The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container in which a plurality of imaging devices each comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit are provided. Light from each light emitting unit is irradiated onto a liquid-filling container and this light transmitted through the container is received by each light receiving unit. The object of the present invention is to provide such method and an apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container. This method or apparatus allows for simultaneous and highly reliable imaging of two or more kinds of condition of the container. For accomplishing this object, according to the present invention, wavelengths of the lights emitted by the respective light emitting units and received by the respective light receiving units of the imaging devices for imaging the liquid-filling containers are different from each other.

1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container in which a plurality of imaging devices each comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit are provided and light from each light emitting unit is irradiated onto a liquid-filling container and the light transmitted through the container is received by each light receiving unit.
2. Description of Prior Art
The imaging of a liquid-filling container noted above is employed in a manufacturing line of various beverages such as soft drinks or alcoholic beverages in order to inspect whether the amount of liquid as the beverage filled in a container made of glass or PET is within a predetermined range or not and/or whether any foreign substance is inadvertently mixed in the beverage filled in the container or present in the container or the material forming the container or a condition of the mouth of the liquid-filling container, or whether a cap is securely fitted on the mouth of the container or not.
Conventionally, in the case of inspection of e.g. beverage by way of imaging a liquid-filling container, a single light emitting unit emits and irradiates a visible light having a wavelength of 400 to 700 nm onto the container to be transmitted therethrough to be received by a light receiving unit comprising a CCD camera for imaging of the container, so that the inspection is effected based on the image whether the surface level of the liquid inside the container is within a predetermined range or not. And, another light emitting unit is employed for emitting a visible light of the same wavelength for determination as to whether any foreign substance is mixed in the beverage or in the container or the material forming the container or not. And, still another light emitting unit is employed for emitting the visible light of the same wavelength to be reflected by the mouth of the container or the cap and this reflected light is received by a corresponding light receiving unit for determination as to the condition of the container mouth or whether the cap is properly fitted to this mouth or not.
With the conventional imaging technique above, the light emitting units for the detection of the liquid surface level, the detection of the foreign substance present in the liquid or in the container or its material and the detection of the mouth or the attached condition of the cap to the mouth all emit a visible light of a same wavelength. Accordingly, e.g. irregular reflection of the light may occur due to the shape of the liquid-filling container to interfere as a noise with the visible light for liquid surface level detection and the visible light for the cap attachment condition detection. So that, a portion of the visible light for liquid level detection may enter the light receiving unit for cap attachment detection. Conversely, a portion of the visible light for foreign substance detection or cap attachment detection can be incident on the light receiving unit for the liquid level detection. Consequently, the detection of liquid surface level, the detection of foreign substance and detection of cap attachment can not be reliably effected simultaneously.
For improving the detection precision, it is conceivable to provide a time difference between the liquid level detection, foreign substance detection and cap attachment detection, so as to effect the liquid level detection first and to effect the detection of foreign substance or cap attachment thereafter. This, however, increases the time required for detection, inviting reduction in the production efficiency.
Another conceivable method is to block the noise by changing or shielding the sites of detection between the liquid level detection and the foreign substance or cap attachment detection. This, however, increases the space required for detection. In the case of a manufacturing line of beverage for instance, this method will make it difficult to form the manufacturing line compact and will require much cost in terms of maintenance and production efficiency.
The present invention has been devised to overcome the above-described problems of the prior art. A primary object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for imaging a liquid-filing container which method or apparatus allows simultaneous and highly reliable imaging of two or more kinds of condition of the container.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 for example, in a method and an apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container in which a plurality of imaging devices 2, 5, 8, 20 each comprising a light emitting unit 3, 6, 9, 21 and a light receiving unit 4, 7, 10, 22 are provided and light from each light emitting unit 3, 6, 9, 21 is irradiated onto a liquid-filling container B and this light transmitted through the container is received by each light receiving unit 4, 7, 10, 22, wherein wavelengths of the lights emitted by the respective light emitting units 3, 6, 9, 21 and received by the respective light receiving units 4, 7, 10, 22 of the imaging devices 2, 5, 8, 20 for imaging the liquid-filling containers are different from each other.
With this feature, a plurality of imaging devices each comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit are provided and wavelengths of the lights emitted by the respective light emitting units and received by the respective light receiving units of the imaging devices for imaging the liquid-filling containers are different from each other. Therefore, there occurs no such trouble as light irradiated from one light emitting unit enters a light receiving unit not corresponding to this light emitting unit. Consequently, two or more kinds of conditions of the liquid-filing container may be imaged simultaneously and reliably.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 for example, the light emitting units 3, 6, 9, 21 respectively have light emitters 3A, 6A, 9A, 21A each capable of emitting and irradiating light of a predetermined wavelength and the light receiving units 4, 7, 10, 22 respectively have light-receiving cut filters 17, 18, 19, 24 for allowing transmission of a light in the predetermined wavelength and light receivers 4A, 7A, 10A, 22A for receiving the light transmitted through the respective light-receiving cut filters 17, 18, 19, 24 corresponding thereto.
With this feature, the light emitting units respectively have light emitters each capable of emitting and irradiating a light in the predetermined wavelength and the light receiving units respectively have light-receiving cut filters for allowing transmission of light in the predetermined wavelength and light receivers for receiving the light transmitted through the respective light-receiving cut filters corresponding thereto. Therefore, there is no need of employing a special construction as the light receiving unit. As a result, the invention may be embodied, with using a light emitter, a light receiver and a cut filter which are relatively inexpensive.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 for example, at least one of said light emitting units 3, 6, 9, 21 emits and irradiates near infrared light.
According to the present invention, at least one of said light receiving units 4, 7, 10, 22 receives near infrared light.
With these features, at least one of said light emitting units emits and irradiates near infrared light or at least one of said light receiving units receives near infrared light. Therefore, it is possible to detect e.g. the filled amount of the liquid, regardless of the color of the container or the color of the liquid filled inside the container.
Namely, in case the detection of the filled amount of the liquid or presence/absence of any foreign substance in the liquid or in the container or in the container forming material is effected by way of imaging the liquid-filling container by using a visible light having a wavelength of 400 nm to 700 nm as conventionally proposed, if the container has a dark color such as black, dark green or dark brown, as shown in a graph of FIG. 4 (transmittance for a glass thickness of 3 mm), the transmittance of the visible light becomes extremely low.
For this reason, when the visible light emitted from the light emitting unit is received by the light receiving unit, the portion of the visible light travelling outside the container is received substantially as it is or directly by the light receiving unit, so that the amount of received light for this area outside the container is large, whereas the amount of light corresponding to the container is extremely small. Then, since the inspection of the liquid surface of the liquid filled in the container or of the absence/presence of any foreign substance in the liquid or in the container or its material is to be effected for such area of extremely limited received light amount, the detection error becomes significant or the detection of the liquid surface or mixed foreign substance per se becomes very difficult. Further, even if the absolute light amount is increased to overcome this problem, improvement in the detection precision made possible by such measure is limited.
Further, even if the container per se does not have such dark color as black, dark green or dark brown, if the liquid filled therein has a dark color, the detection of foreign substance in the liquid becomes impossible. Moreover, if fine bubbles generated in association with the filling operation of the liquid are present near the liquid surface, the amount of light transmitted through the bubbles will be small due to the effect of diffused reflection of the light by the bubbles and also the amount of light transmitted through the liquid portion too will be limited due to the dark color, so that discrimination therebetween is difficult, thus impeding reliable detection of the liquid surface.
On the other hand, with the use of near infrared light having a wavelength of 700 to 900 nm, preferably 750 to 850 nm, even if the container has a dark color such as black, dark green or dark brown or if the filled liquid has a dark color or even if the container has a surface frosting treatment, there occurs no significant reduction in the transmittance of the near infrared light through the liquid-filling container. So that, significant reduction in the received light amount for the area corresponding to the liquid-filling container may be avoided advantageously.
Accordingly, various kinds of detection for the area corresponding to this container of the liquid surface level or of any foreign substance present in the liquid or in the container or the container material are made possible. As a result, the various conditions of the liquid-filing container can be reliably detected, regardless of the color of the container or the color of the liquid or regardless of presence/absence of bubbles near the liquid surface.
Incidentally, for imaging a liquid-filling container by irradiating light from the light emitting unit onto the container and receiving the transmitted light by the light receiving unit, or receiving the light by the light receiving unit, according to the present invention, the amount of received light at the area corresponding to the container is positively increased so as to reduce the difference in the received light amounts relative to that of the area corresponding to the outside of the container thereby to improve the detection precision. By irradiating the near infrared light alone or a greater amount of near infrared light component than visible light component of the light, a sufficient amount of near infrared light may be transmitted, depending on the color of the container or the color of the liquid filled therein. Or, by receiving the near infrared light component alone or a greater amount of near infrared component than the visible light component by the light receiving unit, a sufficient amount of near infrared light may be transmitted, depending on the color of the container or the color of the liquid filled therein.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 for example, each imaging device 2, 5, 8, 20 images a state of a liquid-filled container B which is conveyed one after another along a transport line 1.
With this characterizing, each imaging device images a state of a liquid-filled container which is conveyed one after another along a transport line. Therefore, for the number of liquid-filling containers being conveyed along the transport line one after another, various conditions thereof such as the filled amount, presence/absence of foreign substance in the liquid, presence/absence of foreign substance in the container or the container forming material, and the condition of the container mouth or attachment condition of a cap to the container mouth can be detected speedily and continuously.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 for example, in the method of imaging a liquid-filling container or the apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container, one of said plurality of imaging device 2, 5, 8 is a filled-amount detecting device 2 for detecting the filled amount of liquid W filled in the container B.
With this feature, one of said plurality of imaging devices is a filled-amount detecting device for detecting the filled amount of liquid filled in the container. Therefore, the filled amount of the liquid filled in the liquid-filling container may be detected. Especially, if near infrared light is used in this filled-amount detecting device, for the reasons described hereinbefore, even if the container has a dark color such as black, dark green or dark brown or if the filled liquid has a dark color or even if the container has a surface frosting treatment, the detection of liquid level is possible at the area corresponding to this container. As a result, the filled amount of the liquid may be detected reliably, regardless of the color of the liquid-filling container or the liquid or presence/absence of bubbles near the liquid surface.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 for example, in the method of imaging a liquid-filling container or the apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container, one of said plurality of imaging devices 2, 5, 8 is a liquid foreign substance detecting device 5 for detecting foreign substance present in the liquid filled in the container B.
With this feature, one of said plurality of imaging devices is a liquid foreign substance detecting device for detecting foreign substance present in the liquid filled in the container. Therefore, the presence/absence of foreign substance in the liquid filled in the liquid-filling container may be detected. Especially, if near infrared light is used in this liquid foreign substance detecting device, for the reasons described hereinbefore, even if the container has a dark color such as black, dark green or dark brown or if the filled liquid has a dark color or even if the container has a surface frosting treatment, the detection of the presence/absence of foreign substance in the liquid is possible at the area corresponding to this container. As a result, the presence/absence of foreign substance in the liquid may be detected reliably, regardless of the color of the liquid-filling container or the liquid or presence/absence of bubbles near the liquid surface.
According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3 for example, in the method of imaging a liquid-filling container or the apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container, one of said plurality of imaging devices 8, 20 is a container/container-material foreign substance detecting device 20 for detecting foreign substance present in the container or in material forming the container.
With this characterizing feature, one of said plurality of imaging devices is a container/container-material foreign substance detecting device for detecting foreign substance present in the container or in material forming the container. Therefore, the presence/absence of foreign substance in the liquid-filling container or in the material forming the container may be detected. Especially, if near infrared light is used in this container foreign substance detecting device, for the reasons described hereinbefore, even if the container has a dark color such as black, dark green or dark brown or if the filled liquid has a dark color or even if the container has a surface frosting treatment, the detection of the presence/absence of foreign substance in the container or in the container material is possible at the area corresponding to this container. As a result, the presence/absence of foreign substance in the container or container material may be detected reliably, regardless of the color of the liquid-filling container or the liquid.
According to the present invention, in the method of imaging a liquid-filling container or the apparatus for imaging a liquid-filling container, one of said plurality of imaging devices 2, 5, 8, 20 is a container mouth detecting device 8 for detecting condition of a mouth of the container B or attachment condition of a cap C to the container mouth.
With this characterizing feature, one of said plurality of imaging devices is a container mouth detecting device for detecting condition of a mouth of the container or attachment condition of a cap to the container mouth. With this, needless to say, it is possible to detect condition of a mouth of the container or attachment condition of a cap to the container mouth by effectively utilizing the light reflected from the container mouth or from the cap. Moreover, even when the filled-amount detecting device, the liquid foreign substance detecting device and the container/container-material foreign substance detecting device are used at one time together, there occurs no interference therebetween, and the condition of a mouth of the container or attachment condition of a cap to the container mouth may be detected.
Incidentally, in the above description, reference marks and numerals were employed for facilitating reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that the provision of these marks and numerals is not to limit the invention to the constructions shown in the drawings.

