Abstract: The present invention pertains to a system for controlling a fume hood with a face. The system comprises a device for controlling air flow through the fume hood based on air flow face velocity. The controlling device has a device for measuring pressure at the face of the fume hood which produces a signal corresponding to the pressure. Additionally, the system comprises a controller. The controller is remote from the fume hood controlling device but in communication with the controlling device. The present invention also pertains to a system for controlling a fume hood having a face. The system comprises a pitot tube assembly for determining a desired face velocity. The pitot tube produces a pitot signal corresponding to the face velocity. The system comprises a device for converting the pitot signal into a face velocity signal. The converting device is connected to the pitot tube. Additionally, the system comprises a processor for controlling air flow through the fume hood based on the face velocity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a redundant process controller for use in a process facility having a plurality of process systems that produce process data, wherein the process data are gathered by process controllers associated with the process systems and are exchanged by the process controllers via a network. The redundant process controller is associated with a first selected process system and is capable of receiving process data from at least one remote process controller and intermittently transferring the received process data to the first selected process system.

Abstract: An interactive computer configuration system is an aid for a sales person or a customer to make it easy to grasp and configure a huge configuration problem. The user interacts with the computer system and makes many choices successively, and a configuration engine checks each choice for validity. The configuration engine comprises a configuration model defining mutual predefined relations between the selectable elements and comprises programs for validating a set of choices against said configuration model. The invention relates to the situation where a requested choice made by the user corresponds to an invalid configuration instance. According to the invention, the user is allowed to insist on this choice and an alternative investigation system according to the invention will present to the user a number of relevant proposals for undoing choices made previously so that a valid configuration instance can be obtained.

Abstract: A back lapping in-line system for semiconductor device fabrication carries out a vinyl covering, a back side grinding, and a vinyl removing for grinding the back side of a wafer in-line with one single process. The back lapping in-line system has a server connected to a network line, a program therein for controlling the in-line processes, and an in-line facility connected to the server by a standard communication line, wherein parts of the in-line facility are assembled in order, and each part carries out its corresponding process according to information communicated to and from the server, and unloads the wafer after it passes through all of the corresponding processes successively. The in-line facility uses a single loading and unloading, and needs no storage space between parts.

Abstract: A system for designing and optimizing integrated circuits. Design objectives and constraints are described as posynomial functions of the design parameters. The circuit design problem is then expressed as a special form of optimization problem called geometric programming, to which very efficient global optimization methods are applied. The present invention can thereby efficiently determine globally optimal circuit designs, or globally optimal trade-offs among competing performance measures such as, for example for an operational amplifier (op-amp), power, open-loop gain, and bandwidth. The present invention therefore yields automated synthesis of globally optimal circuit designs for a given circuit topology library, directly from specifications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing the results of determinations of the concentrations of medically significant components of control solutions comprise providing a programmable machine, executing on the machine a program which tests the results against a set of statistical quality control rules, and producing indications to an operator of the results of the tests. Illustratively, (a) laboratory analytical instrument(s) run(s) the control solutions interspersed among patient samples, the concentrations of medically significant components of which are determined by the laboratory instrument(s). The quality of the laboratory instrument's(s') process(es) for determining the concentrations of the medically significant components of the patient samples are monitored by testing the outcomes of the concentration determinations of the control solutions against the set of QC rules.

Abstract: A method and system for customizing and distributing for user sites is disclosed and includes gathering user profile information to create data objects based on individual user profile information. The data objects are accessible locally in a group of user computer sites. Presentation logic objects employing the data objects are created to facilitate the creation of individual customized presentations, at the user sites. The data objects are accessible locally at the user computer sites. Presentation media objects are broadcasted to the computer sites. Certain ones of the media components of the media objects are selected in response to the individual presentation logic objects and the individual data objects to create customized presentations for the users at their user sites.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for monitoring trash rack fouling in a turbine facility. The trash rack monitoring system includes sensors for detecting apparent gross head, flow rate, and effective gross head. The head values are used to select performance curves representative of historical turbine operation at the two head values. The two performance curves are simultaneously displayed on a computer monitor to graphically depict the decreased turbine performance resulting from fouling of the trash racks. The performance is also shown as an economic loss value. A method is also provided for optimizing performance in a multi-unit turbine facility. The method involves determining the net head on each turbine unit as a basis for selecting net head performance curves and ultimately deriving an optimum operating point for each turbine unit.

Abstract: In an automated interface program designed to interact and communicate with users, said program executing actions when a category among a predefined set of categories is activated, a method is disclosed for automatically verifying the performance of said program, the steps of said method comprising: specifying inputs under which the program should be tested; associating said inputs with conditions within categories in the program, each said condition comprising at least one response which could be given if said condition is satisfied; executing said program under at least one said input; determining whether the associated condition is satisfied upon said input; and determining whether the response associated with said condition is given upon said input. In another aspect of the present invention, the test inputs are embedded within the script itself, and specifically, within categories that can be automatically listed upon compilation of the script.

Abstract: For use within a computer-based digital control system, a calling mechanism and method for allowing both dynamic linked application objects and static linked application objects created with heterogeneous development tool sets to interact with a kernel of the system or with each other. In one embodiment, the calling mechanism includes: (1) a dynamic link interface that employs only standards-based software calls to allow the dynamic linked application objects to interact with the kernel, (2) a static link interface that employs at least one non-standard software call to allow the static link application objects to interact with the kernel and (3) at least one call router, operative to manage software calls among the kernel, the dynamic link application objects and the static link application objects, that detects software call types and routes the software calls to a selected one of the dynamic link interface or the static link interface based on the software call types.

