Methods and systems for managing data loads on a cluster of processors that implement an iterative procedure through parallel processing of data for the procedure are disclosed. One method includes monitoring, for at least one iteration of the procedure, completion times of a plurality of different processing phases that are undergone by each of the processors in a given iteration. The method further includes determining whether a load imbalance factor threshold is exceeded in the given iteration based on the completion times for the given iteration. In addition, the data is repartitioned by reassigning the data to the processors based on predicted dependencies between assigned data units of the data and completion times of a plurality of the processers for at least two of the phases. Further, the parallel processing is implemented on the cluster of processors in accordance with the reassignment.

A method of forming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes forming a first MTJ cap layer on a MTJ structure. The first MTJ cap layer includes a first non-nitrified metal. The method also includes forming a second MTJ cap layer over the first MTJ cap layer. The second MTJ cap layer includes a second non-nitrified metal. The method further includes forming a top electrode layer over the second MTJ cap layer. The second MTJ cap layer is conductive and configured to reduce or prevent oxidation.

A method and system for optical proximity correction (OPC) is disclosed in which a set of shaped beam shots is determined which, when used in a shaped beam charged particle beam writer, will form a pattern on a reticle, where some of the shots overlap, where the pattern on the reticle is an OPC-corrected version of an input pattern, and where the sensitivity of the pattern on the reticle to manufacturing variation is reduced. A method for fracturing or mask data preparation is also disclosed.

In one embodiment of the invention, an integrated circuit (IC) design tool is provided for synthesizing logic, including one or more software modules to synthesize a gate-level netlist of a squarer functional block. The software modules include a bitvector generator, a bitvector reducer, and a hybrid multibit adder generator. The bitvector generator multiplies bits of a vector together to generate partial products for a plurality of bitvectors and then optimizes a plurality of least significant bitvectors. The bitvector reducer reduces the partial products in the bitvectors of the squarer functional block down to a pair of final vectors. The hybrid multibit adder generator generates a hybrid multibit adder including a first adder and a second adder coupled together by a carry bit with bit widths being responsive to a dividerbit. The hybrid multibit adder adds the pair of final vectors together to generate a final result for the squarer functional block.

A datapath extraction tool uses machine-learning models to selectively classify clusters of cells in an integrated circuit design as either datapath logic or non-datapath logic based on cluster features. A support vector machine and a neural network can be used to build compact and run-time efficient models. A cluster is classified as datapath if both the support vector machine and the neural network indicate that it is datapath-like. The cluster features may include automorphism generators for the cell clusters, or physical information based on the cell locations from a previous (e.g., global) placement, such as a ratio of a total cell area for a given cluster to a half-perimeter of a bounding box for the given cluster.

Methods and systems are described for placing arithmetic operators on a programmable integrated circuit device (e.g., a PLD). Placement of arithmetic operators of a data flow graph in one of multiple regions (e.g., a region of DSP circuitry blocks or a region of logic fabric circuitry) on the programmable integrated circuitry device may be determined (e.g., randomly). A score related to the performance of the graph (e.g., a score related to data flow graph routing delays or area consumed by the data flow graph) may be determined and this process may be repeated after one of the arithmetic operators of the data flow graph is moved. The placement of arithmetic operators that corresponds to the best value for the score related to the performance of the data flow graph may be stored. Accordingly, more arithmetic operators may be included on a programmable integrated device than in conventional devices.

A magnetic tunneling junction device and fabrication method is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium includes processor executable instructions. The instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to initiate deposition of a capping material on a free layer of a magnetic tunneling junction structure to form a capping layer. The instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate oxidization of a first layer of the capping material to form a first oxidized layer of oxidized material.

The disclosed technology is related to adjusting an integrated circuit design while accounting for a local density of the design. In particular exemplary embodiments, a local density value for a layout design that defines a plurality of geometric shapes is derived. Subsequently, one or more of the geometric shapes are adjusted such that the local density value is preserved. With some implementations, the local density value is preserved if the adjusted local density value is within a threshold amount of the derived local density value.

A cleaning composition for sanitizing and/or disinfecting hard surfaces, comprising: a cationic biocide, surfactant and low levels of VOC solvents. The cleaning composition is adapted to clean a variety of hard surfaces without leaving behind a visible residue and creates low levels of streaking and filming on the treated surface. The cleaning composition contains less than 5% by weight of VOCs. The cleaning composition may be used alone as a liquid or spray formulation or in combination with a substrate, for example, a pre-loaded cleaning wipe.

