A fixed frequency dimming method and fixed frequency dimming circuit for a light emitting module can control light emitting brightness of the light emitting module through a hysteresis control circuit. A voltage difference between an upper limit voltage and a lower limit voltage of a hysteresis width of the hysteresis control circuit is maintained at a fixed value, and a driving current flowing through the light emitting module is changed by changing the upper limit voltage or the lower limit voltage.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a brightness adjusting method, and more particularly to a fixed frequency dimming method and a fixed frequency dimming circuit for a light emitting module.
2. Related Art
In recent years, the manufacturing technology of a light emitting diode (LED), one of semiconductor light emitting components, develops rapidly. In particular, since a blue LED is successfully developed, such that LEDs having three primary colors of light are all available, light of various wavelengths may be realized by combining the LEDs of three primary colors. Therefore, the application scope of the LEDs rapidly expands.
As for operational characteristics, brightness of an LED changes with a current. When a high current flows through a light emitting component, a high-brightness light emitting effect is achieved. On the contrary, if the flowing current is reduced, the brightness of the light emitting component is relatively lowered.
In the prior art, an amplitude of a driving current of an LED can be modulated through hysteresis control, thereby changing the brightness of the LED. In other words, a hysteresis DC/DC converter is used to control a level of the driving current of the LED.
A relation formula of the hysteresis control is as shown in Formula One below.
                              F          s                =                                            (                                                V                  in                                -                                  V                  out                                            )                        ×            D                                              Hys              Amp                        ×            L            ×                          I              set                                                          Formula                                                  One
Fs represents an oscillation frequency, Vin represents an input voltage, Vout represents an output voltage, D represents an input voltage/output voltage, Iset represents an output current (that is, a driving current of an LED), L represents an inductance, and HysAmp represents a hysteresis oscillation width.
During the process for implementing level modulation of an output current, as the input voltage, the output voltage, the inductance, and the hysteresis oscillation width are all maintained at fixed values, the oscillation frequency of the circuit changes with the level of the output current. In other words, decrease of the output current causes proportional increase of the oscillation frequency.
However, when the oscillation frequency changes with the level of the output current, the protection design of electromagnetic interference (EMI) is relatively difficult. Moreover, conversion loss often exists during the DC/DC conversion. When the oscillation frequency increases, the conversion loss increases, resulting in lower conversion efficiency.

Fixed frequency dimming method and fixed frequency dimming circuit for light emitting module


A saddle latigo strap is threaded to secure a saddle. A body portion of a saddle latigo is looped through a permanent saddle rigging. A first end of the saddle latigo having a tapered portion is inserted through a second end. Notches of the body portion are engaged with holes of the first end to secure the saddle.

Conventional Western or Australian-type saddles generally feature straps located on both sides of a saddle. One side of the straps is connected to the saddle while the other end of the strap is connected to a permanent rigging on the saddle and, in some conventional saddles, have buckles or rings disposed at the ends of the strap. The permanent saddle rigging is configured to receive a saddle latigo strap that is connected to a cinch wrapped along the underside of an animal and connected to a billet for securing the Western or Australian-type saddle to an animal such as a horse or mule.
Traditionally, saddle latigo straps are made of leather or some other suitable material. Conventional saddle latigo strap are often permanently affixed to a ring on a saddle while the ends are attached to a cinch wrapped along the underside of an animal and subsequently tightened and fastened to another ring on the saddle. This allows a saddle to be moved between different animals. Typically, a saddle cinch straps have a buckle and buckle holes that are used to fasten an end of a latigo strap to the back of a saddle.
However, some conventional saddle latigo straps can be difficult to secure when replacing. The original latigo strap typically wears out prior to other parts of the saddle assembly and needs to be replaced. Professionals may need to change a latigo once a year, or more. It is important for a saddle latigo strap to remain securely fastened to the saddle because a loosened latigo strap can result in a saddle shifting or coming loose during use, possibly causing injury to an animal or a rider.
Permanently affixing one end of the saddle latigo strap to a ring can require looping a saddle latigo strap through a ring and securing the saddle latigo strap using thin leather. To properly affix the latigo strap to the ring often requires special tools such as pliers to tighten or thread the leather because the threading is typically bigger than the holes. A sailors knot can attach the saddle latigo to the ring. This process often requires more than one person to manually tighten the thin leather sufficiently so that it does not come loose during use. Even when affixed correctly, the threading can loosen over time. Consequentially, the requisite tools, skill, and strength can make saddle latigo replacement difficult.
Thus, an improved solution for attaching the latigo strap to hardware is needed.

Threading a saddle latigo strap to secure a saddle


A compound is extracted from vegetable material, wherein the vegetable material is reduced and treated with a solvent. According to the invention, the vegetable material is frozen using a liquid nitrogen and in frozen condition reduced in size. According to two important embodiments, the vegetable material comes from the ginkgo tree, in particular fresh leaves, and water is used as a solvent. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical preparation and a cosmetic preparation comprising as active component a compound obtained by the method according to the invention.

The present invention relates to a method of extracting a compound from vegetable material, wherein the vegetable material is reduced in size, subjected to an extraction treatment using a solvent, after which the undissolved parts are separated from the solvent comprising the compound.
This type of method is quite old. Examples are the infusion of tea and the preparation of tinctures. In both cases the undissolved parts are usually separated from the solvent comprising the compound. This may be accomplished by, for example, filtering or centrifugation.
The disadvantage with the known methods is that to a lesser or greater degree the active compound(s) stay behind in the separated insoluble parts.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method as described in the preamble, by which the yield of active compound can be increased.
To this end the method is characterized in that the vegetable material is frozen using a liquified gas and in frozen condition reduced in size prior to being extracted with the solvent.
In this invention the vegetable material is effectively opened up and a higher percentage of yield is assured. Liquid nitrogen is very suitable for this purpose because of its inert (non-oxidative) nature and low price.
European patent 0 477 968 describes a method of preparing an extract of Ginkgo biloba by treating the leaves with aqueous acetone, an aqueous alkanol with 1 to 3 C atoms, or anhydrous methanol at a temperature of 40-100xc2x0 C. After the removal of solid parts, this solution is treated with ammonium sulphate, methyl ethyl ketone, and the resulting extract is extracted with a higher alkanol. After several additional steps an extract is obtained comprising 20 to % by weight of flavoglycosides, 2.5 to 4.4% by weight of ginkgolides A, B, C and J, and 2.0 to 4.0% by weight of bilobalide. The described method of extraction is very laborious.
European patent 0 431 535 describes a method of preparing an extract from Ginkgo biloba leaves that essentially corresponds with the method described above. In addition, lead salt is used for further purification. For this reason this extraction method is also very laborious while moreover using a lead compound that is bad for both the environment and human health.

Extraction method, pharmaceutical composition and a cosmetic composition


The position of a substrate temporal placement piece (4) is set so that the substrate temporal placement piece (4) does not overlap a disc-shaped substrate (W) from a viewing direction perpendicular to the surface of the disc-shaped substrate (W), when a lid (20) is attached to a substrate transfer opening (2) of a container main body (1) and the disc-shaped substrate (W) is pressed to a location where the substrate is positioned and held by a back side holding portion (3). Thereby, even if the disc-shaped substrate (W) stored in the container main body (1) is bent due to vibration, impact, etc., there is no danger that the substrate (W) is in contact with the substrate temporal placement piece (4), and the disc-shaped substrate (W) having a larger diameter can be safely stored.

A substrate storage container generally has a container main body for storing a plurality of disc-shaped shape substrates such as semiconductor wafer in a parallel manner therein. A substrate transfer opening for transferring the disc-shaped substrate is formed in the container main body. Then, a lid body for sealing the substrate transfer opening is provided so as to be mounted in a detachable manner from outside to the substrate transfer opening.
In order to hold the disc-shaped substrate inside the container main body in a state without rattling, a back side holding portion is disposed at a back side area inside of the container main body as seen from the substrate transfer opening, and a lid side retainer is provided at an inner wall portion of a lid body.
However, the lid side retainer does not enter a state of holding the disc-shaped substrate until the lid body is mounted to the substrate transfer opening of the container main body. For this reason, a substrate temporal placement piece is provided for placing the disc-shaped substrate at an area proximal to the substrate transfer opening, during a state in which the lid body is not mounted. When the disc-shaped substrate enters a state held by the lid side retainer, the disc-shaped substrate is brought into a state floating from the substrate temporal placement piece (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application (Translation of PCT Publication), Publication No. 2003-522078; FIG. 10, etc.).


