A queue in a connector service provides a unified communication channel and stores service packets sent to a target service from client applications. Incoming service request packets are modified at run time to add valid security tokens without requiring the user's action or notice. Before sending the packets, the connector service determines whether the authentication tokens are valid. Packets with valid authentication tokens are sent to the target service. If the communication request fails, the queue automatically adds the original communication packet to the end of the queue, so that it can be conditionally retried. When a loss of connectivity is detected, the connector service takes a snapshot of the queue by copying the packets to a storage module in the same order. When the connectivity is restored, the queue loads the saved requests from the storage module and starts processing them in the order they were received.

Many businesses provide target services, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) applications, to support employee requirements, such as tracking expenses, tracking time entries, and maintaining contact and account information. These applications often use and store confidential and proprietary company information, such as financial data, contact information, and personnel files. Businesses need to limit access to these applications and their associated information to authorized users to prevent fraudulent use and privacy violations.
When users are on-site using an enterprise computer network to access the services, a business may authenticate users who access the enterprise network by requiring sign-on credentials or other identifying information. However, when users are off-premises, it becomes more difficult to authenticate users and to provide services in a secure manner. To maintain security, users who access services via a mobile client, such as a smartphone or tablet, must be authenticated as authorized before being allowed to perform actions exposed by the services.
Client applications used to access business services need a reliable and synchronized communication link that allows users to interact with the services from a remote location. The communication link should also work across different client applications and devices. For example, users may send authenticated requests and service calls to a cloud-based ERP system and then receive business entities and ERP objects in response. In current systems, if a communication link fails, each individual client application must identify the failure, determine which packets did not reach the target system, and then resend those packets. For a temporary failure, the resent packets may go through to the service on a first retry. However, if the destination service is offline, then the client application must store the packets and continue to retry sending the packets until the service is online. This can be a problem if the packets are sent with authentication tokens that may expire or otherwise need to be generated for the retry packets.

Retry and snapshot enabled cross-platform synchronized communication queue


A defrost system 10 for a refrigerated display counter 11 is described. The system 10 comprises a defrost conduit 14 which is adapted to be positioned in close proximity to a refrigeration coil 12 of a refrigerated display counter 11. A heat exchanger 13 has a housing 16 which is adapted to be secured above the refrigerated display counter. The housing is provided with a plurality of fans 18 for directing ambient air into the housing and out through exhaust port 20. A heat exchange coil 22 is provided in the housing 16 and is interconnected with the defrost conduit 14 and through which flows a liquid such as glycol. A pump 28 circulates the defrost liquid through the circuit 24-25 and control valves 26-27 are provided to arrest the liquid flow in a non-defrost mode. In the defrost mode the glycol is heated by the ambient air which is convected through the heat exchange housing 16 and the cool air 9 generated at the outlet ducts 20 is mixed with hotter ambient air. The system is energy efficient.

The prior art, as exemplified for example by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,263,892, 5,249,433, 4,283,922, 4,285,204, 4,336,692, 4,188,794, 4,4944,158, 4,208,884, 4,304,098, U.K. Patent 2,133,129 and Japanese Patent 54-34170, teaches that known defrost systems are complex in design, utilize electric heating elements systems which are energy consuming and costly, utilizes heat air convection systems inside the refrigerated display counter, they often require maintenance and are not very energy efficient. Furthermore, these systems are dedicated to defrost a single refrigerating coil and therefore there is a need to adapt a system to each refrigerated display counter utilizing a refrigerating coil. This is also very expensive and energy inefficient.


A method for protecting against exposure to content violating a content policy, the method including receiving a number of content items including a first set of content items associated with a content group, determining a measurement associated with an amount of the first set of content items belonging to a specific content category, assigning one or more of the number of content items to be categorized by at least one of the machine learning algorithm or a manual review process, automatically applying the specific content category to one or more other content items of the content group such that the one or more other content items are not reviewed by the manual review process, and transmitting at least one of the number of content items, wherein the content category of each of the number of content items indicates whether the specific content item violates any content policies.

It may be desirable for a content provider to filter content served to users. For example, a content provider may wish to prevent content with adult themes (e.g., alcohol, firearms, tobacco, etc.) from being served to impressionable audiences (e.g., children, etc.). Filtering content may require developing an understanding of what the content includes, depicts, and/or represents. However, content providers may receive such a large volume of content items that it is infeasible to provide human review of each content item. Moreover, automated systems such as machine learning algorithms may incorrectly classify some portion of content items, thereby risking that inappropriate content (e.g., content violating a content policy, etc.) is served to users. Therefore, an improved system for protecting against serving improper content is needed.

Systems and methods for protecting against exposure to content violating a content policy


A system and method for modeling a physical formation is provided. The method comprises a model retrieval module obtaining a reference model of the physical formation with at least one physical parameter, the reference model comprising reference blocks. A re-blocking module generates a synthesized model comprising one or more synthesized blocks. The re-blocking module then maps the reference blocks to the synthesized blocks and generates one or more fractional attributes for one or more of the synthesized blocks based on at least one physical parameter of the one or more corresponding reference blocks.

Modeling a physical formation is useful in many applications. For example, modeling a geologic formation is useful in mapping or assessing a geologic asset such as an ore deposit. A model of a physical formation is used as a map when planning a mine, for example. A model of a physical formation may also be used to estimate the value of a resource contained within the formation.
The size of a physical formation that is to be modeled may vary widely. Typically, models consist of a plurality of finite elements known as blocks. A model of a geologic formation may have thousands, or even millions of blocks. A model having thousands or millions of blocks may be cumbersome in terms of processing and storage required to access and manipulate the model.
One way to reduce the computing power required to manipulate a block model is to reduce the number of blocks in the model. This may be accomplished by "re-blocking" the model to increase the size of each block, thereby decreasing the total number of blocks. For example, a block model having 1 000 000 blocks may be re-blocked such that each new block comprises 1000 old blocks. Each of the 1000 new blocks represents, in aggregate, the attributes of the blocks from which each is derived.
However, condensing a block model by reducing the number of blocks in the model causes resolution to be lost. Therefore, re-blocking has the unintended negative consequence of causing data loss in a block model.

System and method for modeling a physical formation


Embodiments of the invention relate to rendering components within different browser environments. A request for a portal page is received from a client system. The portal page is aggregated by a computer and a renderer is selected based on a client system browser specific environment. A browser specific markup, provided by at least one portlet, is transmitted from the renderer to the client system.

The present invention relates generally to computers, and more specifically, to rendering components within different browser environments.
In general, a rich web user interface involves several, different concepts of rendering web content within a browser. Two of the fundamental concepts are client side aggregation of web pages and server side aggregation of web pages.
Server side aggregation is characterized by having a server performing the aggregation of pages and content into a full page, which is sent to the browser. Any dynamic components are executed on the server side. Typical dynamic components are portlets based on the specification Java Specification Request 286 (JSR286), for example. (Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.)
Client side aggregation is characterized by doing the final aggregation of pages and content within the browser itself. The server provides page fragments, page feeds, etc. Dynamic components, such as widgets, are executed on the browser side. Typical components are described in the specifications for iWidgets, Open Social, etc.
These two concepts have different programming models. Having components and pages which support both programming models at the same time is difficult. It is especially hard to optimize both the rendering at the server and the client side while at the same time exploiting each side's best capabilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,685,603 B2 "Selecting Client Adapters" by Singler et al., discloses methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for selecting client adapters. In the disclosed system, a client abstraction layer identifies one or more selection data elements in a client request and selects an adapter to communicate with the client based on the selection data elements. Each selection data element specifies an adapter type, a client type, or data describing the client. The adapter may be selected based on a multi-stage selection process that involves performing an adapter-request process for selecting an adapter based on the selection data elements that specify the adapter type. If the adapter-request process fails to select an adapter, then a client-identification process for selecting an adapter based on the selection data elements that specify the client type is performed. If the client-identification process fails to select an adapter, a client-description process for selecting an adapter based on the selection data elements that specify data describing the client is performed.

Rendering components within different browser environments

International Business Machines Corporation


A method, computer program, and computer system for updating a database system using a parallel application are disclosed. The parallel application includes a plurality of parallel operators. The method includes receiving records. A unique identifier is assigned to each record. A user defined rule condition is evaluated for each record. An action identifier is assigned to a subset of the records, based on the evaluation of the user defined rule condition. The records are transmitted to the database system with the unique identifiers and, for each of the subset of records, action identifiers.

Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS) have become an integral part of enterprise information processing infrastructures throughout the world. An RDBMS 100, as shown in FIG. 1, maintains relational data structures called "relational tables," or simply "tables" 105. Tables 105 consist of related data values known as "columns" (or "attributes") which form "rows" (or "tuples").
An RDBMS "server" 110 is a hardware and/or software entity responsible for supporting the relational paradigm. As its name implies, the RDBMS server provides services to other programs, i.e., it stores, retrieves, organizes and manages data. A software program that uses the services provided by the RDBMS Server is known as a "client" 115.
In many cases, an enterprise will store data in an operational data store (ODS) 200, illustrated in FIG. 2, which is designed to efficiently handle a large number of small transactions, such as sales transactions, in a short amount of time. If the enterprises wishes to perform analysis of the data stored in the ODS, it may move the data to a data warehouse 205, which is designed to handle a relatively small number of very large transactions that require reasonable, but not necessarily instantaneous response times.
To accomplish this, data is "imported," or "loaded" (block 210) from various external sources, such as the ODS 200, into the data warehouse 205. Once the data is inside the data warehouse 205, it can be manipulated and queried. Similarly, the data is sometimes "unloaded" or "exported" from the data warehouse 205 into the ODS 200 or into another data store. Since both load and unload processes share many similarities, in terms of the processing they perform, they will be referred to hereinafter as "database loads" or "loads."
A database load is typically performed by a special purpose program called a "utility." In most cases the time required to perform a database load is directly proportional to the amount of data being transferred. Consequently, loading or unloading "Very Large Databases" (i.e. databases containing many gigabytes of data) creates an additional problem—increased risk of failure. The longer a given load runs, the higher the probability is that it will be unexpectedly interrupted by a sudden hardware or software failure on either the client 115 or the server 110. If such a failure occurs, some or all of the data being loaded or unloaded may be lost or unsuitable for use and it may be necessary to restart the load or unload process.
"Parallel Processing," a computing technique in which computations are performed simultaneously by multiple computing resources, can reduce the amount of time necessary to perform a load by distributing the processing associated with the load across a number of processors. Reducing the load time reduces the probability of failure. Even using parallel processing, however, the amount of data is still very large and errors are still possible.

Restartable scalable database system updates with user defined rules


A surface mounted heater assembly for an aerospace component having a support layer, an electrically resistive heater foil element supported by the support layer, a coating covering the heater element; and an adhesive to secure said support layer to the component is provided. The coating has two layers that are visually distinct to permit identification of potential exposure of the heater foil element. A surface mounted heater having a multiple layer assembly having a support layer; a heater element and a transition layer to couple the support layer to the aerospace component is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a flexible heater assembly for an aerospace component. More particularly, the present invention relates to flexible heater assembly for an aerospace component that includes erosion protection and erosion indication in an aerodynamic and ingestion resistant optimized assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
The operating environment of aerospace components, particularly, gas turbine engine components is exceedingly harsh and demanding. The temperatures and liquid water content that the components are exposed to in the path of the air stream through the engine can result is ice accretion. In such environments electro-thermal ice protection systems are needed to protect the engine components from damage caused by ingestion of accreted ice pieces.
Present surface mounted applications to protect gas turbine engine components have drawbacks. The machinable silicone rubbers presently used for such purposes suffer from high erosion. Further, current surface mounted heaters are non-structural and occupy valuable space in the jet turbine engine that is optimally reserved for structural components that would ensure greater structural strength and aerodynamic performance of the engine. Additionally, silicone elastomers with improved erosion resistance used for surface mounted applications are highly detrimental to the life of the rotating jet turbine blades in the event that the adhesive that secures the heater element to the engine component fails. Still further, electrical injuries are a concern for maintenance personnel from hard particle erosion or localized damage, because removal of the silicone layer over the heating element does not cause electrical failure although components are electrically active.
Accordingly there is a need for an surface mounted flexible heater for gas turbine engine applications that offers high erosion resistance, minimum reduction of component structural strength and aerodynamic performance while minimizing its ingestion risk and potential mechanical failure.

Surface mounted flexible heater for gas turbine engine application


A conveyor for hot material comprising a conveying unit for conveying the hot material, a material delivery unit for delivering the hot material to the conveying unit, a housing for covering at least a portion of the length of the conveying unit, introduction devices disposed in the housing for furnishing water to the hot material on the conveying unit, wherein the introduction devices are disposed exclusively in a section of the housing that in the conveying direction is remote from the material delivery unit, and an exhaust unit connected to the material delivery unit for withdrawal of water vapor, generated by the furnishing of water, to produce a water vapor stream that is counter to the conveying direction of the hot material and is directed toward the material delivery unit.

The invention relates to a conveyor for hot material comprising a conveying means that is covered over at least a portion of its length by a housing, and that is connected to a material delivery means, whereby provided in the housing that covers the conveying means are introduction devices for applying water to the hot material that is disposed on the conveying means.
A hot material conveyor having the aforementioned features is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,579. To the extent that such a hot material conveyor is used for the conveying and simultaneous cooling of directly reduced iron, especially in the form of pellets produced in a press, suitable measures prevent the hot material, i.e. the hot pellets, from coming into contact with air or oxygen, so that oxidation is prevented during the conveying and cooling process. For this purpose, U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,579 proposes to supply water to the hot material over the entire length of the housed conveyor via suitable introduction devices, so that on the one hand the hot material is cooled off, yet at the same time evaporation of the applied water produces water vapor that in the housing that covers the conveying means forms an inert atmosphere for the hot material, so that an entry of air, and hence of oxygen, is avoided.
The known hot material conveyor has the drawback that the supply of water to the hot material is effected over the entire length of the conveying means, therefore also in the immediate vicinity of the material delivery means, in other words at a location at which the hot material has its highest temperature. Due to the thereby occurring, shock-like cooling of the hot material via the water that is applied immediately following the material delivery means, a mechanical stressing of the hot material results that can lead to impairment of the integrity of the individual constituents of the hot material, in particular of the pellets that are produced, which is a drawback with regard to the further processing of the material.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hot material conveyor of the aforementioned type that ensures a careful treatment of the hot material.


A spacer assembly has first and second spacers that are set up integrally on first and second surfaces, respectively, of a substrate. Each spacer is tapered toward its extended end. In forming the spacer assembly, first and second molding dies having through holes coated with a parting agent that contains an organic component are prepared, and these molding dies are located on the first and second surfaces of the substrate so as to be intimately in contact with them, individually. Thereafter, a spacer forming material is filled into the through holes of the molding dies and cured, whereupon the first and second spacers are formed integrally on the substrate surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a spacer assembly used in a flat display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A field emission display (FED), plasma display (PDP), etc. are known as modern flat display devices. A display that uses a surface-conduction electron source (hereinafter referred to as SED) is being developed as an FED of a kind.
This SED has a faceplate and a rear plate that are opposed to each other with a given gap between them. These plates have their respective peripheral edge portions jointed together by a rectangular frame-shaped sidewall, thus forming a vacuum envelope. Phosphor layers that glow in three colors are formed on the inner surface of the faceplate. Arranged on the inner surface of the rear plate are a number of emitters that correspond individually to pixels as electron emitting sources for exciting the phosphor. Each emitter is composed of an electron emitting portion, a pair of electrodes that apply voltage to the electron emitting portion, etc.
Further, a plate-shaped grid is located between the two plates. The grid is formed having a number of apertures that are aligned with the emitters. Spacers that maintain the gap between the plates are located on the grid. An electron beam that is emitted from each emitter is transmitted through its corresponding aperture of the grid and applied to a desired phosphor layer.
An SED described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,205 is known as a version that has a spacer assembly formed of a grid and spacers that resembles the ones described above. According to this SED, the plate-shaped grid has a number of spacer apertures, and columnar spacers that are a little smaller in diameter than the spacer apertures are passed through the spacer apertures, individually, and are fixedly bonded to the grid with an adhesive agent, frit, solder, or the like. Each spacer projects from both sides of the grid, and its opposite ends engage the respective inner surfaces of a faceplate and a rear plate, individually.
The manufacture of the spacer assembly is very troublesome, however, if it is done by passing the columnar spacers individually into a number of spacer apertures in the grid and fixing them with the adhesive agent or the like in the aforesaid manner, and it is hard to improve the manufacturing efficiency in this case. More specifically, each spacer is very small, having a diameter of hundreds of micrometers and a height of several millimeters, and its corresponding spacer aperture is also very small. Accurately inserting the very small spacers into the spacer apertures of the grid and fixedly bonding them to the grid with the adhesive agent or the like require high assembly accuracy and entail very hard operations. Further, the manufacturing cost is increased, and the manufacturing efficiency is lowered.
In order to reduce the movement of the electron beams, moreover, the spacers should be thinned, and the ratio between the diameter and height, that is, aspect ratio (height/diameter), should be heightened. It is hard, however, to manufacture spacers with high aspect ratios.