A composition is described containing a branched nonionic surfactant of Formula (I): (I) wherein x is a real number from 1 to 11, y is a real number from 1 to 20, R 1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R 2 is an alkyl group having 4 to 6 carbon atoms, and a primary 5 alcohol ethoxylate.

Surfactants (e.g., fluorosurfactants) for stabilizing aqueous or hydrocarbon droplets in a fluorophilic continuous phase are presented. In some embodiments, fluorosurfactants include a fluorophilic tail soluble in a fluorophilic (e.g., fluorocarbon) continuous phase, and a headgroup soluble in either an aqueous phase or a lipophilic (e.g., hydrocarbon) phase. The combination of a fluorophilic tail and a headgroup may be chosen so as to create a surfactant with a suitable geometry for forming stabilized reverse emulsion droplets having a disperse aqueous or lipophilic phase in a continuous, fluorophilic phase. In some embodiments, the headgroup is preferably non-ionic and can prevent or limit the adsorption of molecules at the interface between the surfactant and the discontinuous phase. This configuration can allow the droplet to serve, for example, as a reaction site for certain chemical and/or biological reactions. In another embodiment, aqueous droplets are stabilized in a fluorocarbon phase at least in part by the electrostatic attraction of two oppositely charged or polar components, one of which is at least partially soluble in the dispersed phase, the other at least partially soluble in the continuous phase. One component may provide collodial stability of the emulsion, and the other may prevent the adsorption of biomolecules at the interface between a component and the discontinous phase. Advantageously, surfactants and surfactant combinations of the invention may provide sufficient stabilization against coalescence of droplets, without interfering with processes that can be carried out inside the droplets.

A cleansing composition for cosmetic or household use may include an ampholytic polymer; a crosslinked cationic polymer; a surfactant component selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and zwitterionic surfactants; and an aqueous and/or organic carrier.

A rinse-off composition, such as a shampoo, hair conditioner or shower gel, comprising a rinse-off composition base, lactoyl ethanolamine and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of N-(4-cyanomethylphenyl) p-menthanecarboxamide and N-(2-pyridin-2-ylethyl) p-menthanecarboxamide. The compositions provide a pleasant, long-lasting cooling sensation.

An elongated segmented soap bar is segmented longitudinally into a plurality of soap bodies separate and discrete from one another. Adjacent soap bodies are movable with respect to one another between at least two different configurations including at least an arc configuration with the plurality of soap bodies disposed in an arc. At least one coupler couples the plurality of soap bodies together to allow the adjacent soap bodies to move with respect to one another between the at least two different configurations.

The use of ferric hydroxycarboxylate as a chelator and builder for cleaning compositions is disclosed. The cleaning composition may be formulated for warewashing, laundering, and for other means of removing soils and includes a ferric hydroxycarboxylate, an alkalinity source and a surfactant system. The cleaning composition has a pH of between about 9 and about 12.

Gemini surfactants of bis-N-alkyl polyether, bis-N-alkenyl polyether, bis-N-cycloalkyl polyether, bis-N-aryl polyether bis-beta or alpha-amino acids or their salts, are produced for use as multifunctional corrosion inhibitors, which protect and prevent corrosion of ferrous metals exposed to acidic, basic and neutral liquids when transporting or storing crude oil and liquid fuels. The surfactants are also used to inhibit corrosion of equipment and pipes used in cooling systems in petroleum and petrochemical equipment. The Gemini surfactants have the structural formula:

Acidic viscoelastic cleaning compositions are disclosed which use non polymer thickening agents. According to the invention, cleaning compositions have been developed using viscoelastic surfactants in acidic cleaning formulations. These provide the dual benefit of thickening as well as an additional cleaning, thereby improving performance. Applicants have also identified several pseudo linking agents which when, used with viscoelastic surfactants provide enhanced viscoelasticity and cleaning.

