A polarized wave scrambler and an optical signal transmission apparatus in which polarization mode dispersion is suppressed, and which has first and second polarization maintaining optical fibers, wherein respective constant components of a phase difference characteristic for optical frequencies between high-speed and low-speed axes of the first and the second polarization maintaining optical fibers are equal, and respective slopes for optical frequencies of the phase difference characteristics of the first and second polarization maintaining optical fibers are different. A plane of polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal is set to an angle between the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of the first polarization maintaining optical fiber and the linearly polarized optical signal is supplied to the first polarization maintaining optical fiber. Further, the first and the second polarization maintaining optical fibers are spliced such that the high-speed axis of the first, corresponds to the low-speed axis of the second, polarization maintaining optical fiber, and the low-speed axis of the first, corresponds to the high-speed axis of the second, polarization maintaining optical fiber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a polarized wave scrambler and an optical signal transmission apparatus in which a wave transmission of an optical communication system does not have polarization dependent characteristics, and more particularly to a polarized wave scrambler and an optical signal transmission apparatus in which polarization mode dispersion that degrades a transmitted waveform is suppressed, and which can be easily manufactured and are low-cost and stable.
In optical communication systems, first put to practical use around 1950 in long distance optical communication systems, a regenerative repeater that has so called 3R functions, namely reshaping, retiming and regenerating, is used to relay a transmission signal.
In this system, the structure of the regenerative repeater is complex and therefore, the regenerative repeater has many adjustment points to implement the 3R functions in the regenerative repeater. Therefore, it is hard to reduce the cost of the regenerative repeater. Further, in the regenerative repeater, an optical signal, which is not usually affected by an electromagnetic wave, is converted to an electrical signal. Then, the reshaping of the electrical signal is performed and the reshaped electrical signal is re-converted to an optical signal to relay the signal. Therefore, it is required to carefully design the regenerative repeater with respect to electrical characteristics and arrangement of elements in order to avoid an increase of a code error rate due to the electro-magnetic interference, and it is also hard to reduce the cost of the regenerative repeater.
In the 1980s, an optical fiber amplifier using an erbium doped optical fiber, in which ions of a rare earth element, especially the ions of erbium (Er) are doped, was developed. The optical fiber amplifier has been used in place of the regenerative repeater, and also is used as an output amplifier for terminal stations or as an amplifier provided just before a branch point to a plurality of optical fibers.
It is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of the adjustment points in the repeater by means of employing the optical fiber amplifier using the erbium doped optical fiber as the repeater in the optical communication system. Further, because it is not required to carefully design the repeater with respect to electrical characteristics and arrangement of elements, it is possible to reduce the cost of the repeater and to raise the reliability.
The optical fiber used as a trunk transmission line and the optical fiber amplifier using the erbium doped optical fiber has polarization dependent loss (PDL) and polarization mode dispersion (PMD) which basically correspond to group delay time if the electrical signal is transmitted. The PDL and the PMD degrade an envelope waveform of the optical signal that is modulated by the electrical signal. The envelope waveform of the optical signal, which is modulated by the electrical signal, is reproduced at the receiving side. Therefore, transmission performance is degraded according to the PDL and the PMD.
Especially, a high speed optical communication system is needed because communication traffic becomes great. In the high speed optical communication system, duration interval of one optical pulse is short and the effect of the PDL and the PMD cannot be negligible. Therefore, the polarized wave scrambler is employed in the optical communication system to propagate the light in the optical fiber without maintaining a constant polarization. The polarized wave scrambler plays an important roll as mentioned above, but it is also required to be manufactured with low-cost and to be stable, and further, it is also required not to degrade the transmission characteristics.
The present invention provides a polarized wave scrambler in which the polarization mode dispersion, which degrades a transmitted waveform, is suppressed, and which can be easily manufactured, and an optical signal transmission apparatus in which the polarization mode dispersion is suppressed using such polarized wave scrambler.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, technologies to polarized-wave-scramble a light by means of controlling polarization are as follows,
(1) a polarized wave scrambler in which optical polarization elements are mechanically moved to control the polarization,
(2) a polarized wave scrambler in which the polarization angle of the linearly polarized optical signal is set between a high speed axis and a low speed axis of a polarization maintaining optical fiber and then, the optical signal is supplied to the polarization maintaining optical fiber, and
(3) a polarized wave scrambler in which a linearly polarized optical signal is supplied to a Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) modulator, and a phase of the optical signal propagated through one waveguide is controlled using electro-optic effect, by means of which the phase of the light is controlled by voltage, or thermo-optic effect, by means of which the phase of the light is controlled by heat.
The polarized wave scrambler (1) has a complex structure and therefore it is hard to reduce cost. Further, mechanically moving parts may cause a problem of durability for the polarized wave scrambler and therefore, the reliability is low. For the polarized wave scrambler (3) using the Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) modulator, the cost of the Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) modulator is high.
Therefore, the polarized wave scramblers (1) and (3) are not suitable to manufacture a low-cost polarized wave scrambler. However, the polarized wave scrambler (2) is suitable to manufacture a low-cost polarized wave scrambler.
First, an example of the polarization maintaining optical fiber and the polarization mode dispersion will be explained.
FIG. 1 shows an example of the polarization maintaining optical fiber and a sectional diagram of the polarization maintaining optical fiber. This polarization maintaining optical fiber is called "a panda-fiber" and which panda-fiber was developed in Japan.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 shows the polarization maintaining optical fiber, reference numeral 101 shows its core, reference numeral 102 shows its cladding, reference numeral 103 and 103a show stress generating parts that are formed at both side of the core 101 in the cladding 102.
The stress generating parts 103 and 103a consist of B2O3 doped silica glass. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the B2O3, doped silica glass is several times greater than that of silica glass. After optical fiber drawing is performed, as the optical fiber shrinks when the temperature of the optical fiber decreases, the stress stretches the core in the directions of a line connecting between and toward the stress generating parts 103 and 103a. Therefore, compressive stress compresses the core in the direction perpendicular to the line connecting between the stress generating parts 103 and 103a. As a result, a birefringent optical fiber, which has different refractive indexes for the propagating light in the core depending on the direction, can be produced.
The refractive index in the direction of the line connecting between the stress generating parts 103 and 103a is low and the refractive index in the direction perpendicular to the line connecting between the stress generating parts 103 and 103a is high. Therefore, the propagation velocity of the light in the direction of the line connecting between the stress generating parts 103 and 103a is high and the propagation velocity of the light in the direction perpendicular to the line connecting between the stress generating parts 103 and 103a is low. An axis in the direction of the line connecting between the stress generating parts 103 and 103a is called the high-speed axis and another axis in the direction perpendicular to the line connecting between the stress generating parts 103 and 103a is called the low-speed axis.
When a plane of polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal is set at an angle to either the high-speed axis or the low-speed axis of the polarization maintaining optical fiber and then the linearly polarized optical signal is supplied to the polarization maintaining optical fiber, the plane of the polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal which propagates through the polarization maintaining optical fiber is kept constant because rotation of the plane of the polarization does not occur. As a result, the polarization state is maintained. Therefore, this optical fiber is called a polarization maintaining optical fiber.
When the plane of polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal is set to an angle between the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of the polarization maintaining optical fiber, for example 45 degrees, and then the linearly polarized optical signal is supplied to the polarization maintaining optical fiber, the linearly polarized optical signal is divided into the high-speed axis component and the low-speed axis component and each component propagates through the optical fiber. Because the propagation velocity of the light in the direction of the high-speed axis is different from the propagation velocity of the light in the direction of the low-speed axis, it is possible to produce any polarization state at the output of the polarization maintaining optical fiber according to the length of the polarization maintaining optical fiber. However, when the polarization maintaining optical fiber is simply used, the optical output waveform is degraded. This degradation of waveform is caused by the polarization mode dispersion (PMD).
FIG. 2 shows the polarization mode dispersion.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the plane of polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal is set to an angle between the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of the polarization maintaining optical fiber, for example 45 degrees, and then the linearly polarized optical signal is supplied to the polarization maintaining optical fiber. Because the propagation velocity of the light in the direction of the high-speed axis is different from the propagation velocity of the light in the direction of the low-speed axis, the constant phase difference between the high-speed axis component and the low-speed axis component is accumulated. This accumulated phase difference is the polarization mode dispersion.
A normal optical fiber has a wavelength dispersion characteristic, so that the propagation velocity of light is different according to the wavelength of the light. Usually, full width at half level of the propagated light pulse through the optical fiber becomes broader than that of the input light pulse, and the rising-time and the falling-time of the pulse waveform are increased.
FIG. 2 shows a waveform degraded by both the polarization mode dispersion (PMD) and the wavelength dispersion. One peak of the light pulse is divided into two peaks because of the speed difference caused by the polarization mode dispersion (PMD) and the light pulse is broadened because of the wavelength dispersion, and then the light pulse having such waveform is supplied from the polarization maintaining optical fiber.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional block diagram to polarized-wave-scramble the light according to the prior art, and also shows a light source and a driving circuit, and so on.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 shows the light source that supplies the linearly polarized optical signal, for example a laser diode. Reference numeral 1—1 shows a pig-tail fiber that guides the light supplied from the light source 1 outside the light source 1.
Reference numeral 2 shows a light source driving circuit that supplies a driving current to the light source 1 and the light source driving circuit 2 is usually composed of a circuit of a current-switch-type.
Reference numeral 3 shows an oscillator that supplies a sinusoidal wave having a frequency of f1, which sinusoidal wave modulates the driving current supplied from the light source driving circuit 2.
Reference numeral 4 shows a polarization maintaining optical fiber that is spliced to the pig-tail fiber 1—1. At the splicing point between the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4 and the pig-tail fiber 1—1, the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4 and the pig-tail fiber 1—1 are spliced such that the plane of polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal supplied from the light source 1 is set to an angle between the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4, for example 45 degrees. The polarized-wave-scrambler is constructed by the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4.
As shown in FIG. 3, features of this construction are that first, the light source 1 is driven by the output current supplied from the light source driving circuit 2 modulated by the sinusoidal signal having a frequency of f1, supplied from the oscillator 3, and second, at the splicing point between the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4 and the pig-tail fiber 1—1, the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4 and the pig-tail fiber 1—1 are spliced such that the plane of polarization of the linearly polarized optical signal supplied from the light source 1 is set to an angle between the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4, for example 45 degrees.
FIG. 4A through FIG. 4D show the principle of the polarized wave scramble shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 shows phase difference between the high-speed axis component and the low-speed axis component of the light propagating in the optical fiber generated by the polarization maintaining optical fiber as shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4A shows the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of the polarization maintaining optical fiber. The x-axis denotes the high-speed axis and the y-axis denotes the low-speed axis.
FIG. 4B shows an electrical field Ex in the x-axis direction and an electrical field Ey in the y-axis direction of the input light at the input point of the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4. As described above, the plane of polarization of the input light is set to the angle between the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis of the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4, the electrical field Ex in the high-speed axis direction and the electrical field Ey in the low-speed axis direction of input light are applied at the input point of the polarization maintaining optical fiber. Especially, the electrical filed Ey in the low-speed (y-axis) direction is equal to the electrical filed Ex in the high-speed (x-axis) direction if the plane of polarization of the input light is set to the angle which is equal to 45 degrees for both the high-speed axis and the low-speed axis.
FIG. 4C shows the electrical field Ex in the x-axis direction and the electrical field Ey in the y-axis direction of the output light at the output point of the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4. As described above, a phase shift value for the high-speed axis is different from that of the low-speed axis. The phase shift value for the high-speed axis is δx and of the phase shift value of the low-speed axis is δy. As a result, the electrical field Ex in the x-axis direction and the electrical field Ey in the y-axis direction of the output light at the output point of the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4 are shown in FIG. 4C.
FIG. 4D shows a phase difference between the phase shift value of the high-speed axis direction and the phase shift value of the low speed axis direction. As described above, the phase difference is a trigonometric function of the frequency f1, because the output light from the light source is modulated by the sinusoidal signal having the frequency of f1.
FIG. 5A shows a graph of the phase difference generated by the polarization maintaining optical fiber 4. FIG. 5B shows the phase difference value which is approximated to a phase difference component φ(f0) at the frequency f0 and a value which is a differential coefficient of the phase φ at the frequency f0 multiplied by the modulation frequency f1. In this specification, the phase difference component φ(f0) at the frequency f0 is called "a constant component" and the value which is a differential coefficient of the phase φ at the frequency f0, multiplied by the modulation frequency f1 is called "a modulated component" or "a frequency characteristic of the phase difference". The polarized-wave-scramble can be performed by the modulated component in the polarization maintaining optical fiber.
The constant component of the phase difference generated in the polarization maintaining optical fiber corresponds to the constant difference between the propagation velocity of the light in the high-speed axis direction and the propagation velocity of the light in the low-speed axis direction, and therefore, also corresponds to the polarization mode dispersion (PMD). There is a problem in which it is possible to polarized-wave-scramble the input light by the polarization maintaining optical fiber, but it is not possible to prevent the degradation of the waveforms caused by the polarization mode dispersion (PMD).