Method and device for imaging liquid-filling container


A semiconductor device is composed at least of a memory circuit part having capacitors and a peripheral circuit part for controlling the memory circuit part and has a first hydrogen barrier film of hydrogen resistance covering a region in which the capacitors are formed and a second hydrogen barrier film of hydrogen resistance covering at least the memory circuit part and the peripheral circuit part above the first hydrogen barrier film. The second hydrogen barrier film covers a region of the semiconductor device located between an interconnect layer above the first hydrogen barrier film and closest to the capacitors and the first hydrogen barrier film except for a region thereof in which a contact plug is formed.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device using a ferroelectric material or a high-dielectric-constant material for a capacitive insulating film.
(2) Description of Related Art
Semiconductor devices each using a ferroelectric material or a high-dielectric-constant material for a capacitive insulating film of a capacitor may be replaced with semiconductor devices each having a capacitive insulating film made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride in the field of non-volatile memory devices and dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices. The reason for this is that ferroelectric materials and high-dielectric-constant materials exhibit residual polarization arising from hysteresis characteristics and have a high dielectric constant.
Typically, reduction action caused by hydrogen allows ferroelectric materials or high-dielectric-constant materials to have deteriorated characteristics, because ferroelectric materials or high-dielectric-constant materials are oxides whose crystal structures themselves determine their physical characteristics. In spite of this, a process of forming a MOS transistor, a process of forming a multilayer interconnect, a process of forming a protective film, and other processes include many process steps using not only a hydrogen gas but also a silane gas, a resist material and water (moisture) all containing hydrogen atoms.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 11-126881 and 2001-237393 disclose as follows: as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in order to prevent a ferroelectric material or a high-dielectric-constant material from being deteriorated in its characteristics in each of production processes due to hydrogen, a ferroelectric capacitor is covered with hydrogen barrier films located above and below the ferroelectric capacitor; and the hydrogen barrier films are formed to enclose the ferroelectric capacitor therein.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An apparatus for controlling an operating stroke of a reciprocating member to be reciprocated by a drive motor. The apparatus includes an encoder adapted to generate pulses each of which corresponds to a predetermined incremental distance of movement of the reciprocating member, a counter for counting the pulses during movement of the reciprocating member in a forward direction, a device for converting the operating stroke into the number of the pulses corresponding to a multiple of the incremental distance of movement, and a residual distance which is a difference between the operating stroke and the multiple, a device for converting the residual distance into a corresponding residual time, and a device for commanding the drive motor to stop an operation thereof causing a further forward movement of the reciprocating member, when the residual time has elapsed after a count of the counter is equal to the above-indicated number of the pulses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for controlling an operating stroke of a reciprocating member such as a spindle quill of tapping machine.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An apparatus for controlling a movement of a reciprocating member widely uses a relatively inexpensive encoder for detecting the position of the reciprocating member. For instance, a rotary encoder is used for controlling the operating stroke of a spindle quill of a tapping machine wherein the spindle quill is advanced and retracted while a main spindle is rotating in the forward and reverse directions, respectively, the perform a tapping operation. The advancing and retracting movements of the spindle quill are mechanically synchronized with the forward and reverse rotations of the main spindle (i.e., spindle quill). The rotary encoder generates pulse signals after the forward rotation of the main spindle is started. The control apparatus counts the number of the pulse signals. When the counted number of the pulse signals reaches a predetermined value, the rotating direction of the spindle is switched to the reverse direction, to retract the spindle quill to the original or home position. Namely, the conventional control apparatus is adapted to control the operating stroke or bottoming position of the spindle quill (i.e., a tap held by the quill), by directly counting the pulses generated by the rotary encoder.
In the above arrangement using the encoder, the minimum amount of movement of the spindle quill that can be controlled based on the pulses from the encoder is determined by or limited to the resolution of the encoder. Thus, the accuracy of controlling the operating stroke of the quill is not sufficiently high where the resolving power of the encoder is relatively low.
Consequently, the tapping tool held by the spindle quill may collide with the bottom of a blind hole to be tapped. In other words, the above arrangement does not permit the tap to cut an internal thread down to a point immediately above the bottom of the blind hole, without the tip of the tap bottoming the hole.
The control accuracy of the operating stroke may be improved by using an encoder whose resolution is sufficiently high. In this case, however, the encoder is expensive, and requires higher degree of assembling accuracy and a complicated control circuit for processing the pulse signals from the encoder, thereby increasing the cost of manufacture of the control apparatus.
Usually, an encoder is adapted to generate an A-phase signal, and a B-phase signal whose phase is shifted from the A-phase signal by an amount corresponding to 1/4 of the pulse interval, so that the direction of movement of the relevant reciprocating member is detected. It is considered to divide a time length corresponding to the pulse interval, into four one-quarter fractions, by using the B-phase signal. To accurately detect the times corresponding to these fractions of the pulse interval, not only the A-phase signal should rise so as to exactly establish the nominal pulse interval, but also the A-phase signal should fall and the B-phase signal should rise and fall to exactly establish the pulse duration. Although the pulse interval of the A-phase signal is held comparatively constant, the pulse durations of the A-phase and B-phase signals tend to fluctuate, particularly where an inexpensive encoder is used.

