Abstract: This invention provides a novel process identification and control package for high performance. For process identification, a simple yet effective and robust identification method is presented using process step responses to give a continuous transfer function with time-delay without iteration. A new relay, called cascade relay, is devised to get more accurate and reliable points on the process frequency response. For controller tuning, the internal model principle is employed to design single-loop controller PID or high-order types with best achievable control performance. The process identification and control design parts can be easily integrated into control system auto-tuning package. Further, a general control scheme for disturbance rejection is given which can significantly improve disturbance rejection performance over conventional feedback systems with time delays. Practical issues such as noises, real-time implementation and tuning guidelines are also provided.

Abstract: An electrical connector (1) includes a housing (10), four signal contacts (20), a pair of power contacts (30) and a shielding (40, 50). The housing has a forwardly extending mating tongue (12). The mating tongue defines four receiving channels (126) therein in a vertical direction and a pair of side surface (122). A groove (128) is defined in each of the side surfaces of the mating tongue. Each signal contact comprises a mating portion (21) retained in a corresponding receiving channel. Each power contact comprises a mating portion (31) retained in a corresponding groove of the mating tongue. The shielding substantially surrounds the housing. The connector has a small dimension and can be used in a portable electronic device.

Abstract: A Zr-based bulk metallic glass formed using low purity materials at a low vacuum with a small amount of yttrium addition is provided. A method of improving the glass forming ability, crystallization and melting process without reducing the mechanical and elastic properties, such as hardness and Young's Modulus, of Zr-based alloys by yttrium addition, is also provided.

Abstract: A liquid-crystal-display device which displays an image on display matrix by supplying video signals to pixel cells of the display matrix includes a data driver supplying the video signals to the display matrix and including N digital drivers, N×k common-signal lines, and N×k×n switch blocks, wherein every k lines of the N×k common-signal lines are connected to a corresponding one of the N digital drivers, and every n blocks of the N×k×n switch blocks are connected to a corresponding one of the N×k common-signal lines, each of the common-signal lines being comprised of m lines and each of the switch blocks includes m selection switches, which couples the common-signal lines to the pixel cells of the display matrix.

Abstract: A Zr-based bulk metallic glass formed using low purity materials at a low vacuum with a small amount of yttrium addition is provided. A method of improving the glass forming ability, crystallization and melting process without reducing the mechanical and elastic properties, such as hardness and Young's Modulus, of Zr-based alloys by yttrium addition, is also provided.

Abstract: A method of predicting compensation data includes obtaining compensation data, associated with a job category, with at least one datum being associated with each of a plurality of characteristics associated with the job category, determining values of factors, associated with respective ones of the characteristics, and a base value that when used as operands of a function yield estimates of the obtained data such that relationships between the estimates and corresponding obtained compensation data satisfy at least one criterion, and using a portion of the values of factors and the base value by a computer to automatically obtain estimates of compensation data.

Abstract: When a thin-film transistor (TFT) is formed on a glass substrate, electric charges caused in the TFT can be removed so as to avoid electrostatic damage in the TFT. A short-circuiting pattern that short-circuits the source region and the drain region of the TFT is added to a polysilicon pattern that constitutes the TFT. This short-circuiting pattern is removed at the same time as or after the wiring formation in the source region and the drain region.

Abstract: A computer program product resides on a computer-readable medium and includes computer-readable and computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to access a compensation-data storage device, retrieve compensation data from the compensation-data storage device, the compensation data including information regarding job title and pay of individuals of a first business entity associated with the compensation-data storage device, and transmit the retrieved compensation data toward a processing system via a wide-area communications network, the processing system being associated with a second business entity that is different from the first business entity, where the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the computer to at least one of access, retrieve, and attempt to transmit the compensation data automatically.

Abstract: When a thin-film transistor (TFT) is formed on a glass substrate, electric charges caused in the TFT can be removed so as to avoid electrostatic damage in the TFT. A short-circuiting pattern that short-circuits the source region and the drain region of the TFT is added to a polysilicon pattern that constitutes the TFT. This short-circuiting pattern is removed at the same time as or after the wiring formation in the source region and the drain region.