Abstract: There is disclosed a part inspecting system that can be easily operated by a human operator. This system has an inspected part information database holding part search information, preliminary inspection information, and review information. The part search information contains information about the positions and sizes of defects present on inspected parts. The review information is obtained from a review apparatus that makes a detailed inspection of the inspected parts. Each inspected part is set on an inspected part-holding member. Apart kind discriminating means is provided to permit the user to enter the kind of the inspected part. A preliminary inspection reading fetches preliminary inspection information about the inspected part specified by the part kind discriminating from the inspected part information database. The user selects a desired one from defects contained in the fetched preliminary inspection information. The selected defect is reviewed, or undergone a detailed inspection.

Abstract: A computer-controlled method for automatically positioning a guide for a biopsy needle for its proper insertion into the body of a patient from a selected point on a surface of the body, so as to enter in a straight line passing through a designated target region within the body, in conjunction with an imaging system utilizing radiation from first and second source positions for deriving first and second radiographic images.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interpretive BIOS machine for controlling the cooking of food in a microwave oven or the conduct of a physical, chemical, or thermodynamic process stream wherein the microwave oven or process stream functionally operates by user independent commands. The interpretive BIOS machine is implemented by a microprocessor or computer having a memory for the storing of a program that contains the operating instruction for the present invention. Data is received into the interpretive BIOS machine from a data entry mechanism. The data is specific code that represents a plurality of desired cooking or process instructions selected by the user of the microwave oven or process stream. The present invention interprets the received data and transforms the data into time duration(s) and scaled power level(s) settings for the microwave oven or process stream. The present invention monitors and adjusts the work performed on a specimen disposed within the microwave oven or process stream.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for optimizing a work distribution, and in particular, to the optimization of work distribution along an assembly line or in a production process. A difficulty level is set for each task to be performed and a skill level is set for each respective worker. A time variation factor is set based upon the ranked work difficulty and the skill level of the workers. A compensation value is provided in accordance with the worker to whom an operation time of each element work is distributed, based upon a time variation factor. An assigned operation time per worker is maintained in equilibrium among respective workers by distributing each task in a preferential order, based on the compensated operation time.

Abstract: A method of managing a plurality of controllable objects in the storage and execution of instructions related to a performance of n desired actions comprising the steps of: (a) advising the plurality of objects that a first selected object is about to store instructions related to a performance of a first desired action; (b) storing, in the first object, instructions related to the performance of the first desired action; (c) advising the plurality of objects that the storing of the instructions in the first selected object has been completed; (d) preparing the plurality of objects to receive instructions related to a performance of a next desired action; (e) storing, in a next selected object, the instructions related to the performance of the next desired action; (f) advising the plurality of objects that the storing of the instructions in the next selected object has been completed; and (g) repeating steps (d) through (f) until instructions related to the performance of said n desired actions have been sto

Abstract: An N-dimensional material planning method for evaluating supplier material policy includes steps for storing supplier characterization data in a N-dimensional data space, and evaluating the supplier characterization data using predetermined rules to thereby generate at least one of a current policy assessment and a recommended policy goal. Moreover, the method includes a further step for analyzing the predetermined rules upon which the at least one of the current policy assessment and the recommended policy goal are based. According to an aspect of the present invention, the evaluating step uses predetermined rules including binary rules and weighting rules to generate the at least one of the current policy assessment and the recommended policy goal, where the binary rules have precedence over the weighting rules. A computer system and a storage medium for carrying out and storing computer readable instructions, respectively, pertaining to the N-dimensional material planning method are also described.

Abstract: A process for performing real-time cascade control for use in controllers. An adaptive process module uses an algorithm to set parameters during system operation to attain the best possible control performance, while providing an easier-to-use system for the user. The algorithm uses a novel adaptive technique to intelligently adjust the minimum and maximum allowable controlled-variable set point limits, under varying load conditions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting electrical test results for semiconductor wafer based on a knowledge base generated from user defined tables. A computer program fetches the test data from a wafer electrical tester, reads a test parameter specification table and computes various statistics for each parameter. Rules defining device failure modes are parsed to assemble boolean logic text strings. The logic is evaluated to generate boolean results. A pass/fail determination is made and the results are sent to process engineers for corrective action.

Abstract: A method of measuring the overlay offset of a resist pattern formed on a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. An aligner outputs wafer-by-wafer measured alignment data. A scattering of the wafer-by-wafer alignment data is calculated. If the scattering is greater than a preselected value, all the wafers of a lot brought to a measuring step are tested. If the scattering is smaller than the preselected value, only sample wafers are tested. Whether or not sampling should be effected is automatically determined.

Abstract: A scheme for management of uncertainty in control systems that require adaptation is described. The scheme removes as much uncertainty as possible at design time and manufacturing time by taking advantage of available compute resources in pre-computing a large set of robustness-performance tradeoff based model controllers at different operating conditions for different values of uncertainty parameters that occur in-use and in manufacturing. A group of control models, and corresponding model controllers with an uncertainty bound larger than the best-tuned controller, are generated. A subset of the model controllers is implemented in the system at manufacturing time based on characterization of the system. The subset of model controllers is switched at run time based on transient information received during operation of the system.