A thermal triggering device for sprinklers for stationary fire-extinguishing systems. The demands made on sprinklers for stationary fire-extinguishing systems are to the effect that increasingly shorter triggering times are demanded in order to be able to fight fire more quickly and more effectively. The novel triggering device should therefore have such a short triggering time that the response thereof in case of fire takes place as extactly as possible at the predetermined triggering temperature. The triggering element which is constructed as a glass bulb is at least supported on the sealing member of the sprinkler via a heat-insulating component, made from a corrosion-resistant material of high strength and low heat conductivity and also great heat absorption but low heat storage capacities, the component having a low mass and a large surface area and a small cross-section in the direction of the flow of heat.

The invention relates to a thermal triggering device for sprinklers for stationary fire-extinguishing systems, with a temperature-dependent safety device which is designed as a glass bulb with a filling and supporting elements, which device until the moment of triggering holds a sealing member of the sprinkler in a closed or blocking position.
The demands made on sprinklers for stationary fire-extinguishing systems are to the effect that increasingly very much shorter triggering times are demanded in order to be able to fight fires arising more quickly and hence more effectively than before. An essential criterion for the triggering time of a sprinkler is the triggering inertia of its thermal triggering element, which is designed as a safety device. In relevant circles, the so-called RTI value has become internationally accepted as a measurement for the triggering inertia, RTI standing for the expression "Response Time Index", i.e. for the "inertia index". The RTI value is the time constant for the heating-up of the triggering element which occurs in an air current at a rate of 1 m/s. It is calculated according to the formula EQU RTI=.tau..multidot.u.sup.1/2,
whereby
.tau.=heat storage capacity/heat absorption capacity=triggering inertia and
u=the speed of the burnt gas PA1 u is the speed of the burnt gas in m/sec, PA1 .DELTA.Tg is the temperature of the burnt gas minus the pipe temperature (.apprch. water temperature) in .degree.C. PA1 .tau. the time constant of the triggering element at a given speed of the burnt gas in sec PA1 RTI .tau..multidot.u.sup.1/2 in sec .multidot..sqroot.m/sec and PA1 C is the parameter for the heat transfer by conduction of heat from the triggering element to the piping in .sqroot.m/sec.
and the heat storage capacity is defined as the required quantity of heat per .degree.C. temperature increase measured in cal, kcal or Joules and the heat absorption capacity which is dependent on the air speed is defined as the total quantity of heat, measured in cal/sec, Joules/sec or also watts, flowing towards the triggering element from the surrounding air per .degree.C. temperature difference between them per unit of time, e.g. per second.
In conventional sprinklers, this time constant is approximately 200 to 400 seconds. More recent developments of triggering elements which are designed as glass bulbs have far lower time constants, which are about one-fifth of the stated values. Such glass bulb triggering elements are described, for instance, in German patent No. 32 20 124 and in European patent application No. 0 215 331.
In German patent No. 32 20 124, the triggering time of the sprinkler is shortened by a solid insert which is arranged as is known in the glass bulb and acts as a displacement member being produced from a material, the heat capacity of which is lower than the heat capacity of the expansive liquid in the glass bulb, the volume of the expansive liquid in the glass bulb being decreased by the displacement member without the glass member having its dimensions changed and therefore being altered in its physical properties.
In contrast to this, in European patent application No. 0 215 331, a glass bulb which can quickly respond in accordance with the new requirements without considerable loss of strength and continuous loadability, one strives to thicken at least one end of the glass bulb with respect to the thin shank and give it a larger diameter than said shank.
In these two cases, one attempts to achieve the decrease in triggering inertia and hence the reduction of the triggering delay of the sprinklers by special formation of the glass bulb or its filling.
However, not only the magnitude of the triggering inertia RTI is decisive for the extent of the triggering delay of the sprinklers, but also another value, namely the so-called C-value, which is characteristic of the triggering delay as a result of the dissipation of heat from the triggering element via the sprinkler connection to the water-filled piping.
According to Document N 139 in ISO TC 21 SC 5 WG 1 by Gunnar Heskestad and Robert G. Bill, the temperature increase in the triggering element can be determined according to the formula ##EQU1## whereby .DELTA.Te is the temperature of the triggering element minus the pipe temperature (.apprch. water temperature) in .degree.C.,
This formula can be used to demonstrate the temperature gradient in the triggering element and thus the triggering delay at different speeds of the burnt gas and burnt gas temperatures. Thus it can be used to demonstrate that the RTI value is the dominating parameter if there is a high supply of energy, for instance when there is a high speed of burnt gas and also a high temperature difference between the burnt gas and the triggering element.
This formula can also be used to demonstrate that the C-value is the dominating parameter if there is a low supply of energy, for instance when there is a low speed of burnt gas and also a small temperature difference between the burnt gas and the triggering element, and the C-value therefore has a great influence. The influence of the C-value may in this case be so large that the triggering element no longer responds, although the burnt gas temperature is considerably above the intended triggering temperature of the triggering element. In the case of fires which develop slowly, the triggering of the sprinklers is thereby prevented for a long time, i.e. greatly delayed, although the required value of the fire parameter "temperature" which is intended to trigger the sprinklers has already obviously been reached for some time or has even been exceeded, with the consequence that the fire can develop and spread to an unnecessarily large extent and thus unnecessarily extensive damage occurs before the fire-extinguishing system becomes operative, the C-value therefore has a great influence.
A high C-value may however also prove disadvantageous if, in the case of normally or rapidly developing fires and sprinklers mounted at a great height on the ceiling of the room, as a result of the mixing of the burnt gases with the surrounding air, a low burnt gas temperature and a low speed of burnt gas occur. The opportunity of fighting and thus safely extinguishing the fire at the earliest possible time is lost here as well.
Using investigations into a series of sprinklers which are common at present, inter alia those according to German patents Nos. 25 39 703 and 26 39 245, in a current of air at a speed of 1 m/s and with a temperature increase of approximately 0.5.degree. C. per minute, and with a threaded connection of the sprinklers through which water flows at a temperature of approximately 20.degree. C., i.e. in a test layout which fully corresponds to real fire conditions, it was noted that the sprinklers were only triggered at temperatures which were considerably higher than their nominal triggering temperatures. However, this means nothing other than that the known sprinklers require too long a time before they respond, so that fighting the fire in good time is jeopardised at least and thus there is a danger of unnecessarily extensive fire damage.

Thermal triggering device for sprinklers for stationary fire-extinguishing systems


The present invention relates to a positive-type photosensitive resin composition and a cured film prepared therefrom. The positive-type photosensitive resin composition comprises an acrylic copolymer having a dissolution rate to a developer in a specific range and a compound containing a phenolic hydroxyl group, so that it is possible to attain a high contrast and a high sensitivity pattern when a cured film is formed. Further, it is possible to further enhance the adhesiveness of a pattern when a half-tone, as well as a full-tone, is formed.

Generally, a transparent planarization film is formed on a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate for the purpose of insulation to prevent a contact between a transparent electrode and a data line in a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. Through a transparent pixel electrode positioned near the data line, the aperture ratio of a panel may be increased, and high luminance/contrast may be attained. In order to form such a transparent planarization film, several processing steps are employed to impart a specific pattern profile, and a positive-type photosensitive resin composition is widely employed in this process since fewer processing steps are required.
A conventional positive-type photosensitive composition using an acrylic resin as a raw material has a problem that the photosensitive characteristics are deteriorated due to its low contrast (or resolution). It also has disadvantages in that the chemical bonding with a lower substrate is weak, resulting in poor adhesiveness, and that the film retention rate is low.
On the other hand, a positive-type photosensitive composition using a siloxane resin as a raw material is excellent in sensitivity and film retention rate by virtue of its high contrast characteristics. It is also excellent in adhesiveness as compared with an acrylic resin since the silanol group in the siloxane resin can form a chemical bond with the hydroxyl group of a lower substrate.
Thus, a positive-type photosensitive resin composition in which an acrylic resin and a siloxane polymer are employed together to enhance the sensitivity, bonding, and adhesiveness thereof has been used (see Japanese Patent No. 5,099,140).
Meanwhile, if a positive-type photosensitive resin composition comprises a siloxane resin in a certain amount or more, there arises a problem in the process reliability in terms of chemical resistance in a subsequent process of a cured film. Thus, it is important to mix a siloxane resin and an acrylic resin in certain amounts.
However, even if an acrylic resin and a siloxane resin are used together, the problems relating to adhesiveness are not yet resolved. In particular, when a pattern is to be formed in a half-tone region, the half-tone is exposed to a certain transmittance even in a non-exposure region unlike a full-tone, so that dissolution takes place in the entire region in addition to the exposed region. In addition, since a half-tone region has a relatively small thickness as compared with a full-tone region, the adhesiveness of the pattern to a substrate is more problematic in this respect.

Positive-type photosensitive resin composition and cured film prepared therefrom


A voltage sensor capable of single-point or simultaneous multi-point contactless voltage measurement has an electro-optic transducer, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and an optical system. The electro-optic transducer is operable to translate an electric field dependent on the voltage in a device under test field to a variation in refractive index. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) transducer is juxtaposed with the electro-optic transducer and is operable to translate the variation in the refractive index of the electro-optic transducer to a variation in reflectivity. The optical system is configured to illuminate the SPR transducer with incident light at a surface plasmon resonance-inducing angle of incidence and to detect light reflected by the SPR transducer at a single point or at multiple points within a region.

