A process for recovery of hydrocarbons in a production fluid from an underground reservoir of said hydrocarbons, the process comprising of: (a) injecting a viscosity reducing solvent of a fraction of said hydrocarbons into said reservoir at a pressure in the reservoir of above a liquid/vapor phase change pressure of a fraction of said solvent; said pressure in said reservoir also being sufficient to cause geomechanical formation dilation or pore fluid compression, and then, (b) allowing said solvent to mix with said hydrocarbons under pore dilation conditions, and then, (c) reducing the pressure in said reservoir to below said liquid/vapor phase change pressure of at least said fraction of said solvent thereby evincing solvent gas drive of said fraction of said hydrocarbons from said reservoir; and then, (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) as required.

This invention relates to an in-situ solvent-based process to produce bitumen from oil sand and heavy oil reservoirs.
A significant amount of bitumen in Alberta and other parts of the world is located either in thin, bottom water reservoirs or water sensitive sands which are not amenable to exploitation by steam based processes. A potential alternative for extracting these reservoirs is a solvent-based process. The advantages of the solvent-based processes are: little heat loss and limited water handling. The disadvantages are: high solvent cost and inherently low production rate limited by mass transfer of the solvent into the bitumen.
In general, many processes and methods utilizing a variety of solvents under a variety of temperature and pressure conditions have been developed to improve solubilization and production of hydrocarbons from reservoirs.
Lim et al in Canadian SPE/CIM/Canmet International Conference on Recent Advances in Horizontal Well Application, Mar. 20-24, 1994, disclose the use of light hydrocarbon solvents to produce bitumen for Cold Lake oil sand in three dimensional scaled physical modelling experiments. The results showed that the production rate of bitumen was significantly higher than what could be expected from molecular diffusion of the solvent into the bitumen. The author surmised that other mechanisms, probably solvent dispersion or fingering are important in mass transfer of solvent into bitumen.
Lim et al (1995) in Society of Petroleum Engineers paper no. SPE 302981 p. 521-528 discloses cyclic stimulation of Cold Lake oil sand with supercritical ethane through a single horizontal injector/producer well in a model system. Supercritical ethane enhanced the cyclic solvent gas process by improving the early production rate. This article directs the reader towards using supercritical ethane.
A problem that remains outstanding is to maximize extraction bitumen from oil sand and heavy oil reservoirs with maximum economy, minimum loss of solvent and to leave minimal residual bitumen in the oil sand and heavy oil reservoirs. A problem unaddressed to date is that of effective solvent distribution in a bitumen reservoir. If the solvent distributes too quickly throughout the reservoir there is a tendency for the solvent to be distributed along long thin solvent fingers penetrating into the reservoir from the point of injection. This leads to ineffective viscosity reduction and poor and difficult recovery of bitumen. If the solvent is insufficiently distributed in short thick fingers then solvent-bitumen contact is too limited to provide efficient bitumen extraction. We have developed an in-situ cyclic solvent-based process to produce bitumen from oil sand and heavy oil reservoirs which has advantages in maximizing solubilization and production rates.
We have found that careful choice of a viscosity reducing solvent and cyclic injection of this solvent at a pressure in the reservoir of above the liquid/vapor phase change pressure (saturation pressure) of the solvent, the pressure also being sufficient to cause geomechanical formation dilation or pore fluid compression, followed by mixing of the solvent with reservoir hydrocarbons under pore dilation conditions, followed by pressure reduction to below the liquid/vapor phase change pressure can be used to drive at least a fraction of the reservoir hydrocarbons from the reservoir.
The invention therefore provides a process for recovery of hydrocarbons from an underground reservoir of said hydrocarbons, the process comprising of:
(a) injecting a viscosity reducing solvent of a fraction of said hydrocarbons into said reservoir at a pressure in the reservoir of above a liquid/vapor phase change pressure of at least a fraction of said solvent; said pressure in said reservoir also being sufficient to cause geomechanical formation dilation or pore fluid compression, and then,
(b) allowing said solvent to mix with said hydrocarbons under pore dilation conditions, and then,
(c) reducing the pressure in said reservoir to below said liquid/vapor phase change pressure of at least said fraction of said solvent thereby demonstrating solvent gas drive of a fraction of said hydrocarbons from said reservoir; and then,
(d) repeating steps (a) to (c) as required.
In the context of this invention by solvent we mean a compound that has a liquid/vapor phase change pressure that is below the regularly used injection pressure of the reservoir and so is injected in the liquid phase. Preferably, the liquid/vapor phase change pressure should be close to the initial reserve pressure so that the operating reservoir pressure can easily be raised above the phase change pressure during injection and brought down below the phase change pressure during production. It also should be high enough so that the solvent vaporizes at the reduced pressures used for production so that solvent gas drive can be used to assist production. Suitable solvents include lower hydrocarbons, such as methane, ethane and propane, as well as CO2.
In the context of this invention by diluent we mean a liquid compound that can be used to dilute the solvent and can be used to manipulate the viscosity of any resulting solvent-bitumen mixture. By such manipulation of the viscosity of the solvent-bitumen (and diluent) mixture, the invasion, mobility and distribution of solvent in the reservoir can be controlled so as to increase bitumen production.
The diluent is typically a viscous hydrocarbon liquid, especially a C4 to C20 hydrocarbon or mixture thereof, is commonly locally produced and is typically used to thin bitumen to pipeline specifications. Pentane, hexane and heptane are commonly components of such diluents. Bitumen itself can be used to modify the viscosity of the injected fluid, often in conjunction with ethane solvent.
In preferred embodiments, the diluent may have an average initial boiling point close to the boiling point of pentane (36xc2x0 C.) or hexane (69xc2x0 C.) through the average boiling point (defined further below) may change with reuse as the mix changes (some of the solvent originating among the recovered viscous oil fractions). Preferably more than 50% by weight of the diluent has an average boiling point lower than the boiling point of decane (174xc2x0 C.). It is more preferred that more than 75% by weight, especially more than 80% by weight, and particularly more than 90% by weight of the diluent has an average boiling point between the boiling point of pentane and the boiling point of decane. In further preferred embodiments, the diluent has an average boiling point close to the boiling point of hexane (69xc2x0 C.) or heptane (98xc2x0 C.), or even water (100xc2x0 C.).
In additional preferred embodiments, more than 50% by weight of the diluent (particularly more than 75% or 80% by weight and especially more than 90% by weight) has a boiling point between the boiling points of pentane and decane. In other preferred embodiments, more than 50% by weight of the diluent has a boiling point between the boiling points of hexane (69xc2x0 C.) and nonane (151xc2x0 C.), particularly preferably between the boiling points of heptane (98xc2x0 C.) and octane (126xc2x0 C.).
By average boiling point of the diluent, we mean the boiling point of the diluent remaining after half (by weight) of a starting amount of diluent has been boiled off as defined by ASTM D 2887 (1997) for example. The average boiling point can be determined by gas chromatographic methods or more tediously by distillation. Boiling points are defined as the boiling points at atmospheric pressure.
In the context of the invention geomechanical formation dilation means the tendency of a geomechanical formation to dilate when pore pressure is raised to the formation minimum in-situ stress, typically by injecting a liquid or a gas. The formation in-situ stress is typically determined in a well test in which water is injected to the formation at low rates while bottom-hole pressure response is recorded. Analysis of the pressure response would reveal the conditions at which formation failure occurs. Pore fluid compression means just that, compression of a pore fluid (by pressure). In the field, the user can obtain pore fluid compression by multiplying pressure increase by fluid compressibility, which is a fluid property measurable in laboratory tests. Pore dilation refers to dilation of pores in rock or soil and simply means more loosely packed.
In a preferred embodiment, ethane is mixed with bitumen and the diluent and co-injected into the reservoir.

Cyclic solvent process for in-situ bitumen and heavy oil production


According to one aspect of the present invention, a light emitting diode (LED) structure including an active core layer and at least one substrate layer having a first refractive index, comprises a 2-dimensional photonic quasicrystal in the structure, the photonic quasicrystal comprising an array of regions having a second refractive index, the array exhibiting long range order but short range disorder. The long range order is associated with diffractive properties of the structure and gives rise to uniform-far field diffraction patterns from the LED. The present invention enjoys the benefit of improved light extraction from LEDs without undesirable far field illumination patterns.

