A known voltage converter and a known inverter have been used when driving a three-phase motor. The voltage converter boosts an input voltage to a predetermined voltage. The inverter changes a frequency of an output of the voltage converter. Meanwhile, plural switching elements are provided at the voltage converter and the inverter. The switching elements self-heat by energization, and electrical characteristics and a rating are specified in response to an ambient temperature level of the switching elements. Here, the ambient temperature is desired to be considered upon the use of the switching elements. The technology in which the switching elements are used under the consideration of the ambient temperature is disclosed in JP2013-48515A (hereinafter referred to as Patent reference 1).
An electric automobile disclosed in Patent reference 1 is provided with an inverter supplying electric power to a three-phase motor. The inverter includes plural switching elements. The electric automobile is provided with a temperature sensor, a current sensor, and a voltage sensor. The temperature sensor measures a temperature level of a refrigerant cooling the switching elements. The current sensor measures an output current of the inverter. The voltage sensor measures an input voltage inputted to the inverter. A temperature correction value is calculated based on a measurement data of the current sensor per switching element, a measurement data of the voltage sensor per switching element, and a duty ratio of the switching element. The temperature correction value is added to a measurement result of the temperature level of the refrigerant to estimate the temperature level of the switching elements.
According to a device disclosed in Patent reference 1, detection results of the plural sensors are used to estimate the temperature level of the switching elements. In this case, because the detection results include errors of measurement, the errors of measurement included in the estimate results of the temperature levels of the switching elements may be increased. Accordingly, when the switching elements are energized, the electric characteristics and the rating are desired to include margins. Accordingly, the device disclosed in Patent reference 1 may not be able to fully use a capability of the switching elements.
A need thus exists for an energization control system and a sensor unit which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.


Competitive electronic sports, or esports, allow players to participate in virtual or digital environments. Traditional sports competition occurs in a physical game space, such as in a football stadium or in a basketball arena. Thus, in traditional sports competition, multiple points of view of the game play may be provided to viewers by placing cameras at different positions within the physical space. However, with esports, as the competition occurs in a virtual or digital environment, providing viewers with multiple views of the competition action is not as simple as placing multiple cameras within a physical space. Therefore, providing a viewer with multiple points of view of the competition action comprises providing the viewer with multiple video streams, each from a different point of view. This method of providing a viewer with multiple points of view of the competition action may require a significant amount of bandwidth and processing resources. For example, if the multiple points of view include more than, for example, four points of view, the viewer may not have access to sufficient bandwidth to view the multiple points of view. And as will be recognized, an esports competition may comprise two teams of five players competing within a virtual or digital environment and a viewer may wish to watch the competition action from the view point of each of the players. This would require the viewer to have access to sufficient bandwidth for viewing ten different video streams.
Therefore, a need exists for improved methods, apparatus, systems, computer program products, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like for providing a viewer with multiple viewpoints of an event occurring in a virtual or digital environment that does not require an excessive amount of bandwidth.


There are numerous applications in which it is desirable to be able to detect underwater objects from stand-off distances or remote locations. Some conventional approaches to the detection of underwater objects have included the use of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) that search for objects within the water, and aerial vehicles (such as helicopters) that can drag nets to comb the waters for near-surface objects. Other approaches have involved the use of remote sensors, optionally deployed on buoys, or other relatively-static deployed structures on the surface of the water, that look for objects or indirect indicators of the presence of an object of interest (e.g., a vessel wake); however these methods tend to suffer from low confidence-of-detection, high false alarm rates, and/or low area coverage rates.


For the polymerization of olefins the Ziegler-Natta-catalyst system is generally used, which consists of a so-called procatalyst and a cocatalyst. The procatalyst is based on a compound of a transition metal belonging to any of the groups IV(A) to VIII(A) (Hubbard) of the periodical system of elements and the cocatalyst is based on an organometallic compound of a metal belonging to any of the groups I (A) to III (A) (Hubbard) of the periodical system of elements.
Nowadays, the procatalysts typically comprise an inert carrier, on which the actual active catalyst component i.e. the transition metal compound or the mixture of the complex formed by the catalytical compounds has been layered. The morphology and size distribution of the particles of such a carrier are most significant for the activity of the catalyst and the properties of the polymer obtained through the catalyst. With an active catalyst you are, namely, able to produce a polymer, from which, due to its purity, no catalyst residues need to be removed. The morphology of the carrier, again, influences the morphology of the polymer product itself for it has been noticed that the morphology of the catalyst is repeated in the structure of the polymer (the so-called replica phenomenon). When a flowing product polymer having the desired morphology and a narrow particular size distribution is wanted, which is desirable in view of the many aims of use of the processing processes, the properties of the carrier shall by the aid of the replica phenomenon be made similar.
Nowadays, the Ziegler-Natta type procatalysts typically comprise a magnesium based carrier, such as magnesium chloride, which has been treated with a transition metal compound of titanium halide, such as titanium tetrachloride, and sometimes also with an electron donor compound. It is also known that the carrier can be brought to an advantageous and equal-size crystal form by letting it crystallize as a complex from any of its crystal solvents.
The treatment of such a carrier with a crystal solvent has been disclosed among others in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,674, in which the procatalyst based on a transition metal compound has been prepared by bringing a titanium or vanadium compound to react with a reaction product that has been formed when magnesium dihalide and the addition product of alcohol are reacting with an organometallic compound of a metal of any of the groups I-III. The preparation of the procatalyst begins with the addition of alcohol dropwise to the suspension of magnesium dihalide, after which the organometallic compound is added dropwise to the reaction mixture. After agitation the preactivated carrier is activated by adding titanium tetrachloride to the mixture. The adding stages of this kind of a method are primitive and do not at all allow regulation of the morphology of the procatalyst in the way desired.
Treatment with a crystal solvent has also been described in patent application JP-59-215301. In this publication the carrier complex (10 g of MgCl.sub.2 and 24.2 g of EtOH) have been prepared by an emulsifying technique. The carrier complex melt has been dispersed into n-decane as spheroidal melt particles. Thereafter the carrier particles in the emulsion have been shock coagulated by transferring the emulsion into cold hydrocarbon medium. A drawback of this method is, among others, that such components are needed in the preparation of the carrier that are not useful at later stages of the catalyst preparation and this presupposes the existance of a purifying and recirculation equipment for this purpose.
The patent family comprising, among others, the EP publication 65700 and the U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,674 which claims priority from the Italian application IT 2,188,181 (810521), deal with a method for the preparation of a catalyst, which is particularly active in the polymerization of gaseous ethylene.
In the process titanium halide is brought to react with a magnesium chloride catalyst carrier being in the form of microballs, after which the reaction product particles are recovered by physical means and are mixed together with an organometallic cocatalyst product.
Characterizing of this method representing the prior art is that:
According to FI patent publication 80055 (Neste Oy) the above-mentioned carrier complex formed by the carrier and the crystal solvent can be melted to clear liquid. When this kind of a liquid is conducted through the spray nozzle to the spray space cooled with cold nitrogen gas it crystallizes to spheroidal small particles of the carrier complex which are very flowable and loose. The process took in practice place so that MgCl.sub.2 and C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH were melted at the temperature 110.degree. to 130.degree. C. to a clear melt. Then the clear homogenized mixture was fed through a nozzle dispersing it into a cooled spray chamber. The spraying gas used in the spraying was dry nitrogen having the temperature +130.degree. C. and as cooling medium dry nitrogen was conducted to the spraying chamber, the temperature of which was 20.degree. C. As the nozzle a gas fluidizing nozzle was used.
This kind of a method produces very flowable and loose particles. Moreover, the carrier complex crystallizes without any evaporation of the crystal solvent. When such a carrier is brought into contact with titanium compound, abundantly for catalytically active complexes between MgCl.sub.2 and the titanium compound are formed on the surface of the carrier when the crystal solvent leaves.
Accordingly, two methods of preparation based on the spraying are prior known in the field. The spray drying method patents are based on a fairly complete drying of the carrier liquid from ethanol (C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH) after the spraying. Hereby, the carrier has usually been dried at a temperature exceeding 150.degree. C., whereby a major portion of the alcohol of the complex is evaporated. In the spray-drying method a carrier product is typically obtained, the alcohol concentration of which is between 15 to 25% by weight and anyway below 30% by weight.
One central drawback of spray-drying is the bad morphology of the carrier obtained and the wide particle size distribution, which is caused by the breaking of the particles during the process. In FIGS. 1 and 2 an electron microscope picture of the carrier is presented. The close-up picture of FIG. 2 shows that the spheroidal particles are either compressed or then they have been broken into crust fragments of the hollow ball. On the basis of the physical process and the particles created in it, it can be supposed that the removal of C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH at temperatures exceeding +150.degree. C. results in the formation of a gas state inside the particles, which then results in the disintegration of the spheroidal particles into crust fragments or their becoming compressed when the gas cools down in the hollow space. The spray-drying will, anyhow, result in a very poor carrier morphology.
It can thus be said that while the spraying steps of prior spray-drying methods were easy to carry out and their yield of produced carrier is good, the activity of the procatalyst obtained by activation with TiCl.sub.4 when polymerizing PP (polypropylene) is only between 10 to 12 kg of PP/g of catalyst and the morphology of the polymer obtained by it is very poor producing even up to 60 to 70% by weight of finely-divided material (d<1 mm), the bulk density being of the order of about 0.2 g/ml. The above-mentioned activity of the procatalyst obtained by spray-drying is lower than that of the procatalysts obtained by other methods, which is due to the fact that in spray-drying the major portion of the C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH participating in the TiCl.sub.4 activation leaves the carrier before it is reacted with TiCl.sub.4.
The spray-crystallization of such a melt MgCl.sub.2 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH complex that contains on average 3.5 or more C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH molecules as per each MgCl.sub.2 molecule is easy and gives a relatively good yield, whereby the result is a procatalyst having a good activity i.e. of the order of about 15 kg of PP/g of catalyst. It has, however, been noticed that the C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH amount of the carrier is the same as the respective amount of the melt and too high causing during the TiCl.sub.4 activation heavy formation of HCl gas, which breaks the procatalyst particles and results in a poor procatalyst morphology and a poor particle size distribution. In the polymerization polypropylene having a poor morphology and about 25 to 55% by weight of finely-divided substance (d<1 mm) is obtained. The bulk density of the polymer obtained is 0.40 to 0.44 g/ml.
In the spray-crystallization of melt MgCl.sub.2 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH complex which contains less i.e. in the average about 2.9 molecules of C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH as per each MgCl.sub.2 molecule, big difficulties are again encountered when spraying melt into the crystallization chamber. Melt with little alcohol apparently is too viscous and causes clogging of the nozzle and formation of too big particles e.g. as a result of solidification. The carrier yield is very low remaining below 10% in the polymerization of propylene a good activity of the procatalyst is obtained i.e. about 15 kg of PP/g of catalyst, but the morphology of the polypropylene is poor and it contains 20 to 40% of finely-divided material (d<1 mm), the bulk density being between 0.40 to 0.44.
Accordingly, it seems that the spray-crystallization results in a procatalyst whose activity is medium, and whose polymer products contain a very great portion of finely-divided material and possess a polymer morphology which is poor.