Polarized wave scrambler and optical signal transmission apparatus


A method for automated image analysis of a biological specimen by histological reconstruction. Also provided is an automated cell image method for analyzing a biological specimen that has consecutively been stained by either an in situ hybridization (ISH) method, or an immunohistochemistry (IHC) method or a nucleic acid stain, and counterstained. The method couples composite images in an automated manner for processing and analysis. To identify structure in tissue that cannot be captured in a single field of view image or a single staining technique, the disclosure provides a method for histological reconstruction to analyze many fields of view on potentially many slides simultaneously.

In current cellular imaging systems, the area of a stained slide containing a stained cellular specimen is scanned by automated microscopy systems. The entire cellular specimen area of the slide is imaged with a series of field of view images. For further analysis, each field of view image must be separately analyzed to locate complete candidate objects of interest within the field of view image. This approach may be acceptable for cellular objects or clusters that are not so large that they extend beyond the field of view width or length of an image. Often, for both automated and manual analysis, only a single field of view is analyzed for morphological characteristics, so that the context of the analysis is limited to that field of view on a single slide.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Histological reconstruction and automated image analysis


The present invention concerns a method for relaying symbols transferred by a source to a destination in a wireless cellular telecommunication network, the symbols being relayed by a relay, the relay receiving symbols, the symbols being representative of coded bits derived from information bits. The relay:                receives symbols,        successfully decodes the information bits from the symbols,        determines a spectral efficiency to be used for transferring symbols from the number of coded bits transferred by the source prior the successful decoding of information bits,        transfers symbols using a modulation that corresponds to the determined spectral efficiency.

The present invention relates generally to a method and a device for relaying symbols transferred by a source to a destination in a wireless cellular telecommunication network.
Future wireless cellular telecommunication networks will use higher frequency bands than the ones used by current wireless cellular telecommunication networks.
New wireless cellular telecommunication networks, particularly in urban environment, will have dead zones, wherein the signals transferred between base stations and terminals will be highly attenuated.

Method and a device for relaying symbols transferred by a source to a destination


When accepting an establishment request (Cx-LIR) for establishing an information communication path between a sending-side UE and a receiving-side UE, an HSS performs control so as to establish the information communication path between the sending-side UE and the receiving-side UE via an MGW and an existing 3G network if the receiving-side UE exists in an IMS network and is a communication interception target terminal.

Recently, development of a communication system introducing a base station for femtocells has been promoted in order to improve the quality of a communication area (for example, see Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
The base station for femtocells is a small-sized wireless base station which covers a small communication area having a diameter of several tens of meters, and which is installed inside a room of a home or office for the purpose of covering the communication area in the room. Thereby, it becomes possible to improve the communication quality of a communication area which cannot be covered by an existing base station for macrocells. Furthermore, it also becomes possible to cover the communication area without spending a lot of money for maintenance of the infrastructure for the base station for macrocells.
A communication system introducing the base station for femtocells is constructed with an IMS network on the basis of the stipulations by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). An IMS network communication technique is disclosed, for example, in Non-Patent Literature 1.

Management apparatus, control apparatus, communication system, control method and program


