An antenna direction allocation screen is displayed on a television connected to a broadcasting receiver. On this screen, a user allocates direction numbers “0 to 15” indicating each directivity direction of a smart antenna that is assumed in a broadcasting receiver to each direction number “(0) to (15)” that the user itself can identity a direction. Then, the broadcasting receiver records a correspondence between two direction numbers. Next, the broadcasting receiver reads the direction number “(0) to (15)” corresponding to the direction number “0 to 15” indicating the directivity direction that the smart antenna actually faces, and displays its direction number on a television.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a broadcasting receiver that receives broadcastings of predetermined channels transmitted from a plurality of broadcasting stations by using a directivity-switching antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Japan, a broadcasting wave such as a television broadcasting is generally transmitted from one base station. For this reason, a broadcasting receiving antenna is fixed to face the base station at a roof, a veranda of the house and so on, and the antenna and the broadcasting receiver are connected through a cable, so that almost all of broadcastings transmitted from a plurality of broadcasting stations can be received. On the contrary, in other countries such as U.S., each broadcasting wave is individually transmitted from a plurality of broadcasting stations. Therefore, when the antenna is fixed toward one site, a broadcasting of the broadcasting station in a direction that the antenna faces can be received, while a broadcasting of the broadcasting station in the other direction that the antenna does not face cannot be received.
Here, under the above-mentioned circumstances, a broadcasting receiver using an antenna (hereinafter, referred to as a directivity-switching antenna) that can switch directivity, for example, as described in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2 has been developed. The directivity-switching antenna includes a plurality antenna elements and a plurality of phase shifters corresponding to the respective antenna elements, and thus each phase of a signal received through each antenna element is controlled and synthesized by each phase shifter, thus the directivity is electrically changed. For example, a smart antenna as an example of a directivity-switching antenna is specified to change directivity into 16 directions in the specification. A method of controlling directivity-switching antenna is disclosed in Patent Document 3 as well as the following Patent Documents 1 and 2. The broadcasting receiver transmits a control signal to the directivity-switching antenna, and switches the directivity direction of a corresponding antenna into a predetermined direction, so that a broadcasting wave in a predetermined channel transmitted from a predetermined broadcasting station is received. Further, when the broadcasting receiver receives a broadcasting wave of the predetermined channel, it stores information indicating a channel number and a directivity direction of the directivity-switching antenna at that time into a memory (see JP-A-11-298226 and JP-A-2001-168627). At this time, an identification number of a transmission source of the broadcasting wave may be stored (see JP-A-2002-094448).
Even when the directivity-switching antenna is fixed to the roof and so on, as described above, the broadcasting receiver can receive almost all of the broadcastings transmitted from a plurality of scattered broadcasting stations to set a receivable directivity direction of the directivity-switching antenna for each channel. In addition, with this arrangement, when the channels are switched by a remote controller and so on, the broadcasting receiver then reads information indicating the directivity direction in which the broadcasting of the channel after switching can be received from the memory, switches directivity of the directivity-switching antenna into that direction, and directly receives the broadcasting in the same channel. In general, images of broadcasting received by the broadcasting receiver are displayed on, for example, a television receiver (hereinafter, referred to as television), and thus a user can watch the images. In addition, a channel number of the received broadcasting is also displayed on the television so that the user can recognize it.

Broadcasting receiver using a directivity-switching antenna


Provided is a method for producing electrolytic copper having a low Ag content by successfully suppressing the Ag concentration in an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic copper production method involves a step in which blister copper comprising Ag is used as an anode, and electrolysis is carried out under sulfuric acid acidity while maintaining the anode electric potential at a relatively low electric potential in comparison to the electric potential of the Ag elution.

In manufacturing electrolytic copper, electrolytic refining is usually performed in a sulfuric acid based electrolyte, using blister copper refined to a copper grade of about 99%. Noble metals such as gold and silver contained as impurities in blister copper are precipitated as anode slime. The profit in the entire process is enhanced by increasing the recovery rate of the noble metals.
If the noble metals are incorporated in electrolytic copper without migration into the anode slime, a loss of noble metals as products is caused. A useful technique for decreasing the Ag grade in electrolytic copper is therefore required. At the present time, in Saganoseki Smelter and Refinery of Pan Pacific Co., Ltd., the silver grade (silver content) in electrolytic copper is about 10 ppm. It is estimated that the decrease in silver grade to 5 ppm increases the production of silver by 1 ton per year.
As the cause of incorporation of Ag into electrolytic copper, the mechanical "entanglement" of anode slime may be considered, and the reductive electrodeposition of Ag ions dissolved in an electrolyte at cathode may also be considered. Examples of the known methods for decreasing the Ag grade in electrolytic copper by electro-sliming Ag ions in an electrolyte include adding a small amount of chloride ions to an electrolyte, so that Ag is precipitated and collected as electrolytic slime in a silver chloride form. In the method, the chloride ion concentration in the electrolyte is set to higher than 30 mg/L and 60 mg/L or less, and the temperature of an electrolyte in the vicinity of cathode is adjusted to 55° C. or lower, so that the solubility of silver chloride is decreased to accelerate the sliming of silver ions (Patent Literature 1).
Although a method for suppressing the Ag grade in electrolytic copper is known, as described above, the elution mechanism of Ag is not sufficiently known. Patent Literature 2 proposes to maintain the dissolved oxygen in an electrolyte at 3.0 mg/L or less, in manufacturing high-purity electrolytic copper by reelectrolysis of electrolytic copper as an anode in a sulfuric acid electrolytic bath. However, the technique has different conditions from those for manufacturing electrolytic copper from blister copper as an anode.

Method for manufacturing electrolytic copper


A slider is slidably held in a body and is pushed by insertion of an object to slidingly move. Terminals are provided with fixed contact points disposed on a surface, facing the slider, of the body along a sliding movement direction. The armature is attached to the slider and is provided with moving contact points that slide on a fixed contact point disposition surface of the body in association with sliding movement of the slider. The slider has an armature mounting surface with a side wall protrudingly formed in one end in the sliding movement direction. The body has a facing surface facing an end surface of the side wall in an entire range of sliding movement. At least any one of an end in the sliding movement direction of the end surface of the side wall and an end in the sliding movement direction of the facing surfaces of the body has a foreign substance elimination groove formed therein.

Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2011-62423 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Literature 1) is understood as a conventional technique of a slide switch. FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a slide switch 9 according to Patent Literature 1. The slide switch 9 is provided with a body 920, a slider 930 that is held slidingly movably in the body 920 and is pushed by a moving part on a buckle device side to slidingly move, fixed contact points 941 through 943 that are disposed on a surface, facing the slider 930, of the body 920 along a sliding movement direction, and a movable armature 944 that is attached to the slider 930 and slides on a fixed contact point disposition surface of the body 920 in association with sliding movement of the slider 930. The body 920 has a tip end with a stopper 923 protrudingly formed on a lower surface side thereof. The slider 930 has a lower surface with a pair of projections 932 located both ends in the width direction and protrudingly formed downward. The slider 930 is sized to cover up the fixed contact points 941 through 943 in the entire range of its sliding movement. A spring 945 biases the slider 930 in an extraction direction of a tongue.
FIGS. 17A and 17B show relationship between a moving part 51 equipped on the buckle device side, into which this slide switch 9 is incorporated, and the slide switch 9, and the moving part 51 is shown in simplification. The slider 930 is biased by a spring 945 and, in its initial position, has a tip end surface thereof in a state of being butted against the stopper 923 protrudingly formed on the tip end lower surface of the body 920 (refer to FIG. 17A). The moving part 51 slidingly moves by inserting a tongue on a seat belt side into the buckle device, abuts on the projections 932 at the tip end of the slider 930, and pushes the slider 930 to slidingly move the slider 930 (refer to FIG. 17B).
With such a configuration, the fixed contact points are always covered up by the slider, so that they are not easily affected by a foreign substance and the like, and thus it is possible to prevent adhesion of a foreign substance, such as dust. Further, in a case of applying grease on the fixed contact points, it is possible to prevent adhesion of a foreign substance to the grease and transfer and adhesion of the grease to an unintended area or component.


