Abstract: A system includes a controller configured to estimate a brake specific nitrogen oxide emission of an engine based on a plurality of sensed parameters of the engine. The controller is also configured to control one or more control variables of the engine to reduce specific fuel consumption while ensuring compliance of brake specific nitrogen oxide emissions within predetermined limits.

Abstract: A methodology and system is disclosed which addresses outstanding needs of refiners to process cheaper crudes or blends of crudes. This method and system comprises a number of steps, including characterizing the impact of various constituents in the crude which result in fouling of heat exchangers; estimating model parameters; monitoring and predicting qualitative and quantitative performance; and determining optimal dosage of chemical treatments.

Abstract: A process and pharmaceutical composition containing simethicone and magnesium carbonate allows a higher production rate of simethicone containing tablets and a more consistent end product tablet. The magnesium carbonate prevents sticking of simethicone to tablet compressing apparatuses, and may also prevent sticking of other excipients to tablet compressing apparatuses.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a railway consist, the apparatus comprising: a consist model adapted for computing an objective function from a set of candidate driving plans and a set of model parameters; a parameter identifier adapted for calculating the model parameters from a set of consist measurements; and a trajectory optimizer adapted for generating the candidate driving plans and for selecting an optimal driving plan to optimize the objective function subject to a set of terminal constraints and operating constraints.

Abstract: A system and method increase yield from semiconductor wafer electroplating. The aspects include a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of die areas. A plating ring for holding the semiconductor wafer in position during electroplating is also included, the plating ring substantially surrounding a circumference of the semiconductor wafer and having a width that varies in order to avoid overlap near edge die areas of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A fuse formed in an integrated circuit die includes: a length of an electrically conductive material for connecting two points of a circuit on the integrated circuit die and for selectively breaking the connection by a pulse of electrical current sufficient to dissolve a portion of the electrically conductive material; a passivation layer formed over the length of electrically conductive material; and a protective coating formed over a portion of the length of electrically conductive material in addition to the passivation layer to avoid damage to the fuse from an etchant during a bumping process.

Abstract: A method of underfilling an integrated circuit that is mounted to a first side of a package substrate having an opposing second side. A void is provided, which extends completely through the package substrate and is disposed under the integrated circuit. The package substrate is disposed with the second side up and the first side and the integrated circuit down. An underfill material is dispensed into the void on the second side of the package substrate. The underfill material thereby flows first through the void and then between the first side of the package substrate and the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method of casting a refractory article. The method includes providing a mold formed from a slurry composition comprising plaster and fibers and adding a refractory composition to the mold. The method also includes allowing the refractory composition to set. The refractory composition comprises colloidal silica.

Abstract: A slurry composition for a mold and method of use thereof. The slurry composition includes about 45-80% by weight alumina, about 10-30% by weight silicon carbide, and about 10-50% by weight colloidal silica. In one aspect, the alumina component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of brown fused alumina, white fused alumina, tabular alumina, calcined alumina, and mixtures thereof. In another aspect, the composition includes fumed silica at 2-5% by weight. The composition may also include a setting agent at 0.05-2% by weight.

Abstract: Probe cards for measuring package interconnect impedance. A first probe card includes a package having solder balls on a first surface, and an electrically conductive material on a second surface. The electrically conductive surface is configured to electrically contact bumps on the substrate. The solder balls are mountable to a test head inter phase board of the tester. The probe card does not have any probe pins, and is configured to make electrical contact with bumps on the substrate without using probe pins. A second probe card includes a substrate with solder balls on one side and solder on pad (SOP) on the other side. Vertical probe pins contact the SOP and act as an interface between a tester and solder bumps on a wafer.

Abstract: A flip chip ball grid array package includes a thin die having a die thickness reduced from a wafer thickness to reduce mismatch of a coefficient of thermal expansion between the thin die and a substrate; a plurality of thin film layers formed on the thin die wherein each of the plurality of thin film layers has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than that of the thin die and is less than that of the substrate; and a plurality of wafer bumps formed on the thin die for making electrical contact between the thin die and the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a plurality of locomotives, the locomotives being responsive to a plurality of discrete actual commands, the apparatus comprising: a combination generator adapted for generating combinations of the discrete actual commands to yield a command combination set; a performance calculator adapted for calculating a performance parameter set from the command combination set; a feasible combination selector adapted for selecting a feasible combination subset from the command combination set as a function of a discrete performance setpoint, a performance tolerance, and the performance parameter set; an objective function calculator adapted for calculating an objective function set from the feasible combination subset; and an optimal command selector adapted for selecting an optimal command combination from the feasible combination subset corresponding to an optimum value of the objective function set.