Apparatus for controlling operating stroke of reciprocating member, using encoder signal


A dosage dispenser according to the invention is intended to provide a solution for measuring and dilution of liquid medications and issuing marked and ready for use. The dosage dispenser device carries out actions required for the preparation of a required dose of medication, including identifying ampoules, breaking them, filling a syringe, diluting the medication in a solution, marking the syringe, disposing of waste and documenting the process, all at the patient bedside. The dosage dispenser is aimed at reducing the number of errors in the dosage, which is a problem, menacing medical services throughout the world. The problem is made acute by considerable pressure on the medical teams while carrying out many and complex procedures under pressure in a situation of uncertainty and with variable data.

Many serious errors occur during drug delivery, and specifically, during a high stress situation as in a resuscitation situation. Stress and the need for preparing the drug dose in a hurry increases the potential for errors. Many errors in intravenous (I.V.) drug administration are fatal.
It is one object of the present invention to reduce the number of medication dosage errors, reduce potential for human error, especially in critical situations like resuscitation and trauma care.
Closest Known Related Technology:
There are systems that provide a solution for dosing and dilute I.V. medication. These systems are of large scale designs and are located at the main hospital pharmacy, they are not portable and not adopted to be used at bedside location, and they are incapable of using patient life signs or using medication that are packed in ampoules (a standard package).
For example, U.S. Application 2005/224137 entitled "Device for Reconstituting a Drug Vial and Transferring the Contents to a Syringe in an Automated Matter" by Tribble, et al, discloses an automated medication preparation system in the form of an automated syringe preparation that includes reconstitution of the medication and delivery of the reconstituted medication to a syringe. The system includes an automated fluid delivery device that is movable in at least one direction and is adapted to perform at least one of the following operations: (1) receiving and discharging diluents from a diluents supply in a prescribed amount to reconstitute the medication in a drug vial; and (2) aspirating and later discharging reconstituted medication from the drug vial into the syringe. The system also includes a transfer device that includes a first section for piercing the septum of the drug vial and a second section for sealing, yet releasably, mating with the fluid delivery device. The transfer device is constructed so that it remains within the drug vial for multiple uses without the need to pierce the septum more than one time and therefore, the disadvantages associated with the prior art are overcome. The transfer device has a first channel extending through the first and second sections for carrying diluents or reconstituted medication and a second channel that is in fluid communication with a vent that is formed as part of the transfer device to permit air to flow into the drug vial.
For example U.S. Application No. 2006/0178578 entitled "Vision System To Calculate A Fluid Volume In A Container" by Tribble, et al, discloses a system for calculating a volume of fluid that is disposed within a container. The system includes (1) an imaging device that captures and stores an image of at least the volume of fluid in the container; (2) a background disposed behind the container so that at least the volume of fluid in the container is disposed in front of the background; and (3) a processor that performs at least one operation on the stored image to calculate the volume of the fluid within the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,761 entitled "Vial Loading Method And Apparatus For Intelligent Admixture And Delivery Of Intravenous Drugs" by Bloom, et. al., discloses a vial-loading mechanism for a system that prepares and delivers one or more IV drugs to a patient. The vial-loading mechanism is used to load a vial onto a cassette spike and includes a vertical support member located adjacent to the spike. A holding assembly holds at least one vial. The holding assembly is mounted to the support member so as to be positioned between an upper position for loading a vial and a lower position for piercing the vial with a spike. The holding assembly has an arcuate-shaped holding member for holding the vial. A catch is provided with an engagement unit for securing the holding assembly in the lower position. This arrangement provides an easy way to add, retain, and remove vials from the system and protects the clinicians that do this from contacting the spikes and hurting themselves.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,035 to Khan, et al, entitled "Automated Use Of A Vision System To Detect Foreign Matter In Reconstituted Drugs Before Transfer To A Syringe" describes an automated medication preparation system including automated syringe preparation that involves reconstitution of the medication. The system includes: an automated device for delivering a prescribed unit dose of medication to the syringe by delivering the medication through the uncapped barrel. One exemplary automated device for delivering a prescribed unit dose of medication to the syringe is in the form of an automated device having a fluid delivery device that is movable in at least one direction. The fluid delivery device is adapted to perform the following operations: (1) receiving and discharging diluents from a diluents supply in a prescribed amount to reconstitute the medication in a drug vial; and (2) aspirating and later discharging reconstituted medication from the drug vial into the syringe. The system further includes a sensor for detecting any foreign matter (e.g., undissolved drug, pieces of septum, etc.) present in the reconstituted unit dose of drug prior to transfer of the reconstituted drug (unit dose) to the syringe.


A control processing device moves an X-/Y-/Z-axis movement mechanism, a first rotation mechanism, and a second rotation mechanism. Consequently, a shock-wave oscillating device is moved in X-, Y- and Z-directions, so that the direction of radiation of shock waves can be changed while the focal point of the shock waves is being set at a target of treatment.

The present invention relates to a shock-wave medical treatment apparatus for destroying, for example, a kidney stone or a gallstone in a subject, by using shock waves.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a shock-wave medical treatment apparatus, shock waves emitted from a shock-wave oscillator section is focused on a target of treatment in a subject, for example, a kidney stone or a gallstone. The shock waves are sent to destroy the kidney stone, or the like.
The direction of radiation of shock waves is sometimes changed by moving the shock-wave oscillator section, after the focal point of shock waves has been set. A target of treatment differs from subject to subject. Thus, if the direction of radiation of shock waves is changed, the focal point of shock waves is displaced from the target.