LEDs have many potential applications. For example, LEDs can be used in displays, such as LCDs and in projection, entertainment, general lighting and automotive applications where high brightness and compact illumination is required. The benefits of LEDs over conventional incandescent lighting and halogen lighting are high brightness, long life, instant operation, energy saving, environmental friendliness, durability and compactness.
Notwithstanding those benefits, most of the light generated inside a conventional LED cannot be efficiently extracted from the active layer. Almost 80% of the light generated in an LED is outside the escape cone of the structure. Most of the light remains either guided in the core or totally internally reflected in the high refractive index substrate layer.
The potential for increasing the efficiency, and in particular the light extraction efficiency, of LEDs has long been recognised. For example, the difference between the refractive index of a high index substrate (n˜3.5) and that of the epoxy used to encapsulate the LED (n˜1.5) is large, resulting in a relatively small critical angle for total internal reflection. This in turn dramatically restricts the external quantum efficiency compared to that of the internal quantum efficiency. It has been realised that using an optically transparent conductive layer and a cladding with a low refractive index and transmitting substrates with a low refractive index improves light extraction efficiencies.
FIG. 1 illustrates a method that has been used to improve directionality of light emitted from the LED structure. FIG. 1a shows the 6 light escape cones from the active layer of an LED. FIG. 1b shows the use of a Distributed Bragg Reflector 104 located underneath the active layer, which reflects light back up and out of the LED. The use of a Distributed Bragg Reflector is used to direct more light out of the top of the LED structure emitting power in a specific angular cone. This technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,719.
Alternatively, or additionally, the use of microlens arrays placed on the top surface of an LED structure can provide enhanced extraction. This was first proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,949. It has also been suggested by S Moller et al. in Journal of Applied Physics 91, 3324 that attaching the microlens array on an organic LED (OLED) glass substrate can provide similar benefits to those found with semiconductors LEDs, where an external coupling efficiency improvement of x2.3 across the complete viewing half space was observed.
An illustration of the use of microlens arrays on the surface of an LED structure is shown in FIG. 2. Numeral 201 shows the out of plane coupling of light. A microlens array 202 is placed on the top of a glass substrate 203 which covers the active layer of a conventional LED.
FIG. 3 shows the use of angled facets to preferentially reflect light combined in the active layer out of the top surface of the structure. The active layer 302 and the overlying cladding layer have tapered side walls 305. A metal contact 303 is shown on the top surface. The light generated in the active layer reflects off the walls 305 and exits the top of the structure. This is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,719.
The use of high index polymers that are optically clear can significantly reduce reflection losses at the semiconductor substrate/air interface. This is illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 4a shows a conventional low index gel 401 on an LED. The escape cone angle from the active layer 404 is shown as 402. The fundamental waveguide mode angle 403 lies outside the escape cone. FIG. 4b shows the use of a high index gel. The use of a high index gel 406 provides a reduced refractive index contrast and hence provides a larger escape cone angle 407 for the totally internally reflected light. The fundamental waveguide mode angle 405 now lies within the escape cone. A light output increase of around 20% can be achieved by the variation of refractive index from 1.46 to 1.60.
Another approach taken to improve the extraction efficiency of LEDs is taught by Schnitzer et al in Applied Physics Letters 63, 2174 (1993). This paper describes the use of random texturing or roughening of the surface of the semiconductor LED as shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 5, the roughening 503 on the surface of the LED provides multiple miniature domains with different escape angles. When the totally internally reflected light from the active layer 502 is incident on one of those surfaces it has an increased probability of lying in the escape angle of that surface as compared to a totally flat surface. This provides an improved extraction efficiency. While this method is efficient at extracting light that is experiencing multiple total internal reflections due to absorptive regions within an LED, the light is rapidly attenuated and hence does not contribute to orders of magnitude light extraction and improvement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,924 the use of periodic texturing on at least one interface of the structure is described and is suggested to improve the extraction of light out of the active core layer 603. This is shown in FIG. 6. The periodic texturing 602 directs more light out of the structure without totally internally reflecting the light inside the structure, where it is greatly attenuated.
Instead of periodic texturing, photonic crystals have been used to achieve the same effect of enhanced light extraction. This is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,749.
Surface roughening, periodic texturing and regular photonic crystals all enhance light extraction from LEDs through the same mechanism, that of modifying the surface profile to improve the probability that light generated in the active layer incident on the surface will be incident at an angle to the surface which allows it to escape from the structure.
Regular photonic crystals (PCs) can also lead to greater light extraction via another mechanism. It is well known that it is generally not desirable to etch into the active layer due to increased surface recombination of carriers, which affects the overall photoluminescence quantum efficiency of the active layer. Nevertheless, if the PC is in close proximity to the active layer it is possible to enhance the rate of spontaneous emission through the Purcell effect. In the Purcell effect it is suggested that the spontaneous emission of an atom placed within a wavelength-sized microcavity can be increased when compared to a bulk structure. A regular photonic crystal 704, as shown in FIG. 7, can confine an optical mode in a "cavity" 707 by virtue of the effective refractive index contrast experienced by the optical mode in the active layer 705. The emitted light is shown as 703.
Erchak et al, in App. Phys. Lett. Vol. 78, no. 5, 29 Jan. 2001, Pg. 563-565 have reported a 6-fold increase in light due to increased extraction and radiation efficiency by the use of a PC embedded in an LED.
Alternative proposed designs suggest grating type PC structures. In this set-up it is suggested that the direct transmitted mode drains only 20% of the total photons while 50% of the light is confined in high index guided modes. The high-index guided modes are very efficiently coupled into external modes and launched out of the structure.
However, due to the highly diffractive nature of regular photonic crystals, the far field emission out of the top of LED structures is localised into Bragg spots (which follows the periodic lattice nature of the PC structure), as shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 8 shows in cross-section a regular photonic crystal 802 in an LED structure with an active layer 804, as shown in FIG. 7. The structure is also shown from above. The out of plane coupled light 801 forms a far filed illumination pattern 805 consisting of a number of Bragg spots. For most applications it is desirable to achieve more even illumination in the far field.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved light extraction from LEDs whilst obtaining desirable far-field illumination.

Kuan-Yuan Science Park, Chunan Miaoli County


Multistage centrifugal compressor includes at least one stage which, in turn, has a lower half-tank, an upper half-tank, a series of lower half-diaphragms, a shaft equipped with a series of rotors, a series of upper half-diaphragms, a lower suction half-diaphragm, an upper suction half-diaphragm, the lower suction half-diaphragm and the upper suction half-diaphragm include a lower portion (71) and an upper portion (72), respectively, suitable for being coupled with the lower half-diaphragms and with the upper half-diaphragms, respectively, to form a first pile of lower half-diaphragms and a second pile of upper half-diaphragms, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multistage centrifugal compressor having a tank which can be opened horizontally.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fundamental elements forming a multistage centrifugal compressor are a shaft equipped with a series of rotors, rotating round the machine axis, and a series of diffusers and/or diaphragms with return channels between the various stages, integral with a tank which contains the compressor.
Each rotor consists of a series of bladed disks; all rotors are assembled on the same shaft.
A diffusor follows each rotor disk.
Each diffusor is associated with a bladed return channel, which conveys the fluid to the subsequent rotor.
The whole set of each rotor together with the relative diffusers and return channels forms a stage, which is separated from the adjacent ones by annular diaphragms and labyrinth-seal systems to avoid recycling between one stage and the other.
The centrifugal compressors are equipped with diaphragms consisting of two half-diaphragms.
During the functioning of the multistage centrifugal compressor, the diaphragms are subjected to an axial force caused by the pressure differences due to compression of the fluid.
In order to counterbalance this force, it is therefore necessary to fix the half-diaphragms to the stator of the multistage centrifugal compressor.
In centrifugal compressors equipped with a tank which can be opened into two halves, a supporting ring is therefore envisaged for each single diaphragm, which is integral with the tank and is divided into an upper half-ring and a lower half-ring.
Each lower half-ring is welded to the lower, half-tank, and the corresponding upper half-ring is welded to the upper half-tank.
Each upper half-diaphragm is fixed to the corresponding upper half-ring, whereas each lower half-diaphragm is fixed to the corresponding lower half-ring.
This is due to the fact that the half-diaphragms undergo axial stress during the functioning of the compressor and, without the supporting rings, they would tend to move, causing, among other things, sealing problems among the various stages.
The assembly of the half-diaphragms in the tanks is extremely difficult, as it is necessary to centre all the half-diaphragms with the respective half-rings and also to centre the lower half-diaphragms with the corresponding upper half-diaphragms.
At the same time, it is extremely important to keep the seal between the various stages of the centrifugal compressor.
For this reason, the half-diaphragms are always fixed in advance to the corresponding half-rings.
In the assembly of a multistage centrifugal compressor, all the lower half-diaphragms are first inserted into the lower tank, followed by the shaft with the rotors.
Similarly, the upper half-diaphragms are inserted and fixed to the upper tank.
The upper tank can be assembled on the lower tank after being lifted by means of a bridge-crane, overturned by a rotation of 180° and correctly placed on the lower half-tank, in order to perfectly centre all the lower half-diaphragms.
High capacity/pressure multistage centrifugal compressors can be extremely heavy, up to 350 tons, and consequently the upper tank, with the upper half-diaphragms fixed, can weigh even 150-200 tons.
One of the disadvantages is that costly lifting systems are necessary, capable of lifting the total weight of the upper tank on which the upper half-rings have been welded and the upper half-diaphragms respectively fixed to the upper half-rings.
Another disadvantage is that it is not possible to effect controls on the positioning of the components inside the tank.
Furthermore, with respect to maintenance, a relatively common operation, such as the substitution of the labyrinth seal system, requires the overturning of the upper tank.
A further disadvantage is that in the case of particularly large and heavy machines, the overturning of the upper tank requires costly and complex equipment.


