless device to silence any notification that the wireless device provides in conjunction with the incoming communication.
United States Pub No. 2012/0250517 discloses an approach for managing device do-not-disturb operational modes based on context information. A do-not-disturb manager determines context information associated with a device, a user of the device, or a combination thereof. The do-not-disturb manager also processes and/or facilitates a processing of the context information to cause, at least in part, an activation of one or more operational modes of the device. The do-not-disturb manager also causes, at least in part, a disabling or enabling of one or more functions of one or more applications associated with the device based, at least in part, on the activated one or more operational modes.

Method and system for supervising information communication based on occupant and vehicle environment


A hypothetical profile is used to model the profile of a structure formed on a semiconductor wafer to use in determining the profile of the structure using optical metrology.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to integrated circuit (IC) metrology and more particularly to selecting a hypothetical profile for optical metrology.
2. Related Art
With the current drive towards smaller geometries of IC features, feature measurement is increasingly difficult as the size of the features becomes smaller. However, knowledge of the dimensions of gratings or periodic structures is essential in order to determine if the dimensions of the features are within the acceptable ranges and if, for example, a particular fabrication process causes the sidewalls of the features to be tapered, vertical, T-topped, undercut, or have footings.
Traditionally, a sample was cleaved and examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or similar device. The cross-section SEM method is typically slow, expensive, and destructive, whereas the critical dimension (CD) SEM method only provides one measurement number seen from the top of the feature. Spectroscopic reflectometry and ellipsometry are used to beam light on the structure and measure the reflected beam. One application uses an empirical approach, where the spectra of reflected light are measured for a known width of features in a structure. This process is time consuming and expensive, even for a limited library of profiles of structure dimensions and the associated spectrum data of reflected/diffraction light. Furthermore, there is also a need for faster determination of CD's for in-line integrated metrology applications. Additionally, as the resolution of the library increases, the size of the library increases, while the time to create and use the library increases exponentially.
One technique for creating a library of diffraction signals and associated profiles of the integrated circuit structure involves the use of a hypothetical profile of the structure to calculate a simulated diffraction signal. The length of time needed to create a library using this approach varies depending on the hypothetical profile used and the number of parameters used to represent the hypothetical profile. Typically, the more complicated the hypothetical profile and the more parameters used, the more time and/or computing resources are needed.

Selecting a hypothetical profile to use in optical metrology

Abstract: To select a hypothetical profile, sample diffraction signals are obtained from measured diffraction signals of structures formed on the wafer, where the sample diffraction signals are a representative sampling of the measured diffraction signals. A hypothetical profile is defined and evaluated using a sample diffraction signal from the obtained sample diffraction signals.


The improved method of development is implemented with an automatic processor for developing presensitized offset printing plates with a substantially virgin aqueous solution that contains an alkali silicate and that is supplied for each printing plate, said aqueous solution containing calcium ions in an amount of up to 10 mg/L. The improved developing apparatus comprises a means of mixing a concentrated developing solution with diluent water to prepare a working solution and a means of applying the working solution onto the surface of a presensitized offset printing plate being transported. The apparatus is characterized by further including a mechanism that performs ion-exchange on the diluent water before it is mixed with the concentrated developing solution.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for developing presensitized offset printing plates. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for developing presensitized offset printing plates of the type that are individually processed with a substantially virgin aqueous solution containing an alkali Silicate, which aqueous solution can after use be disposed of without causing the problem of sludge formation in the developing solution or subsequent scumming of the printing plates.
Presensitized offset printing plates can be developed by various methods among which is one that comprises diluting a concentrated solution of an alkali silicate and supplying the diluted solution onto the surface of printing plates. Ordinary tap water is used to dilute the concentrated solution of an alkali silicate. However, if tap water or well water is directly used as the diluent, calcium ions contained in that water will bind with the silicic acid in the developing solution to form a precipitate, which can potentially plug the pump for feeding the diluted solution or the temperature controlling heater. The precipitate is also deposited on the presensitized plate being processed, which will eventually foul the print.
Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 54341/1983 discloses a technique in which a specified amount of a water softener capable of at least 50% sequestration at the pH of a developing solution of interest is contained in that developing solution which contains an alkali agent, etc., whereby the generation of a slimy product can be prevented that would otherwise occur if the organic high polymer (having an acid value of 10-200) contained in the light-sensitive layer dissolved into the developing solution and underwent an ionic crosslinking reaction with calcium and/or magnesium ions. Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 190952/1983 discloses a technique in which a chelating agent is contained in a developing solution (i.e., an aqueous solution of an alkali silicate), whereby the generation of insoluble calcium silicate or magnesium silicate is prevented that would otherwise occur if the alkali silicate in the developing solution reacted with calcium or magnesium ions in the diluting water.
However, these conventional techniques are still unsatisfactory in their effectiveness for preventing the formation of a precipitate caused by the binding of silicic acid with calcium ions in the diluting water particularly in the case where they are applied to a development system of the type that processes presensitized offset printing plates individually with a substantially virgin developing solution, which is disposed of after use. This probably due to the following two reasons. First, compared to the case of recycling the developing solution, more of the working solution which is a mixture of the concentrated developing solution and diluent water will pass through the feed pump or the temperature controlling heater. Second in the use of a recycled developing solution, the contents of calcium and magnesium in the developing solution will decrease in proportion to the amounts in which are used to form sludge but this does not occur in the method under consideration (i.e., a substantially virgin developing solution is supplied for processing individual printing plates and is disposed of after use), so that the developing solution passing through the feed pump or the temperature controlling heater will contain invariably large amounts of calcium and magnesium, which eventually leads to the formation of more sludge.