High volume, belt-driven ventilation fans in which the bladed propeller assembly and the drive motor are operationally mounted upon a unitary structure. In one form of the invention a box-fan comprises a generally cubicle, or parallelepiped housing. In an alternative barrel fan the tubular housing is cylindrical. Both fans comprise a pair of rigid, vertically upright, parallel rails within their interior. A rigid, X-profiled mounting unit is fastened between the rails to mount both the propeller and the motor. The unitary mount comprises a rigid, central mandrel that coaxially receives the propeller assembly axle. Pairs of diverging arms extending away from each side of the mandrel are fastened to the rails within the fan interior. One of the arms pivotally supports a deflectable wing upon which the motor is mounted. The propeller assembly comprises a pulley-driven blade centered within the housing and an axle captivated within the mandrel. The motor drives a pulley mechanically coupled to the fan pulley with a V-belt. The axis of the wing's hinge, the axis of motor rotation, and the axis of rotation of the fan propeller are all parallel. A coiled spring biases the wing away from the mandrel, automatically tightening the belt as the motor borne by the wing is varied in position relative to the propeller axle in response to dynamic variables like start-up tension, load changes, aging, wear, and normal operational drive fluctuations. At all times proper drive belt tension is maintained.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to high capacity, industrial and agricultural ventilation fans. More particularly, my invention relates to an improved, motor-mounting system for belt-driven fans that continuously maintains and regulates belt tension.
II. Description of the Prior Art
High volume fans provide ventilation and cooling for many agricultural facilities, especially in the poultry and dairy industries. Such fans are designed to properly control the direction, velocity, and volume of air being moved. I have previously proposed a fan adept at controlling air over long ranges. One of my previous fan inventions, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,282, on Jan. 2, 1996, and its teachings are hereby incorporated by reference. It was classified in U.S. Class 415, subclass 125. As can be seen from that patent and the prior art therein, the known prior art comprises many different types and designs of fans adapted to satisfy various criteria.
High volume ventilation fans include a rigid housing that protectively encloses the fan blade and motor. Protective guards shroud the housing. So-called "box fans" have a tubular housing that is "square," i.e., in the general form of a cube or parallelepiped. A tubular, cylindrical housing, in the form of a cylinder, is used by so-called "barrel fans," Depending upon the design and configuration, a number of different accessory items such as screen guards, shutters, electrical controls, discharge cones, and venturis may be deployed. Typical high capacity fans may be mounted on the ground, or secured in an elevated position upon an adequate support. The two principal fan-drive designs employed with modern high capacity fans are direct drive and belt-drive systems. Both arrangements have advantages and disadvantages.
Such fans are often deployed in rugged, industrial environments, where they may be used for long hours without periodic maintenance. As dust and dirt accumulate, vibrations develop, causing various parts to loosen. Obviously moving parts such as motors, belts, and rotors will wear with time. Periodic maintenance, while desirable, will be lacking in many industrial or agricultural applications. When maintenance is performed, the servicing technician faces a number of problems. The design features and differences between various fans used in a given application make it difficult to inventory proper parts, tools, and service diagrams. The servicing technician must possess knowledge of several different types and designs of fans. Another problem involves the protective safety guards installed on most fans. These must be removed to expose the fan's innards for service. Over time, the guards can vibrate loose, and in response to vibration and rough handling, they may become deformed and difficult to remove or adjust.
In general, the more a fan is used, the "looser" the guard and fan housing becomes. Often the housing is warped or damaged over time, and as a result, the guards simply do not "fit" as tightly as they did when the fan was newer.
Typically belt-driven ventilation fans have drive assemblies that are mounted on spaced-apart bearing/shaft assemblies. A drive motor is typically mounted such that its axis of rotation is parallel to and spaced apart from the fan shaft. The motor and fan shafts are connected by a suitable "V" belt entrained over pulleys that establish an adequate gear drive ratio. Many structural variations for mounting the fan, the motor, and the linkage components have been proposed. A major problem with belt-driven fans is the lack of a simple belt tensioning method.
As high capacity ventilation fans age, accumulating wear on the belts, motors and associated pulleys can loosen critical parts. When belt wear becomes appreciable, belt tension varies unpredictably, degrading performance. To maintain peak operating efficiency, belts in common designs must be inspected, and the apparatus must be adjusted relatively frequently. Unfortunately, this type of routine maintenance requires considerable time and effort. Tension adjustments to belt-driven fans generally require the removal of at least one guard. Consequently, structure that maintains belt integrity and reduces service requirements is desirable. A reliable system for automatically maintaining belt tension in a belt-driven fan would increase reliability, and optimize efficiency.

Belt-driven fan with tension preserving winged motor mounting


One embodiment of a corner shelf assembly having a shelf held securely in a horizontal position by a bracket or corner element, two support rails and two end caps. The shelf comprises a flat sheet with one corner clipped at its apex so that the shelf may be slid into a complementary slot in a bracket or corner element secured into a wall corner. The corner element is attached to two support rails held securely horizontal by the configuration of the corner piece. The support rails comprise a solid body with a narrow tongue protruding from it and running the length of the solid body. The tongues of the support rails are secured to walls having complementary openings and are further secured to the walls by fasteners. The shelf is rested upon the support rails and secured at its front by end caps that sandwich the shelf and the support rails, thus holding the shelf toward the corner and preventing it from tipping up or down. Other embodiments are described and shown.

1. Field
This invention relates to shelves in general and more particularly to types of shelves and shelf assemblies that are used in wall corners.
2. Prior Art
There are many types of shelves existing in the market consisting basically of a shelf connected to supports that may, or may not, be visible after installation. Some shelves are produced for simplicity and inexpensive manufacturing, some are produced for strength and stability, and some are produced to look good by hiding any support structures, but the combination of these qualities is elusive.
Traditional shelves consist of a flat plank of wood or plastic laid on top of a support structure. The support structures can be pegs, rails, brackets, braces, or the like. With this type of construction, the shelf is generally supported from the bottom, and the shelf is prone to move from side-to side, tip up or down, and slide away from the wall. Additionally, shelves constructed of wood or plastic are prone to bow, buckle, stretch or sag over time. Many methods to overcome these problems involve improved brackets, supports and shelf configurations. However, these improvements create additional problems such as increased cost to manufacture or complexity of installation, weakened integrity of the shelf, or unattractive supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,036,184 shows a corner shelf secured to its supports by inserting the shelf apex into a gap that is formed by installing two vertical supports spaced apart the width of the shelf. The shelf is also prevented from sliding forward by blocks installed into the walls in front of the shelf. This construction is problematic because it requires multiple support strips be installed to form the supporting gap and the patent specifically states the front blocks must allow the shelf to tip upward at its front.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,236 shows a corner shelf secured to a wall within a bracket running the length of the top and bottom of the shelf. This construction prevents tipping, but only so long as the brackets themselves do not pull away from either the walls or the wall corner. Further, this construction lacks a method to prevent the shelf from sliding forward from the wall and the top portion of the bracket is clearly visible along the top sides of the shelf. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,803 shows a cantilevered shelf and shelf bracket that supports a shelf at its top and bottom, but the bracket along the top sides of the shelf is clearly visible and this construction is specifically designed to allow the shelf to tip upward at its front.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,822 shows an example of a glass shelf supported by strong braces below it. The braces, however, are large, cumbersome, unattractive, and noticeably visible through the glass shelf. This shelf construction is problematic because it allows the shelf to move side-to-side, to tip up, and to move away from the wall.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,059,128 and 5,922,654 show shelves supported by brackets designed to give strength and stability to the shelf, but each construction is highly complex and involves multiple pieces underneath the base of the shelf. Not only are these constructions complex to manufacture and install, but they are also unsuitable for any type of glass or transparent shelf material.
There are numerous examples of shelf assemblies that hide all supporting structures to increase the attractiveness of the shelf. The problem each of these assemblies presents is that the shelf must either have some sort of tongue protruding from it to fit into a complementary wall groove or bracket, or the shelf must have some sort of recess, hole, groove or cavity that will receive complementary support structures. In most of these examples the integrity of the shelf material is compromised and in all cases the construction is unsuitable for any type of glass or transparent shelf material.


An assembly of heat shrink tubes provides an interface across a barrier, such as a boundary of a chamber of a transformer housing. Each of the tubes has an axial aperture for receiving at least one respective electrical lead, such as ones extending from a transformer disposed in the chamber of the transformer housing to a connection outside the chamber. The interface preferably also includes a plurality of bushings, wherein each of the bushings is disposed in the axial aperture of a respective one of the heat shrink tubes. A support member is preferably included so that the heat shrink tubes are disposed adjacent a plurality of holes defined through the support member. An adhesive fluid tightly connects the heat shrink tubes to the support member. The chamber of the transformer housing includes a wall having an inner surface, against which an insulating liquid is disposed, and an outer surface, against which a gas is disposed. The heat shrink tubes can be mounted to this wall, such as by bolted attachment of the support member.

This invention relates particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a transformer housing providing a sealed passage for electrical leads from the transformer. More generally, it relates to an interface for communicating a plurality of electrical leads across a barrier, such as through a wall of the transformer housing.
A transformer housing with which a particular aspect of the present invention is concerned has a chamber defined in it. This chamber receives a transformer and an insulating fluid (e.g., oil). The transformer includes one or more primary and secondary windings which must be connected to power inputs and outputs located outside the chamber. To make these connections, electrical leads are connected to the respective transformer windings and to the respective inputs or outputs. These leads are connected across a wall of the housing which at least in part defines the chamber. This has typically been done using individual units each comprising an electrical member (e.g., a metal rod) and a bushing. These units are mounted in the wall of the transformer housing and electrical connections are made to the conductive portion of a unit on each side of the wall. The electrical member passing through the wall preferably is electrically insulated from the wall by the bushing since the wall of the transformer housing is typically made of electrically conductive material, and the bushing preferably seals with the wall to prevent leakage of the fluid from the chamber. An example of one such unit is the "SPEED MOUNT II" secondary bushing from Central Moloney.
Because these individual units have bare terminals to which the connections are made, adequate clearance space must be provided between adjacent units. Use of these units is labor intensive as the individual electrical connections are manually made. These combination electrical member/bushing units are also expensive. There is thus the need for an improved interface which provides a sealed, electrically insulated passage across a barrier, such as a transformer housing wall, in a more compact and less expensive manner than the aforementioned individual electrical member/bushing units. There is also the need for such an interface to provide for the electrical communication across the barrier without having to make all the individual connections required with existing bushing units.