1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) design. More particularly, and not by way of any limitation, the present disclosure is directed to an architecture and associated system and method for compressing repair data in an IC design having a plurality of memory instances.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern integrated circuits (ICs) such as application-specific ICs or ASICs may contain a large number of repairable memories. It is not uncommon to have 1000-2000 memories in some ASIC implementations. In such cases storing reconfiguration data to repair the memories may require upwards of 10,000 to 20,000 bits. Usually, this data may be split into multiple containers (e.g., banks of fuses) across the chip area. However, in some cases allocation of such a large container on an IC may not be possible.


This application claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7120 to International Application PCT/EP99/03219, filed May 11, 1999, and under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 to DE19821009.4, filed May 11, 1993.
The present invention relates to a process for extracting carotenes from carotene-containing materials, in particular from fats and oils of biological origin. though the invention shall chiefly be explained through the example of carotene, the term xe2x80x9ccarotenesxe2x80x9d encompasses not only the isomers of carotene but also carotenoids.
According to a definition by IUPAC, carotenoids are chemical compounds of aliphatic or aliphatic-alicyclic structure having conjugated double bonds and comprising 3 to 8 (or even more) isoprene moieties.
The carotenoids are the most important group of natural colouring materials most widely occurring in plants and animals. They are fat-soluble, nitrogen-free, yellow to violet materials, wherein the uninterrupted sequence of isoprene moieties and thus the chromophoric accumulation of conjugated double bonds gives rise to colouring. All carotenoids being polyenes, they exhibit a blue solution color in concentrated sulphuric acid.
Carotene is the carotenoid which has been known for the longest time. It was isolated for the first time by H. Wackenroder (in 1831) from carrots. About 100 years after its discovery, Kuhn found in 1931 that the naturally occurring carotene is composed of three isomers which he named xcex1 carotene, xcex2-carotene and xcex3-carotene. In the untreated carotene of carrots, they are contained at proportions of about 15, 85, and 0.1%, respectively. Ever since the first carotenoid syntheses by P. Karrer and H. H. Inhoffen (1950), a rapid development commenced in the field of commercial syntheses of carotenoids.
All three carotene isomers possess the same fundamental structure, comprising one xcex2-ionone ring structure at one molecule end, 9 conjugated double bonds and 8 branchings. They differ only in the structure of the other molecule end.
Depending on its origin, carotene is a varying mixture of the structurally isomeric polyene hydrocarbons C40H56: all-trans-xcex1-carotene, all-trans-xcex2-carotene, all-trans-xcex3-carotene. Depending on processing and starting material, cis isomers may also occur.
Carotene occurs not only in carrots but also in numerous other plants, and particularly accompanying chlorophyll it counts among the most frequently occurring plant coloring materials. Carotenes are present in vegetable oils at moreor less elevated concentrations. The carotene contents are particularly high in palm oil, in the ranging from 0.05 to 0.2%.
Raw carotene is a dark coppery to cinnabar-colored crystal powder of wax-like consistency. Its solution color is yellow to orange.
xcex2-Carotene is the carotene occurring most frequently in animals and vegetables. It forms deeply violet prisms (crystallised from benzene/methanol) or polyhedra (from petroleum ether). Its solubility in grams per 100 cm3 of solvent at 19xc2x0 C. is 5.5 in carbon disulfide; 0.35 in benzene; 0.1 in petroleum ether; 0.008 in ethanol. It is optically inactive. xcex1-Carotene forms deeply violet prisms (from benzene/methanol) or polyhedra (from petroleum ether). It is optically active and more readily soluble than xcex2-carotene. xcex3-Carotene forms dark red prisms (from benzene/methanol). It is optically inactive and also more readily soluble than xcex2-carotene.
Carotene is merchandised in the form of the following preparations: crystallised xcex2-carotene in vacuum ampoules; technically crystallised at about 80%; carotene concentrates in powder form at about 3%; carotene solutions in vegetable oils at about 0.3 to 0.5%.
Carotenes, being polyene hydrocarbons, exhibit good solubility in tetrahydrofuran, carbon disulfide, benzene, chloroform and oils, low solubility in ether and petroleum ether. All carotenes are insoluble in water. In fats and oils of biological origin, their solubility typically is 2 to 3%. Almost all carotenes have high melting points (e.g., xcex2-carotene 183xc2x0 C.). They are sensitive to acids, oxygen and exposure to light.
The carotenes, have gained importance in nutrient technology as antioxidants and as natural colouring materials. They predominantly serve for coloring fats and oils, for vitamin enrichment of margarine, nutrient preparations, and pharmaceuticals, as an addition to concentrated feed in rearing young animals and to ice creams or sherbets and milk preparations.
The carotenoids, being hydrocarbons or compounds closely related to hydrocarbons, are markedly lipophilic. (Carotenoids of the polyene alcohol type dissolve well in alcohol and acetone.) All-trans forms do not dissolve as well as corresponding cis compounds. Carotenoids occur in nature almost exclusively in solution in the lipoid particles of the cell, for which reason they are at times referred to as lipochrome colouring materials. From the dried cell substance they can be extracted only by means of lipophilic solvents. The commonly known fact that the carotenoids of our nutrient plants, e.g., the lycopene of the tomato, enrich in the fat globules of the foods prepared from them, is founded in this lipophilic character.
H. V. Euler realised (in 1928) the property of carotene being provitamin A. xcex2-Carotene is related to vitamin A, which latter one may be conceived to be formed by cleavage of the central Cxe2x95x90C double bond of the carotene with concomitant incorporation of two molecules of water. Biosynthesis of vitamin A also appears to unfold in this way. At least the animal body is capable of transforming in most cases carotene, especially xcex2-carotene, into vitamin A. This is of interest inasmuch as a vitamin A deficiency may be remedied through easily obtained foods which contain carotene.
For obtaining the carotene, the natural material is dried mostly at temperatures below 50xc2x0 C., and the carotenes are extracted with lipophilic solvents. Jointly dissolved accompanying substances are separated out either by saponification or by freezing out. Crystallised raw carotene (75-90%) or oil-based carotene concentrates (1-20%) are obtained. Of the isomers, only xcex2-carotene is obtained pure. Starting products are either such having a high carotene content, like carrots (1 g of raw carotene/kg of dry substance), raw palm oil (up to 3 g/kg), pumpkin seeds or green plants such as lucerne (alfalfa), stinging nettle or broccoli (Brassica), from which xanthophyll and chlorophyll are furthermore obtained besides carotenes.
For the extraction of carotenes from dry plants, petroleum ether, naphtha, less frequently benzene, fatty oils are used, or also trichloroethylene in the case of red palm oil. For obtaining them from carrots, autumn carrots [Herbstmxc3x6hren] are suited best, which should contain at least 10 mg % [mg/100 ml] of carotene for 10-15% dry substance. One starts out from dried carrots (dry processing method) or from material processed in the autoclave and pressed hydraulically (wet processing method). The dry method procures a yield of 67 g of carotene/1000 kg of carrots. In the wet method, extraction is performed with tetrahydrofuran and provides a yield of 62-72 g of carotene from 1000 kg of carrots having a carotene content of 90-100 g.
The most important cultivation areas for oil palms are Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil. Depending on their origin and freshness condition, palm oils have a bright yellow (predominantly xcex1-carotene), red (lycopene), orange (predominantly xcex2-carotene) or reddish brown (presence of chlorophyll) coloration. In general, the raw oil is processed with alkali into low-water soaps from which the carotenoids are extracted with benzene, trichloroethylene or petroleum ether. The yield is approximately 80-90% of the overall carotenoids of the oil. From 1000 kg of palm oil, one obtains about 3-4 kg of carotene extract (containing 20% carotene, 6.5% lycopene and 6% volatile oils).
The recovery of the carotenes present in oils and fats by way of saponification of the glycerides and subsequent extraction of the carotenes from the soaps with lipophilic solvents is a costly process. Moreover carotenes from fats and oils, which pass into the food sector without being chemically modified, are not accessible in this way.
DE-A-195 31 245 discloses a process for the extraction of carotenes, in particular xcex2-carotene, from solid biological materials by means of a liquid organic extractant mixture consisting of ethyl acetate and/or butyl acetate and 3 to wt. % of an oil of biological origin, relative to the ethyl acetate and/or butyl acetate, at temperatures between 40 and 125xc2x0 C.