People measure voltages for many reasons. Typical electronic test equipment measures a voltage at a point within some environment of interest by directly contacting the point with a probe. Examples of such equipment include AC and DC voltmeters, oscilloscopes and many types of RF test equipment, especially if the concept of "probing" includes propagating electromagnetic energy inducing a voltage in a suitable antenna. Such measurements are the stock-in-trade of those engaged in designing, developing and testing electrical devices, including diagnosing and repairing such devices.
In many voltage measurement applications, it is practical to make a voltage measurement through physical contact of a probe with a conductor. However, there are cases where contactless measurements are highly desirable, if not absolutely necessary. Typically, a contactless measurement is needed when the conductor whose voltage is to be measured does not have an exposed portion that can be contacted. For example, conductors that are on the inner layers of a multi-layer printed circuit board, e.g., transmission lines, do not have such exposed portion. Ball grid arrays are another example.
Another example is the conductors of a flat-panel display (FPD) that, for example, constitutes part of a computer monitor or a large-format, high-definition television and that has been fabricated to a point at which the conductors have been encapsulated and can no longer be contacted with a probe. Even if they are not yet encapsulated, the conductors are microscopic and fragile. Even when the test is performed at a point in the manufacturing process before the conductors are enclosed by a protective covering, the number of locations to be probed is large, and each location is delicate and can easily be damaged by contact with a probe. To obtain a reasonable test throughput, possibly thousands of measurement locations have to be probed simultaneously. Each location is distanced from its neighboring locations by the pitch of the display, which is typically a few hundred micrometers. A suitable multi-probe probe head is typically expensive and its use incurs the risk that a probe will damage the flat-panel display under test, resulting in a failure either instantly or some future time. The cost of such a probe head and the cost of damaged units contribute significantly to the cost of flat-panel displays.
Non-contact voltage measurement techniques that discover the presence of a voltage on a conductor include those based on the Pockels effect and involve measuring the effect of an electric field on the polarization of light passing through an optically-transmissive medium located in the electric field. While this technique has its advantages, it fails to provide an adequate sensitivity and spatial resolution. Another non-contact voltage measurement technique involves scanning the device under test with an electron beam to detect the emission of secondary electrons. This test technique has a better voltage sensitivity and spatial resolution, but it is performed in a high vacuum, which significantly increases the test time.
What is needed, therefore, is a voltage measurement technique that is capable of contactless voltage measurement and that has a voltage sensitivity, spatial resolution and operational convenience suitable for rapidly measuring voltage at multiple, small measurement locations in a device under test. What is also needed is a voltage measurement technique that can be used to make simultaneous contactless voltage measurements in a relatively large area of a device under test.

Voltage sensor capable of contactless voltage measurement


A workpiece pick-up apparatus including: a hand for gripping a workpiece; a robot for bringing the hand into a desired gripping position or posture; a sensor for performing three-dimensional measurement of the workpiece to obtain workpiece measurement data; a storage medium for accumulating at least hand profile data; an information processing unit for calculating the gripping position or posture based on data from the sensor and data from the storage medium; and a control unit for controlling the robot based on the gripping position or posture calculated by the information processing unit. The information processing unit includes an optimum gripping candidate creating section for directly deriving the gripping position or posture based on the workpiece measurement data and the hand profile data.

The workpiece pick-up apparatus is an apparatus for picking up workpieces one by one through use of a robotic hand from an object containing a plurality of bulked workpieces. As a conventional workpiece pick-up apparatus, there is an apparatus disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1. This apparatus is configured to assume a representative profile of a workpiece, prestore data on partial profile units, which are obtained by segmenting the workpiece, and priorities corresponding to the respective partial profiles, perform image processing on a plurality of bulkedworkpieces so as to calculate a plurality of partial profiles as candidates for a gripping position, and determine, from among the calculated candidates, a workpiece as an object to be picked up and a gripping portion thereof in consideration of the above-mentioned priorities.
In the above-mentioned method of picking up a workpiece as disclosed in Patent Literature 1, however, the following problems may arise.
As a first problem, under the condition that the number of calculated candidates for a gripping position is small, when the hand is to grip the workpiece determined from among the candidates, there is such a high risk that the hand cannot reach the gripping position due to interference between the hand and the workpieces other than the object to be gripped, or to disturbance of the other workpieces. In order to avoid this problem, it is necessary to calculate a large number of candidates for a gripping position in advance, but in this case, there in turn arises a problem in that the labor, calculation time, and data amount are increased considerably.
As a second problem, the operations of obtaining the partial profiles through segmentation and assigning the priorities to the respective partial profiles need to be defined newly for the profiles of hands different from each other. For this reason as well, there arises a problem in that the labor and calculation time are increased.


A radio spectrum management system is provided. In an embodiment, the radio spectrum management system includes a radio spectrum gateway, a radio spectrum management server and a radio spectrum policy decision server. The radio spectrum gateway is coupled to a radio access network that receives bandwidth requests from subscriber devices and provides bandwidth allocation decisions to the radio access network. The radio spectrum management server receives bandwidth requests from the radio spectrum gateway and provides bandwidth allocation decisions to the radio spectrum gateway based on radio resources and bandwidth policy decisions. The radio spectrum policy management server provides bandwidth policy decisions to the radio spectrum server. The bandwidth policy decisions are generated based on consideration of subscriber and/or application service provider characteristics. Methods for allocation of radio spectrum for a subscriber within a wireless network when the subscriber requests an application are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications, and more particularly, to spectrum management of wireless communication networks.
2. Background of Invention
An increasingly large number of individuals use portable computing devices, such as laptop computers, personal data assistants (PDAs), smart phones and the like, to support mobile communications. The number of computing devices, and the number of networks that these devices connect to, has increased dramatically in recent years. For example, traditional cellular telephone use and mobility continue to grow as the number of cellular subscribers in the United States exceeded 200M for the first time in 2005, with revenues from roaming services (e.g., services used by a cell phone user in a visited network other than their home network) reaching nearly 4B USD. Similarly, an increasing number of wireless Internet access services have been appearing in airports, cafes and book stores with revenue projected from wireless local area network ("LAN") services to exceed 15B USD in 2007.
A wireless network generally includes many wireless nodes and users trying to gain access to a network. The primary means for controlling access include network access servers ("NAS") and authentication servers. A NAS provides access to the network. A primary authentication server, such as an authentication, authorization, accounting (AAA) server, provides centralized authentication services to a NAS for authenticating client devices before they are granted access to the network. In typical installations, the devices and users are connecting through the NAS to obtain access to a network (e.g., the Internet) via some form of wireless connection. The authentication server is typically a RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) or Diameter server.
The significant growth in wireless communications and the limited radio spectrum available, requires that service providers more efficiently manage radio spectrum. Currently, radio access networks ("RAN") used to allocate radio spectrum in wireless networks assign radio resources based on generic device considerations and a first-come, first-served basis. Further current state of the art methods for allocating spectrum are based only on class of application (e.g. voice, video, gaming) or device capability/type (basic, standard, high, etc.).
Conceptually spectrum allocation and RAN access can be viewed as being based on two major concepts: physical radio resource allocation at the radio cell and call admission and congestion control at a protocol level using service type and priority. Physical radio resource allocation typically depends on equal basic access rights to set up the required communication channels, physical location and proximity to the radio resources, cell capacity and size.
Call admission and congestion control ("CAC") typically depend on a higher level protocol making admission decisions following basic radio resource allocation based on: cell status in terms of ability to provide basic access and service requested by a user in terms of real-time sensitivity. These approaches are limited in that they do not efficiently assign spectrum and do not ensure a particular level of end-to-end quality-of-service. Furthermore, they are limited in their ability to provide tiered service offerings and dynamically adjusting bandwidth allocations based on subscriber characteristics or service provider characteristics.
What is needed are systems and methods that allocate bandwidth to subscribers based on subscriber and application service provider characteristics in a subscriber-centric manner.

Systems and methods for subscriber-centric dynamic spectrum management


A method for preparing cis-1,4-polydienes, the method comprising the steps of preparing a preformed, active lanthanide-based catalyst, aging the active lanthanide-based catalyst for more than 5 days to thereby formed an aged catalyst, and introducing the aged catalyst and conjugated diene monomer to be polymerized to thereby form an active polymerization mixture in which the conjugated diene monomer is polymerized to form a polydiene having a reactive chain end.

