Abstract: A system is provided for sensing, orienting, and transporting wafers in an automated wafer handling process that reduces the generation of particles and contamination so that the wafer yield is increased. The system includes a robotic arm for moving a wafer from one station to a destination station, and an end-effector connected to an end of the robotic arm for receiving the wafer. The end-effector includes a mechanism for gripping the wafer, a direct drive motor for rotating the wafer gripping mechanism, and at least one sensor for sensing the location and orientation of the wafer. A control processor is provided for calculating the location of the center and the notch of the wafer based on measurements by the sensor(s). Then, the control processor generates an alignment signal for rotating the wafer gripping mechanism so that the wafer is oriented at a predetermined position on the end-effector while the robotic arm is moving to another station.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a peripheral wall having an inner surface that defines a substrate transport chamber capable of holding an isolated atmosphere, at least one substantially ring shaped motor having at least one stator module located within the peripheral wall, between the inner surface and an adjacent outer surface of the peripheral wall and at least one rotor suspended substantially without contact within the transport chamber such that a surface of the peripheral wall encompassed by the ring shaped motor is configured for attachment thereto of a predetermined device and at least one substrate transport arm connected to the at least one rotor and having at least one end effector configured to hold at least one substrate.

Abstract: A method of coding video frames in a telecommunication system, comprising: forming a video frame of consecutive stationary frames, storing the frame reconstruction data of at least one frame as a reference frame and the motion data of earlier coded neighboring blocks, defining by means of the motion data of one or more earlier coded neighboring blocks the motion data of the block to be coded, which neighboring block is formed by means of the stored reference frame, defining the frame reconstruction data of the frame to be coded, selecting for use the frame reconstruction data and motion data representing the block to be coded, which provide a pre-defined coding efficiency with a predefined picture quality.

Abstract: A lightning protection system for a composite structure has an outer surface designed to be subject to an air flow. This system has an electrically conductive strip and fasteners from the strip to the structure. Since the structure has holes designed for the fasteners, at least some of these fasteners have an attachment element from the lightning to this structure. This attachment element is inserted into the hole with its top part approximately even with the outer surface of this structure, and the attachment element is in electrical contact with the electrically conductive strip. At least part of the electrically conductive strip is placed within the thickness of the structure and to be connected to the ground.

Abstract: Provided are a stationary phase and a column using a cucurbituril-bound silica gel, and a method of separating taxane using the column. The taxane separation method includes: preparing a column for taxane separation, the column being packed with a stationary phase including a cucurbituril-bound silica gel in which a cucurbituril represented by Formula 1 or 2 is covalently bound to a modified silica gel represented by Formula 3; dissolving a taxane powder in a solvent to prepare a taxane-containing solution; applying the taxane-containing solution to the column; supplying a mobile-phase solvent to the column to obtain a taxane extract from the column; and purifying taxane from the taxane extract. Therefore, highly purified taxane can be separated from a low-purity crude taxane extract.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the integrity of an aircraft position computed on board including on-board means for monitoring the aircraft position that are able to detect common-mode failures. Dissimilar computing channels of the aircraft position are utilized, the dissimilar channels being on-board in the aircraft. Each aircraft position primary computing channel is supplemented by a dissimilar computing channel, which allows the coherence of the primary aircraft position, the position computed by the primary computing channels, to be verified. Mechanisms for verifying the reliability of the results from dissimilar computing channels are implemented to limit a loss of performance from the utilization of dissimilar computing channels, which are less performing than primary computing channels.

Abstract: A near-eye display related apparatus and device is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing configured to receive an optical engine, and a light guiding plate attached to the housing and configured to receive light representing an image from the optical engine, the light guiding plate includes a first diffractive grating adapted to incouple the light into the light guiding plate, and a second diffractive grating adapted to outcouple the light from the light guiding plate such that the light is received by an eye of a user wearing the apparatus. The light guiding plate has a contact surface portion configured to optically couple the light guiding plate to a transparent plate, The contact surface portion being adapted to be in physical contact with the transparent plate.

Abstract: A microfluidic assembly (1;57) has at least one microfluidic flow path (17,27,29,35,38;82,85,95) and at least one inlet port (11,13,15;81,97,101) coupled to the flow path (17,27,29,35,38;82,85,95). The microfluidic assembly (1;57) has a first microfluidic device (7;63) that executes a microfluidic process and has a second microfluidic device (9;61). The microfluidic assembly (1;57) has an interface (5;65). The interface (5;65) couples the first microfluidic device (7;63) and the second microfluidic device (9;61).

Abstract: A method for printing media includes accumulating post processing instructions for printed media during printing operations, recording the post processing instructions on an information device, and playing back the post processing instructions for controlling offline post processing of the printed media.