DE-A-44 29 506 discloses a process for the extraction of carotenoids from natural starting materials by means of dense gases, wherein the pre-dried natural starting material is extracted with dense propane and/or dense butane, optionally in the presence of an organic entrainer, at temperature between 20 and 100xc2x0 C. and pressures between 10 to 200 bar.
EP-A-0 455 425 discloses a process for the preparation of concentrates of coloring agents, wherein said concentrates of natural coloring agents such as carotene are prepared from organic media, particularly from palm oil, by a process in which the oil, together with a volatile solvent, is subjected to gel permeation chromatography.
EP-A-0 242 148 discloses a method for purification of a carotene-containing concentrate by chromatography in which a liquid containing a carotene-containing concentrate is fed to a filler to adsorb the concentrate on the filler, and the carotene component is subsequently eluted and collected by feeding an eluant to the filler.
EP-A-0 239 949 discloses a process for the manufacture of powdery, finely divided preparations of carotenoids in which the carotenoid essentially has a particle size of less than 0.5 xcexcm, comprising dissolving the carotenoid in a volatile, water-miscible organic solvent at temperatures between 50 and 240xc2x0 C., under atmospheric or superatmospheric pressure, in less than 10 seconds, and precipitating the dissolved carotenoid in colloidal disperse form by rapid mixing with milk at from 0 to 50xc2x0 C.
WO-A-98/03480 discloses a process for recovering highly pure xcex2-carotene crystals from a crude crystal preparation obtained from a natural source. To remove impurities, the crude crystals are stirred in a solvent in which xcex2-carotene has a low solubility, whereupon the crystals are filtered off and washed with fresh solvent. Using this process, a natural crystalline xcex2-carotene preparation with a very high purity is obtained.
WO-A-96/29306 discloses a process for the recovery of carotene from native fat or oil, in particular from palm oil, wherein the native fat or oil is converted with an alkanol with a C chain length of up to 4 catalytically into fatty alkyl ester and glycerine in a prior art manner. The ester phase of the reaction mixture is subjected to distillation to separate the fatty acid alkyl ester. The distillation residue obtained in the second step is saponified, carotene is extracted from the product obtained in the third step and the extract phase is concentrated by evaporation. A yield of at least some 80% is obtained. At the same time a fatty acid alkyl ester is provided for further processing into fatty alcohol.
JP-A-09048927, Patent Abstract of Japan, discloses a process to provide a high-quality odorless carotenoid pigment used for foods, drugs, quasi-drugs and cosmetics by removing the inherent characteristic odor and contaminants from a material containing a carotenoid pigment, wherein a purified carotenoid pigment is obtained by mixing a material containing 1% or above carotenoid with a water-soluble organic solvent and then with a fat-soluble organic solvent or by mixing the material with a fat-soluble organic solvent and then with a water-soluble organic solvent.
A method was sought to obtain the carotenes by direct extraction of carotene-containing materials, in particular of fats and oils of biological origin.
Subject matter of the present invention is a process for extracting carotenes from carotene-containing materials, which comprises extracting a carotene-containing material with an extractant comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), tetrahydrofuran, N,N-dimethylacetamide, furfurol, morpholine, 4-formylmorpholine, 4-acetylmorpholine, 4-methylmorpholine (NMM), 4-phenylmorpholine, with the formation of two liquid phases, one of which is a carotene-depleted raffinate phase and the other one is a carotene-enriched extract phase; and separating the two liquid phases.
There is a large number of carotene-containing materials, in particular fats and oils of biological origin, to which the method according to the invention is applicable and which have economically interesting contents of carotenoids. Palm oil is particularly preferred in this context. Further examples to be named include: soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, hemp oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, linseed oil, beet oil, castor oil, sesame oil, cocoa butter, rice germ oil, cottonseed oil, grape kernel oil, wheat germ oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, and mixtures thereof.
The extraction according to the present invention is preferably performed in countercurrent flow. This allows to exploit even small differences in distribution coefficient.
The extractant dissolved in the raffinate phase and/or the extract phase may (preferably between room temperature and 50xc2x0 C., however above the melting point of the fat or oil) be removed by liquid-liquid extraction with water. As a result of the very high distribution coefficient, high concentrations of the extractant in the aqueous solution may hereby be obtained. By rectification, the water and the extractant may be separated from each other. The recovered extractant may be recirculated.
Another possibility of purifying the raffinate phase and/or extract phase with respect to the extractants consists in removing the extractant from raffinate phase and/or extract phase by stripping with nitrogen, steam (steam distillation) or alcohol vapor, selected from among methanol vapor, ethanol vapor and isopropanol vapor, preferably under reduced pressure.
Moreover the extractant may be removed from the raffinate phase and/or extract phase by extraction with dense gases, selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, propane, propene, butane and mixtures thereof, preferably under near-critical conditions. As an example, 4-formylmorpholine is soluble at 70xc2x0 C. and 120 bar at a concentration of 9 wt. % in carbon dioxide.
Near-critical conditions, in the framework of this invention, preferably comprise reduced temperatures of from about 0.7 to about 1.3. The term xe2x80x9creduced temperaturexe2x80x9d is defined by the equation: Tr=T/Tc, wherein Tr is the reduced temperature, T is the actual working temperature and Tc is the critical temperature of the respective gas. The unit of T and Tc is Kelvin [K]. Tr does not have a unit, therefore. Butane, for instance, exhibits a reduced temperature of about 0,69 at room temperature.
The carotenes enriched in the extract phase may be recovered from said extract phase by crystallization and filtration. Preferably the filtered-off carotenes are commercialised while still oil-wet because pure carotenes have a tendency to undergo violent polymerisation reactions. The carotenes obtained in this way may, however, also be purified in accordance with conventional methods and sealed in vacuum ampoules. The remaining, carotene-saturated oil may be commercialised as such. As an alternative, this oil might also be recycled.
Various extractants, such as, for example, dimethylformamide, 4-formylmorpholine, etc., form two-phase systems with most oils and fats without the addition of auxiliary agents.
Where required, small quantities of water or of an alkanol entirely miscible with water, preferably methanol, are added to the extractants in order to bring about a two-phase condition.
Another option of establishing a two-phase condition in the systems of the extractants and the carotene-containing oil or fat consists in adding carbon dioxide, propane, propene or butane under elevated pressure to the mixture. Herein pressure and temperature are selected such that the binary system of gaseous components and solvent is single-phase, i.e., supercritical.
A third method for reducing the mutual solubility of extractant and oil is to add an alkane such as, for example, propane, butane, heptane or petroleum ether to the oil. Dimethylformamide and 4-formylmorpholine, for example, are miscible with most organic solvents with the exception of aliphatic hydrocarbons and glycerol triesters.
The slimy substances, solids, and free fatty acids are preferably removed in a maximum possible degree by degumming, filtration and deacidification, as well as combinations of these pretreatments. Oxygen should suitably also be removed beforehand.
The fat or oil of biological origin, prior to the extraction, may optionally be subjected to a preliminary extraction with a solvent selected from among methanol, ethanol, ethanol/water, isopropanol, isopropanol/water and mixtures thereof. However, this is not a prerequisite for the extraction according to the present invention.
As extractants for the extraction according to the invention, mixtures of N-methylpyrrolidone and methanol, preferably containing 30-70 wt. % methanol, in particular 40-60 wt. % methanol, or mixtures of 4-methylmorpholine and water, preferably containing 3-20 wt. % water, in particular 5-15 wt. % water, have been found to be well suited.
Extractants which are particularly well suited for the extraction according to the present invention are 4-formylmorpholine and mixtures of 4-formylmorpholine and methanol, preferably containing 5-30 wt. % methanol, in particular 5-10 wt. % methanol.
Extraction in accordance with the invention is preferably performed at temperatures in the range of from about 20 to about 120xc2x0 C., preferably in the range of from about 40 to about 80xc2x0 C. One suitably operates above the melting point of the respective fat or oil.


