Abstract: A method and apparatus for predicting the result of the coloration of a substrate by a coloring product. The method and apparatus involve the use of micro-processing system and are especially suitable for quickly and easily determining the result of hair coloration by a commercial hair dye product. Preferably a bar-code scanning device is used to input information relating to the product into the micro-processing system.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a microelectronic product and a system for fabricating the microelectronic product each employ an in-line automatic photolithographic processing and overlay registration measurement for a pair of pilot lots of a new product order, prior to in-line automatic processing of an additional new product order lot within a photolithographic process tool. The method and the system provide for efficient production of new product order lots, absent need for an independent pilot lot qualification method or system.

Abstract: A method for graphically representing the progress of wafers being processed in a plurality of process stations is disclosed. In one step, the start of a process performed on the wafers in one of the plurality of process stations is determined. Then, the generation of a first line segment parallel to a first axis is initiated. Next, the end of the process in one of the plurality of process stations is determined. Then the generation of the first line segment parallel to the first axis is terminated. The start of a transfer of the wafers from one of the plurality of process stations to another one of the plurality of process stations is detected in a next step. Then, the formation of a second line segment connected with the first line segment and substantially perpendicular to the first axis is initiated. The completion of the transfer of the wafers is then determined and the formation of the second line segment perpendicular to the first axis is terminated.

Abstract: A die height adjusting device for a pressing machine, which withstands high vibrations and high impacts during pressing work, and is capable of realizing high precision of a slide position, is provided. For this purpose, the die height adjusting device includes an induction motor (9), which performs die height adjustment of a slide (3), and an inverter (17) which performs a speed control of the induction motor. Voltage is applied to the induction motor for a predetermined period of time, and thereby a predetermined amount of die height adjustment is performed.

Abstract: A method is provided for product culmination estimation in a microelectronics manufacturing environment. The method includes providing a manufacturing executing system including a plurality of processing entities. The manufacturing executing system provides interconnectivity and management of the processing entities. The method also assigns a standard queue time factor to product advancing through the manufacturing executing system, and determines an actual and theoretical cycle time and associated with the product through each process entity of the manufacturing executing system. The method further includes anticipating a target queue time for the product through the manufacturing executing system, and forecasting product cycle time of the product through the manufacturing executing system.

Abstract: A method includes defining a model of a process for manufacturing a device, the process including a plurality of steps. A plurality of inline process targets are defined for at least a subset of the process steps. The model relates the inline process targets to a plurality of process output parameters. A first set of probabilistic constraints for the inline process targets is defined. A second set of probabilistic constraints for the process output parameters is defined. An objective function is defined based on the model and the plurality of process output parameters. A trajectory of the process output parameters is determined by optimizing the objective function subject to the first and second sets of probabilistic constraints for each process step to determine values for the inline process targets at each process step, the optimization being iterated after completion of each process step for the remaining process steps.

Abstract: A method for positioning substrates in a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate alignment device, a first substrate transport apparatus and a second substrate transport apparatus, includes calibrating the substrate alignment device with a motion of the first substrate transport apparatus, and calibrating a coordinate system of the second substrate transport apparatus with the substrate alignment device.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing scheduling for a fabrication system. The fabrication contains a plurality of tool groups, and each of which has at least one tool. The system contains an input/output device, a processor, and a storage device. The processor calculates the tool group count of each tool, and assigns a preference index to each tool accordingly, then derives a preference-based manufacturing schedule.

Abstract: A discharge-servo curve control method and device for an electrical discharge machine enables multiple discharge-servo curves to be chosen during a machining process in real-time. The control device includes a storage unit, a setting unit, a reading unit, a program unit and an instruction-judging unit capable of swapping control during execution of the program whenever a discharge-servo curve instruction is encountered.

Abstract: The present invention supplies practical procedures, functions or techniques for folding tessellations. Several tessellation crease pattern techniques, and the three-dimensional folded configuration are given. Additionally several new forming processes, including mathematical methods for describing the material flow are disclosed doubly-periodic folding of materials that name the doubly-periodic folded (DPF) surface, including vertices, edges, and facets, at any stage of the folding. This information is necessary for designing tooling and forming equipment, for analyzing strength and deflections of the DPFs under a variety of conditions, for modeling the physical properties of DPF laminations and composite structures, for understanding the acoustic or other wave absorption/diffusion/reflection characteristics, and for analyzing and optimizing the structure of DPFs in any other physical situation.

Abstract: An event notification system is described. The system comprises a computer having a CPU and memory and which executes an operating system operative to manage computer programs and wherein the programs generate events, a notification controller connected to the computer and operative to detect the generated events, a notification transceiver communicatively connected to the notification controller and capable of transmitting a message containing data on the event, and a portable transceiver including a notifier for receiving the message.