Method of manufacturing spacer assembly used in flat display device


The present invention provides a previously unattainable compact and high thrust electromagnetic stirrer coil, that is, an electromagnetic stirrer coil for stirring molten steel in a mold by electromagnetic force, in which electromagnetic stirrer coil a space factor of the yoke sectional area (−) with respect to an inside area in a vertical cross-section of said electromagnetic stirrer coil is 0.5 to 0.9 and a yoke width B is 100 mm to 300 mm. Preferably, a magnetomotive force F of said electromagnetic stirrer coil divided by the yoke width B, that is, a value of F/B, is 800 kAT/m or more.

In the past, in a continuous casting facility, to cause nonmetallic inclusions included in the molten steel in a mold and bubbles of Ar gas blown into an immersion nozzle to rise to the surface of the molten steel without being trapped in the slab and thereby obtain a good quality slab, the method has been used of stirring the molten steel in the mold by electromagnetic force. Various proposals have been made in the past relating to electromagnetic stirrer coils for stirring molten steel in a mold by electromagnetic force.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 3273105 discloses a fluid motion control system providing a second core abutting against a back surface of a first core (yoke) having slots for winding of a coil and a third core abutting against the top and bottom surfaces of the first core (yoke) so as to increase the effective area of the core and increase the saturation flux density and thereby enable a stronger magnetic field to be applied to the molten metal while retaining about the same outside shape as in conventional systems.
However, Japanese Patent No. 3273105 discloses a method of increasing the effective area of the core (yoke), but the specific ranges of numerical values of the space factor of the yoke sectional area (−) with respect to the inside area in the horizontal cross-section of the electromagnetic stirrer coil corresponding to that effective area and the yoke width B were not sufficiently studied, so a compact and high thrust electromagnetic stirrer coil could not be realized.


A computer system is optimized to perform fast block transfers between modules including local memories that communicate over a multi-master global synchronous bus. Write operations are speeded up by a destination module sending a "ready-to-accept-data" signal before each write request. During a given clock period during which a source module delivers a data word to the bus, the destination module asserts this "ready" signal to indicate to the source module that the destination module is ready for the source module to deliver another word during another, subsequent clock period. The source module can deliver one word per clock period, and the destination module can receive one word per clock period. During a block write, only a starting address for a first word transferred is transmitted, with a counter at both source and destination modules counting each word transferred. Part of the address bus is not used for addresses and instead is used for data. Local memory is accessed in each module at the rate of one access per clock period. The bust performs one transfer per clock cycle, with successive transfers pipelined on the bus to minimize dead cycles.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device and method for performing high-speed block data transfers between modules connected to an input/output (I/O) bus in a computer system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several high-performance computer applications transfer a large volume of data between local memories on modules connected by a common, multimaster I/O bus (i.e., a global bus). In such an application, each module can act as a bus master, that is, it can temporarily take over the bus and directly read or write information in any other module which acts as a slave Examples of such applications include the following:
1. Multiport LAN bridge or router. Each module connects to an external local area network (LAN). Packets arriving at each module are temporarily stored in a local memory on the module Eventually, packets are forwarded to local memories on other modules, which then forward them to the destination LAN. PA1 2. Multimedia, multiclient file server One or more modules connect to physical disk drives or other mass storage devices Other modules connect directly to clients or to shared media (such as LANs) for communicating with clients. File transfers require data to be moved between local memory in the storage-device modules and local memory in the client modules. PA1 1) The bus master sends a "read request" signal and an address to the slave. PA1 2) The slave reads the data from its memory at the specified address. PA1 3) The slave sends the data back to the bus master, along with an acknowledgment signal. PA1 1) The bus master sends a "write request" signal, an address, and data to the slave. PA1 2) The slave writes the data into its memory at the specified address. PA1 3) The slave sends an acknowledgment signal back to the bus master. PA1 1. Data transfer delay Most applications require data to be transferred as quickly as possible, because the recipient of the data has nothing to do but wait until it receives the data. Examples are file transfers and packet transfers. PA1 2. Processing overhead. Data transfers on the global bus may delay unrelated processor operations on the sending and/or receiving modules, because the processor may need access to the bus in order to fetch and execute instructions. Examples are any module whose processor does not have a local instruction/data memory or cache. PA1 Synchronous bus. A common clock signal, generated at a central point, is distributed to all modules connected to the bus. All control signals and responses are timed with respect to the clock signal. Likewise, data and address setup and hold times are specified with respect to the clock. Synchronous buses include Multibus, the ISA bus (part of Industry Standard Architecture for the IBM (International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, N.Y.) PC/AT computer), and the recently proposed EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus. PA1 Asynchronous bus. This bus has no common clock signal; bus timing is specified relative to the edges of control signals generated by the modules. The PDP-11 Unibus computer is an example from the minicomputer era. More recently, Motorola adopted an asynchronous control approach in the 68000 microprocessor, which was then formalized in the VME bus. PA1 1. Increase the clock frequency. PA1 2. Increase the word length of the data bus. PA1 3. Decrease the number of clock periods per transfer.
3. High-performance distributed-processing workstation. A workstation may contain several processors, each tailored for a specific task. For example, a workstation may have one processor for running an operating system or user "shell", another for performing three-dimensional graphics transformations, and yet another for managing a graphics display. One way to structure such a workstation is to provide a local memory for each processor and to move data from one local memory to another as required for each processor to use the data.
Each of these applications simply requires blocks of data to be moved from one module's local memory to another's. In each case, the global bus provides the connection between modules Either the source module becomes bus master and writes the block of data to the destination memory, or the destination module becomes bus master and reads the block from the source as follows.
In the prior art, when a bus master requests for a read operation to take place, address, data, and control information flows in two directions:
In the prior art, a write operation limits the two-way communication between the master and slave:
In general, high-performance applications require block transfers on the global bus to be made as quickly as possible, in order to minimize the following effects:
3. Bus contention. Even if modules have local memories or caches, they may be delayed at times if they need to use the global bus to access an I/O port or other bus-connected resource at the same time that the bus is being used for a block transfer In addition, other, pending block transfers cannot even begin until the current one completes. For example, a module that is performing local processing may be blocked while trying to read a global flag or send a message on the global bus.
Many different computer I/O bus structures are known in the art. They can be roughly grouped into two categories:
A synchronous bus has simpler control logic and is the natural choice for single-processor (single-bus-master) systems in which the bus clock is simply the processor clock or a derivative of it. On the other hand, it is conventionally believed in the art that an asynchronous bus potentially gives better performance in systems with multiple bus masters.
The conventional argument for better performance with asynchronous buses is as follows. First, assume that the bus must support a wide variety of bus master types and operation speeds (since the processor technology keeps changing). Then, with a synchronous bus, each bus master and slave must synchronize with the bus clock, and a module-to-module transaction on the bus requires two synchronizations. Each synchronization requires an average of 50-100 ns to perform. Part of the synchronization time is the average delay until the next local-processor or bus clock edge (50 ns with a 10 MHz clock) and part of it is the metastability settling time for the synchronizing flip-flops (25 ns is needed with the very best flip-flops).
With an asynchronous bus, no synchronization to the bus or a fixed rate clock is required. Instead, each module on the bus is prepared to deal with asynchronous control signals at any speed up to a predefined maximum. When two processors communicate, one processor generates control signals synchronously with its local clock at its fastest available rate, and the other synchronizes with its own local clock. Only one synchronization occurs, and it takes place at the speed of the destination processor.
With a synchronous bus, total bus bandwidth is calculated as the product of the bus clock frequency and the number of data bits per transfer (word length), divided by the number of clock periods per transfer Thus, there are three ways to increase the bandwidth of a synchronous bus:
For example, the ISA bus has a 6MHz clock, a 16-bit data bus, and uses 3 clock periods for a typical transfer. Thus, its bandwidth for typical transfers is 32 Mbits/sec. It is desirable to have much higher bandwidths than this.

Methods and apparatus for data transfer between source and destination modules using a ready signal


The present invention is an apparatus for dispensing flowable material which comprises a holding vessel for holding a supply of flowable material, a dispensing device for releasing an amount of flowable material from the holding vessel, a first heating element for heating the flowable material in the holding vessel, a second heating element, in operative association with the first heating element for heating the dispensing device such that the latter can be activated by the former, a unified control system for sensing the condition of the second heating element and of the flowable material in the holding vessel, and coordinating the operation of the first and second heating elements such that the second heating element intermittently activates the first heating element in response to a preselected sensed condition of the flowable composition, and such that the first and second heating element are disabled in response to a preselected sensed condition of the second heating element.