Lithotripter with shock-wave generator movement mechanism


The present invention provides a load failure protection circuit and a discharge lamp driving apparatus, which can exactly detect a failure even if the failure arises in any of a plurality of discharge lamps, and can stop drive of the discharge lamp. A part of currents of corresponding CCFLs (201 and 202) flows into two bypass resistors (21a and 21b), further, a full current of the bypass resistors (21a and 21b) flows into a resistor for full current detection (22), and its voltage drop is inputted into a control IC (1) as a feedback signal. On the other hand, cathodes of Zener diodes (25a and 25b) are connected to end parts of the bypass resistors (21a and 21b) on each CCFL side. When potential of any one of the cathodes rises by a load failure, a corresponding one of the Zener diodes (25a and 25b) generates a Zener voltage for a transistor (26) to become conductive. Therefore, since a feedback signal line connected to the collector of the transistor (26) is made at the ground potential forcibly, it is decided to be a load failure by the control IC (1), and drive of the discharge lamp is stopped.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a load failure protection circuit of a discharge lamp driving apparatus, which turns on a discharge lamp for back lighting in a liquid crystal display panel, for example, and the discharge lamp driving apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to drastic improvement of a load failure protection circuit which enables detection of a load failure, such as a short circuit between a high-voltage side and a low-voltage side of each discharge lamp, in a discharge lamp driving apparatus which performs lighting drive of a plurality of discharge lamps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, for example, what make one or more cold cathode lamps (hereafter, these are called CCFL(s)) discharged and lighted simultaneously for back lighting of various kinds of liquid crystal display panels used for a liquid crystal television set and the like are known. Various apparatuses as a discharge lamp driving apparatus for that are proposed (e.g., refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-265868).
The discharge lamp driving apparatus disclosed by the above-mentioned patent publication not only detects a current which flows through each CCFL, but also gives feedback of a voltage, equivalent to the full current value, to a control circuit. Then, this has the structure that drive of CCFLs is performed so that a sum total of currents which flow through respective CCFLs may become always fixed on the basis of this feedback voltage.
By the way, a CCFL not only needs a high voltage of about 800 V between both ends at the time of usual lighting, but also needs a high voltages which is about 2 to 2.5 times the voltage at the time of usual lighting, at the time of a lighting start. Therefore, when a damage of a CCFL, a short circuit in its connecting terminals, and the like arise, there is a possibility of causing: dielectric breakdown by rise of a secondary side voltage caused by an open state at the secondary side of a transformer used for a drive circuit; burning of the transformer by a short-circuit current being generated; and the like. Hence, it is important to consider enough circuit protection to such a load failure condition.
Nevertheless, the apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publication maintains a full current value always uniform even if some dispersion in drive currents arises in each CCFL at the time of normal operation, and can prevent a damage and a malfunctioning by an extreme current flowing into one CCFL. Hence, the apparatus is not constructed to fully respond to the above load failure conditions.
What has been already proposed as a circuit which detects a load failure condition of a discharge lamp driving apparatus is, for example, a circuit having structure shown in FIG. 4.
Hereafter, the circuit (hereafter, this is called a conventional circuit) which relates to this conventional technology is outlined with referring to this diagram.
First, main components of this conventional circuit are two N channel MOSFET transistors (hereafter, these are called FETs) 2 and 3 which construct a push-pull circuit, two transformers 4 and 5, and a control IC 1 which is made an integrated circuit, and makes up an inverter-controlled drive circuit for discharge and lighting of two CCFLs 201 and 202. Furthermore, this conventional circuit is constructed so as to detect a failure between terminals to which the CCFLs 201 and 202 are connected, and to make the control IC 1 stop drive of the CCFLs 201 and 202 when a failure is detected. Hence, a tube current detector 105 which detects a failure condition is provided.
The FETs 2 and 3 which form a push pull circuit are constructed so as to be switching if driven by the control IC 1 to be able to apply AC voltages to primary sides of the transformers 4 and 5 which correspond respectively. Then, high voltages are generated in secondary sides of transformers 4 and 5, which are applied to a first CCFL 201 connected between first and second terminals 6a and 6b, and a second CCFL 202 connected between third and fourth terminals 7a and 7b respectively.
The tube current detector 105 is constructed of two NPN transistors 61 and 62 as main components, and operates so as to detect presence of an failure at the first and second terminals 6a and 6b, and the third and fourth terminals 7a and 7b to which the CCFLs 201 and 202 are connected respectively to make the control IC 1 stop drive of the CCFLs 201 and 202 when detecting an failure.
Specifically, first, in a state that the two CCFLs 201 and 202 are operating normally, voltages according to currents which flow through the CCFLs 201 and 202 respectively are obtained by rectification circuits 23a and 23b, and resistors 63a and 63b which are connected to these rectification circuits 23a and 23b in parallel. Then, a voltage according to a current which flows through the first CCFL 201 connected between the first and second terminals 6a and 6b is applied to a base of a transistor 61 through a resistor 64. In addition, a resistor 66 is connected between a base and an emitter of the transistor 61. On the other hand, a voltage according to a current which flows through the second CCFL 202 connected between the third and fourth terminals 7a and 7b is applied to a feedback terminal F/B of the control IC 1. Nevertheless, a collector of the transistor 62 is connected to this voltage line.
Hence, at the time of CCFL normal operation, the transistor 61 is made a conductive state by the voltage applied to its base, and the base of the transistor 62 is made almost ground potential. Hence, the transistor 62 becomes a nonconductive state. Therefore, a predetermined rectification voltage obtained by the rectification circuit 23b is applied to the feedback terminal F/B of the control IC 1 as it is.
Then, in a state that the predetermined rectification voltage is applied to the feedback terminal F/B, the control IC 1 consecutively drives the CCFLs 201 and 202 as operation of the CCFLs 201 and 202 being normal.
On the other hand, in the case of a load failure, for example, the first terminal 6a being grounded by a certain cause, a current does not flow between the first and second terminals 6a and 6b. Hence, a base voltage of the transistor 61 becomes almost 0 V, and the transistor 61 becomes a nonconductive state. Thereby, a predetermined voltage Vdd which is also a supply voltage of the control IC 1 is applied to the base of the transistor 62 with being divided by resistors 65a, 65b, and 65c. Hence, the transistor 62 becomes a conductive state, and ground potential is applied to the feedback terminal F/B of the control IC 1.
As a result, the control IC 1 is judged to be a load failure and stop the drive of the CCFLs 201 and 202.
As load failures, besides the above-mentioned short circuit of a high-voltage side terminal to a ground side, there is, for example, a case that the CCFL 201 or 202 is damaged by a certain cause so that the first terminal 6a and second terminal 6b become an open state, or the third terminal 7a and fourth terminal 7b become an open state.
In this case, a function of detecting such an open state and stopping the drive of the CCFLs 201 and 202 is added to the control IC 1. Specifically, secondary side voltages of the transformers 4 and 5 which are given capacitor division are applied to an open state voltage detection terminal OVP of the control IC 1 through a first diode 9a for open state voltage detection, or a second diode 9b for open state voltage detection. Then, when this applied voltage is judged to be beyond a predetermined value, the drive of the CCFLs 201 and 202 is stopped as inter-terminal open.
By the way, as load failures, besides the above-mentioned, a short circuit between a high voltage terminal and a low voltage terminal may be cited. For example, this is a case that anything intervenes by a certain cause between the first terminal 6a and second terminal 6b, and thereby, an overcurrent flows between terminals. Since such an overcurrent causes not only fuming and firing of the transformers 4 and 5, but also fuming and firing of other electronic parts, it is necessary to detect it surely, and to cut off the current.
Nevertheless, the above-described tube current detector 105 cannot detect surely this short circuit between a high voltage terminal and a low voltage terminal. That is, since a short-circuit current flows when the short circuit between the high voltage terminal and low voltage terminal occurs, a voltage which is sufficient for making the transistor 61 into a conductive state is applied to the base of the transistor 61. Hence, the transistor 61 becomes a conductive state, and on the other hand, the transistor 62 becomes a nonconductive state. Therefore, since the predetermined rectification voltage obtained by the rectification circuit 23b similarly at the time of normal operation is applied to the feedback terminal F/B of the control IC 1, the control IC 1 consecutively drive the CCFLs 201 and 202 in spite of the load failure.
In this way, a conventional circuit has structure of representing a voltage signal, obtained from one CCFL in the plurality of CCFLs 201 and 202, as a feedback signal offered in order to stop the drive of the CCFLs 201 and 202 in the case of a load failure arising, and deciding only presence of a tube current for the remaining CCFL. Hence, there was a problem that it was not possible to decide to be a load failure in a control circuit even if a short circuit between the high voltage side and low voltage side arose in the CCFL which did not generate the feedback signal, and it was not possible to perform preventive measures against the fuming, firing, and the like of a transformer, and the like resulting from the load failure and the like surely.

Load failure protection circuit and discharge lamp driving apparatus


A vaccine composition for prophylaxis and/or therapy of Alzheimer's disease, which comprises a fusion protein prepared by inserting a single or tandemly repeated multiple copies of amyloid β antigenic peptide having 5 to 15 continuous amino acid residues derived from the N-terminus of amyloid β peptide into a wild type seed storage protein.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease caused by accumulation of a causative substance such as β-amyloid in brain, causing damage to nerve cells. Although the number of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease is expected to increase upon the advent of an aging society, prophylactic agents and therapeutic agents for the disease are hardly available, and development of new prophylactic agents, therapeutic agents, vaccines and the like has been demanded.
The major amyloid β proteins produced in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients are composed of 40 to 43 amino acids produced by cleavage of amyloid precursor protein with γ-secretase. Amyloid plaques are aggregates constituted by amyloid β and surrounding microglia, fibrous astroglia and dystrophic neurites. The most commonly accepted hypothesis at present on the pathology of Alzheimer's disease is the "amyloid cascade hypothesis", in which formation of amyloid plaques due to aggregation and deposition of amyloid β is considered to be the cause. Based on this hypothesis, the vaccine immunotherapy is drawing attention as a novel therapeutic method for Alzheimer's disease. The vaccine immunotherapy is a method to remove amyloid β in the brain by an immunological method, and it has been reported that intramuscular administration of amyloid β42 to disease model transgenic mice together with an adjuvant caused decrease in the amount of deposition of amyloid in the brain (WO 99/27944; Schenk D. et al, Nature 400:173-177, 1999).
Further, although an anti-amyloid β antibody that recognizes amyloid has been detected in the serum of a subject to whom a synthetic amyloid β42 was intramuscularly administered together with an adjuvant, side effects such as meningoencephalitis have been problematic in clinical trials (Hock C. et al., Nat. Med. 8:1270-1275, 2002).
Therefore, vaccine compositions for prophylaxis and/or therapy of Alzheimer's disease, which are free from side effects, are demanded.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vaccine composition for prophylaxis and/or therapy of Alzheimer's disease