Abstract: A flip chip ball grid array package includes a thin die having a die thickness reduced from a wafer thickness to reduce mismatch of a coefficient of thermal expansion between the thin die and a substrate; a plurality of thin film layers formed on the thin die wherein each of the plurality of thin film layers has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than that of the thin die and is less than that of the substrate; and a plurality of wafer bumps formed on the thin die for making electrical contact between the thin die and the substrate.

Abstract: A package substrate having pads for receiving an integrated circuit, where the improvement is the pads having a height of between about two mils and about three mils. In this manner, additional structures such as solder on the pads do not need to be added, and coined, in order to ensure a minimum gap between the package substrate and the monolithic integrated circuit. The pads may be formed of at least one of copper, nickel, and gold. Also described is a packaged integrated circuit having a package substrate with pads for receiving a monolithic integrated circuit, where the improvement is the pads having a height of between about two mils and about three mils. The monolithic integrated circuit is attached to the pads with solder bumps.

Abstract: A process and pharmaceutical composition containing simethicone and magnesium carbonate allows a higher production rate of simethicone containing tablets and a more consistent end product tablet. The magnesium carbonate prevents sticking of simethicone to tablet compressing apparatuses, and may also prevent sticking of other excipients to tablet compressing apparatuses.

Abstract: A flip chip ball grid array package includes a thin die having a die thickness reduced from a wafer thickness to reduce mismatch of a coefficient of thermal expansion between the thin die and a substrate; a plurality of thin film layers formed on the thin die wherein each of the plurality of thin film layers has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than that of the thin die and is less than that of the substrate; and a plurality of wafer bumps formed on the thin die for making electrical contact between the thin die and the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for cleaning the cavities in electronic components by providing a semiconductor component having an outside surface and a cavity therein. The component including hole in the outside surface enabling fluid flow in to or out of the cavity. The component is immersed in a solvent bath where solvent is flowed into the cavity using the hole, the solvent cleaning the cavity and then optionally being evacuated from the cavity. Specifically, the principles of the present invention may be used to clean the underfill space of a flip-chip package. The flip-chip package includes a packaging substrate with an evacuation port passing through the bulk of the packaging substrate such that the port is in communication with the underfill space and a bottom surface with the packaging substrate. This assembly is immersed in a solvent filled solvent bath. Solvent is drawn into the underfill space through said port. Alternatively, solvent may be injected into the underfill space through the port.

Abstract: A chewable dosage form containing a histamine H2-receptor antagonist in an amount which is effective to treat a gastrointestinal disorder is provided in a palatably acceptable form. The dosage form comprises granules containing the histamine H2-receptor antagonist, which are provided with a taste-masking coating comprising a water-insoluble, water-permeable methacrylate ester copolymer in which the coating is applied to the granules in an amount which provides a taste-masking effect for a relatively short period during which the composition is being chewed by a patient, but which allows substantially immediate release of the histamine H2-receptor antagonist after the composition has been chewed and ingested.

Abstract: An orally administrable sustained-release dosage form includes particles of an active pharmaceutical ingredient which is coated with a polymeric material that is water-insoluble, but water-permeable and water-swellable, so that the sustained-release dosage form provides controlled release which is independent of certain variable physiological factors such as pH. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the active pharmaceutical ingredient is acetaminophen and the coated acetaminophen particles are combined with uncoated acetaminophen particles to provide a combination immediate-release/sustained-release dosage form.

Abstract: The medicament of the present invention and its process of manufacturing employs a caplet or tablet core with a clear or single color uniform covering which can be applied either through an enrobing process, by spraying or by a single dip-coating step. The core itself can have a first color or be colorless, and its clear or single color covering has the outer surface of one end or one side colored by a suitable dye to provide a two-color appearance. The dye can be applied by dipping or spray painting with a suitable jet-spraying apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the covering is of a clear gelatinous material.