Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for rapidly prototyping a three-dimensional object from a plurality of sequential layers wherein each layer is cut after being fused with a preceding layer. A first sequential layer having a peripheral edge and an exposed face is cut from a first sheet of material using a machine tool path generated from a CAD model of the object. A solvent is then applied to a face of a second sheet of material. The second sheet of material is placed in contacting face-to-face relation with the first sequential layer such that the solvent fuses the face of the second sheet of material with the exposed face of the first sequential layer. A second sequential layer having a peripheral edge and an exposed face is cut from the second sheet of material along a respective machine tool path generated for the second sequential layer. The above procedure is repeated until all remaining layers of the prototype part are produced.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a surface structure. The apparatus forms a skin to a single-sided die by applying gas pressure to a skin preform placed between the die and a cap that confines the gas against the skin preform. The apparatus also has a dispensing apparatus that is movable in relation to the surface of the skin/die. In one embodiment the dispensing apparatus is a heated nozzle on a crane arm that has five axis of movement with respect to the surface of the die. The nozzle dispenses fluid plastic, for example, in a selected pattern and at a selected height on the skin.

Abstract: A method for providing communication between controllers in which fewer communication lines are needed. The controllers include a first controller functioning to feed at least first and second data signals into a second controller at a next step, and further to feed first and second abnormality signals into the controller at the next step when the presence of abnormalities is determined. One of the first and second data signals as well as both of the first and second abnormality signals are fed into the controller at the next step from the first controller through a common communication line.

Abstract: An order promising scheme includes the ability to query a hierarchical scheduling module configured to generate workflows for a series of jobs to be processed in a manufacturing environment to determine the earliest reasonable completion time for one or more additional jobs to be processed in the manufacturing environment. The querying may involve first querying an aggregate planning level of the hierarchical scheduling module to determine whether the one or more additional jobs may be processed. Further, the querying may require querying a detailed scheduling level of the hierarchical scheduling module to determine whether the one or more additional jobs may be processed in the event that the aggregate planning level returns a negative reply to the first query by the order promising module. The querying of the hierarchical scheduling module may be performed in response to user inquiries submitted via a user interface.

Abstract: A set of digital two-dimensional projected images of an object is acquired for different positions of a camera rotating around an object. The projected images are calibrated into a volume containing the object and divided into voxels, the space coordinates of which are identified in a chosen calibration frame of reference. A pretreatment is applied on each acquired image in order to elaborate a rectified image having a predetermined spatial orientation selected as a function of a chosen specific axis of the calibration frame of reference, and an iterative algorithm of algebraic image reconstruction between each rectified image and the set of voxels is applied by successively treating the voxels in a predetermined order linked to the choice of said specific axis, which makes it possible to minimize the duration of reconstruction of the three-dimensional image.

Abstract: A method comprised of storing a first time and a first indicia, the first time being the time it takes a first number of products to be subjected to a first subprocess and the first indicia being an indication of how many products are in the first number of products. The method may also include storing a second time and a second indicia, the second time being the time it takes a second number of products to be subjected to a second subprocess. The first and second times may be average times for a plurality of different processes. The second indicia can be an indication of how many products are in the second number of products. The method may also include storing a third indicia, the third indicia being an indication of how many products are in a third number of products to be subjected to a first process. The first process may be comprised of the first and second subprocesses.

Abstract: A control system for a Liquefracture handpiece that uses output from a surgical console to generate a control signal for an RF amplifier. The output from the RF amplifier is used to drive the handpiece heating element. To prevent excessive heated fluid from entering the eye, the vacuum in the handpiece is monitored and excessive or rapid increases in vacuum level (indicating an occlusion or low aspiration flow) causes the power to the heating element to be reduces or eliminated.

Abstract: Instrumentation systems and methods for monitoring an environmental condition at a location are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention include wireless communication elements which can transmit pictorial image data from a location being monitored to a server computer. Persons at one or more client computers can view a pictorial image generated from the pictorial image data from any suitable location at any suitable time.

Abstract: A monitor and malfunction detector for the thread feed of a textile machine. The monitor combines electronic information and mathematical analysis of the movement of the thread, including speed, tension and fiber and consistency, thereby permitting the determination of: 1) presence of knots and inconsistencies in the thread 2) the operating status of the textile equipment and thread feed; 3) the prediction of problems based upon the change of operating characteristics including speed, tension, draw and duty cycle patterns; 4) the control of the textile machine being monitored; 5) the diagnosis of mechanical faults; 6) production accounting; and 7) needle burr detection. The monitor also employs a unique signal comparison incorporating differential circuitry, pattern recognition, and averaging functions to achieve these goals efficiently and reliably as well as means to reduce or eliminate the effect of undesirable electromagnetic transients on the operation of the textile machine.

Abstract: A model to predict the quality of a lubricant base stock for use in a plurality of products having a plurality of viscosities. The compositional model is based on a quantitative analysis of key compositional parameters and performance criteria for the plurality of products representing the plurality of viscosities. The compositional model provides a method for making a lubricant base stock to be used in manufacturing a lubricant for a particular application from a refinery stream wherein the lubricant base stock and the refinery stream are characterizable according to a plurality of compositional components common to the base stock and to the refinery stream. This method begins with determining the acceptable region and adjusting for viscosity variations.

Abstract: A method and circuit for receiving data that is provided on both edges of a strobe signal. The circuit provides the data to an output while detecting the data and generating the appropriate control signals. The circuit incorporates three data rates, one rate for data from the data bus, another slower rate for data transfers within the circuit, and another faster rate for data transfers out of the circuit. The circuit employs the same clock rate used for receiving data on a single edge of a strobe signal by dividing the task of detecting the edges and generating control pulses between two pulse generation units.