Method and apparatus for developing presensitized offset printing plates


A first illuminating devices, when the component adsorbed by an adsorbing nozzle and located in an imaging field of vision is a surface mounted component, illuminate the bottom surface of a component by irradiating light to the component obliquely from below, and a second illuminating device, when the component adsorbed by the adsorbing nozzle and located in the imaging field of vision is a through hole component, only illuminate the downwards extending parts of the component by irradiating light at an irradiation angle closer to a horizontal direction irradiation than the irradiation angle of the light of the first illuminating device to the component are included. That the component is illuminated by the first illuminating devices and that the component is illuminated by the second illuminating devices are switched based on whether the component is a surface mounted component or a through hole component.

A component mounting device mounts a component on a board which is positioned by a board positioning unit such as a conveyor by making an adsorbing nozzle which adsorbs the component to move. The component mounting device includes an imaging device (imaging unit) which images the component adsorbed by the adsorbing nozzle from below, and grasps the posture of the component by recognizing the component based on an obtained image. Because of the above structure, the component mounting device can precisely mount the component at a predetermined position on the board with a predetermined posture.
When the component is a surface mounted component which is to be surface mounted on the surface of the board, the bottom surface of the component is illuminated by an illuminating device which irradiates light obliquely from below the component and the component is imaged. The positions of the electrode parts of the component are recognized so that the posture of the component is grasped. The surface mounted component includes, for example, chip components such as a chip register or a chip condenser other than a component which has electrode parts which have a bended shape to contact with the surface of the board. When the component is a through hole component which has downwards extending parts which extend downward, only the downwards extending parts are illuminated by an illuminating device which irradiates light in a direction (horizontal direction) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the downwards extending parts, the component is imaged and the position of the through hole component is recognized (for example, patent document 1). For example, the downwards extending parts of the through hole component are parts extending below the component such as electrode parts or inserters that have a straight shape to be inserted in the thickness direction of the board.

Component mounting device, a component mounting method, an imaging device and an imaging method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A method of multi-mode communications includes receiving signals from multiple sources at a plurality of sample buffers, referencing the plurality of sample buffers for a first source at one time and referencing the plurality of sample buffers for a second source at another time, and communicating data from the referenced plurality of sample buffers to a processing unit. The processing unit concurrently receives inputs from buffers in the plurality of sample buffers and outputs to other buffers in the plurality of sample buffers.