Surfaces which have been paved with asphalt, concrete or other material typically develop cracks. These cracks can be due to the expansion and contraction of joints, the freezing and thawing of water that has worked its way into the pavement, the movement of the ground underneath or simply excessive impact. Such cracks cause problems because they degrade the pavement resulting in an uneven surface and loose debris.
Various methods have been employed to remedy the problems caused by such cracks. Repaving the surface is one option, but this is not always practical. A preferred method, is to seal the cracks by filling them with a flowable material which hardens over time while retaining a degree of flexibility.
Moreover, when sidewalks, runways and other roadways are initially fabricated, they are typically laid out in sections with expansion joints between adjacent sections to accommodate expansion and contraction due to atmospheric changes. Frequently, such expansion joints are comprised of the same material used to seal cracks.
A common technique for filling expansion joints or cracks is dispensing flowable material from a pouring pot (a device resembling a watering can) by manually tilting the pot. This technique has a number of significant disadvantages. First, the flowable material is usually heated in excess of 200.degree. F. to allow it to achieve a liquid state, thus, the person using the pouring pot must protect against burns. Second, since the pot has no heat source, the material must be poured quickly or it will solidify. This is especially true in colder weather. User fatigue and human inaccuracy are also factors which contribute to poor end results and are a direct result of using the pouring pot technique. (As regards inaccuracy, it is important to note that accurate placement of the sealant material in the crack or expansion joint is critical on an airport runway. This is because as airplanes take-off and land, the wheels get so hot, they can pull the sealant material right off the runway. If this happens, pieces of the material can be drawn into a jet engine and disable it. Thus, there are rigid FAA specifications which must be adhered to in the application of the sealant on airport runways.)
One attempt to overcome the disadvantages associated with the pouring pot technique, is an apparatus which includes a long wand, connected by a feeder hose to a large, mobile heated kettle (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,645). However, this approach also has several drawbacks. First, the wand is attached to the large kettle (usually part of or pulled by a truck) which limits the operator's range of movement to an area determined by the length of the feeder hose. Thus, at least two people must be on a single site to keep the project from being continuously interrupted. Additionally, the wand itself is very heavy and hot and is carried by the user. Fatigue therefore becomes a significant factor.
A number of other devices have been developed. These devices are essentially mobile hand carts, many of which include heated holding vessels, pour spouts and fuel storage tanks. ( See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,578,080, 3,227,055, 3,280,710, 3,873,227, 4,732,109, 4,831,958 and Aeroil Municipal and Road Maintenance Equipment Catalog No. 1-89, page 14.) These devices, while providing some improvement suffer from still other problems. First, all include burner elements, and the manual ignition of fuel at the burners entails the risk of injury from explosion. For instance, Aeroil's suggested ignition procedure is to light a piece of paper, start the fuel flowing to the burner and then to roll the cart over the lit paper. Still further, if the wind blows out the flame or the flow of fuel is momentarily interrupted thereby extinguishing the flame, there is nothing to prevent the build-up of unconsumed fuel near the burners. This clearly imposes the risk of injury. The inability to adequately clean these devices is another serious drawback. For instance, the round shape of the Aeroil holding vessel severely limits the ability to scrape out debris and solidified material. Still further, the parts of most of the aforementioned devices are permanently welded or fastened together such that the pour spouts and other components cannot be repaired or replaced as necessary.
The provision of a method and apparatus which affords a way of effectively, safely and conveniently dispensing a flowable material suitable for the filling and sealing of cracks or joints, as aforementioned, would be a substantial advance.

Method and apparatus for temperature regulating and dispensing flowable material


A method of collision warning using broad antenna pattern ultra-wide band (UWB) radar includes emitting a first radar ping from a broad beam UWB antenna and receiving a first return signal identifying an object. A first hemisphere with a first radius is determined for the object. A second ping, second return and second hemisphere is defined for the object. At the intersection of the hemispheres, an object ring is defined. The radius of the object ring is compared with the radius of a collision cylinder (e.g., representing a safe distance around a system or device, such as a drone). The object may be identified as posing a collision threat when the radius of the object ring is smaller than the radius of the collision cylinder.

Drones are being used in a number of different capacities, such as carrying packages for deliveries to homes or businesses, carrying food or other supplies to remote locations, geographic mapping, surveillance, filming or the like. Drones may also be used in military or law enforcement capacities, such as air strikes, bomb detection, or monitoring large crowds.
Radar is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, such as navigation of drones, autonomous driving vehicles, robots, or the like. Modern radar systems may utilize, depending on the application, any one of a number of different types of antennas and/or types of radar beams (e.g., narrow band or wide band). In general, radar beams are transmitted either as a continuous wave, in which the radar transmitter is emitting a continuous, uninterrupted signal, as long as the transmitter is operating, or a pulsed wave in which the radar beam is transmitted for a set time duration after which transmission of the beam stops.

Collision warning using ultra wide band radar


The original firmware of a computing device is stored in a fixed non-volatile ROM-type memory while any subsequently issued replacement firmware correcting or upgrading erroneous firmware contained within the original firmware is stored in a reprogrammable EEPROM-type non-volatile memory. The locations in the fixed and reprogrammable memories storing the corresponding erroneous and replacement firmware, respectively, are identified in a data table that is also stored in the reprogrammable memory. A field programmable gate array connected to the reprogrammable memory uses the data table to identify computing device requests to the fixed memory for erroneous firmware and in response thereto inhibit output of erroneous firmware. The gate array further uses the data table to access the reprogrammable memory and output corresponding replacement firmware in substitution for the device requested original, but erroneous, firmware.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computing device memory systems and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for economically correcting and updating firmware stored in a computing device memory system.
2. Description of the Related Art
General purpose digital computers and other processing devices (hereinafter "computing devices") utilize a wide variety of computer programs to perform various tasks. A computer program comprises a series of instructions or statements arranged in a specific sequence and written in a language executable by the processor of the computing device to achieve a certain result. Such programs include, to name just a few types, operating systems, compilers and applications.
Computer programs may be implemented in either software or firmware, each of which is executed by the hardware of the computing device. Software, as used herein, refers to those computer programs whose instructions and/or data are stored and maintained in the computing device only for so long as power continues to be supplied thereto. Such computer programs are typically semi-permanently stored on magnetic disc and downloaded for volatile storage in a random access memory (RAM) when needed by the computing device. Programming stored in this fashion must be reloaded into the RAM of the computing device each time there is a power interruption.
Firmware, on the other hand, as used herein, refers to those computer programs whose instructions and/or data are stored and maintained permanently in the computing device without the need for the continued application of power. These computer programs are typically stored in non-volatile read only memory (ROM), programmable read only memory (PROM) or erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM). Use of a non-volatile memory obviates the need to reload the programming into the computing device in the event of a power loss or turn-off.
Unlike software, which is relatively easily corrected or updated (for example, by means of modifying or replacing the magnetic media upon which the software is stored), once firmware is stored in the fixed ROM of the computing device it cannot be written over without removing the integrated circuit chip in which the firmware is stored or replacing the circuit board. Thus, in order to correct programming errors or install programming updates issued after the computing device is placed into general public use, the computing device itself must be returned to or serviced by a representative of the manufacturer. The replacement of the integrated circuit chip or circuit board is, however, inconvenient, expensive and time consuming. Considerable effort has accordingly been expended in discovering ways to correct and update device firmware without the need for chip replacement or hand-on access by the manufacturer to the computing device.
The development of electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) has obviated to some extent the need for replacing memory chips storing firmware when programming corrections or upgrades are required. The EEPROM comprises a read only memory device whose individual data storage locations (addresses) are erasable and reprogrammable by applying certain electrical signals to the chip. New firmware can thus be stored in the chip without removing the chip from the computing device. Unfortunately, an EEPROM is both much less dense and as much as four times more expensive than a conventional non-volatile ROM, PROM or EPROM chip. More chips (occupying valuable circuit board space) at a significant increase in overall cost are therefore required to provide equivalent computing device storage capacity in comparison to that provided by conventional non-volatile storage devices.
As a result, computing device manufacturers typically include in their memory systems a combination of the various types of available non-volatile memory devices for storing firmware. Portions of the firmware most susceptible to correction or upgrade are stored in the included EEPROM chips, with the remainder of the firmware permanently stored in the conventional non-volatile ROM, PROM or EPROM chips. This solution overcomes to a degree the density, space and cost concerns mentioned above while advantageously providing for some firmware correction and upgrade capability. However, any corrections or updates in that portion of the firmware stored in the conventional ROM, PROM or EPROM chips would still require replacement of the chip or the circuit board.
As the density of EEPROM chips has steadily increased and the cost per chip dropped due to improved semiconductor manufacturing techniques, more and more of the computing device firmware is being stored using EEPROMs rather than conventional non-volatile memory chips. However, fixed ROM is still much more economical than EEPROM. In fact, it is now common for all computing device firmware to be stored in EEPROM. While this does allow for all of the included firmware to be corrected or upgraded in an efficient and convenient manner, significant concerns are being raised over whether firmware integrity can be maintained within this type of storage architecture. The addition of safeguards to the computing device has been proposed for preventing the inadvertent or unintentional corruption of the stored firmware. Such safeguards, however, significantly add to the cost of the computing device.
Accordingly, it now appears that there is some financial and operational benefit to the prior art architecture wherein the storage of firmware is provided by conventional non-volatile ROM-type memories. There continues to be a need, however, in such an architecture for correcting or upgrading of the firmware stored therein without requiring the replacement of either the non-volatile memory or circuit board.