The negative electrode or anode for a secondary electrochemical cell comprising a mixture of graphite or xe2x80x9chairy carbonxe2x80x9d and a lithiated metal oxide, a lithiated mixed metal oxide or a lithiated metal sulfide, and preferably a lithiated metal vanadium oxide, is described. A most preferred formulation is graphite mixed with lithiated silver vanadium oxide or lithiated copper silver vanadium oxide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel anode material formulation comprising a carbonaceous material and a lithiated mixed metal oxide, a lithiated metal oxide or a lithiated metal sulfide for the negative electrode of a rechargeable, nonaqueous electrochemical cell. In that respect, the use of graphite and a lithiated metal vanadium oxide as an anode material mixture in conjunction with a cathode active material in a lithium ion electrochemical cell has several advantages. These include increased anode density resulting in higher capacity for the intercalation of lithium, lower initial irreversible capacity, excellent reversibility of lithium doping and undoping, improved cell end of discharge cycle indication, and the prevention of negative electrode copper current collector corrosion prior to initial charging of the cell in comparison to that known by the prior art.
2. Prior Art
The use of lithiated nickel vanadate as an anode material is described by Orsin et al. in Solid State Ionics 1998, 107, 123-133. This lithiated metal vanadium oxide material displays very high initial capacity, but suffers from poor capacity retention upon cycling. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,721 to Beard, the use of lithiated metal oxides, where the metal is selected from scandium, titanium, yttrium and zirconium, as an anode material, is described. U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,468 to Koshiba et al. claims the use of LiTi2O4 as an anode for a rechargeable lithium ion cell. Lithiated manganese oxides and vanadium oxides were studied as anode materials by Dahn et al. in J. Electrochem. Soc. 1995, 142, 1742-1746. These materials were used for secondary batteries incorporating aqueous electrolytes. The use of a mixture of graphite and copper oxide or lithiated copper oxide as an anode for lithium ion batteries is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,121 to Yamada et al. However, copper oxides do not provide as high of capacity as the metal vanadium oxide materials. Nonaqueous lithium primary batteries using metal vanadium oxide additives in the cathode for end of service indication are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,642 to Weiss et al.
The object of this invention is to improve the performance of lithium ion secondary cells. Accordingly, the negative electrode or anode comprises a mixture of graphite or xe2x80x9chairy carbonxe2x80x9d and a lithiated metal oxide, a lithiated mixed metal oxide or a lithiated metal sulfide, and preferably a lithiated metal vanadium oxide. A most preferred formulation is graphite mixed with lithiated silver vanadium oxide or lithiated copper silver vanadium oxide. This anode active mixture produces advantages in lithium ion secondary cells not known in the prior art including the prevention of corrosion of the copper current collector prior to initial cell charging, improved cell end of service indication, high capacity for the intercalation of lithium, low initial irreversible capacity, and excellent reversibility of lithium doping and undoping in the anode electrode.
These and other objects of the present invention will become increasingly more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description and to the appended drawings.

Anode for nonaqueous secondary electrochemical cells


Metal sheets having a layer of a cured polyvinylidene fluoride paint on the metal surface and a layer of a cured fluorinated ethylene vinyl ether paint on the polyvinylidene fluoride paint exhibit excellent weathering properties, have a gloss of 25 to 80%, and may be bent to a sharp angle without cracking of the coating. Such sheets are particularly useful in the preparation of metal-resin composite laminates, because they do not experience thermal blocking during the lamination step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a coated metal plate which results in the facile control of the gloss of the coating and prevents the phenomenon of heat blocking from the heat treatment during a lamination of the coated metal plate. The present invention also relates to the coated metal plates prepared by such a process and laminates comprising such coated metal plates.
2. Discussion of the Background
Various composite laminates are known wherein a metal sheet is laminated on a thermoplastic synthetic resin sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,425 discloses a mirror manufactured by plating chromium on one surface of a metal sheet bonded to a composite sheet, made up of a synthetic resin sheet and the metal sheet, to form a mirror surface. The mirror may be worked to a desired shape and may be formed with a decorative pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,623 discloses a specular product of bronze-like tone particularly suitable for use as a decorative material. The specular product uses, as a substrate, a composite board comprising a synthetic resin sheet and metal sheets laminated thereon, and includes a nickel deposit plated on the metal sheet and a specular film of Sn-Ni alloy electroplated on the nickel deposit using a specific electroplating bath.
Such laminates are useful for a number of architectural applications, because the laminates combine light weight with high strength. These laminates may be used as finished surfaces for all or portions of the interior or exterior surfaces of a building.
It is also desirable to produce metal-resin composite laminates in a wide variety of colors and with a high degree of gloss. It is also desirable that such metal-resin composite laminates exhibit good weathering resistance and be able to be bent to a sharp angle without cracking of the coating on the exposed surface of the metal. However, when metal sheets are coated with conventional polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) paints, the coated plates exhibit a phenomenon known as heat blocking upon subsequent lamination with the resin layer. This heat blocking phenomenon seriously detracts from the aesthetic appeal of the finished plate. In addition, use of conventional PVDF paints results in coatings which have a gloss within a fairly narrow range, 25 to 35%.
Thus, there remains a need for coated metal sheets in a wide variety of colors and a wide range of gloss, which do not experience heat blocking on lamination and exhibit excellent weathering resistance. There also remains a need for laminates in a wide variety of colors and wide range of gloss, which can be bent to a sharp angle without cracking of the coating. There also remains a need for methods for preparing such metal sheets and such laminates.

Coated metal plate with easily controlled gloss and reduced heat blocking during lamination