A system for automatically adjusting a baseline of an imaging system for stereoscopic imaging and methods for making and using same. The imaging system includes a plurality of imaging devices that cooperate via a baseline adjustment mechanism. The imaging devices can acquire images of an object of interest and ascertain an object distance between the stereoscopic imaging system and the object of interest using triangulation. Based on the object distance, the baseline adjustment mechanism automatically adjusts a baseline between any pair of imaging devices. The baseline can be reduced when the object of interest is proximate to the imaging system and can be increased when the object of interest is distal. Once the baseline has been adjusted, one or more extrinsic parameters of the imaging devices are calibrated using a two-step optimization method. The imaging system is suitable for use aboard a mobile platform such as an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Stereoscopic imaging, a technique whereby multiple imaging devices are used to form a three dimensional image through stereopsis, is becoming increasingly common in many fields. Stereoscopic imaging is particularly useful in robotics, where it is often desirable to gather three-dimensional information about a machine's environment. Stereoscopic imaging simulates the binocular visions of human eyes, which apply the principle of stereopsis to achieve depth perception. This technique can be reproduced by artificial imaging, devices by viewing a given object of interest using multiple imaging devices from slightly different vantage points. Differences between varying views of the object of interest convey depth information about the object's position, thereby enabling three-dimensional imaging of the object.
The ability of an imaging system per stereoscopic imaging to resolve depth is a function of a baseline, a distance between two imaging devices. The baseline limits the effective field-of-vision of the system for stereoscopic imaging in different ways. When the baseline is too small, for example, the imaging system cannot resolve distant objects. When the baseline is too large, the imaging system cannot see nearby objects (resulting in blind spots for the nearby objects). Additionally, when the baseline is too large, the overlap in the fields-of-vision of the two imaging devices is reduced, limiting the number of objects that can be viewed with depth perception. Furthermore, large, fixed baselines can take up large amounts of space and can be unwieldy. Thus, in most current systems for stereoscopic imaging, the baseline is fixed depending on whether imaging of nearby or far away objects is typically desired.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for imaging systems and methods that support automatic baseline adjustment for stereoscopic imaging.


A mass spectrometer and method of mass spectrometry wherein charged particles in a beam undergo multiple changes of direction. A detection arrangement detects a first portion of the charged particle beam, and provides a first output based upon the intensity of the detected first portion of the charged particle beam. The detection arrangement detects a second portion of the charged particle beam that has traveled a greater path length through the mass spectrometer than the first portion of the charged particle beam, and provides a second output based upon the detected second portion of the charged particle beam. A controller adjusts the parameters of the charged particle beam and/or the detection arrangement, based upon the first output of the detection arrangement, so as to adjust the second output of the detection arrangement.

In time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers, charged particles are accelerated along a flight path by the application of an electric potential and mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) are determined by measuring time of flight over a predetermined distance using a detection arrangement. When choosing a detector arrangement, considerations may include: the response time of the detector; the detector dynamic range; the smallest detectable signal (detection limit); the ability to detect multiple charged particles arriving at the detector at the same time; and the time resolution of the detector, which is its ability to differentiate between particles arriving at the detector at different times.
The time taken by a charged particle to reach a given point or plane depends on its initial kinetic energy, its m/z ratio and the length of the flight path. Orthogonal TOF mass spectrometers typically have a relatively short flight path. Therefore, particles of different m/z ratio will not have a significant difference in their time of flights, and so these mass spectrometers are limited in their mass resolution even for well-defined ion beams and with fast acquisition systems. A useful high dynamic range is achieved in these TOF spectrometers by the summation of a great many spectra, each spectrum typically containing tens to hundreds detected ions. In addition, detectors with several anodes could be employed, each anode having an individual output.
The length of the flight path may be increased without significantly increasing the size of the instrument by causing the charged particle beam to be reflected multiple times thus folding ion trajectories within a limited volume. This is achieved by using multiple electrostatic ion mirrors, or multiple electrostatic sectors, or any combination of the above. In many cases, multiple mirrors or sectors could be replaced by an integrated construction extended along a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of time-of-flight separation. The extent to which this increase in the length of flight path is desirable depends on the capabilities of the detection arrangement.
All these systems are characterised by a multitude of segments, each segment having a region of ion acceleration, (i.e. reflection or deflection region) followed by a region where such acceleration is relatively small (i.e. substantially field-free region). Here and below, all such systems will be referred as multi-reflection TOF.
From an ion optical point of view multi-reflection TOFs are a sub-class of a more general class of electrostatic traps, and could be subdivided into "open type" and "closed type" multi-reflection TOFs. "Open type" relates to systems where ion trajectories can not be confined within the trap for an indefinite time but only for a limited number of reflections. Typically the ion path is not reflected onto itself. Such systems do not suffer from limitations of mass range typical for "closed-type" electrostatic traps where ions are forced to follow substantially the same path and therefore different regions of m/z range increasingly overlap.
The main advantage of multi-reflection TOF mass spectrometers is the increase of the length of the flight path and thereby of the time-of-flight. Hence the difference in time of flight between particles of different m/z ratios (i.e. TOF dispersion) is increased, thus improving the mass resolution. At the same time, as the time of flight is increased, the repetition rate is reduced. The reduced repetition rate reduces the number of spectra that can be summed and therefore limits the dynamic range the spectrometer can achieve, in a given time period.
The duty cycle of analysis is also reduced but it could be restored by using ion storage devices for accumulating ions between injections into TOF. However, use of ion storage devices to preserve duty cycle increases the number of ions in each mass peak thus increasing the range of intensities in a single shot beyond capabilities of known detectors.
Hence, existing TOF instruments are unable to provide high mass resolution together with high dynamic range. They are therefore unable to differentiate between one type of particle, with a first m/z ratio, in high abundance in a charged particle beam, and a second type of particle, with an m/z ratio close to the first m/z ratio, but in low abundance in the beam.


A centrifugal compressor and a method of operating a centrifugal compressor. The centrifugal compressor includes: an impeller configured to suction a gas to be compressed; a diffuser disposed downstream of the impeller to pressurize the gas, the diffuser comprising a movable ring, a main passage in which the gas flows past the ring, and an openable branch passage; and a circulation loop comprising an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being in communication with an inlet of the impeller; the branch passage is disposed to be in communication with the main passage and the circulation loop when the ring moves into the main passage so that a portion of the gas in the main passage passes through the circulation loop and returns to the impeller so as to be suctioned, and to be closed when the ring is withdrawn from the main passage.

Compressors are widely used in the industrial field. A good compressor is capable of providing excellent gas compression performance. In the field of refrigeration, the compressor is a particularly critical part of a refrigeration system. As a type of compressors, centrifugal compressors are widely used in the field of commercial refrigeration due to their ability to provide efficient and large-capacity gas compression. Centrifugal compressors utilize an impeller that rotates about an axis to draw gas into the compressor and compress the gas to an outlet. The gas is directed radially outward from the axis to a collector region through a diffusion passage that increases a pressure of the gas.
A compressor characteristic map is a well-known way of plotting compressor operating conditions, wherein the Y-axis represents a pressure ratio, and the X-axis represents a mass of the flow through the compressor. A left-hand boundary of the compressor map represents a surge boundary, and operations on the left side of the boundary represent a region where the flow is unstable. Operations in this region are not desired since they may allow the pressurized gas to flow back in the compressor.
A variable diffuser technology is used to reduce noise near surge conditions. The surge boundary may or may not be improved, depending on whether the surge is triggered by the diffuser.