An address generator for a pixel shuffler used in a relective liquid crystal display (RLCD) digital video system, and a pixel shuffler incorporating such an address generator. The address generator includes a small, dual port SRAM 160xc3x978, a combinatorial converter having a pair of inputs and an output representing a predetermined relationship of the inputs, a pixel counter with a pair of decoders, a line counter, a computing block for selectively implementing a mirror reflection of the pixel addresses, as well as a plurality of D flip flops and logic elements. The pixel shuffler operates in read-modify-write mode, whereby any address location of memory is read and immediately overwritten with the new data. This permits operation with only one bank of SRAM 320xc3x9796 rather than the customary two banks for prior art pixel shufflers using the so-called Ping Pong method.

This invention relates generally to digital video and, more particularly, to Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) control.
Reflective Liquid Crystal Display (RLCD) panels are usually built with sectionized digital video inputs. For example, a previously known RCDL panel of 1280xc3x971024 pixels is interfacing digital video in the form of four sections of 320xc3x971024 pixels each. Moreover, each section has independent 8-bit video inputs for odd and even pixels. For that reason, it is necessary to reorder pixels of every video line. This is normally implemented by reordering electronics, or so-called remapper, usually comprising three major elements: interleaver, pixel shuffler and corner turner.
The interleaver creates 32-bit quad-pixel groups (also known as, and hereinafter termed, xe2x80x9cquadletsxe2x80x9d) of only odd or only even video pixels. Such an interleaving is done for each of three colors (red, green and blue) and each of three 32-bit outputs, providing 320 quadlets per video line. The shuffler receives, on each of three inputs, quadlets sequentially numbered 0, 1, 2, 3 . . . 319 and outputs them in the sequence 0, 1, 80, 81, 160, 161, 240, 241, 2, 3, 82, 83 . . . 238, 239, 318, 319. In RLCD projectors wherein the rear projection mode is implemented rather than the front projection mode, every video line is mirror-reflected and the shuffler outputs quadlets in the sequence: 319, 318, 239, 238, 159, 158, 79, 78 . . . 81, 80, 1, 0. The corner turner then reorders 8-bit video pixels within each group of eight adjacent quadlets.
The operation carried out by the pixel shuffler can be represented as a matrix transposition. Then a matrix of 40xc3x974 should be transposed where two adjacent quadlets represent one element of such a matrix. A pixel shuffler operating in the conventional manner (i.e., by the so-called Ping Pong method) includes two banks of SRAM 320xc3x9796 each. During a video line period one of the banks is filled with quadlets in the specified sequence as the other bank is read with reading address order 0, 1, 80, 81, 160, 161, 240, 241, 2, 3, 82, 83 . . . 238, 239, 318, 319. Although the Ping Pong method of pixel shuffling is very reliable, it requires 60K bits of SRAM and is thus quite memory expensive.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with the relevant technology.
As will be more readily understood and fully appreciated from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the present invention is embodied in a pixel shuffler having only one bank of 320xc3x9796 SRAM and incorporating a device termed an address generator, allowing the memory to operate in a read-modify-write mode. This means that any address location of memory is read and immediately overwritten with the new data. In this case, every new video line will require a new address order. Thus, as implemented, the invention allows the pixel shuffling function to be carried out with half the memory capacity of conventional systems.

Address generator for video pixel reordering in reflective LCD


A method performed by a first server system to provide a client system with information via a network, comprising the steps of: serving to the client system first page information including at least one reference to information available from an external server; receiving a request from the client system, the request being indicative of a selection of the reference at the client system; sending a request to the external server; sending a request to the external server; receiving the external server information via the network; preparing second page information using at least part of the external server information; and sending said second page information to the client system.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a client system with information via a network, and more particularly, to the integration of external Web pages or information therefrom in an e-commerce application.
Within the last decade, the Internet has become the most commonly used network for computer communication. The Internet comprises a vast number of computers and computer networks that are interconnected through communication links. The interconnected computers (hosts) can exchange information using a request-response protocol, the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) which forms the basis of what is called the World Wide Web. Each resource (e.g., computer or web page) of the World Wide Web is uniquely identifiable by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The communication on the Internet is based on the Transmission Control Protocol and the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). The HTTP request-response protocol defines the interaction of a Web client (Web browser) and a Web server. The request is initiated by the user activating a hyperlink. A hyperlink is, for example, in a graphical Web page a highlighted piece of text associated with a URL, and the request can be activated by clicking on the hyperlink. The URL has three parts representing the protocol (in this case HTTP), the name of the host desired, and, optionally, the name of the desired document on that host. The most common request is for an Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) or Extensible Markup Language (XML) document. The requested document may include Mobile Code, for example a Java script. However, it may also be a simple alphanumeric data file. The Web server returns a response including the requested document. Finally, the Web browser displays the document or executes the Mobile Code.
The World Wide Web is especially conducive to conducting electronic commerce. Many Web servers have been developed through which vendors can advertise and sell products. The server may provide an electronic version of a catalog that lists the items that are available. A user may browse through the catalog using the browser and select various items that are to be purchased.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,887 assigned to Broadvision discloses an electronic commerce application. A corresponding electronic commerce application is commercially available from BroadVision, Inc. (xe2x80x9cBroadVisionxe2x80x9d is a registered trade mark of BroadVision, Inc.). The BroadVision application is not included in the Web server software but is constituted by interacting functional program objects, like a participant program object, a customer monitoring program object or a sales representatives program object. The application has also objects, like a pricing engine, a payment handler and an order fulfilment interface, that are to be interfaced with external objects. These objects may comprise network connections to external subsystems. For instance, the payment handler may be connected to an external payment handler via a computerized credit card network. The program objects of the BroadVision application are objects in compliance with the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). CORBA is a standard for distributed object management and provides a standard definition for the interfaces between the distributed objects. It can also be used for interfacing functional program objects which are not distributed on different hosts but reside on the same host. A more detailed explanation of CORBA can be found in the book by David G. Messerschmitt xe2x80x9cUnderstanding Networked Applicationsxe2x80x9d, 1st edition, 2000, pages 451-453. The BroadVision application is combined with a Web server coupled to the Internet. For this purpose, the Web server includes a Common Gate Way Interchange (CGI) (see Messerschmitt, page 147). Broadvision uses a session concept; id est a session is started when a client initiates a transaction and is maintained until the transaction is completed. Although such an architecture based on distributed object management has many advantages it does not provide a possibility for linking to external Web sites during a session while maintaining the session and the xe2x80x9clook and feelxe2x80x9d of the application.
Different methods of obtaining information from different Web servers are known. In the most common method, a Web page from a certain server may include hyperlinks to other servers. Upon selection of the hyperlink a request is sent to the corresponding other server, and upon receipt of its response, the first Web page from the first server is replaced by the second Web page from the second server.
A recent extension to HTML has introduced xe2x80x9cframesxe2x80x9d which allow to split the browser view into multiple windows, with each window displaying an independent Web page. Each frame can be given an individual URL so that information from different servers can be simultaneously displayed. The frame technique is implemented in recent versions of the Netscape browser (Netscape is a registered trademark of Netscape Communications Corporation). A description of the frames technique can be found at
http://home.netscape.com/assist/net_sides/frames.html.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,546 discloses a method for redirection of server external hyperlink reference. Normally, if a client selects a hyperlink in a Web page received from a first server, control over the client is lost. However, for Web advertisement an accounting of how often a reference is selected is required since the frequency of display of an advertisement generally defines the compensation paid to the advertisement publisher. In order to allow such accounting, a Web page served by the server to the client embeds a URL reference to a Web page to be served by the external server system. Selection of this embedded URL through the client browser results in a HTTP transaction with the server rather than the external server. The information stored in the embedded URL first served with the Web page to the client is thus provided back to the server upon selection of the URL even though the apparent target of URL is the external server. After the accounting has been performed in the server, a redirection response is provided by the server to the client providing the redirection URL corresponding to the external server. Finally, the server sends a request to the URL at the external server. Although this method improves the accounting possibilities, control may be lost as soon as the redirection request directed to the external server is sent from the server to the client.
A method performed by a first server system provides a client system with information via a network. The method comprises the steps of: serving to the client system first page information including at least one reference to information available from an external server; receiving a request from the client system, the request being indicative of a selection of the reference at the client system; sending a request to the external server; receiving the external server information via the network; preparing second page information using at least part of the external server information; sending said second page information to the client system.
According to another aspect, an apparatus for providing a client system with information via a network comprises a first server system. The first server system comprises: a server component that receives requests from the client system and sends first and second page information to said client system, said first page information contains at least one reference to information available from an external server; a browser component that requests the referenced information from at least one external server, and receives said external server information over the network; and a spoofing system that controls said browser component, and prepares said second page information using at least part of said external server information.
According to still another aspect, an apparatus for providing a client system with information via a network, comprises a first server system which comprises: a client request respond unit; a client request receipt unit; a link translator; an external server request unit; and an external server receipt unit.
Other features are inherent in the disclosed method and apparatus or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for providing a client system with information via a network

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An information processing apparatus includes a first memory and a processor coupled to the first memory. The processor is configured to acquire a first address in the first memory, at which an instruction included in a target program is stored. The processor is configured to simulate access to a second memory, such as a cache memory, corresponding to an access request for access to the first address on a basis of configuration information of the second memory. The processor is configured to generate first information, such as cache profile information, indicating whether the access to the second memory regarding the instruction is a hit or miss. The processor may be configured to acquire a number of cache misses for each of a plurality of pieces of arrangement information, and select a piece of arrangement information where the number of cache misses is smallest. Where the second memory is divided into a plurality of cache sets, the processor may generate the first information for each of the respective cache sets in parallel with each other. A cache set number of the second memory may also be identified.