Compositions and methods for treating biofilm formation and growth on a substrate are provided. The composition comprises 1 ppb to 1,000 ppm of at least one D-amino acid and 1 ppm to 60,000 ppm of at least one biocide. The method comprises contacting the substrate with 1 ppb to 1,000 ppm of at least one D-amino acid and 1 ppm to 60,000 ppm of at least one biocide. The compositions and methods are effective for preventing, reducing or eliminating biofilm formation or biofilm growth or both, as well as eradicating established, recalcitrant biofilms, particularly biofilms comprising sulfate reducing bacteria that are known to cause microbiologically influenced corrosion, biofouling, or both.

The invention relates to compositions, methods of use, and methods of manufacture for an intercalated bleach compound and compositions thereof. The intercalated bleach compound has the formula Mx(OCl)y(O)m(OH)n where M is an alkaline earth metal such as magnesium, calcium or mixture thereof. The values of x and y independently equal any number greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), and m and n independently equal any number greater than or equal to 0 (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), but m and n are not both 0. In addition, the molar ratio of the alkaline earth metal (e.g., magnesium or calcium) to hypochlorite is at least 3:1. In other words, x is ≧3y. The compounds exhibit excellent stability, little or no chlorine bleach odor, exhibit excellent pH buffering characteristics, and less reactivity with organic materials as compared to alternative chlorine bleach products.

A transmission system is provided with a superconductive cable having three phase conductors and a cryostat, surrounding the phase conductors, and encasing a hollow space, for conducting a cooling agent. For the three phase conductors, a common neutral conductor is provided, being made of electrically normally conducting material, carried out as insulating round conductor and placed outside the cryostat and next to it. The cryostat is made of a circumferentially enclosed, thermally insulated sheath.

A superconductive electrical direct current cable with at least two conductors insulated relative to each other is indicated, where the cable is placed with at least two conductors insulated relative to each other, where the conductors are arranged in a cryostat suitable for guidance of the cooling agent, wherein the cryostat is composed of at least one metal pipe which is surrounded by a circumferentially closed layer with thermally insulating properties. In the cryostat is arranged a strand-shaped carrier composed of insulating material, where the carrier has at least two diametrically oppositely located outwardly open grooves in each of which is arranged one of the conductors. Each conductor is composed of a plurality of superconductive elements.

Disclosed are an oxide superconductor tape and a method of manufacturing the oxide superconductor tape capable of improving the length and characteristics of superconductor tape and obtaining stabilized characteristics across the entire length thereof. A Y-class superconductor tape (10), as an oxide superconductor tape, comprises a tape (13) further comprising a tape-shaped non-oriented metallic substrate (11), and a first buffer layer (sheet layer) (12) that is formed by IBAD upon the tape-shaped non-oriented metallic substrate (11); and a second buffer layer (gap layer) (14), further comprising a lateral face portion (14a) that is extended to the lateral faces of the first buffer layer (sheet layer) (12) upon the tape (13) by RTR RF-magnetron sputtering.

A superconducting memory cell includes a magnetic Josephson junction (MJJ) with a ferromagnetic material, having at least two switchable states of magnetization. The binary state of the MJJ manifests itself as a pulse appearing, or not appearing, on the output. A superconducting memory includes an array of memory cells. Each memory cell includes a comparator with at least one MJJ. Selected X and Y-directional write lines in their combination are capable of switching the magnetization of the MJJ. A superconducting device includes a first and a second junction in a stacked configuration. The first junction has an insulating layer barrier, and the second junction has an insulating layer sandwiched in-between two ferromagnetic layers as barrier. An electrical signal inputted across the first junction is amplified across the second junction.

A method for manufacturing a base material 2 for a superconductive conductor which includes: a conductive bed layer forming process of forming a non-oriented bed layer 24 having conductivity on a substrate 10; and a biaxially oriented layer forming process of forming a biaxially oriented layer 26 on the bed layer 24.

Provided are a substrate for a superconducting compound and a method for manufacturing the substrate which can realize the excellent adhesive strength simultaneously with high orientation of copper. An absorbed material on a surface of a copper foil to which rolling is applied at a draft of 90% or more is removed by applying sputter etching to the surface of the copper foil, sputter etching is applied to a nonmagnetic metal sheet, the copper foil and the metal sheet are bonded to each other by applying a pressure to the copper foil and the metal sheet using reduction rolls, crystals of the copper in the copper foil are oriented by heating a laminated body formed by such bonding, copper is diffused into the metal sheet by heating with a copper diffusion distance of 10 nm or more, and a protective layer is laminated to a surface of the copper foil of the laminated body.