Centrifugal compressor and method of operating the same


A sensor unit is installed to a target object and detects a given physical amount. A data acquisition unit acquires output data of the sensor unit in a period including a first period for which a real value of a value of m time integrals of the physical amount is known and a second period that is a target for motion analysis. An error time function estimating unit performs m time integrals of the output data of the sensor unit and estimates a time function of an error of a value of the physical amount detected by the sensor unit with respect to the real value of the value of the physical amount detected by the sensor unit based on a difference between a value of m time integrals of the output data and the real value for the first period.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a motion analyzing apparatus.
2. Related Art
In various fields, apparatuses that analyze the motion of a person or an object are necessary. For example, by analyzing the swing trajectory of a tennis racket or a golf club, the form of baseball pitching or batting, and the like and clarifying points to be improved based on the analysis result, game power can be improved.
Currently, as practical motion analyzing apparatuses, apparatuses that analyze a motion by consecutively photographing a measurement object, to which a mark is attached, using an infrared camera or the like and calculating the motion trajectory of the mark using consecutive photographed images are generally used.
JP-A-2004-24488 is an example of the related art.
However, in such apparatuses, since an infrared camera used for photographing images is necessary, the size of the apparatuses is in consequence large, and, accordingly, there is a problem in that it is difficult to handle the apparatuses. For example, in a case where the images of a tennis practice are desired to be acquired through photographing at a plurality of angles, it is necessary to move the position of the infrared camera or change the direction of a player in accordance with the desired photographing angles.
In contrast to this, recently, an apparatus was proposed which analyzes the motion of a measurement object based on output data of a small inertial sensor by installing the inertial sensor in the measurement object. Such an apparatus does not need an infrared camera, and accordingly there is an advantage of easy handling. For example, the velocity v(t) and the position p(t) of the measurement object can be calculated by performing a time integration process as shown in the following Equations (1) and (2) for an acceleration value a(t) detected by an acceleration sensor.
                              v                                (            T            )                          =                                                                          a                                                  (                  t                  )                                                                          ⅆ                t                                      +                          v              0                                                          (        1        )                                                                                p                                                  (                  T                  )                                            =                                                                    ∫                    0                    T                                                                                v                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                                ⅆ                      t                                                                      +                                  p                  0                                                                                =                                                                    ∫                    0                    T                                                                                ∫                      0                      T                                                                                a                                                                          (                          τ                          )                                                                                ⅆ                        τ                                                                                ⅆ                        t                                                                                +                                                      v                    0                                                      T                                +                                  p                  0                                                                                (        2        )
However, generally, an error other than a value to be observed is included in the output value of an inertial sensor. Accordingly, for example, the output data x(t) of the acceleration sensor can be represented as the following Equation (3) by using an acceleration value a(t) and an error ε(t).x(t)=a(t)+ε(t)  (3)
Accordingly, in a case where the velocity v(t) and the position p(t) of a measurement object are calculated by performing a time integration process as represented in the following Equations (4) and (5) based on the output data x(t) of the acceleration sensor, the error ε(t) is integrated with respect to time as well. Therefore errors in the velocity v(t) and the position p(t) rapidly increase in accordance with the elapse of time t.
                                          ∫            0            t                                                        x                                            (                t                )                                                                                ⅆ              t                                      =                              v                                      (              T              )                                +                                    ∫              0              τ                                                                  ɛ                                                  (                  t                  )                                                                                ⅆ                t                                              +                      c            1                                              (        4        )                                                      ∫            0            τ                                                        ∫              0              t                                                                  x                                                  (                  τ                  )                                                                          ⅆ                τ                                                                                ⅆ                t                                                    =                              p                                      (              T              )                                +                                    ∫              0              τ                                                                  ∫                0                t                                                                            ɛ                                                        (                    τ                    )                                                                                ⅆ                  τ                                                                  ⅆ                  t                                                              +                                    c              1                                    T                    +                      c            2                                              (        5        )
In other words, in a motion analyzing apparatus using an inertial sensor, the characteristics of the sensor are not sufficient in practice, and in a case where the posture, the velocity, the position, and the like are calculated by performing an integration process for the output data of the inertial sensor, an error included in the output of the sensor noticeably increases through the integration process, whereby there is problem in that a sufficient analysis (measurement) capability is not acquired.


A process and system provides a high efficiency (HE) sounding procedure that enables a beamformer to signal to each beamformee support for responses allowing other forms of feedback from the beamformee instead of explicit feedback. The HE sounding procedure utilizes additional fields in the frames of the HE sounding procedure to signal the use of the HE sounding procedure. The HE sounding procedure also supports legacy stations that provide standard explicit feedback.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 is a set of physical and media access control (MAC) specifications for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) communications. These specifications provide the basis for wireless network products using the Wi-Fi brand managed and defined by the Wi-Fi Alliance. The specifications define the use of the 2.400-2.500 GHz as well as the 4.915-5.825 GHz bands. These spectrum bands are commonly referred to as the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Each spectrum is subdivided into channels with a center frequency and bandwidth. The 2.4 GHz band is divided into 14 channels spaced 5 MHz apart, though some countries regulate the availability of these channels. The 5 GHz band is more heavily regulated than the 2.4 GHz band and the spacing of channels varies across the spectrum with a minimum of a 5 MHz spacing dependent on the regulations of the respective country or territory.
IEEE 802.11 defines a data frame exchange process that enables the devices, referred to as stations and access points, to negotiate the timing of the exchange of data between devices over the various shared channels of the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. As used herein an access point (AP) is a particular type of station, however, station (STA) is generally used to refer to non-AP stations for clarity. The data frame exchanges could be performed with single-antenna transmission or multiple-antenna transmission (also referred to as multiple-input multiple-output or MIMO). That is each of the stations or access points in the WLAN may include and utilize a single antenna or multiple antennas. In the case of multiple-antenna or MIMO transmission, multiple spatial streams (SS) are sent within the same frame from one station or access point, which usually is called a beamformer (BFer), to another station or access point, which is usually called a beamformee (BFee), and this type of transmission is called beamforming (BF), or MIMO. BF and MIMO transmissions are usually enhanced by some initial frame exchanges so that the BFer knows about the MIMO channel condition of the BFee. This initial exchange of frames before the actual data frame exchange is called a sounding procedure. The frames that might be used in a sounding procedure are the high throughput (HT) and very high throughput (VHT) null data packet (NDP) frame, VHT MIMO Compressed Beamforming Report frame, VHT NDP Announcement (NDPA) frame, and VHT Beamforming Report Poll frame. Each of these frames may have various fields and subfields such as: VHT MIMO Control, VHT Compressed Beamforming Report, MU Exclusive Beamforming Report, Sounding Dialog Token, STA Info, and similar fields that are utilized for exchanging information relevant to beamforming.