There has hitherto been a technique of acquiring profile information about access to a cache memory during execution of a program.
For example, there is proposed a technique of acquiring profile data for each cache set of a cache memory. In this technique, a cache set number corresponding to an address of an array X is obtained, and it is determined whether or not the cache set number is a set number s in charge of a profile data acquisition process. In the case where the cache set number is the set number s in charge of the profile data acquisition process, it is determined whether or not tag information corresponding to the address of the array X is stored in a storage unit. In the case where the tag information corresponding to the address of the array X is stored in the storage unit, a hit variable is incremented by one. In the case where the tag information is not stored in the storage unit, a miss variable is incremented by one.
In a high-performance computing (HPC) application program or the like, a hot spot of the program tends to be limited. Thus, in the case where profile data is acquired in order to grasp the characteristics of the program, it is often sufficient to investigate only several loops (kernel loops). In general, the loops of an HPC application access a large amount of data, and therefore it is desirable to effectively utilize a cache memory of a central processing unit (CPU) in order to execute the loops at a high speed.
The cache memory stores data such as the values of variables and array elements to be accessed during execution of a program. Instructions constituting a program are themselves also data, and therefore are stored in the cache memory. In the case where an instruction to be executed is not present in the cache memory during execution of the program, the CPU is not able to continue execution of the program until the relevant instruction is acquired from a main memory. Thus, a cache miss of an instruction is a factor of a reduction in performance that is more serious than a cache miss of data. In particular, the same instruction is repeatedly executed in a loop program, and therefore it is desirable to effectively utilize the cache memory also for instructions. Thus, it is an important technique to acquire cache profile information of the instructions.
Related techniques are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2014-232369.
The currently available method of investigating the usage situation of a cache utilizes a register built in the CPU, and enables acquiring simple information such as a count of the number of cache misses. However, the method which utilizes the register built in the CPU does not allow acquiring detailed cache profile information in consideration of caching of the instructions. It is also conceivable to use a method of acquiring detailed profile information using a CPU simulator or a dedicated tool. In this case, however, it takes an execution time that is much longer than that for normal execution of the program. Since execution of a large-scale HPC application program generally takes a long time, it is not practical to utilize the actual device for a long time in order to acquire profile information on the usage situation of the cache memory.

Information processing apparatus and method including simulating access to cache memory and generating profile information


A method for controlling high-speed sheetmaking machine after abrupt process changes and during start-up periods and the like, includes operating a scanning sensor to periodically traverse back and forth across a sheet in the cross direction to detect values of selected sheet property along each scan while the cross-directional width of each scan is controlled to be substantially less than the width of the sheet being scanned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to sheetmaking control systems and, more particularly, to sheetmaking control systems wherein measuring devices scan across travelling sheets.
2. State of the Art
It is well known that on-line measurements can be made to detect properties of sheet materials during manufacture. Generally speaking, on-line measurements are made to enable prompt control of sheetmaking processes and, thus, to assure sheet quality while reducing the quantity of substandard sheet material which is produced before process upset conditions are corrected. In the papermaking art, for instance, on-line sensors can detect variables such as basis weight, moisture content, and caliper of paper sheets during manufacture.
One of the main complications in making on-line measurements during sheetmaking is that the physical properties of sheet materials usually vary in the machine direction as well as in the cross direction. (In the sheetmaking art, the term "machine direction" refers to the direction of travel of sheet material during manufacture, and the term "cross direction " refers to the direction across the surface of a sheet perpendicular to the machine direction.)
To detect variations in sheet materials, it is well known to use scanning sensors that periodically traverse back and forth across a sheetmaking machine in the cross direction while detecting values of a selected sheet property along each scan. Normally, the sheet being produced is traversed from edge to edge during each scan. The time required for a typical scan is generally between about twenty and thirty seconds for conventional scanners. The rate at which measurement readings are provided by such scanners is usually adjustable; a typical rate is about one measurement reading every fifty milliseconds.
In practice, measurement information provided by scanning sensors is usually assembled after each scan to provide a "profile" of the detected sheet property in the cross direction. In other words, each profile is comprised of a succession of sheet measurements at adjacent locations in the cross direction. The purpose of the profiles is to allow cross-directional variations in sheet properties to be detected easily. Based upon the detected cross-directional variations in the detected sheet property, appropriate control adjustments may be made to the sheetmaking machine with the goal of reducing profiles variations both in the cross direction and in the machine direction.
Although modern sheetmaking control systems provide substantial advantages, there are some shortcomings. One shortcoming of conventional systems is that their response times are relatively slow, especially following abrupt change in process conditions such as caused by sheet breaks or real changes, or during start-up. The slow response times of the control systems, although necessary to assure control stability, often allow substantial quantities of substandard sheet material to be produced before effective corrective actions are implemented. Thus, it can be appreciated that there is a need for control systems that rapidly adjust sheetmaking machines when process conditions change abruptly but, under normal conditions, provide smooth operation.

Process for controlling properties of travelling sheets


An ultrasound detector adapted for ultrasound detection with medical applications includes an optical waveguide, and at least one Bragg grating, created with a predetermined refractive index modulation amplitude in the optical waveguide, wherein the at least one Bragg grating includes a localized defect in periodicity so that a localized-light resonance portion is formed around the defect, and the localized-light resonance portion has spectral properties capable of being modulated in response to an ultrasound oscillation, wherein the optical waveguide is a non-amplifying optical medium, and the refractive index modulation amplitude is selected such that the localized-light resonance portion is concentrated at the defect in periodicity and the ultrasound oscillation can be sensed by the at least one Bragg grating with an acoustic sensitivity most of which being obtained over the localized-light resonance portion.