An abnormality determining apparatus of a fuel vapor processing system is provided. The system includes a canister for temporarily reserves fuel vapor generated within a fuel tank and a fuel vapor path for discharging the fuel vapor to an engine intake passage. When it is determined that there is a leak abnormality in the fuel vapor path, a pump is operated to discharge air from the fuel vapor path to the outside through the canister. When the pump is operated, a detector detects a pressure in the fuel vapor path as an actually measured pressure. A determining section determines whether there is a leak abnormality. The determining section sets a first determination pressure and a second determination pressure that is higher than the first determination pressure. The determining section determines that there is no leak abnormality either when a first condition is met or when a second condition is met. The first condition indicates that the actually measured pressure is less than or equal to the first determination pressure, and the second condition indicates that the actual measured pressure when changes due to the operation of the pump have subsided is less than or equal to the second determination pressure. The determining section determines that there is a leak abnormality when none of the first condition nor the second condition is met.

The present invention relates to an abnormality determining apparatus of a fuel vapor processing system discharging a fuel vapor generated within a fuel tank to an engine intake passage.
As is well known, the fuel vapor processing system introduces a fuel vapor generated within a fuel tank into a canister through a vapor passage, temporarily reserves the fuel vapor by collecting by the canister, and discharges the collected fuel vapor appropriately to an intake passage of an internal combustion engine through a purge passage from the canister.
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-301027, there has been well known an abnormality determining apparatus determining whether or not there is generated an abnormality (a leak abnormality) that a gas containing a fuel vapor leaks to the outside due to a perforation or the like in a fuel vapor path constituted by the vapor passage, the canister, the purge passage and the like.
The abnormality determining apparatus is provided with a pump connected to the fuel vapor path mentioned above. Further, at the time of executing the determination of the leak abnormality, an air is discharged to the outside from an inner side of the fuel vapor path in a closed state through an operation of the pump, and a pressure (an actually measured pressure) of the fuel vapor path is compared with a predetermined determination pressure. A pressure of the fuel vapor path at this time is lowered little by little to a predetermined pressure determined by a performance of the pump, a volumetric capacity of the fuel vapor path and the like so as to be stabilized unless the air makes an intrusion into the path from the outside.
On the basis of this point, in the abnormality determining apparatus, in the case that the actually measured pressure becomes equal to or less than the predetermined determination pressure, it is determined that the pressure of the fuel vapor path is sufficiently lowered, and the air does not make an intrusion into the fuel vapor path from the outside, or the air at such a degree that the abnormality determination is necessary does not make an intrusion, thereby determining that the leak abnormality is not generated. On the other hand, in the case that the actually measured pressure does not become equal to or less than the predetermined determination pressure, it is determined that the pressure of the fuel vapor path is not sufficiently lowered, and the air makes an intrusion into the fuel vapor path from the outside, thereby determining that the leak abnormality is generated.
In this case, the abnormality determining apparatus mentioned above is structured such that the air passing through the canister, in other words, the purified air that the fuel vapor is collected through the operation of the pump, is discharged to the outside from the fuel vapor path.
In this case, as the canister mentioned above, a canister is employed that has a structure in which the fuel is collected by adsorbing the fuel vapor (a vapor-phase fuel) while condensing to a liquid-phase fuel. Accordingly, at a time when the fuel is collected to the canister, the pressure within the canister and thus the pressure of the fuel vapor path are suddenly lowered in correspondence to the sudden reduction in the volume of the fuel due to condensation of the fuel.
Accordingly, in the abnormality determining apparatus mentioned above, if the determination of the leak abnormality is executed under a condition that a lot of fuel vapor exists within the fuel tank, the fuel vapor is introduced to the canister from the fuel tank through the operation of the pump, and the pressure of the fuel vapor path is suddenly lowered. Further, if a residual volume of the fuel vapor within the fuel tank becomes small thereafter, and the amount of the fuel vapor introduced into the canister becomes small to some extent, a pressure decrease amount caused by the condensation of the fuel becomes small, and a pressure decrease speed of the fuel vapor path becomes lower.
At this time, in the case that the leak abnormality does not exist in the fuel vapor path, the air within the fuel vapor path is discharged to the outside through the operation of the pump and the pressure of the fuel vapor path keeps lowering. Therefore, the pressure subsides to the predetermined pressure mentioned above.
In contrast, in the case that the leak abnormality exists in the fuel vapor path, the pressure of the fuel vapor path shifts to an ascent by a pressure increase amount caused by an intrusion of the air into the fuel vapor path. Accordingly, the change of the pressure thereafter subsides to a higher pressure than the predetermined pressure. As mentioned above, in the abnormality determining apparatus, in the case that the determination of the leak abnormality is executed under the condition that the pressure of the fuel vapor path is unlikely to be lowered due to the existence of the leak abnormality, the pressure of the fuel vapor path can become lower due to the condensation of the fuel within the canister only temporarily.
Further, if the temporary decrease of the pressure of the fuel vapor path is generated and the actually measured pressure becomes equal to or less than the predetermined determination pressure, it is erroneously determined that the leak abnormality is not generated in the fuel vapor path. As mentioned above, in the abnormality determining apparatus mentioned above, the temporary decrease of the pressure of the fuel vapor path mentioned above contributes to the reduction of a determination precision about the determination of the leak abnormality.

Abnormality determining apparatus of fuel vapor processing system


A method and a device is described for controlling an internal combustion engine using fuel metering. The fuel metering is divisible into at least a first partial injection and a second partial injection. In the second partial injection, a fuel quantity variable, characterizing the fuel quantity injected in the second partial injection, is corrected on the basis of at least one pressure variable, characterizing the fuel pressure, as well as of the fuel quantity variable and at least one further variable.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine.
A method and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine are known from German Patent 197 12 143. In the mode of operation described there, the fuel injection of one cycle is divided into a first partial injection and a second partial injection. In this context, the rail pressure, which is used for calculating the duration of the main injection, is corrected as a function of the duration of the pre-injection and of the interval between the pre-injection and the main injection.
In common-rail systems of this type, pressure fluctuations occur after every injection. The quantity of fuel injected during the main injection is fundamentally a function of the fuel pressure in the main injection. Fluctuations in the fuel pressure result in fluctuations in the quantity of fuel injected.
The present invention is based on reducing the influence of pressure fluctuations on the quantity of fuel injected.
As a result of the fact that in the second partial injection a fuel-quantity variable characterizing the quantity of fuel injected in the second partial injection can be corrected as a function of at least one pressure variable, which characterizes the fuel pressure, and of the fuel quantity variable, the influence of the subsequent partial injection on the subsequent partial injection can be significantly reduced. In a common-rail system, as a pressure variable, the rail pressure is preferably used. As a fuel-quantity variable, a fuel quantity to be injected, a drive duration for a corresponding actuator, or another variable characterizing the fuel quantity to be injected can be used.
A further reduction of the influence of the two partial injections on each other can be attained if, in addition, the fuel-quantity variable can be corrected as a function of an interval between the two partial injection and/or of a temperature variable. In this context, the interval between the actual injection end and the actual injection beginning can be used. Alternatively, the interval between the drive end and the drive beginning can be taken into account. Furthermore, it is also possible to have recourse to variables characterizing the interval between the partial injections.
It is particularly advantageous if the fuel-quantity variable, corrected in this manner, is limited to a minimum value. This means that if the fuel-quantity variable is smaller than a minimum value, then the minimum value is used as the fuel-quantity variable.
The minimum value is preferably specifiable at least as a function of the rail pressure and/or of the interval between the two partial injections.
It is particularly advantageous if this correction takes place after a further correction, using a quantity-balancing regulation. As a result of the sequence of corrections, the two corrections are prevented from influencing each other in an undesirable manner.
Due to the fact that the correction is only carried out in certain operating states, it is achieved that the correction only takes place in those operating states in which the two partial injections influence each other, or in which the correction is effective.
The correction is arrived at in a particularly simple manner as a result of the fact that a basic value is determined as a function of at least the pressure variable and/or the interval between the two partial injections, that a weighting factor is determined as a function of at least the fuel-quantity variable, and that the correction of the fuel quantity to be injected takes place as a function of the basic value, which is arrived at using the weighting factor.

Method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine


An organic display panel having a high luminance, and including an organic light emitting element that includes a bottom electrode, a hole-injection layer, an organic light emitting layer, and a top electrode layered in the stated order on a substrate. The bottom electrode is composed of a material that is aluminum, silver, or an alloy including at least one of aluminum and silver. The hole-injection layer contains an oxide of a transition metal. The organic light emitting element further includes a mixed oxidized thin film interposed between and in contact with the bottom electrode and the hole-injection layer, the mixed oxidized thin film being composed of an oxidized mixture of the same material as the material in the bottom electrode and the same transition metal as the transition metal in the hole-injection layer.