Abstract: A PID control system and method which maintains continuity of the control output in spite of changes in controller parameters. The controller parameters include a proportional gain, an integral gain, a derivative gain, and a manual/automatic mode parameter. The control output at the time of a parameter change is set equal to the previous controller output, and the integrated error is set to a value consistent with the previous controller output according to a PID controller equation. This value for the integrated error serves to ensure the sustained continuity of the control output after the controller parameter change. Alternatively, the control output at the time of a parameter change is set equal to a first value continuous with respect to one or more previous control output values, and the integrated error is set to a value consistent with the first value according to the PID controller equation. Furthermore, the system and method employs integrator anti-windup. If the control output saturates, i.e.

Abstract: A CNC machine is programmed to redefine the corner tolerance as a function of the corner angle based on a recognition that corners having angles not equal to 90° have effective corner tolerances that are equal to the corner tolerance specified by the operator divided by the sine of the corner angle. An increase in machining speed is achieved, because, at corner angles not equal to 90°, the redefined corner tolerance is larger than the operator-specified corner tolerance and the CNC machine is permitted to machine the corner at an earlier time than conventional CNC machines. The CNC machine is also programmed to provide the operator with an interactive control of the parameters that control the speed and accuracy of machining. With this feature, the operator is able to observe the effects of changing the control parameters on the speed and accuracy of machining, and to customize the control parameters to a particular type of tool or application based on the observations.

Abstract: This invention describes improved apparatus and methods for spin-on deposition of semiconductor thin films. The improved apparatus provides for controlled temperature, pressure and gas compositions within the deposition chamber. The improved methods comprise dispensing of solutions containing thin film precursor via a moveable dispensing device and the careful regulation of the pattern of deposition of the precursor solution onto the wafer. The invention also comprises the careful regulation of deposition variables including dispensation time, wafer rpm, stop time and rates of wafer rotation. In one embodiment, the precursor solution is dispensed from the outer edge of the wafer toward the center. In alternative embodiments, processors regulate the movement of the dispensing arm and the precursor pump to provide an evenly dispensed layer of precursor solution. The invention also describes improved methods for evaporating solvents and curing thin films.

Abstract: A flow rate monitor for indicating the amount of material being displaced in a displacement system having an electric motor as a prime mover, comprises a power demand monitor for being operably connected to the electric motor; a programmable controller operably connected to the power demand monitor, the controller being adapted to convert the data from the power demand monitor to flow rate data using at least one linear equation relating the power demand of the electric motor to the flow rate of the material, the programmable controller being adapted to parallel shift the at least one linear equation to compensate for any changes to the no-load power demand; and an indicator for indicating the flow rate of the material.

Abstract: Method for adequately modeling process induced variabilities is disclosed that comprises the steps of acquiring experimental data and defining a particular design space. Values for the mean and standard deviation of the experimental data at each of the points defining the design space are calculated. The experimental values of the output parameters at each of the design points is normalized to extract the shape of the distribution of each of the design points. The normalized values are then merged to form a cumulative distribution function associated with the data. The cumulative distribution function is applied to a new design point in a predicted fashion by first calculating a mean and standard deviation value for the new point by interpolating from the mean and standard deviation values from the experimental data. The cumulative distribution function is then scaled and centered using the interpolated mean and standard deviation values to provide a predicted data distribution for the new design point.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device test apparatus, a host computer having a data base writes test resultant data in the data base to output the test resultant data in response to a data request. Each of a plurality of testers performs an electric characteristic test based on a test program to generate a test resultant data for each of semiconductor devices to transmit to the host computer. Each of a plurality of handler sections sets the semiconductor devices of a pallet to a test head for the electric characteristic test. A loader section loads the semiconductor devices from a first tray to the pallet. An unloader section unloads the semiconductor devices from the pallet transported thereto to second trays based on the test resultant data from the host computer.

Abstract: The method for improving circuit location assignment is capable of operating in the boolean, electrical and spatial (location) domains. Optimization of location assignment parameters can be performed simultaneously by determining a subset of nets or paths and generating sets of motions to improve these nets or paths. Once sets of motions have been generated, they are tested to determine the most beneficial movement for improving the given circuit parameter (e.g., wireability, timing, etc.).

Abstract: An alarm event generation method and apparatus for signaling an alarm (436, 1400) for a process control system (100). The process control system (100) monitors a production run using a computer system (108). The computer system (108) collects process data corresponding to the production run from operator workstations (104, 106) and stores the process data in a process data database (110). The process data includes a plurality of process parameter counts (430) each corresponding to a process parameter type (428). The process parameter counts (430) are polled from the computer system (108). Each process parameter count (430) has a corresponding manufacturing limit (434) to which it is compared. When a polled process parameter count (430) exceeds its corresponding manufacturing limit (434), an alarm (436, 1400) is signaled. While an alarm (436, 1400) is being signaled, the computer system (108) is prevented from collecting and storing process data.

Abstract: An irrigation controller collects daily high and low temperature data. The controller then processes this collected temperature data in accordance with the Hargreaves equation to determine a reference evapotranspiration value. The controller further adjusts the reference evapotranspiration value to account for the type of vegetation at the site and a localized Hargreaves equation deviation factor to generate an adjusted evapotranspiration value which represents an estimation of the current watering needs for the specific plants at that specific site. The controller then divides the locally adjusted evapotranspiration value by a sprinkler head average precipitation rate to determine a run time for irrigation. Irrigation for the site is then initiated lasting for the duration of the determined run time.