Sealed passage for electrical leads across a barrier


An image processing device includes a correlation value calculating unit calculating plural correlation values indicating degrees of correlation of an image for a pixel of attention to be interpolated on a solid-state imaging device having filters of predetermined color coding; a judging unit judging a direction in which interpolation should be performed by calculating, in different directions, at least two patterns of the plural correlation values calculated by the correlation value calculating unit and comparing the correlation values of at least two patterns with correlation lines obtained by plotting the correlation values with respect to straight lines of various angles; and an interpolating unit applying interpolation processing to the pixel of attention on the basis of information on pixels around the pixel of attention present in the direction judged by the judging unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, and an imaging apparatus, and, more particularly to an image processing device and an image processing method for processing an output signal of a solid-state imaging device having a filter of predetermined color coding (a color filter), and an imaging apparatus that uses the image processing device or the image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image qualities of imaging apparatuses such as a digital still camera and a video camera have been improved and imaging apparatuses of various specifications have been proposed. As a representative example, there is known a 3CCD imaging apparatus that obtains high-resolution RGB signals by arranging primary color filters of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) in the same spatial phase with respect to three solid-state imaging devices and realizes a high image quality. However, the 3CCD imaging apparatus needs to use the three solid-state imaging devices and use a prism for dissolving incident light into colors of R, G, and B. This makes it difficult to realize a reduction in size and a reduction in cost.
On the other hand, there is also known a 1CCD imaging apparatus that realizes a reduction in size and a reduction in cost by appropriately arranging color filters of R, G, and B in pixel units in one solid-state imaging device. In order to obtain high luminance resolution in this 1CCD imaging apparatus, a color arrangement in arranging the color filters of R, G, and B in pixel units in one solid-state imaging device is important. A characteristic of the solid-state imaging device varies depending on a way of the arrangement of the color filters. As a representative color coding (color arrangement), for example, there is known the Bayer arrangement that has been widely used.
(Bayer Arrangement)
As shown in FIG. 24, the Bayer arrangement is color coding in which color filters of R and color filters of G are alternately arranged in odd number rows and color filters of G and color filters of B are alternately arranged in even number rows. The Bayer arrangement has a characteristic that resolution of G is higher than resolution of R and B because a larger number of color filters of G are arranged compared with the color filters of R and B.
In general, a luminance signal Y is generated according to Expression (1) below.Y=0.6G+0.3R+0.1B  (1)
As it is evident from Expression (1), G is a main component in generating the luminance signal. Human being has a visual sensitivity characteristic that resolution for luminance is high and resolution for color is low. It can be said that the Bayer arrangement is a color arrangement that successfully utilizes the visual sensitivity characteristic of human being.
However, the color coding of the Bayer arrangement is not always optimum for human being. This is because human eyes have a characteristic that it is possible to recognize a high frequency for luminance but it is difficult to recognize a high frequency for color.
In signal processing of an imaging apparatus, generation of a luminance signal or a color difference signal from RGB signals having spatially different phases is a cause of generation of a false color signal. Thus, luminance signal processing and color difference signal processing have to be performed after generating RGB signals having the same spatial phases. Therefore, it is important to generate the RGB signals in the same spatial phase from the RGB signals having the spatially different phases according to the interpolation technique. If the interpolation is not optimum, for example, an image having high resolution is not obtained or a false color signal is generated.
In order to perform the interpolation processing, in the past, amounts of change in eight pixels in total near a pixel of attention, that is, pixels above and below, on the right and the left, and at the upper right, the lower right, the upper left, and the lower left of the pixel of attention are calculated. The amounts of change calculated are weighted to calculate correlation values. Interpolation coefficients are determined on the basis of the correlation values calculated. Interpolation data are multiplied by the interpolation coefficients, respectively, and, then, the interpolation data multiplied by the interpolation coefficients are added up. (See, for example, JP-A-11-177994).
However, in the related art described above, the interpolation processing is performed using correlation values calculated by weighting amounts of change in eight pixels in total above and below, on the right and the left, and at the upper right, the lower right, the upper left, and the lower left of a pixel of attention. Thus, a direction of correlation can only be detected in horizontal, vertical, and 45° directions with respect to the pixel of attention. This makes it difficult to perform appropriate interpolation processing.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an image processing device, an image processing method, and an imaging apparatus that are capable of performing appropriate interpolation processing by judging a direction of correlation in all the directions (360°) with respect to a pixel of attention to be interpolated.

Image processing device, image processing method, and imaging apparatus


The present invention relates to a method and system for monitoring the secondary electric power distribution grid with remote fraud and power theft detection, readings, power cuts-off, reconnection and client load control, besides continuous monitoring of the electric grid parameters, providing diagnostics on the status of the grid and public lighting from an assigned Command Central, located at the secondary busbar of the distribution transformer, and Measuring Modules at clients installations.