Organic light emitting elements used as light sources in organic display panels, organic display devices, organic light emitting devices, etc., are light emitting elements that make use of electroluminescence in organic material. In a case of a top emission type organic light emitting element, for example, a thin layer (bottom electrode) composed of aluminium, silver, or similar, is formed on a substrate composed of glass. Further, on the thin layer are layers including a hole-injection layer composed of an oxide of a transition metal, an organic light emitting layer composed of a polymer material, an electron-injection layer composed of barium, and a top electrode composed of aluminium.
The hole-injection layer of such an organic light emitting element is, for example, formed by reactive sputtering using oxygen plasma and a target material composed of a transition metal. Specifically, first, as shown in FIG. 23A, a substrate 904 on which a bottom electrode 903 is formed is set up on a substrate holder 902 that is positioned inside a vacuum container 901, and a target material 906 is set up on a target material holder 905 that is positioned inside the same vacuum container 901. Next, as shown in FIG. 23B, argon gas and oxygen gas is supplied to the vacuum container 901 and sputtering is performed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 23C, a surface of the target material 906 is oxidized, forming a surface layer 906a composed of an oxide of the transition metal, and, as shown in FIG. 23D, the oxide of the surface layer 906a of the target material 906 is transferred to the bottom electrode 903, forming a hole-injection layer 907.
However, oxygen plasma used in reactive sputtering has the characteristic of very easily oxidizing aluminium, silver, etc. Thus, in an organic light emitting element that has the hole-injection layer 907 formed by reactive sputtering, an oxidized film 908 formed by oxidation of aluminium, silver, or similar, is often formed on a surface of the bottom electrode 903. This is a cause of a decrease in light emission efficiency of such an organic light emitting element. For example, when an oxidized film 908 composed of silver oxide is formed, the light emission efficiency of the organic light emitting element is decreased due to the oxidized film 908 impeding light reflection of the bottom electrode 903, which is a reflective electrode. Further, when an oxidized film 908 composed of aluminium oxide is formed, since the oxidized film 908 has a characteristic of high electrical resistance, the drive voltage of the organic light emitting element increases, causing the light emission efficiency of the organic light emitting element to decrease.
Thus, as an organic light emitting element in which formation of the oxidized film 908 on a surface of the bottom electrode 903 is unlikely, an organic light emitting element has been proposed in which a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer composed of indium tin oxide (ITO) or similar is formed on the bottom electrode 903 (Patent Literature 1).

Organic display panel, organic display device, organic light emitting device, method of manufacture of these, and thin film formation method


A device designed to be deployed from a leading vehicle to cause deflation of the tires of a trailing vehicle. The device has two primary components a deployable base member, with a plurality of tire piercing spikes extending therefrom, and a launch assembly designed to deposit the base member on a road surface in proper position to cause the deflation of the tires of a trailing vehicle.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tire deflating apparatus deployed from a vehicle and, in particular, to a device which is deployed from a leading vehicle and has a base member incorporating a plurality of spikes each having a metal sleeve loosely fitted thereon which penetrate and deflate the tires of a trailing vehicle.
2. The Prior Art
There seems to be an unfortunate increase in the instances of the police becoming involved in high speed chases of vehicles which have been involved in some sort of illegal activity. The chases are extremely dangerous and have resulted in a great many fatalities, usually of innocent parties A large number of schemes have been proposed for causing the deflation of the tires of the fleeing vehicle, many of these require depositing spiked strips ahead of the fleeing vehicle and then hoping that the driver of the fleeing vehicle will take a certain route leading to the spiked strips and will not take any evasive action-to avoid the spiked strips while on this route.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,849 to Pacholok et al discloses a device which is fired forward from a trailing vehicle. The device opens to deploy spikes against the tires of the lead vehicle. There would appear to be an inherent problem with this type of device. If there is a miss, then there is a substantial possibility causing damage to the trailing car""s tires.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,445 to Jones discloses hollow spikes projecting from a base. This device is to be used with parked cars, placed by hand on either side of a tire of the car to be disabled, to prevent the car from being driven off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,408 to Abukhader is somewhat similar to the above-mentioned Pacholok et al patent. It is distinguished by the fact that the spikes are hollow to assure deflation of the punctured tire. It would have the same difficulties as the Pacholok device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,109 to Lowndes discloses a device to be deployed in advance of the car to be stopped. It combines spike strips, similar to those currently in use, with an apparatus to deploy the spiked strips, which have hollow spikes to increase the rate of deflation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,397 to Soleau shows another type of device to be deployed ahead of the vehicle to be stopped. A plurality of hollow spikes project from a base and are torn off by the passing tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,962 to Greves discloses a special three piece spikes designed to penetrate a tire and leave a hollow quill embedded therein to deflate the tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,285 to Greves et al is similar to the above discussed patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,059 to Groblebe shows a sleeve disposed on a stud fixed to a base. The sleeve has a sharpened end which penetrates the tire and is retained therein.
WO 98/16689 discloses a device which is similar to those described in the Greves and Greves et al patents discussed above. Greves is a coinventor in the PCT patent.
The present invention is designed to be deployed from a leading vehicle to cause deflation of the tires of a trailing vehicle. The subject invention has two primary components: a deployable base member, with a plurality of tire piercing spikes extending therefrom, and a launch assembly designed to deposit the base member on a road surface in proper position to cause the deflation of the tires of a trailing vehicle.

Method and apparatus for deflating tires of a trailing vehicle


Transistors of low voltage specification are used to process information in a signal received at a high(er) voltage level. A protection circuit ensures that the cross terminal voltages do not exceed an allowed maximum voltage (e.g., 2.4 V for transistors of 1.8V specification). In an embodiment, the protection circuit contains a PMOS transistor which turns off if a protected cross terminal voltage exceeds such allowed maximum voltage. As a result, protection may be provided while consuming minimal power. The protection circuit may be employed in various types of circuits such as input buffers and logic gates. The protection circuits and the input buffers may potentially be implemented using transistors of a single voltage specification.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuits, and more specifically to high voltage circuits implemented using low voltage transistors of reduced number of voltage specifications.
2. Related Art
Integrated circuits are generally provided a supply voltage, and it is some times desirable that a high (compared to voltage specification of a transistor, as described below) voltage be provided for the supply voltage. For example, using a high supply voltage generally provides a correspondingly high signal to noise ratio (SNR), typically leading to less susceptibility to noise in processing input signals. Integrated circuits with high supply voltage may be referred to as high voltage circuits.
Transistors are characterized by associated ideal maximum permissible cross terminal voltages, and such voltages are generally referred to as the voltage specification for the corresponding transistors. For example, it is generally desirable to keep the ideal maximum cross terminal voltage of a 1.8V transistor below 1.8V, even though up to 2.4V is often applied across the terminals of the 1.8V transistor, in which case there is some exposure to reducing the life-time of the transistor, etc. The 2.4V limit may be referred to as allowed maximum voltage.
It is often desirable to implement high voltage circuits using transistors ("low voltage transistors") of low(er) voltage specification. In general, using low voltage transistors provides benefits such as high throughput performance, reduced electrical power consumption, and high density (number of integrated circuits in a unit area). What is therefore needed is a method and apparatus to implement high voltage circuits using low voltage transistors.
In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.

High voltage circuits implemented using low voltage transistors


An apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store therein, in association with one another, group identification information for identifying groups to which transmission terminals each belong, transmission terminal identification information for identifying the terminals belonging to the respective groups, and display information to be displayed on the transmission terminals belonging to the groups. The apparatus also includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire the group identification information of a certain group and a change instruction for the display information; a changing unit configured to change the display information associated with the group identification information in the storage unit based on the change instruction; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the display information associated with the certain group in the storage unit and changed to the terminal identified by the transmission terminal identification information associated with the group identification information of the certain group in the storage unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission management apparatus, a transmission system, and a method and a computer-readable recording medium for transmission management.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, with the development of cloud computing, various types of devices have been used as a client terminal for cloud services besides personal computer (PC) terminals. Not to mention smartphones and tablet terminals, televisions and video conference terminals are also used as a terminal for cloud services. It is expected that more devices will be connected to a network to operate as a client terminal for cloud services.
The conventional devices used as a client terminal, however, do not necessarily have a user interface suitable for inputting characters, for example. Televisions and video conference terminals have no keyboard, for example, and a user can only use limited keys of a remote control to perform operations. As a result, the user typically has trouble inputting characters compared with the case of inputting characters with a keyboard. Furthermore, in the case of a small device without even a remote control, the user needs to input characters using further limited keys and has more trouble inputting characters.
In terms of a technology for simplifying user operations, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-157459 discloses an electronic device system that displays an operation screen for operating an electronic device on a user terminal device without any operation performed by a user, for example.
Therefore, there is a need for a transmission management apparatus, a transmission system, and a method and a computer-readable recording medium for transmission management capable of simplifying user operations.

