A steam or air cooled combined cycle gas turbine includes first and second turbine stages and a second nozzle stage. During start-up, cooling air is supplied radially inwardly through the second stage nozzle for flow into the gas flow through the turbine and for combining with cooling air flowing radially outwardly from a high pressure compressor port. The combined air flow flows radially outwardly through the turbine blades. In normal operation, steam in lieu of air flows radially inwardly through the second nozzle stage and radially outwardly between the turbine wheels and spacer therebetween. Part of the steam through the nozzle stage combines with the radially outwardly flowing steam for cooling the turbine blades. The balance of the steam flows into the gas flow through the turbine. Combined steam/air cooling is effected for abnormally high turbine blade temperatures by combining cooling air from the high pressure discharge port of the compressor with the steam flowing radially outwardly through the turbine blades.

The present invention relates to a cooling system for a gas turbine and particularly relates to an integrated steam/air cooling system for a combined cycle turbine and a method of operating the system.
The traditional approach for cooling gas turbine blades and nozzles is to extract air from a source at a sufficiently high pressure, e.g., by extracting air from the intermediate and last stages of the gas turbine compressor. A series of internal flow passages are typically used to achieve the desired mass flow objectives for cooling the turbine blades; whereas, for nozzles, cooling air is supplied and controlled through external piping. The cooling air flow circuits bypass the combustors where heat is supplied to the thermodynamic cycle. Thus, the diverted coolant air does not receive energy directly from the combustors and does not completely expand through the turbine. This arrangement represents parasitic losses to the turbine output and degrades overall performance efficiency.
Steam cooling in reheat gas turbines has been previously discussed, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,314,442 and 4,565,490 to Rice. Steam cooling has also been discussed in a report by the Electric Power Research Institute, Report No. RP2620-1, entitled "Future Gas Turbine Development Options Definition Study," dated June 1987. This report describes the anticipated performance improvement for steam cooling from a thermodynamic cycle analysis perspective. In the context of that report, the steam cooling supply requirements included a very high pressure source, i.e., on the order of 1840 psia, because it was then believed that such high pressure was needed to overcome circuit friction losses, as well as adverse rotational and centrifugal field forces associated with that proposed closed cooling circuit configuration.
In a combined cycle operation, steam at several pressure and temperature levels is readily available. Coolant air in a gas turbine can be replaced by steam, which is the better cooling medium. Moreover, the problem of degradation of thermal efficiency associated with air as the cooling medium is ameliorated as the transition from air to steam cooling is performed. By using steam as coolant, it is also possible to increase the firing temperatures in the gas turbine cycle.
As set forth in my prior application, identified above, steam and air cooling are integrated in a combined cycle system where primary cooling is provided by steam and off-design operating conditions, e.g., start-up, is provided by air. That is, the gas turbine is operated under normal conditions using steam cooling and has available a backup for operational off-design cooling using air, for example, during start-up or an abrupt failure in the supply of steam. In accordance with that invention, an existing air-cooled gas turbine is modified to change over from operational air cooling to steam cooling. Thus, cooling flow distributions, particularly in the first and second-stage turbine blades and second-stage nozzles, require necessary modification to accommodate steam cooling.
More particularly, second-stage nozzle vanes and first-stage turbine blades are designed specifically to take advantage of the thermal efficiencies of steam cooling. In the second-stage nozzle, a pair of pipes or tubes extend from a manifold coupled to a suitable source of steam from the combined cycle operations and extend through the nozzle vanes and the diaphragm associated with the nozzle vanes. The inner surface of the diaphragm seals with the outer surface of a spacer in a conventional manner, the spacer being carried for rotation with and between the wheels mounting the first and second-stage turbine blades. The spacer defines a pair of chambers with the first and second-stage turbine wheels. Coolant steam passing through the nozzle vanes and through the diaphragm communicates with the chambers and with inlet ports for passage through the first and second-stage turbine blades, as described hereinafter.
Further, discrete inserts envelop and encompass each of the tubes through the nozzle vanes. Each insert is provided with a plurality of apertures for flowing air supplied to the space between the steam carrying tube and the insert outwardly into a cavity defined between the insert and the walls of the nozzle vane. The air cools the nozzle vane and exits the vane both through a series of apertures in its trailing edge and into a chamber within the diaphragm for exit in opposite axial directions into the gas flow through the turbine. The tubes conducting the steam have ribs about their external surfaces to improve the heat transfer relation between the steam within the tubes and the air flowing within the inserts. The external surfaces of the inserts are provided with ribbing, preferably spiral or helical, to direct the flow to the trailing edges and the diaphragm. In operation, the heat transfer between the steam and air lowers the temperature of the steam and increases the temperature of the air. The air flow, however, is expanded and cooled upon passing through the apertures in the insert for cooling impingement against the inside surfaces of the nozzle vanes.
The steam flows through the tubes and diaphragm and through the seal between the diaphragm and the spacer. Preferably, the seal is a labyrinth-type seal with multiple projecting teeth. In accordance with that invention, injector nozzles are spaced one from the other circumferentially about the sealing surface of the spacer. The steam flows from the diaphragm between the adjacent teeth of the labyrinth seal for flow through the injector nozzles in the spacer. The nozzles are shaped to accelerate the flow of steam into the chambers on opposite sides of the spacer.
Coolant steam for the first and second turbine stages is additionally inlet from a location adjacent the shaft of the turbine into the areas between the first and second-stage turbine wheels. Passages are provided through the spacer to enable the steam to enter the chambers. Thus, this inner steam flow passes radially outwardly by centrifugal force to mix with the steam input to the chambers from the tubes of the nozzle stage and the injector nozzles of the spacer. This combined steam flows through and cools the turbine blades of the first and second stages.
In a further aspect of the invention disclosed in my prior application, each first-stage turbine blade includes a serpentine cooling arrangement including four coolant circuits: two single-pass radially outwardly directed passages adjacent the leading and trailing edges of the blade and two intermediate three-pass, forward and aft circuits. The inlet ports for the serpentine passages are through the pedestals mounting the turbine blades. With respect to the forward and aft intermediate circuits, the respective inlet ports are located in the root portion of the blade and the flow of steam is through passages first directed radially outwardly toward the tip portion, then radially inwardly toward the root portion and finally radially outwardly toward the tip portion to exit the turbine blade substantially medially of the blade at its tip portion. The steam therefore flows in serpentine fashion from adjacent the leading and trailing edges in opposite axial directions toward a mid-portion of the turbine blade. Thus, the steam which has collected the most heat from the blade advantageously exits the blade at a location which has the lowest metal temperature.
The leading edge circuit flows steam radially outwardly between an inlet port at the root portion of the blade and an outlet at the tip portion and through a plurality of radially spaced apertures opening into a recess on the leading edge of the blade. That recess is located along the stagnation or pitch area of the blade which is the area of highest blade temperature during operation. The recess contains a porous material, such as woven wire mesh of high density, whereby steam from the first leading edge circuit flows through the apertures into the recess through the mesh for transpiration cooling. The trailing edge circuit flows steam from an inlet port adjacent the root portion of the blade to an outlet adjacent the tip portion, as well as through a series of apertures radially spaced along the trailing edge of the blade.
Additionally, on the pressure side of each vane, there is provided a series of bleed film cooling holes radially spaced along the blade and in communication preferably with the first passageway of the forward intermediate circuit for supplying film cooling steam along the pressure surface of the vane. Film cooling is provided because steam has superior radiant properties, e.g., absorbtivity and emissivity, and absorbs much of the radiant energy and emits this energy at a lower intensity. On the pressure side of the vane, there is also provided a series of bleed film cooling holes radially spaced along the blade, preferably in communication with the final passageway of the aft intermediate circuit. The location of these bleed film cooling holes between the leading and trailing edges of the blade on the suction side is selected because the boundary layer thickens along this area. The boundary layer increases the convective thermal load on the part. By reducing the boundary layer by thin film cooling, the convective thermal load on the part is reduced.
The second-stage turbine blades are each provided with a plurality of straight-through radial passages for passing cooling steam radially outwardly to the blade tips. Each turbine stage has a steam collection shroud adjacent the tips of the blades for collecting the cooling steam.
An air cooling system is integrated with the steam cooling system just described. To accomplish this, a rotating nozzle collar is provided on the inner circumference of the first-stage wheel. Fixed and movable valve structures are mounted about the shaft. The valve is normally closed to prevent air under pressure from the compressor from flowing radially outwardly into the spaces between the wheels and spacer and into the chambers. During start-up or off-design operation, for example, when steam pressure is not available or lost, the solenoid is actuated to open the valve to provide air under pressure into those areas for flow through the inlet ports of the first and second-stage turbine blades to effect cooling. After start-up or when the air cooling is generally not needed, the solenoid closes the valve to prevent air from entering those spaces.
The present invention provides apparatus and methods for integrating steam cooling with existing air cooling designs for gas turbines whereby transitions can be made between air cooling, steam cooling, combinations of air/steam cooling and for all operating conditions of the gas turbine in a manner to obtain full thermodynamic advantage and cycle efficiency. Thus, thermodynamic losses are eliminated or minimized, while, concurrently, steam cooling permits higher firing temperatures for higher machine output ratings. Additionally, combustor emission controls are improved by affording more air and steam in the combustion process without effect on other operational components of the turbine. For example, and still further, thermal low-cycle fatigue of turbine rotor wheels occurs as a result of temperature gradients induced across the wheels caused by cooling air flow around the turbine wheels. By replacing the cooling air with steam, thermal gradients are reduced and life expectancy of the turbine rotor wheels is extended.
The present invention provides a system for integrating the steam cooling features of the first and second stage turbine blades and second stage nozzles set forth in my prior application, with existing air cooling circuits in current gas turbine designs. Moreover, the system integrates air and steam cooling for all modes of operation of the turbine, for example, affording a smooth transition from air cooling to steam cooling during start-up when steam becomes available, steam cooling during normal operations with the option of affording additional air cooling, and with additional cooling afforded by air cooling during periods of abnormal operation, e.g., when particularly hot parts of the turbine blades are detected. Consequently, the present invention affords an integrated steam/air cooling system for gas turbines having better cycle efficiency, higher firing temperatures, enhanced turbine cooling, flexibility in combustion emission control and enhancement of turbine rotor wheel low-cycle fatigue life.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided an integrated steam/air cooling system for a gas turbine comprising a pair of axially spaced, rotatable turbine stages, each having a plurality of turbine blades for disposition in a gas flow through the turbine, at least certain of the turbine blades each having at least one interior passage, a nozzle stage between the turbine stages and including a plurality of nozzle vanes for disposition in the gas flow through the turbine, at least certain of the vanes each having at least one interior passage. Means are provided for supplying cooling air to the interior passages to air cool the turbine and for supplying steam to the interior passages to steam cool the turbine. Means are cooperable with the cooling air supply means and the steam supply means for effecting a transition between air cooling the turbine and steam cooling the turbine.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, in a gas turbine having a pair of axially spaced, rotatable turbine stages, each having a plurality of turbine blades for disposition in a gas flow through the turbine with at least certain of the turbine blades each having at least one interior passage, a nozzle stage between the turbine stages and including a plurality of nozzle vanes for disposition in the gas flow through the turbine with at least certain of the vanes each having at least one interior passage, a method of operating a cooling system for the gas turbine including the steps of initially supplying cooling air to the interior passages of said turbine blades to air cool the turbine during start-up of the turbine, thereafter supplying steam to the interior passages of said turbine blades to steam cool the turbine during normal operation of the turbine after turbine start-up and means cooperable with the cooling air supply means and the steam supply means for effecting a transition between air cooling the turbine and steam cooling the turbine.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved steam/air cooling system for gas turbines.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings.