Lanthanide-based catalyst systems are known to be useful for polymerizing conjugated diene monomers to form polydienes having high cis-1,4-linkage contents, low 1,2-linkages, narrow molecular weight distributions, and linear backbones. These cis-1,4-polydienes containing a linear backbone are believed to provide better tensile properties, higher abrasion resistance, lower hysteresis, and better fatigue resistance as compared to the cis-1,4-polydienes prepared with other catalyst systems such as titanium-, cobalt-, and nickel-based catalyst systems. Therefore, the cis-1,4-polydienes made with lanthanide-based catalysts are particularly suitable for use in tire components such as sidewalls and treads.
However, one disadvantage of the cis-1,4-polydienes prepared with lanthanide-based catalysts is the relatively high cost of the lanthanide compounds. Furthermore, high catalyst loadings of the lanthanide catalysts and high loadings of Al co-catalysts are often needed to obtain polymers with good processability. A common method to lower the amount of lanthanide catalyst is to use an aluminoxane co-catalyst. Still, the aluminoxane co-catalysts are also expensive and typically a large excess is required.
Therefore, there is a need to develop a process for producing lanthanide-based cis-1,4-polydienes with low catalyst loadings and/or low Al co-catalyst loadings to maintain the combination of high cis-1,4 content, low 1,2 content, and a linear backbone while minimizing the cost of the catalyst components.

Aged lanthanide-based catalyst systems and their use in the preparation of cis-1,4-polydienes


In an inkjet recording device, nozzles are arranged orthogonally to a deflection direction of deflection electrodes. Ink jetted from each nozzle is charged by a pair of charging electrodes. Charged droplets are deflected by an electric field formed thereby. Voltages applied to each electrode and timings thereof can be independently adjusted.

First, referring to FIG. 1, a control technique for changing a transfer speed of a print object for a conventional inkjet recording device will be described. In an inkjet recording device, for printing the print object (also referred to as "workpiece"), ink droplets jetted from one nozzle are used. In the case where the transfer speed of the print object is relatively slow, one of every plurality of ink droplets jetted from the one nozzle is treated as a charging target and thus a charging voltage is applied thereto. The upper part of FIG. 1 illustrates an example where one of every two generated ink droplets is treated as a charging target. This case is defined as a droplet usage rate of 1/2. In order to reduce the character width of a printed result at the same transfer speed, increase in droplet usage rate as with the middle part of FIG. 1 can respond the requirements. In this example, the droplet usage rate is changed to 1/1.
As shown in the lower part of FIG. 1, increase in scan interval can also control the print character width. In this case, the generation period of the ink droplet jetted from the nozzle is set constant so as to form an optimal ink droplet shape according to an ink pressure, an ink viscosity and the like; the ink droplet is charged and then deflected and flies to a prescribed position. In the case of a fixed charging voltage, the character width of the printed result tends to get wider as the transfer speed of the print object increases.
FIG. 1 shows an example of performing one line printing. On the other hand, for instance, as shown in Patent Literature 1 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,484), an inkjet recording device has been invented that at least two nozzles are arranged at a printing head in the case of multi-line printing, which is for at least two lines, and printing is performed according to each nozzle and each line. This scheme has a configuration including a plurality of systems of charging voltages and deflecting voltages, the number of the plurality conforms to the number of nozzles. This scheme is effective for reducing the character width of the printed result at high speed printing in the case of multi-line printing.

Inkjet recording device and printing head

Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications technologies, and discloses a method and device for pre-coding and a method and device for decoding. The present invention implements an interference alignment method with excellent performance, can effectively increase the capacity of a multi-user interference system and reduce the mutual interference among users, The method for pre-coding includes: calculating a pre-coding matrix for each transmitting end according to a sum of mean square errors of data vectors to be transmitted by each transmitting ends; and using the pre-coding matrix to pre-code the data to be transmitted by each transmitting end. The present invention has broad application prospects, for example, can be used in LTE and LTE-Advanced CoMP technology.

In a wireless communication system, mutual interference exists among signals of different users, and in a Gaussian interference channel, each user knows respective complete channel information, but data of different users cannot be shared, so joint transmission cannot be performed. As shown in FIG. 1, a Gaussian interference channel of two users is shown, and interference exists between users x1 and x2. How to improve the capacity of the Gaussian interference channel when eliminating the interference among the users is always one of main bottlenecks limiting the development of the technology.
A conventional solution of avoiding mutual interference among users in an interference channel adopts orthogonalization, such as a time division multiple address (TDMA) technology and a frequency division multiple address (FDMA) technology. As shown in FIG. 2, a schematic diagram of a TDMA system is shown. In the TDMA system, different users send data at different time, thereby avoiding mutual interference among the users. Similar to the TDMA system, in the FDMA system, different users send data at different frequencies, thereby also avoiding mutual interference among the users.
In view of the defects in the conventional solution, along with the intensive study on the Gaussian interference channel, a method for solving mutual interference among users by using interference alignment is proposed. The interference alignment refers to that, in the situation of knowing complete channel information, through preprocessing of a transmitting end, a useful signal and an interference signal of each receiving end are separated in space, and the interferences of different transmitting ends to the receiving end are all aligned to the same spatial dimension, thereby avoiding the influence of the interference and achieving the objective of improving the capacity. The research on the capacity of the Gaussian interference channel and the interference alignment are still in a primary stage, so the method of interference alignment is currently a hotspot in researching.
The prior art provides an example of interference alignment in a special channel. As shown in FIG. 3, the special channel includes K transmitting ends and K receiving ends. A channel response of each transmitting end to a target receiving end is 1, and an interference channel of each transmitting end to all users is correspondingly i, and if a transmission signal is a real part of a signal space, a receiving signal at a kth receiving end is:
                              r          k                =                              s            k                    +                      i                                                      ∑                                                      l                    =                    1                                    ,                                      l                    ≠                    K                                                  K                                                                                s                l                                              +                      n            k                                              (        1        )
Obviously, the receiving end can detect the transmission signal only by directly obtaining the real part of the receiving signal, that is,
                              Re                                (                          r              k                        )                          =                              Re                                      (                                                s                  k                                +                                  i                                                                              ∑                                                                        l                          =                          1                                                ,                                                  l                          ≠                          K                                                                    K                                                                                s                      l                                                                      +                                  n                  k                                            )                                =                      Re                                      (                                                s                  k                                +                                  n                  k                                            )                                                          (        2        )
It can be seen that, although the transmission signal losses a half of the signal space, the interference among the users is eliminated.
In the prior art, a method of explicit interference alignment (Explicit IA) is further provided, and in the situation that three users have the same antenna, the Explicit IA method includes constructing the following relationship in a column space (C) first:c(H(12)V(2)=c(H(13)V(3)),c(H(H(21)V(1))=c(H(23)V(3)),c(H(31)V(1))=c(H(32)V(2)).
where, H(ij) represents a channel coefficient matrix from a transmitter j to a receiving end i. V(i) represents a pre-coding matrix of a transmitting end i. The following expressions may be obtained according to the foregoing formula:E=(H(31))−1H(32)(H(12))−1H(13)(H(23))−1H(21),F=(H(32))−1H(31) and G=(H(23))−1H(21),
Therefore, the matrix constructed by using the first half eigenvector of the matrix E as a row vector is used as a pre-coding matrix V(1) of a transmitting end 1; and pre-coding matrices v(2) and V(3) of a transmitting end 2 and a transmitting end 3 are obtained respectively as follows:V(2)=FV(1),V(3)=GV(1)
During the implementation of the present invention, the inventor finds that the prior art at least has the following problem: the conventional orthogonalization solution such as TDMA and FDMA results in an excessively low capacity of the system, which is only 1/K log(SNR)+o(log(SNR)), thereby limiting the throughput of the system. As for the conventionally provided interference alignment method, it is only applicable to a certain special channel, the special channel is difficult to be constructed and can hardly be implemented, and the method has high bit error rate and poor performance.

Method and device for pre-coding, and method and device for decoding


An interface module for connecting LSI packages includes a connecting member which is to be mounted on an LSI package including an LSI chip and which includes lines to be electrically connected to the LSI package, an optoelectronic transducer which is mounted on the connecting member, which is connected to the lines of the connecting member, and which converts optical signal to electric signal or converts electric signal to optical signal, an optical waveguide which includes an optical input end and an optical output end, one of which is optically connected to the optoelectronic transducer, and a reinforcing film which is adhered to the optical waveguide, covering at least one side of the optical waveguide, and which is secured at one end to the connecting member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interface module for use in LSI packages, for connecting a plurality of high-speed signal-processing LSIs, and to an LSI-incorporating apparatus that has the interface module.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, LSI packages have been proposed, in which a module of optical-connector type connects the LSIs and the optical waveguides can therefore be disconnected from the LSIs (see Nikkei Electronics No. 810, p. 122, FIG. 4, Dec. 3, 2001). Apparatuses have been proposed, in which an LSI package and an interface module can be electrically connected and disconnected and optical waveguides (e.g., optical fibers) are directly connected to the interface module (see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication 2004-253456).
The LSI package disclosed in Nikkei Electronics No. 810 can hardly be mounted on a printed circuit board in the same way as ordinary LIS packages. To mount the package incorporating an optical module of connector type on the board, special steps must be performed in view of the optical axis displacement due to the heat resistance and heat hysteresis of the optical module and the difference in thermal expansion between the LSI package substrate and the optical module. Further, special solder must be used at specific temperatures in order to mount the package on the board. It is therefore difficult to amount the optical module on the printed circuit board in the mass-production line. Moreover, an optical connector must be used to connect the LSI package to the printed circuit board permanently, so that the optical waveguides may be disconnected when necessary. The use of the optical connector inevitably increases the material cost and process cost very much.
Neither material cost nor process cost would not increase so much in the manufacture of the apparatus disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication 2004-253456 as in the manufacture of an LSI package mounted on a printed circuit board. However, the optical waveguides may fail to support the interface module, which is relatively heavy. The optical waveguides will be broken if the interface module is handled in an inappropriate manner. Other lines that need not be optically connected by all means, such as lines for supplying low-speed signals, e.g., control signals, are provided on a printed circuit board and electrically connected to the LSI package. Since these lines have different lengths on the printed circuit board, the control timing may shift. Further, these lines may pick up noise (power-supply noise, switching noise and the like), possibly causing the LSI package to malfunction.