Abstract: An optical circulator having a dual fiber collimator and a single fiber collimator is described. The circulator provides a non-reciprocal functionality that directs input signals from a first fiber of the dual fiber collimator to the single fiber collimator. Input signals from the single fiber collimator are directed to a second fiber of the dual fiber collimator. The circulator includes birefringent wedges that change the angle of signals from the single fiber collimator to direct the signals to the second fiber of the dual fiber collimator. Because the circulator includes two collimators rather than three collimators, the circulator is more compact than a circulator having three collimators.

Abstract: A universal serial bus (USB) connector (100) includes a row of terminals (20) fixedly received in receiving passageways (13) defined in a face of a mating tongue (12) of an insulative housing (10) of the connector. The terminals include a middle grounding terminal (21) which is longer than two signal terminals (23) beside the grounding terminal. The mating tongue forms protrusions (141) projecting rearwardly into recesses (204) defined in a front edge of each terminal thereby securing the terminals to the mating tongue.

Abstract: A simple yet effective and robust identification method is presented using process step responses for process identification that can provide a continuous transfer function with time-delay without iteration. A cascade relay provides accurate and reliable more points on the process frequency response. The internal model principle is employed to design single-loop controller of PID or high-order types with best achievable control performance for controller tuning, e.g. both single and multivariable cases are covered. The process identification and control design portions can be easily integrated into a control system auto-tuning package. Further, a general control scheme for disturbance rejection is given which can significantly improve disturbance rejection performance over conventional feedback systems with time delays. Practical issues such as noises, real-time implementation and tuning guidelines are also provided.

Abstract: A liquid-crystal display device is provided. The liquid-crystal display device comprises a first substrate having a pixel electrode, a signal line, a scanning line, and a driver driving one of the signal line and the scanning line, a second substrate opposing the first substrate and having a common electrode, a liquid-crystal layer formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, and a first shield placed opposite the driver so as to shield an electromagnetic wave radiated from the driver.

Abstract: A universal serial bus (USB) connector (100) includes a row of terminals (20) fixedly received in receiving passageways (13) defined in a face of a mating tongue (12) of an insulative housing (10) of the connector. The terminals include a middle grounding terminal (21) which is longer than two signal terminals (23) beside the grounding terminal. The mating tongue forms protrusions (141) projecting rearwardly into recesses (204) defined in a front edge of each terminal thereby securing the terminals to the mating tongue.

Abstract: A method and system for modeling of object-oriented database structures, translation to relational database structures, and dynamic searches thereon. The user may create, edit and manipulate a user's object database (dynamically translated into a set of relational database structures), to create, edit and manipulate objects for that object database (dynamically translated into data for those relational database structures), and to create, edit and manipulate queries to be applied to that object database (dynamically translated into queries to be applied to those relational database structures). A meta-model of the user's object database, which is itself an object database, and which has itself been translated into a set of relational database structures for manipulation by a relational database engine. The meta-model comprises a set of classes, objects, and relationships between classes which model the classes and relationships between classes of the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining client information relating to a web page in a World Wide Web site utilizes a tracker tag in the code of the web page for initiating a client information tracking program. The tracking program may be on a client computer that is accessing the web page, or a tracking computer that is remote from the client computer. The tracking program is initiated by a tracker message transmitted from a web browser on the client computer to the tracking program when the tracker tag is read by the web browser. In one embodiment, the tracking program first obtains the client information, and then stores the client information in the memory of a computer having the tracking program.

Abstract: A portable HDTV testing device inserts a deterministic test signal having a frequency close to the symbol rate of the received HDTV signal. As the received HDTV signal is randomized prior to broadcast for synchronization purposes, the addition of the deterministic test signal to the randomized data signal is essentially equivalent to the addition of a random (or white) noise signal to an information bearing signal. The use of a deterministic test signal avoids the expense associated with a random signal generator, thus making possible an inexpensive and portable HDTV test device. To test the noise margin of a received signal, which is used to determine if the installation of the antenna and HDTV receiver is optimized, the test unit inserts known levels of the noise signal incrementally and measures the bit error rate until the bit error rate exceeds a known threshold above which proper decoding is not possible.