The present invention relates to the field of electronic design automation and, in particular, to improved techniques for performing optical proximity correction.
The manufacture of integrated circuits strives to place ever smaller features onto a given area of the integrated circuit chip. One challenge encountered in this effort to fabricate smaller features is the diffraction of the light used in photolithography. That is, the quality and fidelity of the microlithography stage of very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuit chip production depends on the wavelength of the light source and the size of the features to be printed.
Recent sub-wavelength lithography approaches aim to use wavelengths that are larger than the minimum feature size to generate the images, (e.g., light with a wavelength of 193 nanometers is being used to generate features with dimensions of 90, 65, or 45 nanometers). This approach, however, requires methods for the correction of degradations and distortions in the final pattern caused by light diffraction. That is, the photolithography mask used to generate the desired circuit pattern includes structures that anticipate and, at least partially correct for, the imperfections arising from striving to fabricate small features.
A computational simulation of the exposure and lithographic is run and the degradations or distortions are computed with various additions, inclusions and adjustments to the mask design. A mask design is selected that improves the final structure. These methods, commonly known as optical proximity correction (OPC), are mainly dependent on the optical system and mask features and may be computationally intensive. While regions having densely packed features tend to be more prone to distortions (the “proximity” effect), OPC calculations are not limited to such regions and can be advantageously applied to less-dense regions of the circuit.
OPC typically numerous features in a pattern layout to be computationally processed one or more times. Recent advances in semiconductor manufacturing allow billions of transistors (i.e., multibillion features) to be placed on a single chip. The well-known “Moore's law” postulates that the number of transistors that can be placed on a single chip doubles about every 12-24 months. Unfortunately, despite the advances in the central processing unit (CPU) clock speed and computing power, the gap between the computational power required for OPC calculations and the available CPU processing power keeps increasing. That is, the computing power required to efficiently execute the OPC calculations in a timely manner is growing at a faster rate than the available CPU power in a reasonably priced engineering workstation.
To further complicate the issue, the number of masks or layers to which OPC should be applied increases at each new semiconductor device manufacturing node. Since the features are getting smaller with every manufacturing node while the illumination wavelengths remain the same or decrease at a slower rate, the number of neighboring features effecting the fidelity of each feature increases. Therefore, the computational processing power required to perform OPC operations on new chip designs has been increasing at a rate of approximately factors of three or four or more for each successive manufacturing node.
Presently, the generation of optically corrected masks takes from many hours to several days per mask and the complexity of this process continues to grow. Because the features printed after the OPC process may still be different from the desired features, the impact of each feature on the functionality and performance of the chip needs to be readdressed in an iterative manner. A typical VLSI design process consists of several iterations of mask generation, OPC process, and interpretation of the results. These iterations may contribute several months of delay in the chip qualification and manufacturing process.
The persistent time-to-market pressures on new chip designs mandate improved methods to estimate and shorten the impact of the OPC process in the early stages of the design. Since it is computationally prohibitive to perform many iterations of OPC on a full-chip scale, partial or simple model-based OPC approaches are being applied in limited fashion, still necessitating full-chip OPC once the design is completed.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for improved systems and methods that shorten the time required to perform OPC, improve the accuracy of OPC methods, and are scalable to address larger chip designs.


It is often necessary to perform actuation movements and to generate force effects at different times or consecutively in injection molding machines. The actuation movements occur over more or less large displacements if little or no displacements are to be overcome when force effects are applied. The varying requirements occur in the operation of injection molding machines in connection with, for example, a pusher type screw unit of extruders wherein the plasticized plastics melt is metered into an injection mold by displacing the pusher type screw and the melt is subsequently subjected to a so-called dwell pressure.
Similar varying requirements also arise when operating a closing unit of an injection mold where two mold halves are movable towards or away from each other for the respective closing and opening of the injection mold, wherein the injection mold must be subjected to a specific closing force in its closed position.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to optimize the operating mode of a true-to-type displacement and/or actuating force driving device for injection molding machines.
A further object of the invention is to provide an economical displacement and/or actuating force drive device for injection molding machines.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device whose electromechanical displacement drive apparatus overcomes relatively larger actuation travels rapidly and safely.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device whose electromagnetic displacement drive device provides the necessary dwell pressure and/or closing forces.


The present invention relates generally to clothes washing machines, and more particularly to a rotatable subassembly for a horizontal axis clothes washing machine, such assembly including a clothes basket and balance rings.
Conventional clothes washing machines include vertical axis clothes washing machines and horizontal axis clothes washing machines, where "vertical axis" and "horizontal axis" refer to the orientation of the axis of rotation of the clothes basket. The clothes basket is generally enclosed by, and rotatably attached to, the non-rotating tub, and the tub is generally enclosed by, and typically suspended from, the cabinet.
Conventional vertical axis clothes washing machines include those in which the tub is suspended from the cabinet by a rod and spring tub suspension subassembly which prevents the tub from striking the cabinet during washing. The subassembly includes a cylinder typically (pivotably) attached to the tub, a rod having a first end positioned within the cylinder and a second end (pivotably) attached to the cabinet, a piston positioned within the cylinder and attached to the first end of the rod, and a spring positioned within the cylinder between the first and second ends of the rod.
Conventional vertical axis clothes washing machines also include those having a pair of balance rings with one balance ring being attached to the top and the other balance ring being attached to the bottom of the rotating clothes basket. The balance rings have circumferential cavities which are partially filled (typically between ten and ninety percent) with water, which are sealed, and which are independent of each other. The balance rings help balance an unbalanced load of clothes during the spin-dry cycle, as is known to those skilled in the art.
Known horizontal axis clothes washing machines lack balance rings and typically have the tub suspended by simple springs and damped from below by friction dampers or supported from below by shock absorber type struts. Such horizontal axis clothes washing machines tend to have their cabinet feet lift and tend to "walk" about during the spin-dry cycle, especially with a clothes-load unbalance, unless they are weighted or bolted down to the floor. Additionally, such horizontal axis clothes washing machines can transmit significant loads to the floor during the wash cycle. What is needed is a horizontal axis clothes washing machine which encompasses all of the following characteristics during both the wash and spin-dry cycles: small excursions; small bearing loads; small dynamic load transfer to the floor; and small weight.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic-component holding apparatus, an electronic-component mounting system, and an electronic-component mounting method, and particularly to an electronic-component holding apparatus including a plural-nozzle head that holds a plurality of suction nozzles adapted to hold respective electronic components, and a head holding member that holds the plural-nozzle head such that the plural-nozzle head is detachable from the head holding member; an electronic-component mounting system including the electronic-component holding apparatus; and an electronic-component mounting method using the electronic-component holding apparatus.
2. Discussion of Related Art
An example of the above-indicated electronic-component holding apparatus is disclosed by, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-221518. The electronic-component holding apparatus is employed by an electronic-component mounting system, and includes a head holding member that selectively holds an arbitrary one of different sorts of nozzle heads. The different sorts of nozzle heads hold different sorts and/or numbers of suction nozzles. Therefore, the head holding member selectively holds an appropriate one of the different nozzle heads that holds one or more suction nozzles corresponding to a sort or sorts, and/or a total number, of electronic components to be mounted on a circuit substrate.
The head holding member is provided with a head clamping device including an engaging pin and an engaging-pin operating device. The engaging-pin operating device includes a cam plate, and a rod member that is operable by an operator to rotate the cam plate and thereby move the engaging pin upward and downward. When a nozzle head is held by the head holding member, the operator rotates the cam plate so as to retract the engaging pin to its retracted position and, in this state, the nozzle head is attached to the head holding member. Then, the cam plate is rotated in a reverse direction so as to move the engaging pin to its operative position where the pin engages a roller provided in the nozzle head attached. When the nozzle head is removed from the head holding member, the operator operates in a reverse order, so that the engaging pin is disengaged from the roller and the nozzle head is detached from the head holding member.
However, it is cumbersome to attach the nozzle head to the nozzle holding member while operating the head clamping device. That is, it is time-consuming to attach and detach, while operating the head clamping device, the nozzle head to and from the nozzle holding member, which may lead to lowering an efficiency of mounting of electronic components.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display (FPD) support, especially to an FPD support that allows an FPD to be stood on a plane and a visual angle of the FPD adjusted.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
A flat panel display (FPD) is mounted on an FPD support with a hinge. The hinge allows the FPD to pivot relative to the FPD support and to adjust a visual angle of the FPD.
A conventional FPD support has a large base to stand stably on a plane. Consequently, the FPD with the conventional FPD support requires a large box for sale and has a large footprint, occupying a large area of a desk or table when in use.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an FPD support to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