A high frequency induction heating appliance comprising a working coil for generating a high frequency signal, a switching device for switching a drive voltage to the working coil, a low voltage transformer for lowering an AC power voltage, an input current detector for detecting current of the AC power, an output adjusting device for providing an output adjusting signal, a differential amplifier for amplifying a difference between output signals from the input current detector and output adjusting device, a first comparator for comparing the output signal from the input current detector with a reference voltage, an integrator for integrating an output signal from the differential amplifier, a start signal generating circuit, a zero crossing detecting circuit, a delay circuit for delaying a zero crossing detect signal by a time period, an AND logic operating circuit for AND logic-operating a start signal and the delayed zero crossing detect signal, a synchronizing signal generator, a reference signal generator, a second comparator for comparing an output signal from the AND logic operating circuit with a reference signal or comparing an output signal from the integrator with the reference signal, and a drive controller for controlling the operation of the switching device in response to an output signal from the second comparator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to high frequency induction heating appliances, and more particularly to a high frequency induction heating appliance for sensing accurately the amount of load, such as a size of a container to be heated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a conventional high frequency induction heating appliance. As shown in this figure, the conventional appliance comprises an alternating current (AC) power supply 1, a bridge diode 2 for full-wave rectifying a commercial AC power (for example, 110 V or 220 V) from the AC power supply 1, a smoothing circuit 3 for smoothing the full-wave rectified direct current (PC) voltage from the bridge diode 2, a working coil 4 being driven by the smoothed DC voltage from the smoothing circuit 3 being applied as a drive voltage thereto to generate a high frequency induction heating signal, a resonance condenser C3 connected between both sides of the working coil 4, a NPN type bipolar transistor Q1 connected between the working coil 4 and the ground for switching the smoothed DC voltage from the smoothing circuit 3 being applied as the drive voltage to the working coil 4, a current transformer 5 connected to the AC power supply 1 for detecting current of the AC power supply 1, a voltage generator 6 for generating a voltage corresponding to the detected current from the current transformer 5, an output adjusting device 7 for providing a signal for adjusting output of the appliance under adjustment of the user, and an operational amplifier 8 for amplifying a difference between an output signal from the voltage generator 6 inputted at its inverting input terminal (-) and an output signet from the output adjusting device 7 inputted at its non-inverting input terminal (+).
The conventional high frequency induction heating appliance also comprises a first comparator 9 for comparing the output signal from the voltage generator 6 inputted at its inverting input terminal (-) with a predetermined reference voltage from a reference voltage generator 9a inputted at its non-inverting input terminal (+), an integrator 10 being disabled or enabled by an output signal from the first comparator 9 to integrate an output signal from the operational amplifier 8 upon being enabled, a start signal generating circuit 11 being disabled or enabled in the opposite manner to the integrator 10 by the output signal from the first comparator 9 to generate a start signal for starting the operation of the appliance upon being enabled, a diode D1 for blocking a minus voltage of an output signal from the integrator 10, a diode D2 for blocking a minus voltage of an output signal from the start signal generating circuit 11, a synchronizing signal generator 12 for generating a synchronizing signal corresponding to the driven state of the working coil 4, a reference signal generator 13 for generating a saw tooth wave signal as in reference signal whenever the synchronizing signal is generated from the synchronizing signal generator 12, a second comparator 14 for comparing an output signal from the diode D1 or an output signal from the diode D2 inputted at its non-inverting input terminal (+) with the saw tooth wave signal from the reference signal generator 13 inputted at its inverting input terminal (-), and a drive controller 15 for controlling turning on/off of the NPN type bipolar transistor Q1 in response to an output signal from the second comparator 14.
Now, the operation of the conventional high frequency induction heating appliance with the above-mentioned construction will be described.
First, the high frequency induction heating appliance is applied with the commercial AC power (110 V/220 V) and the output adjusting device 7 therein generates the output adjusting signal under the adjustment of the user. Since the current inputted at the voltage generator 6 through the current transformer 5 is zero at the initial state in which the power is applied to the appliance, the operational amplifier 8 amplifies only the output adjusting signal from the output adjusting device 7. At the same time, the first comparator 9 outputs a high signal because its inverting input terminal is applied with the zero voltage from the voltage generator 6 and its non-inverting input is applied with a voltage from reference voltage generator 9a. The high signal from the first comparator 9 is applied as an enable signal to the start signal generating circuit 11 and as a disable signal to the integrator 10. As a result, the integrator 10 performs no integration of the output signal from the operational amplifier 8 and the start signal generating circuit 11 outputs the start signal for starting the operation of the high frequency induction heating appliance. The start signal from the start signal generating Circuit 11 is applied through the diode D2 to the non-inverting input terminal (+) of the second comparator 14.
On the other hand, the synchronous signal generator 12 is connected between both the sides of the working coil 4 to generate a synchronizing signal corresponding to a variation of the drive voltage being applied to the working coil 4. The drive voltage to the working coil 4 is varied according to the switching (turning-on/off) of the NPN type bipolar transistor Q1.
The reference signal generator 13 generates a saw tooth wave signal as the reference signal whenever the synchronizing signal is generated from the synchronizing signal generator 12. The generated saw tooth wave signal is applied to the inverting input terminal (-) of the second comparator 14. At the initial operating state of the high frequency induction heating appliance, the second comparator 14 outputs a high signal enabling the drive controller 15 to turn on the NPN type bipolar transistor Q1.
Thereafter, the voltage generator 6 outputs a voltage corresponding to the detected current from the current transformer 5. As a result, the operational amplifier 8 amplifies a difference between the output signals from the output adjusting device 7 and the voltage generator 6. At this time, the first comparator 9 outputs a low signal when the output voltage from the voltage generator 6 applied to its inverting input terminal (-) is greater than the predetermined reference voltage applied to its non-inverting input terminal (+). The low signal from the first comparator 9 is applied as an enable signal to the integrator 10 and as a disable signal to the start signal generating circuit 11. As a result, the integrator 10 integrates the output signal from the operational amplifier 8 and feeds the integrated value through the diode D1 to the non-inverting input terminal (+) of the second comparator 14. In this connection, the integrated value is varied based on the output adjusting signal which is applied from the output adjusting device 7 to the non-inverting input terminal (+) of the operational amplifier 8 under the adjustment of the user.
The second comparator 14 compares the output signal from the integrator 10 with the output signal from the reference signal generator 13 and outputs a high or low signal to the drive controller 15 as a result of the comparison. In response to the high or low signal from the second comparator 14, the drive controller 15 turns on or off the NPN type bipolar transistor Q1.
When the NPN type bipolar transistor Q1 is turned on, the output signal from the smoothing circuit 3 is applied as the drive voltage to the working coil 4, thereby allowing the working coil 4 to generate the high frequency induction heating signal. The resonance condenser C3 is adapted to resonate the energy accumulated in the working coil 4 when the NPN type bipolar transistor Q1 is turned off, so as to lower the high DC voltage applied to the working coil 4.
However, the conventional high frequency induction heating appliance has a disadvantage, in that the operation thereof is started regardless of the waveform of the commercial AC power inputted therein. For this reason, there is quite a possibility that a load sensing circuit (not shown) which is connected to the AC power supply 1 together with the current transformer 51 may misjudge the amount of load such as a size of a container to be heated. Generally, when a large container is put on the working coil 4, the load amount (resistance) becomes large and the voltage from the AC power supply 1 thus becomes large. As a result, large current flows from the AC power supply 1, thereby causing the load sensing circuit to judge that a large container has been put on the working coil 4. On the contrary, when a small container is put on the working coil 4, the load amount becomes small and the voltage from the AC power supply 1 thus becomes small. As a result, small current flows from the AC power supply 1, thereby causing the load sensing circuit to judge that a small container has been put on the working coil 4. For example, when the peak value of the commercial AC power is applied as shown as a point P1 in FIG. 2 under the condition that the small container is put on the working coil 4 and the high frequency induction heating appliance is initially operated based on the generation of the start signal, the high frequency signal from the working coil 4 is directly generated and large current flows from the AC power supply 1. This causes the load sensing circuit to misjudge that a large container has been on the working coil 4. Alternatively, when the value of the commercial AC power applied is near the zero point as shown as a point P2 in FIG. 2 under the condition that a large container is put on the working coil 4 and the high frequency induction heating appliance is initially operated based on the generation of the start signal, the working coil 4 is not driven and no current flows from the AC power supply 1. This causes the load sensing circuit to misjudge that no container is put on the working coil 4. Further, when a value of the commercial AC power applied is near the zero point under the condition that the NPN type bipolar transistor Q1 is turned on based on the generation of the start signal without respect to the presence of the container on the working coil, the working coil 4 is not driven and the load sensing circuit cannot discriminate the presence of the container on the working coil 4.

High frequency induction heating appliance


A nonlinear terahertz (THz) spectroscopy technique uses a sample illuminated by two THz pulses separately. The illumination generates two signals BA and BB, corresponding to the first and second THz pulse, respectively, after interaction with the sample. The interaction includes excitation of at least one ESR transition in the sample. The sample is also illuminated by the two THz pulses together, with an inter-pulse delay τ, generating a third signal BAB. A nonlinear signal BNL is then derived via BNL=BAB−BA−BB. This nonlinear signal BNL can be then processed (e.g., Fourier transform) to study the properties of the sample.

The field of magnetic resonance is well established in research and commercial applications. For example, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can measure the transitions between quantum-mechanical spin states of atomic nuclei, such as 1H, 13C, and 15N. In another example, electron spin resonance (ESR) can measure transitions between quantum-mechanical spin states of electrons. In both cases, the simplest type of measurement is linear spectroscopy, which involves measurement of a signal that is linearly proportional to the amplitude of incident electromagnetic radiation. This signal can be used to estimate the spin transition frequency. In some cases, a static or "DC" magnetic field, labeled B0, can be applied, and the transition frequency is typically proportional to the magnitude of B0. In addition, new transitions can be generated and the original transition peaks are split and shifted due to Zeeman interactions. The transition frequency in all cases are dependent on the magnitude of B0.
Existing techniques typically measure NMR transitions having frequencies in the range of about 50 MHz to about 1000 MHz (in the radiofrequency, or RF, range). For ESR transitions, only those in the frequency range of about 5 GHz to less than 1000 GHz (in the microwave range of the spectrum) are explored.
There are also various ESR transitions in the THz regime. For example, in small molecules or large molecules including biomolecules such as proteins, some ESR transitions may be highly sensitive to molecular structure and environment including the identities and geometries of ligands of the ions in question. Thus the transitions can be used for identification of chemical species or for characterization of the ligand binding or molecular configuration around ions. They can also be used to distinguish different possible molecular configurations including those of biomolecules such as proteins. However, due to the limitations of available THz light sources, these THz ESR transitions remain largely unexplored.