Interface module for connecting LSI packages, and LSI-incorporating apparatus


System for mooring a large vessel for production of hydrocarbons, such vessel for example being a FPSO vessel, the mooring system including at least two floating bodies of the hang-off type, moored by means of differentiated compliance spread anchoring system to the sea bed, allowing partly weathervaning of the large vessel; a riser system extending from the sea bed to each the floating bodies, and means for transfer of fluids from the two floating bodies to the large vessel, the floating bodies and the large vessel being provided with locking means, locking floating bodies to the large vessel at the bow and the stern of the vessel in a mechanically rigid manner, thus providing a integrated, rigidly fixed unit comprising the large vessel and the floating bodies.

It is well known to use large vessels, moored to the sea bed, serving for example as a floating FPSO vessel for Production, Storage and Off-loading of hydrocarbons offshore. Such vessel may be moored by means of a turret system, allowing the FPSO to weathervane, dependent upon the direction of waves, wind or currents. Alternatively such vessel may use a mooring system consisting of a large number of mooring lines, arranged in a catenary spread.
WO 2005/118389 describes a method for dynamic positioning of a vessel, wherein a positioning system controls at least one positioning machinery, and where two or more buoys, each comprising at least one positioning machinery are coupled to the vessel.
US 2008070456 describes a method of dynamic positioning of a vessel, wherein a positioning system controls at least one positioning machinery, and where two or more buoys, each comprising at least one positioning machinery, are coupled to the vessel.
WO 2004/074085 describes a device for loading and unloading a vessel, wherein a loading pipe or a loading hose is connected to the vessel via a floating, self-moored coupling unit designed to be moored to the vessel, preferably near the manifold of the vessel. The coupling unit has sufficient propulsive capacity to maintain the vessels position during the loading operation.
WO 00/27692 describes a device for positioning of vessels, such as ships, barges, semi-submersibles or the like, during operations, such as drilling, production or geological operations. The device consists of a single floating structure whose vertical position in the sea can be regulated and is anchored to the sea bed via a number of anchoring lines.
Problems associated with prior art solutions are limited capacity with turret/swivel system (ref. weather vaning); line interference due to the use of a large number of lines into congested area (mooring, umbilicals, power cables, risers); and high capital investment costs
Further, it should be appreciated that existing dis-connectable systems have less capacity than permanent turret moored systems.

Disconnectable production dock (DPD) for turret free disconnectable weather vaning FPSO


According to an aspect, a mobile electronic device includes: a first housing; a second housing; a hinge portion for coupling the first housing and the second housing; and a fuel cell that is mounted to at least either one of the first housing and the second housing, and that uses liquid fuel. The hinge portion has formed thereon a fuel injection port from which the liquid fuel used in the fuel cell can be externally injected.

There are mobile electronic devices having mounted thereto a fuel cell. An example of the mobile electronic device described above include a mobile phone described in Non Patent Literature 1. The mobile phone described in Non Patent Literature 1 is a so-called flip phone, which has a fuel cell, a fuel tank, and a fuel injection port mounted to a housing that is gripped and where operation buttons are provided.


In an exposure control apparatus for a vehicle-installed camera which captures images of an external scene ahead of the vehicle as respective arrays of picture elements, highest-brightness and lowest-brightness picture elements of each image are excluded from processing for measuring the brightness of a region in the scene ahead of the vehicle, thereby enabling stable measurement of brightness with reduced effects of incident light from oncoming vehicle headlights, dark patches on the road surface, etc.

1. Field of Application
The present invention relates to an exposure control apparatus, for exposure control of an electronic camera which captures successive images of a region ahead of a vehicle in which the camera is installed.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, vehicle-installed electronic cameras (in general, digital video cameras, referred to in the following simply as cameras) have come into use for capturing images of a region located ahead of the vehicle, with technology having been developed whereby the captured images (sets of digital data expressing respective captured images) are processed for such functions as recognition of white lines formed on the road surface or detection of objects such as a preceding vehicle. The processing results can be used to generate warning indications to a vehicle driver, control driving of the vehicle, etc.
With such technology, it is important that the exposure of the camera be appropriately controlled in accordance with brightness of the scene which is being captured by the camera, in order to maximize the reliability of recognizing white lines on the road surface or solid objects such as preceding vehicles, etc., based on the images captured by the camera.
A vehicle having such a camera and processing apparatus installed therein, which are being described, is referred to in the following as the "local vehicle".
As described for example in Japanese patent first publication No. 6-25320B (designated as reference document 1 herein), a method of using such camera images for recognition of white lines on the road surface has been proposed whereby two laterally extending sections are selected within each image. A first one of these sections is positioned to contain a part of the (imaged) road surface that is currently close to the local vehicle, and the data obtained from the first section, in each of successive captured images, are utilized for recognition of white lines on the road surface. The second section is positioned to contain a part of the road surface that is farther ahead of the local vehicle (i.e., is in an upper part of each captured image). Hence the second section contains a region which will be subjected to recognition processing at a future time point, determined by the speed at which the local vehicle is travelling. Designating the average brightness levels of the first and second sections as b0 and b1 respectively, the difference between these is obtained for each of successive captured images. If the difference is found to exceed a predetermined threshold value, then the camera exposure which will be applied in capturing the next image is adjusted based on the brightness value b1 (i.e., by changing the camera shutter speed, etc).
With the above method of reference document 1, if for example the road surface ahead of the vehicle changes between a brightly sunlit condition and a shade condition, the camera exposure can be appropriately controlled for each of successive captured images, i.e., such as to prevent the abrupt change in scene brightness from affecting the reliability of white line detection.
However in an actual road environment, the brightness of the road surface will not generally change between a sunlit condition and a shade condition (i.e., with the change extending uniformly across the road surface) in such a simple manner. Instead, the changes can take various forms. For that reason, it is difficult to reliably control the camera exposure by such a method under actual operating conditions.
It has also been proposed, for example in Japanese patent first publication No. 2005-148308 (designated as reference document 2 herein) to use an exposure control apparatus whereby the brightness of the road surface ahead of a local vehicle is measured for use in camera exposure control, while excluding the effects of white lines (traffic lane markers) formed on the road surface. A video camera on the vehicle obtains successive captured images of a region directly ahead of the vehicle, which contains these white lines. A plurality of areas within each captured image are selectively examined to measure their respective brightness levels, with these areas being predetermined as corresponding to areas of the road surface that are normally outside the white lines when the vehicle is travelling along the center of a traffic lane. The respective brightness values of these areas are measured, and the exposure of the vehicle-mounted camera is controlled based on the results.
Diagram (a) in FIG. 17 shows an example of such brightness measurement regions, i.e., areas used for measurement of the brightness level of the road surface. Such a method is intended to enable the brightness of the road surface to be more reliably measured, without the measurement being affected by fluctuations in brightness due to presence of white line portions in the captured images. However as illustrated in diagram (b) of FIG. 17, if the local vehicle moves laterally, then portions of the white lines may come within the brightness measurement regions. This results in fluctuations in the capture-objective brightness values that are derived from successive captured images. Due to these fluctuations, appropriate exposure control may not be possible.
If it is attempted to set the positions and configurations of the brightness measurement regions such that the white lines will never come within them, then the freedom of determining the locations and shapes of these brightness measurement regions becomes severely limited. Hence, due to such factors as variations in regulations concerning vehicle width, positions of white lines used to define traffic lanes, etc., in various different countries, it may be difficult to establish appropriate brightness measurement regions, so that an excessive amount of work is required in design, etc., with such a method.

Exposure control apparatus and exposure control program for vehicle-mounted electronic camera


The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a closure assembly for use with a container (e.g., an aerosol can). The closure assembly includes a skirt and a protective cap. In some embodiments, a lock feature temporarily attaches the protective cap to the container and increases a force required for a user to remove the protective cap. In some embodiments, an inner lock opening of the skirt is configured to be registered with an outer lock opening to receive a locking element therethrough. In some embodiments, a set screw is positioned in the skirt to selectively allow or inhibit relative rotation between the skirt and the protective cap. In some embodiments, a biasing element selectively allows or inhibits engagement of threads of the protective cap with the threads of the skirt depending upon application of an axial force to overcome a biasing force of the biasing element.

Conventional protective caps for containers (e.g., aerosol spray paint canisters) are generally configured to press-fit against an upper surface of the container to cover a dispensing valve. To release the contents of the container in a controlled manner, it is necessary to remove the cap to access the dispensing mechanism, such as an aerosol spray button. Generally, the cap is removed by gripping opposing side surfaces and pulling in an upward direction, away from the container base. Alternatively, removal of the cap can be accomplished through the user of a tool, such as a screwdriver. However, removal and attachment of conventional protective caps can be especially difficult and/or painful for various consumers, such as individuals that have limited grip strength or joint pain. Further, the difficulty in removing and/or replacing protective caps is repeated upon each subsequent dispensing of the container contents. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a cap assembly that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. In an effort to prevent accidental cap loss or misplacement and to discourage consumer testing of the container contents prior to purchase, it would also be beneficial if the cap assembly includes one or more protective features, such as a lock.