High-efficiency (HE) sounding methods for MIMO and OFDMA


System for the electrochemical cleavage of compounds which includes a mediator which has no metals or heavy metals and at least two electrodes for the electrochemical activation of the mediator.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system for the electrochemical delignification of lignin-containing materials and a process for its application.
2. The Prior Art
The term `lignin-containing materials` summarizes a multiplicity of renewable raw materials, for example wood, grass, and other non-wood-forming plants such as hemp or cotton. This term also includes the intermediate and final products produced therefrom, for example pulp, chemical pulps, paper and textiles. The lignin-containing materials are in general water-insoluble. In these materials, lignin is incorporated into complex structures, for example fibers. Frequently, lignin-containing materials must be delignified, for example when producing high-quality papers. Thus, the lignin present must be wholly or partly depolymerized so that it can be wholly or partly extracted from the lignin-containing materials. This process must depolymerize lignin as selectively as possible, since the substances combined with lignin, such as celluloses and hemicelluloses, are not generally to be destroyed.
In the industrial production of paper, delignification is an essential and necessary process step. The majority of the lignin present in the wood is removed by a primary process step in the current processes for production of chemical pulp. A number of such digestion processes have been developed; the process most frequently used industrially is based on an alkaline boiling of wood with sulfide (Kraft process). After the boiling, the residual lignin content remaining in the resulting pulp must be further reduced. This also applies to other digestion processes, such as the `ASAM` process or sulfite boiling.
The usual multistage process for removing the residual lignin is termed bleaching. In this process, lignin is removed and/or decolorized. Essentially three different bleaching processes can be differentiated. In what is termed chlorine bleaching, lignin can be removed highly selectively and inexpensively by elemental chlorine. In what is termed ECF bleaching (`elemental chlorine free`), chlorine-free bleaching is achieved using chlorine dioxide. To reduce the chlorine dioxide demand, and thus the environmental pollution, in this process, the ECF bleaching is in part combined with an oxygen delignification. In the third process, what is termed the TCF bleaching (`total chlorine free`), the bleaching is carried out completely in the absence of chlorine-containing compounds. Lignin oxidation is achieved, for example, by a treatment with oxygen and/or ozone and/or peroxide and/or peracids. Chlorine bleaching is now still only employed in old plants. Although technically and economically advantageous, this process must be replaced, since the associated environmental pollution is no longer accepted. In particular, the release of chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbon is an environmental problem. In the ECF process, although the environmental pollution with chlorinated compounds is markedly lower than with chlorine bleaching, chlorinated hydrocarbons are also formed with this process. Furthermore, the Cl.sup.- content makes `closing the cycle` more difficult. That is operating ECF-bleaching plants with no waste water or a reduced amount of waste water is more difficult. When Cl.sup.- concentrates, plant corrosion can occur. From environmentally-relevant aspects, TCF bleaching is to be preferred to the two processes described. However, it is a problem that the totally chlorine-free bleaching agents, in comparison to chlorine-containing compounds, have a lower selectivity, That is, in addition to lignin depqlymerization, damage to the cellulose and the hemicelluloses also occurs. As a result, there are losses of yield and fiber damage, which can only be minimized by not carrying out the delignification completely. Paper from TCF-bleached chemical pulp has either lower fiber quality or a lower brightness than paper from ECF-bleached chemical pulp. In addition, TCF processes are economically unfavorable, since they require large amounts of relatively expensive process chemicals (e.g. H.sub.2 O.sub.2, peracetic acid etc.).
In addition to such purely chemical delignification processes, biological catalysts, namely enzymes, are being used for industrial delignification. Such enzymes can attack the lignin either directly or indirectly and thus facilitate the delignification.
Hemicellulases, such as xylanases or mannanases, reinforce the delignification of chemical pulp by an indirect mechanism of action. Wood essentially consists of cellulose, lignin and hemicelluloses. The enzymatic hydrolysis of hemicellulose can facilitate the chemical bleachability of chemical pulp (Chang & Farrell (1995) Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Biotechnology in the pulp and paper Industry: Advances in Applied and fundamental research, p. 75 ff; Suurnakki et al. (1995) Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Biotechnology in the pulp and paper Industry: Advances in Applied and fundamental research, p. 69 ff). As a result of such an enzymatic pretreatment, the requirement of bleaching chemicals can be decreased by a maximum of up to 35% (Chang & Farrel (1995) Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Biotechnology in the pulp and paper Industry: Advances in Applied and fundamental research, p. 75 ff). However, a disadvantage in this case is particularly that the hydrolysis of the hemicellulose leads to a loss in yield. Furthermore, all of the disadvantages listed below of enzymatic systems also apply to hemicellulases.
In addition, some enzymes exist which are produced by naturally wood-degrading fungi (the so-called white rot fungi) and which can depolymerize lignin with the interaction of what are termed mediators. Enzymes of this type are, for example, lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidases. These enzymes require H.sub.2 O.sub.2 for their activity. Since H.sub.2 O.sub.2 at an excessive dosage also leads to inactivation of the peroxidases, such systems are badly suited to industrial application (Paice et al. (1995) Journal of pulp and paper science. Vol. 21(8) p. 280 ff).
Bourbonnais and Paice (Bourbonnais & Paice (1990) FEBS Letters 267: p. 99 ff) and Call (WO 94/29510) described a system in which a usually lignin-polymerizing enzyme, a laccase, can be used for lignin depolymerization. The process is based on an indirect action of the laccase (Paice et al. (1995) Journal of pulp and paper science. Vol. 21(8) p. 280 ff). In this process, the laccase oxidizes a chemical molecule, what is termed a mediator, producing a free-radical form of the mediator. This mediator free radical is then able to oxidize lignin. In this oxidation the mediator molecule is regenerated. Active mediators are, for example ABTS (Bourbonnais & Paice (1990) FEBS Letters 267: p. 99 ff), HOBT (WO 94/29510) and phenothiazines (WO 95/01426).
The laccase is able to oxidize four mediator molecules, accepting in this process four electrons which ultimately originate from the lignin. Subsequently, in one reaction step, the four electrons are transferred to oxygen and two molecules of water are formed. The system of laccase and mediator thus catalyzes an oxygen-dependent lignin oxidation. The oxidized lignin can subsequently be extracted, for example, by an alkaline treatment (WO 94/29510). In contrast to peroxidases, laccases do not require an addition of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and can thus be used industrially.
General problems with the use of enzymes in the chemical pulp industry are the temperature and pH ranges at which the chemical wood digestion processes are carried out. Most chemical bleaching processes are carried out at temperatures above 80.degree. C. and under strongly alkaline conditions at pHs >10.0 or under strongly acidic conditions below pHs of 4.0. However, most enzymes have optima which differ greatly from these values. For economical use of enzyme systems, it is necessary to adapt these systems to appropriate conditions. Thus the thermal stability of at least 80.degree. C., needs to be ensured. Thermostable xylanases, for example, which comply with these requirements, have been isolated from thermophilic microorganisms (Winterhalter et al. (1995) Molecular Microbiology 15: p. 431 ff). However, no laccases or peroxidases have yet been developed which have a sufficiently high thermal stability. The range of application described for the laccase-mediator system is 45.degree. C. and pH 4.5 (WO 94/29510).
In addition, electrochemical processes which are used for paper bleaching are known. In these processes, either chemicals for the conventional bleaching processes are produced in-situ electrochemically and, if appropriate are regenerated. Also, metal complexes are used as mediators which, after activation at an electrode, react with the lignin.
The first group includes, for example, L. N. Spiridonova, V. A. Babkin, M. I. Anisimova, G. S. Mikhailov and T. P. Belovam, `Delignification of high-yield larchwood pulp by oxidants generated by electrolysis`, Khim. Drev. (1982), pp. 16-19. NaCl-electrolysis produces oxidizing species such as ClO.sup.-, ClO.sub.2.sup.- and ClO.sub.3.sup.-. In addition, J. M. Gray, `Process for producing chlorine dioxide from chlorate in acidic medium` (Ekzo Nobel Inc.) CA 2156125 and H. Falgen, G. Sundstroem, J. Landfors and J. C. Sokol, `Electrolytic process of producing chlorine dioxide`, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,881 are known.
Combinations of steps in the acidic and alkaline pH range are likewise described, for example Gerhart Schwab, Mei Tsu Lee and James W. Bentley, `Electrochemical bleaching of wood pulps`, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,099.
In addition to the electrochemical production of chemicals for chlorine bleaches, similar processes are described for perborate, persulfate and hydrogen peroxide. Examples of these are C. Daneault and S. Varennes, `In situ electrochemical bleaching of thermomechanical pulp with sodium perborate`, CA 2121375 and A. Wong, S. Wu, C. Chiu and J. Zhao, `Persulfate bleaching of softwood kraft pulp`, Pulp Pap. Can. 96 (1995), pp. 20-23 and M. Kageyama and Y. Watanabe, `Manufacture of hydrogen peroxide by the reduction of oxygen at cathodes in aqueous alkali solutions` (Honshu Paper Co. Ltd.) CA 121:215924.
Representatives of the second group, in which metal complexes are used, are T. Tzedakis, Y. Benzada, M. Comtat and J. L. Seris, `Electrochemical contribution to the development of biomimetic oxidation. Application to the bleaching of paper pulp`, Recents Prog. Genie Procedes 9 (1995), pp. 195-200. In M. N. Hull and V. M. Yasnovsky, `Electrochemical reductive bleaching of lignocellulosic pulp`. U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,630 describes metal-containing (chromium and vanadium) complexes with various chelating agents which are used in a continuous bleaching process. The same process type includes the process and materials described by M. N. Hull and V. M. Yasnovsky `Process for the electrochemical reductive bleaching of lignocellulosic pulp`, (International Paper Company) U.S. Pat. No. RE 32825 (reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,630). Again, organometallic compounds of heavy metals are used. The repeated electrochemical regeneration of the compound creates an environmentally friendly process.
Since paper bleaching is a large-scale industrial process, safe handling of the corresponding amounts (some 1000 metric tons) of heavy-metal-containing wastes is a major problem. This considerably increases the costs of industrial use.
In the case of delignification of lignin-containing materials such as chemical pulp, for example, using oxygen bleaching, appropriate pressure vessels are necessary, which are expensive. The known electrochemical processes have the advantage that they are not necessarily directly oxygen-dependent. In addition to the delignification of fibers, the quality of the fibers and the retention of the cellulose structures are essential. These may be increased by electrochemical processes. Examples of the best known electrochemical processes for delignification in which the cyanide-containing compound ferricyanide is used are found in Y.-S. Perng and C. W. Oloman, `Kinetics of oxygen bleaching mediated by electrochemically generated ferricyanide`, Tappi J. 77 (1994), pp. 115-126. See also M. N. Hull and V. M. Yasnovsky, `Oxygen bleaching with ferricyanide of lignocellulosic material`, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,101. Studies on the selectivity of the bleaching process are also discussed there. These processes also do not require the use of overpressure.

System for the electrochemical delignification of lignin-containing materials and a process for its application

Consortium fur elektrochemische Industrie GmbH


A magnetometer is disclosed that enables high resolution magnetometry using magnetoresistive sensors that consume less power. The magnetometer exploits the ability of the sensor to alter or modulate sensitivity via external means. This modulation effectively transfers the signal of interest from the noisy DC domain to the AC domain by applying an AC signal to a current strap in a magnetic field sensor. The AC signal causes a first magnetic field to be formed in a direction perpendicular to the current strap. A magnetic field sensing structure in the magnetic field sensor senses the first magnetic field. The magnetic field sensing structure uses the first magnetic field to sense a second magnetic field. The second magnetic field is an external magnetic field that is of interest. An output of the magnetic field sensing structure is an AC signal that is proportional to the second magnetic field. The AC signal may be further amplified and refined employing signal conditioning techniques.