In general, conventional digital communication systems include a baseband subsystem in which received signals are demodulated and transmitted signals are modulated. Demodulators in baseband subsystems have been implemented using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a digital signal processor (DSP) or combination thereof. However, known demodulator implementations suffer from significant drawbacks.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional implementation of a spread-spectrum demodulator 10. The demodulator 10 includes a combiner 12 that combines symbols received from Fingers 1, 2, through Finger N (hereinafter referred collectively as fingers 14). Fingers 14 are instantiations of hardware logic for each multi-path processing entity, or "path." The combiner 12 de-skews or aligns in time the symbols from the fingers 14 and adds the symbols together to form an estimate of the transmitted symbol value. Once steady-state is reached, an output of the combiner 12 occurs synchronously with the symbol reception at the antenna.
Demodulator 10 has several disadvantages. For example, several disadvantages in using the demodulator 10 result from the synchronous processing based on clock signal from a master timer 16. Another disadvantage is that the demodulator 10 uses multiple, static instantiations of the fingers 14. The number of fingers 14 is selected based on the worst-case channel condition possible, representing the largest possible number of gates needed. To support more and more multi-path signals and to be compatible with advanced wireless techniques such as MIMO (multiple input multiple output antennas), current conventional architectures have been instantiating more and more fingers. More fingers require more power.
Another disadvantage of the demodulator 10 is a slow assignment or de-assignment of fingers 14, thereby wasting power. Turning on and off fingers 14 via assignment and de-assignment is a relatively slow process. As a result, there is a significant lag between a path dying and a finger shutting off. This results in higher power consumption with no corresponding gain in performance.
Yet another disadvantage of the demodulator 10 results from the use of a clock with the fingers 14 and the fact that the fingers 14 operate in parallel. All of the fingers 14 are synchronized based on a clock signal, regardless of whether a specific finger is used (assigned) and for how long it is used. A clocked finger, even when de-assigned, still consumes considerable power.
Even when a finger is assigned and demodulating a strong, needed path, it is still being clocked at a rate greatly in excess of the rate that useful output is being produced. As such, power is wasted. In general, clock buffers use ⅓ of device power, even if no useful processing is performed.
Yet another drawback to the demodulator 10 is the design of static bit widths, which are set for worst-case operation. This design causes excessive power consumption when the full number of bits is not required for demodulation. Most of the time, less bits are actually needed.
Another drawback to the demodulator is that its construction makes a MIMO solution costly and ineffective from a power standpoint. In the case of Multiple Outputs (MO), the number of fingers must be doubled to achieve the intended diversity effect. For Multiple Input (MI) techniques, such as STS and STTD, a multiplier must be added to each finger and all fingers are forced to always process both incoming antenna streams. This inefficiency results in more fingers, which only magnifies the power problems discussed above.
Thus, there is a need to reduce circuit complexity, gate count, and power consumption by using a single demodulation element that is capable of demodulating multi-path spread spectrum signals in an optimum manner. Further, there is a need to provide an improved method of demodulating multi-path signals. Further still, there is a need for a flexible method and apparatus for performing digital modulation and demodulation. Yet further, there is a need to have common circuitry for both transmit and receive operations in a digital communication system.

Multi-mode method and apparatus for performing digital modulation and demodulation


A device is presented. The device includes a first circuit coupled to first and second power rails of the device. The first circuit is subject to a latch up event in the presence of a latch up condition. The latch up event includes a low resistance path created between the first and second power rails. The device also includes a latch up sensing (LUS) circuit coupled to the first circuit. The LUS circuit is configured to receive a LUS input signal from the first circuit and generates a LUS output signal to the first circuit. When the input signal is an active latch up signal which indicates the presence of a latch up condition, the LUS circuit generates an active LUS output signal which creates a break in the low resistance path to terminate the latch up event.

In integrated circuits (ICs), latch up may occur in a four layer pnpn structure. The pnpn structure includes bipolar transistors. Under abnormal conditions, the bipolar transistors can be switched on by a trigger stimulus, such as a positive or negative voltage spike or positive or high negative current-forcing on an input or output pin or power pad of an IC. If the product of the gain of the transistors in the feedback loop is sufficiently large (e.g., b1×b2 is greater than 1) to sustain regeneration, an undesirable current path is created in the pnpn structure. Large amounts of current may be drawn through the pnpn structure, resulting in latch up. For example, large amounts of current may be drawn from the power supply or the I/O pad to ground. Latch up may cause circuit malfunction and/or irreversible damage to the IC.
Conventional techniques for preventing latch up include reducing well and substrate resistances to produce lower voltage drops. Reduced substrate resistance may be achieved with the use of guard rings to surround the wells of the transistors. For example, a heavily doped n-guard ring may surround an n-well and a heavily doped p-guard ring may surround a p-well. Well taps are to connect the well to the guard ring, reducing parasitic resistances. The guard ring have specific latch up design rules which must be met, such as width of the ring, distances of the ring to the I/O pad well tap lengths. These design rules are relatively large and inflexible. The inflexibility of large latch up design rules limits the flexibility for designers in the layout of the IC as well as requiring large chip area to prevent latch up.
The present disclosure is directed to providing flexible and compact latch up design rules.