Disclosed is a splicing method of two second-generation ReBCO high temperature superconductor coated conductors (2G ReBCO HTS CCs), in which, with stabilizing layers removed from the two strands of 2G ReBCO HTS CCs through chemical wet etching or plasma dry etching, surfaces of the two high temperature superconducting layers are brought into direct contact with each other and heated in a splicing furnace in a vacuum for micro-melting portions of the surfaces of the high temperature superconducting layers to permit inter-diffusion of ReBCO atoms such that the surfaces of the two superconducting layers can be spliced to each other and oxygenation annealing for recovery of superconductivity which was lost during splicing.

A superconducting cable is provided. The superconducting cable includes a core part including a former disposed at the center of the core part, one or more superconducting conductive layers with each electric phase disposed at the outside of the former in a radial directions, a insulating layer disposed at the outside of each the conductive layer in a radial direction and a shielding layer disposed at the outermost of the insulating layer; and a cryostat disposed at the outside of the core part in a radial direction with first space being interposed therebetween, having a vacuum part disposed therein and electrically wired to neutral pole (N pole).

A tape-shaped superconducting film-forming substrate is disclosed, which includes a film-forming face for forming a laminate including a superconducting layer thereon, a rear face that is a face at a side opposite to the film-forming face, a pair of end faces connected to the film-forming face and the rear face, and a pair of side faces connected to the film-forming face, the rear face, and the pair of end faces, in which each of the pair of side faces includes a spreading face that spreads toward an outer side in an in-plane direction of the film-forming face from an edge part of the film-forming face toward the rear face side. A superconducting wire and a superconducting wire manufacturing method are also disclosed.

An AC superconducting cable with an insulating layer on the external circumference of a conductor, and wherein: the insulating layer includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer and a third insulating layer, from the inside layer to the outside layer; the insulating layer is impregnated with liquid nitrogen; the product of the dielectric constant ∈1 of the first insulating layer and the dielectric loss tangent tan δ1 and the product of the dielectric constant ∈2 of the second insulating layer and the dielectric loss tangent tan δ2 fulfilling the relationship ∈1×tan δ1>∈2×tan δ2; and the product of the dielectric constant ∈2 of the second insulating layer and the dielectric loss tangent tan δ2 and the product of the dielectric constant ∈3 of the third insulating layer and the dielectric loss tangent tan δ3 fulfilling the relationship ∈2×tan δ2

A superconductive cable which has a cryostat with two concentric metal pipes where the cryostat has at least a first axial section with a first axial spring constant, and at least a second axial section which has a second axial spring constant which at most is 20%, more preferred at most 10%, of the axial spring constant of the first section.

A ceramic substrate includes a substrate body formed of ceramic and having a pair of surfaces each assuming a rectangular shape as viewed in plane, and a metallization layer formed on the surface of the substrate body and adapted to braze a metal frame thereon. A composite material layer is disposed between the surface of the substrate body and the metallization layer and is formed such that a ceramic portion, a metal portion 10m formed of a metal similar to a metal component of the metallization layer or a metal which, together with a metal component of the metallization layer, forms an all proportional solid solution, and a glass portion exist together. The thickness of the composite material layer is thinner than that of the metallization layer. A plating layer is deposited on the surface of the metallization layer.

In a terminal structure of a superconducting cable conductor, a terminal portion of the superconducting cable conductor is connected with a terminal member of a good conductor. The terminal portion includes a superconducting layer disposed on an outer periphery of a central support; and an insulating layer surrounding the superconducting layer. The insulating layer and the superconducting layer are partially removed to expose the central support and the superconducting layer in this order from an end of the superconducting cable conductor. The terminal member includes a metal sleeve which includes a first cylindrical portion whose inner surface is in close contact with an exposed portion of the central support; a second cylindrical portion which is soldered around an exposed portion of the superconducting layer; and a third cylindrical portion into which the insulating layer is inserted.

