All The Claims

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a package;
a semiconductor die embedded in the package;
a plurality of leads including at least one lead that has a first end extending outside of the package and a second end embedded in the package, the lead being formed of a conductive material and having opposing first and second main surfaces and opposing first and second side surfaces each extending between the first and second main surfaces;
a bond wire embedded in the package and having a first end electrically connected to the semiconductor die and a second end electrically connected proximate to the second end of the lead; and
an insulative layer formed on the first main surface and the first and second side surfaces of the lead at least proximate the second end of the lead, wherein the insulative layer fills a gap between the lead and an adjacent lead at least at an area proximate the second end of the lead, the bond wire extending through an opening in the insulative layer on the first main surface of the lead to electrically connect with the lead.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the insulative layer is made from a polymeric material having a melting temperature above about 250\xb0 C.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the polymeric material is polytetrafluoroethylene.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the insulative layer has a thickness of greater than about 1 micron.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising a coating of silver disposed between the conductive material and the insulative layer on at least the first main surface of the lead at least proximate the second end of the lead.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the conductive material of the lead is copper.

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 computer-implemented method comprising:
sending a first plurality of messages to a message oriented middleware (MOM) broker according to a message frequency value;
obtaining a first message from the MOM broker, the first message comprising one message among the first plurality of messages;
determining an estimated round trip time for communicating the first message from a message producer to the MOM broker and back to the producer;
adjusting the message frequency value based on the estimated round trip time;
wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
storing a first timestamp representing a time that a message is sent to the MOM broker;
storing a second timestamp representing a time that the message is received from the MOM broker; and
determining a round trip time based on the first timestamp and the second timestamp.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the round trip time for the second plurality of messages includes estimating the round trip time with a change detection filter.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the change detection filter is a CUSUM Kalman adaptive filter.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the MOM broker is a message queuing middleware broker.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the MOM broker is a CORBA message oriented middleware broker.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the messages are application level messages.
8. A machine-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causes performing:
sending a first plurality of messages to a message oriented middleware (MOM) broker according to a message frequency value;
obtaining a first message from the MOM broker, the first message comprising one message among the first plurality of messages;
determining an estimated round trip time for communicating the first message from a message producer to the MOM broker and back to the producer;
adjusting the message frequency value based on the estimated round trip time.
9. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising one or more sequences of instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causes performing:
storing a first timestamp representing a time that a message is sent to the MOM broker;
storing a second timestamp representing a time that the message is received from the MOM broker; and
determining a round trip time based on the first timestamp and the second timestamp.
10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining the average round trip time for the second plurality of messages includes estimating the average round trip time with a change detection filter.
11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the change detection filter is a CUSUM Kalman adaptive filter.
12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the MOM broker is a message queuing middleware broker.
13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the is a CORBA message oriented middleware broker.
14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the messages are application level messages.
15. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors;
a token bucket configured to send a first plurality of messages to a message oriented middleware (MOM) broker according to a message frequency value;
a controller configured to receive a first message from the MOM broker, the first message comprising one message among the first plurality of messages;
a change detection filter configured to determine, using the one or more processors, an average round trip time for communicating the first message from a message producer to the MOM broker and back to the producer; and
wherein the controller adjusts the message frequency value based on the average round trip time.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the token bucket stores a first timestamp representing a time that a message is sent to the MOM broker; and wherein the controller stores a second timestamp representing a time that the message is received from the MOM broker and determines a round trip time based on the first timestamp and the second timestamp.
17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein determining the round trip time for the first message includes estimating the round trip time with a change detection filter.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the change detection filter is a CUSUM Kalman adaptive filter.
19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the MOM broker is a message queuing middleware broker.
21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the is a CORBA message oriented middleware broker.
22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the messages are application level messages.
23. A computer-implemented method comprising:
sending a first plurality of messages to a message oriented middleware broker according to a message frequency value;
receiving a second plurality of messages from the broker, the second plurality of messages comprising a subset of the first plurality of messages;
determining a round trip time estimation for communicating the second plurality of messages from a message producer to the broker and back to the producer,
wherein determining the round trip time for the second plurality of messages includes estimating the round trip time with a CUSUM Kalman change detection filter;
adjusting the message frequency value based on the round trip time estimation;
wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.
24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the broker is a message queuing middleware broker.
25. A machine-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causes performing:
sending a first plurality of messages to a message oriented middleware broker according to a message frequency value;
receiving a second plurality of messages from the broker, the second plurality of messages comprising a subset of the first plurality of messages;
determining a round trip time estimation for communicating the second plurality of messages from a message producer to the broker and back to the producer,
wherein determining the round trip time estimation for the second plurality of messages includes estimating the round trip time with a CUSUM Kalman change detection filter; and
adjusting the message frequency value based on the round trip time estimation.