Systems, apparatus, and methods of nonlinear terahertz (THz) magnetic resonance measurement


A successive screw driving attachment is used by being connected to an electric screwdriver D, wherein a driver unit 2 has a screw feed mechanism 3 that is slidable in the drive direction of a screw S. The screw feed mechanism 3 is provided with a screw feeder 20 comprising a screw feed prong 15 that successively feeds screws S to the driving position of a bit 8, and the screw feeder 20 is structured such that the next screw S is instantly fed to the driving position. An adjustment device is provided to vary the stroke of the drill bit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a successive screw driving attachment for successively driving screws in order to fasten sheets or boards made of wood, metal, gypsum, or the like to floors or walls, and more particularly to a successive screw driving attachment with which screws can be smoothly fed to the driving position of a bit.
2. Prior Art
There have been proposals in the past for a successive screw driving attachment that is attached to an electric screwdriver and that successively drives screws in order to fasten sheeting made of wood, metal, gypsum, or the like to floors or walls. As shown in FIG. 12, this type of successive screw driving attachment 101 has a screw feed mechanism 103 attached slidably in the driving direction of a screw S to a driver unit casing 102 that is used by being detachably connected to an electric screwdriver D.
This successive screw driving attachment 101 turns the S (corresponds to a standard screwdriver tool) with a rod-shaped bit 104 that drives the screw S, drives this screw S into a sheet or board, and at the same time gradually retracts the screw feed mechanism 103 within the driver unit casing 102. The driving of the screw S is then concluded at the point when the distal end of this bit 104 is at roughly the same position as the distal end portion 103a of the screw feed mechanism 103.
This successive screw driving attachment 101 makes use of a screw rope SR in which numerous screws S are stung onto a plastic rope. This screw rope SR is incrementally played out to the driving position of the bit 104 in interlock with the driving operation in the screw feed mechanism 103. When this successive screw driving attachment 101 is used, the trigger switch on the grip handle of the electric screwdriver D is pulled, the bit 104 is turned by the motor of the electric screwdriver D, the distal end of the bit 104 is engaged with the head of the screw S at the distal end of the screw rope SR loaded in the screw feed mechanism 103, and [the screw S] is driven into the sheeting or other material by the rotation of this bit 104.
Problems which the Invention is Intended to Solve
Because a feed lever 105 for the screws S see-saws back and forth in the conventional screw feed mechanism 103 described above, the operation in which the screws S of the screw rope SR are grabbed by a screw feed prong 106 and fed to the driving position does not itself pose any problems. When the driving of a single screw S is complete, however, the next screw S is fed to the driving position while the screw feed mechanism 103 is still being pushed back to the distal end, so there is a problem in that the head of this next screw S hits the distal end of the bit 104.
With the conventional successive screw driving attachment 101, when the screw rope SR was loaded into the screw feed mechanism 103, the first screw S had to be fed to the driving position by pressing this screw feed mechanism 103 against the sheeting once to effect the reciprocal action of the screw feed prong 106. Also, a multi-step operation had to be carried out when the work of driving the screws S was complete and the screw rope SR was to be taken out of the screw feed mechanism 103 while still partially unused.
Furthermore, the attachment position of the rope R varied with the type of screws S being used. Because the position of the rope guide path of the screw feed mechanism 103 varied according to the length of the screws S, screws S with different attachment positions for the rope R could not be loaded into the same screw feed mechanism 103. Moreover, since a single successive screw driving attachment 101 could only accommodate a narrow range of screw lengths, a dedicated successive screw driving attachment 101 had to be used for short screws, and another dedicated successive screw driving attachment 101 for long screws, meaning that a plurality of successive screw driving attachments 101 were required.
Another problem was that when the conventional successive screw driving attachment 101 was used on a floor, the worker had to operate the successive screw driving attachment 101 while bending over or kneeling, so the worker tended to become fatigued when working for an extended period. In view of this, there has been a need for the proposal of a successive screw driving attachment with which driving work could be performed while the worker was standing.
The present invention was conceived in light of the above problems, and it is an object thereof to provide a successive screw driving attachment with which the screw rope can be smoothly loaded to the driving position by delaying the timing at which the screws are fed to the driving position with a stopper provided to the feed lever of the screw rope, and with which there is no need to fed the first screw of the screw rope up to the driving position, and the screw rope can be removed with one finger.
In order to achieve the stated object, the successive screw driving attachment pertaining to the present invention is a successive screw driving attachment in which a screw feed mechanism and a distal end screw guide are provided to the front part of a driver unit, and a coupling tube for connecting to an electric screwdriver via a coupling adapter is provided to the rear part of the driver unit, the essence of which is that the driver unit forms a guide tube into which a bit is inserted, an elastic member is mounted for pressing the screw feed mechanism forward so that it is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the guide tube, and there is a drive depth adjustment mechanism that adjusts the depth to which the screw is driven by the bit, the screw feed mechanism is provided with a screw feeder comprising a screw feed prong that sequentially feeds the screws on a screw rope, in which numerous screws are lined up and attached to a rope, to the driving position of the bit in interlock with the longitudinal sliding of the driver unit that accompanies the driving action produced by the bit in the distal end screw guide, the screw feeder is structured such that the screw feed prong instantly feeds the next screw to the driving position when the screw feed mechanism has been pushed back to the distal end, and the distal end screw guide has a rope guide path for the screw rope, and has formed in it a screw feed hole for the reciprocal action of the screw feed prong.
With the above constitution, the successive screw driving attachment can be easily coupled to an electric screwdriver via a coupling adapter. In particular, a single successive screw driving attachment can be coupled to a number of different electric screwdrivers by exchanging the coupling adapter.
In the use of the successive screw driving attachment pertaining to the present invention, the first step is to load the screw rope into the distal end screw guide, which places the screw at the front of the screw rope in the driving position. The motor of the electric screwdriver is rotated, the contact face of the distal end screw guide of the screw feed mechanism is pressed against the sheeting or other material, and the bit is turned so that the screw can be gradually driven into the sheeting or other material. Simultaneously with this driving of the screw, the screw feed mechanism (the distal end screw guide) gradually retracts within the driver unit, the distal end screw guide that is integrated with this screw feed mechanism collides with and stops at a drive depth adjustment mechanism housed in the driver unit, and this disengages a clutch and concludes the driving of the screw.
When the distal end screw guide is removed from the sheeting, the screw feed mechanism is pushed back to its original position at the distal end, the screw feed prong of the screw feeder operates and instantly feeds the next screw on the screw rope to the driving position of the distal end screw guide, and screw driving work can then be performed in the same manner as above. Screws can be driven successively by repeating this operation over and over.
The screw feed mechanism has a feed lever that is formed in an approximate caret shape and is attached rotatably around a fulcrum, the driven portion of this feed lever is engaged with a cam housing formed in the driver unit, and the screw feed prong on the free portion of the feed lever is reciprocally operated. Also, a stopper for keeping the screw rope in a feed standby state is provided to the feed lever, and the stopper is released when the screw feed mechanism has been pushed back to the distal end in the screw driving operation, allowing the screw feed lever to be operated instantaneously
This action of the stopper of the feed lever allows the screw feed prong to be kept in the standby state it is in before a screw is fed to the driving position while the screw feed mechanism is being pushed back in the distal end direction upon completion of the driving of one screw and while a screw is being driven by the bit. After this, the next screw will not be fed to the driving position before the screw feed mechanism has been completely pushed back to the distal end, which prevents the head of the screw from hitting the distal end of the bit. Once the screw feed mechanism has been completely pushed back to the distal end, the stopper of the feed lever is released, and the next screw can be instantaneously fed to the driving position.
The screw feed prong is a member formed in the shape of a rod, and is rotatably attached to the free portion of the feed lever so as to be roughly parallel to the feed direction of the screw rope and so that the distal end side thereof projects to the driving position.
Because this screw feed prong has a narrow swing angle, it just needs to be tilted a little for the loading of the screw rope to be completed quickly. Also, the screw rope can be easily removed from the distal end screw guide by pressing the screw feed prong from the outside upon completion of the driving of a screw.
The screw feed mechanism can be structured such that the distal end screw guide can be detachably attached. For instance, screws can be driven into a sheeting material in a constantly stable state by installing a distal end screw guide equipped with a long screw guide tube on the screw feed mechanism when long screws are used, and a distal end screw guide equipped with a short screw guide tube when short screws are used.
A bracket can be attached to the coupling adapter, and an arm having a grip can be detachably attached to this bracket. If an arm having a grip is thus attached to the rear of the coupling adapter, the driving work can be performed by holding the grip of the arm, rather than the grip handle of the electric screwdriver. This makes it possible for the worker to drive screws into a floor while standing upright. Also, screws can be driven into ceilings and other high places without the worker having to stand on a ladder.


A pressure accumulator includes a housing having a housing cavity, a piston axially displaceable in the housing cavity between a first final position and a second final position and having a pressure surface which together with a wall of the housing cavity delimits at least partially a reservoir connectable to an ICE consumer in a fluid-conveying manner, an energy store cooperating with the piston, the piston being displaceable against the force of the energy store from the first final position into the second final position in that the reservoir is acted on by pressure using a pressure medium, and a locking device for locking the piston in the second final position. A locking tube is connected to the piston and supported within the housing in an axially shiftable manner, and lockable at an end of the housing facing away from the reservoir with the aid of a locking pin.