In case a fault has occurred in a volume, it was so far difficult to correctly notify a fault by using a host computer which can access the volumes managed by a management computer that integrally manages a plurality of devices constituting a network. The management program of the invention is executed by the management computer connected to computers and to a plurality of storage devices for managing the volumes connected to the computers through a SAN (storage area network). The management program executes a procedure for receiving a notice of fault in the volume from the storage devices, a procedure for receiving volume access control information from a plurality of storage devices for specifying the computers that can access the volumes, and a procedure for notifying the fault in the volume to the computers that are permitted to access the volumes based on the volume access control information.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technology for managing a network system and, particularly, to a technology for managing a SAN.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there has been provided a network system called SAN (storage area network). The SAN is constituted by a storage device having a storage area of a large capacity and, connected thereto, host computers that use the data in the storage region of the storage device. The SAN uses, in many cases, a protocol compatible with an SCSI (small computer system interface). Therefore, the storage devices constituting the SAN are accessible from any host computer provided it is connected to the SAN, arousing a problem of security.
To cope with this problem, there has been known an access control technology for limiting the host which can access a unit of volume (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-278905, page 8, FIG. 1). Namely, based on a list of access controls that have been registered in advance, the control unit in the storage device judges whether the host computer is capable of making an access to a unit of volume. In the above publication, further, the storage device specifies a host computer that can affect the fault in the volume by utilizing an access control table, and notifies the presence and status of the fault.
In the above publication, the memory device sets the access control table and notifies the fault. In the system which uses a plurality of storage devices, however, the access control table must be set for each of the storage devices requiring a cumbersome operation.
In the above publication, further, consideration has been given to only the access control table that is managed by the storage device, but no consideration has been given to the access control tables managed by other devices. For example, the storage device and the host computer may often be connected together through an FC (fiber channel) switch. The FC switch, too, involves the access control technology (zoning, etc.) like the storage device. To notify the fault to only those host computers using the volumes, therefore, consideration must also be given to the access control technology for the FC switches. In the above publication, however, attention has not been given to the access control tables managed outside the storage devices.

Fault notification based on volume access control information


This invention provides methods for using novel substituted pyrimidine compounds, derivatives and analogs thereof to treat diseases such as cancer. Examples of compounds and derivatives for use in the methods are (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2′-deoxy-5′-uridyl phenyl L-alaninylphosphoramidate and (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2′-deoxy-5′-uridyl phenyl L-alaninyl monophosphate.

Throughout and within this disclosure, various publications are referenced by first author and date, patent number or publication number. The full bibliographic citation for each reference can be found within the specification. The disclosures of these publications are hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.
Resistance to chemotherapeutic treatments for cancer is a major health care problem. Resistance mechanisms can be classified as two types: endogenous and acquired. In cancer most drug resistance is enzyme mediated. Either the target enzyme is expressed at too high a level for the chemotherapeutic to block its activity without unacceptable toxicity to the host; or, alternatively, an enzyme is expressed by the diseased cell which rapidly modifies the chemotherapeutic, thereby abolishing its therapeutic activity. Endogenous resistance to chemotherapy can occur in cancer when the diseased cell loses tumor suppressor gene function (p53, RB, p16). When this occurs, enzymes such as thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) are expressed constitutively throughout the cell cycle (Yeager and Reznikoff (1998) J. Urol. 159 (2): 581-5; el-Deiry (1997) Curr. Opin. Oncol. 9 (1): 79-87; Goker, Waltham, et al. (1995) Blood 86(2):677-84; Banerjee, Ercikan-Abali, et al. (1995) Acta Biochem Pol. 42 (4): 457-64); Fan and Bertino (1997) Oncogene 14(10): 1191-1200; Slansky and Farnham (1996) Bioessays 18(1):55-62; Lenz, Danenberg, et al. (1998) Clin. Cancer Res. 4(5):1227-34; and Lee, et al. (1997) Exp. Cell Res. 234 (2): 270-6.) This results in increased endogenous resistance to the fluoropyrimidines (via elevated expression of TS) or to methotrexate (via elevated expression of DHFR). Approaches to new therapeutics have been largely limited to development of better enzyme inhibitors, or the search for new enzymes to inhibit (Hu, et al. (1998) J. Pharm. Sci. 87(7):886-90; Drake, et al. (1996) Biochem. Pharmacol. 51(10):1349-55; Schultz, et al. (1999) Anticancer Res. 19 (1A): 437-43; Touroutoglou and Pazdur (1996) Clin. Cancer. Res 2(2):227-43; and Handfield and Levesque (1999) FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 23(1):69-91). Applicants have developed a novel approach to development of therapeutics targeting well characterized enzymes. This technology is distinct from prior and historical approaches to cancer therapy and is referred to as "ECTA," for Enzyme Catalyzed Therapeutic Activation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods for treating therapy-resistant tumors