Integrated steam/air cooling system for gas turbines


A method for responding to potential threats at a store, such as theft or vandalism, can include analyzing threat predictors, such as police reports and store reports, to determine a trend of theft or other threats. In some implementations, a organization, such as a chain of retail stores, can include a large number of facilities. Each facility may be capable of producing a significant volume of video data from various video cameras at the facility. In some implementations, the volume of video data monitored from the stores and from the cameras within the stores can be narrowed or reduced by monitoring substantially only the video data from the stores and locations within the stores that were identified as potential targets in the trend of theft.

Theft at retail stores is a continuing problem. In some cases, stores use video monitoring in an attempt to prevent theft. Typically, there is a large amount of video from multiple cameras at multiple locations. Some stores may generate hundreds of hours, or more, of video every day. Personnel at a store may monitor the video from the cameras in real-time in an attempt to detect and prevent theft. In some cases, a theft may be recorded by a camera and never seen by store personnel. In another example, a theft can occur, and be discovered at a later time, such as by comparing stock levels with sales. When thefts occur but are not discovered until some time later, the response to such thefts is a reactive response. In some cases, a reactive response can lead to apprehension of a thief, for example, where an investigation of video leads to an identification of an actual individual in sufficient detail to allow that individual to be apprehended at a later time.
In some cases, video monitoring and video analytics can be used in a retail store environment. Video monitoring can be used for a number of purposes, such as security monitoring, store personnel compliance monitoring, and monitoring for various problems or issues that can be corrected or addressed (for example, spills, wet floors, or long lines at checkout lanes). Thefts or other suspicious activity can on occasion be caught by random real-time monitoring of video. In some cases, the video can be reviewed after the fact, for example, when it is known that a theft has occurred. In that situation, security or other store personnel, or even investigators, can go through specifically chosen video for a camera known to have been directed at the area where the theft took place.


A ratchet wheel device for a baby walker provided on the bottom surface of a chassis of the baby walker, it is comprised of a wheel rim, two transmitting gears, a transmitting member and a cover. The wheel rim is provided therein with a receiving chamber. The two transmitting gears are mounted on both sides of the receiving chamber and can fitly move therein and can be stopped by two stop portions in the receiving chamber. The transmitting member is provided in the receiving chamber and fixed on the chassis of the baby walker. A plurality of engaging teeth are provided thereon to engage with the transmitting gears. When the wheel rim is rotated to a specified direction, the two transmitting gears will not interact with the stop portions. While when it is rotated in the contrary direction, the two transmitting gears will be engaged by the transmitting member to be stopped by the stop portions and to limit rotation of the wheel rim. In this way, the device allows rotation only in a single direction, so that the baby walker can be safer in use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ratchet wheel device for a baby walker, and especially to such a ratchet wheel device capable of rotating only to one direction. When the ratchet wheel device is mounted on the chassis of the baby walker, it can prevent the baby walker from retrogression, and using of the baby walker can be safer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A baby walker is provided for a baby to learn walking sitting therein. The baby can walk to any direction he wants to go, so that the baby walker is more practical in use. However, random moving of the baby walker increases danger to the baby using it. The center of gravity of the baby is located at the more rear area of the baby walker, the baby is subjected to falling down stairs or down on an uneven ground to make big hurt. Therefore, manufacturers commonly change the rear wheels on the baby walker into ratchet wheels under the condition not completely impeding the practicality of using of the baby walker. The ratchet wheels are made each to be capable of rotating only to one direction. So that when in use, the baby walker can only be moved straight forwards rather than moved straight backwards or transversely. In this way, safety in using of the baby walker is increased.


The particle separation and collection system for a circulating fluidized bed combustion system is incorporated inside of the combustor. One or more particle collecting cells are formed along one of the waterwalls of the combustor with the walls of the cells also being water cooled. The cells may contain heat exchange surface and means are provided at the bottom of each cell to control the flow of particles from the cells back into the combustor.