Transmission management apparatus, transmission system, and computer-readable recording medium


The disclosure relates to an antenna device for radio communications apparatus operating in the frequency range of 800-3000 MHz and including a radiator. A dielectric resonator is connected to the supply line of the antenna device, the resonator being galvanically discrete from the radiator but being operative to supply it.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna device for a radio communications apparatus operating in the frequency range of 800-3000 MHz and including a radiator.
2. Related Art
On small portable radio communications apparatus, so-called mobile telephones, use has previously been made of a plurality of different antenna types, including rod antennas of the quarter wave or half wave type, helix antennas, etc. One common denominator for all of these prior art designs and constructions is that attempts have been made to keep the physical dimensions of the antenna as small as possible, the degree of efficiency as high as possible and the band width as large as possible. Certain antenna types have proved to be successful in one or two of these respects, but no truly optimum design and construction has yet been developed.
In particular in such situations where transmission and reception take place at great distances in terms of frequency, it is important that the antenna is of the wide band type.


A wiring member is provided that can suppress an influence due to deviation of a position of connection as much as possible so as to maintain a good wiring state. The wiring member 11 is formed of a flexible printed circuit board to be connected to terminals of a plurality of batteries. The wiring member 11 includes a straight section 21 which is disposed along arrangement of aligned terminals, and a plurality of branch sections 22 which extend toward positions of connection to the respective terminals from the straight section 21 so as to be connected thereto. The branch sections 22 have deflection portions 32 which can be deformed in response to displacement of the straight section 21 in the longitudinal direction.

As eco-friendly vehicles, electric vehicles or hybrid cars are increasing. Such vehicle includes, mounted thereon, a power supply device constituted by a battery assembly in which a plurality of batteries are coupled to one another.
As those kinds of power supply devices, there is one which has a printed circuit board constituted by a hard board on which signal output lines for outputting voltages of batteries to the outside are wired by being connected to the batteries in order to detect the voltages of the respective batteries. The printed board and bus bars for wiring fixed to terminals of the respective batteries are coupled to each other with coupling terminals (see, for example, Patent Document 1).


An exemplary system includes at least one computing device that 1) detects a user input command for a sound processor included in a cochlear implant system to perform one or more cochlear implant fitting operations, wherein the sound processor is communicatively coupled to the at least one computing device by way of a communication path, 2) directs, in response to the user input command, the sound processor to perform the one or more cochlear implant fitting operations, and 3) transmits, in response to the user input command, a signal to the sound processor by way of the communication path, the signal configured to direct the sound processor to display a visual cue prior to or simultaneously with the performance of the one or more cochlear implant fitting operations. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

The natural sense of hearing in human beings involves the use of hair cells in the cochlea that convert or transduce acoustic signals into auditory nerve impulses. Hearing loss, which may be due to many different causes, is generally of two types: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss occurs when the normal mechanical pathways for sound to reach the hair cells in the cochlea are impeded. These sound pathways may be impeded, for example, by damage to the auditory ossicles. Conductive hearing loss may often be overcome through the use of conventional hearing aids that amplify sound so that acoustic signals can reach the hair cells within the cochlea. Some types of conductive hearing loss may also be treated by surgical procedures.
Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, is caused by the absence or destruction of the hair cells in the cochlea, which are needed to transduce acoustic signals into auditory nerve impulses. People who suffer from sensorineural hearing loss may be unable to derive significant benefit from conventional hearing aid systems, no matter how loud the acoustic stimulus. This is because the mechanism for transducing sound energy into auditory nerve impulses has been damaged. Thus, in the absence of properly functioning hair cells, auditory nerve impulses cannot be generated directly from sounds.
To overcome sensorineural hearing loss, numerous cochlear implant systems—or cochlear prostheses—have been developed. Cochlear implant systems bypass the hair cells in the cochlea by presenting electrical stimulation directly to the auditory nerve fibers by way of one or more channels formed by an array of electrodes implanted in the cochlea. Direct stimulation of the auditory nerve fibers leads to the perception of sound in the brain and at least partial restoration of hearing function.
When a cochlear implant system is initially implanted in a patient, and during follow-up tests and checkups thereafter, it is usually necessary to "fit" the cochlear implant system to the patient. Fitting of a cochlear implant system to a patient is typically performed by an audiologist or the like who presents various stimuli to the patient and relies on subjective feedback from the patient as to how such stimuli are perceived. Adjustments may be made to specifically tailor the parameters of the cochlear implant system to the patient being fitted.
Fitting a cochlear implant system to a patient typically requires multiple pieces of fitting hardware. For example, a clinician's programming interface ("CPI"), its power supply, and various cables are typically required to communicatively couple a fitting station to a sound processor of a cochlear implant system in order to fit the cochlear implant system to a patient. If the patient is a bilateral cochlear implant patient (i.e., has a separate cochlear implant system for each ear), the number of fitting hardware components is more or less doubled. The combination of sound processors, connection cables, and other pieces of hardware can create confusion for an audiologist during the fitting process. For example, it may be difficult for an audiologist to organize the multiple hardware components to ensure the different pieces of hardware are properly connected.
Even if the hardware components are well organized, it may be difficult for an audiologist to ascertain which serial port or USB adapter of a fitting station is responsible for transmitting data to a specific cochlear implant or sound processor at a given moment in time. To further exacerbate the problem, the serial port may be associated with a serial port number that may be dynamically and transparently assigned by the operating system of the fitting station. As a result, it can be difficult for an audiologist to accurately map between hardware components and corresponding software operations performed by a fitting station.
These problems might lead the audiologist to make mistakes when trying to coordinate activities between a fitting station and connected hardware components. For example, an audiologist might accidentally reformat the wrong sound processor or inadvertently overstimulate a cochlear implant based on data from another cochlear implant.

Methods and systems for providing visual cues to assist in fitting a cochlear implant patient


A cosmetic case including a case body and an associated lid opening and closing the same, is adapted to have an ornamental exchangeable cover replaceably attached to at least either of the lid and the case body to cover them, and hence, the cosmetic case satisfies users' demand that all or even part of decorative portion would not peel off nor drop off the case body and its lid and enables customers to take greater initiative in choosing their favorite appearance of the case.

In general, a cosmetic case is comprised of a case body holding a makeup preparation and a lid associated with the case body to open and close the same. The case body and the lid of the cosmetic case, which are important factors giving an impressive appearance of the cosmetic case, have been ornamented in various ways to be more fashionable in design. For instance, the case body and the lid undergo a surface treatment such as sputtering, a pattern transfer with transfer sheet to print letters and patterns, a laminating sheet treatment where the case body and the lid having a pattern printed is overlaid with a transparent or translucent sheet.
The applicant of this application has previously filed a related application identified with Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-249000.
One of requirements of the prior art cosmetic case to be a highly sophisticated quality product is that ornamental portions, regardless of any of the aforementioned ways of treatments and applications, should be undetachably united with the case body and the lid so as not to completely or even partly peel off or drop off the case body and the lid.
Such a requirement adversely gives a poor choice of readymade designs of the cosmetic case, which means that the customers take poorer initiative in choosing their favorite appearance of the case. Hence, the customers often cannot find their favorite designs of the cosmetic case, and this causes the customers to grudge buying.


A mobile wireless device and method are disclosed. A circuit board is located in a housing, and antenna element means is adhered to an internal surface of the housing by an electrically conductive rubber member comprising adhesive agent means. A power input terminal is located on the circuit board and electrically coupled to an end of the electrically conductive rubber member.

Mobile wireless devices comprise an antenna element (antenna radiation element) for wireless communication. Conductor lines, coils, or conductor plates may be built into molded parts of an insulating material, and the antenna is attached to a housing via the molded parts. Alternatively, the conductor lines, coils, or conductor plates are attached to the housing through integral molding with the housing and are retained in the housing.
A mobile wireless device having a reader/writer function may comprise conductive rubber packing, which serve as an antenna circuit for the reader/writer function, at a joint section of the housing of the mobile information device. As a result, there may be many restrictions on arrangement positions and methods for forming an antenna circuit. Consequently, there is need for a mobile wireless device comprising an antenna element that conserves space inside the housing with less positional restrictions.


Provided are systems, methods, and electronic vapor devices comprising a heating element casing designed to facilitate an eLiquid heating process while providing a vapor quality which yields a sensation of increased smoothness for a user.

Consumers utilize electronic vapor cigarettes, pipes, and modified vapor devices to enjoy what is commonly known as "vaping." Vaping is an increasingly popular market segment, which has been, and continues to, steadily gaining market share over the last several years. Various types of personal vaporizers are known in the art. In general, such vaporizers are characterized by heating a solid to a smoldering point, vaporizing a liquid by heat, or nebulizing a liquid by heat and/or by expansion through a nozzle. Such devices are designed to release aromatic materials in the solid or liquid while avoiding high temperatures of combustion and associated formation of tars, carbon monoxide, or other harmful byproducts. It would be desirable, therefore, to develop new technologies for enhancing smoothness perceived by a user inhaling vapor.