A superconducting structure (1) has a plurality of coated conductor tapes (2; 2a-2o), each with a substrate (3) which is one-sided coated with a superconducting film (4), in particular an YBCO film, wherein the superconducting structure (1) provides a superconducting current path along an extension direction (z) of the superconducting structure (1), wherein the coated conductor tapes (2; 2a-2o) provide electrically parallel partial superconducting current paths in the extension direction (z) of the superconducting structure (1), is characterized in that the coated conductor tapes (2; 2a-2o) are superconductively connected among themselves along the extension direction (z) continuously or intermittently. A more stable superconducting structure with which high electric current strengths may be transported is thereby provided.

Provided are a three-phase coaxial superconducting power cable and a structure thereof. A certain space is formed between adjacent superconducting wires of a superconducting layer (disposed at an outer portion) having more superconducting wires among a plurality of superconducting layers, and another wire is disposed in the space, or the superconducting wires of the respective superconducting layers are disposed to have different critical currents. Accordingly, a waste of superconducting wires is prevented, and the optimized three-phase coaxial superconducting power cable is provided.

A method for producing a superconductive conductor includes: a base material preparation process of preparing a base material having a groove formed on at least one face thereof; a superconducting layer formation process of forming a superconducting layer on a surface of the base material at a side at which the groove is formed; and a cutting process of cutting completely through the base material along the groove.

Quantum annealing may include applying and gradually removing disorder terms to qubits of a quantum processor, for example superconducting flux qubits of a superconducting quantum processor. A problem Hamiltonian may be established by applying control signals to the qubits, an evolution Hamiltonian established by applying disorder terms, and annealing by gradually removing the disorder terms. Change in persistent current in the qubits may be compensated. Multipliers may mediate coupling between various qubits and a global signal line, for example by applying respective scaling factors. Two global signal lines may be arranged in an interdigitated pattern to couple to respective qubits of a communicatively coupled pair of qubits. Pairs of qubits may be communicatively isolated and used to measure a response of one another to defined signals.

A composite barrier-type Nb3Al superconducting multifilament wire material comprises Nb barrier filaments, Ta barrier filaments, Nb bulk dummy filaments, and a Nb or Ta covering. In the composite barrier-type Nb3Al superconducting multifilament wire material, the Nb barrier filaments and Ta barrier filaments are disposed in the wire material so that the Nb barrier filaments are concentrated in a filament region near a core formed from the Nb bulk dummy filaments and only the Ta barrier filaments are disposed or the Nb barrier filaments are dispersed in the Ta barrier filaments in an outer layer portion formed from a region outside the Nb barrier filaments, excluding the Nb or Ta covering.

In an intermediate connecting unit 50 of superconducting cables, by forming the connecting superconducting wires 101 in a trapezoid shape tapered in the direction of the electric insulating layer 113 (the superconducting shield layers 114) sides from the large radius section 213a side of the reinforcement insulating layer 213, the inclined surface sections 213b can be covered without spaces and without the plurality of connecting superconducting wires overlapping. The plurality of connecting superconducting wires 101 cover the inclined surface sections 213b of the reinforcement insulating layer 213 formed thicker than the radius of the cable cores 11 of the superconducting cables 10. The connecting superconducting wires 101 further connects the superconducting wires 10 arranged on the outer periphery of the large radius section 213a of the reinforcement insulating layer 213 and the superconducting wires 100 constituting the superconducting shield layers 114.

Apparatus and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a communications system includes a user interface, a communications network, and a call center having an automatic speech recognition component. In other aspects of the invention, a script compliance method includes the steps of conducting a voice interaction between an agent and a client and evaluating the voice interaction with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction and determine whether the agent has adequately followed the script. In yet still further aspects of the invention, the duration of a given interaction can be analyzed, either apart from or in combination with the script compliance analysis above, to seek to identify instances of agent non-compliance, of fraud, or of quality-analysis issues.

An embodiment of an analysis filterbank for filtering a plurality of time domain input frames, wherein an input frame comprises a number of ordered input samples, comprises a windower configured to generate a plurality of windowed frames, wherein a windowed frame comprises a plurality of windowed samples, wherein the windower is configured to process the plurality of input frames in an overlapping manner using a sample advance value, wherein the sample advance value is less than the number of ordered input samples of an input frame divided by two, and a time/frequency converter configured to provide an output frame comprising a number of output values, wherein an output frame is a spectral representation of a windowed frame.