During the last 100 years the electricity distribution systems evolved by acquiring a stable and safe configuration, providing reliable and low cost energy to support the development of nations around the world. Technologically, however, the power systems have not kept major improvements as occurred in the fields of electronics, telecommunications and computing, carrying essentially the same ideas, forms and the same original problems.
Despite the large capillarity, because the distribution network has to reach every individual residence, the information collected and stored by utilities are relatively sparse. This is mainly due to the lack of low cost and reliable communication from the many end branches of the system.
As an example of the difficulties imposed by the lack of information on the current distribution system, in case of a power outage at a client, the energy distribution company, in almost all cases, has no way to detect the fault unless the client reports the failure, even if the fault is in the distribution network itself. Almost all information available consists of monthly consumption readings performed by a human meter reader, made locally on each client.
Also, in cases of power cut-off for nonpayment and reconnection after payment settlement, the company has to move a vehicle to the client installation to perform these functions. Considering that distribution companies have thousands and even millions of clients, this implies that the costs involved in these operations are quite high.
The need for modernization of power systems has generated global initiatives such as the "Smart Grid", encouraged by DOE—United States Department of Energy, where the emphasis goes through modernization and new technologies mainly by integrating a communication network with the power system. Although there are several technologies available, the biggest problem for its implementation is the huge investment involved, which would only be amortized over several years.
Apart from modernization initiatives, a chronic problem of distribution networks is related to energy losses, which are classified in technical losses and commercial losses.
Technical losses are related to the energy transport in electrical cables and equipment for imposing a resistance to current flow and are therefore related to the laws of electromagnetism, or more specifically, the Joule's law.
Commercial losses are related to the process of commercialization of energy and involve errors in measurement and consumption reading, errors in the billing process and especially frauds and energy thefts. Fraud refers to tampering with energy meters with the goal of reducing the consumption recorded. Thefts are characterized by illegal connections that divert the energy so that it is not registered by the meter.
Commercial losses not only represent lost revenue for utilities, but also a huge loss to society because there is no related tax collection and part of the prejudice is transferred to the energy rate of regular customers, burdening businesses and the population.
According to estimates made by Brazilian National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL), commercial losses are responsible for about 15% of the total active power purchased by distribution companies, representing a huge loss to society.
This patent intends to make economically viable several important functions for the process of power distribution through a substantial reduction of losses caused by fraud and energy theft. So below, emphasis will be given to this problem.
The most common types of fraud include a wide range of tampering with consumption measurement, such as waging the meter disk via external agent, breaking the meter seal for tamper with the mechanism or electro-electronic part and various other methods often very creative, making their detection difficult by the energy distributor.
Popularly called "cats" (Translator note: slang used in Brazil), energy thefts are usually direct wire-connection on secondary network or on the service drop (cables connecting the utility pole to the box where the energy meter is installed) without any measurement.
The vast majority of patents aimed at reducing commercial losses targets the two main points affected: the power meter and the secondary network, including the service drop, but it is easy to conclude that it would be necessary to use several techniques associated to have effective protection against fraud and energy theft. In fact, the energy distribution companies develop a series of actions aimed at reducing these unlawful practices of electricity subtraction and, despite all efforts, it is clear that the solutions currently in use have proved to be ineffective and, to minimize the possibility of fraud and energy theft by the end users, the techniques and equipment need to be improved.
Analyzing the various documents existing on the subject, the difficulty is perceived.
The following utility models and patents refer to attempts to hinder fraud on energy meter, either by using better meter technology or by making tamperproof boxes that contain the meter:                MU8802110-6—Disposicao em Medidor Eletronico de Energia Eletrica com Tampa Lacrada (Provision at Electrical Energy Metering with Cover Sealed);        MU8402469-0—Disposicao Construtiva Aplicada a Caixa de Medidor de Energia Eletrica com Sistema de Lacre Inviolavel (Constructive Disposal Applied to the Box of Electric Power Meter with System of Inviolable Sealing);        PI0719731-4—Medidor de Energia Eletrica, Compreendendo pelo Menos Um Captador de Medida de Corrente de Tipo Indutiva e Captador Associado (Electric Energy Meter, Comprising at Least One Collector of Current Measure of Inductive Type and Associate Collector);        PI0703743-0—Gabinete de Medidor de Energia Eletrica (Electric Energy Meter case);        PI0104930-5—Medidor de Energia Eletrica Contra-Ativo as Fraudes (Electric Energy Meter Counter-active to fraud);        PI0002109-1—Sistema e Metodo de Deteccao de Adulteracoes/Anomalias em Medidores de Energia Eletrica e Medidor que Utiliza este Sistema (System and Method for Adulterations/Anomalies Detection in Electric Energy Meters and Meter that Uses this System).
None of these solutions, however, prevents the deviation that is made directly from the distribution network, featuring the power theft.
In particular, the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,009—"Apparatus and method to detect tampering with an electronic utility" combines, in the same device, a unit of measurement and a remotely controlled breaker. The detection of electricity fraud or theft is based on measuring the voltage on the load side, just after the breaker and also within the meter. This procedure is not effective because the client installation can be easily changed by placing an insulation device, as a contactor, after the meter and before the client load, which makes the developed voltage measurement technique innocuous.
The document PI0202535-3—"Cabo Conc ntrico Baixa Tensao para Circuitos de Distribuicao de Energia Eletrica" (Low Voltage Concentric Cable to Electric Power Distribution Circuits) addresses the problem of making connections directly to the network by using the cable conductors arranged concentrically. If one tries to drill the cable access phases, a short circuit would be caused. However, the use of this cable is restricted to client's service drop, between the utility pole and the client measurement box, due to the cost of the cable and its limited current capacity. Thus, even though its use efficacy in service drops, the problems of direct connection to the secondary network and tampering measurement still remain.
The documents PI0701530-5 ("Metodo e Aparato para Indicar a Ocorr ncia de Furto de Energia Eletrica em Redes Eletricas"—Method and Apparatus to Indicate the Occurence of Electric Energy Theft in Electric Grids) and PI0505261-0 ("Aparato para Inibir o Desvio em Circuitos/Redes de Energia Eletrica"—Apparatus for Inhibit the Bypass in Circuits/Grids of Electricity) follow similar approaches among them, superimposing a DC (direct current) voltage on the circuit. The superimposed voltage is removed by a filter so that the energy can be supplied within legal parameters and thus consumed without restriction. In the first document, the signal is only used to indicate the energy illicit use and in the second case the intention is to make energy unfit for consumption if the filter is not used. These approaches have two major problems. The first relates to the easy way of getting a similar filter for DC signal elimination, thus making energy available. A filter that is not authorized by the company could be easily assembled or stolen from another client installation. The second problem, in the case of making energy unfit for consumption, is that purely resistive devices such as showers, would be unaffected by the superimposed DC voltage, functioning satisfactorily.
The document PI0505840-6—"SAFE—Sistema Anti-Furto de Energia Eletrica" (ASEE—Anti-theft System of Electric Energy) aims to eliminate power theft through two simultaneous current measurements, one before the conventional client meter and the other located on the utility pole. The difference in the measured currents indicates an energy diversion that is signaled by a light emitting diode (LED) on the instrument housing. This device detects the energy theft on the service drop, in other words, between the pole and the meter, but does not detect secondary network energy theft or metering fraud.
The document PI0701290-0—"Sistema de Medicao Centralizada de Energia Eletrica" (Centralised Measurement System of Electric Energy), uses an approach of centralizing all meters in a single box, along with a command center, sealed and installed in the distribution network or in closets. The technique described in this document does not detect energy theft made directly from the cables of the secondary network, since only the service drops and power meters are protected. In addition, customers with higher loads may claim that the electrical losses in service drop, being responsibility of the power company, were being charged directly from him (client) since the measurement occurs before the service drop, which will certainly bring legal and billing settlement issues for utility companies.
The document PI9902611-2—"Processo de Identificacao dos Consumidores Fraudadores em Uma Rede de Distribuicao de Energia Eletrica, Numa Determinada Regiao, e Sistema e Processo de Determinacao da Exist ncia de Condutores Escondidos, Que Nao Passam Por Um Medidor de Energia Eletrica" (Identification Process of Fraudsters Consumers in Electric Energy Distribution Grid, in a Determined Region, and System and Process of Determination the Existence of Hidden Conductor, that do not Pass Through a Electricity Meter), intends to identify the energy fraud or theft through a repetitive procedure of group measuring, followed by shutdown of each individual client and their reconnection, done remotely. After shutdown/restart of all clients, the measured values are analyzed to detect possible deviations. This approach is only feasible for a very small number of customers and presents several problems, such as:                Theft or fraud would be detected only if there is consumption at the time of measurement;        For a real number of customers in a distribution company (thousands/millions) the procedure would be unfeasible because it would require a very long time to test all clients;        The distribution company would have their service continuity index worsened, which could result in penalties imposed by the Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica—ANEEL (National Agency of Electric Energy—NAEE).
The patent documents U.S. Pat. No. 7,539,581—"System and method for on-line monitoring and billing of power" and U.S. Pat. No. 7,271,735—"System for the remote data acquisition and control of electric energy" as well as the document WO2007139842—"Automated meter reading system, communication and control network for automated meter reading, meter data collector, and associated methods" propose architectures exclusively for remote energy consumption reading and are not directed to the functionality of detecting fraud or energy theft. Similar methods are used for communication between the meters, intermediate units and central processing unit, however, the measurements are not made in order to obtain a phasor sum to detect abnormalities in the circuit, mainly because of the intermediate units do not have any capability of measuring or checking electrical parameters. Furthermore, they do not address the need for safe procedures for network setup operations such as installation, substitution and removal of devices. It is relevant to note that, in case of communication failure, these systems do not provide alternative mode of operation.
The article "Proposta de Sistema de Arquitetura para a Implementacao de uma Smart Grid na Rede de distribuicao em Baixa Tensao"—(Proposed Architecture System for the implementation of a Smart Grid at the Low Voltage Distribution Grid)—(R. C. Gomes, A. L. Printes, C. M. Ramos—III SBSE, Bethlehem Pa., 18-21 May 2010) describes a relatively similar architecture, but uses "Distribution Units (UD)" installed on utility poles to make consumer measurements in a centralized manner, while the present invention dispenses this equipment, allowing to keep the clients' measuring units on their own consuming facility, as currently occurs in almost all low voltage distribution networks, reducing significantly modification and installation costs. This article employs the energy balance technique to attempt to detect fraud and energy theft. This technique is common to other measurement systems available in the market and consists of measuring the active or total energy in a central point, called in this article "Telesupervision Unit (UT)" (corresponding to the Command Central of the present invention) and comparing the measured value with the sum of all measurements in the low voltage circuit. Since energy is the sum (integral) over time of the powers observed, this technique requires an accumulation time, typically a few days or weeks, due to the required resolution, to be able to compare the energy measurements. Despite of this necessary time, observed in all real implementations of this technique, the article claims to allow "the detection, location and quantification of losses, almost instantly," what does not appear feasible in practice. Furthermore, this technique is not suitable to detect differences caused by the public lighting loads, present in almost all low voltage urban circuits, and neither the energy losses in the circuit, making the detection coarse and inaccurate, allowing to detect only the cases where there is massive fraud or theft. Another important aspect is that there is no security procedure to avoid the replacement of irregular meters adulterated in UD's, making the energies sum being consistent with the measurement at UT (except losses and street lights, as quoted), making frauds undetectable.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,089 "Method for transmitting data using a digital control channel of a wireless network", with filling date Aug. 26, 1997 and granted in Jan. 11, 2000, and the article "Configuring and Managing the Large-Scale Monitoring Network: Solving Real World Challenges for Ultra-Low Powered and Long-Range Wireless Mesh Networks" (C. Dugas—International Journal of Network Management, 2005, 15: 269-282) use a device that looks like the Operative Interface Module which acts as a multifunction portable collector to collect, download, upload and adjust data and parameters of the secondary circuit, as many other systems currently available in the market, however it does not have the fundamental function used here, which is to reinforce and ensure the safety of the measuring system in the operations of installation, removal and replacement of Metering Modules or Command Central. The proposed security function for the Operative Interface Module makes the measurement system significantly more robust and less prone to energy fraud and theft.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,911 "Digital sensor apparatus and system for protection, control, and management of electricity distribution systems", with filling date Feb. 12, 1997 and granted in Nov. 30, 1999, has a sensor and system mainly focused on protection and control of three-phase internal distribution networks. Despite of using the name "power distribution systems", the patent refers to internal networks, within private distribution installations, typically industrial, and not the public networks of power distribution companies or utilities. The system described presents several problems related to mitigating fraud losses and energy theft when related to distribution companies' networks, because:                Does not contemplate or include public lighting charges;        Allows installation of tampered sensors or even new illegal sensors without control over them because there is no security procedures for installation, removal and replacement of sensors;        It is applicable only to internal networks and three-phase loads of consumers (typically industrials), while the distribution networks can be mono-, bi- and three-phasic and come with one, two or three phases loads;        Uses synchronizing technique by GPS (Global Positioning System) in each sensor to establish the necessary phasor measurements, making the total system cost very high to be feasible to the typical distribution networks;        Allows measurement of part or subset of the monitored circuit that precludes the detection of fraud and theft on the network, because there is no way to directly compare the measured values of the subset of sensors with the centralized measurement, which covers all the circuits.