Microporous polymeric films having structures that enable vapors to flow through them such that they are breathable or have breathability while at the same time inhibiting or stopping the flow of liquids through them have been known for some time. These types of films have been utilized in a wide variety of applications, such as in the preparation of synthetic leather, in the preparation of cloth laminates for use as synthetic shoes, raincoats, outer wear, camping equipment such as tents, and the like, and in combination with fabrics and other materials for preparation of medical applications such as surgical gowns, bandages, and the like, and applications such as house wrap, covers for automobiles and other motorized vehicles, and the like.
A variety of porous stretched polymeric films are known in the art. In general, there are three types of processes used to produce porous, melt-processed polymeric films including a stretching step. These three types are processes for stretching films of neat, unblended polymers containing no fillers, other than typical stabilizing additives; processes for making films from blends of two or more polymers, or from blends of polymer with mineral oil or an organic salt in which the dispersed phase is extracted with the film stretched before or after the extraction; and processes for producing films from blends of polymer with a filler such as calcium carbonate or barium sulfate with the film stretched after casting and without extraction.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,469 discloses oriented porous polymeric films formed from a polypropylene-based resin and having a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) determined according to ASTM E-96, procedure E, in the range of about 2,500 to about 7,500 g/m.sup.2 /24 hr, and a process for forming the films. The aesthetic characteristics of these polypropylene porous films have a somewhat stiffer nature or harsher hand relative to porous film made from synthetic materials other than polypropylene and that they have a tendency to produce a "rustling" noise when flexed.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,129 discloses a porous polymeric film having pores with polygonal cross sections and an average pore diameter of about 3 to about 100 microns formed from a resinous polymer of propylene and a process for forming the film comprising the steps of forming a film containing beta-spherulites and selectively extracting the beta-spherulites. Such films have utility as filtration devices, raincoats and tents.
Japanese Patent No. 199742 (1988) discloses a method for manufacturing a microporous polypropylene film from a composition consisting of polypropylene, a polymer with a melt crystallization point above that of polypropylene, and a beta-crystalline nucleating agent which is melt-extruded and molded into a sheet at 90.degree. to 120.degree. C., in which the resulting sheet is stretched at least uniaxially with an area draw ratio of 2.25-48.
EP 0 273 582A discloses a process wherein polypropylene blended with mineral oil and a nucleating agent is cast into a film. The mineral oil phase separates as droplets within the polypropylene matrix, and the droplets are removed in an extraction bath. The nucleating agent is said to act to reduce the size of the droplets and thereby reduce the size of the holes in the final product. The patent also discloses that the extracted film may be biaxially stretched although no description is given regarding the moisture vapor transmission rate of the resulting material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,865 discloses a process in which polymeric materials of stretch-orientable, non-elastomeric, at least partially crystalline polymers derived from polymerization of one or more unsaturated monomers and stretch orientable polyurethanes and an inorganic salt such as calcium carbonate are formed into films and then stretched uniaxiaily or biaxially to obtain high moisture vapor transmission rates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,655 discloses a process for forming porous thermoplastic films by cold stretching at high stretch tension and low stretch ratios films formed from a blend of synthetic orientable thermoplastic polymer and at least 50 wt % of an inorganic filler such as calcium carbonate, clays and titanium oxide coated with a fatty acid ester of silicon or titanium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,148 discloses a process for producing a polypropylene film having a surface layer of beta-form crystals wherein the film is extruded with a thermal gradient such that one side of the film cools at a much more rapid rate than the other, thereby producing beta-crystals on the cooled side. The resulting film is biaxially stretched to produce a film having a rough surface and which is air-tight.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,210,709, 4,331,622 and 4,335,193 disclose microporous films produced by extracting an organic substance from a film comprising 40 to 90 volume percent of a polyolefin having a number average molecular weight of 15,000 or more, 10 to 60 volume percent of an inorganic filler and 2 to 20 wt % based on the total weight of polyolefin and inorganic filler of an organic substance which is substantially insoluble in and inert to sulfuric acid and has a solubility parameter ranging from 7.3 to 8.4. Disclosed inorganic fillers are silica, calcium silicate, aluminum silicate, aluminum oxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, kaolin clay, pulverized talc, titanium oxide and diatomaceous earth. The organic substance includes low molecular weight polyolefins such as polyethylene wax, polyisobutylene, polybutadiene, and atactic polypropylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,144 discloses a microporous polypropylene film prepared by melt-forming into a film a mixture comprising (a) 20 to 80 wt % of a propylene homopolymer, a copolymer of propylene with other copolymerizable monomer or a blend thereof; (b) 80 to 20 wt % of at least one siliceous filler; (c) 10 to 40 wt % of a polyester type plasticizer and/or an epoxy-type plasticizer; and (d) a silane-type dispersant in an amount of 0.01 to 5 wt % based on the total weight of components (a), (b) and (c), and stretching the sheet or film at an area stretching ratio of 1.5 to 30.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,777,073 and 4,929,303 disclose a breathable polyolefin film and method for preparing same from melt embossed polyolefin/filler precursor films.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,814,124 and 4,921,653 disclose gas-permeable films prepared by stretching a film from a mixture containing a polyolefin resin such as polypropylene, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, and polybutylene, copolymers such as ethylene-propylene copolymer and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or blends of these polymers, and an inorganic filler such as calcium carbonate and barium sulfate preferably added at 50 to 500 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin resin.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,824,718 and 4,902,553 disclose a method of making microporous film comprising forming a blend of a crystallizable thermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene, polyethylene and polyethylene-polypropylene, a rattle-reducing additive material and a nucleating agent system such as a solid organic acid and an inorganic compound, extruding the blend into a film and orienting the film by stretching at a temperature in the range from 10.degree. C. to a temperature 10.degree. C. below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,643 discloses a process for forming soft porous sheets comprising 40 to 80 wt % of an inorganic filler and 60 to 20 wt % of a polyolefin-type thermoplastic elastomer composition such as ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer, ethylene-butene copolymer and propylene-butene copolymer, and stretching the sheet at a temperature lower than the softening temperature of the polyolefin type thermoplastic elastomer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,172 discloses a method for producing microporous material comprising a matrix consisting essentially of linear ultra-high molecular weight polyolefin, a large proportion of finely divided water-soluble siliceous filler and interconnecting pores by stretching to increase the porosity and provide a region of stretch-induced molecularly oriented polymer in the matrix.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,296 discloses microporous films prepared by stretching a film cast from composition of a polyolefin and high levels of CaCO.sub.3 or glass beads and calcium stearate in two directions from 1.5 to 7 times in each direction and having Gurley porosities of from 0.1 to 85 seconds.
Despite the porous films and methods of preparing same disclosed in the patents above, there remains a need for polymeric compositions capable of being formed into microporous films with improved strength and breathability and for a facile processes for forming such microporous films. It is an object of this invention to provide improved polymeric compositions capable of being convened into oriented microporous polymeric films. Another object of this invention is to provide oriented microporous polymeric film and improved processes for preparing these films. Other objects of this invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following description and claims.
We have found that the objects of this invention can be attained by providing a polymeric composition comprising ethylene-propylene block copolymer, polypropylene homopolymer or random copolymer of polypropylene having up to 10 wt % of a comonomer such as ethylene or an .alpha.-olefin of 4 to 8 carbon atoms and one or more components selected from low molecular weight polypropylene, beta-spherulite nucleating agent and inorganic filler such as calcium carbonate from which oriented polymeric microporous films are produced which have a MVTR of about 500 g/m.sup.2 /24 hr or greater as determined according to ASTM E-96, procedure E. Compositions comprising about 5 to about 30 wt % of the ethylene-propylene block copolymer, about 70 to about 95 wt % of the polypropylene homopolymer or random copolymer and beta-spherulite nucleating agent are converted into oriented polymeric microporous films by a process including the extractive removal of beta-spherulites. Polymeric compositions comprising ethylene-propylene block copolymer and polypropylene homopolymer or random copolymer in a weight of about 30-95/70-5 and one or more components elected from low molecular weight polypropylene, beta-spherulite nucleating agent and calcium carbonate are convened into oriented polymeric microporous films by orienting films cast from the compositions without any extraction step.
Advantageously, we have found that the polymeric compositions of this invention provide oriented microporous films that exhibit improved breathability, strength, toughness and break elongation and are useful for apparel applications such as sportswear, ski clothing, lining material for sportswear and the like, medical apparel such as surgical drapes, protective gowns and the like, equipment covers, filters, housewrap, pressure sensitive labels and the like.


The invention is directed to optical devices and related methods. In particular, the invention provides a method and device for emitting electromagnetic radiation using nonpolar or semipolar gallium containing substrates such as GaN, AN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlInGaN, and others. The invention provides a method and device using a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate configured on the {20-21} family of planes or an off-cut of the {20-21} family of planes towards the plus or minus c-plane and/or towards the a-plane according to one or more embodiments, but there can be other configurations. Still more particularly, the invention provides a method and resulting structures that use high indium content InGaN or thick InGaN regions to facilitate manipulation of optical modes for desired optical properties in devices such as laser diodes. Such high indium content InGaN or thick InGaN regions are integrally coupled to a strain control region, which allows for such integration in an efficient and reliable manner. The invention can be applied to optical devices, lasers, light emitting diodes, solar cells, photoelectrochemical water splitting and hydrogen generation, photodetectors, integrated circuits, and transistors, among other devices.
In 1960, the laser was first demonstrated by Theodore H. Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu. This laser utilized a solid-state flash lamp-pumped synthetic ruby crystal to produce red laser light at 694 nm. By 1964, blue and green laser output was demonstrated by William Bridges at Hughes Aircraft utilizing a gas laser design called an Argon ion laser. The Ar-ion laser utilized a noble gas as the active medium and produce laser light output in the UV, blue, and green wavelengths including 351 nm, 454.6 nm, 457.9 nm, 465.8 nm, 476.5 nm, 488.0 nm, 496.5 nm, 501.7 nm, 514.5 nm, and 528.7 nm. The Ar-ion laser had the benefit of producing highly directional and focusable light with a narrow spectral output, but the wall plug efficiency was <0.1%, and the size, weight, and cost of the lasers were undesirable as well.
As laser technology evolved, more efficient lamp pumped solid state laser designs were developed for the red and infrared wavelengths, but these technologies remained a challenge for blue and green and blue lasers. As a result, lamp pumped solid state lasers were developed in the infrared, and the output wavelength was converted to the visible using specialty crystals with nonlinear optical properties. A green lamp pumped solid state laser had 3 stages: electricity powers lamp, lamp excites gain crystal which lases at 1064 nm, 1064 nm goes into frequency conversion crystal which converts to visible 532 nm. The resulting green and blue lasers were called “lamped pumped solid state lasers with second harmonic generation” (LPSS with SHG) had wall plug efficiency of ˜1%, and were more efficient than Ar-ion gas lasers, but were still too inefficient, large, expensive, fragile for broad deployment outside of specialty scientific and medical applications. Additionally, the gain crystal used in the solid state lasers typically had energy storage properties which made the lasers difficult to modulate at high speeds which limited its broader deployment.
To improve the efficiency of these visible lasers, high power diode (or semiconductor) lasers were utilized. These “diode pumped solid state lasers with SHG” (DPSS with SHG) had 3 stages: electricity powers 808 nm diode laser, 808 nm excites gain crystal, which lases at 1064 nm, 1064 nm goes into frequency conversion crystal which converts to visible 532 nm. The DPSS laser technology extended the life and improved the wall plug efficiency of the LPSS lasers to 5-10%, and further commercialization ensue into more high-end specialty industrial, medical, and scientific applications. However, the change to diode pumping increased the system cost and required precise temperature controls, leaving the laser with substantial size, power consumption while not addressing the energy storage properties which made the lasers difficult to modulate at high speeds.
As high power laser diodes evolved and new specialty SHG crystals were developed, it became possible to directly convert the output of the infrared diode laser to produce blue and green laser light output. These “directly doubled diode lasers” or SHG diode lasers had 2 stages: electricity powers 1064 nm semiconductor laser, 1064 nm goes into frequency conversion crystal which converts to visible 532 nm green light. These lasers designs are meant to improve the efficiency, cost and size compared to DPSS-SHG lasers, but the specialty diodes and crystals required make this challenging today. Additionally, while the diode-SHG lasers have the benefit of being directly modulate-able, they suffer from severe sensitivity to temperature which limits their application.


Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, clothes dryers, refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, may have a configuration based on a rotating drum that defines a treating chamber in which laundry items are placed for treating. The laundry treating appliance may have a controller that implements a number of pre-programmed cycles of operation. The user typically manually selects the cycle of operation from the given pre-programmed cycles. Each pre-programmed cycle may have any number of adjustable parameters, which may be input by the user or may be set by the controller. The controller may set the parameter according to default values, predetermined values, or responsive to conditions within the treating chamber.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foreign matter recovering apparatus for recovering a small foreign matter present in a space inaccessible by an operator and, in particular, a space of fuel assembly for nuclear power generation.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been generally known to use, for example, a magic hand and forceps as a means for recovering foreign matter trapped in a narrow space. Further, it has also been known to use, as means for recovering a foreign matter trapped in a normally inaccessible or hard-to-access space, a medical endoscope for immediately eliminating foreign matter by a biopsy forceps as well as a vacuum for vacuum-sucking foreign matter by a nozzle from a distant location.
The endoscope is guided into the human body cavity to photograph the interior of the internal organs of a human being or remotely controlled from outside the human body to remove its diseased region by the forceps so that a diagnostic treatment is made from within the human body.
In nuclear power generation, use is made of a fuel assembly 201 as shown in FIG. 19. The fuel assembly 201 is comprised of pipe-like fuel elements 202, . . . filled with nuclear fuel and has a full length of, for example, about 4 m with clearances 203, . . . of, for example, 2 to 3 mm created among the respective fuel elements 202, . . . . FIG. 19 shows the fuel assembly comprised of 8.times.8 fuel elements.
In FIG. 19, reference numerals 204 and 205 show upper and lower tying plates, respectively. The fuel elements 202, . . . are held, by the upper and lower tying plates 204 and 205, at their upper and lower end portions.
In FIG. 19, reference numeral 206 shows a plurality of spacers (only one of them is shown) disposed in a longitudinal direction of the fuel elements 202 such that they are held partway in the longitudinal direction of the fuel elements 202, . . . . The spacer 206 includes a mechanism for individually holding the fuel elements 202, . . . .
External springs 207, . . . are disposed between the upper ends of the fuel pairs 202 and the upper tying plate 204.
The fuel assembly 201 is held, prior to use, for example, in a fuel storage pool 208 as shown in FIG. 20, and suspended at a water depth of about 10 m.
Further, the fuel assembly 201 may be temporarily held in the storage pool 208 in the event of a nuclear reactor failure, etc., so that it is inspected for its defect. Therefore, the fuel assembly can be held in the pool not only before its use but also at any necessary time during its use.
In the case where foreign matter, such as screws and metal pieces, is trapped in the fuel assembly 201 in the pool 208, it is necessary to recover it, but the fuel assembly 201 is suspended in the storage pool at the water depth of 10 m under a high pressure environment where there exits radiation of high intensity. The clearances 203 among the fuel elements 202 are each created on the order of as small as 2 to 3 mm.
It is, therefore, not possible to immediately recover such foreign matter by hand. It is required that the means for recovering the foreign matter be remotely controlled at a position adequately spaced apart from the fuel assembly 201.
It may be considered that the aforementioned endoscope is applied to the recovery of the foreign matter in the fuel assembly 201. The medical endoscope can be directly operated, while viewing the foreign matter through an eyepiece, in which case the instrument is remotely controlled at an operation distance of, for example, about 1 m. The control of the instrument direction, driving of the forceps, etc., are done with the use of an operation force transmitted through a flexible wire. Further, the endoscope is usually so set to have 5 mm in external diameter.
It is, therefore, difficult for the endoscope to recover a small foreign matter at a position adequately remote from the fuel assembly 201, that is, to guide the instrument's tip into the fuel assembly 201 and set it there, guide the instrument's tip or forceps into the clearance 203 of the fuel elements 202, and accurately drive the forceps and recover the foreign matter.
For a means for vacuum-sucking a foreign matter without a visual inspection, it is difficult to accurately locate its vacuum nozzle at a predetermined position of an object of interest.


The present invention relates to a detachable biological signal measuring pad and a biological signal measuring apparatus using the same, and more particularly, to a detachable biological signal measuring pad that may greatly improve portability and ease of use, and a biological signal measuring apparatus using the same.
With the advent of the well-being age in recent years, concern about health is gradually growing, and especially early identification and management of the health status of individuals has been known as the most important issue to maintain a healthy life. In particular, well monitoring of biological signals from the body such as pulse or body temperature with respect to health care groups such as the elderly or the chronically ill, is to prevent misfortune such as rapid degradation of the quality of life, and therefore the importance of good understanding of one's health status has been further emphasized. However, as society is gradually aging and population of the elderly is increasing, the number of the chronically ill is increasing due to the westernization of eating habits, whereas an environment to identify and manage biological signals associated with the health of the individuals has not been significantly improved. That is, the number of persons of the health care group whose health status needs to be particularly well-managed is increasing, but an environment to frequently measure the health status of each individual is not actually established. Typically, because a person who wishes to identify their health status has to use examination equipment provided from a medical institution, it is difficult to frequently identify his/her health status, and therefore persons of the health care group having severe ups and downs in their health status have low efficiency. In recent years, home inspection equipment capable of measuring biological signals at home such as an electrocardiogram has been released, but is generally too big and heavy to move, and only measured results are obtainable, and therefore, it is difficult for a user to directly determine which action he/she should take from the measured results unless the user goes again to a medical facility to enquire and seek advice. Accordingly, there is a demand for a new type of system for measuring biological signals that may be more easily portable, and improve utilization of measured results.


1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a piezoelectric element and a piezoelectric element-applied device that are excellent in displacement properties.
2. Related Art
In general, piezoelectric elements have a piezoelectric layer with electromechanical transducing properties and two electrodes holding the piezoelectric layer therebetween. In recent years, devices (piezoelectric element-applied devices) using such a piezoelectric element as a driving source have been increasingly developed. Examples of such a piezoelectric element-applied device under development include liquid ejecting heads represented by an ink jet recording head, MEMS devices represented by a piezoelectric MEMS device, ultrasonic measuring devices represented by an ultrasonic sensor or the like, and piezoelectric actuators.
A piezoelectric material used for such a piezoelectric layer is expected to have good piezoelectric properties, and as such a piezoelectric material, a composite oxide having a binary perovskite structure (perovskite composite oxides) containing lead titanate (PbTiO3, hereinafter, referred to as “PT”) and lead zirconate (PbZrO3, hereinafter, referred to as “PZ”), that is, lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr, Ti)O3, hereinafter, referred to as “PZT”) is widely known.
In recent years, multicomponent perovskite composite oxides containing a third component in PZT have also been developed, and as such a multicomponent PZT, PZT containing lead nickelate niobate (Pb(Ni, Nb)O3, hereinafter, referred to as “PNN”) as a third component (PNN-PZT) is known (e.g., refer to JP-A-11-129478 and JP-A-11-207957).
PNN-PZT, however, lacks sufficient displacement properties desired for higher performance and the like of various apparatuses having a piezoelectric element-applied device mounted therein and displacement properties comparable at least to those of PZT are needed. To obtain excellent displacement properties, selection of a substitution site and a substitution element of a perovskite composite oxide, substitution amount, and the like should be further reviewed for further optimization. Such a problem is not limited to that in piezoelectric elements mounted in ink jet recording heads, and similar problems arise in elements for piezoelectric MEMS devices, ultrasonic sensors, piezoelectric actuators, and the like.


