Abstract: An apparatus to: analyze a data set to identify a candidate topic not in a set of topics; determine whether the prominence of the candidate topic within the data set meets a threshold; in response to meeting the threshold, retrieve a rate of increase in frequency of the candidate topic in online searches; in response to meeting a threshold rate of increase, retrieve the keyword most frequently used in online searches for the candidate topic, use the keyword to retrieve a supplemental data set, and analyze input data extracted from the supplemental data set to determine whether the candidate topic can change the accuracy of a forecast model; and in response to determining that the candidate topic can change the accuracy, add the candidate topic to the set of topics and replace the forecast model with a forecast model trained for the set of topics augmented with the candidate topic.

Abstract: A monitor for a natural gas-fired appliance is provided. The monitor comprises: a natural gas cycle-monitor interface configured to receive cycling signals from one or more of: the appliance; and a monitoring device located in the appliance and/or proximal to the appliance; a processor, in communication with the interface, configured to monitor cycles of the appliance based on the cycling signals; one or more indicators, in communication with the processor, configured to provide an alarm when the processor determines that the cycles of the appliance meets a threshold value; a first reset device configured to temporarily reset the one or more indicators to turn off the alarm when actuated, the one or more indicators again providing the alarm after a given time period following a temporary reset; and, a second reset device configured to reset monitoring of the cycles at the processor when actuated.

Abstract: A monitor for a natural gas-fired appliance is provided. The monitor comprises: a natural gas cycle-monitor interface configured to receive cycling signals from one or more of: the appliance; and a monitoring device located in the appliance and/or proximal to the appliance; a processor, in communication with the interface, configured to monitor cycles of the appliance based on the cycling signals; one or more indicators, in communication with the processor, configured to provide an alarm when the processor determines that the cycles of the appliance meets a threshold value; a first reset device configured to temporarily reset the one or more indicators to turn off the alarm when actuated, the one or more indicators again providing the alarm after a given time period following a temporary reset; and, a second reset device configured to reset monitoring of the cycles at the processor when actuated.

Abstract: Uniform illumination of a photomask in optical lithography is achieved with annular illumination of the conjugate pupil plane in a lithography tool. A spinning diffraction filter is placed in a stepper so as to provide annular illumination on a time averaged basis. This approach provides annular illumination for resolution enhancement in an easily manufacturable and flexible way and without significant loss of light intensity. No illuminator redesign in the photolithographic exposure tool is required.

Abstract: Energy levels (dose) are manipulated to modify the resultant photomask representation in a controlled manner such that the final image in the semiconductor device fabrication is close to an ideal image. Feature sizes and shapes are modified by assigning relative mask writer doses rather than physically manipulating feature sizes in layout designs. This approach, based on coding of relative dose information onto the design data, allows continuous scale line width variation for all features without impact to data volume. Two embodiments are described. In the first embodiment, distortion knowledge in the form of a lookup table or convolution function is applied to CAD data which is fractured into numerous designs having specific dose assignments. In the alternative embodiment, distortion knowledge in the form of a lookup table or convolution function is applied to CAD data which generates an attribute file containing hierarchical dose information that is mapped onto the mask data.