Method and system for monitoring a secondary electric power distribution grid with detection of fraud and theft of electric energy and public lighting diagnostics


Provided herein is a resin structure having high heat dissipation, and desirable adhesion at the interface with a heat generating device. The resin structure is provided on a substrate to dissipates heat of the substrate to outside, and includes: a water-based coating material layer provided on the substrate and including a water-based coating material, and fillers having an average particle size of 30 μm to 150 μm; and a resin layer provided on the water-based coating material layer and containing a thermosetting resin. The fillers have a far-infrared emissivity of 0.8 or more, and an average aspect ratio of 1 to 12 as measured as a ratio of lengths along the long axis and the short axis through the center of gravity of the fillers. At least 80% of the total number of fillers has a length that is at least 1.7 times longer than the total thickness of the water-based coating material of the water-based coating material layer and the thermosetting resin of the resin layer, as measured along the long axis through the center of gravity of the fillers.

The heat density of power devices and semiconductor packages has increased along with miniaturization and increased density of these devices. Electronic components installed in these devices thus require a technique that efficiently dissipates the generated heat of individual components to keep the components below the designed operating temperature.
Fins that take advantage of convection, and heat conduction sheets that take advantage of heat conduction are commonly used as means to dissipate heat in products. However, it has become difficult to dissipate heat and keep the temperature below the designed operating temperature of a heat generating device solely by the traditional approach using heat dissipating means such as above.
Heat-dissipating coating materials that take advantage of thermal radiation have attracted interest as a means to dissipate heat without requiring an additional space. Particularly, a heat-dissipating coating material using a water-based coating material has desirable ease of handling because it uses water as solvent.
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view representing a configuration of an electronic component fabricated by using a related art method. The electronic component is configured from a heat-dissipating member 57, and a metal substrate 51. The heat-dissipating member 57 is coated over the surface of the metal substrate 51, and serves to dissipate the heat of the metal substrate 51. The heat-dissipating member 57 is configured from a water-based coating material 58 and fillers 59. The fillers 59 have high far-infrared emissivity, and can form a desirable heat-dissipating film by being mixed with the water-based coating material 58.

Resin structure, and electronic component and electronic device using the structure

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A method and apparatus in a communications system for providing post call information to a caller using a data processing system within the communications system. The processes of the present invention are implemented in a data processing system within the communications system. A connection of the caller to the communications system is detected in which the caller is initiating a call for which post call charge information is desired. The post call charge information for the call is automatically identified in response to termination of the call by the caller. The post call charge information is automatically presented to the caller.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved communications system and in particular to a method and apparatus for presenting charges for a call after termination of the call. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus in a communications system for automatically sending post call charges to a communications unit after the call has been terminated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent advances in technology have resulted in unprecedented growth and diversification in the field of communications. Communications systems, long used for transmitting voice signals between telephones, are now being implemented in a wide variety of other applications. Such applications include, for example, the transfer of information between local area networks (LANs) and the transmission of documents via facsimile. The wide variety of available communications applications has resulted in a marked increase in the use of communications systems.
Communications system use has also increased as a result of the greater number of telephone devices now available. With the advent of devices such as portable and cellular telephones, more people spend a greater amount of time in telephonic communication than in the past.
These factors have contributed to a general increase in the use of communications systems and, in particular, to an increase in the use of communications systems for sending long distance and international transmissions. The dramatic social and economic changes which the world has undergone in the past several years have also resulted in the increased use of long distance and international communications systems. The current socioeconomic climate of the world suggests that the number of long distance and international transmissions will continue to grow at an increased rate.
Long distance and cellular customers currently must either wait for a billing statement or contact a customer representative for the billing company whose telephony services are used in order to inquire about the specific costs assessed for a call. The rates in effect may vary depending upon factors such as, for example, the time at which a call is placed, the geographic location of the calling party and the called party, activated special features, and discounts in effect. For cost conscious consumers, obtaining charges soon after a call is made (before receiving the telephone bill) aids in budgeting and planning other calls that may require charges. With the present process for calls already made, obtaining such information can be tedious and frustrating or too untimely to aid in day-to-day budgeting. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for obtaining post call charge information.

Method and apparatus in a communications system for providing automated post call charges


Heterocyclic compounds of structural formula: ##STR1## wherein A, B, C, and D are independently carbon atoms or nitrogen atoms are angiotensin II antagonists useful in the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a central role in the regulation of normal blood pressure and seems to be critically involved in hypertension development and maintenance as well as congestive heart failure. Angiotensin II (AII), an octapeptide hormone is produced mainly in the blood during the cleavage of angiotensin I by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) localized on the endothelium of blood vessels of lung, kidney, and many other organs, and is the end product of the RAS.AII is a powerful arterial vasoconstricter that exerts its action by interacting with specific receptors present on cell membranes. One of the possible modes of controlling the RAS is angiotensin II receptor antagonism. Several peptide analogs of A II are known to inhibit the effect of this hormone by competitively blocking the receptors, but their experimental and clinical applications have been limited by the partial agonist activity and lack of oral absorption [M. Antonaccio. Clin. Exp. Hypertens. A4, 27-46 (1982); D. H. P. Streeten and G. H. Anderson, Jr.--Handbook of Hypertension, Clinical Pharmacology of Antihypertensive Drugs, ed. A. E. Doyle, Vol. 5, pp. 246-271, Elsevier Science Publisher, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1984].
Recently, several non-peptide compounds have been described as A II antagonists. Illustrative of such compounds are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,207,324; 4,340,598; 4,576,958; 4,582,847; and 4,880,804; in European Patent Applications 028,834 245,637; 253,310; and 291,969; and in articles by A. T. Chiu, et al. [Eur. J. Pharm. Exp. Therap, 157, 13-21 (1988)] and by P. C. Wong, et al. [J. Pharm. Exp. Therap, 247, 1-7(1988)]. All of the U.S. Patents, European Patent Applications 028,834, 253,310,324,377, 403,158 and 403,159 and the two articles disclose substituted imidazole compounds which are generally bonded through a lower alkyl bridge to a substituted phenyl. European Patent Application 245,637 discloses derivatives of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-6-carboxylic acid and analogs thereof as antihypertensive agents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,804 and European Patent Applications 392,317, 399,732 and 400,835 disclose derivatives of benzimidazole attached via a bridge to a biphenyl moiety as antihypertensive agents. European Patent Applications 399,732 and 400,974 disclose derivatives of imidazopyridines attached via a bridge to a biphenyl moiety as antihypertensive agents.

Heterocyclic compounds bearing acidic functional groups as angiotensin II antagonists


A communication protocol used in a communication utilizing a window system, wherein a transmitting window number, a receiving window number, a transmitting sequence number and a receiving sequence number are provided as items in a message. The transmitting side and receiving side respectively count up the number of times of transmission and reception of messages transmitted and received and also give or provide the counted value to or in a message as the transmitting window number or receiving window number. In addition, transmitting window number is counted up when a number of messages transmitted or received has exceeded the window width, and thereby a number of times of transmission and reception of messages is controlled in units of the window number.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication protocol system used during a communication by a personal computer utilizing an ordinary communication line for public use such as a telephone line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, users who communicate using a computer with an outside source are remarkably increasing.
Moreover, in proportion to the increase of users who communicate using a personal computer, the quantity of text data such as messages and binary data such as programs to be transmitted and received is also increasing tremendously. For this reason, high efficiency and high reliability transmission are essential for such communication by personal computer.
Transmission control procedures which are generally used for the conventional communication by personal computer include a "non-procedure" used for text data (so-called character data displayed on the screen) and "XMODEM" for binary data not displayed on the screen such as a program execution file.
The "non-procedure" does not substantially provide problems in the transmission efficiency but in reliability.
The latter "XMODEM" does not provide problems in the reliability but in the transmission efficiency due to the transmission format requiring an acknowledgement upon receipt. For instance a packet data is transmitted and received, for example, in sizes unit of 128 bytes, and such a packet data is checked, for example, by a "check sum (csum)" or the receiving side for every packet, and then a check of the transmission by ACK/NAK is carried out, namely "ACK" is returned, when no error is detected but "NAK" is returned when an error is detected. While "XMODE" is a highly reliable method of transmitting data, "XMODE" is not as efficient as the other methods.