The detection of ultrasound is commonly performed with ultrasound detectors using piezo-electric materials, which convert pressure fields into voltage. Such detectors are characterized by relatively high sensitivity, small size, low cost, flexible design, wide bandwidth, high portability, and the ability to be multiplexed. Currently, piezo-electric detectors are the method of choice for most ultrasound-based bio-medical imaging applications. However, thermoacoustic imaging, and specifically intravascular multispectral optoacoustic imaging may pose stringent requirements on the size and sensitivity of the ultrasound detectors which cannot be met by current piezo-electric detectors. In addition, the vulnerability of piezo-electric detectors to electromagnetic radiation poses difficulties for thermoacoustic-imaging applications.
One application where better acoustic detection is required is intravascular multispectral optoacoustic imaging. Early implementations of such systems relied on the use of an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) detector for measuring the acoustic fields, which is based on piezo-electric technology. However, the miniaturization of the acoustic detector, which allows using IVUS in the coronary arteries, leads to diminished acoustic sensitivity. The exciting optoacoustic pulses should be sufficiently powerful such that the magnitude of the subsequent acoustic signal is higher than the detector's noise floor. However, because of safety restrictions pulses with high energy must be used in low repetition rates on the order of 10 Hz to ensure that the average laser power is below the tissue damage threshold. At such repetition rates, a single volumetric multi-spectral image with a typical length of several centimeters may take many hours to acquire. Such long acquisition times are unacceptable in catheterization procedures because they are invasive. To perform the data acquisition in an acceptable time, the acoustic-detector sensitivity should be improved by orders of magnitude.
Optical detection of acoustic fields has been previously proposed as an alternative to piezo-electric technology. Optical detection schemes are based on the photoelastic effect, where stress or strain in the optical medium leads to changes in its refractive index. The changes in the refractive index are commonly detected using interferometry. Optical detection schemes have been demonstrated for optoacoustic imaging [Beard, P C, and Mills, T N (1997): A miniature optical fiber ultrasonic hydrophone using a Fabry Perot polymer film interferometer, Electronics Letters 33(9), 801-803.]. In contrast to piezo-electric detectors they are not sensitive to external electromagnetic fields and thus are unaffected by the high intensity optical pulses or RF radiation coupled to the imaged object. In addition, since such optical detectors are transparent, they do not block the way of the high-power pulsed beam, allowing for more flexible geometries. However, current optical detectors for ultrasound fail to achieve either the bandwidth or sensitivity of which piezo-electric technology is capable. In addition, multiplexing of sensitive detectors has not been demonstrated. Thus, so far optoacoustic imaging systems which are based on optical detectors for the ultrasound signals did not show significant improvement over more conventional piezo-electric-detector designs in terms of imaging speed and fidelity.
Optical detection schemes proposed for optoacoustic imaging used either 2-beam interferometry (Mach Zehnder or Michelson) [Horacio Lamela et al. "Optoacoustic imaging using fiber-optic interferometric sensors," Optics Letters, Vol. 34, 2009, page 3695-3697] or a Fabry-Perot structure [Beard, P C et al. (1997): A miniature optical fiber ultrasonic hydrophone using a Fabry Perot polymer film interferometer, Electronics Letters 33(9), 801-803]. Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG's) have been demonstrated for the detection of low frequency ultrasound signals [N. E. Fisher et al. "Ultrasonic hydrophone based on short in-fiber Bragg gratings," Applies Optics, Vol. 34, 1998, pp. 8120-8128]. The limited detection bandwidth, which prevents the use of such schemes in optoacoustic applications, was a result of the relatively large effective size of the detector. In addition, the interrogation was performed using a wideband continuous-wave source. The statistical properties of the light emitted by such sources were analyzed in [C. Z. Shi et al. "Noise Limit in Heterodyne Interferometer Demodulator for FBG-Based Sensors," JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 22, NO. 10, OCTOBER 2004, pp. 2287-2295]. Although a quantitative comparison to other sources was not given, it can be shown that interrogation techniques based on a wideband continuous-wave source have an inherently high level of noise which severely limits sensitivity. The reason for this property is that the wide bandwidth of the source is a result of the incoherent nature of the source, i.e., fast random variations in the phase and amplitude of the emitted light. Other wideband-cw-source interrogation techniques can be found in [A. D. Kersey, J. Lightwave Tech. 15, 1142 (1997).]. These techniques are general and can be used to interrogate any linear optical device which exhibits a bandpass spectrum.
If the Bragg grating in an optical fiber includes a π-phase-defect in periodicity, a so-called π-phase-shifted FBG (Pi-phase-shifted FBG) is provided. The π-phase-shifted FBG is characterized by a localized-light resonance portion being formed around the defect and having spectral properties which depend on a mechanical strain exerted on the optical fiber. π-phase-shifted FBG's have been previously demonstrated as load sensors [D. LeBlanc et al. "Transverse load sensing by use of pi-phase-shifted fiber Bragg gratings," OPTICS Letters, Vol. 24, 1999, page 1091], but have not been used for ultrasound detection. The interrogation was performed by inspecting the spectral splitting of the notch in the bandgap spectrum.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,206,259 discloses an ultrasound detector using a fiber sensor with FBG's. The fiber is an active medium, i.e., amplifies the guided light, and with the gratings leads to lasing. The laser light is affected by the acoustic fields. An optical ultrasound receiver is described in US 2010/0087732 A1, wherein a fiber sensor with FBG's is used. The FBG's are used as partially reflecting mirrors to form a Fabry Perot interferometer. The interrogation is performed with narrow-band CW illumination. U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,496 discloses a similar optical fiber probe for photoacoustic material analysis being adapted for forward viewing. Side-viewing optical acoustic sensors and their use in intravascular diagnostic probes are described in US 2007/0291275 A1. The optical sensor is a Fabry Perot interferometer. An ultrasound detection system, and material monitoring apparatus and nondestructive inspection apparatus equipped the system is described in US 2008/0043243 A1, wherein a fiber sensor with FBG's is used. The interrogation is done with a wide-band source.
It could therefore be helpful to provide an improved ultrasound detector avoiding disadvantages of conventional detector techniques such as high-sensitivity optical detection of ultrasound fields which is stable against environmental changes such as temperature drifts, pressure variations, and low frequency mechanical vibrations. Furthermore, it could be helpful to provide an improved ultrasound detecting device and an improved imaging apparatus, in particular for optoacoustic or thermoacoustic imaging an object under investigation such as a high-speed multi-spectral optoacoustic or thermoacoustic device implementation adapted for intra-vascular imaging. It could still further be helpful to provide optoacoustic or thermoacoustic imaging device implementations for non-invasive imaging.

Ultrasound detector and detecting device for optoacoustic or thermoacoustic imaging

Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheitund Umwelt (GmbH)


A system and method for stitching separately encoded MPEG video fragments, each representing a different rectangular area of the screen together into one single full-screen MPEG encoded video fragment.

Current electronic distribution of television messages, such as commercials, from an originator or distributor to one or more television broadcast stations and/or cable television master control centers, does not easily allow for regional customization of such messages. The reason for this is that each different variant of a message has to be transmitted completely by itself, and independent from the other variants, from sender to receiver. Each extra variant will thus require proportionally extra bandwidth usage over the transmission channel. Sending fifty different variants will require fifty times as much bandwidth as sending one single variant. This added bandwidth consumption would be prohibitively costly and/or time consuming.
Regional customization of television messages would be desirable, for example, in the distribution of infomercials. An infomercial is a television commercial with the specific purpose of getting the viewer to pickup the phone and order the advertised product immediately. Typically, there are two types of infomercials: Long form messages (paid programming), having a length of (approx.) 30 minutes, and short form messages (direct response ads, aired in the space of normal commercials), having a length of 30-120 sec.
A typical infomercial (just like any other television commercial) is broadcast in many different geographic regions from many different (easily 50 or more) broadcast stations. To measure the effectiveness of the commercial in the different regions it would be advantageous to have a different call-in phone number in use for the commercial in each region. Typically, such phone numbers to be called by the viewer are overlaid over a small portion, typically the bottom, of the video for the entire duration (or large portions) of the commercial.
Regional customization of television messages would also be advantageous, for instance, in the case of a commercial for a brand or chain that has many stores throughout the country. Commercials for the brand could be regionalized by showing the address of the nearest store for that brand, by showing different promotions for different products for each region, by showing different prices for the same product in different regions, etc. Such region-specific customizations could be added to small portions of the video of the commercial, for example as (but not limited to) a text overlay.
The above examples have in common that, a small portion of the video is varying between the different versions of the message, while larger portions of the video are common between many versions. Therefore it would be advantageous if there was a method to independently encode and distribute different portions of the screen, to exploit the different amounts of variation for different portions of the screen, and thus achieve a saving in required transmission bandwidth. An additional advantage would be reduced encoding and decoding time since the amount of video to be encoded and decoded would be less.
However, television commercials are currently mainly distributed in MPEG-2 format. Unfortunately, the MPEG-2 video compression standard as well as existing MPEG-2 encoding and decoding equipment do not allow for independent encoding, decoding, and/or assembly into full screen video, of different portions of the video screen.