An apparatus and method for improving the printing and edge enhancement of laser printers comprises a video clock counter, an input selector, a calibration selector, a mode selector, a decoding array, a register, memory and an address counter. The gray and edge enhancement circuit modifies the data received from the laser print controller to smooth edges in the image sent to the laser. The present invention compares each pixel and surrounding pixels in an area seven pixels wide and seven pixels long to correction bit patterns. If a match is found the pixels are modified to enhance any edges defined by the pixels. The gray and edge enhancement circuit also includes an operating mode in which shades of gray may be printed with a resolution of 150 dpi. The circuit uses the decoding array to pulse width modify the input data to various shades of gray.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the control of output devices such as printers. In particular, the present invention relates to a circuit for improving laser printing of edges and gray shades.
2. Description of Related Art
Printers have long been used with computers to provide a written record of the data contained in the computer and memory devices. Laser printers are well known for producing quality printing at high speeds. Laser printers use a laser or diode that is selectively switched on and off to create an image of toner for deposition onto a sheet of paper. The switching of the laser is controlled by circuits that provide signals to switch the laser on and off as it scans line by line across the image to be deposited on paper. Heat is then applied to bond the toner to the paper.
Each printed image is composed of a thousands of pixels or dots very small in size. The size of the pixels is dependent on the resolution of the printer. Lasers with a resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi) are known. Laser printers group pixels together to form various characters, numbers and graphical images.
One problem with prior art laser printers is their inability to produce shades of gray. One common method used by the prior art to produce shades of gray is dithering. Dithering produces shades of gray by grouping dots together, and printing various numbers of dots in the group to produce a single pixel with the shade of gray desired. For example, for sixteen shades of gray, the dots are group in sets of sixteen with four dots vertically and four dots horizontally. For a very light shade of gray only one pixel in the block of sixteen will be printed. For a very dark shade of gray fifteen pixels in the block of sixteen with be printed. Intermediate shades of gray are achieved by printing between 2 and 14 pixels in the block. While the dithering technique of the prior art is able to produce shades of gray, the resulting print has a very grainy appearance. Additionally, there is a significant loss in resolution by using the dithering method. For example, if the printer provides a resolution of 300 dpi, printing 16 shades of gray reduces the resolution to 75 dpi since four dots in both the vertical and horizontal direction are required to produce each pixel with gray shading.
The prior art has also attempted to produce shades of gray on laser printers with other methods. For example, attempts have been made to increase the dots per inch or control the laser directly. However, these approaches are also problematic because they require modifications to portions of the hardware such as the control board and laser. Additionally, the printing has a streaky appearance, and the laser is often difficult to control.
Another problem with the laser printers of the prior art is their inability to produce smooth diagonal lines. As noted above, all the images produced by laser printers are comprised of dots or pixels. Each pixel is substantially square in shape because they are a singe dot or a square area of dots. Thus, when diagonal lines are printed, they tend to have a step like appearance. For example, with 300 dpi printing there are visible steps when printing lines that are not strictly horizontal or vertical. The step like appearance is due to the finite size of the minimum pixel size width of the printer and the raster method often used to print pixels. The inability to produce diagonal lines also affects the printing of characters and symbols. Thus, there is a need to improve the printing of diagonal edges by laser printers.
Therefore, there is a need for an laser printer with improved edge resolution and an ability to print shades of gray.

Apparatus and method for gray and edge enhancement


Scheduling work of a machine learning application includes instantiating kernel objects by a computer processor in response to input of kernel definitions. Each kernel object is of a kernel type indicating a compute circuit. The computer processor generates a graph in a memory. Each node represents a task and specifies an assignment of the task to one or more of the kernel objects, and each edge represents a data dependency. Task queues are created in the memory and assigned to queue tasks represented by the nodes. Kernel objects are assigned to the task queues, and the tasks are enqueued by threads executing the kernel objects, based on assignments of the kernel objects to the task queues and assignments of the tasks to the kernel objects. Tasks are dequeued by the threads, and the compute circuits are activated to initiate processing of the dequeued tasks.