Closure assembly for use with a container


A flexible tube portion for an irrigation line connected to a supply of fluid for surgical or dental use is disclosed, wherein the flexible tube portion cooperates with rollers of a peristaltic pump for distributing fluid, which includes a particular structure which, between two free ends thereof, define a distance, which, combined with the length of the tube portion, gives the tube portion a determined profile enabling its positioning directly underneath the raceway of the rollers of the pump. Also disclosed is a peristaltic pump including a plurality of rollers that roll over a flexible tube portion of an irrigation line connected to a supply of fluid for surgical or dental use, which includes a certain structure for receiving the flexible tube portion in front of the plane in which the rollers move, then bringing the flexible tube portion underneath the rollers, and pressing the tube portion against the rollers.

In the field of surgical procedures in the oral cavity and particularly in dental implantology, drilling and tapping has to be performed in the jaw bone. For this work to be carried out in good conditions, physiological saline solution has to be brought into the operating field area. The practitioner therefore has physiological saline solution pouches, which are emptied via a sterile irrigation line. This irrigation line is conventionally placed underneath the rollers of a peristaltic pump that continuously irrigates the operating field at a constant volume. When a physiological saline solution pouch is empty or between two successive patients, the practitioner has to remove the irrigation line and discard it with the saline solution pouch and then repeat the operation of fitting an irrigation line connected to a full saline solution pouch.
It has been observed that, with commercially available peristaltic pumps, placing the irrigation line underneath the pump rollers is not an easy operation. The practitioner has to use both hands in order to bend the irrigation line and shape it such that it can be put underneath the pump rollers. This is a difficult operation which requires dexterity on the part of the practitioner and which constitutes an addition to his work load. Further, it is not unusual for the practitioner to be unable to put the irrigation line in at the first attempt, so that he is obliged to repeat these operations.
The basic operating principle of a peristaltic pump is simple. When a roller compresses the irrigation line, it causes a volume of fluid to move forward and at the same time creates a depression that allows the inflow of the next volume of fluid. There are three rollers. It is clear that when the rollers rotate and successively compress the irrigation line, they exert a traction force thereon that is tangent to the circular trajectory of the rollers and oriented in the same direction as the rotational direction of the rollers. It is therefore necessary to provide means for immobilising the irrigation line next to the peristaltic pump rollers. Usually in commercially available peristaltic pumps, the irrigation line is clamped between two jaws upstream and downstream of the pump rollers. The drawback of this solution is immediately apparent: if the irrigation line is not suitably arranged and the jaws close on it, the irrigation line will be subject to shearing force and will be pierced.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned problems, in addition to others, by providing a peristaltic pump for surgical or dental use and an irrigation line, the implementation of which is extremely simple, requiring simple movements on the part of the practitioner and avoiding any risk of piercing or cutting the irrigation line.

Peristaltic pump and insertable irrigation line with a tube portion having a determined profile


A composition comprising a lactone-modified alicyclic compound (I), or an epoxidized lactone-modified alicyclic compound (II) of the following formulae: ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl group, an aromatic group or an alkenyl group having carbon number of from 1 to 30, Y.sup.1 is at least one of the structural groups; ##STR2## Y.sup.2 is at least one of the structural group; ##STR3## X is the structural group; ##STR4## and R.sup.a and R.sup.b each independently is hydrogen or a methyl group, c and c' represent a number of from 4 to 8, from n1 to nL represents 0 or a number of more than 0, respectively, and n1+n2+n3+ . . . +nL corresponds to the total mole numbers of a lactone introduced into one molecule.. These compositions can be made into a heat-curable composition, a photo-curable composition, a polymerizable composition and another photo-curable composition.

The following starting alicyclic compound(V) and the epoxidized compound thereof(VI): EQU Y.sup.1 --CO--O--CH.sub.2 --Y.sup.1 (V) EQU Y.sup.2 --CO--O--CH.sub.2 --Y.sup.2 (VI)
[in the formulae (V) and (VI), Y.sup.1 represents at least one structural group selected from ##STR5## Y.sup.2 represents at least one structural group selected from ##STR6## are well-known and have been used as additives for coatings, and as an insulating material or an encapsulating material in the electric fields after being cured with an acid anhydride.
However, the alicyclic epoxy resin (VI) has a poor flexibility for coatings.
Furthermore, the epoxy resin has a disadvantage having a low curing density, resulting in weakness of the coating layers and further causes a problem in finishing-up state at the surface of the coatings.
Still further, there has been a limit in a curing velocity when an acid anhydride is used as a curing agent.
As a result of an intensive investigation, the present inventors have now found that it is possible to solve these problems, by using the present epoxy composition and to improve reactivity and strength in a coating composition or a cured article in which the present epoxy composition is used.

Lactone-modified alicyclic composition and an epoxidized composition thereof


A distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named xe2x80x98Kyliexe2x80x99, characterized by its upright plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; large light red-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Kylie.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Kyliexe2x80x99.
The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hinnerup, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars with large flowers, attractive flower coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.
The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross-pollination made in Hinnerup, Denmark, of the Kalanchoe cultivar Nadia, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the proprietary Kalanchoe seedling selection, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Hinnerup, Denmark.
Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal cuttings taken at Hinnerup, Denmark, by the Inventor, has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Kylie has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Kyliexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Kyliexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright plant habit.
2. Dark green-colored leaves.
3. Large light red-colored flowers.
4. Excellent postproduction longevity.
Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the parents in plant size, leaf size and petal coloration.


Disclosed embodiments describe techniques for body part motion analysis. A stretch sensor is attached to a body part. Tape can be applied to the body part, and the stretch sensor can be attached to the tape using connectors, hooks, snaps, or Velcro™. The stretch sensor changes electrical characteristics as it stretches. A sensor coupled to the stretch sensor collects changes in electrical characteristics based on motion of the body part. A communication unit provides information from the sensor to a receiving unit. Motion of the body part is shown on a display. The displayed body part can be an animation and can be displayed in the context of an overall body. The stretch sensor is used for measuring body part motion. An inertial measurement unit provides augmented motion information. The stretch sensor senses muscle activities such as muscle activation and deformation and provides movement angle, force and torque evaluation.

The accurate measurement of the motion and deformation of a given shape has many applications, such as in the fields of machine vision, industrial automation, scientific biomechanics research, medical treatment, and 3D animation among others. The shapes whose deformation, movement, and motion are measured include objects of interest, manufactured parts, body parts, etc. The measurements can be used for object differentiation, where the object differentiation is based on material, size, shape, and cost, among many other parameters. When the shape being measured is a portion of a body such as the human body, then shape measurement has further applications in industries such as sports, healthcare, and 3D animation for entertainment and gaming. Accurate measurement can be used to obtain data related to personal medical information and to design medical treatments. Proper medical treatments are essential for comfort, safety, and therapeutic outcomes.
In a clinical setting, accurate and precise human body measurements are difficult to obtain. To start with, consider a relatively simple, static, volumetric body part measurement, such as measuring the volume of fluid buildup in a limb caused by lymphedema. This is typically a manual process where a tape measure is often used by a clinical professional to make body measurements. First the limb is marked along a longitudinal axis using the tape measure and a marking pen. An appropriate gradation, say every 1 cm, is marked. Next, a transverse circumference is measured at every gradation and recorded. The transverse circumferential measurements are repeated along the desired length of the limb. At a subsequent clinical visit, say one week or one month later, the measurements are taken again. Total limb volume V can be approximated by assuming a step-wise linear series of cylindrical disks. The volume V can be expressed as the area A of each transverse cross-section (where A=C2/4π, and where C is the measured circumference) times the height h of each gradation, and then summing all of the cylindrical disk volumes into the total volume. In this way, lymphedema progression and/or treatment effectiveness can be monitored.
Unfortunately, even though this is a relatively simple example involving a static measurement of a non-moving body part, the typical clinical approach is fraught with inconsistencies and opportunities for human error. A different person may be making the measurements. Inconsistent pressure may be applied when measuring the circumference. The tip of the marking pen can be several mm wide. Subtle limb shape changes, whether related to lymphedema or not, may greatly affect the accuracy of the estimated volumetric model calculation. Many such difficulties exist for making even this relatively simple static, body part measurement.
While making static body part measurements is very difficult, it is even more difficult to measure moving body parts, such as a joint. Body part joint movement is three-dimensional, and the movement happens in real-time, that is, non-static. By necessity, the body part joint is moving when a measurement needs to be taken. Body part joint measurements can involve different deformations along multiple axes. Multiple measurements of a repetitive motion may be required. Measurements may need to be made while the body part is under a load condition or under nominal conditions. All of these variables present an additional layer of variation that makes measurement difficult. Added to all that complexity is the fact that body part joints are connected to other body part joints, which further complicates measurement and analysis of shape motion and deformation. Accordingly, a great need exists to be able to accurately measure and analyze body part motion.