A pressure accumulator is usually used to compensate for operational pressure fluctuations in a conveying system of a pressure medium, usually engine oil, by storing a certain volume of pressure medium at a predetermined pressure.
Such a pressure accumulator is, for example, filled with the pressure medium via a pressure medium pump during operation of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. If the system pressure supplied by the pressure medium pump drops below a value which is necessary for a fail-safe operation, the pressure medium stored in the pressure accumulator may be emptied into the pressure medium line and is thus immediately available. This makes it possible to compensate for the event of the system pressure dropping below a minimum pressure within the pressure medium system or to increase the volume flow.
For example, such a pressure accumulator may be used to support the pressure supply of a camshaft adjuster. The camshaft adjuster is in this case used in an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle to be able to variably set the phase relation between a crankshaft and a camshaft in a defined angle range. The camshaft adjuster regularly has an output element which is situated rotatably in relation to a drive element. The drive element is usually in drive connection to the crankshaft; the output element is rotatably fixedly connected to the camshaft. The output element and the drive element essentially delimit at least two pressure chambers acting against one another. By connecting the pressure chambers in a targeted manner to a pressure medium pump or to a pressure medium tank, the phase position of the output element may be set or maintained in relation to the drive element and thus of the camshaft in relation to the crankshaft.
Here, the pressure accumulator may be situated in the camshaft cavity of a hollow camshaft, in particular, and may be communicatively connected to the camshaft adjuster, and, for example, prevent a sudden drop in the adjustment speed during an adjustment procedure. At the beginning of a phase adjustment, a certain quantity of the pressure medium is withdrawn from the pressure medium system of the internal combustion engine. Consequently, the system pressure drops to a lower level. The system pressure present prior to the adjustment is therefore not available to the full extent. This results in the adjustment speed of the camshaft adjuster dropping. This pressure drop is compensated for by the full pressure accumulator, whereby the adjustment speed may be maintained at a high level.
A pressure accumulator of the type mentioned at the outset is known, for example, from DE 10 2009 054 055 A1. Here, the device for supplying pressure designed as a pressure accumulator essentially includes a housing having a housing cavity in which a displaceable element is situated which is designed as a piston and which is displaceable between a first final position and a second final position. The displaceable element is provided with a pressure surface which, together with a housing cavity wall, delimits at least partially a reservoir connectable to the consumer of an internal combustion engine in a fluid-conveying manner. Here, the displaceable element may be displaced from the first final position into the second final position by applying pressure against the force of an energy store. Furthermore, the pressure accumulator has a locking mechanism which is designed as a locking device and using which the displaceable element may be locked in the second final position. The disadvantage here is, however, in particular the implementation of the locking device, whose manufacture and assembly are complex, and the placement of the locking device in the housing in the area of the reservoir directly behind the pressure surface of the displaceable element, which also has an unfavorable effect on the assembly.


An objective is to achieve an endoscope in which a distal part of an insertion unit has a reduced diameter, yet the endoscope has good pushability so that buckling at the distal part can be avoided. This endoscope is provided with: an imaging unit having a lens and an imaging element; a resin tube which extends from the imaging unit to the proximal side opposite the distal side, and through which a cable conductively connected to the imaging element is inserted; and an elastic wire which has a distal end disposed outwardly of the imaging element, is inserted in and extends through the resin tube, and has flexibility and bending stiffness.

In the related art, an insertion portion disposed on a tip end side of an endoscope has flexibility so that it can be inserted though, for example, a bent body cavity. However, since the insertion portion has flexibility, there is a problem that operation on a proximal side (in other words, base end side) of the insertion portion is not properly transmitted to the tip end side of the insertion portion, the tip end side of the insertion portion has an unfixed direction and unnecessarily bends, and it is difficult to smoothly insert the insertion portion to a target part. Therefore, the endoscope needs to have flexibility capable of bending, and flexural rigidity, namely pushability in order to reduce unnecessary bending (so-called buckling) on the tip end side of the insertion portion as the endoscope is pushed.
Thus, for example, the endoscope disclosed in PTL 1 includes a flexible elongate member having at least one inner cavity and configured to be inserted into a body passage of a patient. The flexible elongate member includes a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a central portion disposed between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The distal portion includes a reinforcing member that is movable between a generally linear configuration and a curved configuration. The reinforcing member has an outer cylinder configuration to be disposed within at least a part of the inner cavity of the flexible elongate member. The reinforcing member is movable along the flexible elongate member to a selected place and modifies flexibility of the selected place of the flexible elongate member. The reinforcing member includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has first toughness. The second portion has second toughness that is different from the first toughness.

PANASONIC I-PRO SENSING SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.


Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for multi-level user authentication. In one example, method includes detecting a plug-in token connected to a device that controls user access to a protected resource; identifying one or more authorized users associated with the detected token who are authorized to access the protected resource; authenticating whether a first user requesting accessing the protected resource is associated with the detected token and authorized to access the protected resource; detecting presence of one or more wireless transponders of one or more authorized users associated with the token, including at least a transponder of the first user; and providing access to the protected resource to the first user when the first user is authenticated as an authorized user associated with the detected token and the transponder of at least the first user is detected.

In our modern society, protection of information systems from unauthorized access to the system as a whole as well as to its individual components its applications and devices is getting to be more and more important. In most user authentication systems, a one-step user authentication is implemented in order to gain access to a computer, which would normally let the user to enter his/her login and a password, or a PIN code. However, for more important tasks where safety provided by the one-step authentication may be insufficient, an additional second level of authentication can be used. Such a second level can be a certain physical device owned by the user, which confirms the user's identity, such as a token or smartcard.
These devices are currently widely used in banking, and also as a way of getting remote access to internal resources of a company or an enterprise. If used correctly, such two-level authentication systems can dramatically hinder a criminal's access to a personal computer (PC) or to a company PC of the authorized user. The token should only be connected to a PC while the user is working on it. If the user leaves his workplace, he must take the token with him or at least block it. However, such rules are often neglected by users. Therefore, this technology will always have a human liability factor. For example, if the user left his workplace forgetting to take his token or his smartcard with him, a criminal may gain access to his PC. Sometimes it only takes a minute of absence for the criminal to be able to perform an unauthorized action on the user's PC, such as getting a physical or remote access to the user's PC, or installing harmful software, which would perform forbidden actions on the PC.
Situations frequently arise when multiple tokens with varying access rights to the system and to the applications and devices are connected to one PC. In a situation like that, besides a possible access by a criminal, possible unauthorized actions can be performed by authorized token users as well. For example, two tokens are connected to a PC, with one belonging to a bank accountant and another to the chief accountant. In order to activate the bank-client system components unrelated to money transactions, it is necessary to activate, i.e. to connect and enter the correct password, of the bank accountant's token. However, in order to start the bank communication application to gain permission to internet connection for payment transfers, the bank comptroller's activated token is required also. In the event that the bank comptroller stepped away from the PC forgetting to block his token or to take it with him, the accountant n unintentionally or intentionally start the bank communication application, perform money transfer transactions or perform any other action which he was not authorized to do. Such situations are rather frequent. Hence, the human factor appears to be a critical liability of the use of the two-level authentication. Notably, many kinds of tampering with client-bank systems is done exactly along the above mentioned pattern, where a user will step away from his workplace forgetting to either take his token with him or to block it.
However, one of the major problems with existing systems and methods remains the lack of full control over protected resources. Existing technologies do not avail themselves to a certain number of active tokens or transponders in order to give various access rights to different types of protected resources, such as computer devices, applications and data, as well as to permit such devices and applications to perform various actions and gain access to certain protected resources of an operating system, personal user data, cookie files, user's activity logs, or other types of protected resources. Accordingly, there is a need for a new methodology for performing multi-level authentication of users in order to prevent unauthorized access of a user or a group of users to a protected computer resource.

System and method for controlling user's access to protected resources using multi-level authentication


A laser detection system comprises a sample chamber configured to receive and contain a volume of sample gas, one or more lasers within at least one laser housing, wherein each laser is configured to produce a respective laser beam for excitation of one or more different materials in the sample gas and the one or more lasers are outside the sample chamber, a detector apparatus for detecting light output from the sample chamber, a first optical interface to the sample chamber having at least one window that is at least partially transparent to the laser beams from the one or more lasers, wherein the at least one laser housing is positioned in a close-coupling arrangement relative to the at least one window of the first optical interface such that, in use, the laser beams are substantially unmodified by passage between the laser housing and the at least one window.