Replacement of erroneous firmware in a redundant non-volatile memory system


The invention relates to an internal combustion engine with a fuel injection device with an injection nozzle having a nozzle needle and a plurality of injection bores. The injection nozzle is arranged to inject fuel into the combustion space in the form of a plurality of fuel jets as a main injection, as a post-injection and/or a preinjection. The injection bores of the injection nozzle are arranged in at least two different separately activatable rows of holes, an operating stroke of the nozzle needle being set by control unit as a function of a piston position and/or an operating point of the engine, and the rows of holes of the injection nozzle different injection-hole cone angles.

The invention relates to a compression-ignition internal combustion engine, in which fuel is injected into a combustion space by an injection nozzle having a plurality of injection bores.
In direct-injection internal combustion engines with compression ignition, for the configuration of a load-dependent fuel injection, injection nozzles are used in which the configuration of the injection profile is controlled by a corresponding construction of the injection nozzle. This is intended to improve mixture preparation in the combustion space and therefore the formation of emissions in the exhaust gas. Furthermore, the functioning of downstream exhaust gas treatment can be optimized.
DE 19953932 A1 discloses a method in which a combined homogeneous/heterogeneous type of operation of an internal combustion engine for the achievement of medium and higher powers is proposed. In this context, both early homogeneous mixture formation in the compression stroke and subsequent heterogeneous mixture formation around top dead center are to become possible by an injection strategy, fuel injection taking place at a lower injection pressure during homogeneous mixture formation than during heterogeneous mixture formation, in order to avoid fuel being applied to the cold combustion space walls. Experience has nevertheless shown that, in spite of the measures proposed above, increased exhaust gas emissions continue to occur. Further measures, by which the exhaust gas emissions are minimized, must therefore be taken.
The object on which the invention is based is to provide an internal combustion engine with compression ignition, by which mixture formation and combustion in the combustion space are improved. This is achieved, according to the invention as follows.
The internal combustion engine according to the invention is distinguished in that fuel is injected, by an injection nozzle having a nozzle needle and possessing a plurality of injection bores, into a combustion space formed between a piston and a cylinder head, in the form of a plurality of fuel jets as a main injection and, if appropriate, as a preinjection and/or postinjection, the injection bores of the injection nozzle being arranged in at least two different separately activatable rows of holes, and an operating stroke of the nozzle needle being capable of being set by the control unit as a function of a piston position (φ) and/or of an operating point of the internal combustion engine (1).
Accordingly, a controlled injection of the fuel for varying the jet length in the combustion space can be carried out as a function of the piston position in the cylinder, with the result that the intermixing of the injected fuel with the combustion space air, particularly during preinjection and postinjection, takes place before the cylinder wall is reached. A wetting of the cylinder wall with fuel can thereby largely be avoided.
According to a refinement of the invention, the rows of holes of the injection nozzle have different injection-hole cone angles. The fuel can thereby, in particular, be introduced into the combustion space at a steeper injection angle during a preinjection or during a postinjection than during the main injection. The jet length in the combustion space can thus be adapted as a function of the distance between the injection nozzle and the piston, so that a variation in the jet length in order to optimize the mixture formation is thereby ensured or made possible.
In a further refinement of the invention, a first row of holes of the injection nozzle is activated during main injection and a second row of holes is activated during preinjection and/or postinjection, the injection-hole cone angle of the first row of holes being higher than the injection-hole cone angle of the second row of holes. In this case, during the main injection, the fuel is injected around a top dead center through the first row of holes at a flat injection-hole cone angle, preferably of between 140° and 160°. By contrast, in the event of early and/or late fuel injection, the fuel is injected into the combustion space at a steep injection cone angle, for example of between 60° and 160°, through the second row of holes arranged preferably below the first row of holes. This makes it possible to have an optimum jet length in the combustion space during an injection operation. According to the invention, depending on the operating point, an injection operation comprises a main injection and, as required, a preinjection and/or postinjection.
According to a further refinement of the invention, a fuel injection pressure can be set as a function of the piston position (φ) and/or of an operating point. As a result, furthermore, the jet length of the fuel introduced into the combustion space can be influenced.
In a further refinement of the invention, an operating stroke of the nozzle needle of the injection nozzle can be set in such a way that an unstable cavitating flow is formed in the injection bores of the injection nozzle. Preferably, during the preinjection and/or postinjection, the fuel is injected intermittently in the form of small part quantities. Accordingly, owing to the variable setting of the operating stroke of the nozzle needle of the injection nozzle, in the case of each preinjection or postinjection part quantity injected into the combustion space, the atomization of the respective fuel jet in the combustion space can be reinforced, so that a wall accretion of fuel in the cylinder, which, for example, rises continuously in the case of a lower gas pressure and lower temperature in the cylinder, is minimized. Thus, according to the invention, the range of each part quantity up to a combustion space wall is limited and an intensified break-up and evaporation of the injection jet or of the part quantity, particularly with an increasingly later start of injection, are achieved.
According to a further refinement of the invention, a swirl movement can be set in the combustion space of the internal combustion engine. Preferably, a generated fuel cloud of a fuel jet (17) is offset or laterally displaced by the swirl movement set in the combustion space, in particular during a fuel injection carried out intermittently. As a result, for example, the formed fuel cloud of a part quantity, when it penetrates through the combustion space, can be laterally displaced, in particular in the direction of a cylinder wall. The fuel jets or the fuel droplets are thus moved away or moved further from the cylinder wall during their propagation, so that they are intermixed with the combustion space air or evaporate, in particular during preinjection and postinjection, before they reach the cylinder wall. A wall accretion of fuel in the cylinder is thus largely prevented. If there is no swirl movement in the combustion space, the fuel jet is propagated along an injection-hole center axis and impinges onto the cylinder wall on account of the short travel up to the cylinder wall. Furthermore, in this case, the preceding jet parcels or the jet parcels emerging first from the injection nozzle form a jet duct which results in an accelerated penetration of the following jet parcels or part quantities due to a lee effect, so that, in the absence of a swirl movement of the combustion space, an impingement of fuel onto the cylinder wall becomes more likely.
In a refinement of the invention, the operating stroke of the nozzle needle is set in such a way that, within the injection nozzle, an effective flow cross section between the nozzle needle and a nozzle needle seat amounts to about 0.8 to 1.2 times an effective flow cross section of the sum of all the injection bores. A desired throttling action can thereby be achieved in a controlled way in the seat of the nozzle needle and gives rise to an unstable cavitating flow in the injection bores of the injection nozzle.
In a further refinement of the invention, the piston has a piston recess which is of dish-shaped design, a projection extending from the center of the piston recess in the direction of the injection nozzle. Owing to the dish-like basic shape, no narrow radii on the surface or cross-sectional jumps in the piston head occur in the piston recess, so that, when the internal combustion engine is in operation, if fuel droplets impinge onto the recess, these evaporate quickly.
According to a further refinement of the invention, the piston recess has, starting from the piston head, first, a flat entry with a low curvature and, from the region of the maximum recess depth, a greater curvature extending into the piston recess projection. This prevents an accretion of fuel in the region of the piston head and thus achieves a minimization of exhaust gas emissions. Preferably, the piston recess projection has a cone angle in a range of 90° to 160°.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, for example.

Compression-ignition internal combustion engine


A method of cleaning a substrate, in particular, the front face of a thermal ink jet printing device, to improve subsequent thin film deposition in a single chamber plasma processing system containing fluorine-containing deposits, involves treating the substrate with a hydrogen plasma. A front face coating for a thermal ink jet device may be formed by a method involving (1) treating a substrate of the thermal ink jet device with a hydrogen plasma; (2) optionally coating the cleaned substrate with an amorphous carbon layer; and (3) coating the substrate or amorphous carbon layer with a fluoropolymer layer.