Body part motion analysis with wearable sensors


A spark plug having excellent load life performance even when the spark plug receives an impact or vibration. The spark plug includes an accommodated portion of a metallic terminal, which is accommodated in an axial hole of an insulator, having a plurality of bent portions formed as a result of proper bending of the accommodated portion. The bent portions are in close vicinity to an inner circumferential surface of the insulator at three or more locations, and are present without localizing in the radial direction of the axial hole.

In general, a spark plug used for igniting an internal combustion engine such an automotive engine includes a tubular metallic shell; a tubular insulator disposed in the bore of the metallic shell; a center electrode disposed in a forward end portion of the axial hole of the insulator; a metallic terminal disposed in a rear end portion of the axial hole; and a ground electrode whose one end is joined to the forward end of the metallic shell and whose other end faces the center electrode so as to form a spark discharge gap. Further, there has been known a spark plug including a resistor which is disposed in the axial hole between the center electrode and the metallic terminal so as to prevent generation of radio noise.
In general, such a resistor is formed from a mixture of glass powder and an electrically conductive substance such as carbon black powder or metal powder. However, since the amount of metal contained in the resistor is not so large, difficulty is encountered in joining the resistor directly to the metallic terminal and the center electrode, which are formed of metal. In order to eliminate the difficulty, in general, a seal layer containing a metal powder in a relatively large amount is disposed between the metallic terminal and the resistor and between the center electrode and the resistor to thereby increase the joint strength therebetween.
Incidentally, recent internal combustion engines for automobiles or the like have been required to produce a higher power and to operate with a higher efficiency, and development of a spark plug of a reduced size has been demanded in order to allow free design of engines and a reduction in the size of engines themselves. In order to reduce the size of a spark plug, the diameter of the insulator must be decreased. Meanwhile, in order to secure the desired characteristics such as mechanical strength of the insulator, the insulator must have a predetermined thickness in the radial direction. Accordingly, in order to reduce the diameter of the insulator, the diameter of the bore of the insulator must be decreased. However, when the diameter of the bore of the insulator is decreased, the diameters of the resistor and the seal layer also decrease. In such a case, the joint strength between the resistor and the seal layer decreases, and when an impact or vibration acts on the spark plug, a crack is generated at the interface between the resistor and the seal layer, which may result in deterioration of load life performance.
A spark plug which can solve such a problem is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2009-245716 ("Patent Document 1"). In claim 1 of Patent Document 1, there is recited a "spark plug characterized in that the diameter D of the electrically conductive glass seal layer is 3.3 mm or less, and the joint surface between the electrically conductive glass seal layer and the resistor is formed to have a curved shape." Patent Document 1 states that, the invention can provide a "spark plug which is enhanced in adhesion between the resistor and the electrically conductive glass seal layer, which is excellent in vibration resistance and load life performance of the resistor, and which has a reduced diameter" (see paragraph 0012).


In a temperature measuring device (1) an IR-radiation detector (2) and a reference element (3) are provided, connected to a surface (6) of an object (7) in a heat-conducting fashion, with a first area (4) with high emissivity and a second area (5) with high reflectivity formed at the reference element (3), and the IR-radiation detector (2) is equipped for a separate detection of IR-radiation (9, 10, 11) from the first and second areas (4, 5) and a surface area (12) of the object (7). A computer (13) in the IR-radiation detector (2) is equipped to deduct a temperature measurement for the object (7), corrected for emissions and reflections from the detected IR-radiations (9, 10, 11).

The invention relates to a method for an IR-radiation based temperature measurement at an object.
The invention further relates to an IR-radiation based temperature measuring device having an IR-radiation detector and a reference element.
In radiometric temperature measurements the knowledge of the emission level and the reflected temperature radiation is mandatory in order to avoid faulty measurements. Due to the fact that these parameters are usually known only approximately, they are normally estimated. Frequently tables with estimated values are used for this purpose, and the measurement of emission levels is performed with specialized devices. It is also known to determine the portion of reflected environmental radiation in the form of the reflected temperature using a reference element, which is coated appropriately.

Method for an IR-radiation—based temperature measurement and IR-radiation—based temperature measuring device


A shape-memory alloy actuated switch (SMAAS) is provided that enables the stable switching of two separate circuits. The presently disclosed SMAAS includes a substrate, one or more electrical contacts attached to the substrate for connecting to load circuits, and one or more electrically conductive elements for selectively connecting the one or more electrical contacts. The disclosed SMAAS also includes one or more shape-memory alloy actuators attached to the substrate. The one or more shape-memory alloy actuators are configured to move the one or more electrically conductive elements. The shape-memory alloy actuators are self-heated by passing current through the shape-memory alloy material. The disclosed SMAAS may also include electrical contacts to connect an external control current to the shape-memory alloy material. In some examples, the provided SMAAS includes one or more retention mechanisms to prevent movement of the electrically conductive elements after actuation.

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are smart materials that can be set to a specific shape and remember this shape even after undergoing a plastic deformation at a low temperature. Heating SMAs above a certain temperature, termed the austenitic transformation temperature, forces the material to return to its original set shape. A significant force is generated by the material while reverting shape. SMAs are a part of a family of materials called active materials that change properties as a response to external stimulation.
Activating SMAs can be through heating by an external heat source or internally by ohmic heating (passing current through the materials and using its internal resistance to generate heat). Once SMAs reverse shape, the heat source can be disconnected and the material holds its shape or state. Recoverable deformation of SMAs can be in the form of axial extension/straining, bending or torsion.
An electrical switch is a device that connects one or more electrical inputs to one or more electrical outputs. These connections may carry current to transmit electrical power or may carry a signal to transmit information. Electrical control means that electricity in the form of a voltage or current is used to change the configuration of the switch. The configuration that a switch is in is commonly called a switch state. The most basic switch configuration, commonly known as a single-pole single-throw (SPST), has one input and one output and two possible states: on or off.
Electrically-operated electrical switches are either mechanical (e.g. electromagnetic relays—EMRs) or electronic (e.g. solid state Relays—SSRs) or hybrid (e.g. Hybrid Solid State Relay—HSSRs). Electromagnetic relays rely on current passing through a coil to create a magnetic field which generates a force to open or close metallic contacts. Electronic switches are referred to as solid-state relays because they typically use semiconductor components (e.g. Transistors, Thyristor, TRIAC, etc.) instead of moving parts to turn on or turn off the flow of current in the output circuit. The hybrid relays employ a parallel combination of SSRs and EMRs.
A drawback associated with some typical electromagnetic relays and some typical semiconductor switches is that they require a holding power to maintain the switch state. Typical semiconductor switches also have the additional drawback of more power losses across the junctions when compared to metallic contactors since the contact resistance of semiconductor junctions is an order of magnitude higher than that of metal contactors. In light of these drawbacks, a need exists for an electrically-operated electric switch that reduces or eliminates the holding power requirement and reduces losses during switching as compared to typical electrically-operated electric switches.

QATAR FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT


An apparatus operating by contact ionization for the production of a beam of accelerated ions comprises an ionization electrode (1) in the form of a small tube, which forms a duct, the inside of which is used for contact ionization of the atoms for ionization, and which has capillary dimensions at least adjacent its exit, which is situated opposite an acceleration electrode (3).

Apparatus of this kind, which may briefly be referred to as "thermal surface ion sources" or "contact ionization sources" is described, for example, in the book by R. G. Wilson and G. R. Brewer "Ion Beams", New York 1973, more particularly pages 26 to 36 and pages 72 to 77. Such apparatus is based on the effect that when neutral atoms impinge upon a surface hot enough for the atoms not to be adsorbed on the surface some of the atoms are ionized on leaving the surface. Saha-Langmuir's law applies to the degree of ionization R, i.e. the ratio of the ions to the total number of particles leaving the surface, the degree of ionization R.sub.+ for positive ions being: EQU R.sub.+ =n.sub.+ /(n.sub.0 +n.sub.+)=(1+K.sub.+ exp(I-W)/kT)).sup.-1 ( 1)
and the degree of ionization R.sub.31 for negative ions being: EQU R.sub.- =n.sub.- /(n.sub.0 +n.sub.-)=(1+K.sub.- exp((W-E)/kT)).sup.-1 ( 2)
where
n.sub.+ =number of positive ions leaving the surface PA1 n.sub.- =number of negative ions leaving the surface PA1 n.sub.0 number of neutral atoms leaving the surface PA1 W=electron work function of the surface PA1 I=ionization potential of atoms PA1 E=electron affinity of atoms PA1 T=surface temperature PA1 k=Boltzmann's constant PA1 K.sub.+ and K.sub.- =statistical factors for positive and negative ions respectively (for alkaline metals K.sub.+ =2, for halogens K.sub.+ =4). PA1 V=acceleration voltage PA1 M=mass number PA1 d=distance between ionizing surface and the acceleration or extraction electrode.
If W-I>0.4 eV and E-W>0.4 eV, then R.sub.+ and R.sub.- have almost the same value 1, i.e. practically all the atoms impinging on the surface vaporize as positive and negative ions. For example, cesium vapour (I=3.88 eV) on impinging on a hot (1300K) tungsten surface (W=4.54 eV) is practically completely positively ionized while on the other hand, for example, iodine vapour (E=3.23 eV) impinging on a hot lanthanum hexaboride surface (W=2.70 eV) is practically completely negatively ionized. Similar high degrees of ionization can be obtained for the other alkali metals and halogens and for a number of other atoms.
It is known either to pass the particles for ionization in vapour form from the front on to the hot surface of the ionization electrode of suitable material or diffuse it from the rear through a hot frit of the appropriate material to the then porous surface. The resulting ions are then sucked away from the surface by an electric field produced between the surface and an acceleration electrode disposed at a distance in front of the same. The attainable current densities J are limited in the above cases by Child's space charge law which, for a planar arrangement is as follows: EQU J=5,45.times.10.sup.-8 V.sup.1,5 /.sqroot.M d.sup.2 A cm.sup.-2 ( 3)
where
In an apparatus known from DE-PS No. 28 05 273 C3 for the production of a beam of accelerated ions by contact ionization, the space charge limitation of the emission current density is shifted to much higher values than in the case of planar electrodes by giving the ionizing surface a highly convex curvature so that a very high electrical field strength prevails thereon. The emission current density is then limited by the vapour pressure of the element for ionization prevailing between the electrodes. This vapour pressure must be sufficiently low so that no electrical breakdown occurs due to impact ionization in the vapour.