Measuring purity of a gas is essential for a manufacturer of gas. A purity measurement allows gas to be sold at a specified quality. Any gas produced that does not meet the quality requirements set by a manufacturer is likely to be wasted, for example flared. Therefore, to avoid waste, it is important that the purity measurement is reliable
Continuous emission monitoring instruments are increasingly needed to monitor industrial pollution output in various industrial sites, for example at power plants, process industry factories and commercial shipping facilities. The need arises from efficiency improvements, health and safety considerations and legislative requirements. Legislative requirements often cover measurements on a range of multiple emitted compounds, for example: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, water and oxygen.
Known gas analysis systems are sensitive to single compounds or a small number of compounds. To cover multiple compounds using known systems it may be necessary to install several different continuous emission monitoring instruments, which can be inefficient, complicated and take up significant amount of space.
Known gas analysis systems also include one or more optical cells, for example one or more Herriott cells, for containing a gas sample to be analysed and through which a laser beam passes in order to interact with the gas sample. Arrangement of optical cells and other optical components affects the geometry and size of a gas analysis system, and in order to make a system compact, for example to be able to contain the system within a compact, transportable housing, it can be important to provide a suitable arrangement of the optical cell and other optical components.
Known gas analysis systems may be at risk to potential cross-interference effects arising from atmospheric air. This is a problem when typical impurities being measured include compounds present in air, particularly when attempting to measure a quantity of these impurities below levels found in the atmosphere. Impurities that can be found in the atmosphere include, but are not limited to methane, water and carbon dioxide. Purge systems using dry nitrogen may be used to alter the atmosphere in the volume surrounding the gas detector. Alternatively, chemical scrubbing can also be used to address this problem, for example a carbon dioxide and/or oxygen scrubber. Both can be difficult to engineer and rely on the presence of utilities such as dry nitrogen or instrument air.
Other approaches also exist. These include using analysis software that takes into account cross-interference effects. However, backgrounds can be variable thus limiting this approach. In addition, if light from a laser experiences significant interference it may be degraded before reaching an optical cell and produce a weak and unreliable measurement.


A source (19) for multiple energy X-ray generation in particular by field emitting carbon nanotubes (1, 2) is presented. In order to achieve a spatial overlap of the trajectories of the X-ray beams coming from different emitters, a focusing unit (7, 9) is supplied to the emitted electrons (28, 29). A fast switching between the emission of the different carbon nanotubes allows multiple kilovolt imaging. Independent determination of multiple focal spot parameters by the focusing unit leads to the possibilities of fast switching between different spot geometries and spatial resolutions. This might be seen in FIG. 1.

In many applications of imaging X-rays are used to examine and analyze the structure and material properties of multiple objects like human bodies, organs, tissues or crystal structures. One of the basic areas of health care in which X-radiation is used is radiography. Radiography may be used for fast, highly penetrating images in particular for regions with a high bone content. Some forms of radiography use are panoramic X-rays, mammography, tomography and radiotherapy.
For computed tomography (CT) for example, patients are illuminated by beforehand generated X-rays from various positions and angles, in order to reconstruct a three dimensional (3D) model of the analyzed anatomical structure. Using for example a CT, the object of interest may be exposed to the radiation from 360 degrees and a model of the object of interest may be computed from so called projection images. As a time deviation between the origins of the different pictures is unavoidable for moving objects, motion artifacts of the reconstructed model are still a challenging task.
Conventional X-ray sources are heated cathode filaments which thermally emit electrons. The electrons are accelerated as a beam and then strike a target material, where subsequently X-rays are generated. The point where the electron beam strikes the angled target or anode is called the focal spot. Most of the kinetic energy contained in the electron beam is converted into heat, but a certain amount of the energy is converted into X-ray photons. At the focal spot, X-ray photons are emitted. Thereby a heating up of the electron absorbing target up to the melting point of the used material often limits the intensity of the generated X-ray beam of known X-ray sources.


A folding bicycle comprises a support assembly pivotably connected to a portion of a head tube below a lower enlargement above a front wheel; and a rear wheel assembly comprising a front end pivotably connected to a quick release slidable along the head tube, an intermediate enhancement including a padded cross bar interconnected its right and left portions, an intermediate point pivotably connected to an intermediate point of the support assembly, and two auxiliary wheels fixedly connected to both ends of a hub of a rear wheel as kickstand. Unfastening and sliding the quick release the quick release upward until being stopped by a stop fixedly connected to handlebars, and fastening the quick release will fold the bicycle. Alternatively, unfastening and sliding the quick release downward until being stopped by the enlargement, and fastening the quick release will unfold the bicycle.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to folding bicycles and more particularly to such a folding bicycle with improved characteristics including enhanced structural strength and two small auxiliary wheels in the rear served as kickstand.
2. Related Art
Folding bicycles are well known. Conventionally, folding bicycles are relatively complex in constructions, costly to manufacture, trouble-prone, and unreliable in use. Moreover, no kickstand is provided. Thus, it is impossible of holding a stationary bicycle upright (i.e., in a storage or non-operating position of the bicycle). Thus, a need for improvement exists.


A polisher head of a polishing apparatus includes a membrane and a first local pressure nodule and a second local pressure nodule physically contacting the membrane. The first local pressure nodule is configured to apply a first local force to the membrane and the second local pressure nodule is configured to apply a second local force to the membrane. The first local pressure nodule and the second local pressure nodule are independently controllable.

Generally, semiconductor devices comprise active components, such as transistors, formed on a substrate. Any number of interconnect layers may be formed over the substrate connecting the active components to each other and to outside devices. The interconnect layers are typically made of low-k dielectric materials comprising metallic trenches/vias.
As the layers of a device are formed, it is sometimes necessary to planarize the device. For example, the formation of metallic features in the substrate or in a metal layer may cause uneven topography. This uneven topography creates difficulties in the formation of subsequent layers. For example, uneven topography may interfere with the photolithographic process commonly used to form various features in a device. It is, therefore, desirable to planarize the surface of the device after various features or layers are formed.
One commonly used method of planarization is via chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). Typically, CMP involves placing a wafer in a carrier head, wherein the wafer is held in place by a retaining ring. The carrier head and the wafer are then rotated as downward pressure is applied to the wafer against a polishing pad. A chemical solution, referred to as a slurry, is deposited onto the surface of the polishing pad to aid in the planarizing. Ideally, the retaining ring comprises a multitude of grooves to facilitate the even distribution of the slurry over the wafer surface. When retaining rings without any grooves are used during CMP, the resulting wafers tend to suffer topographical unevenness due to irregular slurry disposition. Thus, the surface of a wafer may be planarized using a combination of mechanical (the grinding) and chemical (the slurry) forces.

Chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A terminal is disclosed including a receiver that measures a first received power in a first resource of a synchronization signal per synchronization signal block index in a cell, and measures a second received power in a second resource; and a processor that derives a measurement result based on a ratio of the first received power to the second received power per the synchronization signal block index. In other aspects, a radio communication method for a terminal is also disclosed.

In Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) networks, for the purpose of higher data rates and lower latency, Long Term Evolution (LTE) has been specified (Non-Patent Literature 1). Furthermore, for the purpose of wider bands and a higher speed than LTE (also referred to as LTE Rel. 8 or 9), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A that is also referred to as LTE Rel. 10, 11 or 12) has been specified, and LTE successor systems (also referred to as, for example, Future Radio Access (FRA), the 5th generation mobile communication system (5G), New Radio (NR), New radio access (NX), Future generation radio access (FX) or LTE Rel. 13, 14, 15 or subsequent releases) have been also studied.
LTE Rel. 10/11 have introduced Carrier Aggregation (CA) that aggregates a plurality of carriers (Component Carriers (CCs)) to obtain a wider band. A system band of LTE Rel. 8 is one unit that composes each CC. Furthermore, according to CA, a plurality of CCs of the identical radio base station (also referred to as, for example, an eNB (eNodeB) or a Base Station (BS)) are configured to a user terminal (UE: User Equipment).
On the other hand, LTE Rel. 12 has introduced Dual Connectivity (DC), too, that configures a plurality of Cell Groups (CGs) of different radio base stations to UEs. Each cell group includes at least one cell (CC). Therefore, DC aggregates a plurality of CCs of the different radio base stations, and therefore DC is also referred to as Inter-base station CA (Inter-eNB CA).
Furthermore, LTE Rel. 8 to 12 have introduced Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) for performing Downlink (DL) transmission and Uplink (UL) transmission at different frequency bands, and Time Division Duplex (TDD) for temporarily switching downlink transmission and uplink transmission in the same frequency band.


Audit reporting applications provide audit users the ability to perform reviews of compliance procedures used throughout a business that require supervisors to take actions on the communication between personnel. The action analyzer tool compiles, filters, and sorts message and action information, allows more advance analytics about the information, and answers complex questions that are not easily available by looking at the raw message and action information. The action analyzer tool breaks down the actions taken in order to determine if the supervisors are trying to take credit for an action that they did not actually perform or otherwise violating the accepted procedures for proper supervision and compliance. The message and action information can be sorted into number of actions taken within a specific time frame, the number of actions performed after a specified date, and/or the number of actions taken without the message being reviewed, to name a few.