Abstract: An automated library system having multiple storage cells for storing multiple data cartridges. Rails are provided adjacent to the storage cells to guide one or more robots among the storage cells. Primary coils are disposed proximate the rails. A power supply produces an alternating current in the primary coils. One or more magnetic cores are mounted on each robot. Each magnetic core is adjustable to form a normally gap-less closed magnetic path, and a gapped magnetic path when transitioning between primary coils. Alternating currents in the primary coils induce secondary alternating currents in secondary coils wound around the magnetic cores. The secondary alternating currents are controlled and converted into mechanical movement that include loading and unloading the data cartridges to and from the robots, and moving the data cartridges along the rails.

Abstract: The method includes the steps of assigning entered attribution information including material and thickness of a sheet metal to a specified solid model, assigning entered designation information for designating an open plane and a bending portion to the solid model, obtaining a minimum radius of curvature at the bending portion from the material and the thickness of the sheet metal, generating a downsized model defined by the designated open plane and a plurality of planes that are generated by moving a plurality of planes of the solid model except the open plane inward in parallel by a distance that is a sum of the thickness of the sheet metal and the minimum radius of curvature, generating inner wall surfaces by moving a plurality of surfaces of the downsized model except for the open plane outward in parallel by a distance that is equal to the minimum radius of curvature, generating plate portions by a projection process in which the inner wall surfaces are further moved outward in parallel by a distance t

Abstract: A system for planning and controlling a pull-in request of an order with demanded capacity in a production system. A plan engine is programmed to receive a pull-in request for the order, release original demanded capacity, reserve a capacity for the pull-in order, and generate a fixed production schedule for the pull-in order based on a capacity model that considers a plurality of capacity vectors in the production system. A production schedule monitor and evaluation module determines whether the relevant current pull-in order conforms to the fixed production schedule and whether to adjust the fixed production schedule when the relevant current pull-in order deviates from the fixed production schedule.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for performing adaptive modification of rapid prototyping build files. The method includes the step of reading a rapid prototyping build file that stores a digital description of a three dimensional object. The invention also includes the operation of selecting a build file correction algorithm from a plurality of build file correction algorithms. Defects in the rapid prototyping build file are identified and these defects are then corrected based on the selected build file correction algorithm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for performing a manufacturing operation at a predetermined position relative to a first path. The system includes a plurality of first elements mounted for movement relative to the first path. The first elements have a plurality of motion parameters which are independently controllable. Active elements are operatively associated with reactive elements to produce relative movement between the first elements and the first path, with the active elements controlling the relative movement. A controller controls the activation of the active elements and a first tool is associated with each first element for performing at least part of the manufacturing operation. The system may also include at least one second element and a second path.

Abstract: A method for laying out pieces to be cut out from a remnant of flexible material, the cut out pieces being used to manufacture an article. A mask generic to remnants of a given type is generated. The at least one generic mask is subdivided into zones which correspond to different gradations of a characteristic of the remnant, e.g. leather color or leather grain. At least some of the pieces to be cut out are assigned a set of constraints including at least one value constraint for a characteristic of the remnant. At least some of the pieces to be cut out are linked to each other, for example, as a function of the constraints assigned to the respective pieces. The at least one generic mask is applied to a particular remnant of the given type to subdivide the particular remnant into zones having uniform characteristics. The pieces to be cut out are automatically laid out on the particular remnant as a function of any constraints assigned to the pieces, and in compliance with the links defined between the pieces.

Abstract: A sensor placement algorithm uses process data to determine the optimal distribution of sensors in a distributed parameter manufacturing system. An automatic classification procedure maps any problems in the process to a predetermined set of process disturbances. A control procedure uses process data to determine the best control action that will ensure good system response. Methods for sensor placement, automatic decision tree classification, corrective action control and the apparatus to effectuate these respective methods are integrated into a design methodology.

Abstract: An irrigation control system for land comprising: (a) at least one meter to measure one or more wheather conditions in a first area; (b) at least one monitor to (i) examine rainfall data derived from a radar scanning at least the first area according to predetermined criteria and (ii) to extract data which is representative of the scanned rainfall in a sub-area of the first area; (c) a store to store the extracted data; and (d) a controller connected directly or indirectly to the meter and the monitor and to the store, to calculate a moisture content value for the sub-area and a predetermined moisture content value for the sub-area, and to regulate the irrigation in a sub-area.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a decoder which detects a start code in a layered coded data stream on a layer basis for improving an error detecting function to reduce possible damaging effects, and replaces a detected start code with minor error by an appropriate start code to maintain decoding. The decoder includes a unique pattern detector which detects a start code pattern in a layered coded data stream, a start code identifier which identifies the detected start code pattern based on a given condition, a similarity calculator which calculates similarity as an evaluation between the error detected start code pattern and an expected start code based on layer, and a similarity based replacement identifier which replaces the error detected start code pattern by the most appropriate replacement selected based on the similarity based evaluation, and otherwise the priority based replacement identifier which selects a replacement by the priority order.