Wireless communication systems have been widely deployed to provide various types of communication services including voice and data services. In general, a wireless communication system is a multiple access system that supports communication among multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g. bandwidth, transmit power, etc.) among the multiple users. The multiple access system may adopt a multiple access scheme such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), or Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA).


The present invention relates to devices for penetrating the skin to extract blood or other fluids for analysis, and more particularly, to a skin-pricking device that is capable of transporting and analyzing physiological fluid from the skin.
Medical testing of a patient""s body fluid (such as blood) is often required for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. For example, to obtain a blood sample, the current state of-art requires either venipuncture or xe2x80x9cfinger-stickxe2x80x9d using a lancet. Finger-stick tests can be done for measuring blood sugar levels by diabetics using home test kits in xe2x80x9cpoint of care diagnosis.xe2x80x9d These test kits require that a drop of blood be obtained and placed into a measurement apparatus that calculates and then displays the glucose concentration in the blood sample. To obtain the drop of blood, the user is supplied with a lancet device, which makes a skin prick (typically in the user""s finger). The user then xe2x80x9cmilksxe2x80x9d the punctured spot to draw enough blood to the surface of the finger. The blood is then transferred to a test strip placed in the apparatus for measurement. In venipuncture, the blood sample is drawn in a syringe or a vial via a hypodermic needle from a vein and delivered to a measuring apparatus. In both these methods, the blood sample is injected into or applied onto a sensing device, which may be a sensor cartridge, or sensor strip (as in home glucose analysis) or a more sophisticated apparatus as used in laboratory tests. A clear disadvantage of these solutions is that they involve multiple steps, as well as other manipulations by the user. Moreover, in the finger-stick methods, the process of milking and drawing blood sample to the surface leads to changes in the analyte concentration, due to mixing of the sample with interstitial fluid or due to exposure of the sample to the ambient environment (e.g., exposure to air). For these reasons, the current methods of finger-stick sampling cannot be used to measure parameters such as blood gas contents. Due to the low efficiency of transferring the sample to the sensing apparatuses, the two step sampling and sensing methods in venipuncture typically need to draw larger blood samples than are actually required for sensing. Since pain is related to the amount of blood extracted, venipuncture inflicts significant amount of unnecessary pain and trauma to the patient. Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method for sampling and quickly analyzing blood from a patient with minimal pain using a small volume of sample blood.
The present invention provides a technique for sampling and analyzing physiological fluid acquired from a tissue on the body of an animal (i.e., physiological tissue or body tissue) such as the skin (e.g., a liquid such as blood from the capillaries beneath the surface of the skin or the interstitial fluid of a tissue). In one aspect, the present invention provides a device for sampling and analyzing a fluid from the physiological tissue (e.g., from capillaries beneath the skin) of a patient by puncture. The device includes a body that includes a needle and sensors. The needle has a point for puncturing the physiological tissue and a channel in the body conducting fluid (e.g., blood) proximally from the wound into the body. Sensors in the body are accessible to blood conducted along the channel for analysis. The device can be used to sample and analyze the fluid quickly, and with minimal exposure to air. In one aspect, the present technique of sampling and analyzing a physiological fluid includes puncturing the physiological tissue with a lancing unit having a channel therein, leading through a needle to a sharp point; conducting the fluid from the physiological tissue from the sharp point up the channel; and analyzing the fluid with sensors along the channel while the fluid is in the channel.
Using the technique of the present invention, a user can conveniently obtain and analyze a small volume of a physiological sample (such as blood) quickly, thereby ensuring that the sample does not have exposure to air. Using a device of the present invention will enable one or more constituents (and parameters) of the patient""s physiological fluid to be measured to determine the biochemical parameters (which reflect the patient""s physiological condition). Such parameters may include pH, glucose concentration, blood gas content, the concentration of other blood constituents (such as , but not limited to, e.g., creatinine, potassium, chloride, calcium, blood urea nitrogen), and the like. There is no need for the user to undergo extensively invasive procedures such as arterial or venous punctures to measure such parameters, hence making self-monitoring possible for data such as blood gas contents. The convenience afforded by the present invention enables a user to more closely comply with the self-monitoring program prescribed by the health professionals. Further, the device can have a needle that is disposable and well-shielded to prevent exposure of biohazard (such as blood from a sick patient) to others. Additionally, the needle according to the present invention can be mass-produced, thus making such devices more cost-effective and available to users.


1) Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to devices which are for the purpose of rejuvenation of the skin of a human.
2) Description of the Prior Art
It has been found in the past that a human can perform certain procedures on one's skin in order to enhance the skin to make it more healthy so that its general overall appearance is improved. For example, the application of certain cleansing creams and certain softening cremes has been known to enhance the appearance of the skin. It has also been known that applying a small electrical current to one's skin will improve the skin.
In the past, there has been little advancement in recent years of devices which enhance the skin with an electric charge. There has been an endless number of compositions of creams, but in actuality there has been little use of any device to apply an electric charge to one's skin. Previously, the devices which were constructed to imply an electric charge did not take into consideration as to the type of electric charge, it just being an electric charge was used. Additionally, such devices of the prior art have been constructed to be cumbersome and unattractive in appearance. It is well known that in order to entice women to use such an apparatus, with women being the normal user, the apparatus must be attractive in appearance and operate simply as possible.


This application claims priority to German Patent Application DE10161292.3, filed Dec. 13, 2001, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
This invention relates to a shroud for the support of roots of variable stator vanes in the high-pressure compressor of a gas turbine.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a shroud as it is used for the inner support of variable stator vanes primarily in the area of the high-pressure compressors of present-day turbofan engines.
Such shrouds are usually made of aluminium, steel alloy or titanium. A design of this type is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,767.
The shrouds normally consist of two parts so that there is a front and a rear shroud segment. These shroud segments are annular. For weight reduction, an axial annulus is provided in these shroud segments which is produced by turning machining, for example. In order to reduce air swirls, vibrations and noise generation, the annulus is provided with a rubber filling in the state of the art. This filling is applied by way of vulcanization.
Such rubber fillings are disadvantageous in several respects. One disadvantage is the high effort required for production involving a manual special process which is time-consuming and, therefore, expensive. This special process normally comprises several operations, in particular cleaning, priming, filling, heat-treatment and removal of surplus rubber material as well as subsequent re-cleaning of the segments of the shroud. Quality problems may arise from lack of adhesion or from bubbling of the rubber material. In operation, the rubber filling is susceptible to failure since it is subject to ageing and tends to develop cracks at the joints. Furthermore, the rubber filling has a relatively high weight.
In a broad aspect, the present invention provides a shroud of the type specified at the beginning which, while avoiding the disadvantages of the state of the art, features simplicity of design, easy and cost-effective production and, in particular, light weight.
It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a solution to said problems by a combination of the features described herein, with further objects and advantages of the present invention becoming apparent from the description below.
The present invention, therefore, provides for an annular cover arranged in the area of the opening of the annulus, this annular cover being provided with assembly openings. In addition, provision is made for a tubular support arranged in the spacing between the assembly recess of the cover and the corresponding assembly hole of the shroud segment.
The shroud according to the present invention features a variety of merits.
In accordance with the present invention, the rubber filling, which features the above-mentioned disadvantages, is replaced by an annular cover. Compared with a rubber-filled shroud segment, the shroud segment thus provided features a very similar or identical outer contour. Accordingly, the acoustic properties and the flow conditions, which may give rise to air swirls and vibrations, develop very favourably and at least achieve the values known from state-of-the-art shrouds.
A major advantage of the solution according to the present invention is the simple and rapid manner in which it can be produced. The expensive operations required for the application of the rubber filling can now completely be dispensed with. This results in a clear cost advantage over the state of the art.
Another major advantage lies in the fact that no materials that are susceptible to ageing, such as rubber, are applied. This provides for increased reliability and life.
Still another advantage is the weight reduction obtained owing to the absence of a filling with rubber or any other filling material.
Changes to the design of the shroud segments are not required since the cover according to the present invention is fitted into the area of the mouth of the annulus. This enables existing shroud segments to be converted accordingly upon removal of the rubber filling.
It is also advantageous that the cover can be removed and re-installed at any time, for example for maintenance or other work.
In a particularly favourable form of the present invention, the cover is designed essentially as a flat ring. This ring may simply be made of sheet metal, for example aluminium or titanium. It is also particularly favourable to profile the cover at least at its rims. Such edging or flanging may give a particularly favourable clamping effect or an interference fit, thus ensuring the operational safety of the cover fitted into the annulus.
In order to avoid vibrations and similar occurrences, additional stiffening measures may be applied, such as beading or the like.
The support is preferably cup-shaped or hat-shaped. Like the cover, it can be made of sheet metal by rolling or deep-drawing or a similar shaping process. It is also particularly favourable if the free rim area of the support is profiled for retention of the cover, for example by bending or flanging. Thus, the support locates the cover and restrains it against the shroud segment, ensuring safe attachment. Restraint is applied via the fixing bolts which are also used for clamping the two shroud segments of the shroud. The supports are preferably dimensioned such that they are slightly shorter than the depth of the annulus of the shroud segments. This clearance may be 0.5 mm, for example. Accordingly, restraint is applied to the cover by way of the bolted connection.
The covers and the supports may be one-part or multi-part. The covers and/or supports may also be made of a plastic or similar material, for example by injection moulding, instead of a metallic material as described above.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image equipment having image forming elements such as an image sensor element or a display element, and also to a vibrating device designed to vibrate the dust-screening member that is arranged at the front of each image forming element of such an image equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
As image equipment having image forming elements, there is known an image acquisition apparatus that has an image sensor element configured to produce a video signal corresponding to the light applied to its photoelectric conversion surface. Also known is an image projector that has a display element, such as liquid crystal element, which displays an image on a screen. In recent years, image equipment having such image forming elements have been remarkably improved in terms of image quality. If dust adheres to the surface of the image forming element such as the image sensor element or display element or to the surface of the transparent member (optical element) that is positioned in front of the image forming element, the image produced will have shadows of the dust particles. This makes a great problem.
For example, digital cameras of called “lens-exchangeable type” have been put to practical use, each comprising a camera body and a photographic optical system removably attached to the camera body. The lens-exchangeable digital camera is so designed that the user can use various kinds of photographic optical systems, by removing the photographic optical system from the camera body and then attaching any other desirable photographic optical system to the camera body. When the photographic optical system is removed from the camera body, the dust floating in the environment of the camera flows into the camera body, possibly adhering to the surface of the image sensor element or to the surface of the transparent member (optical element), such as a lens, cover glass or the like, that is positioned in front of the image sensor element. The camera body contains various mechanisms, such as a shutter and a diaphragm mechanism. As these mechanisms operate, they produce dust, which may adhere to the surface of the image sensor element as well.
Projectors have been put to practical use, too, each configured to enlarge an image displayed by a display element (e.g., CRT or liquid crystal element) and project the image onto a screen so that the enlarged image may be viewed. In such a projector, too, dust may adhere to the surface of the display element or to the surface of the transparent member (optical element), such as a lens, cover glass or the like, that is positioned in front of the display element, and enlarged shadows of the dust particles may inevitably be projected to the screen.
Various types of mechanisms that remove dust from the surface of the image forming element or the transparent member (optical element) that is positioned in front of the image sensor element, provided in such image equipment have been developed.
In an electronic image acquisition apparatus disclosed in, for example, U.S. 2004/0169761 A1, a ring-shaped piezoelectric element (vibrating member) is secured to the circumferential edge of a glass plat shaped like a disc (dust-screening member). When a voltage of a prescribed frequency is applied to the piezoelectric element, the glass plat shaped like a disc undergoes a standing-wave, bending vibration having nodes at the concentric circles around the center of the glass plat shaped like a disc. This vibration removes the dust from the glass disc. The vibration (vibrational mode 1) produced by the voltage of the prescribed frequency is a standing wave having nodes at the concentric circles around the center of the disc. The dust particles at these nodes cannot be removed, because the amplitude of vibration at the nodes is small. In view of this, the glass plat shaped like a disc is vibrated at a different frequency, achieving a standing-wave vibration (vibrational mode 2) that has nodes at concentric circles different from those at which the nodes of vibrational mode 1 are located. Thus, those parts of the glass disc, where the nodes lie in vibrational mode 1, are vibrated at large amplitude.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-228246 discloses a rectangular dust-screening member and piezoelectric elements secured to the opposite sides of the dust-screening member, respectively. The piezoelectric elements produce vibration at a predetermined frequency, resonating the dust-screening member. Vibration is thereby achieved in such mode that nodes extend parallel to the sides of the dust-screening member. Further, as in the mechanism of U.S. 2004/0169761 A1, the dust-screening member is made to resonate at a different frequency, accomplishing a standing-wave vibrational mode, in order to change the opposition of nodes. Any one of these vibrational modes achieves bending vibration having nodes extending parallel to the sides of the dust-screening member.