A disposable foam dispensing kit for retaining a pair of aerosol cans, each containing separate fluid components of a foam system, in a portion relative to a bridge mechanism for simultaneously opening both aerosol can valves. The cans are supported in their operative position by a single carrier having detent formations for enabling snap action assembly of the cans with the carrier. The carrier includes a central post which extends as a tongue on which the bridge member is slidably mounted and ends at a pivot fulcrum to which an actuating cam lever is fitted by snap action.

This invention relates to multi-component foam dispensing kits and, more particularly, it concerns a can retention and actuating assembly by which a pair of valve-fitted aerosol cans are supported for packaging and simultaneous discharge of foam components separately contained in the respective cans.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,559,890 - Brooks, 3,575,391 -Safianoff, 3,613,956 McCulloch, and 4,496,081-Farrey are representative of prior art related to arrangements for retaining a pair of valve-fitted aerosol cans physically positioned relative to a mechanism for simultaneously opening the respective valves of both cans to pass the foam component contents of the cans to a mixing nozzle for discharge as foam. The disclosures of these patents also represent a specific category within a larger class of disposable urethane foam dispensing kits which have enjoyed a high degree of commercial success for the past several years and which includes kits designed to contain and discharge much larger quantities of foam than the aerosol can kits shown in these patents. Nevertheless, the relatively small aerosol can foam dispensing kit represented by the afore-mentioned patent disclosures is an important adjunct to a product line of disposable urethane foam kits marketed by a single supplier.
With reference again to the disclosures of the above-cited patents, two types of aerosol can kits are represented. For example, the disclosures of the Brooks, Safianoff and McCulloch patents are similar in the sense that the can mounted valves, though simultaneously actuated, are actuated by a trigger mechanism or equivalent by which the cans remain open to dispense the foam components only while they are manually retained in an open condition. The discharge of foam components from the respective aerosol cans is to a dispensing nozzle which may be held in one hand while the other hand retains the cans and the actuating trigger mechanism position to open the can valves. In other words, in all three of these patents only one device is provided for controlling the discharge of foam components from the aerosol cans.
The Farrey patent, on the other hand, includes a mechanism for opening the can mounted valves and a separate metering valve for controlling flow of both foam components from the open can valves to a separately held discharge nozzle. This general arrangement has demonstrated greater appeal in the marketplace than the first-mentioned type of discharge control primarily because it enables the discharge of foam from the nozzle to be metered and more accurately controlled. In other words, the aerosol can valves, by themselves, are capable of actuation only between fully open and fully closed conditions with no potential for an intermediate or metered flow of components through these valves. In addition, the primary focus of attention by one using such aerosol can kits is at the nozzle so that by placing the valve controlling discharge from the nozzle to be operated by the same hand of the operator controlling movement of the nozzle, enhanced operation results.
In the Farrey patent disclosure, the two aerosol cans are retained in side-by-side positional relationship by molded end brackets which snap over opposite ends of the two cans. A pair of nipple fittings are mounted on the can valve stems and are bridged by a T-shaped member. An elongated threaded key is passed through an aperture in an end bracket on one end of the cans and threadably received in the end bracket at the opposite end of the can. As a result of this organization, when it is desired to discharge foam from the cans, the threaded key is first tightened so as to draw the T-shaped member against the nipple fittings and the can mounted valves to move them from a closed to an open position. While the arrangement disclosed in the Farrey patent is effective from the standpoint of attaining simultaneous opening movement of the can valves, the threaded key is tedious to use and becomes an impediment to a quick reclosure of the can mounted valves should such reclosure be necessary in the event of hose or tube breakage between the cans and the mixing nozzle, for example. Perhaps more significantly, the assembly of components required to package the device shown in the Farrey patent is expensive both from the standpoint of the amount of plastic material required to mold the several required parts and also from the standpoint of time required to assemble the cans with the apparatus. Hence, there is need for improvement in the dual control type of aerosol can dispenser kits of the type described.


A converter dolly for connecting a second trailer in tandem to a first trailer is provided. The converter dolly comprises a base, a connector frame pivotally connected to the base for horizontal movement about a substantially vertical axis, a dolly locking structure, and a plurality of ground engaging wheels carried by the base. The connector frame includes a hitch for pivotally connecting the connector frame to the forward wheeled vehicle for substantially horizontal movement about a substantially vertical axis, and a fifth wheel assembly fixed on the connector frame to pivotally connect the connector frame to the rear wheeled vehicle for substantially horizontal movement about a substantially vertical axis. The fifth wheel assembly includes a fifth wheel locking having an unengaged position and an engaged position for preventing rotational movement between the connector frame and the rear wheeled vehicle in its engaged position. The dolly locking structure is in its unengaged position when the fifth wheel locking means is in its engaged position to thereby facilitate maneuverability during reverse motion of the tandem trailer assembly.

The present invention relates to tandem trailer assemblies wherein trailers are pulled by a single truck tractor, and the difficulties involved in backing up the same.
The use of tandem trailers has become increasingly popular in recent years. The tandem arrangement permits a single truck to double its hauling capacity which feature is particularly advantageous in the moving industry. For instance, it is often desirable to move furniture in one trailer and move an automobile in a second trailer whereas in the past the automobile had to either be driven or towed behind the first trailer.
In operation, the first trailer is an integral truck cab assembly or is connected to the tractor using a fifth wheel and kingpin arrangement commonly known in the art. The second trailer is conventionally attached to the first trailer using a dolly carrying another fifth wheel assembly. These arrangements can provide pivot points between the tractor and the first trailer, between the first trailer and the dolly, and between the second trailer and the dolly. This arrangement does not significantly increase the cost to pull the two trailers and there is little or no loss in maneuverability so long as the tractor and trailers are traveling in a forward direction.
A problem occurs, however, when the driver of the tractor desires to back up the trailer assembly such as when delivering or picking up a load. The trailers must be disconnected from one another and separately backed up. This is due to the arrangement of the pivot points. While this arrangement is advantageous as to maneuverability, it is unsuitable for backing up the assembly because of the unmanagability of the pivot points. Conceivably the trailers can be disconnected and individually reversed and positioned, but this process obviously is time consuming and thus expensive.
Prior art devices are known which limit the pivotal movement of the converter dolly in relation to the first trailer. For instance, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,115 to Haire et al. proposes such limiting means. Specifically, Haire et al. proposes a converter dolly comprising a fifth wheel which carries locking means including pins moveable between a retracted, inactive position for permitting pivotal movement of the second trailer during forward motion and an extended, active position for engagement with the second trailer to restrain the second trailer against pivotal movement during the backing up of the trailer assembly. During the backing up procedure, only two pivot points are unrestrained (i.e., between the tractor and the first trailer and between the first trailer and the converter dolly).
It is an object of this invention to provide a converter dolly which obviates the need to disconnect the trailers to back-up the assembly.
Another object of this invention is to provide a trailer assembly which is easily maneuverable either in the forward or reverse motion.
A further object of this invention is to provide a converter dolly which is operator friendly and which exhibits safety features.


A quarter turn fastener, for securing a plurality of members together, includes a blade member which has upturned corner portions defining sharp points for bitingly engaging the undersurface of the lowermost one of the plurality of members so as to prevent retrograde movement of the quarter turn fastener from the locked state back to the unlocked state. A quarter turn fastener assembly also comprises a stop member for engaging wall portions of another one of the members to be secured together such that rotation of the quarter turn fastener is limited to 90xc2x0 arcuate extents either from the unlocked state to the locked state or from the locked state to the unlocked state.