Deep learning is a class of machine learning algorithms that use multiple layers of nonlinear processing units for feature extraction and transformation. Deep learning algorithms can be unsupervised (e.g., pattern analysis) or supervised (e.g., classification). The deep learning algorithm can be implemented using layers of an artificial neural network (ANN) (referred to herein as a "neural network").
In general, a neural network is a collection of nodes (Le., the "neurons") that are connected in a graph. A node in a neural network computes a sum of weighted inputs and adds an optional bias to the sum. The output of the node is a function of the final sum (referred to as an "activation function"). Example activation functions include the sigmoid function, the hyperbolic tangent (tanh) function, the Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) function, and the identity function. Neural network models are often organized into layers of nodes, which define a specific topology, and corresponding weights and biases. The weights and biases are referred to as network parameters.
A neural network application involves, in addition to the inference stage, compute-intensive stages such as pre-processing and post-processing of data. Pre-processing can include reading data from retentive storage, decoding, resizing, color space conversion, scaling, cropping, etc. Post-processing operations can include non-maximum suppression, SoftMax, and reformatting, for example,
A neural network can be defined as a directed acyclic graph in which the nodes represent the functions performed in processing an input data set. Machine learning platforms such as Caffe and TensorFlow provide frameworks for defining and running graphs of neural networks. The different functions can be performed on different compute circuits (or "kernels") in order to improve throughput. For example, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) have been used to implement circuits that accelerate functions called from software in neural network applications.

Scheduling processing of machine learning tasks on heterogeneous compute circuits


A control system for an electrochromic (EC) device is capable of monitoring the temperature of the EC device without requiring an external temperature monitoring element, and then controlling the EC device based, in part, upon the temperature readings. The control system also provides methods for heating the EC device using current flowing through the device and for simultaneously heating and changing the transmissivity level of the device. The controller also provides security feedback by detecting glass breakage via a high frequency impedance measurement of the EC device. The controller also provides for methods of determining the bleaching/coloring history of the EC device, determining the transmission state of the EC device and applying a holding voltage to maintain the transmission state of the EC device.