The present invention relates to a circulating fluidized bed combustion system and particularly to a system for separating and returning the solid particles to the combustor.
One of the main features of fluidized bed combustion is the ability to burn high-sulfur fuels in an environmentally acceptable manner without the use of flue-gas scrubbers. In fluidized bed combustion, much of the sulfur contained in the fuel is removed during the combustion by a sorbent material in the fluid bed, usually limestone.
One type of fluidized bed combustion is the circulating fluidized bed system. In this system, the gas velocities in the combustor are three to four times as high as in a bubbling fluidized bed system. The small solid particles of limestone are carried up through and out of the combustor and a uniform lower-density gas/solids mixture exists throughout the entire system. Since the solids move through the system at a lower velocity than the gases, significant solids residence times are obtained. The long residence time coupled with the small particles size produce high combustion efficiency and high sulfur oxide removal with lower sorbent limestone feed.
In a circulating fluidized bed combustion system, the solids which are carried from the combustor are separated from the gas and returned to the combustor. Normally, this has been accomplished by cyclone separators which are external from the combustor and connected by a horizontal gas pass. These cyclone separators have been water cooled, steam cooled or refractory lined. These external cyclone separators require considerable building space and create differential thermal expansion problems among the combustor, the horizontal gas pass and the cyclones.

Internal particle collecting cells for circulating fluid bed combustion


A system resizes content within a document that includes a document segmenter that receives a document that contains content. The document segmenter analyzes the content within the document and segments the content into a plurality of object types. An object priority applicator determines a class value associated with each object type. A location scaler identifies a datum point for each object type within the document, wherein each datum point maintains a relative location to one another regardless of document resizing. An object sizing component resizes each object based at least in part upon the class value.

This invention generally relates to resizing of content within documents. In one particular application, document content is segmented into objects, wherein each object is assigned a class value. The objects can be located and resized based at least in part upon the class value associated therewith. It is to be appreciated, however, that substantially any systems and methods are contemplated.
The creation of documents via digital means is generally accomplished utilizing computer-based production tools. Each document can contain a variety of content types such as text, images, graphics, logos and whitespace (e.g., background). Resizing of some or all of this content can be desired to accommodate a wide range of applications that includes varying source resolutions and/or the requirement of rendering on different paper sizes. For example, an emphasis on text may be desired for relatively smaller renderings of a document. In contrast, an emphasis on images may be desired for relatively larger renderings.
The process of resizing digital content, such as an image, is referred to as scaling. Conventional approaches to resize content to a target dimension typically employs isomorphic or anamorphic scaling based on well established and simple signal processing principles. These processes typically involve a tradeoff between efficiency, smoothness and sharpness. As the size of an image is increased, the pixels which comprise the image become increasingly visible, causing unwanted artifacts to appear.
There are several methods, however, to increase the number of pixels that an image contains to attempt to even out the appearance of the original pixels. In one approach, a nearest neighbor interpolation can be employed to double the size of an image. In this method, every pixel is replaced with four pixels of the same color. The resulting image is larger than the original and preserves all the original details but has undesirable jaggedness. Moreover, diagonal lines can appear to show a characteristic stairway shape.
Interpolation techniques can be utilized to provide better results than a nearest neighbor system to change the size of an image. Such techniques, however, can cause undesirable softening of details and can still render a somewhat jagged image. Bicubic interpolation or an hqx scaling algorithm can be utilized to compensate for such deficiencies. Such methods can produce sharp edges and maintain a high level of detail when executing rescaling operations.
While these techniques are fast and simple, limitations are well known in that they do not respect underlying image content and resizing. For this reason, content aware image resizing methods have been developed recently, such as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/533,880, filed Jul. 31, 2009; Ser. No. 12/330,879, filed Dec. 9, 2009; Ser. No. 12/369,790, filed Feb. 12, 2009; and, Ser. No. 12/544,561, filed Aug. 20, 2009, all incorporated herein by reference. The philosophy of these techniques can be summarized in two steps. First, a geometric and/or entropic descriptor is utilized to quantify relative importance of image pixels. Second, connected paths of low importance pixels are determined to the image called seams that have low energy.
Energy is determined as a summed up importance of pixels and selective dropping of these low energy seams can reduce size. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/533,880 proposes notions of pixel importance that are well adapted based on application. U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/330,879 and 12/369,790 focus on selective removal of image seams based on image content, such as the optimization of document content. Finally, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/544,561 performs reduction based on knowledge of constituent object types for pdf documents. These references, however, are only focused on one aspect of resizing—image reduction.
Unfortunately, utilizing such methods for image enlargement is not as straight forward. For example, one could conceivably construct an image importance map and insert seams in high importance areas. Unfortunately, this approach is fundamentally limited by the lack of information available for insertion into the high importance area. For this reason, repetition of adjacent pixels does not provide amplification. The result instead is a highly noticeable and undesirable geometric distortion. An alternative approach, proposed in Aviden, Shai and Shamir, Ariel 2007 Seam Carving for Content-Aware Image Resizing, inserts seams again in low importance areas. The philosophy is that when images are reduced using a content-aware technique, the new enlarged image yields the original one as a result. This approach, however, does not achieve amplification of particular (e.g., visually important) content.
Accordingly, systems and methods are needed to optimally resize particular content within a document.

Systems and methods to resize document content


The claims based identity model provides a model which associates security identities with claims. The model represents information contained in the claims, as well as, captures relationships between the security identities described in the claims. Finally, the data model can be easily translated to the existing .NET environment without breaking the backward compatibility for existing .NET applications.

Most current enterprise security infrastructure is designed to discriminate users accessing resources in the same security domain (e.g. Active Directory Trust Domains). In this environment, symmetric key protocols, such as Kerberos, are used to communicate with a Key Distribution Center (KDC) to establish and verify credentials that are exchanged between clients and servers hosting protected information within the domain. Servers evaluate these credentials relative to access control lists associated with each protected resource to determine access. When the client and servers are located in distinct security domains, this model cannot function as a single KDC does not exist. Instead, a federated model must be used where points of trust are established in each domain to generate (and potentially verify) authoritative statements of identity for applications and users requesting access to resources in foreign security domains. This federated model, as described in more detail herein is supported and embraced by many public specifications including WS-Trust, WS-Federation, and Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML).
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a system and method that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art and enables systems to affect access control across security domains.