Governments (both states and federal), or in some cases businesses on their own accord, require that tasks performed by lines of business or individual employees are monitored for risk management, compliance, or regulatory reporting, to name a few. In some cases, the government monitors the audit procedures of businesses and requires businesses to submit reports of the results of the businesses' audits. For example, the government may ask a business to prove that the supervisors within the business are reviewing employees, systems, or processes that they are required to review for regulatory compliance. In other cases, the businesses in general or lines of business within the businesses, may develop and implement their own compliance procedures to review employees, systems, or processes in order to, for example, reduce risk in business processes that deal with large sums of money, or as a way to provide checks and balances for the responsibilities of employees.
In some cases audit systems are set up electronically to monitor actions taken by employees, systems, or processes within various applications that are running within the business. The audit systems, in particular, allow for the supervision of the electronic communication flowing through the network, such as e-mail, instant message ("IM"), financial program messaging, etc. Typical audit systems of electronic communications in businesses simply provide a time stamp as to when a particular message was opened by a supervisor, which does not provide relevant information for determining if the supervisor reviewed the message and performed his/her audit responsibilities properly. Therefore, there is a need to develop apparatuses and methods that help businesses to provide improved audit monitoring systems.


An electrical connection structure including: a first terminal attached to an edge portion of a circuit board, and composed of a first nipping portion, a connecting portion, a second nipping portion and a leaf spring portion each formed integrally in order as a single member, wherein the connecting portion exists along a side face of the edge portion, the first and second nipping portion and the connecting portion hold the edge portion therebetween and the leaf spring portion extends from an opposite side to the side of the connecting portion of the second nipping portion so that an interior angle formed by the second nipping portion and the leaf spring portion to be an acute; and a second terminal to be electrically connected to the leaf spring portion, wherein the second terminal is pressed to the leaf spring portion into a direction of widening the interior angle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connection structure and an antenna apparatus, and more particularly to an electrical connection structure and antenna apparatus, each including a terminal that does not easily come off from a circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
Various members, including an AM/FM board for receiving the signals in the AM radio frequency band and the FM radio frequency band and a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) board for receiving the signals of portable wireless telephones, are attached on the inside of an antenna apparatus. Accordingly, in order to achieve the miniaturization of the antenna apparatus, the technique of arranging these boards within the apparatus in their standing states has been used.
If the boards are arranged in the standing states, then it becomes difficult to electrically connect an antenna element, located in the upper part of the antenna apparatus, to the boards. Consequently, a connection terminal for connecting the boards to the antenna element electrically becomes necessary, and a technique pertaining to the connection terminal is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-068722.
By the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-068722, a connection terminal (7) is attached to the top end of an adjustment board (9) in order to connect the adjustment board (9), attached to a base (3) in the state of standing almost perpendicularly to the base (3), to an antenna element (1). A locking part and a projecting part are formed on the edge of the connection terminal (7), and the connection terminal (7) is fixed almost perpendicularly to the adjustment board (9) with the locking part hitched to the end face on the upper-side of the adjustment board (9) and with the projecting part inserted into one surface of the adjustment board (9). An element connect ion metal fixture (2e) for the connection with the antenna element (1) abuts against the connection terminal (7) from above the connection terminal (7), and thereby the adjustment board (9) is electrically connected to the antenna element (1).
However, the connection terminal fixing method described above has the possibility of the coming-off of the connection terminal (7) from the adjustment board (9) when the antenna element (1) and the supporting metal fixture thereof are strongly pressed to the connection terminal (7). Consequently, it is desired that the connection terminal (7) is firmly fixed to the adjustment board (9).

Electrical connection structure and antenna apparatus


A travel history editing device including: a position information detecting unit detecting position information of a vehicle; a map information accumulation unit accumulating pre-registered position information and name information; and an arrival point name providing unit, (i) reading out a name of a facility, and providing the read name as the arrival point when the arrival point corresponds to a position of the facility, and (ii) reading out other name information from the map information accumulation unit, and providing the other name information when the arrival point does not correspond to the position of the facility. Further the device includes an arrival point history accumulation unit accumulating an arrival point corresponding to the facility and the name; and a name editing unit editing the name of the arrival point for which the other name is provided as the name of the facility accumulated in the arrival point history accumulation unit.

There have been systems automatically accumulating histories of detected points of arrival of users (See Patent Reference 1). The systems were devised because registering an arrival point every time through a user operation could be troublesome for the user. As described in the above conventional technique, the systems can solve such a trouble by automatically registering histories of points of arrival. Further, registration of a history of an arrival point allows the user to search for the history later, and to conduct a route search by setting the history as a destination. In addition, the conventional technique registers a destination by automatically extracting the name of a facility out of an arrival point    [Patent Reference 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-50760


A centrifugal fan includes a main plate that is fixed to the rotational shaft of a fan motor and driven by the fan motor, a shroud having an air inlet, and a plurality of blades disposed between the main plate and the shroud. Each blade includes a main blade set on its suction surface side and a blade cover set on its pressure surface side. The main blade is joined to the main plate and the shroud. The blade cover is joined to the main blade, and is biased toward the main blade under the air pressure during rotation. Thus, the joint force between the main blade and the blade cover is enhanced, thereby enhancing the strength of joint of engagement portions of the blade and reducing abnormal noise generated due to the presence of one or a plurality of gaps formed between the engagement portions.

The mainstream centrifugal fans employ non-twisted two-dimensional blades provided between a main plate and a shroud. Thus, the main plate and the blades are typically integrated. However, to further reduce noise and power consumption, twisted three-dimensional blades that are provided between the main plate and the shroud have become necessary.
A three-dimensional blade can be formed in a complex shape with an increased flexibility in resin molding by using a plurality of parts for the blade. In addition, the blade is formed to have a hollow internal structure so as to achieve a lightweight configuration (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
In another example, in an engagement portion in which a plurality of parts constituting a three-dimensional blade of an axial flow fan engage with each other, an engagement line formed between these parts by their engagement bends in a zigzag pattern and bent portions are joined to each other by local irradiation with an ultrasonic wave in order to increase the number of joints, and thereby enhance the strength of joint (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).

Centrifugal fan and air-conditioning apparatus including the same


A multi-layer polyester container comprising inner and outer layers of a polyester resin and at least one intermediate layer of a functional resin or a functional resin composition, wherein a difference of tan δ of the inner polyester layer at 80° C. and 60° C. is 0.035 or less in the measurement of the dynamic viscoelasticity (DMS) thereof at 0.5 Hz. Even when the functional resin or the functional resin composition having a large draw stress is used as an intermediate layer, therefore, excellent transparency is obtained while effectively exhibiting the function such as barrier property possessed by the functional resin or the functional resin composition.

In order to improve the preservability of content of plastic packing containers, it has heretofore been an accepted practice to form the container wall in a multi-layer structure using a polyester resin as the inner and outer layers, and using, as an intermediate layer, a functional resin such as an ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer or a xylylene group-containing polyamide resin for improving gas-barrier property or a cyclic olefin copolymer for improving water vapor (water)-barrier property.
In order to further improve the function such as gas-barrier property or to further impart any other function, it is also a practice to blend a functional resin with an inorganic filler or any other resin composition. For example, JP-A-2004-142944 discloses blending a xylylene group-containing polyamide with a surface modified clay in order to further improve the gas-barrier property of the xylylene group-containing polyamide resin.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Multi-layer polyester container and method of producing the same


An input method and apparatus is provided for use in various computer and mobile devices. The input device utilizes a rotating dial in which four arrows printed on the dial are rotated to select characters that are fixed along the circumference of a circle. The characters are divided into various zones. The zones are utilized to encode various letters and numbers. Additionally the zones may be utilized for editing and control functions. The dial may be freely rotated. Pressing any arrow inputs the character that the arrow points to on the dial. The input device and method may encode Asian language characters according to a set of encoding rules.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a character input device for computer-or-mobile-device-related systems for use with various languages. The invention concerns, more particularly, a character input device for use on devices in which no complete QWERTY keyboard is available. The invention has application to various peripheral input devices for computers and communication devices.
2. Description of Background Art
Input devices for handheld computers and mobile devices commonly include a wide variety of user interaction mechanisms such as thumbsticks, D-pads, and various depressible buttons. However, in order to input text and other characters, a keyboard is preferably utilized. These keyboards are limited in size by the size of the handheld computer or mobile device. Attempts have been made to integrate keys corresponding to alphanumeric keys onto these various devices. However, such attempts have been less than satisfactory, as the size, number, and/or configuration of the keys and/or the methods of using the keys have not provided a solution that permits for efficient entry of a large number of letters and other characters without drawbacks.
A further limitation upon input devices having keys corresponding to characters relates to the various locations, languages, and cultures for which the input devices are manufactured. Depending upon the location in which the input device is utilized, the language of the user, and the culture of the user, the various characters that are input by activating the keys may be substantially different. For example, it is difficult to enter Asian characters in mobile devices that usually have only small keyboards. Inputting into such small keyboards is difficult and time consuming.
Currently, there are mainly two solutions to this problem, both of which have drawbacks. The first solution is the T9 input method (http://www.t9.com), which is suitable for word-level input. It provides only those options that are meaningful words whose characters are on the keys pressed. A user selects from the options presented to the user. The second solution involves pressing a key button multiple times quickly to indicate which character to input, see FIG. 1, e.g., pressing the number "two" key (2) once means inputting "2." Pressing the number "two" key (2) three times means inputting the character "b." This method is suitable for inputting single characters but it requires the user to pause the depressing of keys for some period of time to ensure that the user is not choosing the next character printed on the same key.
The utilization of either of the above solutions is inefficient and time consuming. Thus, there is a need for an efficient input method and apparatus that allows input of various languages which is easy to use and can be applied to various user devices.