The present invention generally relates to electrochromic devices and more particularly relates to control systems for electrochromic devices.
Electrochromic devices include electrochromic materials that change their optical properties in response to the application of an electric current or an electric potential. Electrochromic devices generally include a series of thin films that are deposited directly onto the surface of a transparent substrate, such as a conventional window made of glass or plastic. Electrochromic devices are typically incorporated into architectural and transportation window applications, display windows and cabinets, or any application requiring a changeable tinted glass. By selectively controlling the transmission of optical energy through these windows, particularly windows on buildings and vehicles, tremendous cost savings in terms of heating and cooling can be realized.
While a great deal of prior art exists to control electrochromic devices, very little of it is useful for controlling electrochromic devices with substantial electronic leakage current, including devices made with solid-state ion conductors. In addition, previous systems for electrically heating electrochromic devices require modifications to the easy to manufacture two-bus bar electrode arrangement. Finally, in situations where safe operating voltage depends on temperature, integrating temperature-measurement solutions can be difficult.
Most electrochromic devices that have been developed to date use polymeric electrolyte layers. Unfortunately, there are a number of disadvantages associated with polymeric devices. For example, polymeric devices have a significant weight and thickness and require two pieces of transparent substrate (e.g. glass) to be laminated together. In addition, the durability of the polymer approach for glazing applications is suspect due to the instability of polymer electrolyte layers when exposed to UV light and temperature.
It has recently been determined that the above problems can be avoided by replacing the polymeric electrolyte layers of electrochromic devices with solid state inorganic electrolyte layers. Electrochromic devices having solid state inorganic electrolytes are lighter and thinner than polymeric devices, and are more durable when exposed to UV light and temperature. However, the solid state inorganic electrolyte layers allow electronic leakage current through the electrolyte. This electronic leakage phenomenon may cause slower switching speed, longer switching times, and a slow loss of charge state when the device is being held in a steady state, which could lead to spontaneous coloration or bleaching depending on the electrochemical potentials within the device.
There have been a number of security devices incorporated into windows. U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,176 to Valiance discloses a polymeric security window with an integrated intrusion detector. The security window includes a laminated pair of polymeric panels having electrically conductive rods sandwiched therebetween. Glass fibers, having electrically conductive coatings, extend from edge to edge of the plastic window panels and are distributed in the rods, which substantially cover the entire window area. The index of refraction of the coated glass fibers is similar to that of the surrounding plastics, making the electrically conductive rods substantially invisible. The conductive rods are connected in series, and a current source provides a constant current through the circuit. The resistance of the circuit increases when a rod is severed, or punctured. A change in the magnitude of the voltage required to maintain constant current in the circuit indicates that a window panel and at least some of the glass fibers have been damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,758 to Tweadey, II et al. discloses a pre-assembled glass breakage detector having a carrier substrate designed to carry an electrical circuit subassembly. The electrical circuit subassembly includes an electrically conductive fragile film and spaced electrical connectors. A method of making a glazing unit security system includes pre-assembling one or more such glass breakage detector appliqués and then applying the electrical subassembly thereof to the surface of a glazing pane, and connecting electrical needs from continuity lost detection circuitry to the electrical connectors. In a motor vehicle application, the appliqués can be applied to stationary and/or moveable vehicle windows, being especially advantageous for use on a hidden surface area of moveably mounted glazing panes. The fragile film loses electrical continuity upon disruption of the underlying glazing pane, when the pane is broken.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,509 to Gajewski et al. discloses a glazing unit security system having an electrically conductive strip of polymeric material adhered to the surface of a tempered glass pane. A security monitoring element electrically connected to the conductive strip senses and responds to a loss of electrical continuity of the conductive strip. The conductive strip is non-self-integral, such that it would not survive with electrically continuity a fracture of the underlying glass panel. Since a fracture of the tempered glass panel will result in overall fracturing of the panel, it would cause loss of electrical continuity of the conductive strip. The security system further includes an alarm or other device responsive to a loss of electrical continuity of the conductive strip. When installed in a motor vehicle, the security system may include disabling means to prevent normal operation of a motor vehicle in response to loss of electrical continuity of a conductive strip.
In spite of the above advances, there remains a need for a controller for an electrochromic device that incorporates security monitoring capabilities at little or no additional cost. There is also a need for a controller for an electrochromic device that can measure the temperature of the EC device without using additional components or external measuring instruments. There is also a need for a controller for an electrochromic device that is capable of operating the device at safe operating voltage levels, which may depend on the measured temperature. There is also a need for a controller for an electrochromic device that compensates for electronic leakage current, which may occur in devices having solid state ion conductors. There is also a need for a controller for an electrochromic device that enables the device to be heated without requiring an extra or distinct heating element. There also remains a need for a control system for an electrochromic device that is capable of monitoring the transmission state of the device and effectively controlling the transmission level of the device.

Control system for electrochromic devices


Through-holes in a substrate are masked during plating of the substrate by substantially filling the through-holes with a liquid material, followed by applying a photoimageable material to an external surface of the substrate, forming a predetermined pattern in the photoimageable material, circuitizing the predetermined pattern and then removing both the photoimageable material and the liquid material from the through-holes.