A method (700, 800) and apparatus (100, 200) processes audio frames to transition between different codecs. The method can include producing (720), using a first coding method, a first frame of coded output audio samples by coding a first audio frame in a sequence of frames. The method can include forming (730) an overlap-add portion of the first frame using the first coding method. The method can include generating (740) a combination first frame of coded audio samples based on combining the first frame of coded output audio samples with the overlap-add portion of the first frame. The method can include initializing (760) a state of a second coding method based on the combination first frame of coded audio samples. The method can include constructing (770) an output signal based on the initialized state of the second coding method.

A biometric voice command and control switching device has a microphone assembly for receiving a currently spoken challenge utterance and a reference utterance, and a voice processing circuit for creating electronic signals indicative thereof. The device further includes a memory for storing the electronic signals, and a processor for comparing the electronic signals to determine if there is a match. If there is a match, an interface circuit enables the operable control of the controlled device.

Various embodiments enable a device to perform tasks such as processing an image to recognize and locate text in the image, and providing the recognized text an application executing on the device for performing a function (e.g., calling a number, opening an internet browser, etc.) associated with the recognized text. In at least one embodiment, processing the image includes substantially simultaneously or concurrently processing the image with at least two recognition engines, such as at least two optical character recognition (OCR) engines, running in a multithreaded mode. In at least one embodiment, the recognition engines can be tuned so that their respective processing speeds are roughly the same. Utilizing multiple recognition engines enables processing latency to be close to that of using only one recognition engine.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for navigating electronic texts. According to an aspect, a method may include determining text subgroups within an electronic text. The method may also include selecting a text seed within one of the text subgroups. Further, the method may include determining a similarity relationship between the text seed and one or more adjacent text subgroups that do not include the selected text seed. The method may also include associating the text seed with the one or more adjacent text subgroups based on the similarity relationship to create a text cluster.

A service distribution device is provided that, when acquiring services to be used in an information terminal mounted in a vehicle or used in its passenger compartment, recognizes service availability beforehand, thereby improving usability of the services. A service distribution device includes an information correlation unit for correlating information that denotes service utilization conditions in relation to travel condition of the vehicle with the services. The service distribution device distributes to an information terminal the information that denotes the service utilization conditions correlated by the information correlation unit along with contents of the relevant service so that the information and the contents can be visibly displayed on a display unit in the information terminal.

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product provide the ability to display representative properties of a three-dimensional scene view. A 3D scene and a 3D representation of a coordinate system of the 3D scene are displayed. Different faces of the 3D representation represent and correspond to different viewpoints of the 3D scene. Different statistics for features of the 3D scene are reflected on the different faces of the 3D representation based on the viewpoint corresponding to each face. Manipulation of the 3D representation identifies and selects a different viewpoint of the 3D scene which is then reoriented accordingly.

Methods and apparatus to automatically link process control graphics to process control algorithm information are described. An example method involves displaying a first process control image including process control algorithm information and displaying adjacent to the first process control image a second process control image to include process control graphics. The method automatically links at least some of the process control algorithm information to a graphic in the second process control image in response to user inputs associated with the first and second process control images.

An electronic device for text prediction in a virtual keyboard. The device includes a memory including an input determination module for execution by the microprocessor, the input determination module being configured to: receive signals representing input at the virtual keyboard, the virtual keyboard being divided into a plurality of subregions, the plurality of subregions including at least one subregion being associated with two or more characters and/or symbols of the virtual keyboard; identify a subregion on the virtual keyboard corresponding to the input; determine any character or symbol associated with the identified subregion; and if there is at least one determined character or symbol, provide the at least one determined character or symbol to a text prediction algorithm.

User interfaces for displaying relationships between cells in a grid. In one example embodiment, a user interface includes a grid including rows and columns and a plurality of cells each having a specific position in the grid. A first one of the cells is related to a second one of the cells. The grid is configured to display, upon selection of the first cell or second cell, a visual representation of the relationship between the first cell and the second cell.

To freely establish a peripheral equipment selection operating environment of excellent operability which can remarkably reduce an operation burden which is applied until construction information of selectable peripheral equipment can be confirmed and can easily confirm the construction information of the selectable peripheral equipment by everyone by a simple operating instruction, a CPU obtains construction information of a printer that is being selected and default setting on the basis of a selection instructing state relative to a selectable printer candidate on a network and allows them to be caption-displayed at a position near the position indicated by a cursor on a printer selection picture plane displayed on a CRT.