Abstract: A safety switching device for the fail-safe disconnection of an external consumer has an internal consumer and switching elements for connecting in parallel the internal consumer with the external consumer. Read-back taps are arranged between the switching elements, a first and second pole of the external consumer, and the internal consumer. A signal processing unit includes a testing device and a memory, in which a first error pattern set is stored. The testing device is coupled to the read-back taps and executes a switching test having a minimum of three temporally-separated test intervals. In each test interval, the testing device receives a read-back signal from each read-back tap in order to generate a first test pattern. To identify a fault, the testing device matches the first test pattern with the first error pattern set.

Abstract: In a method for simulation and assessment of the life or dynamic strength of components of a vehicle, the vehicle is subdivided into individual components and these components are modeled by means of a finite element method. The finite element models of the individual components are collated for simulation at interfaces. Externally introduced forces are measured on the vehicle, or are simulated, and the forces which occur at the interfaces or at specific points within the components are calculated in order to determine the weakest points from the dynamic strength point of view in the overall model. Elastic structures are modeled at the interfaces in order to simulate the real flexibility or the dynamic transmission response of the vehicle structure, and masses and/or stiffness data and/or elastomer bearing data for the elastic structures are taken into account in the model.

Abstract: In a method for simulation and assessment of the life or dynamic strength of components of a vehicle, the vehicle is subdivided into individual components and these components are modeled by means of a finite element method. The finite element models of the individual components are collated for simulation at interfaces. Externally introduced forces are measured on the vehicle, or are simulated, and the forces which occur at the interfaces or at specific points within the components are calculated in order to determine the weakest points from the dynamic strength point of view in the overall model. Elastic structures are modeled at the interfaces in order to simulate the real flexibility or the dynamic transmission response of the vehicle structure, and masses and/or stiffness data and/or elastomer bearing data for the elastic structures are taken into account in the model.

Abstract: A negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed which comprises a grained and anodized aluminum support having a hydrophilic surface and a heat-sensitive coating provided on the hydrophilic surface, the coating comprising hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles which are capable of forming a hydrophobic phase in the coating by heat-induced coalescence of the polymer particles. The support is characterized by a surface roughness, expressed as arithmetical mean center-line roughness Ra, which is less than 0.45 ?m. The smooth surface enables to prepare a lithographic printing plate from the mentioned precursor, which is characterized by a high run length during printing.

Abstract: A negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed which comprises a grained and anodized aluminum support having a hydrophilic surface and a heat-sensitive coating provided on the hydrophilic surface, the coating comprising hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles which are capable of forming a hydrophobic phase in the coating by heat-induced coalescence of the polymer particles. The support is characterized by a surface roughness, expressed as arithmetical mean center-line roughness Ra, which is less than 0.45 &mgr;m. The smooth surface enables to prepare a lithographic printing plate from the mentioned precursor, which is characterized by a high run length during printing.

Abstract: The printing plate comprises a rolled and embossed aluminium support whose surface has a coarse structure of pits, on which a fine structure of indents produced by electrochemical roughening is superimposed. The indents have a diameter of from 0.1 to 6 &mgr;m, and the average roughness Ra of the surface of the embossed aluminium support is in the range from 0.63 to 0.82 &mgr;m.

Abstract: To avoid or minimize the occurrence of cross streaks or current streaks on a substrate that is transported through an electrolytic bath and roughened electrochemically in it, the current density is regulated in the electrolyte between a first alternating or three-phase current electrode and the substrate in such a way that at the beginning of a roughening zone, the current density has a lesser value than within the roughening zone, in the transport direction of the substrate. Downstream of the first alternating or three-phase current electrode, either a further alternating current electrode or a further three-phase current electrode acts on the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the first alternating or three-phase current electrode has a rounded outline, which is composed of a curved portion and adjoining it a straight portion.

Abstract: A support material made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy for printing plates has a prestamped surface. The prior stamping comprises hemispherical indentations with a diameter of from 2 to 50 &mgr;m and a mean diameter of 20 to 30 &mgr;m. This support material is electrochemically roughened in an electrolyte which is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulphuric acid and chloride or nitrate ions of an aluminum salt. The current density of the alternating current is 30 to 45 A/dm2. The surface roughness RA after roughening is uniform, covers the entire area and lies in the range from 1.0 to 1.5 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method and system for use in a data processing system is proposed, wherein the Input Exponent is used already in the subblocks of the mantissa addition. Early in the flow of a cycle, there are parts of the Potential exponent result generated and put together using zero detect signals and carry select signals of the Carry Select Adder of the mantissa addition. For the addition of two floating point numbers this reduces the number of required logic gates in the timing critical path. This allows a faster cycle time and/or less latency and/or more complex functions. The method and system according to the invention can be applied to adders of different mantissa widths or different exponent widths as well as power of radix 2.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrochemically roughening a support is disclosed to minimize the occurrence of surface discharges or electrical discharges on the support. A DC voltage acts on the support at the start of the movement of the support through the electrolyte bath. Subsequently, a three-phase or single-phase current acts on the support in the roughening zone. Three-phase electrodes are arranged in the electrolyte bath and are connected to the secondary of a three-phase transformer. The primary of the three-phase transformer is connected, via control transformers to a three-phase power transformer. A DC electrode is located upstream of the three-phase electrodes in the direction in which the support is transported through the bath. The DC electrode may be connected to the positive pole of a DC source while the negative pole of this DC source makes contact with the support.