System and method for optimized encoding and transmission of a plurality of substantially similar video fragments


A polybutylene terephthalate resin having 30 eq/t or less of carboxyl end group, a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher and an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less; and compositions and molded articles comprising the resin and glass fiber, antioxidants and mold-releasing agents is provided. The polybutylene terephthalate resin can be molded in a short molding cycle, exhibits excellent resistance to hydrolysis and mold-releasing property, causes no corrosion of metals and generates little gas during molding. The compositions and the molded articles exhibit improved impact resistance, stability under heating and oxidation and mold-releasing property and can be advantageously used for members in electric and electronic products and in automobiles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polybutylene terephthalate resin and compositions and molded articles comprising the resin. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polybutylene terephthalate resin which can be molded in a short molding cycle with excellent productivity, exhibits excellent stability to hydrolysis, causes no corrosion of electric contacts and can be advantageously used for members of electric and electronic products such as relays. The present invention further relates to polybutylene terephthalate resin compositions and molded articles which are obtained by adding reinforcing agents and additives to the above resin and exhibit improved impact resistance, stability under heating and oxidation and mold-releasing property.
2. Description of Related Art
Polybutylene terephthalate resins which are typical engineering plastic resins among thermoplastic polyester resins are widely used in the fields of members in automobiles, electric and electronic products and precision instruments since the polybutylene terephthalate resins can be easily molded and exhibit excellent physical and chemical properties such as mechanical properties, heat resistance and electric properties.
Although polybutylene terephthalate resins have the above advantageous properties, it is also known that these resins have some drawbacks. Since polybutylene terephthalate resins absorb little moisture, these resins are essentially not susceptible to the effect of water. However, the ester bond is hydrolyzed with water and water vapor at high temperatures and hydroxyl group and carboxyl group are formed. The formed carboxyl group works as the self-catalyst and further accelerates the hydrolysis. Therefore, in a hot and humid environment, the use of polybutylene terephthalate is restricted. Polybutylene terephthalate resins has carboxyl group derived from terephthalic acid used as the raw material at chain ends thereof. The carboxyl end group also affects the resistance to hydrolysis of polybutylene terephthalate resins.
When a polybutylene terephthalate resin is used for members of electric and electronic products such as relays, there is the possibility that corrosion of metal contacts and attachment of carbonated products at metal contacts take place due to organic gases generated from the resin and the contacts do not work properly. Organic gases generated from the resin also occasionally causes corrosion of molds due to the direct reaction with the molds at high temperatures during molding. It is considered that the organic gases generated from the resin comprise tetrahydrofuran residual in the polybutylene terephthalate resin as the main component although organic gases formed by heat decomposition of the polybutylene terephthalate resin and additives during or after the molding may also be present in minor amounts.
Polybutylene terephthalate resins are resins exhibiting an excellent molding property among engineering resins since the rate of crystallization is relatively great and the molding cycle is short. However, a further improvement in the molding property is desired. It is effective for improving the molding property that the crystallization temperature of the polybutylene terephthalate is elevated.
To reduce the amount of carboxyl end group, a lower reaction temperature and a shorter reaction time can be adopted in the production of the polybutylene terephthalate. However, the molecular weight of the obtained polybutylene terephthalate resin becomes smaller under these conditions. To overcome this drawback, a process in which a polybutylene terephthalate resin produced by the polymerization in the melted condition at a relatively low temperature for a relatively short time is further treated by the solid phase polymerization to increase the molecular weight, is known.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 7(1995)-149880, an invention on a novel polybutylene terephthalate resin which has less than 30 meq/kg of COOH end group and a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of at least 30,000 and exhibits an excellent bonding property to lacquers is disclosed. In the examples of this invention, it is shown that PBT-4 having 7.5 meq/kg of COOH group at the chain ends and Mn of 41,200 could be obtained when dimethyl terephthalate and butanediol were treated by polycondensation, followed by post condensation in the solid phase.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 6(1994)-256628, it is proposed that a polybutylene terephthalate resin having 20 eq/106 g or less of carboxyl end group is used for improving resistance to hydrolysis of a polybutylene terephthalate resin composition comprising flame retardants. As the process for obtaining the polybutylene terephthalate resin having carboxyl end group in such a small amount, a process in which, in polycondensation of 1,4-butanediol and terephthalic acid or an ester thereof with a lower alcohol, the polycondensation is stopped in the melted condition when the intrinsic viscosity reaches 0.1 to 0.55 dl/g and, after solidifying the product by cooling, solid phase polycondensation is conducted to achieve an intrinsic viscosity of 0.6 to 2 dl/g, is disclosed.
In the specifications of the above applications, no descriptions on the content of tetrahydrofuran or the crystallization temperature can be found. Although the polybutylene terephthalate resins described above have decreased amounts of carboxyl end group, the content of tetrahydrofuran and the crystallization temperature are not known.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-111768, an invention on a loose tube for optical fibers comprising a polybutylene terephthalate resin which contains 0.30% by weight or smaller of butylene terephthalate oligomer, generates 10 ppm or less of volatile gases by a heat treatment at 150xc2x0 C. for 60 minutes and has a concentration of carboxyl end group of 30 eq/t or smaller and an inherent viscosity of 1.0 to 1.2 dl/g is described. In the above application, it is described that excellent resistance to hydrolysis is exhibited and formation of gum is suppressed in extrusion when the above resin is used. However, no descriptions can be found on the crystallization temperature of the polybutylene terephthalate resin. In the above application, the method for decreasing the concentration of oligomers of the polybutylene terephthalate resin is shown. However, the processes for decreasing the amounts of volatile gases and carboxyl end group to the desired values are not disclosed. No descriptions can be found on the process for preparing the polybutylene terephthalate resin used in the above application, either.
To prevent occurrence of poor contact due to organic gases generated from molded articles such as relays and switches using a polybutylene terephthalate resin, it has heretofore been known that the molded articles are degassed by baking in a vacuum. However, the baking in a vacuum has drawbacks in that productivity is small and that the treated molded articles lose gloss or become fragile due to loss of toughness.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 8(1996)-209004, a thermoplastic resin composition for members of electric and electronic products having contacts in which 0.2 to 10 parts by weight of a polyol such as 1,4-butanediol and polyethylene glycol is added to 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin such as a polybutylene terephthalate resin is proposed as the material for solving the above problems on the degassing by baking in a vacuum. It is described in this application that, when the resin composition is heated, a gas generated from the aliphatic polyol works on electric contacts as a protective component on the contacts and suppresses an increase in resistance of contact and the occurrence of poor contact can be prevented. However, fouling of molds and decreases in mechanical properties of molded articles of the resin are inevitable when the polyol is added in such a great amount.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 8(1996)-227030, an invention on a covering tube for optical fibers obtained by extrusion of a polybutylene terephthalate resin or a composition thereof is described. It is described in this application that the polybutylene terephthalate resin preferably satisfies the following condition: Tmxe2x88x92Ticxe2x89xa630, wherein Tm represents the melting point of the resin and Tic represents an extrapolated starting temperature of crystallization of the resin. To satisfy this condition, it is necessary that the crystallization temperature of the resin be elevated. However, a method of adding a nucleating agent of crystallization such as boron nitride is used as the means for elevating the crystallization temperature of the polybutylene terephthalate resin and no descriptions can be found on the elevation of the crystallization temperature of the resin itself. Moreover the concentrations of carboxyl end group in the polybutylene terephthalate resins described in the above application is 40 meq/kg or greater in all cases.
As described above, polybutylene terephthalate resins in which one or two factors among the amount of carboxyl end group, the amount of residual tetrahydrofuran and the crystallization temperature are controlled have been known. However, no polybutylene terephthalate resins in which all three factors are controlled have been known as far as the present inventors are aware of.
The present invention has an object of providing a polybutylene terephthalate resin which can be molded in a short molding cycle with excellent productivity, exhibits excellent stability to hydrolysis, causes no corrosion of electric contacts and can be advantageously used for members of electric and electronic products such as relays, polybutylene terephthalate resin compositions which are obtained by adding reinforcing agents and/or additives to the above resin and exhibit further improved impact resistance, stability under heating and oxidation and mold-releasing property and a molded article comprising the resin or the composition.
As the result of intensive studies to overcome the above drawbacks, it was found that a polybutylene terephthalate resin having 30 eq/t or less of carboxyl end group, a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher and an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less could be molded in a short molding cycle with excellent productivity, exhibited excellent stability to hydrolysis and caused no corrosion of metals and that polybutylene terephthalate resin compositions and molded articles exhibiting further improved impact resistance, stability under heating and oxidation and molding property could be obtained by adding glass fiber, antioxidants and mold-releasing agents to the above polybutylene terephthalate resin. The present invention has been completed based on this knowledge.
The present invention provides:
(1) A polybutylene terephthalate resin having 30 eq/t or less of carboxyl end group and a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min;
(2) A resin described in (1), which has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(3) A resin described in (1), which has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 50 to 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(4) A resin described in (1), which has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,3,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(5) A resin described in (1), which is obtained by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials;
(6) A polybutylene terephthalate resin which has a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min and an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the resin;
(7) A resin described in (6), which has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(8) A resin described in (6), which is prepared by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials;
(9) A polybutylene terephthalate resin composition which comprises a polybutylene terephthalate resin which has 30 eq/t or less of carboxyl end group and a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min, and glass fiber;
(10) A composition described in (9), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(11) A composition described in (9), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 50 to 300 ppm.
(12) A composition described in (9), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(13) A composition described in (9), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin is obtained by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials;
(14) A composition described in (9), which comprises glass fiber in an amount of 3 to 150 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(15) A polybutylene terephthalate resin composition which comprises a polybutylene terephthalate resin which has a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min and an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin, and glass fiber;
(16) A composition described in (15), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(17) A composition described in (15), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin is a resin produced by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials;
(18) A polybutylene terephthalate resin composition which comprises a polybutylene terephthalate resin which has 30 eq/t or less of carboxyl end group and a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min, and phenolic antioxidants;
(19) A composition described in (18), which further comprises at least one antioxidant selected from a group consisting of sulfur-based antioxidants and phosphorus-based antioxidants;
(20) A composition described in (18), wherein the phenolic antioxidants are hindered phenolic antioxidants;
(21) A composition described in (19), wherein the sulfur-based antioxidants are thioether-based antioxidants;
(22) A composition described in 18, which has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(23) A composition described in (18), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 50 to 300 ppm.
(24) A composition described in (18), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an inherent intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(25) A composition described in (18), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin is a resin produced by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials;
(26) A composition described in (18), which comprises the phenolic antioxidants in an amount of 0.001 to 2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(27) A polybutylene terephthalate resin composition which comprises a polybutylene terephthalate resin which has a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min and an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin, and phenolic antioxidants;
(28) A composition described in (27), which further comprises at least one antioxidant selected from a group consisting of sulfur-based antioxidants and phosphorus-based antioxidants;
(29) A composition described in (27), wherein the phenolic antioxidants are hindered phenolic antioxidants;
(30) A composition described in (28), wherein the sulfur-based antioxidants are thioether-based antioxidants;
(31) A composition described in (27), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(32) A composition described in (27), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin is a resin produced by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials;
(33) A polybutylene terephthalate resin composition which comprises a polybutylene terephthalate resin which has 30 eq/t or less of carboxyl end group and a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min, and a fatty acid ester which has a residue group of a fatty acid having 12 to 36 carbon atoms and a residue group of an alcohol having 1 to 36 carbon atoms;
(34) A composition described in (33), which has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(35) A composition described in (33), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 50 to 300 ppm.
(36) A composition described in (33), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(37) A composition described in (33), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin is a resin produced by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials;
(38) A composition described in (31), which comprises the fatty acid ester in an amount of 0.01 to 2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polybutylene terephthalate resin;
(39) A polybutylene terephthalate resin composition which comprises a polybutylene terephthalate resin which has a crystallization temperature in a temperature decrease of 175xc2x0 C. or higher as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a rate of the temperature decrease of 20xc2x0 C./min and an amount of residual tetrahydrofuran of 300 ppm by weight or less in the polybutylene terephthalate resin, and a fatty acid ester which has a residue group of a fatty acid having 12 to 36 carbon atoms and a residue group of an alcohol having 1 to 36 carbon atoms;
(40) A composition described in (39), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.5 to 1.5 dl/g as measured at 30xc2x0 C. in a mixed solvent composed of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in relative amounts by weight of 1/1;
(41) A composition described in (39), wherein the polybutylene terephthalate resin is a resin produced by continuous polycondensation using terephthalic acid and 1,4-butanediol as main raw materials; and
(42) A molded article obtained by molding the polybutylene terephthalate resin described in (1).

Polybutylene terephthalate resin and compositions and molded articles comprising the resin


A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to define a strand upstream of a direction based traffic (DBT) link. In a method, a strand is defined upstream of a DBT link. The method includes extending the strand so as to include one or more links upstream of the DBT link. The strand is extended by determining whether a link is to be added to the strand based upon evaluation of a termination criteria. The termination criteria is at least partially based upon a relationship of a function class of the link to the function class of one or more other links. In an instance in which the termination criteria is satisfied, the method ceases further extension of the strand.

Many traffic-aware routing and navigation systems utilize link-level traffic information. In instances in which a link, such as a segment of a road, includes a plurality of lanes, the link-level traffic information is oftentimes not specific as to individual lanes of the link. Instead, link-level traffic information may include speeds that are the statistical average speed of vehicles driving along the different lanes of the link. As the vehicles driving along the different lanes of a link are proceeding along different routes, the vehicles may have similar speeds in some instances, but very divergent speeds in other instances. These differences between traffic behavior in the different lanes of a link may be most pronounced at intersections, such as busy arterial intersections, in which the average speed at the link-level does not represent the actual average speed at the lane level for at least some of the lanes of the link. For example, in an instance in which one lane of a link is a left turn lane and another lane of the same link proceeds in a straight direction, the speed of the vehicles in the left turn lane may be significantly less than the speed of the vehicles in the lane proceeding in a straight direction. As a result, the link-level traffic information including, for example, the speed of the traffic supported by the link, such as the average speed of travel along the link, may not be representative of the behavior of the vehicles in at least some lanes of the link.
Although lane-level traffic information is not generally available for all links of a road system in the same manner that lane-level traffic information is more readily available, lane-level traffic information is more often available for certain types of links. For example, a DBT link is the link immediately upstream of an intersection that includes two or more downstream links supporting traffic flow during the same period of time with divergent speeds, such as speeds that are sufficiently divergent to be published as lane-level congestion in a turn direction. Lane-level information is more generally available for a DBT link than for other more upstream links that are further removed from the intersection. The lane-level information for the DBT link captures differences in its lane-level traffic behavior, such as may be occasioned by the different routes taken by the vehicles through the intersection with which the DBT link is associated.
The different routes taken by vehicles through the intersection may not only cause the behavior, such as the speed, of the vehicles traveling along the different lanes of the DBT link to vary, but may also cause the behavior, such as the speed, of vehicles in different lanes of the links upstream of the DBT link to also be affected and to correspondingly differ from lane to lane. However, lane-level traffic information for the links upstream of a DBT link is not as routinely available. As such, the lane-level traffic information that is more generally available for the links upstream of a DBT link must generally be referenced even though this lane-level traffic information is not sufficiently granular to accurately and consistently represent the differences in vehicle behavior, such as the average speed, in the different lanes of the links upstream of a DBT link.

Method, apparatus and computer program product for defining a strand upstream of a direction-based traffic link


Method and device for strengthening and lightening floor and roof framing, using several devices, prefabricated beams, molds, mesh, concrete laid on site and where necessary reinforcing rods. The method involves affixing the device, including a section, two bolts and a pin, wrapped transversally around the beam. Several devices can be affixed along each beam. The beams are placed on their walls or girders, parallel and separated depending on the molds, then the molds are seated in the protruding segments of the bolts of the device until the spans are covered, affixing reinforcing rods in the sides of the device where necessary. The mesh is laid by attaching it to the ends of the devices. The concrete is poured until the compression slab and the channels above the beams are filled. Once set, the bolts are removed to recover the molds from below.

Nowadays many procedures for the manufacture of floor and roof framing of reinforced concrete are based on placement on the walls and girders, prefabricated beams placed parallel to and separated from each other, such that when the blocks or moulds sit on their sides, the spans between the beams are covered, then a mesh is placed in a parallel plan exceeding the blocks, the concrete is then poured on the whole in order to form the compression slab. In said framings, the ruptures and cracks are very frequent due to the weak adherence between the smooth beam surfaces and the concrete forming the compression slab, thus impeding a suitable incorporation to work together, decreasing the absorption of the shear-stress and the loading capacity of the system. Also in these procedures it is difficult to place the mesh in the proper place, and if necessary, reinforcing rods. In many of these cases, the use of blocks of concrete which are encased in the system add an excessive weight with a practically null structural benefit. And if after setting of the framing, firmly affixing supports for ceiling roses, ducts, and lamps, is required, then it is necessary to drill into the framing, taking the risk of damaging it.


An illumination system and a projection apparatus are provided. The projection apparatus comprises the illumination system and an imaging system for forming an image. The illumination system comprises a plurality of light source modules, a first wavelength transformer, an optical apparatus and a first angle selective film. The light source modules are used for generating a plurality of light beams. The first wavelength transformer is disposed at a predetermined position. The optical apparatus is disposed between the light source modules and the first wavelength transformer for focusing the light beams to the predetermined position. The first angle selective film is disposed on the first wavelength transformer. The first wavelength transformer is disposed between the first angle selective film and the optical apparatus. The first angle selective film is used for angle-selectively filtering the light beams passing through the first wavelength transformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination system, and more particularly, to an illumination system for a projection apparatus.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
Because common light emitting diodes (LEDs) feature high energy conversion efficiency, long service lives, high stability and capability of being instantaneously switched on/off, they have gradually replaced conventional ultra high pressure (UHP) mercury bulbs as light sources of projection apparatuses. When LEDs are adopted as the light source of a projection apparatus, the design and arrangement of internal optical components thereof need to be considered to achieve a desirable light utilization ratio and desirable light distribution uniformity. A common approach is to directly use red LEDs, blue LEDs and green LEDs as the light source of the projection apparatus. However, it is known that the green LEDs have low light emission efficiency and the red LEDs have a high requirement on heat dissipation. Consequently, if the red LEDs, the blue LEDs and the green LEDs are directly used as the light source of the projection apparatus without being appropriately adjusted beforehand, it will be difficult to adjust the overall color uniformity, which makes use of the projection apparatus very inconvenient.
In this case, the light source of the projection apparatus may be provided in another way, i.e., by using a blue LED or an ultraviolet (UV) LED in combination with a color wheel. However, if only the light emitted by a single blue LED or a single UV LED to the color wheel is used as the light source of the projection apparatus, then the luminance of an image projected will be significantly reduced. Moreover, LEDs are a kind of light source with a large divergence angle and a large etendue; as a result, the light source of the projection apparatus will suffer from an inadequate intensity and the light energy emitted from the LED will not be used efficiently if the etendue cannot be reduced for more efficient light concentration.
Accordingly, an urgent need exists in the art to solve the aforesaid problem by increasing the utilization ratio of the light source of the projection apparatus and enhancing the intensity of the whole light source.

Illumination system and projection apparatus comprising the same


Audio playback system and method for a Hi-Fi VCR capable of preventing an occurrence of noise when audio heads are switched. When an azimuth occurs with respect to each arrangement angle of audio heads or when one of audio signals played back audio heads is delayed due to the elasticity of VCR tape, a correction signal generator detects a phase difference between the audio signals and corrects error in the audio signals according to the detected phase difference. By switching units, error corrected audio signals are switched and combined into continuous audio signals, each corresponding to a stereo channel. As a result, it is possible to avoid an occurrence of noise at a portion at which audio signals of the same stereo channel are connected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video cassette recorder, and more particularly to an audio playback system and method capable of preventing an occurrence of noise when a plurality of audio heads are switched.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general VHS type video cassette recorders (VCRs), record and playback of video signals are achieved by a rotating head utilizing a drum, while record and playback of audio signals are achieved by a fixed head.
In conventional Hi-Fi VCRs, however, two audio dedicated heads are arranged on a drum and function to record audio signals on a VCR tape and play back therefrom alternately, when the drum rotates.
Now, an audio playback system for such conventional Hi-Fi VCRs will be described, in conjunction with FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the audio playback system used for the above-mentioned Hi-Fi VCRs. As shown in FIG. 1, the audio playback system comprises two audio heads 1 and 2 for playing back audio signals recorded on a VCR tape (not shown in FIG. 1) in a frequency modulation manner. Audio signals played back by audio heads 1 and 2 are amplified to predetermined levels by pre-amplifiers 3 and 4, respectively. The audio playback system also comprises filters 5 to 8 for separating audio signals from pre-amplifiers 3 and 4 into signals corresponding to left and right stereo channels and then filtering the separated signals to remove noise therefrom. Filters 5 and 7 are provided for processing the audio signal from the pre-amplifier 3, while filters 6 and 8 are provided for processing the audio signal from the pre-amplifier 4. To filters 5 to 8, demodulators 9 to 12 are connected, to demodulate signals from filters 5 to 8 into signals having original frequencies, respectively. The audio playback system also comprises switches 13 and 14 switched according to the level of a switching control signal SCP supplied externally to to combine audio signals modulated in demodulators 9 to 12 into two continuous audio signals one corresponding to the left channel and the other corresponding to the right channel. By digital/analog converters (D/A converters) 17 and 18, the combined digital audio signals are converted into original analog audio signals to be applied to playback output terminals 17 and 18 for left and right channels, respectively.
The operation of the conventional audio playback system will now be described.
Audio heads 1 and 2 play back frequency modulated audio signals recorded on the VCR tape, alternately. The played back audio signals which are weak in level are then amplified at predetermined amplifying levels by pre-amplifiers 3 and 4, respectively. The audio signal amplified by the pre-amplifier 3 is separated into left and right channel audio signals and then filtered by filters 5 and 7 to remove noise therefrom, respectively. On the other hand, the audio signal amplified by the pre-amplifier 4 is separated into left and right channel audio signals and then filtered by filters 6 and 8 to remove noise therefrom, respectively. Respective filtered audio signals from filters 5 to 8 are demodulated into digital signals having original frequencies, by demodulators 9 to 12.
Left channel audio signals demodulated by modulators 9 and 10 are received at fixed terminals b1 and c1 of the switch 13, respectively, to form a continuous signal. On the other hand, right channel audio signals demodulated by modulators 11 and 12 are received at fixed terminals b2 and c2 of the switch 14, respectively, to form a continuous signal. At this time, operations of switches 13 and 14 are controlled according to the level of a switching control signal SCP supplied externally. When a low level of switching control signal SCP is applied to switches 13 and 14, movable terminals a1 and a2 of switches 13 and 14 are connected to fixed terminals c1 and c2, respectively. Accordingly, digital audio signals from demodulators 10 and 12 are converted into original analog audio signals by D/A converters 15 and 16 and then applied to playback output terminals 17 and 18, respectively. On the other hand, when the switching control signal SCP has a high level, movable terminals a1 and a2 of switches 13 and 14 are connected to fixed terminals b1 and b2, respectively. Accordingly, digital audio signals from demodulators 9 and 11 are converted into original analog audio signals by D/A converters 15 and 16 and then applied to playback output terminals 17 and 18, respectively.
Thus, left channel audio signals from demodulators 9 and 10 are combined into a continuous signal by the switch 13, according to the level of external switching control signal SCP. In similar, right channel audio signals from demodulators 11 and 12 are combined into a continuous signal by the switch 14, according to the level of external switching control signal SCP.
In such a conventional audio playback system for Hi-Fi VCR, however, two audio heads arranged on the drum are operated alternately, to record continuously generated audio signals on a VCR tape and play them back alternately. Since these played back audio signals for the same channel are in a disconnected state from one another, they are combined into a continuous audio signal by a switch. At this time, a phase difference occurs between audio signals for the same channel played back by the two audio heads, so that noise always occurs at the point at which two played back audio signals are connected. The noise deteriorates the audio quality greatly.

System and method for removing noise when switching between heads in a digital video cassette recorder


Systems and methods are provided for network scanning. For example, the systems and methods can address AP scanning in the WiFi-6 context, where AP scanning frequency and the number of 6 GHz channels can be reduced. Additionally, the timing of AP scanning (on 2.4/5/6 GHz channels) can be adjusted to wait until STA's buffered frames are sent to AP and/or while a STA is asleep due to time TWT.

Wi-Fi is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access. Several versions of Wi-Fi are available, including Wi-Fi 6E (e.g., Wi-Fi 6 Extended into the 6 GHz band), which has increased available spectrum and channels from Wi-Fi 6 for entry level access points (AP) and routers.
Some consider Wi-Fi 6E as making Wi-Fi more usable in general by increasing throughput over the prior Wi-Fi 5 and 6 with 80 MHz channels. In particular, Wi-Fi 6E adds 1,200 MHz (5925 MHz-7125 MHz) or 1.2 GHz new bandwidth with 5920-MHz channels, 2940-MHz channels, 1480-MHz channels, and 7160-MHz channels. Beside this, to support fast discovery, a Fast Initial Link Setup (FILS) Discovery frame is introduced with 20 ms interval and the minimum beacon interval can be reduced to 40 ms. With doubled channel number and a half beacon interval, the original AP Scanning method which enables scans of all valid channels becomes inefficient and hard to implement.
The figures are not exhaustive and do not limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


A glass plate module according to the present invention includes a glass plate, an electrically conductive layer laminated on the glass plate, at least one connection terminal fixed to the electrically conductive layer and made of an electrically conductive material, and lead-free solder for fixing the connection terminal to the electrically conductive layer. The connection terminal includes an installation portion that is fixed to the electrically conductive layer via the lead-free solder, a standing portion that extends from an end portion of the installation portion in a direction away from the glass plate, and a connection portion that is coupled to an end portion of the standing portion on the opposite side to the installation portion and extends in a direction away from the installation portion along a surface direction of the glass plate.

For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a connection terminal that is connected to an electrically conductive layer of a glass plate of an automobile. A cable or the like is connected to such a connection terminal, and electric power is supplied to the electrically conductive layer via the connection terminal.


An electronic device includes a circuit substrate, a bottom case, and a top case. The circuit substrate has a plurality of slits penetrating therethrough. The bottom case has a groove portion positioned at an inside surface of the bottom case such that edge portions of the circuit substrate are slidable and inserted into the groove portion. Besides, a plurality of pin-shaped protrusion portions is provided in the bottom case to be snib-fitted with the top case, and each protrusion portion has a plurality of locking portions at a tip end portion. Each protrusion portion elastically biases the circuit substrate toward the top side of the bottom case and presses the circuit substrate to a top surface of the groove portion by locking the locking portions to the circuit substrate after the locking portions are respectively inserted into the slits.

Conventionally, a circuit substrate accommodated in a case is fixed to a vehicle for protecting an attachment element on the circuit substrate. JP-A-2011-166048 and JP-A-2005-317692 describe a structure without using a fastener such as screw, so as to reduce a cost when the circuit substrate is fixed to the case.
The above structure basically includes a top case and a bottom case. The circuit substrate is inserted between the top case and the bottom case. A force for holding the circuit substrate is affected by an engagement state between the top case and the bottom case, and thereby the circuit substrate may be loosely received in the top case and the bottom case. Since the circuit substrate cannot be strongly received, one of the top case and the bottom case may be readily apart from the other one by an external force. Thus, a displacement may be caused, and the circuit substrate and the element may be affected by an oscillation applied to the cases for a long time.
Further, an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor may be attached to the circuit substrate. For example, an acceleration sensor for two directions is attached to an airbag electronic control unit (airbag ECU). Since the sensor on the circuit substrate is for measuring parameters relative to movement applied to the vehicle, a no-displacement state is necessary to be maintained between the substrate and the cases. When the displacement occurs, the sensor cannot correctly measure the parameters, and an abnormality such as an erroneous detection may be caused. For example, a security device may activate when the security device should not be activated.


Manufacturing method of decorated molding article is provided. The manufacturing method of decorated molding article includes the following steps. A hard coating layer is formed on a substrate. The hard coating layer has an uneven surface and a planar surface, wherein the substrate contacts with the planar surface. A pattern layer is formed on and completely covers the uneven surface of the hard coating layer. An adhesive layer is formed on the pattern layer so as to form a decoration film. A transfer molding process is performed such that the decoration film adheres to an article through the adhesive layer. The transfer molding process includes performing a heating procedure such that the substrate is separated from the planar surface of the hard coating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a decoration film and a manufacturing method thereof, and a manufacturing method of a decorated molding article.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, decorations such as pattern or text formed on the shell surface of the object are mainly formed by spraying process or printing process, so as to show the specific visual effects and to increase the variation in appearance of the object. However, since the spraying process has shortcomings such as time-consuming, process complexity, poor thickness uniformity, etc, and thus the spraying process is not appropriate to use in mass production. To solve the problems above, various specific decoration processes using a decoration film have been proposed. For example, in-mold decoration (IMD) has then become an alternative choice of forming pattern and text on the object surface. IMD is mainly as follows. A transferring film printed with pattern is placed in a mold such as an injection molding machine etc. Then, resin is perfused into the mold such that the resin and the transferring film are combined with each other. After the resin is cooled, a decorated molding article is taken out from the mold, and the IMD process is completed.
Another process is out mold decoration (OMD), which is a three-dimensional coating technique using a high-pressure vacuum transfer to directly coat and mold a transparent film (pattern layer) printed with pattern or text on the outer surface of the article. Through the OMD, tactile effects and visual effects of the appearance may be achieved, and the OMD may be applied to various shell material, which may further increase the applications of the decoration of the product appearance. In the decoration film used in OMD, a release layer is often disposed between a substrate and other film layers (such as a hard coating layer or the pattern layer), so as to make the substrate temporarily adhere to the other film layers and to strip the other film layers from the substrate after the transfer procedure. Accordingly, the disposition of the release layer and the stripping procedure may inevitably increase process costs and time of the decorated molding article.

Manufacturing method of decorated molding article and manufacturing method of decorated film


In a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells connected to store physical information levels different in adjoining pairs of complementary data lines, those pairs of the memory cells, with which are connected the memory cells for storing the physical information levels in an identical pattern, are connected with a plurality of input/output lines by a column select circuit, so that the plurality of memory cells may be caused to perform the writing operations simultaneously in a test mode by feeding an identical write signal to the plurality of input/output lines. In the test mode, moreover, the input write data are processed so that the physical information levels of adjoining memory cells to be simultaneously written in the plurality of memory cells may be coincident.. Since the information levels of the adjoining bits can be made physically identical or different by combining the address selection and the write data, it is possible to shorten the testing time.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and, more particularly, to technology which is effective if applied to the testing function of a RAM (i.e., Random Access Memory) intended to have its memory capacity increased, for example.
As semiconductor technology develops, dynamic RAMs have been developed which have a capacity as large as about 16 Mbits. In order that the testing time of such dynamic RAMs may be prevented from increasing in accordance with such enlarged memory capacity, a test mode function is given to shorten the testing time so that a plurality of consecutive pairs of complementary data lines may be selected by a column select switch. This type of dynamic RAM having the test mode function is exemplified on pp. 67 to 81 of "Nikkei Micro Device" issued on Mar. 1, 1988 by Nikkei McGRAW-HILL.
A dynamic RAM which has a memory cell array of data line twist type for reducing noises in operation from the adjoining data lines pairs is as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51096/1987.

Semiconductor memory device providing reduced test time


An apparatus for providing safe access to the upper surface of a mobile container. The apparatus includes a pivoting handrail system having a walk surface, a first set of rails and a second set of rails both capable of being raised and lowered between a raised access position and a lowered stored position, a first pull for raising and lowering the first set of rails, a second pull for raising and lowering the second set of rails, and a support device for supporting the walk surface and attaching to the mobile container. An access such as a ladder may be attached to the pivoting handrail system to provide access to the pivoting handrail system.

The present invention is related to a pivoting handrail system for use in accessing the upper surface of a mobile container. Workers frequently require access to the upper surface of tanker trucks to perform daily maintenance and other tasks including opening and closing the hatches before and after loading, respectively. Accessing the upper surface of tanker trucks, however, is often a hazardous and dangerous task for a worker. The upper surface of the tank is typically cylindrical and often slippery causing frequent slips and falls by workers. Because of these hazardous conditions, it is known in the art to use fall protection/prevention measures such as safety cages to protect the worker.
Many of the larger loading stations however do not provide tanker truck access areas. Thus, a worker may perform checks and maintenance without any access and/or safety equipment. Alternatively, a worker may perform maintenance outside of the loading station facility by finding and driving to an access station having a safety cage both prior to and after loading to have the hatch opened and closed.
Standard safety cages, however, are ineffective and cumbersome to use. Typically several hatches are spaced along the upper surface of the tanker truck. If a retractable cage is used to provide fall protection while the worker is addressing each hatch, the cage must be placed over one hatch at a time. This typically means that, after the workman is finished with one hatch, he must exit the cage, raise the cage, move the cage along the length of the tank to the next hatch, lower the cage over the next hatch, and reenter the cage to access the hatch. Alternatively, instead of moving the cage from one hatch to the next, the tank can be moved beneath the cage, but raising and lowering the cage is still necessary. Both of these alternatives are tedious and time consuming. Another alternative is a fall protection cage that is large enough to cover multiple hatches. These cages have a deficiency in that the worker is not sufficiently surrounded by accessible handrails and the length of the cage may extend further than the extent of the tank being serviced, which creates a safety problem since the worker may fall into the void between the furthest rearward, or forward, extent of the tank and the cage.
Thus there is a need in the art for an efficient and effective device that provides safe access to the upper surface of a mobile container and particularly a tanker truck.