Methods and systems for smooth vapor delivery


A process for separating carpet fibers from carpet backing uses a grinder of the type having a rotor with a plurality of vertically spaced cutter discs and a fan disc below the cutter discs. Sections of carpet are fed into the grinder which grinds the carpet, separating the fibers from the backing and breaking the backing into relatively small particles. The grinder is connected with a series of ginning equipment for removing the ground backing from the fibers.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to grinders, mills or shredders used to convert a material from an unprocessed state to a processed state having a reduced particle size and use of such mills for processing carpet to remove the carpet fibers from the backing, plastic bottles from the labels and the like.
Description of the Related Art
Interest in recycling of carpet, plastic bottles and other composite manufactures to limit the amount of materials going into landfills is growing, but existing processes are unsatisfactory. For the recycled material to be useable, the composite must be broken down into its components. In one currently utilized process, shears are used to cut the fibers from the backing. This process typically recovers less than fifty percent of the carpet fibers, leaving a considerable quantity of fibers un-reclaimed and the remaining backing and fibers must still be disposed. There remains a need for equipment and a process for recycling carpet and other composite goods including rigid and non-rigid materials which results in the efficient and relatively thorough separation of the rigid from the non-rigid material.

Apparatus and process for demanufacturing materials from composite manufactures


An optical amplifying apparatus, an optical output controlling method by the optical amplifying apparatus and an optical transmitting apparatus, in which an optical output constant control is possible irrespective of an optical input level even when power-on is detected or an optical signal inputted after supply of pump light is stopped is recovered. The optical amplifying apparatus has an pump light outputting unit, an optical amplifier amplifying an input optical signal with pump light from the pump light outputting unit, an output constant control unit controlling the pump light outputting unit to keep a level of the amplified optical signal constant, an optical input monitoring unit, a pump light level setting unit setting an optical level of the pump light based on a result of optical input monitoring from the optical input monitoring unit, a pump light monitor control unit monitoring a level of the pump light to control the pump light outputting unit so as to stabilize an output level of the pump light at an optical level set by the pump light level setting unit, an input disconnection detecting unit, and an operation control switching unit switching a control mode for pump light to an output constant control mode, a pump light control mode or a stop control mode.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical amplifying apparatus, an optical output controlling method by the optical amplifying apparatus, and an optical transmitting apparatus suitable for use to control an optical amplifier in an optical communication system.
(2) Description of Related Art
An optical fiber amplifier using an optical fiber doped with mainly a rare earth element such as erbium (Er) or the like has features of high gain, low noise, etc., which plays an important role in an optical transmission system as an optical amplifier amplifying an optical signal without converting the optical signal into an electric signal.
In the optical transmitting system, the optical amplifier is required an optical output constant control to keep an optical output level constant in order to absorb a difference in level of optical inputs to the optical amplifier due to a difference in transmission path length.
An optical amplifying apparatus performing the optical output constant control will be now described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of the above optical amplifying apparatus.
The optical amplifying apparatus has, as shown in FIG. 9, optical/electric converting units 101 and 108, an input disconnection detecting unit 102, an operation sequence unit 103, a pumping source 104, a pumping source driving unit 105, an operation change-over switch 106, an optical output constant control unit 107, a first demultiplexer 109, isolators 110 and 113, an erbium-doped optical fiber 111 (hereinafter referred as EDF 111), a multiplexer 112, and a second demultiplexer 114.
The first demultiplexer 109 is configured with an optical fiber coupler, which sends an optical signal inputted to the optical amplifying apparatus to the isolator 110, while demultiplexing a part of the optical signal and sending the optical signal to the optical/electric converting unit 101. The optical/electric converting unit 101 converts the optical signal sent from the first demultiplexer 109 into an electric signal (voltage signal). In other words, the optical/electric converting unit 101 converts the optical signal demultiplexed by the first demultiplexer 109 into a voltage signal proportional to an optical input level of the optical signal, and sends the voltage signal as an input monitor signal to the input disconnection detecting unit 102.
The input disconnection detecting unit 102 compares the input monitor signal sent from the optical/electric converting unit 101 with a reference value set in advance in the input disconnection detecting unit 102, determines that input light is disconnected when the input monitor signal drops below the reference value, and notifies the operation sequence unit 103 that the input light is disconnected.
The operation sequence unit 103 controls an operation of the operation change-over switch 106. The operation sequence unit 103 controls the operation change-over switch 106 to stop the optical output constant control when notified of disconnection of the input light from the input disconnection detecting unit 102.
A power-on/recovery detecting unit not shown detecting that power is on or that the input light signal is recovered is connected to the operation sequence unit 103. When the power-on/recovery detecting unit detects that power is on or that the input optical signal is recovered, the operation sequence unit 103 is notified of that.
Namely, the operation sequence unit 103 controls the operation change-over switch 106 to perform the optical output constant control when the power-on/recovery detecting unit detects that power is on or that the input light is recovered.
An end of the operation change-over switch 106 is connected to the pumping source driving unit 105. The other end of the operation change-over switch 106 is switchabley connected to either the optical output constant control unit 107 or ground, so that the operation change-over switch 106 is selectively switched under a control of the above operation sequence unit 103. The other end of the operation change-over switch 106 is connected to the optical output constant control unit 107 when the inputted optical signal is in a steady state condition, while being grounded when the inputted optical signal is disconnected.
The pumping source driving unit 105 drives the pumping source 104 to generate pump light, which is controlled by the optical output constant control unit 107. The pumping source 104 is configured with a light emitting element such as a semiconductor laser diode or the like, which supplies an energy of the pumping source 104 to the EDF 111 to amplify inputted optical signal.
The multiplexer 112 is configured with an optical fiber coupler or the like, which outputs pump light outputted from the pumping source 104 to the EDF 111, while outputting optical signal amplified by the EDF 111 to the isolator 113. The isolators 110 and 113 are connected to the both ends of the EDF 111, which are served to prevent resonance of the optical amplifier caused by that amplified light amplified by the EDF 111 is fed back to the EDF 111.
The second demultiplexer 114 is configured with an optical fiber coupler or the like, which is demultiplexes a part of the optical signal amplified by the EDF 111 to use a part of the demultiplexed optical signal as an output optical signal, while sending the other part of the demultiplexed optical signal as monitor light to the optical/electric converting unit 108. The optical/electric converting unit 108 converts the optical signal sent from the second demultiplexer 114 into an electric signal (voltage signal), similarly to the optical/electric converting unit 101. Namely, the optical/electric converting unit 108 converts the optical signal demultiplexed by the second demultiplexer 114 into a voltage signal proportional to an optical output level of the optical signal, and sends the voltage signal as an output monitor signal to the optical output constant control unit 107.
The optical output constant control unit 107 controls the pumping source driving unit 105 on the basis of the output monitor signal from the optical/electric converting unit 108 such that a level (optical output level) of the output optical signal is stable. In concrete, the optical output constant control unit 107 compares the output monitor signal (voltage signal) inputted from the optical/electric converting unit 108 with a reference voltage value corresponding to a desired optical output set in advance, and controls the pumping source driving unit 105 such that pump light corresponding to a difference in voltage between the reference voltage value and the output monitor signal is outputted from the pumping source 104.
In the above structure, a part of an optical signal inputted to the apparatus through the optical fiber is demultiplexed by the first demultiplexer 109, sent to the EDF 111 through the isolator 110, and amplified with pump light inputted from the multiplexer 112 in the EDF 111. The amplified optical signal is sent to the second demultiplexer 114 through the isolator 113, and a part of the amplified optical signal is demultiplexed by the second demultiplexer 114, then outputted as an amplified optical signal (output light signal).
On the other hand, the part of the input light demultiplexed by the first demultiplexer 109 is sent to the optical/electric converting unit 101, and converted into a voltage signal proportional to an optical level of the input light in the optical/electric converting unit 101. The optical signal converted into the voltage signal is sent as an input monitor signal to the input disconnection detecting unit 102. The input disconnection detecting unit 102 compares a level of the input monitor signal with a reference value set in advance to detect whether the input light is disconnected or not.
In a state where the input disconnection detecting unit 102 does not detect input disconnection and an optical signal above a predetermined level is inputted to the inputting side for the purpose of optical amplification, that is, in a state where an optical signal to be inputted is in a steady state condition, the operation sequence unit 103 controls switching of the operation change-over switch 106 such that a control signal from the optical output constant control unit 107 is outputted to the pumping source driving unit 105.
In this case, a part of the amplified optical signal demultiplexed by the second demultiplexer 114 is converted into an output monitor signal which is an electric signal (voltage signal) by the optical/electric converting unit 108, and the output monitor signal is sent to the optical output constant control unit 107. The optical output constant control unit 107 compares the output monitor signal with a predetermined reference voltage value, and controls the pumping source driving unit 105 such that pump light at a level corresponding to a difference in voltage between the output monitor signal and the reference voltage value is outputted from the pumping source 104. Under the control of the optical output constant control unit 107, the pumping source driving unit 105 drives the pumping source 104 to supply pump light so that the EDF 111 obtains desired amplified light.
If the input monitor signal drops below the reference value when the input disconnection detecting unit 102 compares the input monitor signal with the reference value set in advance, the input disconnection detecting unit 102 determines that the input light is disconnected, and sends a signal notifying of disconnection of the input light to the operation sequence unit 103.
The operation sequence unit 103 notified of disconnection of the input light controls the operation change-over switch 106 in order to halt the optical output constant control to selectively switches a change-over switch in the operation change-over switch 106 from a side of the optical outputting control unit 107 to a side of ground, thereby grounding the pumping source driving unit 105. The pumping source driving units 105 halts the driving of the pumping source 104 by being grounded, so that inputting of the pump light from the pumping source 104 to the EDF 111 is stopped.
When power is again on or the input optical signal is recovered, the power-on/recovery detecting unit not shown sends a signal notifying of that to the operation sequence unit 103. The operation sequence unit 103 controls the operation change-over switch 106 to switch the change-over switch to the optical output constant control unit 107, thereby again performing the optical output constant control.