In recent years, there is an increasing demand for highly durable concrete whose strength is highly increased, for example, by reducing a water content used in the concrete, and this tendency will further increase in the future. For reducing the water content, a polycarboxylic acid-based water reducing agent excellent in water reducing properties and flow retention is used. As the water content is reduced, however, fresh concrete viscosity (also referred to hereinafter as concrete viscosity) is increased which causes the problem of deterioration in workability and operativeness in delivery by pressurization with a pump, in placing, or in compacting into a form. This problem of increased viscosity cannot sufficiently be solved by the polycarboxylic acid-based water reducing agent, and there is a need for additives having higher effects on reduction of concrete viscosity.
On one hand, techniques wherein a phosphate-based additive is used as an additive for hydraulic compositions are disclosed. For example, JP-B 2508113 discloses a technique of using an additive composition containing a specific polycarboxylic acid-based cement dispersant, a specific nonionic compound, and a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether phosphate as one compound selected from compounds used as air entraining agents. JP-A 1-219050 discloses a composition containing a phosphate of specific structure as a cement dispersant and a specific nonionic surfactant.
JP-A 2002-121058 discloses an admixture containing a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether phosphate and a polymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer having a specific polyoxyalkylene group.


The present invention relates generally to semiconductor device manufacturing and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for improved pressure sensing control during wafer probing of integrated circuits.
Integrated circuits are often manufactured on a semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon wafer. Typically, a single wafer will have numerous integrated circuit (IC) devices formed thereon a lattice pattern. Each IC device has of numerous layers of circuitry and a collection of external bonding pads, which are small sites made from a conductive material such as aluminum. The bonding pads eventually serve as the device's connections to the pin leads.
Since the packaging of a device is a costly procedure, it is desirable to test a device beforehand to avoid packaging faulty devices. The testing process involves initially establishing electrical contact between a probe card and the wafer, and thereafter running a series of tests on the devices on the wafer's surface. The probe card has a collection of individual electrical contact pins or probes that stand in for the normal pins and wire leads of a packaged device. The wafer is positioned relative to the probe card so that the contact pins on the probe card make contact with a wafer's bonding pads and probe pads while a special tester runs a series of electrical tests on the wafer's devices. A wafer prober is used to position the wafer with respect to the probe card.
In order to provide appropriately reliable electrical contact with a device under test (DUT), numerous and diverse types of probes have been developed in the technology, wherein it is normally recognized that each probe type necessitates the employment of a specific probing force. An insufficient contact force between the probe and the wafer will result in an unreliable electrical contact, while an excessive contact force will result in damage to the probes or contact pads on the DUT. Currently, most systems which are employed for wafer testing do not incorporate sufficiently reliable structure or testing steps which will readily or accurately determine the probe force that is being applied to each pad on the DUT during implementation of the testing procedure.
Each probe technology has a characteristic probe compliance or spring rate, and thus the correct probe force occurs at a specific probe displacement. Consequently, a current wafer testing practice is to overdrive or displace the wafer the specified distance into the probe system. Unfortunately, the resulting forces may result in significant deflection of the probe support structure. This is especially a problem with probe arrays that incorporate a large number of probes. In this case, the amount of overdrive must be increased to overcome deflection of the support structure. The actual amount of the resultant force is not readily determinable and may be open to conjecture. Thus, a typical overdrive is ordinarily determined experimentally for one particular product, and through extrapolation or assumptions employed for all similar systems and products.


Some computer systems used by today's business organizations are rather complex. Such a system may include of a great number of separate components that, to some extent, must operate well with each other for the system as a whole to be functional. For example, a system may include one or more sophisticated software applications for performing business operations, such as in a customer relationship management (CRM) framework. Moreover, the system may include one or more services, which are software applications devoted to managing several business application programs, and which may be considered the basic building blocks for such business applications. In addition, many systems include one or more databases with an associated component, such as a search engine, for retrieving information from the data base. Moreover, a system may include various other components dedicated to specific tasks, such as maintaining network connections, managing user accounts, and producing graphical user interfaces.
Typically, any of these exemplary components interacts with one or more of the other components during operation of the system. Each component may have alternative configurations, settings, and so on, that control how it operates in the system environment. It is therefore very important that integration between the various components is done properly. Also, some components can interact only with a specific version of certain software. Some or all of these configurations or settings may have default values when the system is first initiated. However, default settings may be, or become, inadequate. For example, a component that is preconfigured to work in a certain system environment may not function properly if the actual system includes components that were not taken into consideration in creating the default configuration. The need for special configuration or resetting of default values may be greater when a system includes components from several different manufacturers. A poorly-configured system may malfunction or not function as well as intended. The type of problems that occur can conceptually be categorized as either application related problems or content related problems.
An application related problem generally means that one or more application program does not work as intended. For example, a command or a performed operation does not produce any result at all or produces a result that is different from what it should be. As another example, something that should happen automatically in the system does not happen or occurs at the wrong time.
A content related problem generally means that, while the system behavior may appear normal, the results are not reliable. For example, the results of a search performed on a database with known contents are not what they should be. As another example, data corruption may occur in the transfer of information between components in a system.
These problems also can occur after a user customizes the system. For example, adding one or more user created components to a preconfigured system may cause problems if the original components are not properly configured to work with the custom component, or by the custom component is not properly configured for the original components, or both.
Moreover, it may be difficult to discern the exact cause of a particular problem that is observed. For example, when the system presents a collection of data that is retrieved from several different locations and it is discovered that the data is not complete, the user may not be able to readily determine whether this problem is due to a failure to retrieve data from a specific location or whether data is retrieved from the location but later lost or corrupted in transmission. To remedy an observed problem, the user may need to determine its origin and take suitable measures designed to cure it.