Abstract: A method and system for renaming registers of said system is proposed in which mixed instruction sets, e.g. 32 bit and 64 bit instructions are carried out concurrently in one program. In case of an instruction sequence of a preceding 64 bit instruction and one or more 32 bit instructions to be executed in-order after the 64 bit instruction and where the 32 bit instructions having a data dependence to the preceding 64 bit instruction, said rest of the register range changed by the preceding 64 bit instruction is copied to the corresponding location in a target register of the succeeding 32 bit instruction, at least if the same logical register is specified by the 32 bit instruction as it was specified by the preceding 64 bit instruction. The copy source is addressed by the register number and hold in a list (28).

Abstract: An apparatus for varying the phase of the camshaft in the combustion engine of a motor vehicle has an adjuster which is connected to the camshaft and is operable to adjust the phase of the camshaft prior and subsequent to starting of the engine. To this end, the adjuster is connected with a hydraulic drive system which can operate the adjuster while the engine is idle. Once the engine is started, the drive system receives pressurized fluid from the lubricating circuit of the engine. Prior to starting of the engine, the drive system receives pressurized fluid from a source other than the lubricating circuit or from a source which is provided in addition to the lubricating circuit. The other source is preferably the hydraulic circuit of the power steering system (such as a speed-sensitive power steering system) of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A dummy plate is provided for offset printing which essentially consists of a plate-, sheet- or band-form, mechanically and/or electro-chemically roughened, anodically oxidized and optionally hydrophilized aluminium support and a non-photosensitive, water-soluble protective layer applied thereto, characterized in that the layer contains a water-soluble organic compound which contains at least one OH- or NH-acidic group having a pKa value of ≦8 as acid or salt, and has a layer thickness which is smaller than the average roughness ra of the support material, determined by optical means. Even after extended storage at elevated temperature, the dummy plate can easily be used without an additional development step and exhibits no tendency to stick.

Abstract: An operating device for an automated gear box having a shift gate with a selector slot, three or more shift slots intersecting the selector slot, and an actuator for actuating a gear or shifting shaft in shifting motions. The shifting shaft has a pin or shaft extending through the shift gate. A blocking device with one or more blocking elements moveable generally along the selector slot allows movement of the pin to an adjacent shift slot and shifting within the shift slot by the actuator while blocking further movement of the pin along the selector slot upon engaging a blocking element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sheet-like radiation-sensitive recording material whose surface is a discontinuous dulling layer comprising monodisperse particles is present. The dulling layer can be produced by spraying on a dulling liquid. An apparatus comprising an oscillation generator, which can transmit oscillations to the liquid in the apparatus, and has an orifice plate which has at least one hole with a diameter of from 5 to 250 .mu.m and from which the liquid emerges in the form of at least one laminar free jet which disintegrates into monodisperse drops is suitable for this purpose. The oscillation generator is preferably a piezoelectric ceramic.

Abstract: A dummy plate for offset printing comprising essentially a mechanically and/or electrochemically roughened, anodically oxidized and hydrophilized aluminium support in the form of a plate, sheet or band and a non light-sensitive, water-soluble layer coated thereon, and characterized in that the layer contains at least one organic polymer with a water-solubility of at least 2 g/L at room temperature and at least one inorganic compound reacting as an acid.

Abstract: A multiprocessor computer system includes a system clock, a main memory connected through a memory bus to a microinstruction memory and a microinstruction decoder. Circuitry detects whether the microinstruction being decoded is the wrong microinstruction or has a parity error. On detection of such an erroneous microinstruction, the microinstruction is reloaded from the main memory into the microinstruction memory and then passed to the microinstruction decoder without interrupting the system clock or operation of the other processors.

Abstract: A processor for character strings A, B of variable length serves for the fast detection of match, mismatch and comparative difference conditions between them. The character strings, whose lengths are delimited by character string termination marks, are split into consecutive substrings with a byte count corresponding to the data path width, and processed to detect a match, a mismatch and an end-of-byte mark. Each substring is routed via operand registers (16,18) in parallel to an arithmetic unit (20), a logic unit (22) and a comparator unit (24) and simultaneously processed. The arithmetic unit (20) subtracts one substring from the other substring, the logic unit (22) compares both substrings with each other and the comparator unit (24) compares the bytes of both substrings with the contents of a marking register (26), previously set to the end-of-string mark. These operations are executed in one machine cycle.

Abstract: A process is disclosed to serialize instructions that are to be processed serially in a multiprocessor system, with the use of a token, where the token can be assigned on request to one of the processors, which thereupon has the right to execute the command. If the command consists of dristibuted tasks, the token remains blocked until the last dependent task belonging to the command has also been executed. It is only then that the token can be assigned to another instruction. Moreover, a device is described to manage this token, which features three states: a first state, in which the token is available, a second state, in which the token is assigned to one of the processors, and a third state, in which the token is blocked, because dependent tasks still have to be carried out. Moreover, a circuit is disclosed with which the token principle that is introduced can be implemented in a simple manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a non-continuous matte layer that can be used with a recording material having a substrate and a radiation-sensitive layer which contains a 1,2-naphthoquinone-2-diazide and an organic, polymeric binder which is insoluble in water but soluble in aqueous alkaline solutions. This matte layer comprises 100 to 10,000 particles per square centimeter which have a mean diameter of less than 40 .mu.m and a maximum diameter of less than 80 .mu.m and a mean height of 2 to 6 .mu.m and a maximum height of 10 .mu.m, and contains a resin which has up to 0.80 mmol of acid groups and/or salt groups per gram. The matte layer is obtained by spraying on and drying an aqueous, anionically or anionically/nonionically stabilized dispersion of the resin.