States of each of light at the time of power-on or input light recovery in the optical amplifying apparatus will be next described with reference to FIGS. 10(a) through 10(c). FIG. 10(a) is a diagram showing with time changes of input light at the time of power-on and input light recovery in the optical amplifying apparatus, FIG. 10(b) is a diagram showing with time changes of pump light at that time, and FIG. 10(c) is a diagram showing with time changes of output light at that time.
As soon as power of the optical amplifying apparatus is on and an optical signal is inputted to the optical amplifying apparatus [refer to A1 in FIG. 10(a)], pump light corresponding to a level of the input light is driven [refer to A2 in FIG. 10(b)], and the pump light is increased while generating a delay due to a transmission resistance of the circuit of the optical amplifying apparatus and the like [refer to A2 to A3 in FIG. 10(b)]. A little after an optical signal is inputted, outputting of the amplified optical signal is initiated [refer to A4 in FIG. 10(c)].
When the input light is disconnected [refer to A5 in FIG. 10(a)], the above input disconnection detecting unit 102 detects the input disconnection, outputting of the pump light is stopped by the operation sequence unit 103 and the operation change-over switch 106 [refer to A6 in FIG. 10(b)], thus optical output is also stopped [refer to A7 in FIG. 10(c)].
If an optical signal [refer to A8 in FIG. 10(a)] stronger than the optical light inputted the last time [refer to A1 in FIG. 10(a)] is inputted when the input light is recovered, pump light corresponding to a level of the input light is driven [refer to A9 in FIG. 10(b)]. The pump light is increased while generating a delay due to a transmission resistance of the circuit of the optical amplifying apparatus and the like [refer to A9 to A10 in FIG. 10(b)], then outputting of an amplified optical signal is initiated a little after the optical signal is inputted [refer to A11 in FIG. 10(c)].
However, in the case of the output constant control in the above optical amplifying apparatus, the input disconnection detecting unit 102 detects disconnection of input light, while the optical output constant control unit 107 controls the pumping source driving unit 105 to output pump light corresponding to the disconnected input light.
Namely, pump light is abruptly increased when power is on or input light is recovered in the optical amplifying apparatus [refer to A3 and A10 in FIG. 10(b)], and output light amplified by the pump light jumps up above a predetermined level for a moment before the output light is stabilized at a predetermined level [refer to A12 and A13 in FIG. 10(c)].
When such protruding output light is generated in the optical amplifier used in an optical transmission system, the generated protruding output light (excessive output) is accumulatively amplified while passing through optical transmission paths, other repeaters and the like, the excessive output light is further increased when the terminal receives the optical signal, which exerts an effect on qualities of optical components receiving the optical signal in the receiving unit.
In order to prevent pump light output from being abruptly increased and output light from being excessive, there has been a technique of decreasing a responsiveness of a circuit performing the optical amplifier output constant control. However, when a speed of the optical amplifier output constant control is decreased, the optical output constant function of the optical amplifier is degraded, such that fluctuation in level of the input light is prone to appear in the output light.
There has been also an optical output controlling technique by the optical amplifying apparatus performing a pump light output constant control to keep light output from the pumping source constant without performing the output constant control immediately after power is on or input light is recovered in the optical amplifier, or a current constant control to keep a driving current driving a pumping source constant.
Now, another optical amplifying apparatus using a pump light output constant control will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of another optical amplifying apparatus using a pump light output constant control.
The optical amplifying apparatus using a pump light output constant control has, as shown in FIG. 11, a timer 115 and a pump light control unit 116, additionally to the optical amplifying apparatus shown in FIG. 9. Further, the optical amplifying apparatus has an operation sequence unit 118 instead of the operation sequence unit 103 and an operation change-over switch 117 instead of the operation change-over switch 106. The other parts of the optical amplifying apparatus are similar to those of the optical amplifying apparatus shown in FIG. 9. Incidentally, like reference characters in the drawing designate like or corresponding parts, descriptions of which are thus omitted.
The operation sequence unit 118 controls an operation of the operation change-over switch 117. When inputted thereto a signal notifying that input light is disconnected from the input disconnection detecting unit 102, the operation sequence unit 118 controls the operation change-over switch 117 to halt the optical output constant control.
A power-on/recovery detecting unit not shown for detecting that power is on or that the input optical signal is recovered is connected to the operation sequence unit 118. When power is on or the input optical signal is recovered, the power-on/recovery detecting unit sends a signal notifying that power-on/recovery is detected to the operation sequence unit 118.
The timer 115 is connected to the operation sequence unit 118. The timer 115 sends a trigger signal indicating that counting is terminated to the operation sequence unit 118 after a predetermined period set in advance is elapsed from when the timer 115 receives a signal indicating initiation of counting from the operation sequence unit 118.
When the power-on/recovery detecting unit detects that power is on or that an input optical signal is recovered, the operation sequence unit 118 sends a trigger signal indicating initiation of counting to the timer 115, while controlling the operation change-over switch 117 to perform the pump light control until receiving a trigger signal indicating termination of the counting from the timer 115.
An end of the operation change-over switch 117 is connected to the pumping source driving unit 105, while the other end of the same is switchably connected to any one of the optical output constant control unit 107, the pump light control unit 116 or ground, thereby being selectively switched under a control of the operation sequence unit 118. The other end of the operation change-over switch 117 is connected to the optical output constant control unit 107 when an inputted optical signal is in a steady state condition, whereas being grounded when the operation sequence unit 118 is notified that the inputted optical signal is disconnected.
An end of the pump light control unit 116 is connected to the pumping source 104 to monitor pump light outputted from the pumping source 104. The other end of the pump light control unit 116 is connected to the operation change-over switch 117 to be selectively connected to the pumping source driving unit 105 by a change-over switch in the operation change-over switch 117, so as to perform the pump light output constant control by controlling the pumping source driving unit 105 such that a quantity of pump light outputted from the pumping source 104 is stabilized at a predetermined value set in advance.
The optical amplifying apparatus using the pump light output constant control with the above structure amplifies an optical signal inputted thereto through an optical fiber and outputs the optical signal, and performs the optical output constant control by the optical output constant control unit 107 on the basis of an optical signal (output monitor signal) demultiplexed by the second demultiplexer 114, similarly to the optical amplifying apparatus shown in FIG. 9. When an input of optical signal is disconnected, the operation sequence unit 118 controls the operation change-over switch 117 on the basis of an optical signal (input monitor signal) demultiplexed by the first demultiplexer 109 to connect the pumping source driving unit 105 to ground in order to halt the optical output constant control, thereby stopping inputting of pump light from the pumping source 104 to the EDF 111.
In the optical amplifying apparatus using the pump light output constant control shown in FIG. 11, when the operation sequence unit 118 is notified from the power-on/recovery detecting unit (not shown) that power is on or input light is recovered in the optical amplifying apparatus, the operation sequence unit 118 controls switching of the operation change-over switch 117 such as to shift a state of the pumping source driving unit 105 from an operation stop state (grounded) to a pump light constant control state by the pump light control unit 116. Further, the timer 115 starts to count with the above power-on/recovery detection information as trigger information.
The operation sequence unit 118 controls the operation change-over switch 117 on the basis of counting by the timer 115 such that the pump light control unit 116 performs the pump light output constant control until a predetermined time is elapsed When the predetermined time is elapsed, the operation sequence unit 118 controls switching of the operation change-over switch 117 to switch from the pump light constant control by the pump light controlling unit 116 to the optical output constant control by the optical output constant control unit 107.
Now, states of each light at the time of power-on and input light recovery in the other optical amplifying apparatus using the pump light output constant control will be described with reference to FIGS. 12(a) through 12(c). FIG. 12(a) is a diagram showing with time changes of input light at the time of power-on and input light recovery, FIG. 12(b) is a diagram showing with time changes of pump light at that time, and FIG. 12(c) is a diagram showing with time changes of output light at that time.
In the above optical amplifying apparatus shown in FIG. 11, when power is on and an optical signal is inputted [refer to B1 in FIG. 12(a)], the timer 115 starts to count, and the operation sequence unit 118 controls switching of the operation change-over switch 117 on the basis of counting by the timer 115 such that the pumping source driving unit 105 is connected to the pump light control unit 116 to perform the pump light output constant control until a predetermined time is elapsed [refer to B2 in FIG. 12(b)]. An optical signal amplified with the pump light is outputted [refer to B6 in FIG. 12(c)].
When the counting by the timer 115 is terminated after the predetermined time is elapsed [refer to B3 in FIG. 12(b)], the operation sequence unit 118 controls switching of the operation change-over switch 117 to connected the pumping source driving unit 105 to the optical output constant control unit 107 so as to perform the optical output constant control [refer to B4 in FIG. 12(b)]. Outputting of output light amplified with the pump light is initiated a little after the control is switched to the above optical output constant control [refer to B7 in FIG. 12(c)].
When the input light is disconnected [refer to B5 in FIG. 12(a)], the above input disconnection detecting unit 102 detects input disconnection, the operation sequence unit 118 controls switching of the operation change-over switch 117 to connect the pumping source driving unit 105 to ground, outputting of the pump light from the pumping source 104 to the EDF 111 is thereby stopped [refer to B8 in FIG. 12(b)], thus optical output is also stopped [refer to B9 in FIG. 12(c)].
When the input light is recovered and an optical signal stronger than the input light inputted the last time is inputted [refer to B10 in FIG. 12(a)], pump light corresponding to a level of the input light is driven [refer to B12 in FIG. 12(b)], then outputting of output light amplified with the pump light is initiated a little after that [refer to B13 in FIG. 10(c)].
When the output constant control is performed in the optical amplifying apparatus using the pump light constant control shown in FIG. 11, gain characteristics of the optical amplifier is approximately proportional to an energy of pump light outputted from the pumping source. For this, if a quantity of pump light or a pumping source driving current is so set in the pump light control unit 116 that a predetermined optical output is obtained even when input light is small, the optical output might exceed a predetermined optical input level when greater input light is inputted.
Accordingly, it is necessary to set the pump light output or the pumping source driving current in the pump light control unit 116 such that the optical output does not exceed the predetermined optical output even when the input light is at maximum. If the pump light control unit 116 is set as above, a predetermined optical output cannot be obtained when input light is small, and pump light output is abruptly increased when the counting by the timer 115 is completed and the optical output constant control is initiated [refer to B14 in FIG. 12(b)], and the optical output thus exceeds the predetermined optical input level [refer to B15 in FIG. 12(c)].
When the protruding output light is generated in the optical amplifying apparatus used in an optical transmission system, the generated protruding output (excessive output) light is accumulatively amplified while passing through transmission paths, other repeaters and the like, the excessive output light is further increased when the terminal receives the optical signal, the excessive output light thus affects on qualities of optical components receiving the optical signal in the receiving unit, as stated above.