This invention relates to a method of cleaning a surface to be subsequently coated, such as the front face of a thermal ink jet printing device. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of cleaning a substrate so as to improve the adhesion between a substrate and a carbon layer or a fluoropolymer layer in fluoropolymer deposition processes.
Amorphous or diamond-like carbon films are known in the art. Reference is made, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,785, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. These films are quite useful for many applications, including coating applications, because of their mechanical properties, extended wearability and phobic or shunning properties for many dye and water-based ink formulations.
Fluoropolymer films are also useful for many coating applications because of their ink repellant properties. Typically, an underlayer, such as an amorphous or diamond-like carbon layer, is used between a substrate and the fluoropolymer film to promote adhesion and improve durability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,777 to Hawkins et al. discloses several fabricating processes for ink jet printheads, each printhead being composed of two parts aligned and bonded together. One part is substantially a flat heater plate substrate which contains on the surface thereof a linear array of heating elements and addressing electrodes, and the second part is a channel plate substrate having at least one recess anisotropically etched therein to serve as an ink supply manifold when the two parts are bonded together. A linear array of parallel grooves is formed in the second part, so that one set of ends of the grooves communicates with the manifold recess and the other ends are open for use as ink droplet expelling nozzles. Many printheads can be simultaneously made by producing a plurality of sets of heating element arrays with their addressing electrodes on, for example, a silicon wafer and by placing alignment marks thereon at predetermined locations. A corresponding plurality of sets of channels and associated manifolds is produced in a second silicon wafer and, in one embodiment, alignment openings are etched thereon at predetermined locations. The two wafers are aligned via the alignment openings and alignment marks and then bonded together and diced into many separate printheads.
In existing thermal ink jet printing, the printhead comprises one or more ink filled channels, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,359 to Ayata et al., communicating with a relatively small ink supply chamber at one end and having an opening at the opposite end, referred to as a nozzle. A thermal energy generator, usually a resistor, is located in the channels near the nozzles a predetermined distance therefrom. The resistors are individually addressed with a current pulse to momentarily vaporize the ink and form a bubble which expels an ink droplet. As the bubble grows, the ink bulges from the nozzle and is contained by the surface tension of the ink as a meniscus. As the bubble begins to collapse, the ink still in the channel between the nozzle and bubble starts to move towards the collapsing bubble causing a volumetric contraction of the ink at the nozzle and resulting in the separation of the bulging ink as a droplet. The acceleration of the ink out of the nozzle while the bubble is growing provides the momentum and velocity of the droplet in a substantially straight line direction towards a recording medium, such as paper.
The specific details of the separation of the ink from its physical surroundings, the ink channel and its orifice, determine to a large extent the direction in which the ink will travel to the paper and thus determine where the mark on the paper will be made. Any microscopic irregularity that would affect the isotropy of this ink-orifice separation process will usually cause the ink to travel in an uncontrolled and not intended direction, that is, for example, not orthogonal to the plane defined by the orifice. This results in poor quality of the images and text that are printed on the paper. Such irregularities include pools of ink which collect around the orifice from previous jet firing. Microscopic irregularities of the orifice can be avoided by providing a coating on the exit orifice that repels the ink that is used for the printing process. To avoid or minimize ink drop deflection problems which can lead to subsequently printed images of poor quality, ink jet head components should be coated with one or more ink repellant layers. Examples of such ink repellant coatings are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,785, which was previously incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This patent discloses processes for minimizing or avoiding ink drop deflection in ink jet devices which comprise coating the front face of ink jet head components with amorphous carbon, hydrogenated amorphous carbon, halogenated amorphous carbon, fluorinated amorphous carbon or mixtures thereof, and the like.
Fluoropolymer thin films deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition are also ink repellant and can be used as front face coatings for thermal ink jet die modules. An underlayer made of a material such as amorphous or diamond-like carbon may be used between a substrate and the fluoropolymer film to promote adhesion between these layers and to improve front face durability, although the amorphous carbon layer is not always necessary.
The adhesion between the front face substrate and the carbon layer or fluoropolymer layer is important to the performance of the ink jet device. Cleaning or "descumming" steps are typically carried out to remove contaminants originating from the dicing operation from the substrate. Otherwise, such contaminants might cause adhesion failure of the carbon layer. These include: blade resins; epoxy materials used to bond the heater and channel wafer; and organic polymer materials such as polyimide which are coated on the heater wafer to form wells within the channels in which the ink resides until pulsing is required. Cleaning processes may use a reactive plasma chemical reaction wherein the contaminants form a volatile compound which is then pumped from the deposition chamber. For example, an oxidizing gas such as oxygen or nitrous oxide has been used to remove polyimide debris caused by dicing from the front face of thermal ink jet dies.
However, cleaning processes using an oxidizing gas such as oxygen or nitrous oxide are not suitable when fluoropolymer coating processes are used. For reasons of cost, convenience, material robustness and simplicity, it is preferred that all steps in the front face coating process be carried out in a single chamber plasma processing system. However, fluoropolymer deposits accumulate and are difficult to totally remove from the internal surfaces of the plasma processing chamber such as on the walls and the electrodes. A nitrous oxide or oxygen gas or other oxidizing plasma etches the fluoropolymer deposits and causes them to redeposit uncontrollably on the substrates. This results in adhesion failure of the amorphous carbon intermediary layer or the controlled fluoropolymer front face coating layer itself if no intermediary layer is used. Etching of the fluoropolymer deposits releases radical fluorine and fluorine-containing gases, e.g., CF.sub.4, into the deposition system. These fluorine-containing species can adsorb on internal chamber surfaces and are generally difficult to remove from the deposition system by simple vacuum pumping techniques even under ultra high vacuum conditions. If the amorphous carbon underlayer is deposited while these fluorine-containing species are present, the result is a contaminant deposit, which typically has poor adhesion to the substrate, at the interface. This has been demonstrated during front face coating applications on thermal ink jet dies and can be a limiting factor for the development of improved front face coatings. Multiple chamber deposition systems can be used to address the problem by preparing the substrate (i.e., cleaning and carbon layer deposition) in one chamber and applying the fluoropolymer film in a second, thereby isolating the contamination source. However, these systems are expensive, occupy additional space and are more prone to mechanical failure than single chamber systems. In addition, the presence of oxygen atoms generated in the plasma and fluorine-containing species etched off the internal surfaces results in uncontrolled etching of the polyimide and crystalline silicon around the nozzle faces. This distorts the nozzles and causes drop misdirection and subsequent print quality defects.
Japanese Patent Document 58-190,898 discloses the use of a hydrogen plasma to remove adsorbed gases on a substrate prior to molecular beam epitaxy deposition. An article by Y. Saito amd A. Yoshida (J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 139, No.12, December 1992) describes a method of removing adsorbed fluorine from the surface of substrates using hydrogen gas at an elevated substrate temperature. The article does not describe the use of plasma nor fluoropolymer film deposition. U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,747 discloses the use of a front face coating formed by a wet coating of an aromatic fluoropolymer which is subsequently cured. Plasma processing is not used, nor is the use of a substrate cleaning process disclosed.

Method for improving substrate adhesion in fluoropolymer deposition processes


A signal separator for separating multiple signals contained in a received signal from each other based on a replica of the received signal is provided. The signal separator comprises a sampling unit configured to sample the received signal at a prescribed sampling timing; an index output unit configured to monitor sampling counts of the sampling unit and output an index signal representing a remainder of a division dividing the sampling counts by a sampling number per a prescribed time period to group the sampled signals; a coefficient-variable filter configured to generate and output a replica of the received signal based on a channel estimation value and a signal point candidate, at least one of the channel estimation value and the signal point candidate being generated according to the index signal; a subtractor configured to subtract the replica from the sampled signal and output a subtraction result as a residual signal; and a maximum likelihood sequence estimator configured to estimate a sequence for each of the multiple signals based on the residual signal, taking into account signal state transition, and output the estimation result at a signal output timing determined by the index signal.