Magnetic field sensors may be used in many applications, such as magnetic compassing, ferrous metal detection, and current sensing. Magnetic field sensors may detect a magnetic field and its variations in many instances, including machine components, the earth's magnetic field, underground minerals, and electrical devices.
One type of a magnetic field sensor is an MR sensor. The MR sensor is typically composed of magnetoresistive material and formed using integrated circuit fabrication techniques. The magnetoresistive material may be permalloy, which is a ferromagnetic alloy containing nickel and iron.
The magnetoresistive material may be arranged in thin strips that are several times longer than they are wide. Each magnetoresistive strip may have a long axis, which may be referred to as an "easy" axis, and a short axis. A magnetoresistive strip may be magnetized in a particular direction, such as the direction of the easy axis, during the fabrication of the magnetoresistive strip. If the magnetoresistive strip senses an external magnetic field, the magnetization direction of the magnetoresistive strip may rotate away from the initial magnetization direction.
When a current is applied to the magnetoresistive strip, the resistance of the magnetoresistive strip may depend on angle between the direction of current flow and the direction of magnetization. A magnetization direction parallel to the current flow direction may result in maximum resistance through the magnetoresistive strip and a magnetization direction perpendicular to the current flow direction may result in minimum resistance through the magnetoresistive strip.
If the magnetoresistive strip senses a magnetic field that alters the magnetization direction of the magnetoresistive strip, the resistance of the magnetoresistive strip changes, which causes the voltage drop across the magnetoresistive strip to change as well. This change in the voltage drop across the magnetoresistive strip may be measured. The voltage change may indicate a change in the strength and/or direction of the magnetic field sensed by the magnetoresistive strip.
The magnetoresistive strip consists of many magnetic domains. The highest sensitivity is attained by aligning all the domains in a preferred direction. However, the alignment of the domains, and hence the sensitivity of the MR sensor, may be upset after manufacture due to thermal decay and by the presence of powerful magnetic fields near the magnetoresistive material of the MR sensor. Therefore, the sensitivity of an MR sensor may need to be set to the initial sensitivity prior to measurement.
One option for setting the sensitivity of an MR sensor may be to use large external magnets. However, large external magnets may not be practical when the MR sensor has already been packaged into a system or when several sensors within a single package must be magnetized in opposite directions.
Another option for setting the sensitivity of an MR sensor may be to wrap individual coils around each MR sensor. However, individual coils may be expensive and may be unable to generate the large magnetic fields required to set the sensitivity of MR sensors.
Yet another option for setting the sensitivity of an MR sensor may be to use a current strap, which may be referred to as a Set-Reset strap. A DC current pulse is typically applied to the Set-Reset strap to set the sensitivity of the MR sensor. The design and operation of a Set-Reset strap is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,278 to Bharat B. Pant and assigned to the same assignee as the current application. U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,278 is hereby fully incorporated by reference.
Set-Reset straps may provide a more efficient means of setting the sensitivity of an MR sensor than external means, such as external magnets or individual coils, which may be larger and more expensive. Moreover, because the Set-Reset strap may be formed on the same substrate as the MR sensor, the Set-Reset strap may be located closer to the magnetoresistive strips than other options for setting the sensitivity of the MR sensor. This may allow for less energy to be used in setting the MR sensor.
Additionally, the Set-Reset strap may also be used to eliminate offset created in the MR sensor. The offset may be the result of imperfections in the magnetoresistive strips of the MR sensor. To eliminate the offset, a first DC current pulse may be applied to the Set-Reset strap in one direction. The first DC current pulse may be referred to as a SET current pulse. Then a second DC current pulse with a magnitude substantially the same as the magnitude of the SET current pulse may then be applied to the current strap in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the SET current pulse. The second DC current pulse may be referred to as a RESET current pulse. Voltage measurements taken after both the SET current pulse and the RESET current pulse may be used to eliminate the effects of offset from the MR sensor output signal.
MR sensors are used in many consumer and industrial applications. Generally, MR sensors are small in size, reliable, manufacturable, and cost effective. However, the resolution of these MR sensors is limited by sensor noise and a large bridge offset voltage as compared with the useful signal. The sensor's noise is dominated by the Johnson noise of the resistive sensing elements and is characterized as 1/f noise, where f is the frequency. Since the useful signal of the sensor is in the DC domain, any DC signal conditioning applied to the sensor output will contain the noise components as well. Additionally, the amount of amplification that can be applied is limited by the bridge offset voltage. These factors limit the sensor's resolution.
Furthermore, the sensitivity or the efficiency of the sensor to translate the magnetic field into a voltage is proportional to the voltage applied to the sensor. Any attempt to operate the sensor at a low voltage to conserve energy will compromise the resolution due to a low signal-to-noise ratio. Accordingly, there is a need for a magnetometer that has a higher resolution, that consumes less power, and that is still small enough for use in consumer and industrial applications.

High resolution and low power magnetometer using magnetoresistive sensors


An engine controller for engine control apparatus is configured to retard an ignition timing, from an engine starting mode timing to a catalyst warm-up mode timing at an idle attainment moment at which an engine idling condition is reached, and to regulate an intake air quantity at a prior moment prior to the idle attainment moment. Moreover, the controller increases a fuel injection quantity by an increase quantity during a period from the prior moment until an intake settlement moment at which an intake air condition settles down. The controller sets the increase quantity of the fuel injection quantity in accordance with a parameter representing a condition of the intake air or fuel supplied to the engine.

The present invention relates to technique for controlling an engine (internal combustion engine), and more specifically to control apparatus and/or process for controlling an internal combustion engine in a cold start operation.
A published Japanese patent application No. 8-232645 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,419) shows an engine control system which sets the ignition timing to a timing adapted for engine start during a time interval from complete explosion in the engine after cold engine cranking until a boost of the engine speed. After the boost of the engine speed, this engine control system retards the ignition timing like a step change to a specified crank angle after compression top dead center to activate an exhaust purifying catalyst earlier.


One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, at an audio capture device associated with an information handling device, command input from a user; providing, to the user and responsive to receiving the command input, a confirmation query, wherein the confirmation query is formed utilizing context data associated with an authorized user; determining, using a processor, whether a response to the confirmation query provided by the user matches a predetermined answer; and performing, responsive to determining that the response matches the predetermined answer, a function corresponding to the command input. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Modern information handling devices ("devices"), for example laptop and/or personal computers, tablet devices, smart phones, smart speakers, smart appliances, and the like, have access to private user information and/or are capable of performing a variety of different functions, some of which may be sensitive in nature. As a result of the foregoing, an increasing emphasis has been placed on device security. More particularly, a number of security measures now exist that attempt to ensure that only authorized users may be able to access private information and/or to perform certain actions.


A circulating feeding printer combining screen printing and digital ink jetting, includes a rack. The rack includes an upper rack layer and a lower rack layer, and the two layers are respectively provided with a transmission platen capable of moving relative to the rack. Each transmission platen is provided with a movable printing platen bearing a print medium capable of sliding relative to the transmission platen, a locking device locking the movable printing platen, and the transmission platen is arranged between them. The platen transfer devices capable of transferring the movable printing platen onto the transmission platen at the different layer are disposed on the rack, separately located at two sides of the transmission platens. The rack is further provided with a screen printer and an inkjet printer used for printing separately.

Existing screen printers and existing digital inkjet printers are independent devices. The two printing manners have respective advantages and disadvantages, and therefore, current screen printers and digital inkjet printers have shortcomings, for example, some color blocks that digital inkjet printing fails to print can be printed by screen printing, and some colors that the screen printing fails to print can be compensated by digital inkjet printing. So, quality of products printed by conventional screen printers and digital inkjet printers still needs to be improved. Therefore, an increasing number of users expect a printer that synchronously has the advantages of screen printing and advantages of digital inkjet printing, thereby improving the printing quality. Besides, whether the feeding mechanism of a conventional screen printer or the feeding mechanism of a conventional digital inkjet printer involves separate feeding, that is, material loading is performed at a printing station, and material taking is performed at the printing station after printing is completed, and therefore, a worker needs to wait at the printing station during a printing process of a print medium. This printing manner involves low production efficiency, low automation level, and high production costs. Further, the volume of a conventional printer is very huge, especially a printer involving a plurality of stations, which is very long. Therefore, an occupied area is very large, and land and plant costs of an enterprise are increased.
Therefore, the present invention is generated on the basis of the foregoing shortcomings.

Circulating feeding printer combining screen printing and digital ink jetting