Form factor and input method for language input


A magneto-optic sensor for oilfield application, the sensor (1, 1′, 101, 101′) receives an incident beam IB, IBA, IBB, IBC, IBD and comprises a polarizing element (3, 103) for providing a determined state of polarization beam and a Faraday rotator (4, 104) for providing a response beam having a modified state of polarization. The sensor provides a response beam (RB, RBA, RBB, RBC, RBD having an intensity dependent on an external magnetic field representative of a particular characteristic of a well-bore casing CC, CR applied on the Faraday rotator (4, 104).

FIG. 1 schematically shows a typical onshore hydrocarbon well location and surface equipments SE above a hydrocarbon geological formation GF after drilling operation has been carried out, after a casing string CS has been run and after cementing operations have been carried out for sealing the annulus CA (i.e. the space between the well-bore WB and the casing string CS).
Typically, the casing string CS comprises a plurality of casing joints CJ, two casing joints being coupled together by a casing collar CC. The casing string function is to stabilize the well-bore.
The casing joint CJ is a length of steel pipe, generally around 13 m or 40 ft long with an externally threaded (male thread form) connection at each end. Casing joints are assembled to form a casing string of the correct length and specification for the well-bore in which it is installed.
The casing collar CC is an internally threaded (female thread form) short length of pipe used to connect two casing joints. The resulting connection must provide adequate mechanical strength to enable the casing string to be run and cemented in place. The casing collar must also provide sufficient hydraulic isolation under the design conditions determined by internal and external pressure conditions and fluid characteristics.
The casing may be made of plain carbon steel, stainless steel or other material in order to withstand a variety of forces, such as collapse, burst, and tensile failure, as well as chemically aggressive fluid. Nevertheless, in harsh environment, the casing may be subject to corrosion that may affect its functionality.
At this stage, well logging operation may be carried out. The well logging operation serves to measure various parameters of the hydrocarbon well geological formation (e.g. resistivity, porosity, etc. . . . at different depths) and in the well-bore (e.g. temperature, pressure, fluid type, fluid flowrate, etc. . . . at different depths). Such measurements are performed by a logging tool TL. Generally, a logging tool comprises at least one sensor (e.g. resistivity sonde, mechanical sonde, gamma ray neutron sonde, accelerometer, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, etc. . . . ) and measures at least one parameter. It may include a plurality of same or different sensors sensitive to one or more parameters. The logging tool is moved up and down in the borehole for gathering data about the various parameters by means of a cable LN. The cable may be a mechanical cable, an electrical cable or an electro-optical cable comprising a fiber line protected against potential harsh environment existing in the well-bore. The mechanical, electrical, or electro-optical cable transmits electrical signals or optical signals from the logging tool to the surface unit.
The logging tool may be deployed inside the well-bore by an adapted surface equipment SE that may include a vehicle SU and an adapted deploying system, e.g. a drilling rig DR or the like. Data related to the hydrocarbon geological formation GF or to the well-bore WB gathered by the logging tool TL may be transmitted in real-time to the surface, for example to the vehicle fitted with an appropriate data collection and analysis computer and software.
In particular, a logging tool TL may comprise a casing collar locator tool. Such a locator is used to confirm or correlate depth by using known reference points on the casing string. A known casing collar locator is an electrical logging tool that detects the known casing features such as pup joints installed for correlation purposes (measurement of the voltage across a spool in the presence of magnet). The casing collar locator tool provides a casing collar log that generally incorporates a gamma ray log to correlate the relative position of casing string features, such as the location of a particular pup joint, with the reservoir or formation of interest. Such a locator lacks of sensitivity in particular in casing having an important diameter.


The present disclosure in some embodiments provides a method and an apparatus for providing a quantum cryptographic key distribution stabilization, which can quickly and efficiently compensate for an error caused by a temperature change, a change in polarization of a transmission path of an optical system included in a quantum cryptographic key distribution system in a cost-effective manner working perfectly with the very conventional quantum cryptographic key distribution system.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and do not necessarily constitute prior art.
Most cryptosystems in use today are usually based on mathematical complexity and are reversible, and so destined to succumb to problem-solving. One solution to this issue is quantum cryptography, more precisely quantum key distribution.
While most existing cryptosystems are principally based on mathematical complexity, quantum cryptography is based on natural phenomena and is one of the ideal ways to generate one-time cryptographic keys for cryptography. When the eavesdropper (Eve) intercepts in the middle, its existence is revealed, and the signal is distorted, which provides security that even the eavesdropper cannot obtain accurate information.
A quantum key distribution system (QKDS) is a system that enables a transmitter and a receiver to share a quantum cipher having such characteristics.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional quantum cryptographic key distribution system.
The quantum cryptographic key distribution system includes a quantum cryptographic key distribution transmitter 110, a quantum cryptographic key distribution receiver 120, a quantum channel 132, and a public or open channel 134.
The transmitter 110 of the quantum cryptographic key distribution system carries cryptographic key information on a single photon and transmits it through the quantum channel 132 in a manner of controlling the phase or polarization of the single photon. The receiver 120 of the quantum cryptographic key distribution system extracts cryptographic key information by using a phase modulator and an interferometer, a polarization beam splitter, or the like.
Quantum cryptographic key distribution systems are implemented using conventional optical communications and optical techniques. In particular, a phase-modulation-type quantum cryptographic key distribution system typically detects signals transmitted through a phase modulator and an interferometer located at a receiver.
The interference performance of the interferometer included in the quantum cryptographic key distribution system is very sensitive to environmental changes such as temperature and vibration, and the change in the effective optical path length caused by such environmental changes has a substantial impact on the overall performance of the quantum cryptographic key distribution system.
Therefore, in order to improve the quantum bit error rate (QBER) of the quantum cryptographic key distribution system, a method is needed capable of quickly and efficiently compensating for errors caused by temperature changes of an optical system such as an interferometer or due to other factors.
In addition, a polarization-modulation-type quantum cryptographic key distribution system typically detects signals through a polarization beam splitter located at a receiver. However, the polarization of the transmit signal constantly changes over time in the optical fiber as a transmission medium. This requires a function of aligning the polarization beam splitter with the polarization of the input signal. The accuracy of this alignment affects the quantum bit error rate of the quantum cryptographic key distribution system. Therefore, there is a need for a method capable of quickly and efficiently compensating for an error between the optical-fiber-inflected polarization axis of the signal light and the axis of the polarization beam splitter.

Method and apparatus for stabilizing quantum cryptographic key distribution


A fishing rod holder assembly is provided in a cabin of a boat. A rod holder locking member is mounted on a shelf in the cabin and is movable between an outboard position in the cabin and a position in the direction of the interior of the cabin. The locking member includes two plates hinged to each other to open and close, and having at least one cutout to receive and hold a rod handle therein. A rod tip holder is provided spaced from the rod holder locking member to support the tip of a fishing rod held within the assembly.

More affluent fishermen often own large, expensive boats with open cock-pits and a cabin. Such fishermen often purchase and use high-end, expensive fishing rods. Often such fishermen like to display these fishing rods in a cabin of a boat in a manner in which the rod is held and displayed securely and readily accessible within the cabin in a locked assembly.
The cabins on larger boats often have a dinette which can be converted into a sleeping area. Outboard at the level of the dinette are often found cubby holes which include a shelf for supporting items thereon underneath a bolster with a surface facing down along the cubby hole. The shelf and the downward facing surface define the cubby hole which is a relatively small snug space for storage.
While many boats provide rod holders above deck which may take many forms, it is often difficult to secure fishing rods in a locked and secure protected environment in the cabin in a manner in which the rods are not easily knocked off the shelf or out of a cubby hole due to the boat's motion in rougher seas.
In accordance with the invention, the problems of having high end fishing rods stored in an unprotected environment are avoided by providing a secure assembly for securing and displaying rods within a cabin of a boat.