It is desired for wireless communication systems to allow as many signals as possible to be transmitted at the same frequency from the viewpoint of efficient use of limited frequency resources. Many researches and development have been made of interference cancellers for this purpose. In fact, interference cancellation is attracting attention as a technique that can increase system capacity.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional interference canceller 300, which is generally installed in a receiver in a wireless communications system. This type of interference canceller is called a replica generation type interference canceller because it generates a replica of the received signal and separates a desired wave from other signals (interference waves).
In operation of the conventional replica generation type interference canceller, the channel estimator 318 estimates the level fluctuation and phase rotation in the channels of the desired wave and the interference wave. The coefficient-variable filters 314 and 315 generate desired signal replicas and interference signal replicas, respectively, for all possible candidates of symbol sequence. Each of the desired signal replica and the interference signal replica can be generated by calculating convolution of every possible candidate of the symbol sequence and the estimated channel value. The adder 316 adds one of the desired signal replicas to one of the interference signal replicas to produce a set of received signal replicas. The maximum likelihood sequence estimator 320 determines a pair of symbol sequence candidates of the desired signal and the interference signal that provide the received signal replica closest to the actually received signal. The maximum likelihood sequence estimator 320 outputs the symbol sequence candidate of the desired wave as the determination result, thereby removing the interference.
By removing the interference signal from the received signal in an adaptive manner, multiple signals can be transmitted at the same time at the same frequency, and the frequency utilization efficiency is improved.
An interference canceller used in a multi-rate transmission system is also proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-251959A. In this publication, signals are received at an array antenna in a DS-CDMA system using both a high-speed channel with a high transmission rate and a low-speed channel with a low transmission rate. An array antenna interference replica generation unit is provided to generate an interference replica of the high-speed channel for the purposes of removing the interference due to the high-speed channel from the received signal, and of improving the transmission quality of the low-speed channel.
The conventional interference canceller of the replica generation type can remove interference by generating replicas of the desired signal and the interference signal. However, since the conventional technique is based on the assumption that the band widths of the desired wave and the interference wave are the same, sufficient effect of interference cancellation cannot be achieved if a desired wave requiring a wide band and an interference wave expecting a narrow band are combined to form the received signal. To maintain the frequency utilization efficiency of the interference canceller of replica generation type, combinations of a wide-band signal and a narrowband signal have to be avoided at the same frequency.


A system for location tracking using passive tags includes a reader and a location tracker. The reader receives an identifier associated with a first passive tag. The location tracker receives the location of the passive tag, and maps the location of the first passive tag to the identifier associated with the first passive tag. The location tracker determines the location of an object based on the location of the first passive tag. The location tracker may receive the location of a second passive tag, and map the location of the second passive tag to an identifier associated with the second passive tag. The location tracker may update the location of the object using the location of the second passive tag in response to the reader receiving the identifier associated with the second passive tag.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) applications. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to techniques for real-time and offline location tracking using passive RFID technologies.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method which relies on the storing and remotely retrieving of data using devices, such as RFID tags or transponders. RFID tags or transponders are also known as proximity, proxy, or contactless cards, because data from an RFID tag can be retrieved without physical contact. Generally, a device, such as an RFID reader, uses radio waves to remotely retrieve a unique identifier stored using the RFID tag when the RFID tag is within proximity of the RFID reader. RFID tags can be attached to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification by the RFID reader. RFID readers can be placed on doorways, in train cars, over freeways, mounted on vehicles, and also can be embodied in mobile handheld devices.
RFID technologies have been traditionally implemented in different ways by different manufacturers, although global standards are being developed. Thus, computer applications using RFID are also typically hard-coded to specific RFID devices sold by the same manufacture. One problem with this arrangement is that the computer applications are limited to using only the data retrieved from the specific RFID readers.
In order to provide automated shipping and receiving, real-time inventory, automated shipping and received, and real-time security, other types of RFID sensor devices, such as environment sensors (e.g., temperature and humidity sensors), location sensors (e.g., Global Positioning System or GPS devices), and notification devices, may be required. For example, one cold chain solution provides an RFID tag embedded with a temperature sensor. Cold chain refers to a temperature-controlled supply chain. An unbroken cold chain is an uninterrupted series of storage and distribution activities which maintain a given temperature range.
However, one problem with embedding sensors with RFID tags is that the increase in cost and complexity associated with each RFID tag. Furthermore, if computer applications are tied directly to specific RFID readers, the only items for which sensor data can be used from those applications are those that can be tagged and directly sensed using the specific RFID readers.
Accordingly, what is desired are improved methods and apparatus for solving the problems discussed above, while reducing the drawbacks discussed above.

Real-time and offline location tracking using passive RFID technologies


To perform notes detection, candidate reference marks are identified in a document. A starting note zone is identified in the document. A pair of similar reference marks is identified from the candidate reference marks including a first reference mark in the note zone and a second reference mark outside the note zone. The document is marked up to indicate a note associated with the first and second reference marks.

The following relates to the document creation, processing, storage, display, and related arts.
There is interest in conversion to a selected structured format of hardcopy documents or documents in specialized or proprietary electronic formats such as certain word processing formats, certain spreadsheet formats, certain presentation formats, and so forth. The selected structured format is typically hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), standard generalized markup language (SGML), or another structured format having defined markup formatting syntax or rules. Such conversion ensures the documents do not become unusable in the event that software capable of reading the specialized or proprietary format becomes unavailable. Conversion also facilitates indexing and creation of knowledge databases or other searchable document repositories.
Document conversion typically begins with obtaining the document in an unstructured or undesirably structured form. For electronic documents such as word processing documents, this entails identifying the document by filename and file path, by URL, or so forth, and in some cases performing some initial format conversion operations. For a hardcopy document, this entails optically scanning the document and performing optical character recognition (OCR) to generate an unstructured or shallowly structured electronic text-based copy. The obtained electronic document is segmented into lines and tokens or other word-size elements, and may be provided with some shallow structuring such as demarcation of paragraphs or pagination. There are commercially available products, such as FineReader (available from ABBYY USA Software House, Fremont, Calif.), that provide scanning and OCR of hardcopy documents and further provide tokenization and conversion of the document into a shallow or largely unstructured XML format. The unstructured or shallowly structured document provides the basis for further analysis and marking up of structural features of interest. For example markup tags or other structural document formatting can be used to mark features such as chapters, sections, tables, and so forth.
One feature of interest is reference notes, such as footnotes, endnotes, table notes, and so forth. Usually, a note includes two parts: (i) a reference mark such as a raised superscript number or symbol in the body of the text, table, or other structure that draws the reader's attention to the note; and (ii) a replication of the reference mark at the bottom of the page (for footnotes), or at the end of a section or document (for endnotes), or after a table (for table notes) followed by the note text. Identification of notes is useful both to enable the document to be marked up to indicate the note, and to ensure that the note is not misinterpreted during document analysis. If not recognized as a note, it is possible for the reference mark to be misinterpreted as part of a word, or for the note text to be misinterpreted as a section heading, paragraph, list item, or other structure. Such misinterpretation can in turn lead to misspelled words, improper text flow, or other incongruities in the marked up document.
An existing technique for identifying footnotes employs recognition of a bottom-of-page separating horizontal line that is sometimes used to separate the footnotes from the body of text on the page. This approach is robust if the document uses such a separating horizontal line and the line is retained during optical scanning and OCR, but is inoperative otherwise. Moreover, this approach does not work for endnotes. Other techniques utilize layout information such as font size to identify reference marks of the note. These techniques can be overinclusive if the document uses such layout features to denote other document elements, and can be underinclusive if the document uses a mechanism such as brackets to set off the reference marks. Moreover, these techniques are not useful if the OCR or other processing fails to retain the layout features relied upon to identify the reference marks.


A display device and system are disclosed, wherein the display system is so configured that an n-fold rate increasing circuit is arranged with a signal generating device instead of with the display device to realize a low-cost n-fold rate impulse-type drive. The n-fold rate display data is output to the display device from the signal generating device, and the display device includes a circuit to subject the input n-fold rate display data to the data conversion process for the n-fold rate impulse drive. In addition to the n-fold rate display data, an identification signal for identifying the position of the turn of the frames of the original video signal is input to the display device to prevent the erroneous data conversion operation.