Apparatus operating with contact ionization for the production of a beam of accelerated ions

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften v.V.


The present invention relates to a high barrier multilayer film for functional medical solution product comprising in order, an outer layer comprising polyethyleneterephthalate deposited inorganic oxide thereon; a first adhesive layer comprising ester type polyurethane; a first intermediate layer comprising ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer; a second adhesive layer comprising ester type polyurethane; a second intermediate layer comprising polyamide; a third adhesive layer comprising ester type polyurethane; and an inner layer comprising propylene-based polymer. The multilayer film has the merits of improved transparency, heat resistance, sealing property, durability, competitive price, oxygen barrier property and less pinhole, so that may be applied to a outer bag of pouch type container of medical solution.

Generally, a medical solution container must meet a number of performance criteria, including flexibility, transparency, gas barrier property, drug compatibility, heat sterilization resistance, fall impact resistance, etc.
As the medical solution container, it is common used a flexible plastic bag with multiple chambers (two and more) divided by partition walls. The medical solution container uses partition wall for various medical solutions kept in each chambers not to react with other medical solution kept in other chambers. And when the medical solution is in need to inject to a patient, the medical solution is mixed by pushing the chambers for various medical solutions to be mixed. The mixed functional medical solutions are administered to a patent via spike port using a syringe with sanitary and safe.
In case of administering medical solutions by connecting a few or many medical solution bags or bottles, medical staff may mistake in injecting medical solution, but using the afore-mentioned medical solutions having chambers divided by partition walls reduce the mistake by medical staff and gives various merits in keeping and handling.
Various types of medical solution container are now available, for example, a double bag with an inner bag and outer bag, where the inner bag contains functional medical solutions and the outer bag covers the inner bag and has gas or oxygen blockage function.
In this way, medical solution container having multiple chambers or single inner bag wrapped by outer bag have been studied from 10 years ago in Europe, and recently investigation for building up properties, i.e. fall impact resistance as well as gas or moisture barrier function are accelerated.
In general, the inner bag needs to have various properties such as oxygen and moisture barrier property, heat sterilization resistance, transparency, fall impact resistance, flexibility, etc, and the outer bag also needs to have various properties such as oxygen and moisture barrier property, heat sterilization resistance, and transparency, etc rather than fall impact resistance and flexibility.
In especial, the container for medical solutions, i.e. functional medical solutions, should have superior gas barrier property, fall impact resistance and transparency in comparison with that of a conventional medical solution container. Preferably, the film with high transparency for an outer bag is necessary in order to check impurities in functional medical solutions. In addition to this, it is required to new film manufacturing technology for guarantee transparency after sterilization of 121° C. Also, the outer bag must have high oxygen barrier property, because various medical solutions to be able to react with oxygen are wrapped in the inner bag.
The product of Pactive. Ltd in Germany, one of the best outer bags, is a multilayer (5 layers) co-extruded film laminated a PP outer layer/polyolefin adhesive layer/EVOH oxygen barrier intermediate layer/polyolefin adhesive layer/PP heat seal layer. Because the product of Pactiv exhibits extremely poor hazes, namely, the haze after sterilization (121° C., 30 minutes) over 50%, it is required to improve transparency for checking impurities in a bag.
To improve transparency, various types of the multilayer film were proposed for example, inorganic oxides deposited on PET, nylon, polyolefin for use in the fields of foods and medical industries.
Japanese Patent laid-open 2000-263722 suggests a multilayer film having improved barrier property to oxygen and moisture by laminating PET film on PP base film and depositing metal oxide like silica or alumina on the PET film.
PCT publication WO 2007/026554 describes a method of making a barrier film deposited silicon oxide thereon at least one surface of inner or outer surface by plasma CVD with gaseous organic silica compound and oxygen gas.
The above-mentioned material of the multilayer film exhibits poor flexibility, but high barrier property. However, the multilayer film itself has a disadvantage of lessening oxygen barrier property by cracking a deposited inorganic layer caused by repeated folding and unfolding of bag during handling or before and after sterilization.
In especial, the medical solution container bag must have high oxygen barrier property, because injected amino acid solution, glucose solution, and electrolytes degenerate easily by oxygen. The polyolefin inner bag as a medical solution container has low oxygen barrier property, so that extra outer packing or new composition for enhancing oxygen barrier property of the inner bag is necessary.
PCT publication WO 2002/85111 discloses a container having a multilayer laminated structure of a contacting layer/an oxygen and moisture barrier layer/an outer layer, and wherein EVOH was engaged as the oxygen and moisture barrier layer.
PCT publication WO 2005/014283 describes a method of enhancing oxygen barrier property by film structure of LDPE film/a functional barrier layer selected from the group consisting of polyamide, EVOH, PET, blends thereof and aluminum foil/a heat-adhesion layer having inorganic fillers and polyolefin.
However, EVOH has extremely poor haze after sterilization, especially getting worse at the condition of high temperature and moisture, resulting decrease of oxygen barrier property.
Therefore film having superior transparency despite high temperature treatment and oxygen barrier property is necessary, and the present invention proposes the multilayer film having satisfactory transparency and oxygen barrier property that can overcome the above-mentioned various problems.

High barrier multilayer film for functional medical solution product


A technique to stabilize subcarrier generation in a line-locked digital video system, caused by simultaneous locking of the genlock device causing continuous changing of a shared clock signal, by calculating a time shift occurring in an output waveform, converting the time shift into an equivalent phase shift and sending a corresponding phase correction number to a waveform generator block to correct the time shift, and thus stabilize subcarrier generation.