Representing security identities using claims


An optical device module includes an optical device, a soaking unit fixed to one surface of the optical device, a heating/cooling unit fixed to one surface of the soaking unit, a heat-insulating unit fixed to one surface of the heating/cooling unit, and a package that houses the optical device, the soaking unit, the heating/cooling unit, and the heat-insulating unit and to which the heat-insulating unit is fixed. The heating/cooling unit heats the optical device using self-generated heat or cools the optical device via the soaking unit.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical device module that homogenizes temperature distribution in optical devices, such as acousto-optic effect selection filters and arrayed waveguide grating filters, which are used in communication systems that employ wavelength-division multiplexing.
2) Description of the Related Art
If wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) method is used in communication systems, the transmission capacity increases remarkably. Conventionally, in each node that carries out wavelength-division multiplexing, functions of adding and dropping optional wavelengths of light are essential. LiNbO3 waveguide type acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) that achieve these functions using acousto-optic effects are attracting attention. The advantage of the AOTF is that multiple wavelengths can be selected simultaneously or wide wavelength band exceeding 100 nanometer (nm) can be selected (see Optorics (1999) No. 5, P155 and The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, OPE 96-123, P79).
In addition, as optical devices for adding and dropping various optical signals, an optical waveguide grating (AWG), which uses an optical add/drop module array, is also included in main devices under examination. The advantage of the optical add/drop module array is that signal wavelength grids having intervals of 0.8 nm to 0.2 nm can be supported in the device.
(1) FIG. 27 illustrates a technique applied in a conventional optical device module (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-330811). The AOTF 202 mentioned above includes x-cut LiNbO3 (lithium niobate) substrate 204, waveguide 206 formed by diffusing Ti (titanium) at high temperature by the Ti-diffusion method on LiNbO3 substrate 204, splines 208 formed at the positions on the light incoming side and light outgoing side on LiNbO3 substrate 204, interdigital transducer (IDT) 210 formed by patterning at the position in the light incoming side from the center, polarized beam splitter (PBS) 212 formed on LiNbO3 substrate 204 by the Ti-diffusion method, surface acoustic wave (SAW) guide 211 formed on waveguide 206, and SAW absorber 213.
In the AOTF 202, incoming light λ1 through λn are polarized and separated by PBS 212 and at the same time, polarized and synthesized by PBS 212 again. One beam is outputted to a split light port (not illustrated) as split light λ1 and the other is outputted to a transmitted light port (not illustrated) as transmitted light λ2 through λn. Moreover, incoming light of wavelength equivalent to the frequency of waveguide 206, that is, incoming light λ1 only is polarized and converted by transmitting waveguide 206 and outputted to the split light port.
(2) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H8-146369 discloses a technique in which an acousto-optic filter includes a light waveguide for propagating single relative rectilinear polarized light, SAW generating means mounted on the optical waveguide for generating the SAW, and an interaction region which distributes a propagation loss of the SAW spatially and converts a specific wavelength component of the single relative rectilinear polarized light propagated in the light waveguide into rectilinear polarized light, which cross at right angles.
(3) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-326855 discloses a method for adjusting filter wavelength characteristics by changing the shape and location of a strain-providing section after manufacturing an element with the strain providing section, for correcting local double refraction index of an optical waveguide.
(4) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H9-49994 discloses a wavelength filter with an absorber for absorbing an SAW by each reflective electrode to the outside of the optical waveguide by forming the optical waveguide, and excitation electrodes for exciting the SAW on an acousto-optic crystal substrate and disposing reflective electrodes on propagation passage of the SAW.
(5) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-90563 discloses a waveguide type optical module, in which a heating/cooling element for controlling the temperature of the waveguide type optical element using a soaking plate and heat buffer layer, is installed on the temperature dependent waveguide type optical element and at least part of the soaking plate is brought into contact with the waveguide type element.
(6) On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-249853 discloses an arrayed-waveguide grating that uses an optical add/drop module, as shown in FIG. 28, and that includes a waveguide chip (including, for example, optical substrate such as silicon, quartz, sapphire, etc.) 224 with arrayed waveguide (channel waveguide) 222 provided with optical add/drop functions on the surface, slab waveguide 226, and soaking plate 228 which bonds to the rear surface of waveguide chip 224 and soaks waveguide chip 224, wherein upper plate 230 for optical fiber connection is installed to the surface with arrayed waveguide 222 of waveguide chip 224 formed.
The AOTF 202 of LiNbO3 waveguide type according to (1) generally has heater 234 positioned with soaking plate 232, for example, copper plate, etc. intervened on the rear surface of x-cut LiNbO3 substrate 204 as shown in FIG. 29, and modularized in package (PKG) 236 together with this heater 234.
The heat conductivity in module construction of AOTF 202 can be assumed to be obtained by connecting heat resistance Rln of LiNbO3 substrate 204 as well as ambient (air) heat resistance Rair and heat resistance Rpkg of package 236 in parallel across current source I and external heat source (PKG incoming radiation) Ta as per thermal substrate 204 shown in FIG. 30 when package 236 is formed by material having comparatively high thermal conductivity.
This can be shown by the following mathematical expression:Th=I·((Rpkg·Rair)/(Rpkg+Rln+Rair))+Ta  (1)ΔT =Th−Ta  (2)∴I=ΔT·(1+Rpkg/Rair+Rln/Rair)/Rpkg ≈ΔT·(1/Rpkg)  (3)where Th is the temperature of LiNbO3 substrate 204.
Based on the above thermal conductivity, the temperature distribution of LiNbO3 waveguide type AOTF 202 is investigated. When the thermal conductivity is high, that is, Rpkg is small, soaking can take place, but (3) indicates that consumption power I of heater 234 increases as Rpkg decreases. That is, even if soaking is carried out, the consumption power of heater 234 increases and it becomes unserviceable.
On the other hand, when package 236 is formed by material with low thermal conductivity (see FIG. 31), as is the case of the thermal equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 32A, across current source I and external heat source (PKG incoming radiation) Ta, heat resistance Rln0 of LiNbO3 substrate 204, and ambient heat resistance Rair0 are connected in parallel with heat resistance Rpkg of package 236. Heat resistance Rln1 of LiNbO3 substrate 204 and ambient heat resistance Rair1 in parallel with heat resistance Rpkg of package 236 are further connected in parallel after connecting center heat resistance Rspkg of package 236 across both parallel connections. At the same time, ambient heat resistance Rairout outside package 236 in communication with the ground is connected across heat resistance Rpkg of package 236 and ambient heat resistance Rair1.
This thermal equivalent circuit can be simplified to a circuit as shown in FIG. 32B in which heat resistance Rln0, heat resistance Rair0 of ambient in PKG, heat resistance Rpkg of LiNbO3 substrate 204, and heat resistance Rair1 of ambient in PKG are connected to center heat resistance Rspkg of package 236 in parallel across external heat source (PKG incoming radiation) Ta and heat resistance Rairout of ambient outside package 236.
This can be given by the following mathematical expression:ΔTpkg=Ta·Rc/(Rc+Rairout)  (4)ΔTs=ΔTpkg·Rln/(Rln+Rair)  (5)where, Rln0=Rln1=Rln·½Rair0=Rair1=Rair·½∴ΔTs=(Rc/(Rc+Rairout))·(Rln/(Rln+Rair))·Ta  (6)ΔTs=Ta·(Rpkg/Rairout)·(Rln/Rair)/((Rpkg/Rair+Rln/Rair+1)+(1+Rln/Rair)·Rpkg/Rairout)  (7)
Now if Rln<<Rair or Rpkg<<Rairout,ΔTs=0.
Based on the above thermal conductivity, the temperature distribution of LiNbO3 waveguide type AOTF 202 is investigated. In general, since Rln is not extremely smaller than Rair, Rpkg must be extremely smaller than air resistance Rairout, but this is not practical. Consequently, if package 236 is made of material with low thermal conductivity, and the external wall of package 236 is exposed to non-homogeneous outdoor temperature due to heat from an external heat source, the package is susceptible to non-uniformity of the outdoor temperature. Therefore, device (LiNbO3 substrate 204) surface temperature is likely to be non-uniform (temperature gradient is generated).
Analyzing from the heat equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 32B indicates that ΔTs, which is a temperature difference between both ends of a device, cannot be reduced unless heat resistance of package 236 is extremely smaller than air resistance outside the package. Consequently, when heat-insulating material is used for package 236, problems would occur when the external temperature is non-uniform.
Therefore, even if soaking plate 232 is used, temperature of the entire LiNbO3 substrate 204 cannot be homogenized. Moreover, temperature gradient is found on the surface of SAW guide 211 and stress is applied non-uniformly due to temperature gradient. Therefore, generation of crystal strain caused by acousto-optical effects cannot be prevented strictly, and filter characteristics degrade. In addition, this further causes a detrimental effect when multi-channeling is attempted, and subsequently, the total length and breadth of LiNbO3 substrate 204 and SAW guide 211 increase.
In (2), it is possible to make the attenuation coefficient of SAW 1.3 dB/cm and suppress side lobes satisfactorily by carrying out annealing treatment for a specified time. However, this is an insufficient configuration from the viewpoint of achieving a uniform temperature distribution, and characteristic problems as described above remain unsolved.
The conventional example according to (3) intends to adjust the filter wavelength characteristics by changing the shape and arrangement of a strain providing section after manufacturing an element with the strain providing section for correcting local double refraction index of an optical waveguide. However, from the viewpoint of providing uniform temperature and achieving strain correction, it requires extra cost and impairs simplicity from the viewpoint of manufacture. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to correct the difference in refraction index appropriately, in order to obtain completely satisfactory filter characteristics.
In the conventional examples described in (1) through (4), various techniques are described for improving characteristics as a device unit, but these methods do not consider any measures against heat when they are modularized. Particularly, these methods do not take into account generation of temperature gradient, and cannot solve the problem in the case of achieving multi-channeling in which a plurality of AOTF are positioned on one LiNbO3 substrate. As described in (4), it is well known that the filter characteristics of AOTF degrade when temperature distribution is present on the surface of the SAW guide. This is because when stress is applied non-uniformly due to temperature distributions, crystal strain due to acousto-optic effects becomes non-uniform and the filter characteristics degrade. Consequently, it becomes difficult to make the temperature in the SAW guide uniform. Furthermore, when multi-channeling is achieved, not only length but also width of the AOTF device increases, and it becomes still more difficult to achieve uniform temperature on the device surface.
The conventional examples described in (5) and (6) describe a soaking structure in a waveguide device. In these examples, a soaking plate made of a metal with excellent thermal conductivity is inserted between AWG waveguide device and temperature control device (heater, Peltier device). In the case of an AOTF device different from AWG, since the device area is large, there is a temperature gradient of the heater itself and temperature gradient due to heat resistance difference of air on the AOTF device surface. Therefore, the desired temperature uniformity cannot be achieved by this kind of soaking plate alone. That is, with such construction, a heat soaking plate is placed only on the Peltier device and though the temperature is made homogeneous, outside effects are not considered. In addition, if the heat soaking plate that provides good thermal conductivity is provided, consumption power increases.
In the optical add/drop modules that use an AWG device, described in (6), lengths of adjoining waveguides in the channel waveguides vary slightly and slab waveguide are formed on an optical substrate such as silicon, quartz, sapphire, etc. (see "FIG. 1" of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-249853). In this kind of waveguide type device, temperature distribution deviates the light path from the designed value due to temperature dependency of refraction index. In addition, in this waveguide type device, as the number of channels increases, the device area expands; and a construction that does not generate temperature distribution becomes indispensable.
Thus, the device area in AOTF devices is large. Therefore, problems such as temperature gradient of the heater and temperature gradient caused by difference in heat resistance on the device surface, etc. occur. Therefore, in AOTF devices, the use of the heat soaking plate alone cannot achieve the temperature uniformity in the device. On the other hand, in AWG devices, because the device area increases with the number of channels, temperature uniformity cannot be achieved in the device.


