Abstract:
A method and apparatus for performing efficient interprocess communication (IPC) in a computer system. With this invention, a memory region called the IPC transfer region is shared among all processes of the system to enable more efficient IPC. The unique physical address of the region is mapped into a virtual address from each of the address spaces of the processes of the system. When one of the processes needs to transfer data to another of the processes, the first process stores arguments describing the data in the region using the virtual address in its address space that maps into the unique physical address. When the other or second process needs to receive the data, the second process reads the data from the second region using the virtual address in its memory space that maps into the unique physical address. With this invention, in most cases, control of the IPC transfer region occurs automatically without any kernel intervention.
Abstract:
In a computer system, a method and apparatus for scheduling activities' access to a resource with minimal involvement of the kernel of the operating system. More specifically, a “next bid” is maintained, and this parameter identifies the highest bid for the resource by any activity not currently accessing the resource. The accessing activity then compares its bid, which can be time varying, with the “next bid” to determine whether it should release the resource to another activity. The “next bid” can be accessed without any system calls to the operating system. This allows the activity to determine whether to relinquish control to the system without the necessity of communication between the two. Likewise, the operating system can access the bid of the accessing activity without explicit communication. This allows the system to determine whether to preempt the accessing activity without the necessity of communication between the two.
Abstract:
Provided is a blooming control structure for an imager and a corresponding fabrication method. The structure is produced in a semiconductor substrate in which is configured an electrical charge collection region. The electrical charge collection region is configured to accumulate electrical charge that is photogenerated in the substrate, up to a characteristic charge collection capacity. A blooming drain region is configured in the substrate laterally spaced from the charge collection region. The blooming drain region includes an extended path of a conductivity type and level that are selected for conducting charge in excess of the characteristic charge collection capacity away from the charge collection region. A blooming barrier region is configured in the substrate to be adjacent to and laterally spacing the charge collection and blooming drain regions by a blooming barrier width. This barrier width corresponds to an acute blooming barrier impurity implantation angle with the substrate. The blooming barrier region is of a conductivity type and level that is selected based on the blooming barrier width to produce a corresponding electrical potential barrier between the charge collection and blooming drain regions. This blooming control structure, and particularly the blooming barrier regions of the structure, are very precisely defined by the selected acute blooming barrier impurity implantation angle, and optionally in addition by a rotation of the blooming barrier impurity implantation, as well as a non-vertical sidewall profile of the an impurity implantation masking layer.
Abstract:
A charge modulation device having a semiconductor region of a first conductivity type. An epitaxial layer of second conductivity type is provided on a portion of the semiconductor region so as to define an FET channel region. A first epitaxial region of the second conductivity type is provided adjacent to and in contact with the epitaxial layer so as to define an FET drain region, the first epitaxial region being electrically isolated from the semiconductor region. A second epitaxial region of the second conductivity type is provided adjacent to and in contact with the epitaxial layer so as to define an FET source region, the second epitaxial region being electrically isolated from the semiconductor region. A third epitaxial region of the first conductivity type or a metal oxide semiconductor is provided to the channel region between the source and drain regions.
Abstract:
Processing a list of customer orders with a control system and a preparing station, which includes a picking position, an insertion position and local recirculation. The control system: selects a reference in the greatest number of order lines of the list; determines a set E of all the NE orders each containing an order line containing the selected reference; creates a group G of N orders that are the NE orders, if NE≤Nmax with Nmax being a predetermined threshold, or the Nmax first orders of the NE orders sorted according to decreasing order of priority, if NE>Nmax; builds a list LC of the K order lines in the N orders of the group G; and controls the system to bring source loads to the picking position and ship loads to the insertion position and to make the shipping loads recirculate to the insertion position, according to the list LC.
Abstract:
An automatic locker device is configured for handling loads with operations of loading and retrieval. The device includes at least one storage zone for storing loads, at least one retrieval point and a handling mechanism, which is configured to move the loads from the at least one storage zone to the at least one retrieval point, for the retrieval operations. The automatic locker device also includes at least one buffer zone, distinct from the at least one storage zone. The handling mechanism is configured to move the loads from the at least one buffer zone to the at least one storage zone, for the loading operations.