Optical amplifying apparatus, an optical output controlling method by the optical amplifying apparatus, and an optical transmitting apparatus


A smoke detector for an air duct includes a photoelectric detection system and an air flow pathway in fluid communication with the air duct. The air flow pathway includes an inlet, an optic tube, and an outlet. The photoelectric detection system includes a circuit board having at least one light emitter and at least one light receiver mounted thereon. The optic tube passes through the circuit board and between the at least one light emitter and at least one light receiver.

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to smoke detectors and, more particularly, to photoelectric smoke detectors for air ducts.
A smoke detector is a device that detects smoke and issues an alarm. A photoelectric smoke detector is a type of smoke detector that works based on light reflection principals and generally includes a light emitter, a light receiver and an optic chamber. When there is no smoke in the optic chamber and the optic chamber is empty or mostly empty, the light receiver typically receives a small amount of light reflected from chamber surfaces. On the other hand, when smoke is present in the optic chamber, the light receiver receives more light due to that light being reflected from the smoke particles. When an amount of the received light exceeds a threshold level, an alarm is triggered.
Detectors for sensing one or more conditions within a duct of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system are typically mounted to a flange or other component and/or the outside of an air duct and include a sampling pipe which extends laterally into the duct from the exterior. The air within the duct flows into inlets formed in the sampling pipe to a smoke sensor, located in a housing outside of the duct. The air is then returned to the interior of the duct via an output flow pipe.
Dust and debris may accumulate within the smoke detector resulting in false alarms and frequent maintenance. Improved methods of detecting smoke in an air duct are desired.


A rear brake unit for a cargo dolly includes a left and a right brake that each have a leaf spring with an eye end and a loop end. The eye end of the leaf spring is fixed but can rotate about its pin and the loop end of the leaf spring can slide in relation to a loop end pin when the brake shoe is in a braking position. The movement of the leaf spring allows the brake shoe to accommodate uneven tire wear between the pair of tires and apply effective braking force to each tire. The brakes are also connected to one another by a bar arranged to pivot about a center point of the brake unit, thereby allowing the brake unit to accommodate uneven tire wear between the left and right pair of rear tires.

This invention relates to mechanical brake units for cargo dollies like those used by airport ground services to transport unit load devices, cargo pallets, and baggage.
Cargo dollies stop by actuating a mechanical brake unit that is connected by a tie rod to the tow bar. The brake, which is positioned just ahead of the rear tires (toward the forward end of the dolly), automatically pushes against and locks the rear tires when the tow bar is in a vertical position and pulls away from and releases the tires when the tow bar is in a horizontal position (see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 8,851,488 B2 at FIG. 4). A compression spring that surrounds tie rod keeps the left and right brake pad weldments pressing against the tires. The spring does not store energy during the braking process. Alternatively, or in addition to the spring, the tie rod includes an adjustment weldment. However, each style of brake loses its effectiveness as the rear tires wear.
Tire wear can be substantial. It is not uncommon for the tires to remain in service until about a ½ inch of tread wear occurs (taking a 4.00×8 solid tire down to about 14¾ to 15-inches in diameter). Even more troublesome, the wear oftentimes is uneven within and between each left and right pair of tires.
Because the dollies can hold up to 15,000 pounds, and are used on inclines and around people and expensive equipment, braking effectiveness and reliability is a critical safety and cost issue. Therefore, a need exists for an improved rear brake unit.


An online system trains a content selection model based on a selected subset of presented content items as well as a sampled set of content items. The content selection model is configured to receive a set of features characterizing a user-content item pair and output a likelihood that the user will interact with the content item. The sampled set of content items may include content items that were not selected for display based on their likelihoods in addition to those that were selected, and may represent a wider distribution of user-content item pairs than the selected subset. By incorporating the sampled set of content items as well as the selected subset of content items in the training process, the online system can reduce bias in the content selection process such that content items similar to the unselected subset can also be adequately represented.

This invention generally relates to content selection models, and more specifically to training content selection models with reduced bias.
Online systems, such as recommendation systems and social networking systems, provide content items associated with a set of content providers to users of the online system. For example, the online system may be a social networking system that provides users with advertisements associated with a set of advertisers. Typically, it is favorable for the online system and the content providers for users of the online system to engage or interact with the content items. Thus, the online system may provide content items to users based on evaluations that the users will interact with the content items. Specifically, the online system may evaluate content items by applying a content selection model to a set of characteristics for a particular user and content item pair to predict likelihoods of user interaction. The online system may present a selected subset of content items with high prediction likelihoods to users.
The content selection model is often trained using training data including previously presented content items, for which interactions between the content items and users presented with the content items are already known. The online system may continually update the content selection model as more content items are presented to users and interaction information for these content items are obtained by the online system. For example, the training data may be updated to include interaction information from the selected subset of content items that were presented to users due to their high prediction likelihoods.
Often times, various types of bias are introduced into the training data and the content selection model due to the way in which the data is obtained. In particular, since the labels for the training data indicate whether a user interacted with a content item that was presented to the user, the examples in the training data typically include only content items that were actually selected for the user. Since they were actually selected for presentation to the user, these content items tend to be associated with higher prediction likelihoods from the existing model and are therefore biased towards what the existing model predicts to be "good" content. Due to this bias in the training data, content items similar to the selected subset may have a significantly higher chance of being presented to users than those similar to unselected content items with, for example, low predicted likelihoods. Accordingly, certain types of content items may be underrepresented with respect to the proportion of times they are presented to users of the online system, even though they may potentially have high likelihoods of interaction.

Training content selection models with reduced bias


A visual output assembly for an aircraft cabin includes at least one electronic display device, a projection screen, an image projector configured to project images onto the projection screen, and at least one illumination device.

Document DE 10 2007 008 164 A1 discloses a method for blurring the boundaries between the display screen of an imaging system and adjacent illuminated surfaces by adapting the illumination of the surfaces to the images currently displayed on the display screen.
There is, however, a need for improved solutions that enable passengers of an aircraft to enjoy improved imagery at a cabin wall of the aircraft cabin.

Visual output assembly for aircraft cabin