This invention relates to a hold-type display device such as a liquid crystal display, an electroluminescence (EL) display or a liquid crystal on silicon display (LCOS), or in particular, to a display device and a display system suitable for displaying dynamic images.
The display devices can be classified roughly into an impulse-type display device and a hold-type display device from the viewpoint of dynamic image display. In the impulse-type display device such as the cathode-ray tube, the brightness of the pixels scanned is increased only during the scanning period and decreased immediately after scanning. The hold-type display device such as the liquid crystal display, on the other hand, continues to hold the brightness based on the display data until the next scanning period.
According to US Patent No. 2004/0155847, one frame period is divided into first and second periods, and the pixel data to be written in the pixels during the frame period are written concentratedly in the first period. In the process, the value written into the pixels is increased to the double of the image data value not to decrease the brightness of the image as a whole, and only in the case where the double value exceeds a displayable range, the residual pixel data is written in the second period. In this way, the change in display brightness approaches that of the impulse-type display device thereby to improve the visual recognizability of the dynamic image.
According to JP-A-2002-215111, on the other hand, a frame memory unit stores one frame of input video signal, and a frame rate conversion signal generating unit generates a clock signal, a horizontal sync signal and a vertical sync signal with the video signal frame rate converted in a magnification of 3 or more from the clock signal, horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal, respectively, synchronized with the input video signal. Also, the output signal of the frame memory unit and the video signal fixed at black level are switched and output by a video signal switching unit based on the switching signal output from a switching signal generating unit, so that the display period of one frame image is shortened arbitrarily.
In similar fashion, JP-A-2004-317928 discloses a liquid crystal display device comprising a frequency changing circuit 11 for outputting each input frame four times at a rate four times higher and a liquid crystal display element 15 for displaying each frame output 2N times, wherein the brightness level of every other conversion frame is converted to a lower level than the brightness level of the remaining every other conversion frame and supplied to the liquid crystal display element, thereby reducing the motion blur of the dynamic image caused at the time of each frame change.
The above-mentioned drive method is called the n-fold rate impulse-type drive below in this specification.
In the display device including an n-fold rate impulse-type drive described in US Patent No. 2004/0155847, the input display data is required to be plotted n times, i.e. the output display data is required to be rewritten within one frame period, which in turn requires an n-fold rate increasing means to increase the input display data to a rate n times higher. A frame memory is required, however, for the n-fold rate increase. Specifically, the cost of the display device having the n-fold rate impulse-type drive is higher than that of the normal display device by the amount of the frame memory. According to US Patent No. 2004/0155847, the first period data and the second period data are generated in the display device, and therefore, no consideration is given to the fact that in the case where the data for the first and second periods are generated outside the display device and input sequentially to the display device, the first period data and the second period data cannot be discriminated from each other.


A computer-readable medium contains software that, when read by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method for tracing a document. The method includes: on the computer, generating a global unique identifier (GUID) for a master document; embedding the GUID in the master document; making a copy of the master document available for viewing on another computer, wherein the copy of the master document includes the embedded GUID; receiving a version verification request from the other computer about the copy, wherein the version verification request includes the GUID from the copy; and providing a latest version of the master document referenced by the GUID from the copy to the second computer in response to the version verification request.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic document management, and more particularly to ensuring the currency of distributed or published information.
2. Related Art
Documents are commonly used to distribute or convey information. Most documents today may be stored in electronic form and managed by a document management system. Documents may take many different forms, such as academic papers, design drawings, specifications, etc. For a document to be useful it must be distributed to individuals that need access to the information it contains. Many times this means that the document will become remote from the author. The author then no longer has any control over the document or the information contained therein.
For example, a specification for a product to be manufactured may be created by an engineer. The engineer's copy of the specification is the original master document. The engineer may distribute copies of the specification to people in the product marketing department or others. The engineer no longer has control over the copies of the specification. The engineer does not know what use others are making of the specification's contents. Furthermore, the engineer may not even know who has the specification. The marketing person may have sent the specification to others, who may have distributed the document even further.
If some key information is inadvertently omitted from the master document and this information is later added to the original master document, there is no way for others who have the distributed version of the document to realize that there is a newer version of the document available.
Established methods available to insure that the most up to date information is available include many manual processes that put the burden to validate the freshness of data on the information consumer. These methods do not provide the publisher of the information any assurance that the correct information is being used. Many of the current processes require that personal contact information be included with the published document. The information consumer is required to contact someone to insure that they have the latest information. Other processes require that detailed records be kept of everyone that has received the information. The publisher manually contacts everyone that has received the information whenever updates are produced. In some cases, when the publisher releases the information, they guess what the useful lifetime of the information is. Then they establish an expiration date for the information. The information may include labels such as "This information valid through MM/DD/YY". Information distributed electronically may automatically expire. If the information consumer tries to open the published document after the expiration date the published document viewer will inform the user that the information has expired, regardless of whether the information is still actually valid.
What is needed then is an improved approach to ensuring currency of published information that overcomes shortcomings of conventional solutions.


There is provided a metal member capable of realizing a corrosion resistance and wear resistance, which are equivalent to or better than those when expensive PdNi is used even if PdNi is not used, and of being produced at relatively low costs. A first layer essentially consisting of nickel and unavoidable impurities is formed on the surface of a base metal member. On the first layer, a second layer essentially consisting of nickel, phosphorus and unavoidable impurities is formed. On the second layer, a third layer essentially consisting of a noble metal or an alloy thereof is formed. The second layer contains 10 to 15 wt % of phosphorus. The thickness of the first layer is 3 μm or more, and the thickness of the second layer is 0.1 μm or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a metal member coated with metal layers. More specifically, the invention relates to a metal member coated with metal layers to be used as an electronic member, an electric member, a mechanical member, a semiconductor member, a magnetic member, a member required to have excellent environment resistances, such as chemical resistance to acid and alkali, heat resistance and corrosion resistance, or a decorative member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, as a method for coating the surface of an underlying base metal member to improve various characteristics, such as electric contact resistance, solder wettability, wear resistance, mechanical strength, lubricity, environment resistance, chemical resistance, and decorative characteristics such as gloss, of the surface of the metal member, there has been widely carried out a plating process capable of obtaining high performance characteristics at relatively low costs.
In a typical plating process, a base metal material and a coating metal material are suitably selected to obtain desired characteristics. In particular, in order to combine materials having various excellent characteristics with respect to electric contact resistance, solder wettability, wear resistance, mechanical strength, lubricity, environment resistance, chemical resistance, and decorative characteristics such as gloss, at low costs, there has been carried out a method for electroplating a base metal material with an intermediate layer of a metal and further electroplating it with one selected from the group consisting of noble metals, such as Au, Ag, Pd and Rh, alloys containing them as principal components, Sn, Cu and Cr, and alloys containing them.
In particular, as a connector member having excellent wear resistance, mechanical strength, lubricity, environment resistance and so forth, there has been widely used a connector member wherein a base material is coated with relatively inexpensive Ni or an Ni alloy as a metal of an intermediate layer to be further coated with a noble metal.
As a connector member desired to have a high corrosion resistance and durability, there has been developed a connector member wherein an intermediate layer of Ni is coated with PdNi having an excellent corrosion resistance and wear resistance to be further plated with Au. In such a connector material having a high corrosion resistance and durability, the thickness of the Au layer is usually set in the range of 0.05 to 0.2 μm, which is required to decrease contact resistance at the minimum, in order to reduce costs by decreasing the amount of gold.
On the other hand, there is known a surface processing method for forming an electroless plating layer of an Ni—P alloy on the surface of a metal material, forming an electrolytic plating layer of an Ni—P alloy thereon, and forming a finishing plating layer thereon (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-229891). There is also known a lead frame which is produced by forming an Ni or Ni alloy plating layer on a lead frame base material, forming an Ni—P, Ni—B or Ni—Co alloy plating layer thereon, and forming an Au plating layer thereon (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-252070).
In recent years, it is desired to further reduce the cost of producing electronic materials. However, in the above described connector material wherein the Ni intermediate layer coated with PdNi is plated with Au, if the thickness of the Au plating layer is further decreased in order to reduce costs, there is a problem in that environment resistance is considerably deteriorated. In addition, if the Ni layer serving as the intermediate layer is simply thickened in order to reduce costs, the noble metal surface layer must be thickened since Ni is soft and has a low wear resistance and an insufficient corrosion resistance, so that costs are finally increased.
Therefore, the inventors have studied to replace PdNi, which is the second most expensive element after Au, with another inexpensive metal. However, if the NiP layer is used as the intermediate layer as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 3-229891 and 9-252070, although NiP is hard and has a higher wear resistance than that of Ni, there are disadvantages in that the deposition rate of NiP is far lower than that of Ni and that equipment costs are high when the thickness of the NiP layer is increased. In addition, if the NiP layer is used as a single underlayer, the corrosion resistance is insufficient, so that the noble metal surface layer must be similarly thickened to increase costs. Moreover, if the alloy plating described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-252070 that the solder wettability can be improved is applied directly to a connector material to sequentially form an Ni alloy plating layer having a thickness of 1 μm, an Ni—P alloy plating layer having a thickness of 0.02 to 0.3 μm and an Au plating layer having a thickness of 0.1 μm, it is not possible to obtain a desired corrosion resistance although it is possible to improve wear resistance.