1. A character input program incorporating, in a computer, a conversion dictionary including a plurality of dictionary data in which a priority is corresponded to a read character string and a converted character string, and causing the computer to function as each unit of a read character assembly unit for assembling a read character string according to input of a read character; a candidate predicting section for extracting the converted character string that prefix matches the read character string updated from the conversion dictionary as a candidate every time the read character string is updated, and displaying the extracted candidate character strings in a predetermined order; and a confirmation outputting unit for confirming the selected candidate character string according to a selection operation on the displayed candidate and outputting the confirmed character string to a higher level application operating on the computer; wherein
each of a wide variety of attributes representing an input state is corresponded to a predetermined number of dictionary data in the conversion dictionary; and
the candidate predicting section includes an adjustment value setting unit for determining the input state based on an operation state of the computer or a device incorporating the computer and setting a numerical value of a predetermined magnitude to each attribute as an adjustment value of the priority according to the determination content, a priority adjustment unit for adjusting the priority of the candidate extracted by the read character string based on the attribute corresponding to the candidate and the adjustment value set by the adjustment value setting unit, and a display order determining unit for determining the display order of each candidate based on the priority after the process by the priority adjustment unit.
2. The character input program according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment value setting unit sets the adjustment value of the attribute adapted to the determined input state to a positive value, and sets the adjustment value of the attribute not adapted to the input state to zero or a negative value.
3. The character input program according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment value setting unit sets the adjustment value of the priority of each attribute so that when determining a plurality of input states in the determination of the input state, a highest adjustment value is added to the priority of the candidate corresponded with all attributes adapted to the input states.
4. The character input program according to claim 1, wherein the attribute contains a wide variety of data indicating a timing the read character string is input, the determining unit determines the timing the read character string is input based on timing information of an internal clock of the device incorporating the computer.
5. The character input program according to claim 1, wherein
the attribute contains a wide variety of data representing input expression, and
every time a candidate corresponded with the attribute representing the input expression is confirmed by the confirmation outputting unit, the adjustment value setting unit sets the adjustment value of the attribute corresponding to the candidate to a positive value, and sets the adjustment value of the attribute not adapted to the input expression represented by the attribute to zero or a negative value.
6. A character input device comprising an operation unit and a display unit; a memory stored with a conversion dictionary including a plurality of dictionary data in which a priority is corresponded to a read character string and a converted character string; a read character assembly unit for assembling a read character string according to input of a read character from the operation unit; a candidate predicting section for extracting a character string that prefix matches the read character string updated from the conversion dictionary as a candidate every time the read character string is updated, and displaying the extracted candidates on the display unit in a predetermined order; and a confirmation outputting unit for confirming and outputting the selected candidate character string according to a selection operation on the displayed candidate; wherein
each of a wide variety of attributes representing an input state is corresponded to a predetermined number of dictionary data in the conversion dictionary; and
the candidate predicting section includes an adjustment value setting unit for determining the input state based on an operation state of an own device and setting a numerical value of a predetermined magnitude to each attribute as an adjustment value of the priority according to the determination content, a priority adjustment unit for adjusting the priority of the candidate extracted by the read character string based on the attribute corresponding to the candidate and the adjustment value set by the adjustment value setting unit, and a display order determining unit for determining the display order of each candidate based on the priority after the process by the priority adjustment unit.