Abstract: A liquid chromatograph includes a mobile phase supplying apparatus including liquid-feeding pumps to feed mobile phases, liquid-feeding flow paths, a mixer to mix the mobile phases, at least one control device to control each liquid-feeding pump, flow rate measuring sections provided downstream in each liquid-feeding flow path configured to measure an actual flow rate and to detect a back-flow, and actual flow rate computing sections configured to compute an actual flow rate in the corresponding liquid feeding flow path. Also included are a sample injecting section downstream of the mobile phase supplying apparatus, a separating column for separating an injected sample into its constituents, and a detector for detecting each of the separated constituents. When one of the actual flow rate measuring sections detects a back-flow, the corresponding actual flow-rate computing section computes an actual back-flow rate and outputs a signal to the corresponding control device to cancel the back-flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a packet-switched radio system and to a method of performing a function of the subscriber terminal location service in a packet-switched radio system. The method comprises the (302) subscriber terminal transmitting a request message for location service to the core network of the radio system via the radio system; (304) performing at least one function of the location service required in the request message; (306) the core network transmitting a response message to the subscriber terminal via the radio network.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fastener assembly that has a rail (1) and a fastener device (6) that can be installed in a transport vehicle, characterized in that a rail head (2) is coated with a layer (3) of alumina with polytetrafluoroethylene seal and that at least a portion (5) of the fastener device in contact with the rail head is made of metal coated with a layer of polymers (7).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for selecting and combining packages in an outbound container by employing autonomous transfer and transport vehicles which move on a network of roadways to carry a plurality of individual cases each containing the same kind of product from a loading station and to a destination station where individual packages are combined in the outbound container. The travel of each vehicle through the roadway network is computer controlled, and each vehicle includes means for automatically loading and unloading packages from predetermined locations on the network.

Abstract: Substrate processing apparatus having a chamber, a generally linear array of process modules, a substrate transport, and a drive system. The chamber is capable of being isolated from the outside atmosphere. Each process module of the array is communicably connected to the chamber to allow a substrate to be transferred between the chamber and process module. The substrate transport is located in and is movably supported from the chamber. The transport is capable of moving along a linear path defined by the chamber for transporting the substrate between process modules. The drive system is connected to the chamber for driving and moving the transport along the linear path. The chamber comprises a selectable number of chamber modules serially abutted to defined the chamber. Each module has an integral portion of the drive system.

Abstract: In a system having a number of semiconductor processing modules sharing a common vacuum environment, a mid-entry load lock is provided to permit insertion and removal of wafers into the vacuum environment at a point between various other robotic handlers, process modules, and load locks. This arrangement permits increased flexibility in scheduling when multiple wafers are processed concurrently.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for analyzing a circuit model by reducing, and a computer program product for analyzing the circuit model. The circuit model at least includes independent current source models, resistance models, and capacitance models. Also, the circuit model forms a resistance capacitance (RC) network with independent current sources. The method includes selecting a node to be removed using resistance information and comparing conductance of a capacitor for a given time step and the total conductance of the node. Further, the method includes removing the selected nodes and generating RC elements and independent current sources using adjacent nodes, which maintain the accuracy of node voltages of a circuit reduced in an accuracy order used for entrywise perturbation of the corresponding circuit equation. Moreover, an efficient method of handling the independent current sources while reducing the circuit is provided.

Abstract: A slinging device for a piece includes a sling with a nonextensible part and a section with a spring device, enabling an elastic lengthening or shortening of the sling under load by a limited amplitude in response to a limited change in the load on the piece, the device including a frame and a floating support, the spring device holding the floating support in the absence of application of force to the piece along a vertical axis, in a position of equilibrium centered vertically with respect to the frame under the weight of the piece, and a way for regulating and adapting the position of equilibrium of the floating support depending on the weight of the piece.

Abstract: A substrate bonding apparatus comprises a platen and a press. The press is movable relative to the platen for pressing at least one substrate stack between the press and platen. In one embodiment, a consumable compliant member is disposed between the press and the platen. In another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a substrate carrier adapted for holding and carrying more than one substrate stack in and out of the apparatus. A method for bonding substrates is also described.

Abstract: A method of operating a mobile communication device comprising displaying a array of selectable functions in a first direction on a display of the communication device; scrolling through the selectable functions in the array of functions by using one or more navigation keys, wherein for each one of the selectable functions, a respective array of selectable contacts is displayed in a second direction on the display as the selectable functions are scrolled through; scrolling through the selectable contacts of one of the arrays of selectable contacts by using one or more navigation keys; selecting one of the selectable functions and one of the selectable contacts by halting the scrolling in the first and second directions at selected positions; and executing the selected function for the selected contact by a single user command.

Abstract: A method for determining a boundary of an information element, in which a repetition coded signal transmitted by satellites is received, which signal is modulated with information elements. A group of symbols forms one information element. A group of reference values are formed on the basis of the received signal. Of these reference values at least one vector is formed wherein the number of the elements corresponds to the number of symbols use in the transmission of the information element. A determination vector is formed on the basis of the at least one vector, whereafter the greatest of the elements of the determination vector is searched. The index of said elements indicates the boundary of the information element.