The present invention relates to fabricating a circuitized substrate having through-holes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for masking through-holes in a substrate during the circuitization or plating of the substrate.
In the manufacture of printed circuit boards and cards, a dielectric sheet material is employed as the substrate. A conductive circuit pattern is provided on one or both of the major surfaces on the substrate. Generally speaking, high density printed circuit boards are constructed with several electrically conductive layers separated by dielectric layers. The dielectric layers typically contain through-holes for the purpose of making interconnections between electrically conductive layers. The holes are plated with an electrically conductive material such as copper.
When selectively plating the dielectric substrate to provide the circuitization, a plating resist is provided on the substrate to protect those areas which are not to be plated at this stage of the process and which typically includes the already plated through-holes. Accordingly, it necessary to tent the holes with the resist material during the circuitization.
However, various plating compositions cause certain problems in this regard. By way of example, electroless plating of gold usually involves relatively caustic compositions (high pH) and plating conditions employing relatively high temperatures. Due to the caustic nature of typical electroless gold plating chemistry, the available plating resists capable of withstanding such conditions are rather limited. Those resists of choice although quite capable of withstanding the plating conditions, do not exhibit especially good tenting capability and especially tenting characteristics needed to tent relatively large holes ( greater than 30 mils) that are generally present on multilayer circuit boards. Accordingly, using such creates a risk of broken tents over the holes. This in turn results in subsequent plating of relatively thick electroless gold in the plated through-holes. The presence of such gold in the placed through-holes represents a significant reliability concern since the gold is capable of interacting with solder employed in subsequent assembly processing. This in turn can create an intermetallic which would thereby weaken the reliability of the solder joint.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a process that makes it possible to circuitize a substrate having at least one hole therein and to tent the hole successfully regardless of the plating conditions and plating resist employed.
The present invention provides a process which makes it possible to successfully tent holes on a substrate during the circuitization of the substrate even when using plating resist compositions that do not exhibit very good tenting characteristics such as the available resists for electroless gold plating. More particularly, the present invention provides a method for masking a hole in a substrate during plating of the substrate by providing a substrate with first and second external surfaces and having at least one hole extending substantially through the substrate and then subsequently filling the at least one hole with a liquid material. A photoimageable material is then applied to at least one of the external surfaces of the substrate followed by forming a predetermined pattern in the photoimageable material and then circuitizing the predetermined pattern by plating a conductive metal onto the substrate. The photoimageable material is then removed from the at least one external surface of the substrate followed by removal of the liquid material from the at least one hole in the substrate.
The presence of the filled holes provide a base for the photoimageable material to adhere to over the holes of the substrate thereby eliminating the risk of broken tents.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described only the preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the description is to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Method for masking a hole in a substrate during plating

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a conveyor system and a method for merging or crossing of at least two conveyor lines (22, 24, 58) on which transport units (48, 50), particularly containers, are conveyed in an upstream direction (28), wherein the conveyor lines (22, 24) meet each other in an intersection point (26), wherein each of the conveyor lines (22, 24, 58) respectively comprises, upstream relative to the intersection point (26), one group (30, 34) of conveyor-line segments (32, 34), wherein the conveyor-line segments are respectively operable with a variable conveying velocity, the method comprising the following steps: conveying transport units (48, 50) towards the intersection point (26); detecting and determining a traffic density of the transport units (48, 50) on the conveyor lines (22, 24, 58), particularly at the conveyor-line segments (32-1, 34-1) which are located upstream; determining conveying velocities for the conveyor-line segments (32, 34) so that transport units (48, 50) which are conveyed on one of the conveyor lines (22, 24) do not collide at the intersection point (26) with other transport units (48, 50) which are conveyed on the other conveyor lines (24, 22), and without the need to stop the transport units (48, 50) in a region of the conveyor-line segments (32, 34); adapting the conveying velocities of the conveyor-line segments (32, 34) to the conveying velocities determined in this way, wherein the conveyor-line segments (32, 34) respectively can be operated at a different conveying velocity.

The present invention relates to a conveyor system as well as a method for avoiding collisions between transport units, or conveyed goods, at intersection points of conveyor lines, for example, if they cross each other in the intersection point or converge to a single conveyor line.
Conveyor-line switches and crossings are known in the prior art, where the conveyed goods are stopped, if a collision with conveyed goods of another conveyor line is approaching. Typically, the stop of the conveyed goods is conducted by an abrupt deceleration. Then, the conveyed goods are accelerated again as soon as the other conveyed goods have passed the intersection point.
The document WO 97/09256 discloses a method and apparatus for injecting piece-good parts on a removal conveyor. The piece-good parts are transported to the removal conveyor by means of a delivery conveyor. The delivery conveyor includes at least one buffer belt, a request belt and an injection belt. The buffer belt, the request belt and the injection belt can be operated at different velocities. The removal belt is operated at a constant velocity. Thus, it is possible that piece-good parts are directed from the delivery conveyor to predetermined target locations on the removal conveyor.
The document DE 10 2004 035 821 discloses a method and an apparatus for dynamically optimizing gaps. The method serves to reduce and unify distances between piece goods which are conveyed, for example, on transportation belts. In this manner, the density can be optimized. Also, an increase of the utilization of the conveyor is possible.
The document EP 1 228 986 A1 also discloses a method and an apparatus for optimizing gaps on a conveyor belt.
The deceleration as well as the acceleration requires relatively much power, i.e. such systems do not work in a power-efficient manner. Further, a relatively high maintenance effort is required with such known systems, since the drives of the conveyor lines are heavily stressed by the steady deceleration and acceleration. Another disadvantage is to be seen in that the deceleration and acceleration are loud.

Material-flow control for collision avoidance in a conveyor system