When a user designates a communication application, a communication server machine searches a database for another user who can have a communication with the former user through the communication application designated by the former user, and then connects the users with each other through the designated communication application. As a result, the users can have an optimum smooth communication.

The present invention relates to communication systems and communication methods in which users having different connection environments are connected with each other through the optimum communication means automatically selected so as to make the optimum smooth communication, and also to terminal devices, computer programs for communication, and computer-readable recording media having the communication programs recorded thereon.
In recent years, with the progress of communication techniques, communication lines having various transmission bands have been developed and put in practical use. For example, well known are an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line with its transmission rate of 128 kbps, a T1 line with its transmission rate of 1.544 Mbps, an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) with its up transmission rate of 16 kbps to 1 Mbps and its down transmission rate of 1.5 to 8 Mbps, and a cable television (CATV) communication line with its transmission rate of 512 kbps. Using one of such communication lines, each user connects his or her client terminal device with an Internet service provider (ISP) or the like to receive desired services or provide predetermined services.
On the other hand, as communication means capable of making a one-to-one communication between persons or communications among several persons on a network, there are a text chat system for which even a connection environment of a transmission band with a transmission rate of about 56 kbps suffices, an Internet telephone system using VOIP (Voice Over IP), a video chat system and a voice chat system that require a connection environment of a transmission band with a transmission rate of about 128 kbps, TV conference systems that require a connection environment of a transmission band with a transmission rate of about 512 kbps, and so on.
In general, users have different connection environments as described above. In addition, it is difficult for users who intend to have communications with each other to know the connection environments of the opposite parties. Thus, there is a conventional problem that such users cannot select the optimum communication means for their communication.
For example, in a case in which the users each have a connection environment of a high-speed communication line such as the T1 line or the like described above, they need not communicate through the text chat system that uses a narrow band communication line. They can communicate through the video chat system or the like that requires a communication line of a broader transmission band than the text chat system. If they nevertheless adopted communication means for a narrow band communication line, it means that their valuable high-speed communication line was not being utilized effectively and it never means that they had a fully smooth communication.


The present disclosure in some embodiments provides an antenna control system wherein multiple primaries perform selective communications with antenna line devices (ALDs) and its operation method. Some embodiments provide an antenna control system including a switching unit which is interconnected between at least one functional unit for controlling an antenna of a radio base station and a plurality of control devices for transmitting a control signal to the functional unit so as to control as well as power the functional unit, and is configured to selectively electrically connect any of the plurality of control devices to the functional unit.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and do not necessarily constitute prior art.
Mobile radio antenna is installed with more and more functions that can be remotely queried or remotely controlled. Known applications of this kind include, for example, a remote electrical tilt (RET) device for electronic down tilt angle adjustment, a remote azimuth steering (RAB) device, a remote azimuth beamwidth (RAB), and the like.
Such units could not be interconnected because each antenna manufacturer has a proprietary control system for its antenna, but recent LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless or radio base stations, etc. are frequently adopting AISG (Antenna Interface Standards Group) or 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standards for controlling antennas. The AISG standard is the specifications standardized for ensuring the interoperability of the antennas with respect to their tilting control schemes.
Usually, a wireless base station antenna and its controlling RET device or such AISG device (AISG functional unit: Antenna Line Device or ALD) are placed in a high position, such as the top of a tower and a building roof. On the other hand, a wireless device for supplying power to the antenna or a control device (AISG control device: primary) can commonly be disposed at a lower position such as the bottom of the tower. Here, the control device transmits a control signal (RS485 standard signal) to an AISG device, and executes the control of the antenna by controlling the AISG device while supplying power to the AISG device.
According to the 3GPP or AISG standards, RET control is largely classified by, for example, a primary station and the secondary station. A mobile communication base station may be typically configured by an antenna system installed at a high position of a building, pole, etc., a base station main system installed on the ground, and a feeder cable connecting between the two, wherein the primary station may correspond to the base station main system, and the secondary station to the antenna system.
In such antenna systems, the antenna control apparatus has its wireless device output an RF signal which is a feed signal for supplying power to the antenna, has its AISG control device output an AISG signal composed of a direct current power for driving AISG units and their control signal. Then, a BS (base station) modem combines a modulated signal obtained by modulating the RF signal and AISG signal, and transmits the combined signal via the feeder cable to an antenna modem of the antenna system. The antenna system causes the antenna modem to separate the combined signal into the modulated signal and the RF signal, supply the antenna with the RF signal power after the separation, and provide the AISG devices with an output of the AISG signal composed of a direct current power and a control signal obtained from demodulating the modulated signal by a modem circuit (demodulation circuit) within the antenna modem.

Antenna control system and its operating method


The present invention relates to an acrylonitrile (ASA) type thermoplastic resin composition with excellent weatherability and appearance properties, and more particularly, to an acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile type thermoplastic resin composition comprising a) an acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile graft copolymer; b) a butadienc-acrylonitrile methylmethacrylate graft copolymer; c) a copolymer of aromatic vinyl compound and vinylcyanide compound; and d) an alkyl acrylate copolymer, which has remarkably improved appearance properties such as scratch resistance, color (color stability) and gloss as well as excellent basic properties and weatherability.

The acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA, terpolymer) resin has excellent processability, impact resistance and weatherability, as compared to butadiene-styrene-acrylonitrile (ABS) resin. Owing to its beneficial properties, it rapidly substitutes for paint-coated articles used for the outdoors and thus, be widely used in automotive parts, construction elements, sport supplies and the like. However, upon comparision with the conventional paint-coated articles, it still has shortcomings of deterioration in appearance properties such as scratch resistance, color stability, gloss and the like, causing deterioration of product quality.
As the most widely utilized method to improve appearance properties of the acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) resin, there has been proposed a method for blending the acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile resin with a second resin which can supplement the weak properties of the acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile. A representative example is a blend with methylmethacrylate (PMMA, Poly methyl methacrylate) resin. The methylmethacrylate resin has excellent weatherability, mechanical properties and surface scratch resistance and thus, is widely used in outdoor products. The compatibility of ASA (SAN) resin with the methylmethacrylate resin blend in the industrial aspect has been already reported in various literatures by Fower et al. (Polymer, 1987, vol 28, 1177 to 1184) and by Schafer et al. (Polymer, 1997, vol 38, 3745 to 3752). Also, acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile/methylmethacrylate blend(ASA/PMMA) resin has been already commercialized. However, the blending method may affect adversely, such as reduction in gloss of the final blend product, when the molecular weight of the methylmethacrylate is wrongly selected, causing deterioration of appearance properties. Further, the product has poor impact strength at low temperature.
In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,476,126 and 4,579,909 disclose methods for producing a thermoplastic resin having excellent basic physical properties and appearance properties and weatherability, which comprises a 3-component blend of acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile/methylmethacrylate/polycarbonate(ASA/PMMA/PC). The method has problems in that the resin has poor formability due to low flowability and also has poor economical efficiency, though it satisfies all the appearance properties as described above.

Thermoplastic resin composition having improved external appearance and excellent weatherability


An organic electroluminescent device, which has:                at least one organic layer between a pair of electrodes, with at least one layer of the at least one organic layer being a light-emitting layer, and        at least one compound that has a structure represented by formula (2), as the compound itself or as its partial structure, in at least one layer of the at least one organic layer:

Currently, research and development efforts have been actively made for various display devices, and of these, an organic electroluminescence (EL) device draws attention since it can emit high-intensity light at low voltage. Recently, there has been demand for improvement in device durability, and the electroluminescent device is also required to be improved in durability.
As suitable materials for improving durability of such devices, various aromatic condensed-ring hydrocarbon materials have been proposed. For example, JP-A-8-12600 ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application) and JP-A-2001-335516 disclose diphenyl anthracene derivatives.
Since, however, the above aromatic condensed-ring materials generally have a low T1 energy level, they are disadvantageous in efficiency of energy transfer to a dopant. To improve the light emission efficiency, it is desired to develop aromatic hydrocarbon materials having higher T1 energy levels.

Abstract: wherein, in formula (2), each of A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, A11, A12, A13, A14, A15, and A16 represents a nitrogen atom or a carbon atom that may optionally have a substituent, and at least one of A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, A11, A12, A13, A14, A15 and A16 is a nitrogen atom.


One-way valve, especially low-pressure check valve, for use in the medical technology, having a housing consisting of an inlet half and an outlet half and having an inlet channel and an outlet channel with a diaphragm being positioned in a pressure space which is contacting an annular valve seat under pre-tension which is opening into the outlet channel. The pressure space is consisting of two pressure chambers. In the direction of flow before the closing mechanism formed by the valve seat and the diaphragm a second valve mechanism is provided which is opening in the same sense with the first closing mechanism at an over-pressure in the entry channel and which is closing at an over-pressure in the exit channel.

The invention relates to a one-way valve, especially a low pressure check valve, for use in the medical technique, having a housing consisting of an inlet half and an outlet half, which is provided with an inlet channel and an outlet channel and having a diaphragm provided in a pressure space which is contacting an annular valve seat under pretension leading to the outlet channel, wherein the pressure space is consisting of two pressure chambers.
One-way valves of this kind are used as stop valves against complete emptying, especially in infusion sets, wherein such valves are used to prevent the ingress of air into the infusion fluid during the empting of a reservoir being filled with the infusion fluid by providing for an instant stop of the flow such that towards the end of the feed no air can get into the venous system of a patient via the lines connected to the venous system.
A check valve for the use in an infusion set for example is known from the DE 2919343 A1 which is having a drip chamber and a float valve which is preventing the ingress of air into the infusion line during the empting of the chamber. On the exit side in the flexible hose line leading to the infusion needle there is provided a roller clamp. To prevent the entire line system of the infusion set from filling with air a double-seat float valve is used having a ball as a float, wherein however such ball float valves are not acting sufficiety exact such that an ingress of air into the infusion hose cannot prevented in any case.
From the DE 3632412 A1 further a drain-off safety device is known in which in the direction of flow ahead the drip chamber a valve acting at drain-off is positioned. In this valve a float ball under friction is contacting a channel wall when sealing and cannot prevent an admission of air with absolute safety. The two above-mentioned valves are not suitable to safely exclude the admission of air into the human venous system.
From the DE 19749562 A1 further an infusion set is known which is consisting of a highly suspended container for the infusion liquid and a drip chamber which is connectable by a tubular spike to a flow restrictor container as well of a roller clamp being adjustable on a flexible line below the container and an injection needle at the distal end of the line. In the direction of flow before the drip chamber or at the entrance thereof there is provided an empty drain stop to prevent the ingress of the air into the infusion liquid especially toward the end of the feed of the infusion liquid. By means of the drain empty stop or the valve provided therein, respectively, depending from an existing static pressure the flow of the infusion liquid can be switched off. In the practical use however it has been found that the anti-drain stop which is working in dependence from the existing static pressure of the infusion liquid is not sufficient to safely prevent the entrance of air. Especially if the possibility is given that the connections are exchanged by negligence and folIowingly the function of the anti-drain stop valve is not ensured anymore an especially dangerous situation is given when due to this air can reach the infusion system which could lead to an embolism of the patent if such air reaches the venous system. It is therefore essential that no air can be taken along with the infusion liquid. An especial disadvantage of the valve of this design is consisting in the fact that when a static over-pressure is existing on the exit side then there is no possibility to prevent the ingress of air into the system.
A comparatively complex safety valve for infusions is known from the WO 97/03712 A2 by the means of which it should be prevented that blood from the vein is flowing out in case infusion lines unintentional are separated.
From the DE 19643360 C1 further a three-way diaphragm valve is known which between a valve housing and a diaphragm, on the one side, and a cover at the diaphragm, on the other side, is having separate differential pressure chambers of which the differential pressure chamber on the side of the valve housing is having a first connection for the inlet line, the cover having a second connection for the inlet line and, the differential pressure chambers having a connection for the outlet line.
A one-way valve of the above-defined kind is known according to a prior proposal of the applicant from the DE 10219994 in which the two pressure chambers are positioned side-by-side and connected by means with a connection channel. The diaphragm is extending either as two separate parts or as one unitary part through both pressure chambers, wherein the diaphragm in the first pressure chamber is contacting a first valve seat being positioned in an pre-chamber under tension and is having a central opening being closed by the first valve seat. A further opposedly directed annular valve seat leading to the outlet channel is provided in the sec- and pressure chamber, wherein on the side of the diaphragm opposite to the valve seat a second pre-chamber is provided being connected to atmosphere. By means of this known valve the ingress of air into the system of the infusion set safely is prevented as well at an existing static negative pressure as the existence of an over-pressure in the exit channel. A static negative pressure in the inlet channel for example can occur if a reservoir of the infusion liquid has run dry, if an infusion pump is working incorrectly or if air has gotten into the system. In this case the check valve in the first pressure chamber is safely closing. An over-pressure in the exit channel for example can occur during a temporary closure of the brachial vein of a patient if on the exit side additionally a medicine pump is connected. An over-pressure here would lead to the fact that the drug is pumped into the infusion set working with gravity. This known one-way valve is comparatively complex with respect to the production thereof and has a comparatively large space requirement due to the pressure chambers being arranged side-by-side.

One-way valve, especially low pressure check valve for use in the medical technique


Embodiments include generating an error message based on an error associated with a packet, adding to the error message an address of a node in a segment routing domain of a network to serve as a destination address of the error message, and adding a new segment routing header to the error message. Embodiments also include rewriting the packet where the rewriting includes replacing a destination address in the packet with a final destination address associated with the packet. Embodiments further include adding the rewritten packet to the error message, and forwarding the error message to the destination address of the error message. In specific embodiments, the rewriting the packet includes removing a segment routing header of the packet. More specific embodiments include deriving the new segment routing header from information in the packet.