1. A portable alarm apparatus for warning a person, the portable alarm apparatus comprising:
a manually portable base unit;
an integrated circuit assembly;
a constant power supply supported by the base unit, the constant power supply including an external power supply having an interface connectible to a power source external of the base unit, the constant power supply including an onboard power supply independent of the external power supply, and
a detection circuit supported by the base unit, the detection circuit being connected to the constant power supply, the detection circuit being operable to detect a monitored condition; and an alarm circuit supported by the base unit, the alarm circuit being connected to the constant power supply, the alarm circuit being operable in response to detection of the monitored condition by the detection circuit to produce an alarm signal for warning at least one person; the integrated circuit assembly including a portion of at least one of: the detection circuit, the alarm circuit, and the constant power supply, the integrated circuit assembly including multiple layers, the layers including: an outer fire retardant layer adjacent to a light emitting layer, a solar cell layer adjacent to the light emitting layer, a battery cell layer adjacent to the solar cell layer, and an inner integrated circuit layer adjacent to the battery cell layer.
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 method for controlling varnish build-up in a variable geometry turbine (VGT) of a diesel engine turbocharger, comprising:
determining whether an operation parameter is at a level established for initiating a varnish build-up control sequence; and
upon determining that the operation parameter is at the established level, initiating the varnish build-up control sequence, the sequence comprising
increasing exhaust temperature upstream of the VGT to a first exhaust temperature, and
changing an opening size of a VGT nozzle between a smaller and a larger opening size while increasing the exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature.
2. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operation parameter comprises one or more of an estimated level of varnish build-up, an actual level of varnish build-up, force required to change nozzle opening size in the VGT, a period of engine operation, a period of engine operation at idle, an ambient temperature, a engine coolant temperature, detection of faulty hardware, cylinder temperature, intake manifold temperature, injection pressure.
3. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising cycling the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a plurality of temperature cycles.
4. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size after cycling the exhaust temperature through the plurality of temperature cycles.
5. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size by cycling the nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size through a plurality of nozzle opening and closing cycles.
6. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first exhaust temperature is a temperature sufficient to cause accumulated varnish accumulated on the VGT to turn into soot flakes.
7. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first exhaust temperature is approximately 175\xb0 C. or greater.
8. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first exhaust temperature is approximately 350\xb0 C. or greater.
9. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising maintaining the exhaust temperature at the first exhaust temperature for a predetermined length of time.
10. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between a 0% and a 100% opening size.
11. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 10, comprising keeping the opening size of the VGT nozzle at a predetermined opening size when engine coolant temperature is above a predetermined engine coolant temperature.
12. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operation parameter comprises an ambient temperature at or below a predetermined ambient temperature and a period of operation at or exceeding a predetermined length of time, and wherein the varnish build-up control sequence comprises cycling the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a plurality of temperature cycles.
13. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, the operation parameter comprises operation of the engine at extended idle, and wherein the varnish build-up control sequence is initiated upon determination that the engine has operated at extended idle for a predetermined length of time.
14. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising increasing exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature by one or more of reducing VGT nozzle opening size, retarding injection timing, reducing fuel injection pressure, increasing engine speed, and seventh injector dosing.
15. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising one or more of cycling the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a sufficient number of temperature cycles and changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size a sufficient number of times so that a force required to change the opening size in the VGT is below a predetermined value.
16. A diesel engine arrangement, comprising:
a diesel engine;
a turbocharger, the turbocharger comprising a variable geometry turbine (VGT) downstream of the engine;
means for determining whether an operation parameter is at a level established for initiating a varnish build-up control sequence for controlling varnish build-up on the VGT; and
a controller arranged to initiate the varnish build-up control sequence when the determining means determines that the operation parameter is at the established level, the varnish build-up control sequence comprising
increasing exhaust temperature upstream of the VGT to a first exhaust temperature, and
changing an opening size of a VGT nozzle between a smaller and a larger opening size while increasing the exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature.
17. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the operation parameter comprises one or more of an estimated level of varnish build-up, an actual level of varnish build-up, force required to change opening size of the VGT nozzle, a period of engine operation, a period of engine operation at idle, an ambient temperature, and a engine coolant temperature.
18. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the controller is arranged to increase exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature by one or more of reducing VGT nozzle opening size, retarding injection timing, reducing fuel injection pressure, increasing engine speed, and dosing via a seventh injector.
19. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the determining means determines whether a force required to change the opening size of the VGT nozzle exceeds a predetermined value, and the controller is arranged to at least one of cycle the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a sufficient number of temperature cycles and change the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size a sufficient number of times so that the force required to change the opening size of the VGT nozzle changes to a value below the predetermined value.
20. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the controller is arranged to at least one of increase the exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature from a second, lower exhaust temperature through a sufficient number of temperature cycles and change the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size a sufficient number of times so that a force required to change the opening size of the VGT nozzle remains below a predetermined value.