7. A character input method in a computer connected with an operation unit and a display unit and incorporating a conversion dictionary including a plurality of dictionary data in which a priority is corresponded to a read character string and a converted character string, the method including executing in a predetermined cycle a first step of assembling a read character string according to input of a read character from the operation unit and a second step of extracting the converted character string that prefix matches the read character string updated from the conversion dictionary as a candidate according to the update of the read character string, and displaying the extracted candidate character strings on the display unit in a predetermined order; confirming the selected candidate character string when a selection operation is performed on the candidate displayed by the execution of the second step; and outputting the confirmed character string to a higher level application operating on the computer; wherein
the conversion dictionary is configured so that each of a wide variety of attributes representing an input state is corresponded to a predetermined number of dictionary data; and
the second steps includes the steps of determining the input state based on an operation state of the computer or a device incorporating the computer and setting a numerical value of a predetermined magnitude to each attribute as an adjustment value of the priority according to the determination content, adjusting the priority of the candidate extracted by the read character string based on the attribute corresponding to the candidate and the adjustment value set to the attribute, and determining the display order of each candidate based on the priority after the termination of the adjustment process.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A vacuum-arc device comprising:
a consumable cathode including a first material having a defined active surface,
a refractory, substantially non-consumable anode, associated with said cathode, said anode including a second material,
an inter-electrode volume, bounded partially by at least a portion of an inner wall of said cathode and by at least a portion of an inner wall of said anode,
wherein at least a portion of said inner walls form, at least in part, a first chamber surrounding said inter-electrode volume, said chamber having at least one opening fluidly communicating between said inter-electrode volume and an a volume outside said chamber;
a vacuum chamber, disposed around and communicating with said first chamber;
an evacuation mechanism for evacuating said vacuum chamber;
said anode and said cathode for connecting to a high-current power supply,
wherein said cathode is adapted, and said cathode and said anode are disposed, such that upon evacuating said vacuum chamber using said evacuation mechanism, ignition of an arc discharge between said cathode and said anode, and activation of said high-current power supply, a portion of said first material is liberated from said defined active surface of said cathode, transported through said inter-electrode volume, and discharged from said first chamber through said at least one opening,
wherein:
a total opening area of said at least one opening, Aopenings, is defined by a sum of a minimum cross-sectional area for each said opening, said cross-sectional area being normal to a path of said opening between said inter-electrode volume and said volume outside said chamber;
a surface area of said anode, Aanode, is defined by a geometrical surface area of said portion of said anode that bounds said inter-electrode volume;
and wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area,
AanodeAopenings
is at least 10.
2-7. (canceled)
8. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein said at least one opening passes through said anode.
9. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, further comprising: at least one insert disposed in said at least one opening, said insert for increasing tortuousity of a path of particles of said portion of said first material as said particles are discharged through said opening.
10. (canceled)
11. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein said cathode is adapted, and said cathode and said anode are disposed, such that said portion of said first material being discharged through said at least one opening is discharged as a plasma jet.
12. (canceled)
13. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, further comprising: a mechanism for mounting at least one substrate for coating by plasma discharged through said opening, said mechanism having a defined position for disposing said substrate.
14. (canceled)
15. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, further comprising: a substrate, disposed in a line of sight of said opening.
16-17. (canceled)
18. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein a surface area of said cathode, Acathode, is defined by a geometrical surface area of said portion of said cathode that bounds said inter-electrode volume,
and wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode,
AanodeAcathode
is at least 2.0.
19-22. (canceled)
23. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area is at least 30.
24. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area is at least 60.
25. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area is at least 100.
26. (canceled)
27. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one opening is outside of a line of sight of said active surface of said cathode.
28. The vacuum-arc device of claim 1, wherein each said at least one opening is outside of a line of sight of said active surface of said cathode.
29. A vacuum-arc device comprising:
a consumable cathode including a first material and having a defined active surface,
a refractory, substantially non-consumable anode, associated with said cathode, said anode including a second material,
an inter-electrode volume, bounded partially by at least a portion of an inner wall of said cathode and by at least a portion of an inner wall of said anode,
wherein at least a portion of said inner walls form, at least in part, a first chamber surrounding said inter-electrode volume, said chamber having at least one opening fluidly communicating between said inter-electrode volume and an a volume outside said chamber;
a vacuum chamber, disposed around and communicating with said first chamber;
an evacuation mechanism for evacuating said vacuum chamber;
said anode and said cathode for connecting to a high-current power supply,
wherein said cathode is adapted, and said cathode and said anode are disposed, such that upon evacuating said vacuum chamber using said evacuation mechanism, ignition of an arc discharge between said cathode and said anode, and activation of said high-current power supply, a portion of said first material is liberated from said defined active surface of said cathode, transported through said inter-electrode volume, and discharged from said first chamber through said at least one opening,
wherein:
a surface area of said cathode, Acathode, is defined by a geometrical surface area of said portion of said cathode that bounds said inter-electrode volume;
a surface area of said anode, Aanode, is defined by a geometrical surface area of said portion of said anode that bounds said inter-electrode volume;
and wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode,
AanodeAcathode
is at least 2.0.