In computer networking, segment routing is source based routing where the source chooses a path and encodes it in a packet header as an ordered list of segments. Segment routing is applicable in at least multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) dataplane. In IPv6, a new extension header, referred to as a 'segment routing header' or 'SRH', is used by a packet to carry an ordered list of segments to help make routing decisions for the packet. A segment can be an encoded IPv6 address. Thus, an ordered list of segments can be encoded as an ordered list of IPv6 addresses. A pointer can be used to indicate which segment to process at a given node. Upon a segment being processed by a node, the pointer can be modified to point to the next segment in the ordered list. In MPLS, a segment can be encoded as an MPLS label. An ordered list of segments can be encoded as a stack of labels. Upon a segment being processed by a node, the associated label is popped from the stack.
In a segment routing architecture, per-flow routing states are not maintained in nodes other than the ingress node to a segment routing domain, which can be a source node in some implementations. Thus, managing packet transmission errors in a segment routing domain presents a significant challenge to traffic engineers and administrators.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Enhanced error signaling and error handling in a network environment with segment routing


A motor and pedal driven bicycle having a motor driving unit for providing driver power to a wheel in which the motor driving unit includes a disc-like casing having a space formed therein and dividable into two portions, a battery powered wheel driving motor, and a speed reducer coupled to the motor to reduce a revolution speed of the motor. The casing is composed of a fixed portion secured to a hub spindle of the wheel and a rotatable portion provided on a hub shell mounted on the hub spindle to be rotatable along with the hub shell. Either the motor or both the motor and the speed reducer are provided on the inside of the fixed portion of the casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor and pedal driven bicycles, and more particularly to a motor and pedal driven bicycle that can run with a wheel driving motor powered by a battery without pedaling (motor running mode), said bicycle also being capable of running by pedaling with the motor brought to a halt (pedal running mode), said bicycle also being capable of running by simultaneously pedaling and operating the motor used as an auxiliary power source (motor-assisted pedal running mode).
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventionally known motor and pedal driven bicycle a motor driving unit essentially comprising a housing (casing) rotatably supported on a rear wheel axle (hub spindle) and is provided with spokes of the rear wheel, and a wheel driving motor mounted on the rear wheel axle in the housing in such a manner that the motor encloses the rear wheel axle (Japanese Published Examined Patent Application (Tokkyo Koho) No. SHO 53-10733/1978).
This kind of motor and pedal driven bicycle incorporates within the housing of the motor driving unit a speed reducer having a plurality of reducing gears in addition to a wheel driving motor. Further, the final step of the reducing gears in the speed reducer is engaged with the housing, thereby transmitting to the housing a revolution of the motor reduced with the speed reducer.
Such construction of the bicycle may cause a safety problem because it makes it impossible for users to check engagement of the speed reducer, namely engagement between the reducing gears therein and between the gears and the housing after the motor and the speed reducer has been incorporated in a predetermined location of the housing. In addition, such bicycle suffers from a drawback of inferior assemblage of the housing as a whole because it has been necessary to arrange the motor and the speed reducer in the housing to eliminate the need of checking the above engagement.


A speech recognition feature extractor includes

This invention relates to speech recognition.
Speech recognition is well known in the field of computers. Nowadays it is being applied to mobile telephones and particularly to enable voice dialling functionality. With voice dialling, a user can, for example, say the name of a person whom he or she wants to call to, the telephone recognises the name and then looks up a corresponding number. Alternatively, the user may directly say the telephone number he requires. This is convenient, since the user does not have to use keys. It is desirable to increase the ability of mobile telephones to understand spoken words, letters, numerals and other spoken information to a greater extent. Unfortunately, current speech recognition techniques require too much processing capacity to be practically used in a small portable mobile telephone.
Speech recognition functionality can be implemented in a telephone network, in such a way that a telephone user""s speech is recognised in the network rather than in a handset. By locating speech recognition functionality in the network, greater processing power can be made available. However, the accuracy of speech recognition is degraded by distortions introduced into the speech signal and by the reduction in bandwidth that results from its transmission to the network, In a typical landline connection, the bandwidth of the speech signal transferred to the network is only about 3 kHz, which means that a significant part of the voice spectrum is lost and thus the information it contains is unavailable for use in speech recognition. This problem can be avoided by dividing speech recognition functionality between the telephone handset and the network.
WO 95/17746 describes a system in which an initial stage of speech recognition is carried out in a remote station. The remote station generates parameters characteristic of the voice signal, so-called xe2x80x9cspeech featuresxe2x80x9d and transmits them to a central processing station which is provided with the functionality to process the features further. In this way, the features can be extracted e.g. from a speech signal using the entire spectrum captured by a microphone of the remote station. Additionally, the required transmission bandwidth between the remote station and the central processing station is also reduced. Instead of transmitting a speech signal to convey the speech in electrical format, only a limited number (e.g. tens) of parameters (features) are transmitted for each speech frame.
The two main blocks typically present in speech recognition systems are a signal processing front-end, where feature extraction is performed, and a back-end, where pattern matching is performed to recognise spoken information. It is worth mentioning, that division of speech recognition into these two parts, front-end and back-end, is also feasible in cases other than a distributed speech recognition system. The task of the signal processing front-end is to convert a real-time speech signal into some kind of parametric representation in such a way that the most important information is extracted from the speech signal. The back-end is typically based on a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) that adapts to a speaker so that the probable words or phonemes are recognised from a set of parameters corresponding to distinct states of speech. The speech features provide these parameters. The objective is that the extracted feature vectors are robust to distortions caused by background noise, a communications channel, or audio equipment (for example, that used to capture the speech signal).
Prior art systems often derive speech features using a front-end algorithm based on Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs). MFCCs provide good accuracy in situations where there is little or no background noise, but performance drops significantly in the presence of only moderate levels of noise. Thus, there is a need for a method that has a corresponding performance at low levels of background noise and significantly better performance in noisier conditions.
The noise which disturbs the speech recognition process originates from various sources. Many of these noise sources are so-called convolutional noise sources. In other words, the effect they have on the speech signal can be represented as a mathematical convolution between the noise source and the speech signal. The vocal tract of the user and the electrical components used in speech acquisition and processing can both be considered as convolutional noise sources. The user""s vocal tract has an acoustic transfer function determined by its physical configuration and the electrical components of the acquisition and processing system have certain electronic transfer functions. The transfer function of the user""s vocal tract affects, among other things, the pitch of the spoken information uttered by the user, as well as its general frequency characteristics. The transfer functions of the electrical components, which usually include a microphone, an amplifier(s) and an Analogue-to-Digital (AID) converter, for converting the signal captured by the microphone into digital form, affect the frequency content of the captured speech information. Thus, both the user-specific transfer function of the vocal tract and the device-specific electronic transfer function(s) effectively cause inter-user and inter-device variability in the properties of the speech information acquired for speech recognition. The provision of a speech recognition system that is substantially immune to these kinds of variations is a demanding technical task.
Speech recognition of a captured speech signal typically begins with A/D-conversion, pre-emphasis and segmentation of a time-domain electrical speech signal. At the pre-emphasis stage, the amplitude of the speech signal is enhanced in certain frequency ranges, usually those in which the amplitude is smaller. Segmentation segments the signal into frames representing a short time period, usually 20 to 30 milliseconds. The frames are formed in such a way that they are either temporally overlapping or non-overlapping. Speech features are generated using these frames, often in the form of Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs). It should be noted that although much of the description which follows concentrates on the use of Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients in the derivation of speech features, application of the invention is not limited to systems in which MFCCs are used. Other parameters may also be used as speech features. WO 94/122132 describes the generation of MFCCs. The operation of an MFCC generator described in that publication is shown in FIG. 1. A segmented speech signal is received by a time-to-frequency-domain conversion unit. In step 101, a speech frame is transformed into the frequency domain with a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm to provide 256 transform coefficients. In step 102, a power spectrum of 128 coefficients is formed from the transform coefficients. In step 103, the power spectrum is integrated over 19 frequency bands to provide 19 band power coefficients. In step 104, a logarithm is computed from each of the 19 band power coefficients to provide 19 log-values. In step 105, a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) is performed on the 19 log-values. The frequency domain signal is then processed in a noise reduction block in order to suppress noise in the signal. Finally, the 8 lowest order coefficients are selected.
It should be appreciated, that the numbers of samples and various coefficients referred to in WO 94/22132 represent only one example.
It is a characteristic of linear transforms, for example DCTs, that disturbance caused by noise in a certain frequency band is spread to surrounding frequency bands. This is an undesirable effect, particularly in speech recognition applications.
In Okawa et al., xe2x80x9cMultiband Speech Recognition In Noisy Environments,xe2x80x9d IEEE, 1998, pp. 641-644 (IEEE 0-7803-4428-6/98) a multi-band automatic speech recognition method is presented. In this method a speech signal is divided into different sub-parts of the entire frequency band of the signal. Then each sub-part is processed separately. In this case, narrow-band noise occurring in one frequency sub-part does not spread from one sub-part to another frequency sub-part. The method has shown good results in the case where the majority of the frequency band is not affected by noise, for example, in the presence of narrow band noise. However, when the noise is spread widely over the frequency band of the speech signal, word recognition accuracy can drop by up to 25%. The method is thus appropriate only under certain types of noise, for example to compensate for car engine noise that appears only in a relatively narrow frequency band.
It is an object of the present invention to improve speech recognition accuracy for various noise types and under different noise conditions.
According to a first aspect of the disclosed embodiments a speech recognition feature extractor includes a time-to-frequency domain transformer for generating spectral values in the frequency domain from a speech signal, and a partitioning block for generating a first set of spectral values in the frequency domain and an additional set of spectral values in the frequency domain. The first aspect also includes a first feature generator for generating a first group of speech features using the first set of spectral values and an additional feature generator for generating an additional group of speech features using the additional set of spectral values. The feature generators are arranged to operate in parallel.
An assembler is included for assembling an output set of speech features from at least one speech feature from the first group of speech features and at least one speech feature from the additional group of speech features, and an anti-aliasing and rate reduction block, configured to convert the output set of speech features to a data reduced output set. Furthermore, the first and additional set of spectral values include at least one common spectral value.
According to a second aspect of the disclosed embodiments a speech recognition system includes a speech recognition feature extractor and a back-end for recognising spoken information from speech features.
The feature extractor includes a time-to-frequency domain transformer for generating spectral values in the frequency domain from a speech signal, a partitioning block for generating a first set of spectral values in the frequency domain and an additional set of spectral values in the frequency domain, a first feature generator for generating a first group of speech features using the first set of spectral values, and an additional feature generator for generating an additional group of speech features using the additional set of spectral values. The feature generators are arranged to operate in parallel, and the first and additional set of spectral values include at least one common spectral value.
The feature extractor also includes an assembler for assembling an output set of speech features from at least one speech feature from the first group of speech features and at least one speech feature from the additional group of speech features and an anti-aliasing and rate reduction block, configured to convert the output set of speech features to a data reduced output set.
The back-end includes a data bank for maintaining statistical models of spoken information, a block for receiving speech features relating to two different frequency ranges of a speech frame, and a recognition block for selecting from the data bank, a model of spoken information that best matches received speech features.
The various aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in a number of apparatus"" and methods and may also be embodied in a computer program product that includes computer readable program code.
The spoken information may be a word and statistical models of words may be maintained. Alternatively, the spoken information may be a phoneme and statistical models of phonemes may be maintained. In yet another embodiment, the spoken information may be an utterance and statistical models of utterances may be maintained.
The statistical models of spoken information, referred to above, may be maintained in a data bank.
It should be appreciated that the inventive concept enabling the embodiments of the first aspect also applies to the other aspects, but in order to condense this document all these numerous embodiments are not expressly written out.

Speech recognition from overlapping frequency bands with output data reduction

Abstract: a time-to-frequency domain transformer for generating spectral values in the frequency domain from a speech signal;

Abstract: a partitioning means for generating a first set and an additional set of spectral values in the frequency domain;

Abstract: a first feature generator for generating a first group of speech features using the first set of spectral values;

Abstract: a additional feature generator for generating an additional group of speech features using the additional set of spectral values; the feature generators arranged to operate in parallel,

Abstract: an assembler for assembling an output set of speech features from at least one speech feature from the first group of speech features and at least one speech feature from the additional group of speech features, and an anti-aliasing and sampling rate reduction block, where the first and the additional set of spectral values comprise at least one common spectral value.


An ink jet printer has an ink filling device for an ink jet print head wherein the ink jet print head can be filled with the filling device. The ink filling device has an ink reservoir and a discharge opening. The print head has an ink chamber with a feed opening for ink and can be filled when it is installed in an ink jet printer. The discharge opening is arranged in a hollow body with a variable-volume that moves ink from the ink reservoir when the volume is increased and that discharges ink via the discharge opening when the volume is decreased.

The invention relates generally to print heads for ink jet printers. The invention relates more particularly to an ink jet printer having an ink jet print head which can be displaced in the direction of a line of print between side walls of a printer frame, and having an ink filling device for filling the ink jet print head.
Ink jet print heads have a limited ink supply, which is generally sufficient for printing about 1-4 million printed characters. In the case of ink jet printers which must be available day and night, on weekends and even during holiday periods, such as those in fax machines, for example, and in uses with a high permanent loading, such as in cash register printers, the ink supply stored in the ink jet print head is not sufficient.
It has therefore already been proposed, in Japanese Patent Document JP-A-90 29 991, to refill an ink jet print head while it is installed in an ink jet printer. For this purpose, the ink jet print head is equipped with level detectors, which detect its minimum and maximum permissible ink level. If the level falls below the minimum, the ink jet print head is transported with its feed opening underneath an ink refilling device where, with the aid of an electromagnet, a nozzle connected to an ink reservoir which is placed higher up is lowered into the feed opening and is lifted off the latter after the maximum level has been reached.
This arrangement ensures that the ink jet print head is always ready to print. On the other hand, the amount of ink transferred into the ink jet print head is determined by electrically controlled means and depends only on a level detector. If the voltage supply fails during a filling operation, or if the level detector fails, the ink flow from the ink reservoir cannot be interrupted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,595 discloses an ink jet printer in which the ink jet print head is arranged such that it can be displaced in the direction of a line of print between side walls of the printer frame. The feed opening is arranged on one side wall of the ink jet print head, and a discharge opening of an ink filling device is arranged on one side wall of the printer frame, aligned coaxially with the feed opening. In this case, the feed opening can be connected to the discharge opening in a liquid-tight manner by displacement of the ink jet print head in the direction of a line of print toward the discharge opening.
The discharge opening of the ink filling device is fitted to a variable-volume cylinder which, when its volume is increased, removes ink from an ink reservoir and, when its volume is reduced, discharges ink through the discharge opening. The cylinder is dimensioned such that it picks up and discharges only a small amount of ink in each case. When its volume is reduced, a connecting line between the cylinder and the ink reservoir is closed, so that no ink can flow from the ink reservoir into the cylinder or back from the cylinder into the ink reservoir. The reduction in volume of the cylinder is carried out by a piston which can be displaced with the aid of an electromagnet, the increase in volume is carried out by a spring which pushes the piston back. The amount of ink to be transferred into the ink jet print head is determined by the period during which current is applied to the electromagnet.
The known ink filling device additionally needs an electromagnet and additional outlay on control for the electromagnetic. In addition, the electromagnet has to be of powerful design, since it has to produce the flow pressure for the ink, and has to overcome the friction of the piston in the cylinder and the restoring force of the spring.

Ink filling device for an ink jet print head and ink print head which can be filled therewith

Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme Aktiengesellschaft