The present invention relates to the field of line-locked video systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of correcting phase shift in a chrominance subcarrier caused by the system in the process of genlocking.
A line-locked video system is a digital system that acquires a line-by-line analog signal. An example of such a system would be a video decoder. Each line signal acquired by the system contains a synchronizing pulse and a xe2x80x9ccolor burst,xe2x80x9d neither of which carry information that is displayed on the screen. The synchronizing pulse is utilized so that a genlock PLL can locate the analog signal and lock onto it. The xe2x80x9ccolor burstxe2x80x9d is a series of eight cycles at the subcarrier frequency which appear in blanking intervals for synchronizing the television receiver to the chrominance signal. The display portion of the signal is transferred after both the synchronizing pulse and the xe2x80x9ccolor burstxe2x80x9d portion of the signal. Due to the continuous changing of the clock(CLK) signal from the genlocking step, disturbance is usually created in the chrominance subcarrier PLL which will result in a phase shift and consequently in color stripe artifact. A more detailed background description is set forth below.
The composite video signal contains information which is used by a video system to generate a video picture on a display, monitor or television. Each period, within the horizontal portion of a composite video signal contains information representing one horizontal output line which is to be output on the video display, monitor or television. Each horizontal period includes a horizontal synchronization pulse, a burst signal and a video information signal. In many video transmission systems, color or chrominance information is represented by a particular phase of the chrominance subcarrier signal that is amplitude modulated with color information. The horizontal synchronization pulse is used by a phase-locked loop to synchronize the system for displaying the next horizontal line of video information. The burst signal is used to synchronize the phase and frequency of a local oscillator to that of the encoding oscillator so that color information can be xe2x80x9cdecodedxe2x80x9d into its baseband color differential components.
A video picture or frame is made up of a number of horizontal lines included within the video display. To display a video picture or frame the video system begins at the top of the screen and displays the information within the composite video signal one horizontal line at a time. The information for each horizontal line is contained within a horizontal period of the composite video signal. After each horizontal period, the video system moves to the next line and displays the information within the next horizontal period of the composite video system. This continues until the video system reaches the bottom line on the video display. After displaying the video information on the bottom line of the video display, the video system must reset itself to the top of the display in order to begin displaying the next frame. In order to allow the system to reset itself to the top of the video display, a vertical blanking period is included within the composite video signal after the video information for each frame. This vertical blanking period allows the video system to reset to the top of the video display and begin displaying the information for the horizontal lines of the next frame. Therefore, a number of horizontal periods, enough to comprise a frame or screen, are strung together, within the composite video signal. Between each frame, the composite video signal includes a vertical blanking period which allows the video system to perform a vertical reset and prepare to display the next frame by moving back up to the top of the video display.
In this type of system, a genlock PLL device is used to lock and align with the synchronizing pulse portion of the signal. In the receiver portion of this system, a chrominance subcarrier PLL is utilized to detect and lock onto the xe2x80x9ccolor burstxe2x80x9d portion of the analog signal. These two PLLs share a common CLK signal. When the genlock PLL locks and aligns the video signal, the CLK is adjusted accordingly. Because of this arrangement, the problem which is readily encountered is a phase shift disturbance of the SINE wave in the chrominance subcarrier PLL in the receiver. This disturbance is caused by the simultaneous locking of the genlock device, thereby causing continuous changing of the CLK signal.
The technique described in this patent application, to stabilize the chrominance subcarrier generation in a line-locked digital video system, includes several steps. This technique includes calculating a time shift occurring in an output waveform, converting that time shift into an equivalent phase shift and finally sending a phase correction number to a waveform generator block according to the equivalent phase shift.
First, the time shift in the output waveform is calculated. This is done by first calculating a DELT value which is representative of the amount of time the output waveform is shifted.
DELT is calculated by multiplying the sum of a sequence of digital numbers outputted by the limiter with the delay value of one delay element. This relationship is given by:
DELT=B*TAU
where B is the sum of the limiter outputs and TAU is the delay value of one delay element.
Secondly, the average period of the output waveform TAV is calculated. This relationship is given by:
TAV=(2m/F2)*((32xe2x88x92Q)*TAU)
where TAU again is the delay value, F2 is the frequency control number from the subcarrier phase locked loop, Q is a representation of the average value of the clockout period and m is the number of bits stored in the register of the waveform generator block.
The next step this technique implements is to convert the time shift to an equivalent phase shift of the output waveform or DELP. This relationship is given by:
DELP=Fracof((B*F2)/(2m*(32xe2x88x92Q)))*360.
this formula, the term Fracof represents the fractional cycle shift.
The last step is to send a phase correction number, represented by PHQ to the waveform generator block according to the calculated value of DELP. This relationship is given by:
PHQ=Fracof*((xe2x88x92B*F2)/(2m*(32xe2x88x92Q)))*2k.
In this representation, the value of k is the number of bits in the look up table of the waveform generator block. The phase correction number will remove the phase shift from the output waveform for each video line.

Technique to stabilize the chrominance subcarrier generation in a line-locked digital video system


By using visual cue agents that exhibit spectral characteristics sufficiently similar to a previously-applied repellent treatment, the amount of the repellent agents used in subsequent or repeat applications may be significantly reduced while still effectively repelling birds. The method for repelling birds from a target includes the application of a first treatment of a bird repellent agent to the target in an amount effective to repel the birds of interest. Subsequently, one or more additional treatment(s) is/are applied to the target including a visual cue agent that exhibits an ultraviolet absorbance spectrum or color which is sufficiently similar to the previously-applied repellent treatment. In these subsequent applications, the bird repellent agent may be applied at a significantly lower amount than the first treatment.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to compositions and methods for repelling wild birds from target foods or places.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several bird species cause monetary losses to agricultural production throughout the United States. For example, red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula), and brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) caused approximately US $13.4 million of damage to United States rice production in 2001 (Cummings et al. 2005, Economic impacts of blackbird damage to the rice industry. Wildlife Damage Management Conference. 11:317-322). Significant economic losses due to birds are also incurred in a number of other crops, including, but not limited to corn, fruit, grains, grasses, legumes, lettuce, millet, oats, rice, row crops, sorghum, sunflower, tree nuts, turf, vegetables, and wheat. Efforts to manage damages to rice and other crops have included the use of a variety of repellents and other nonlethal management alternatives (Werner et al. 2005, Evaluation of Bird Shield™ as a blackbird repellent in ripening rice and sunflower fields. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 33: 251-257). For example, chemical repellents can be used as seed treatments to reduce bird impacts to newly planted crops or as aerial applications to reduce bird consumption of ripening crops.
Methyl and dimethyl anthranilate (MA and DMA, respectively) are ester derivatives of anthranilic acid (also known as orthoamino-benzoic acid). MA, DMA and other derivatives of anthranilic acid as well as esters of phenylacetic acid, are known to be bird aversion agents with preferred embodiments as feed additives to deter feed loss (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,967,128 and 4,790,990), and as an anti-grazing compound for geese and swans (Mason, J. R. et al., "Anthranilate Repellency to Starlings: Chemical Correlates and Sensory Perception", JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, 53:55-64 (1989)). Cinnamamide has also been shown to be a bird aversion agent (Crocker & Perry, PLANT CHEMISTRY AND BIRD REPELLENTS, 132: 300-308 (1990)).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,967,128 discloses the incorporation of MA and other ester derivatives of anthranilic acid as bird aversion agents into feed or pesticide additives, or into liquids to be sprayed on material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,990 teaches that the aversion agent can be at least partially trapped in a solid vehicle to improve its persistency. The solid vehicle can be a modified starch, oil or polymer which microencapsulates the aversion agent.
Schafer et al. (1983, The acute oral toxicity, repellency, and hazard potential of 998 chemicals to one or more species of wild and domestic birds. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 12:355-382) identified caffeine as a potential avian repellent with relatively low toxicity (LD50=316 mg/kg for European starlings [Sturnus vulgaris]). Avery and Cummings (2003, Chemical repellents for reducing crop damage by blackbirds. Pages 41-48 in Linz G. M. Proceedings of the management of North American blackbirds symposium. The Wildlife Society Ninth Annual Conference, 27 Sep. 2002, Bismarck, N. Dak., USA) found that 2,500 ppm caffeine reduced rice consumption by 76% among male red-winged blackbirds in captivity. Blackbirds consumed <10% of rice seeds treated with 10,000 ppm caffeine and >80% of untreated rice seeds under field conditions in southwestern Louisiana, USA (Avery et al. 2005, Caffeine for reducing bird damage to newly seeded rice. Crop Protection. 24: 651-657).
To extend the effectiveness of some repellents, repellent agents have been combined with visual cues or colors. These visual cues or colors serve as preingestive warnings to birds. Birds readily learn to associate these visual cues with unpleasant feeding experiences [Mason, Direct and observational avoidance learning by red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus): the importance of complex visual stimuli. In: T. Zentall and B. G. Galef, Editors, Social Learning: A Biopsychological Approach, Lawrence Erlbaum, Hillsdale, N.J. (1988), pp. 99-115].
While tastes are likely the most potent conditional stimuli in the process of mammalian food consumption [Garcia, Food for Tolman: cognition and cathexis in concert. In: T. Archer and L. Nilsson, Editors, Aversion, avoidance and anxiety, Erlbaum, Hillsdale (1989), pp. 45-85], food preference among bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) is affected by the color of food, and visual stimuli can actually overshadow salient tastes upon conditioning illness-induced aversions [Wilcoxon et al. 1971, Illness-induced aversions in rat and quail: relative salience of visual and gustatory cues, Science, 171:826-828]. Food aversions can be reliably conditioned in red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) using toxic gavage (methiocarb and lithium chloride) paired with colored oats [Mason and Reidinger, 1983, Importance of color for methiocarb-induced food aversions in red-winged blackbirds, J Wildl Manage, 47:383-393]: oats colored differently from the color paired with LiCl were preferred through 4 weeks of post-treatment testing. Furthermore, conspecifics that observed aversive conditioning events similarly formed aversions to colors paired with toxicosis, even though they did not ingest the toxin themselves [Mason et al. 1984, Comparative assessment of food references and aversions acquired by blackbirds via observational learning, Auk, 101:796-803]. Similarly, quelea (Quelea quelea) [Elmandi et al. 1985, Calcium carbonate enhancement of methiocarb repellency for quelea, Trop Pest Manage, 31:67-72] and eared doves (Zenaida auriculata) [Rodriguez et al. An integrated strategy to decrease eared dove damage in sunflower crops. In: J. R. Mason, Editor, Repellents in wildlife management: proceedings of a symposium, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins (1997), pp. 409-421] avoided calcium carbonate-treated crops when presence of the white powder was associated with methiocarb-induced toxicosis. Thus, at least for granivorous birds, color may be the dominant cognitive cue during the food consumption process and visual stimuli may enhance the efficacy of chemical repellents used to reduce bird damage to agricultural production [Avery and Mason, 1997, Feeding responses of red-winged blackbirds to multisensory repellents, Crop Prot, 16:159-164] and [Nelms and Avery, 1997, Reducing bird repellent application rates by the addition of sensory stimuli, Int J Pest Manage, 43:187-190].
However, despite these and other advances, the need remains for an improved system for repelling birds. Chemical repellent applications are typically constrained by a variety of factors, including cost, environmental effects, and food and feed safety. Thus, effective long-term repellence of birds from a target (i.e., food or place) typically requires repeated applications of the chemical repellents. However, repeated applications not only drive up costs, but such repeat applications may be limited to legally permissible aggregate concentrations of the repellent agent per season.

Ultraviolet strategy for avian repellency

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture