A remote control system and method for the remote control operation of a locomotive in the performance of a car-kicking sequence comprises a portable control unit operable from a location off-board of the locomotive. The portable control unit includes an operator interface allowing an operator to initiate, with a single step, a predetermined sequence of locomotive operations for automatically performing a car-kicking procedure and generating a signal responsive to the single step for transmission to the locomotive. The system also includes a memory for storing a set of instructions corresponding to the predetermined sequence. An onboard slave control unit, interfaced with an operating system on the locomotive, receives the signal and automatically controls movement of the locomotive according to the set of instructions.

The operation of a railroad involves the coupling and uncoupling of individual railcars and/or groups of railcars to one or more locomotives to form predetermined trains for specific hauling routes. "Car-kicking" is a method of breaking apart an existing train at a predetermined location in the string of railcars. Car-kicking is used at industrial sites, or in railcar classification yards, where a conventional hump/automatic retarder classification system is not available. The kicking operation typically requires a very skilled locomotive operator, ground operator and switchman to work in close coordination to safely and properly separate the train using this method.
The locomotive accelerates the railcars to be kicked to a desired speed and toward aligned switches. When the cars are moving, or when the desired speed is achieved, a man on the ground pulls the coupling pin from between adjacent railcars where the train will be broken. The locomotive engineer knows through experience when to decelerate the locomotive and quickly throttles down the locomotive and applies hard braking. The ensuing rapid deceleration of the locomotive sends a run-out wave down the train, causing the cars still coupled to the locomotive to decelerate, while the uncoupled cars continue to roll toward the desired track through the aligned switches.
Both the ground operator and locomotive engineer know which cars are to "kick" off of the train. The locomotive engineer may consider a number of parameters such as the number of cars to be "kicked", the weight of each car and the distance the cars are to be kicked from the locomotive, in order to time the deceleration of the locomotive so the uncoupled cars have sufficient momentum to roll through the repositioned switches and for a sufficient distance onto the side rail. Once the run-out wave has been sent, the locomotive operator must quickly decrease, or release, the brakes to prevent sliding of the locomotive wheels that could cause wheel damage. If several railcars or groups of cars are to be sent to other tracks in the classification yard, or industrial sidings, the ground man will call for another "shove" from the locomotive while the switchman repositions track switches to align the next set of uncoupled cars to roll onto another track.
It is known to remotely control a locomotive using a handheld operator control unit (OCU) that that is in radio communication with associated remotely controlled equipment onboard the locomotive. Such units are often used for switching operations. Canac, Inc. of Montreal, Canada, sells one such locomotive radio control system under the trademark Beltpack. Despite the capabilities of remote operation of a locomotive, car-kicking operations often still require different operators to pull coupling pins and control the movement of the locomotive, due in part because current locomotive remote control systems do not facilitate the rapid and complex actions that a single operator would have to perform. There are too many controls on an operator remote control unit that require manipulation by both hands of the remote control operator to allow that same person to assume the function of pulling the coupling pin and controlling the locomotive in a safe and effective manner.

Remotely controlled locomotive car-kicking control


An image generation method for generating image information of a color signal Y of an image A by using a color signal X of image A, and color signal X and color signal Y of an image B. The presence or absence of a point in color signal X of image B corresponding to each pixel position of color signal X of image A, and the position of the relevant corresponding point are estimated. To each estimated pixel position in color signal Y of image A, image information of the corresponding position in the second color signal Y of image B is assigned. Color signal Y at a pixel position in image A for which it is estimated that there is no corresponding point is generated by using the image information of color signal Y assigned to pixels having a corresponding point.

For multi-view imaging systems, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of camera arrangement having a straight-line alignment, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of camera arrangement having a planar arrangement, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of camera arrangement having an arc arrangement, and FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of camera arrangement having a spherical arrangement.
The multi-view imaging systems for imaging a scene in different directions have been developed. In the multi-view imaging systems, the camera arrangement has various forms such as a one-dimensional arrangement on a straight line as shown in FIG. 7, a two-dimensional arrangement on a plane as shown in FIG. 8, an arc arrangement as shown in FIG. 9, or a spherical arrangement as shown in FIG. 10. Using such multi-view imaging systems makes it possible to archive video scenes in many directions.
In addition, there is a technique called "image synthesis" for generating image information at a virtual camera position (at which imaging is not performed) by using camera images obtained by multi-view imaging. In the image synthesis, it is assumed that a camera parameter which indicates the spatial direction in which the original video image was obtained is known.
The image synthesis can be performed by various methods. For example, there is a method of performing synthesis by estimating depth information. First, disparity information is obtained by searching corresponding points between original video images, and depth information of the relevant scene is estimated based on the disparity information. Then, depth information at the virtual camera position is estimated, and corresponding image information is generated using image information of the original cameras (see Non-Patent Document 1).
In another example of the methods, no estimation of depth information is performed, but image information at the virtual camera position is directly generated using disparity information of original images (see Non-Patent Document 2).
In another example, a plurality of camera images are used for estimating a three-dimensional model information of an object which is present in the relevant scene, and an image of the model projected from the virtual camera position is generated (see Non-Patent Document 3).
In the above-described imaging systems, imaging is generally performed using image signals having a Bayer arrangement, and the Bayer arrangement is subjected to demosaicing to obtain RGB signals or YUV signals (i.e., luminance signal Y and chrominance signals U and V).
Demosaicing is a process of estimating the three color components (RGB) of each pixel position, based on an R, G, or B signal assigned to each pixel position obtained using the Bayer arrangement (see Non-Patent Document 4). As demosaicing corresponds to increasing of the resolution of the signal of each color component from a low value to a high value, it may be performed together with a super-resolution technique (see Non-Patent Document 5).
Additionally, in the above-described imaging systems, cameras having the same resolution are generally used, however, those having different resolutions may be used. It is possible to reduce the amount of obtained image information by using a combination of a camera having a high resolution and a camera having a low resolution. In addition, the cameras may have different focusing positions or viewing angles. In such a case, even when each image signal to be obtained has the same resolution, each area which is actually imaged has an individual resolution.
To obtain an image having a high resolution based on an image having a low resolution, an enlarging method of applying an up-sampling filter to each image signal in an image having a low resolution and a super-resolution method are known.
In the enlarging method, an image signal is obtained by applying an appropriate filter to image signals in a peripheral area. In the super-resolution method, generally, information of a plurality of images having the same resolution, which were sequentially obtained, is used (see Non-Patent Document 6). First, an image having a resolution higher than the obtained image is defined as a target image. That is, each pixel position of a target to be generated is defined in advance. Next, a corresponding relationship between the obtained images is estimated, and each image signal obtained by imaging is assigned to the corresponding target pixel position, thereby obtaining image information having a high resolution.
In order to represent color signals of an image, an RGB or YUV format is known. As a uniform color space, FIG. 11 shows a Munsell color space invented by Munsell. In the Munsell color space, colors are represented using hue, value, and chroma.
The "hue" indicates tint, and has five basic hues of red (R), yellow (Y), green (G), blue (B), and purple (P). That is, 10 hues are defined together with intermediate hues such as yellow-red (YR), yellow-green (GY), blue-green (BG), blue-purple (PB), and red-purple (RP).
The "value" indicates brightness, where 0 is assigned to ideal black for complete absorption, and 10 is assigned to ideal white for complete reflection. Between them, 10 levels are defined at sensibly equal intervals. The chroma indicates vividness.
The Munsell symbol is represented as HV/C (hue·value/chroma).
When representing the Munsell color space using a chart, the hue is regularly arranged along a circumference so as to form a hue circle. For the chroma, the farther from the center, the higher the chroma, which produces a more vivid color. As an approximate space for the Munsell color space, a CIE L*a*b* space or a CIE L*u*v* space has been proposed.    Non-Patent Document 1: Keita Takahashi and Takeshi Naemura,"Layered Light-Field Rendering with Focus Measurement", EURASIP Signal Processing: Image Communication, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 519-530 (2006.7).    Non-Patent Document 2: M. Droese, T. Fujii and M. Tanimoto,"Ray-Space Interpolation Constraining Smooth Disparities Based On Loopy Belief Propagation", Proc. of IWSSIP2004, pp. 247-250, Poznan, Poland, September 2004.    Non-Patent Document 3: Takashi Matsuyama, Takeshi Takai, Xiaojunn Wu, and Shohei Nobuhara, "Generation, Editing, and Visualization of 3D Video", Proceedings of The Virtual Reality Society of Japan, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 521-532, 2002.12.    Non-Patent Document 4: I. Tsubaki and K. Aizawa, "Demosaicing method from pixel mixture image", Forum on Information Science and Technology, pp. 219-222, September 2003.    Non-Patent Document 5: Tomomasa Goto and Masatoshi Okutomi, "High Resolution Color Image Reconstruction Using Raw Data of a Single Imaging Chip", IPSJ Transactions on Computer Vision and Image Media, Vol. 45, No. SIG 8(CVIM 9), pp. 15-25, 2004.    Non-Patent Document 6: Masayuki Tanaka and Masatoshi Okutomi, "A Fast Algorithm for Reconstruction-Based Super-Resolution and Its Accuracy Evaluation", Proceedings of IEICE, D-II vol. J88-D-II, No. 11, pp. 2200-2209, 2005.

Image generation method and apparatus, program therefor, and storage medium which stores the program

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


A device for singularising coins of different sizes and thickness with a housing which comprises an obliquely inclined base plate is suggested. A catch element for catching and conveying coins to a further processing is rotatably arranged above the base plate. The coins are randomly present at least in the lower region of the base plate on which a collection container is fastened. A flap is arranged in the base plate, which opens and closes synchronously with the driven coin catch element for leading a caught coin further.

In recent times, payment machines have been increasingly used for cashing in monies for purchased goods, which e.g. are placed at the tills of supermarkets or likewise, and into which the owed sum is added in the form of coins. The coins thereby, are filled into a receiver- or collection container in an uncontrolled and unsorted manner, whereupon they must be singularised and led to a coin tester. Thereby, the singularisation must be so reliable that a reliable transfer of only one coin is ensured, even with great differences in size and thickness.
A singularisation device for coin sorting- and/or coin counting machines is known from DE 40 09 087 A1, with which a hole disk rotatable on a base plate is arranged behind a receiver shell, wherein the coins are transported in the holes of the hole disk. Thereby, the base plate and the hole disk are arranged in an oblique manner. The holes of the hole disk in each case have the same diameter, and specifically such a diameter, which is slightly larger that that of the largest coin type to be processed. The thickness of the hole disk is generally such that the thicker coins of the hole disk slightly project beyond this. The counter plate at a certain height, merges into a recessed abutment surface, onto which the coins transported via the holes of the hole disk fall or slide, and are transported away by a conveyor member. A leaf spring is arranged in the upper region of this device in front of the hole disk, and this spring which lies directly opposite the hole disk, and inasmuch as this is concerned, acts as a deflector, thus coins which have not been singularised in a correct manner and project too far beyond the front side of the hole disk are displaced away.

Walter Hanke Mechanische Werkstätten GmbH & Co. KG


In a solid-state image sensor in which a large number of pixel cells each comprised of a combination of a main photosensitive pixel having a relatively large area and a subsidiary photosensitive pixel having a relatively small area are arranged, if the subsidiary photosensitive pixel has a defect for any pixel cell, division photometry data during AE processing is read, and the defective pixel is replaced with a value obtained by dividing the output value of the main photosensitive pixel at the same position by a sensitivity ratio only for a section for which it is determined that the main photosensitive pixel is not saturated. Thus, the pixel value of a defective pixel can be accurately corrected without causing a reduction in resolution sensitivity compared to a conventional method of correcting a defective pixel using surrounding pixel information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an imaging apparatus for correcting a defective pixel of a solid-state image sensor, and particularly to a technique that is applied to an electronic image recording apparatus such as a digital camera or movie camera, which is a signal processing technique for correcting defects (flaws) in photosensitive pixels that may occur in production of a solid-state image sensor. The present invention further relates to a digital camera which comprises an imaging device having two types of light-receiving elements of different light-receiving sensitivities and light-receiving signal saturation levels for each pixel, and a method for creating pixel information in the imaging device mounted on the digital camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
A solid-state image sensor such as a charge-coupled device (CCD), used in a digital camera or the like has a very small dynamic range compared to a general silver halide photograph, and therefore even an image captured through correct exposure may seem somewhat unsatisfactory compared to a silver halide photograph. Moreover, so called loss of shadow detail and burnt highlight may occur, resulting in significant degradation in image quality depending on image-capturing conditions. For eliminating these disadvantages, a method of capturing a plurality of images of different levels of exposure in the same scene and combining the plurality of image data by computation to obtain an image having an increased dynamic range has been proposed.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-205589 discloses a CCD solid-state imaging apparatus divides one unit cell into two types of light-receiving areas (high sensitivity area and low sensitivity area) having different sensitivities for a large number of light-receiving portions (unit cells) two-dimensionally arranged on a light-receiving surface, and mixes or adds signals read from the two light-receiving areas, respectively, thereby achieving an increase in dynamic range.
The solid-state image sensor of a CCD or the like is produced by forming a large number of photosensitive elements such as photodiodes on a semiconductor substrate but in production of the image sensor, a defective pixel unable to capture a pixel value on a local basis may occur due to impurities introduced in the semiconductor substrate or the like.
For the image sensor having such a defective pixel, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-143403 discloses a technique of correcting the pixel value of the defective pixel according to combined signals from a plurality of surrounding pixels adjacent to the defective pixel.
An imaging device using a CCD or the like has its light-receiving area formed by integrating many hundred of thousands to millions of very small light-receiving elements, and it is therefore difficult to produce an imaging device having no defective light-receiving element, i.e., defective pixel. Thus, correction processing is carried out such that existence/nonexistence of a defect for each pixel (defect data) of the imaging device is acquired in advance, a data table indicating whether or not each pixel is defective, the data table is recorded in a nonvolatile memory of a digital camera equipped with the corresponding imaging device, and the digital camera replaces a signal of each defective pixel with a signal of an adjacent normal pixel with reference to the data table recorded in the nonvolatile memory when an imaging signal is processed (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-29475, for example).
In a method for correcting flaws of a solid-state image sensor, which has been conventionally practiced, correction is carried out such that a photosensitive pixel exhibiting an irregular behavior equal to or greater than a defined level in a production process is detected as a flaw, and if the number of flaws is equal to or less than a defined number, signals outputted from photosensitive pixels determined as flaws are constantly replaced with surrounding pixel information, or an average value of several surrounding pixels is constantly outputted.
According to this conventional correction method, if a considerable number of photosensitive pixels are determined as flaws, and signals outputted from these flaws are corrected with the values of surrounding pixels, resulting image data would be as if filtered by a lowpass filter (LPF) on a local basis even before image signal processing.
A wide dynamic range imaging device having two types of light-receiving elements of different light-receiving sensitivities and light-receiving signal saturation levels for each pixel has essentially an increased number of light-receiving elements. In this case, if a data table created for each of accumulated charges of light-receiving elements associated with low luminance (standard signals), accumulated charges of light-receiving elements associated with high luminance (high luminance signals) and mixed outputs of standard signals and high luminance signals is recorded in a nonvolatile memory, the nonvolatile memory requires having a large recording capacity, and correction processing is complicated.

Method and imaging apparatus for correcting defective pixel of solid-state image sensor, and method for creating pixel information


A control circuit of a charge pump circuit is disclosed, which includes a ring oscillator and a load status detection unit. The ring oscillator herein is for producing a clock signal and adjusting the frequency of the clock signal according to a first control signal, and stopping generating the clock signal according to an adjustment signal. The load status detection unit is for producing the first control signal and determining a time point to enable the first control signal according to the voltage drop variation of an output voltage of the charge pump circuit and the adjustment signal, wherein the pulse width of the adjustment signal gets narrower with a smaller drop in amplitude of the output voltage value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a control circuit of a charge pump circuit, and more particularly, to a control circuit considering both the efficiency and the driving ability of the charge pump.
2. Description of Related Art
In an electronic apparatus, it is often to require a plurality of source voltages with various voltage levels, so that a charge pump circuit is often disposed to use an available source voltage to produce the source voltages with various voltage levels.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional charge pump circuit and the control circuit thereof. The control circuit 100 herein includes a voltage level detector 102 and a ring oscillator 104. The voltage level detector 102 is for detecting the voltage level of the output voltage Vout of the charge pump circuit 106. When the output voltage Vout is less than a constant predetermined voltage level, the voltage level detector 102 outputs a triggering signal S1 to the ring oscillator 104, and the ring oscillator 104 outputs the clock signal P1 according to the triggering signal S1, so that the charge pump circuit 106 pulls the output voltage Vout back to the normal level according to the clock signal P1. In general speaking, when the frequency of the clock signal P1 output by the ring oscillator 104 is high, the driving capacity of the charge pump circuit 106 is better but has a lower efficiency. In contrast, when the frequency of the clock signal P1 output by the ring oscillator 104 is low, the driving capacity of the charge pump circuit 106 is worse but has a higher efficiency. Since the frequency output by the ring oscillator of the conventional charge pump circuit is fixed, so that the circuit design must face a trade off between the driving ability and efficiency of the charge pump circuit according to the application practice; it is not the best of both worlds.
U.S. Patent Application 20060197583 discloses a method to increase the efficiency of a charge pump circuit, where the input frequency of the charge pump is determined by the load amount driven by the charge pump so as to advance the efficiency of the charge pump circuit. The method uses a constant voltage level to decide the frequency conversion of a ring oscillator, so that the scheme of the patent application still fails to obtain a compromise solution between the efficiency of charge pump circuit and the driving capacity. It should be noted that when the output voltage drifts back and fourth about the predetermined voltage level, the ring oscillator would keep switching the frequency so as to low down the efficiency of the charge pump circuit; even the ring oscillator fails to produce the clock signal required during switching the frequency for the charge pump circuit to increase the output voltage. As a result, the output voltage Vout drops down.

Control circuit of charge pump circuit for enhancing efficiency and driving capacity


A rotor for an electrical generator and a generator incorporating such a rotor, the rotor consisting of a central hub, a radially spaced concentric rim portion with rotor magnetic elements mounted upon it, and a plurality of elongate tension members extending generally between the hub and the rim, maintained substantially in tension so as to maintain the rim substantially in compression. The hub is rotatably driven by an axially spaced power drive means such as a wind or marine current turbine.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a rotor for an electrical generator and to an electrical generator incorporating such a rotor.
In particular the invention relates to a rotor for a low speed generator and to a low speed generator incorporating such a rotor, that is to say a generator in which a driving force is applied to a power means, and in particular a rotating power means such as a turbine, which is mechanically coupled to cause rotation of a rotor either by direct drive or via a low-ratio gearing.
The invention relates especially to the provision of large scale wind turbine generators and marine current turbine generators, and the prior art is discussed and examples of the invention are given in the context of the former in particular. However, it will be understood that the invention finds potential application generally in electrical generators where rotors experience high torque.
2. Description of Related Art
Most of the first commercial wind turbines used electrical generators that were adapted from general purpose induction motors. It was common practice to connect the turbine rotor shaft rotating at typically 50 rpm or less via a multi-stage gearbox providing high ratio gearing to a generator typically rotating at approximately 1500 rpm. However, multi-stage gearboxes are complex, heavy, costly, require maintenance and there have been reliability issues in wind turbine applications.
As the wind power industry has grown and the typical power ratings of turbines has been increased, new generator types have been developed to meet the specific demands of the sector. Recently, direct-drive generators, which eliminate the gearbox entirely, have emerged and captured a significant proportion of the market. These generators are designed to provide the required electrical output whilst rotating at the same speed as the turbine, thereby making the gearbox unnecessary. This simplifies the mechanical arrangement, potentially reducing costs and maintenance outage times.
In conventional direct drive generators of typical design, a large diameter bladed turbine, typically two or three blades, is axially spaced from and directly coupled via the turbine rotor shaft to a smaller diameter rotor. Direct-drive generators need to have a large diameter to compensate for the low rotational speed of the turbine and retain adequate peripheral speed of the generator rotor. Often the axial length of the generator is quite small. Direct-drive generators are therefore characterised by a disc-like appearance.
There is a general desire to introduce larger turbines to increase capacity and efficiency, particularly in relation to the introduction of large offshore wind farms. Existing direct-drive turbines will become impractical if simply scaled up from existing designs because of problems associated with manufacture, weight and transportation of components of such extreme dimensions.
Wind turbines of 2 MW rating are now available commercially and much larger generators are envisaged, mainly for the emerging offshore market. However, for example, a 5 MW direct drive generator would need to be approximately 15 meters in diameter and would be extremely heavy.
There are several problem areas arising from the size and weight of these generators. These include:    (i) the need for very large bore machine tools    (ii) high roofed workshops with large capacity cranes are needed    (iii) transportation of large out-sourced parts for assembly, or the finished generator. This is even more problematic for the export market    (v) installation at the tower head    (vi) tower head weight impact on other aspects of the wind turbine design
U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,123 describes an alternative approach for wind turbine generators to the typical design of a larger diameter bladed turbine axially spaced from a smaller diameter rotor with or without a gearbox in between. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,123, the several large wind turbine blades which are normally used to extract power from the wind are replaced by a rotatably mounted central hub, a rim concentric with the hub and a plurality of blades disposed between the hub and the rim. The rotor of the generator is incorporated into this turbine structure by having a plurality of magnets disposed on the rim for generating current in the stator. This structure means that the rotor rim diameter is similar to the diameter of the blade arrangement.
Whilst this structure gives high peripheral speed relative to an equivalent conventional direct drive design, with the associated benefits of high peripheral speed, the extremely large structure with combined purpose exacerbates some of the above problems and creates problems of its own, and as a result fails to exploit or allow many of the other benefits identified with conventional direct drive design (for example in the use of two or three blades).
The heavy iron cores associated with conventional design direct drive generators also serve to exacerbate problems, in particular in relation to weight, efficiency losses, magnetic forces during assembly and air gap forces.
As the skilled person will appreciate, many of the above problems also arise in relation to other situations where large rotors, and in particular large disc rotors, are conventionally employed. In particular, similar problems arise in relation to the design of marine current turbine generators and the like.


A conventional manual pump beer keg dispensing assembly is improved by widening the exit tube and adding a plurality of spouts. A keg of beer can thereby be emptied in half the time while serving three patrons at once.

Conventional beer party kegs are pressurized by a manual hand pump mounted atop the keg dispensing valve. The manual hand pump is used to maintain about 18 p.s.i. pressure inside a keg which usually holds about 15.5 gallons of beer. A single pouring spout allows beer to flow out of the keg.
During operation at a party the limitation of a single pouring spout often causes a waiting line by the keg.
The present invention doubles the flow rate out of the keg while simultaneously maintaining a good flowing beer without excess foam. The preferred embodiment has three pouring spouts instead of only one. Also the diameter of the exit draft tube in the dispensing valve has been widened to at least 7 mm.


An electrical connector defining a receiving cavity for receiving a corresponding plug includes an insulative housing and a number of contacts retained in the insulative housing. The contacts include a number of first contacts which are arranged in a row along a transverse direction of the insulative housing. The first contacts include two pairs of differential signal contacts and a grounding contact between said two pairs of differential signal contacts. Each first contact has a contact portion extending into the receiving cavity, a tail portion extending out of the insulative housing and a connecting portion between the contact portion and the tail portion. The connecting portion of the grounding contact is wider than that of the differential signal contacts in the transverse direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors, more particularly to electrical connectors with improved high frequency signal transmission environment.
2. Description of Related Art
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connectors and USB 3.0 connectors present as high frequency connectors to transmit high frequency signal between computers or other electrical devices. A HDMI connector or an USB 3.0 connector usually includes an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts retained therein. The contacts includes a plurality of pairs of differential signal contacts and a plurality of grounding contacts between adjacent two pairs of said differential signal contacts. Usually, the differential signal contacts and the grounding contacts have the same structure for being easily produced. Each contact has a retaining portion retained in the insulative housing, a contact portion extending forwardly to electrically connect with a corresponding plug and a tail portion behind the retaining portion to connect with circuit board. A plurality of the differential contacts and grounding contacts are arranged in a row in a transverse direction and have same distance therebetween in the transverse direction.
As we know, the electrical industry trends to miniature and have a high signal transmission, thereby the contacts in HDMI connector and USB 3.0 connector have a close arrangement with equal distance therebetween to make them occupy a small area, and the HDMI connector standardized at 2006 and USB 3.0 connector standardized at the end of 2008 each has a speed rate of up to 5 Gb/s to satisfy the high signal transmission. However, the close arrangement between adjacent two pairs of differential signal contacts in the high frequency connector easily causes high crosstalk therebetween, and the crosstalk has a bad effect to the high frequency signal transmission and make the connectors can not reach an expected high signal transmission purpose.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is desired to overcome the above problems.

Electrical connector with improved high frequency signal transmission environment


A system for controlling a switching power converter and includes a digital controller that receives an analog signal representing the output DC voltage of the power converter for comparison to a desired output voltage level and generates switching control signals to control the operation of the power supply to regulate the output DC voltage to said desired output voltage level. At least two of the switching control signals having a dead time between a first edge of a first control signal and a second edge of a second control signal. The dead time is programmable such that the second edge of the second control signal may occur at a selected point in time either before or after the first edge of the first control signal.

DC-DC power converters are utilized in situations where one DC voltage is converted to another DC voltage. In one application, that associated with PC based systems, the processor requires a fairly low voltage and a fairly high current. Rather than convert an incoming AC voltage down to a very low DC voltage and then route the low DC voltage across a PC board, a higher DC voltage is output by the power supply, routed around to the various components on the PC board and then, proximate to the processor, the voltage is down converted to a very low level on the order of 1.0 V. This requires a conversion device to be disposed proximate to one or more high current integrated circuits on the board.
Typical DC-DC converters are fabricated using a switching supply that utilizes a switched inductor or capacitor configuration with the input DC voltage switched to the input thereof with a periodically waveform operating at a preset switching frequency with a varying duty cycle. By sensing the output voltage and comparing it with a desired voltage, the duty cycle of the waveform can be adjusted to control the amount of current supplied to the reactive components. This control is facilitated with a negative feedback control loop.
There are two types of feedback loops, an analog feedback loop and a digital feedback loop. The analog feedback loop is well understood and provides some advantages over the other type of feedback loop, the digital feedback loop. Each of the feedback loops has associated therewith a voltage sense input for sensing the supply output voltage and a pulse width modulator (PWM) for generating switching pulses for driving switches. The sensed voltage is compared in the analog domain to a desired operating DC voltage to generate an error voltage that is reduced to essentially zero volts at regulation. To compensate for loop phase shift, there is provided a compensator. This provides some phase lead in the feedback loop for the purpose of loop stability. The digital controller portion of the digital feedback loop is similar to the analog feedback loop. The voltage signal sense input utilizes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the output voltage to a digital value and then compare this to a desired voltage to determine the difference voltage as an error voltage. A digital compensator then provides some phase lead to the feedback to maintain stability in the control loop. This digital error voltage is then converted into a varying pulse width for output to the driving switches on the switching converter. This in effect is a digital-to-analog converter. Typical switching converters such as buck converters can utilize single or multiple phases to facilitate the switching operation.
Analog controllers do not have the ability to independently control the dead time for control signals for complementary switchers. For analog controllers the rising edge of a second control signal is based upon a falling edge of a first control signal. Thus, the second control signal is completely dependent on the falling edge of the first control signal. Some manner for independently controlling a rising edge of a second control signal with respect to a falling edge of the first control signal would provide much greater control of the operation of the switched power supply.

Digital PWM controller for digital power supply having programmable dead times


A 3D display system using a planar sheet of mist or water droplets as a rear projection screen. The system includes a screen generation assembly with a nozzle configured to convert supply water into a screen of water droplets. The screen is substantially planar and has a front surface facing a viewing area and an opposite rear surface. The display system includes a projection assembly projecting 3D content onto the rear surface. The projection assembly includes a first projector projecting left eye images and a second projector projecting right eye images. The 3D content may be provided using polarization or other 3D technology. For example, the first projector includes a first interference filter and the second projector includes a second interference filter differing from the first interference filter, whereby the left and right eye images are presented concurrently on the rear surface with differing bands of the visible color spectrum.

1. Field of the Description
The present description relates, in general, to visual display and projection systems, and, more particularly, to a method and system for providing three dimensional (3D) still and video images in an indoor entertainment setting or in an outdoor entertainment setting such as an amusement park, an athletic stadium, a street mall, or the like with a potentially large audience.
2. Relevant Background
There is a growing demand for providing entertainment in outdoor settings such as in large city parks, amusement or theme parks, sporting events, outdoor musical concerts, or other settings in which large numbers of people gather. For example, it is well known to provide laser or light-based projections as part of outdoor music concerts. In other cases, it is popular to provide a fireworks show to entertain a crowd at a park setting or during or after a baseball, soccer, or football game.
In many cases, it is desirable to create a show that is so unique and exciting that people visit a facility or venue in large part or solely for the outdoor show, e.g., to see the fountain effect at a theme park or casino. In such cases, water fountains, jets, and pulses may be synchronized to move and interact with each other and with a musical score. More recently, water screens have been used to present still and video images to audiences such as at trade shows and theme parks. For example, a conventional projector may be used to display a standard two-dimensional video or still image on a sheet of water. Unfortunately, high quality displays often cannot be created as such water-based displays often require tightly controlled environments with little or no wind, very low ambient light or a dark setting, and high brightness projectors.

3D display system with rear projection screens formed of water mist or spray


A system includes a processor configured to predict an upcoming stop. The processor is further configured to select content for playback during the stop, responsive to predicting the upcoming stop. The processor is additionally configured to detect a vehicle stop corresponding to the predicted upcoming stop and responsive to the detected stop, play the selected content.

Modern vehicles have access to a variety of content from a variety of sources. Vehicle infotainment systems can access radio signals, onboard wireless and directly plugged-in signals providing content from connected devices, as well as streaming content from remote sources. Most content is tailored to a user in some manner, from radio stations providing certain categories of content down to user-organized content from streaming or saved sources.
Content providers who rely on certain types of vendor content to pay for the costs of content will typically include the certain types of content at a certain volume or rate within a block of content. Selection of vendor content is typically performed by the overall content provider, and timing of vendor content playback typically occurs interspersed with entertainment content at fixed times and/or in fixed allotments.

Method and apparatus for enhanced content replacement and strategic playback


A process and apparatus for increasing the coke burning capacity of FCC catalyst regenerators is disclosed. An auxiliary regenerator receives spent catalyst from an FCC stripper and burns some of the coke at turbulent or fast fluidized bed conditions. Partially regenerated catalyst and flue gas enter a low pressure drop cyclone discharging more than 90% of the partially regenerated catalyst down into a bubbling or fast fluidized bed in the primary regenerator. Flue gas from the auxiliary regenerator is discharged into the dilute phase above the bed in the primary regenerator. Catalyst entrainment from the fluidized bed in the primary regenerator may be reduced because less combustion air is needed as a result of partial regeneration in the auxiliary regenerator. Reduced NOx and dust emissions, and/or increased coke burning capacity, may be achieved, especially when a bubbling dense bed primary catalyst regenerator is used.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a process and apparatus for the regeneration of fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
In the fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) process, catalyst, having a particle size and color resembling table salt and pepper, circulates between a cracking reactor and a catalyst regenerator. In the reactor, hydrocarbon feed contacts a source of hot, regenerated catalyst. The hot catalyst vaporizes and cracks the feed at 425.degree. C.-600.degree. C., usually 460.degree. C.-560.degree. C. The cracking reaction deposits carbonaceous hydrocarbons or coke on the catalyst, thereby deactivating the catalyst. The cracked products are separated from the coked catalyst. The coked catalyst is stripped of volatiles, usually with steam, in a catalyst stripper and the stripped catalyst is then regenerated. The catalyst regenerator burns coke from the catalyst with oxygen containing gas, usually air. Decoking restores catalyst activity and simultaneously heats the catalyst to, e.g., 500.degree. C.-900.degree. C., usually 600.degree. C.-750.degree. C. This heated catalyst is recycled to the cracking reactor to crack more fresh feed. Flue gas formed by burning coke in the regenerator may be treated for removal of particulates and for conversion of carbon monoxide, after which the flue gas is normally discharged into the atmosphere.
Catalytic cracking has undergone progressive development since the 40s. The trend of development of the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process has been to all riser cracking and use of zeolite catalysts. A good overview of the importance of the FCC process, and its continuous advancement, is reported in Fluid Catalytic Cracking Report, Amos A. Avidan, Michael Edwards and Hartley Owen, as reported in the Jan. 8, 1990 edition of the Oil & Gas Journal.
Modern catalytic cracking units use active zeolite catalyst to crack the heavy hydrocarbon feed to lighter, more valuable products. Instead of dense bed cracking, with a hydrocarbon residence time of 20-60 seconds, much less contact time is needed. The desired conversion of feed can now be achieved in much less time, and more selectively, in a dilute phase, riser reactor.
There has been considerable evolution in the design of FCC units, which evolution is reported to a limited extent in the Jan. 8, 1990 Oil & Gas Journal article. Many FCC regenerator designs are used, most of which involve bubbling dense bed regenerators. There are two generic types of regenerators: high efficiency units, operating with a fast fluidized bed and bubbling dense bed units. Three species have evolved of bubbling dense bed units:
1. Cross-flow
2. Swirl
3. Orthoflow.
The cross-flow and swirl regenerators have severe NOx problems and capacity. The NOx and capacity problems are an inherent by-product of bubbling fluidized bed operation. Large amounts of regeneration gas bypass the fluidized bed in the form of large bubbles. There are localized high oxygen concentrations, and any nitrogen containing coke burned there forms NOx. Much CO is produced from oxygen starved regions of the bed, and this CO mixes with the oxygen rich bubbles to cause afterburning in dilute phase regions of the bed. Additional amounts of NOx can form in the dilute phase, especially when afterburning is severe. In addition, the beds are made so large, due to inefficient contacting of gas and solids, that some portions of the bed are stagnant so much of the bed remains for too long in the regenerator and discharges oxygen rich flue gas into the dilute phase region.
The cross-flow regenerators have similar problems, but usually form somewhat less NOx than swirl regenerators.
Both swirl and cross-flow regenerators do a good job at retaining catalyst and fines. This is fairly easy to do in such regenerators, because the relatively low superficial vapor velocities (which promote formation of undesired large bubbles in the dense bed) do not entrain catalyst as much as the higher superficial vapor velocities used in high efficiency regenerators.
The problems of poor flow in the dense bed of swirl and cross-flow regenerators can be largely solved by putting in baffles, or multiple inlets or outlets, as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,980,048 (cross-flow), 4,994,424 (swirl) incorporated by reference.
These units still produce more NOx than desired, and attempts at increasing capacity, by blowing more air in them, increase the dilute phase traffic sufficiently to cause a dust emissions problems in some units.
The Kellogg Ultra Orthoflow converter, Model F, shown in FIG. 1 of this patent application, and also shown as FIG. 17 of the Jan. 8, 1990 Oil & Gas Journal article discussed above, has a large, bubbling dense bed regenerator with few stagnant regions, as catalyst is added and dispersed through a centrally located catalyst standpipe.
These units, like the other bubbling dense bed regenerators discussed above, cannot easily tolerate more combustion air without increasing dilute phase catalyst traffic. We recently suggested a way to achieve the benefits of FFB coke combustion, while retaining most of the original design. We were able, in predecessor applications (one of which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,140, incorporated by reference) to obtain some improvements in this design with a side mounted fast fluidized bed coke combustor, which discharged catalyst into an annular region about the stripper catalyst standpipe. The '140 patent permitted an increase in regenerator duty, without a proportionate increase in superficial vapor velocity in the bubbling dense bed, but our approach required considerably mechanical modification of the unit to provide an annular return region about the stripper catalyst standpipe and relied on an increase in catalyst traffic near the stripper standpipe to increase the heat transfer coefficient. Although preheating of spent catalyst in the stripper standpipe is beneficial, the design would increase dilute phase catalyst traffic. The separator design shown recovered only "a majority of the catalyst . . ." and would thus increase particulate loading in the dilute phase. We wanted a lower cost way to increase the regeneration capacity of these Orthoflow units.
The bubbling bed regenerators discussed above all generally size the cyclones and the regenerator vessel to deal with catalyst entrainment expected from a given superficial vapor velocity through the bubbling dense bed. Not all regenerators are limited to dense bed regeneration, and these fast fluidized bed regenerators will be reviewed next.
High efficiency regenerators inherently make less NOx than bubbling bed regenerators, but even these may make more NOx than desired. These regenerators also present special problems, in that increases in superficial vapor velocity in the regenerator may remove more inventory than desired from the fast fluidized bed coke combustor. Thus, attempts to increase the capacity of these units by increasing air flow to the coke combustor can reduce residence time of spent catalyst in the coke combustor. This can be offset by increased catalyst recycle to the coke combustor from the second dense bed, but increased catalyst recycle leads to increased catalyst traffic and increased dust emissions, and some of these units may have difficulty complying with strict local limits on particulates.
Local limits on particulates emissions can be so severe, and operation so sensitive to regenerator superficial vapor velocity, that particulates emissions can limit throughput.
One refiner, with a high efficiency regenerator, recently reported on use of oxygen enrichment to reduce vapor velocity. Liquid oxygen was vaporized by passing through a cooling tower, then mixed with air from the air blower. "See O2 enrichment increases FCC operating flexibility," OGJ, May 11, 1992, p. 40. Other refiners have resorted to oxygen addition in the past, usually to overcome air blower limitations, but sometimes to deal with velocity limitations.
To summarize, the current regenerator designs can be arbitrarily classified as relying on either a bubbling dense bed or a fast fluidized bed for regeneration. Some hybrid approaches exist which are reviewed hereafter. This should not be construed as an exhaustive search of hybrid regenerators, but rather as a representative sampling.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,103, Owen, discloses in FIG. II a bubbling bed regenerator with a riser regenerator 62 passing up through a bubbling dense bed 78 and terminating in a riser cyclone 70. Catalyst regeneration then continued in the bubbling dense bed. The two flue gas streams were kept isolated. The sulfur rich coke was burned in the riser regenerator, and the sulfur rich flue gas removed via conduit 82, while dense bed flue gas was removed via conduit 98. Such an approach would not add to the dilute phase catalyst loading above dense bed region 78, as no gas or entrained catalyst from the riser regenerator entered the dilute phase region. While the approach is certainly valid, it requires considerable capital expenditure to implement this, and can not be readily retrofit into existing regenerators.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,060, Owen, discloses in FIG. II a relatively dilute phase zone 63 operating within a regenerator vessel containing a bubbling fluidized bed of catalyst disposed as an annulus about zone 63. The Figure also shows that catalyst entrainment in the dilute phase region is greatly increased by this approach.
It is believed that most hybrid approaches follow similar paths, i.e., combinations of high superficial vapor velocity regeneration and bubbling bed regeneration either lead to increased catalyst traffic or require considerable capital expense or both.
We recognized the need for a better regenerator design, one which would increase the coke burning capacity of regenerators without proportionately increasing dust emissions, and without requiring undue capital expense.
We discovered a way to increase coke burning capacity of bubbling dense bed regenerators without proportionately increasing dense bed catalyst entrainments. We were even able to reduce NOx emissions, while increasing coke burning.
As applied to high efficiency regenerators, we could increase the amount of coke, especially of nitrogenous coke, burned in an oxidizing atmosphere upstream of the dilute phase transport riser, without appreciable shrinkage of spent catalyst residence time in the coke combustor.

Process and apparatus for regeneration of FCC catalyst with reduced NOx and or dust emissions


An impact energy management system for absorbing or displacing kinetic energy during a collision. The system includes a housing defining a chamber and a contact element disposed at least partially within the chamber and longitudinally movable therein. At least a first load bearing pin is disposed between the energy adsorbing member and the housing. Prior to the collision, the contact element is disposed in an impact position, and upon the collision, the contact element moves within the chamber and the first pin deforms a segment of at least one of the housing or contact element, thereby reducing the force of the impact by transferring energy into the deformation.

This invention relates generally to a collision energy absorbing system and, more particularly, to an impact energy management system for absorbing or displacing the kinetic energy of a motor vehicle collision.
Motor vehicles are a part of everyday life for most individuals around the world. For example, most people use some type of motor vehicle to transport themselves to and from work, to run errands, to attend recreational events, to visit family members and friends, and so forth. Some people use motor vehicles because they provide more convenient transportation than available alternatives. Others use motor vehicles because they find the experience of driving to be enjoyable. Whatever the reasons behind their popularity, the demand for motor vehicles is unlikely to abate anytime in the near future.
Researchers are constantly trying to find ways to improve various aspects of motor vehicles. One significant area of research relates to motor vehicle safety. Unfortunately, motor vehicle collisions cause a large number of injuries and deaths in the United States. Consequently, efforts are constantly being made to increase the safety of motor vehicles, particularly in a collision situation.
One device which is often used to provide increased safety to the occupants of a motor vehicle during a collision is a bumper assembly. A bumper assembly absorbs at least some of the impact or kinetic energy of a collision involving the motor vehicle. Conventional bumper assemblies typically include a stationary bumper that can deform permanently or resiliently during a collision, thereby preventing or reducing the amount of damage to the vehicle frame, adjacent components, and vehicle occupants.
While conventional bumper assemblies typically provide a level of crash protection, there is a need for an improved collision energy absorbing system to provide additional collision protection for motor vehicles and occupants thereof. There is a need for an efficient, effective and low-cost collision energy absorbing system for absorbing or displacing impact forces of a motor vehicle collision.


The invention provides a novel class of cyanine dyes that are functionalized with a linker moiety that facilitates their conjugation to other species and substituent groups which increase the water-solubility, and optimize the optical properties of the dyes. Also provided are conjugates of the dyes, methods of using the dyes and their conjugates and kits including the dyes and their conjugates.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the synthesis of fluorescent compounds that are analogues of cyanine dyes. The compounds of the invention are fluorophores that are derivatized to allow their facile attachment to another moiety. The invention also relates to improved methods for sequencing and genotyping nucleic acid in a single molecule configuration. An exemplary method involves detection of single molecules of fluorescent labels released from a nucleic acid during synthesis of an oligonucleotide.
Background
There is a continuous and expanding need for rapid, highly specific methods of detecting and quantifying chemical, biochemical and biological substances as analytes in research and diagnostic mixtures. Of particular value are methods for measuring small quantities of nucleic acids, peptides, saccharides, pharmaceuticals, metabolites, microorganisms and other materials of diagnostic value. Examples of such materials include narcotics and poisons, drugs administered for therapeutic purposes, hormones, pathogenic microorganisms and viruses, peptides, e.g., antibodies and enzymes, and nucleic acids, particularly those implicated in disease states.
The presence of a particular analyte can often be determined by binding methods that exploit the high degree of specificity, which characterizes many biochemical and biological systems. Frequently used methods are based on, for example, antigen-antibody systems, nucleic acid hybridization techniques, and protein-ligand systems. In these methods, the existence of a complex of diagnostic value is typically indicated by the presence or absence of an observable "label" which is attached to one or more of the interacting materials. The specific labeling method chosen often dictates the usefulness and versatility of a particular system for detecting an analyte of interest. Preferred labels are inexpensive, safe, and capable of being attached efficiently to a wide variety of chemical, biochemical, and biological materials without significantly altering the important binding characteristics of those materials. The label should give a highly characteristic signal, and should be rarely, and preferably never, found in nature. The label should be stable and detectable in aqueous systems over periods of time ranging up to months. Detection of the label is preferably rapid, sensitive, and reproducible without the need for expensive, specialized facilities or the need for special precautions to protect personnel. Quantification of the label is preferably relatively independent of variables such as temperature and the composition of the mixture to be assayed.
A wide variety of labels have been developed, each with particular advantages and disadvantages. For example, radioactive labels are quite versatile, and can be detected at very low concentrations. However, such labels are expensive, hazardous, and their use requires sophisticated equipment and trained personnel. Thus, there is wide interest in non-radioactive labels, particularly in labels that are observable by spectrophotometric, spin resonance, and luminescence techniques, and reactive materials, such as enzymes that produce such molecules.
Labels that are detectable using fluorescence spectroscopy are of particular interest because of the large number of such labels that are known in the art. Moreover, as discussed below, the literature is replete with syntheses of fluorescent labels that are derivatized to allow their attachment to other molecules, and many such fluorescent labels are commercially available.
Fluorescent nucleic acid probes are important tools for genetic analysis, in both genomic research and development, and in clinical medicine. As information from the Human Genome Project accumulates, the level of genetic interrogation mediated by fluorescent probes will expand enormously. One particularly useful class of fluorescent probes includes self-quenching probes, also known as fluorescence energy transfer probes, or FET probes. The design of different probes using this motif may vary in detail. In an exemplary FET probe, both a fluorophore and a quencher are tethered to a nucleic acid. The probe is configured such that the fluorophore is proximate to the quencher and the probe produces a signal only as a result of its hybridization to an intended target. Despite the limited availability of FET probes, techniques incorporating their use are rapidly displacing alternative methods.
To enable the coupling of a fluorescent label with a group of complementary reactivity on a carrier molecule, a reactive derivative of the fluorophore is prepared. For example, Reedy et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,632) describe cyanine dyes that are functionalized at an endocyclic nitrogen of a heteroaryl moiety with hydrocarbon linker terminating in a hydroxyl moiety. The hydroxyl moiety is converted to the corresponding phosphoramidite, providing a reagent for conjugating the cyanine dye to a nucleic acid. Waggoner (U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,027) has prepared derivatives of cyanine and related dyes that include a reactive functional group through which the dye is conjugated to another species. The compounds set forth in Ohno et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,990) include cyanine dyes that have a C1-C5 hydrocarbyl linker terminated with a sulfonic acid, a carboxyl or a hydroxyl group. Randall et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,197,956; 6,114,350; 6,224,644; and 6,437,141) disclose cyanine dyes with a linker arm appended to an endocyclic heteroaryl nitrogen atom. The linkers include a thiol, amine or hydroxyl group, or a protected analogue of these residues. Additional linker arm-cyanine dyes are disclosed by Brush et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,808,044; 5,986,086). These cyanine dyes are derivatized at both endocyclic heteroaryl nitrogen atoms with a hydrocarbyl linker terminating in a hydroxyl moiety. One hydroxyl moiety is converted to the corresponding phosphoramidite and the other is protected as a dimethoxytrityl ether.
Cyanine dyes are particularly popular fluorophores and are widely used in many biological applications due to their high quantum yield and high molar absorptivity. Cyanine dyes are, however, susceptible to photobleaching during prolonged excitation. Moreover, due the rigid planar structure of these compounds, they have a tendency to stack and self-quench. Thus, provision of cyanine dyes having an enhanced brightness and decreased tendency to stack, thereby mitigating the effects of photobleaching and stacking is an important object. Furthermore, cyanine dyes that are hydrophilic are less attracted to other species such as proteins and surfaces, which reduces adventitious binding of the fluorophore and enhances the precision and accuracy of assays and other analyses utilizing cyanine fluorophores. The present invention meets these objects and other needs.


Provided is a light-bulb type LED lamp 10 including a plurality of LEDs 67-78, a base 12, a lighting circuit unit that converts commercial power provided through the base 12 into power for lighting the LEDs 67-78, and a heat radiation member 16 that includes a bowl-shaped portion 42. Two stages 46 and 48, extending inwards from an inner circumferential surface 44 of the bowl-shaped portion 42, are provided in a direction of a central axis X of the bowl-shaped portion 42. The LEDs 67-78 are mounted on the stages 46 and 48 in a circumferential direction around the central axis X.

A reflector halogen light bulb combines a halogen light bulb with a bowl-shaped reflector having a concave reflecting surface. Such a reflector halogen light bulb is, for example, mounted in a downlight fixture and used as a spotlight in stores, galleries, or the like.
In order to decrease the frequency of replacement, which depends on the light bulb's life expectancy, while also promoting energy efficiency, light-bulb type light emitting diode (LED) lamps that use LEDs as a light source are being developed. These light-bulb type LED lamps have a longer life expectancy and consume less energy than halogen lamps. To serve as an alternative light source to reflector halogen light bulbs, it is necessary for light-bulb type LED lamps to be mountable in existing light fixtures and to closely resemble reflector halogen light bulbs in shape.
While some LEDs offer an amazing level of brightness, one LED still pales in comparison to the brightness offered by a halogen light bulb. It is thus necessary to use a plurality of LEDs. Patent Literature 1 discloses a light-bulb type LED lamp in which a disc-shaped substrate is provided at a position corresponding to the opening of the reflector in a reflector halogen light bulb. A plurality of LEDs are provided on the substrate.
[Citation List]
Patent Literature
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-286267

Light-bulb type LED lamp and illumination apparatus


An automatic coating system includes a coating apparatus for coating a coating material on an object to be coated in accordance with a coating operation including a plurality of steps, a memory for storing operation programs of a series of steps, a step updating key for inputting a signal for operating the series of steps of the coating apparatus one by one, and a CPU for starting one step of the coating apparatus on the basis of the program when the signal is input. After the one step of the coating apparatus is finished, the next step is not started until the step updating key is operated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic coating system for automatically coating a coating material on an object to be coated.
2. Description of the Related Art
The manufacture of semiconductors includes a step of coating a resist on a wafer. This step is executed by use of the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-37189, for example. According to this reference, a wafer is mounted on a spinning head arranged in a processing vessel and is temporarily secured on the spinning head by suction. In this condition, a resist solution is supplied on the surface of the wafer while simultaneously rotating the wafer.
In this apparatus, a series of coating operations to be executed are programmed beforehand in a program unit, and the programmed steps are sequentially, successively performed to coat a coating material on a wafer. That is, resist coating is performed by the following series of steps. First, a wafer conveyed by a conveyor apparatus is centered on a spinning head and temporary chucked on the head by vacuum suction, and a cup is set to prevent scattering of a resist solution. Thereafter, while the head is rotated, the resist solution is dropped and a coating operation is performed. In this case, since the resist solution or the like adheres on the rear surface of the wafer upon resist coating, the adhered material must be removed in the coating apparatus before it is brought into contact with the conveyor apparatus. For this purpose, a cleaning nozzle is arranged to clean the wafer rear surface. After the resist is coated, a cleaning solution is injected from the cleaning nozzle to the rear surface of the wafer while the wafer is rotated, thereby cleaning the wafer rear surface.
In such a conventional apparatus, the above series of operations of coating a resist solution on a wafer can be successively executed without any problem. However, if it is required that the apparatus be adjusted or checked for maintaining a desirable condition, the apparatus must be stopped for some time, with the step executed by the apparatus kept in a suspended condition.
In the conventional coating apparatus, however, an operation cannot be stopped during the coating steps. Therefore, in order to stop the operation to perform adjustment, a power source must be turned off. As a result, when adjustment is to be performed while properness of the operation is checked in each step, an operability becomes very poor, and a long time is required for the adjustment, resulting in a cumbersome operation for an operator.


A method of forming a pattern and a method of producing an electronic element with which a fine and precise pattern is stably formed are provided. Each of the method of forming a pattern and the method of producing an electronic element includes a step of forming an electrically conductive film D by applying a liquid composition onto a first plate 10; a step of forming an electrically conductive pattern D′ on the first plate 10 by pressing a second plate 20 onto a surface side of the first plate 10, on which the electrically conductive film D is formed, to transfer an unwanted pattern of the electrically conductive film D to top faces of projections 20a of the second plate 20, thereby removing the unwanted pattern; and a step of transferring the electrically conductive pattern D′ by pressing the surface side of the first plate 10, on which the electrically conductive pattern D′ is formed, onto a surface of a transfer-receiving substrate, wherein when a surface tension of the surface of the first plate 10, onto which the liquid composition is applied, is represented by α, a dynamic surface tension of the liquid composition at 100 msec measured by a maximum bubble pressure method is represented by β, and a surface tension of the top faces of the projections 20a of the second plate 20 is represented by γ, the composition of the liquid composition or a material of the surface of the first plate 10 or the second plate 20 is set so as to satisfy γ>α≧β.

Various methods have been studied in order to efficiently form a fine and precise pattern on a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, or the like at a low cost. For example, a printing method has been disclosed in which a resin to be printed is applied onto the entire surface of a first plate called a blanket, a surface of which is coated with silicone rubber having detachability, and a second plate having a projection-and-recess pattern on a surface side thereof is then pressed onto the surface side of the first plate, on which the resin is provided, to transfer an unwanted pattern of the resin to top faces of projections of the second plate, thereby removing the unwanted pattern, and a resin pattern remaining on the surface of the first plate is transferred to a transfer-receiving substrate (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-58921).
When a fine and precise pattern is formed using this printing method, it is necessary that a liquid composition used therein maintain an appropriate characteristic of the liquid composition, in particular, in the step of applying the liquid composition onto a first plate and the step of transferring an unwanted pattern of a liquid-composition coating film from the first plate to a second plate.
First, in the step of applying the liquid composition onto the first plate, in general, the surface of the first plate is formed of a material having detachability, and a thin, smooth, and uniform liquid-composition coating film must be formed on this surface having detachability. Accordingly, it is necessary to appropriately control a surface tension of the liquid composition.
In addition, in the next step of transferring an unwanted pattern of the liquid-composition coating film from the first plate to the second plate, the liquid-composition coating film applied onto the first plate must be completely transferred with the pattern shape remaining as it is to the top faces of the projections of the second plate to be contacted. For this purpose, it is necessary that not only the liquid composition be prepared but also a material of the surface of the first plate or the surface of the second plate be set so that the adhesiveness of the top faces of the projections of the second plate to the liquid-composition coating film is higher than that of the surface of the first plate to the liquid-composition coating film.
To cope with these technical problems, an example of an ink composition for a precise patterning in which a surface energy of a liquid composition is specified so as to be smaller than a surface energy of a blanket (first plate) by setting a viscosity value and the surface energy value of the ink composition (liquid composition) used in printing has been disclosed (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-126608).
However, the surface energy specified in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-126608 is a value determined when the liquid composition is in a motionless state. In the step of applying the liquid composition onto the first plate, a motion that the liquid composition is applied is performed, and thus a specification in which the motion is considered is necessary. Therefore, even though the surface energy of the liquid composition is specified so as to be smaller than the surface energy of the first plate, a liquid-composition coating film is not reliably formed on the first plate, and a defective portion may be generated. Accordingly, there is a problem that even though the printing method described above is employed, it is difficult to stably form a fine and precise pattern.
In order to solve the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of forming a pattern and a method of producing an electronic element with which a fine and precise pattern can be stably formed by adjusting physical properties of a liquid composition.

Method of forming pattern and method of producing electronic element


A simulated weapon includes a mechanical counting mechanism that incrementally advances upon firing of a simulated round. When the mechanical counting mechanism reaches a state indicating that all simulated rounds have been fired, a slide of the weapon is locked back, mimicking the lockback feature of an actual weapon. The simulated weapon may be untethered, enabling realistic training in weapon handling. The mechanical counting mechanism may be actuated by motion of the slide.

In military of training, it is desirable that simulate battle scenarios be a realistic as possible. Often, simulated weapons are used in training exercises. The simulated weapons are designed to look, feel, and operate much like actual weapons, but for reasons of safety, economy, and data gathering, do not fire live ammunition. Rather, the sound, recoil effect, and other aspects of an actual weapon are simulated. Similar training may be used by law enforcement, private security, government agencies, and the like.
Besides simulating the mechanical aspects of an actual weapon, a simulated weapon may include electronic components that allow measurement of the user's performance. For example, a simulated weapon may include an infrared laser that projects a beam in the direction in which the simulated weapon is aimed whenever the simulated weapon is "fired". Information may be coded into the beam, for example an identifier of the simulated weapon from which the beam emanated. The simulated weapon may also include a wireless communication interface that sends information to a central computer system, including an indication of each firing of the simulated weapon. Sensors at the targets can report when they receive "hits" from simulated fire, and may report the identity of the weapon that scored each hit.
Previous simulated weapons have not been able to simulate some features of actual weapons in a realistic manner. For example, some simulated weapons require a tether to a source of power for operating the weapon. A tethered weapon is unrealistic, and does not allow the user to move as he or she might in an actual combat situation. Furthermore, a tethered weapon may not be able to function without the control of an external computer system. In other cases, simulated weapons have simply omitted features of actual weapons that are difficult to simulate.
There is a need for more realistic simulation of actual weapons.

Magazine for simulated tetherless pistols with lockback


The optical glass of the present invention comprising SiO.sub.2, alkali metal oxides, P.sub.2 O.sub.5 and Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 has optical properties of 1.70 or more in refractive index nd and 30 or less in Abbe's number .nu.d and is superior in devitrification resistance and stability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical glass and more particularly to an optical glass of high refractive index and high dispersion having a refractive index nd of 1.70 or more and an Abbe's number .nu.d of 30 or less.
2. Description of Prior Art
As such an optical glass, there are disclosed, for example, a glass comprising, as main components, P.sub.2 O.sub.5, Na.sub.2 O, TiO.sub.2 and WO.sub.3, in Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 17409/1974, a glass consisting of a P.sub.2 O.sub.5 -R.sub.2 O (R is a mono-valent metal)-ZnO-Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 type glass, in Japanese Pat. Publication No. 40094/1981, and a glass in which BPO.sub.4 and/or Al(PO.sub.3).sub.3 is incorporated into a SiO.sub.2 -TiO.sub.2 -Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 -R.sub.2 O (R is a mono-valent metal) type glass, in Japanese Pat. Publication No. 54247/1985.
However, the glasses disclosed in Japanese Pat. Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 17409/1974 and Japanese Pat. Publication No. 40094/1981 have low devitrification resistance. The glass disclosed in Japanese Pat. Publication No. 54247/1985, when the refractive index nd is increased to 1.70 or more, has a high devitrification tendency in the vicinity of the softening temperature and accordingly is devitrified when the glass block is heated and softened, making the press molding difficult.
Hence, an object of the present invention is to provide a high refractive index and high dispersion optical glass which has a refractive index nd of 1.70 or more and an Abbe's number .nu.d of 30 or less and which is highly resistant to devitrification and stable.
Other objects of the present invention are apparent from the following descriptions.


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automated acquisition of moisture readings using a handheld moisture meter. In automated mode, a succession of moisture content readings at successive positions can be acquired without any user interface input, by moving the moisture meter to successive positions on a sample, and holding steady at each position. Moisture readings stable for a time period (e.g. one second) are indicative of moisture content of a sample at a stationary position and are collected. Moisture readings varying in time are indicative of motion of the moisture meter and are not collected. Statistics can be performed on the collected readings. Notifications of stable readings and alerts for out-of-range readings can be provided. Hardware and software architectures are disclosed. The innovative technology is suitable for wood, concrete, and other materials at any stage of manufacturing or product lifecycle.

Moisture measurements can be important for quality control at various stages of manufacture of wood products, and also subsequently during their operational life. Moisture measurements are also important is assessing condition of other materials such as concrete, drywall, paint, sand, or soil. It can often be desirable to perform multiple spot measurements over the spatial extent of a product or material sample to better assess the overall moisture condition. Handheld moisture meters can be convenient for making such measurements, but acquisition and analysis of multiple measurements can become tedious. Accordingly, there remains a need for improved technology for acquiring multiple moisture measurements with a handheld moisture meter.

Hand held moisture meter intelligent recording


An optical module for receiving light according to a digital coherent optical transmission scheme includes two optical fibers, and a monitor PD. The optical signal processing circuit includes a substrate, an optical waveguide layer made up of a core and a clad layer stacked on top of the substrate, and fixtures stacked on top of the clad layer on the one end, and is provided with a light shield member which spans the substrate, the clad layer, and the edge face of the fixture on the edge face of the optical signal processing circuit that faces the monitor PD, and which includes an aperture unit aligned with the given site where the diverted signal light is output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical module applicable to an optical receiver that realizes a digital coherent optical transmission scheme.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a variety of optical communication devices are being developed in preparation for the realization of 100 Gbit/s and greater ultra high-speed optical transmission systems in order to achieve greater communication capacity. Optical communication devices utilizing digital coherent technology are attracting attention as optical communication devices used in 100 Gbit/s and greater ultra high-speed optical transmission systems. With digital coherent optical transmission schemes, in order to transmit and receive transmission data using optical interference, signal light is combined with local oscillator (LO) light to demodulate the signal when receiving, and the result is then subjected to digital signal processing. This technique compensates for signal degradation such as chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion due to transmission. Given this background, the development of optical front-end modules for digital coherent receivers is being advanced.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exterior view of an optical front-end module for a digital coherent receiver (also simply called a front-end module or optical module). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the front-end module 100 is provided with two optical inputs (optical fibers) 101 and 102 that respectively input signal light and local light, terminals 106a and 106b that supply power or the like to the module inside the case 104 of the front-end module 100, and output terminals 105 which output the output signals generated by processing the two optical inputs. Since the power of the input signal light is kept at a constant level in the front-end module 100, a monitor PD 103 for monitoring the input optical power is adopted in advance as a necessary component.
In a conventional front-end module, the monitor PD 103 is disposed outside of the front-end module, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In this front-end module, a fiber coupler with a 5% tap rate is provided on the input optical fiber to enable a monitor PD 103 external to the case 104 to monitor the power after splitting the input signal light.
However, with the configuration that provides a monitor PD external to the case as illustrated in FIG. 1, a large area on a board is required, making board mounting difficult. Thus, it is desirable to incorporate the monitor PD into the front-end module.
In response to such demand, there is the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, in which a monitor PD 103 is built into the case of a front-end module 110. Mounted inside the case of the front-end module 110 are an optical signal processing circuit (dual polarization optical hybrid (DPOH)) 111 made up of a planar lightwave circuit (PLC), optical lenses 112 and 113, and an optoelectronic conversion processor (OE unit) 114 that includes optical semiconductors and electronic circuits. The DPOH 111 processes signal light and LO light respectively input from the two optical inputs 101 and 102. The optical lenses 112 and 113 condense the output light from the DPOH 111. The OE unit 114 optoelectronically converts the condensed light for output as an electrical signal. In the front-end module 110 illustrated in FIG. 2, an output port to the monitor PD 103 is provided on the same edge as the signal light output port of the DPOH 111. With a configuration providing a 5% tap circuit on the DPOH 111, part of the power from the input signal light is output to the monitor PD 103. Such an arrangement is easy given the circuit layout of the DPOH.


A wall of a gas turbine engine is provided. The wall may comprise an external surface adjacent a gas path and an internal surface adjacent an internal flow path. A film hole may have an inlet at the internal surface and an outlet at the external surface. A flow accumulator adjacent the inlet may protrude from the internal surface. A method of making an engine component is also provided and comprises the step of forming a component wall comprising an accumulator on an internal surface and a film hole defined by the component wall. The film hole may include an opening adjacent the accumulator and defined by the internal surface.

The advancement of turbomachinery performance is related to both the overall pressure ratio of the machine and the turbine inlet temperature that can be reliably sustained during operation. Increases in efficiency pressure ratio or inlet temperature typically produce a higher temperature operating environment for the turbine flow-path hardware. The working fluid in the flow path is typically several hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit higher than the melting point of the alloys that typically make up the turbine flow-path hardware. To counter the high temperature working fluid, dedicated cooling air may be extracted from the compressor and routed to cool the gas path components in the turbine, incurring significant cycle penalties.
For extremely high temperature applications, film cooling and backside convection may be utilized. Film cooling uses cooling air delivered to an internal volume of a component to emit a cooling flow over the external surface of the component. The cooling flow may form a film over the external surface of the component that reduces the local external surface temperatures downstream.

Film hole with protruding flow accumulator


This invention discloses novel polypeptides having an antigenic determinant or determinants immunologically cross-reactive with determinants of a glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 41,000 daltons, and determinants of a glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 160,000 daltons which are obtained from cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1. The invention further discloses novel polypeptides having an antigenic determinant or determinants specific for a glycoprotein having a molecular weight of approximately 41,000 daltons obtained from cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1, the polypeptides further having an antigenic determinant or determinants immunologically cross-reactive with at least one glycoprotein having a molecular weight of 25,000 to 35,000 daltons, 45,000 daltons to 60,000 daltons, 80,000 to 100,000 daltons or 180,000 or 220,000 daltons, which are obtained from HSB, St, HeLa and human cells. The novel polypeptides of the invention are useful in methods of interfering with the effects of HIV-1 upon host cells having cell surface polypeptides capable of binding HIV-1. Methods of assay for HIV-1 infection are also disclosed. The invention also discloses peptides having amino acid sequences of about 10 to about 50 amino acids that correspond to at least a portion of an epitope of HIV and methods for developing such biologically active peptides.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is one of the most feared diseases in the world today. Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), believed to be the cause of AIDS is almost always fatal. Symptoms of the disease can take years to develop, thus facilitating the spread of this fatal disease by persons unknowingly harboring the virus. Treatments for AIDS are limited and have been unsuccessful in controlling the disease.
HIV-1 has been shown to preferentially infect cells expressing the CD4, a 55,000 dalton cell surface glycoprotein. This tropism is believed to result from interactions between the virus envelope gp120 and a high affinity binding site on the CD4 glycoprotein which permits viral adsorption- gp120 is part of the envelope glycoprotein gp160. This larger glycoprotein consists of two main glycoprotein portions - gp120 and gp41. gp120 is believed to be the outermost part of the complex made up of these two glycoproteins. gp41, the inner portion of the complex, is embedded in the viral membrane. Following the initial attachment of virus to the cell surface CD4 molecule, gp41 pierces the membranes of the target cell and initiates fusion. This interaction precedes viral entry, uncoating, and replication.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,113 issued May 28, 1985 to Gallo et al. discloses methods of detecting HTLV-III (now named HIV-1) in sera of AIDS and pre-AIDS patients. These methods detect the presence of antibodies in the patient's serum which bind to antigenic sites on HIV-1 or fractions of HIV-1, thus signalling the presence of the virus itself in the patient. A fraction known as gp41, a 41,000 dalton viral envelope protein was found to be particularly useful in the diagnostic methods of the invention because many persons having AIDS or pre-AIDS illnesses were found to have antibodies against this viral protein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,669 issued Feb. 16, 1988 to Essex and Lee discloses novel polypeptides along with assays which use the polypeptides to detect infection of cells by human T-cell lymphotrophic virus-III (i.e. HIV-1). The polypeptides may be purified forms of glycoproteins found in the cell surface membrane of cells infected with human T-cell lymphotrophic virus-III. The polypeptides contain antigenic determinants immunologically cross-reactive with glycoproteins having a molecular weight of 120,000 daltons and 160,000 daltons which occur on the surface of cells infected with HTLV-III (HIV-1).
Treatment of individuals infected with HIV-1 has been complicated by the binding capacity of the virus to mammalian cells and the extreme toxicity of infection with the virus. The potential for inadvertently infecting healthy individuals with only partially inactivated whole HIV-1 or components of the virus as part of a vaccine is very high. One commercially available compound which is useful as an anti-infective agent is a form of CD4. The compound is believed to work because it binds the gp120 as tightly as the natural CD4. In this way, if given in high enough concentrations, the free (administered) CD4 will bind all of the viral gp120 and prevent its binding CD4 on host cells. Efforts to control the virus through drugs has not succeeded. Alternate means of treating individuals infected with HIV-1, as well as alternate means of preventing or inhibiting infection of cells with HIV-1 are needed which are not toxic to the individual infected with HIV-1 and are safe for individuals not infected with the virus.
A major problem with retroviral infections is the manner in which the retroviruses are able to subvert the host organism's immune response to the detriment of the host. This is illustrated most vividly by the effect of HIV infection on human helper T cells. HIV-1 infects cells by first binding to host cell CD4 molecules utilizing the vital envelope glycoprotein gp120, and subsequently fusing with the cell membrane. In an infected cell, gp120 is expressed on the surface of the cell, creating a potential target for cytolytic antibody responses. Superficially, an antibody response to gp120 would seem to be advantageous to the host. However, during HIV infection, large amounts of gp120 are also shed from infected cells, with subsequent binding to CD4 molecules on uninfected cells- These uninfected cells also become targets for cytolytic antibody binding and subsequent lysis. Among CD4 bearing cells in the host are helper T cells, the very cells necessary for the development of antibody responses. By shedding gp120 from infected cells, HIV is able to cripple an essential arm of the immune response that would lead to elimination of HIV.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide agents and methods to inhibit infection of cells by HIV-1. A further object is to provide polypeptides capable of effecting such inhibition. Another object is to interfere with the binding of HIV-1 to host cells. A further object is to provide methods for detecting the presence or HIV-1 In biological specimens or of detecting the presence of antibodies for HIV-1 in such specimens.
It would obviously be beneficial to the host develop antibody responses that are able to recognize and destroy infected cells, while leaving uninfected cells intact. Thus it is also an object of the invention to provide such antibodies. It is a further object of the invention to provide methods for the recognition of sites on retroviruses that are immunogenic and lead to the development of beneficial antibodies of this type. These and other objects will become apparent from a review of the instant specification.

Peptides derived from human immunodeficiency virus-1 GP160

Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


An air conditioning heat pump system using an ejector may include a compression assembly, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, an ejector, and a first to third electromagnetic valve and a controller. A first end of the compression assembly may be connected with the one end of the outdoor heat exchanger, a second end may be connected with one end of the indoor heat exchanger, a third end may connected with outlet end of the ejector, and a fourth end may be connected with another end of the outdoor heat exchanger. One end of the outdoor heat exchanger may also be connected with a jet inlet of the ejector through the first electromagnetic valve, and another end may also be connected with the jet inlet of the ejector through the second electromagnetic valve and the third electromagnetic valve.

Air conditioning, with its superior cooling and heating functions, has become an important means for cooling down and warming up the room in people's daily life. Air conditioning mainly uses air conditioning heat pump systems to extract cold and heat from the environment to cool down or warm up the indoor environment. The air-conditioning heat pump system mainly extracts the cold and heat from the environment through the work of the compressor. In this process, the compressor consumes electric energy to compress a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant. And then, in the cooling mode, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant is condensed and cooled by an outdoor heat exchanger, and is then input to the indoor heat exchanger for evaporation and heat exchange to cool down the room. Alternatively, in the heating mode, the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant is input to the indoor heat exchanger for condensation and heat dissipation, thereby transferring heat to the indoor environment.

Air conditioning heat pump system using ejector, air conditioner, and air conditioner control method

Qingdao Hisense Hitachi Air-Conditioning Systems Co., Ltd.