30. The vacuum-arc device of claim 29, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode is at least 2.5.
31. The vacuum-arc device of claim 29, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode is at least 3.5.
32. The vacuum-arc device of claim 29, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode is at least 5.
33. The vacuum-arc device of claim 29, wherein a total opening area of said at least one opening, Aopenings, is defined by a sum of a minimum cross-sectional area for each said opening, said cross-sectional area being normal to a path of said opening between said inter-electrode volume and said volume outside said chamber;
and wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area,
AanodeAopenings
is at least 10.
34-35. (canceled)
36. The vacuum-arc device of claim 29, further comprising: at least one insert disposed in said at least one opening, said insert for increasing tortuousity of a path of particles of said portion of said first material as said particles are discharged through said opening.
37-39. (canceled)
40. A method of producing a plasma jet using a vacuum-arc device, the method comprising:
(a) providing a device including:
a consumable cathode including a first material and having a defined active surface,
a refractory, substantially non-consumable anode, associated with said cathode, said anode including a second material,
said cathode and said anode relatively disposed so as to form an inter-electrode volume,
said inter-electrode volume bounded partially by at least a portion of an inner wall of said cathode and by at least a portion of an inner wall of said anode,
wherein at least a portion of said inner walls form, at least in part, a first chamber surrounding said inter-electrode volume, said chamber having at least one opening fluidly communicating between said inter-electrode volume and an a volume outside said chamber;
a total opening area of said at least one opening, Aopenings, is defined by a sum of a minimum cross-sectional area for each said opening, said cross-sectional area being normal to a path of said opening between said inter-electrode volume and said volume outside said chamber;
a surface area of said anode, Aanode, is defined by a geometrical surface area of said portion of said anode that bounds said inter-electrode volume;
and wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area,
AanodeAopenings
is at least a predetermined ratio;
(b) at least partly evacuating said chamber;
(c) establishing an arc discharge between said cathode and said anode, using a high-current power supply, such that said discharge produces a vapor, said vapor including vaporized cathode material,
wherein said predetermined ratio is sufficiently high such that substantially all macroparticles from said first material are evaporated prior to being discharged from said first chamber via said at least one opening.
41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:
(d) exposing a substrate to said vaporized cathode material produced by said arc discharge, so as to coat said substrate.
42. The method of claim 19, wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area,
AanodeAopenings
is at least 10.
43. (canceled)
44. The method of claim 19, wherein:
a surface area of said cathode, Acathode, is defined by a geometrical surface area of said portion of said cathode that bounds said inter-electrode volume;
and wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode,
AanodeAcathode
is at least 2.0.
45-46. (canceled)
47. The method of claim 40, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area is sufficiently high such that a density of heavy particles in said first chamber is at least 2 1015 particles per cubic centimeter.
48. The method of claim 40, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area and said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode are sufficiently high such that a density of heavy particles in said first chamber is at least 5 1015 particles per cubic centimeter.
49. The method of claim 40, wherein said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area and said ratio of said surface area of said anode to said surface area of said cathode are sufficiently high such that a density of heavy particles in said first chamber is at least 8-1015 particles per cubic centimeter.
50. A vacuum-arc device comprising:
a consumable cathode including a first material having a defined active surface,
a refractory, substantially non-consumable anode, associated with said cathode, said anode including a second material,
an inter-electrode volume, bounded partially by at least a portion of an inner wall of said cathode and by at least a portion of an inner wall of said anode,
wherein at least a portion of said inner walls form, at least in part, a first chamber surrounding said inter-electrode volume, said chamber having at least one opening fluidly communicating between said inter-electrode volume and an a volume outside said chamber;
said anode and said cathode for connecting to a high-current power supply,
wherein said cathode is adapted, and said cathode and said anode are disposed, such that upon evacuating said chamber, ignition of an arc discharge between said cathode and said anode, and activation of said high-current power supply, a portion of said first material is liberated from said defined active surface of said cathode, transported through said inter-electrode volume, and discharged from said first chamber through said at least one opening, as a thrust-producing plasma jet,
wherein:
a total opening area of said at least one opening, Aopenings, is defined by a sum of a minimum cross-sectional area for each said opening, said cross-sectional area being normal to a path of said opening between said inter-electrode volume and said volume outside said chamber;
a surface area of said anode, Aanode, is defined by a geometrical surface area of said portion of said anode that bounds said inter-electrode volume;
and wherein a ratio of said surface area of said anode to said total opening area,
AanodeAopenings
is at least 10.