The present invention relates generally to quarter turn fasteners, and more particularly to a new and improved quarter turn fastener for clamping together a plurality of panels, plates, disks, or the like, wherein enhanced clamping loading is achieved, and wherein further, the quarter turn fastener can only be rotated in a first direction so as to be disposed its locked or engaged position or mode, the quarter turn fastener can only be rotated in the opposite direction so as to be disposed in its unlocked or released mode or position, and the quarter turn fastener cannot be rotated beyond 90xc2x0 in either the locking or unlocking direction such that when the fastener is desired to be disposed in its locked or engaged position or mode, it is not inadvertently disposed or moved to its unlocked or released position or mode.
Quarter turn fasteners are of course well known in the art for securing or clamping together a plurality of panels, plates, disks, and the like as a result of partial rotation of the fastener through means of an arcuate extent of, for example, 90xc2x0. The panels, plates, disks, or the like are conventionally clamped between a head member formed upon a first end portion of the fastener shank, and a protruding portion formed upon a second opposite end portion of the fastener shank. While such quarter turn fasteners have obviously been quite satisfactory and have been successfully employed by workmen in connection with innumerable fastening applications or operations, it is desired to improve the clamping loading and back-off resistance of such fasteners so as to effectively prevent disengagement of permanently installed fasteners under field use environmental conditions.
In addition, as is well known and as has been descrbied briefly hereinabove, such fasteners are conventionally installed at their locked position by rotating the same through means of an arcuate extent of 90xc2x0 with respect to the initial insertion position of the fastener with respect to the panels, plates, disks, or the like with which the fasteners are operably being used. However, in accordance with the construction and structure of such conventional quarter turn fasteners, the fasteners are not effectively prevented from being rotated further in the same installation rotational direction and may in fact be rotated further in the same installation rotational direction beyond the 90xc2x0 locked position whereby the fasteners may be inadvertently moved, in effect, back to their unlocked or released positions such that the panels, plates, disks, or the like, are not in fact reliably or safely secured or clamped together.
A need in the art therefore exists for a new and improved quarter turn fastener wherein enhanced clamping loading is achieved, and wherein further, the quarter turn fastener can only be rotated in a first direction so as to be disposed its locked or engaged position or mode, the quarter turn fastener can only be rotated in the opposite direction so as to be disposed in its unlocked or released mode or position, and the quarter turn fastener cannot be rotated beyond 90xc2x0 in either the locking or unlocking direction such that when the fastener is desired to be disposed in its locked or engaged position or mode, it is not inadvertently disposed or moved to its unlocked or released position or mode.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved quarter turn fastener.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved quarter turn fastener which effectively overcomes the various operational disadvantages and drawbacks characteristic of prior art or conventional quarter turn fasteners.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved quarter turn fastener which comprises specific structure wherein enhanced clamping loading is able to be achieved in connection with those fasteners which are to be permanently installed within particular assemblies.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved quarter turn fastener wherein the quarter turn fastener can only be rotated in a first direction so as to be disposed its locked or engaged position or mode, the quarter turn fastener can only be rotated in the opposite direction so as to be disposed in its unlocked or released mode or position, and the quarter turn fastener cannot be rotated beyond 90xc2x0 in either one of the locking or unlocking directions such that when the fastener is desired to be disposed in its locked or engaged position or mode, it cannot inadvertently be disposed or moved to its unlocked or released position or mode.
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved quarter turn fastener wherein in accordance with a first feature or characteristic of the fastener, which is to be used in connection with relatively permanent fastener installations wherein the fasteners are not periodically or cyclically installed and removed, the same comprises a shaft, a head portion fixed upon a first end portion of the shaft, and a blade member fixed upon a second opposite end portion of the shaft. Opposite corner portions or regions of the blade member are bent upwardly such that the pointed upturned corner portions of the blade member bitingly engage the underside surface of, for example, a metal panel, plate, disk, or the like such that proper clamping loading is achieved. In addition, the biting engagement of the corner portions of the blade member with respect to the undersurface portion of the panel, plate, disk, or the like, effectively prevents disengagement of the fastener from the clamped plate, panel, or disk assembly under normal environmental vibrational conditions attendant usage of the fastener assembly within, for example, motorized applications.
In accordance with a second predominant feature or characteristic of the quarter turn fastener of the present invention, the shaft of the fastener is provided with a cam or stop member which is adapted to interact with a predeterminedly configured aperture defined within one of the panel, plate, or disk members. When the quarter turn fastener is rotated 90xc2x0 from its unlocked or released state or position to the locked or engaged state or position, the cam or stop member not only effectively centers the shaft of the fastener with respect to the aperture defined within the panel, plate, or disk, but in addition, prevents further rotation of the quarter turn fastener beyond the 90xc2x0 rotation already performed. In this manner, the quarter turn fastener cannot be rotated further. As a result of such structure, the quarter turn fastener cannot inadvertently again attain the released or unlocked state or position.


An in-line screw type injection molding machine having a screw in a heating cylinder. The screw is driven and rotated by a motor to charge a feedstock resin into the cylinder, the screw simultaneously undergoing retracting movement to allow the molten resin to be stored in the cylinder, and is driven and advanced to inject the molten resin. The machine includes an oscillator for outputting a movement signal in accordance with the retracting movement of the screw, a first calculator for calculating, from the movement signal, the position of the screw, and for outputting a position-detection signal, a position command signal generator for outputting a screw position command signal with the initial position at which the screw has started its retracting movement serving as the reference, a second calculator for calculating the difference between the position command signal and the position detection signal, and for outputting a difference signal, and a control section for controlling the driving of the motor on the basis of the difference signal. Preferably, the machine further includes a detector for detecting the number of revolutions per unit time of the screw, and for outputting a number of revolutions detection signal, so that the control section may correct the difference signal on the basis of the number of revolutions detection signal.

In general, an in-line screw type injection molding machine has a heating cylinder and a screw disposed within the heating cylinder. During the metering process, the screw is rotated by driving it so that a feedstock resin is charged into the heating cylinder, and the feedstock resin is plasticated so that a molten resin is stored in the heating cylinder. Thereafter, the screw is driven and advanced to inject the molten resin into the mold cavity so that a molded object will be produced.
As described above, in the metering process, the screw is driven and rotated so that a molten resin will be stored in the cylinder. During this rotation, the screw is caused to gradually retract by the molten resin. Thus, the amount of the molten resin can be determined on the basis of the position to which the screw has retracted.
When a predetermined amount of a molten resin is to be stored in a heating cylinder, a conventional in-line screw type injection molding machine adopts a rotational speed control method, such as the following: A limit switch detects that the screw has reached a previously-set retracting position and, upon the detection, the rotation driving of the screw is stopped so that a previously-set amount of molten resin is stored in the heating cylinder.
If, as in the conventional machine, the driving of the screw is stopped when the screw has reached a previously-set retracting position, the following problem arises: Due to the inertia, etc. of the screw, the screw may move beyond the previously-set retracting position, thereby making it impossible to accurately meter the molten resin. As a result, the quality of the molded object may be degraded.

In-line screw type injection molding machine


A transconductance amplifier and method for improving the phase response and linearity. A differential amplifier circuit receives differential signals for amplification on respective bases of input bipolar transistors. The transistors amplify a small signal received on the based connections to produce an amplified output current. The differential amplifier circuit is connected to load impedances which form a cascode transconductance amplifier output stage. Feedback transistors provide a feedback voltage from the emitters of each of the different bipolar transistors to the base, improving the linearity of the differential amplifier. Phase compensation is provided by cross coupling through first and second capacitors a portion of each individual differential signal component to the base connections of the differential amplifier input transistor.

The present invention relates to transconductance amplifiers which are used in high frequency signal processing systems specifically, a transconductance amplifier having a linear amplified response and wide operational bandwidth is disclosed.
Solid state transconductance amplifiers are used as a basic circuit element for many types of signal processing devices. For instance, in the implementation of high order active filters, transconductance amplifiers may be used as an integrator. An ideal integrator provides a transfer function which is proportional to the gain of the transconductance amplifier and an integration capacitance terminating the output of the amplifier.
In order to implement signal processing devices such as high order active filters, the transconductance amplifier must provide a high degree of amplitude linearity over the frequency range of interest. Certain applications for processing signals in the 10 MHZ to 1GHZ frequency spectrum require a linearity of up to xe2x88x9280 dBc for third order intermodulation products (IM3) Additionally, to operate as an ideal integrator, the phase response for the transconductance amplifier terminated with an integration capacitor must be maintained at 90xc2x0 over the bandwidth of interest. The requirement for a high linearity, and a flat phase response of substantially 90xc2x0 over the bandwidth of interest, are particularly important when high order active filters requiring high linearity are implemented using such transconductance amplifiers.
A highly linear and phase compensated transconductance amplifier implemented from a differential amplifier circuit is provided for by the invention. The differential amplifier circuit has first and second bipolar transistors which receive a differential signal for amplification. In order to improve the linearity of the gain response of the differential amplifier circuits, first and second input transistors comprise an input stage to each of the differential amplifier input transistors. The first and second input transistors supply one-half of the differential signal to a respective base of the differential amplifier circuit transistors, and provide feedback from the emitter of the respective differential circuit transistors to their respective bases. The effect is to improve the overall amplitude response linearity for the transconductance amplifier.
The phase of the resulting transconductance amplifier is compensated so that a phase response of 90xc2x0 is maintained over the bandwidth of interest. First and second capacitors cross couple a portion of each half of the differential signal to the bipolar transistor which is receiving the other half of the differential signal. The first and second capacitors provide a pair of dominant poles in the frequency response of the transconductance amplifier, which dominates the pole produced from parasitic capacitances of the input transistors, and produce a pair of zeroes in the complex frequency plane which essentially cancels the resulting dominant poles. The compensated amplifier has a linear amplitude output and a relatively constant phase over the frequency range of interest.

Highly linear high-speed transconductance amplifier for Gm-C filters

International Business Machines Corporation