A method for shutting off a projector having a fan and a light source is provided. The method includes the following steps. The power of the light source is reduced from a first power to a second power and the speed of the fan is increased from a first speed to a second speed after the projector receiving a first command. Then, a process is executed for shutting off the light source and the fan after the projector receiving a second command. The above-mentioned method is capable of not only preventing the projector from damage result from over-shooting, but also shortening the time needed to shut off the projector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for shutting off a projector having a fan and a light source. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method capable of shortening time needed to shut off a projector without affecting lifetime of the projector.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to provide dynamic image with high brightness and high contrast ratio, high power light sources are utilized in conventional projectors. With the increase in power of the light source, heat generated in the projectors may increase. Therefore, cooling fans are usually utilized to lower the temperature of the projector, so as to prevent the operating temperature of the projector from being too high. Aside from maintaining the operating temperature of projectors during projection, the cooling fans also play an important role in shutting off projectors.
When a projector is shut off, light sources and fans thereof may be turned off immediately. When the fans are turned off immediately, the heat dissipating condition is worse than that during normal operation since the residue heat in the projector still exits. Therefore, the temperature of the projector may arise to higher than the operating temperature and then cool down to room temperature. The temperature variation is generally called "over-shooting". The light source and other electronic devices of the projector may be damaged and the lifetime of the projector may be reduced because of the "over-shooting" phenomenon.
As shown in FIG. 1, when a projector is turned on (t1), a light source and a cooling fan may be turned on simultaneously and run continuously for a period of time. When the projector is shut off, the light source is turned off first (t2) and the cooling fan may run continuously in a period of time (from t2 to t3) so as to dissipate heat in the projector (so-called cooling mode). Generally, the cooling mode continues about 1-2 minutes (from t2 to t3) such that the light source is cooled down to a temperature lower than the re-lighting temperature and the projector is capable of being turned on again. Then, the power source can be disconnected by user and the projector can be stored immediately. The re-lighting temperature described herein is defined as a minimum temperature which ensures that the light source can be restarted. In the cooling mode mentioned above, user can not disconnect the power source until the light source is cooled down by the cooling fan completely such that the time needed to shut off a projector is too long for a user, who may want to store the project rapidly after clicking the shut down button, to be satisfied.

Method for shutting off projector including turning off the light source and the fan after the projector receiving a second shut down command


A net database holds, for each user, user information which contains information indicating a forwarding destination (FAX, Web, portable terminal, or the like) of a received e-mail message, and information indicating a destination to which a message indicating that an e-mail message is forwarded is to be sent. A site which includes a judgment module and conversion module converts a received e-mail message into a data format matching the forwarding destination designated by the user information using the self function or in collaboration with another site. The converted data is forwarded to a mail server, Web server, or FAX server in accordance with the designated forwarding destination. When the e-mail message is forwarded via the Web server or FAX server, a message indicating this is sent to a portable terminal via the mail server.

Along with the development of communication infrastructures and progress of information communication technologies, an information service using the Internet can be made. In the information service using the Internet, not only text information but also multimedia information containing an image, audio, and the like can be provided.
Users who receive information services via the Internet can make communication and exchange of information using e-mail messages among users by registering their mail accounts required to use e-mail.
Normally, e-mail information is text. Also, binary files such as application data (document files) and the like created by users can be attached to e-mail information using an encode technique to text data and a decode technique from text data, and can be exchanged among users.
On the other hand, along with the development of communication infrastructures, the progress of information communication technologies, and size reductions of terminals required to use them, connection to the Internet can be established not only from desktop personal computers but also portable terminals for a mobile environment such as portable phones and the like. As a result, users who utilize e-mail via portable terminals are increasing rapidly.
Means that can acquire information distributed on the Internet are not limited to personal computers, but are wide-ranging devices including portable terminals, e-mail dedicated terminals, and the like. For this reason, unique physical and performance limitations such as limitations on the information size that can be received, limitations on display performance of terminals such as the display size, color, resolution, and the like vary. Even in communications or exchange of e-mail messages between personal computers which suffer less limitations, an information processing environment common to both the sender and receiver is often deficient.
In such environment, if the receiver's environment cannot process received information, that information is discarded without being acquired as information. Hence, information to be exchanged may be lost unless information exchange is made after both the environments are confirmed in advance.
For example, portable terminals can exchange e-mail messages via the Internet. However, the number of received characters per mail message, and information contents that can be handled (attachment of computer digital files or binary files) are limited, and information beyond such limitations is discarded. Therefore, information that an e-mail receiver cannot normally receive (which may be discarded before it reaches a terminal) may be generated unless the e-mail receiver informs an e-mail sender of such limitations.
One can imagine from the domain name of a mail address that the destination of information is a portable terminal, but such address makes no difference from that of a standard Internet mail address system. Furthermore, some portable terminal users forward mail messages with mail addresses, which are normally used in terminals with different limitations on e-mail reception performance such as desktop personal computers or the like, to mail addresses of portable terminals. Therefore, the senders cannot easily determine the information reception performance of receivers' terminals. As a result, it is very difficult for an e-mail sender to predict a receiver's environment, and to process information to allow the receiver to receive it upon sending the information.
Therefore, many e-mail messages exchanged via portable terminals currently suffer loss of information.
In order to avoid such problems, a technique for forwarding an e-mail message to a portable terminal to one account on a server that exploits the World Wide Web technique, and browsing that message via a mechanism of the World Wide Web is already available. However, such technique can only avoid a limitation on the number of received characters at a portable terminal, but cannot cope with browsing of binary files and data acquisition. In this arrangement, since an e-mail message to a portable terminal is unconditionally forwarded to a World Wide Web server, the portable terminal user must always check if mail messages have been forwarded to the World Wide Web server, thus imposing a heavy load on the portable terminal user.
When an e-mail sender attaches a document file or the like created using some application to an e-mail message, a user who uses a portable terminal alone as connection means to the Internet can expand the attached file on the portable terminal, but the expanded file often goes beyond the limitations such as display performance or the like of the portable terminal.
Furthermore, not only in a portable terminal but also in an Internet connection terminal such as a desktop personal computer or the like, which suffers less limitations as reception means, a mail receiving terminal must have an application which is the same as that used when an e-mail sender created an attached document, or is compatible to that application, so as to expand and display document information attached to an e-mail message. However, such application is not always present in the e-mail receiving terminal. If the receiver does not have any application which is the same as that used when the sender created an attached document or is compatible to that application, he or she cannot review information sent from the e-mail sender.
In such environment, the receiver cannot confirm information sent from the sender unless he or she prepares for an environment compatible to the sending environment of the sender with much labor.

E-mail service apparatus, system, and method


A vehicle anti-theft and anti-vandalism alarm system (10) having a vehicle monitor which comprises at least one vehicle battery (12), at least one vehicle microprocessor (14) electrically connected to the at least one vehicle battery (12), a vehicle transmitter (16), a vehicle audio generator (18), a vehicle motion sensor (20), a vehicle vibration/movement sensor (22), a portable monitor (110) in communication with the vehicle monitor. The portable monitor (110) comprises at least one portable monitor battery (112) positioned within a portable monitor housing (126), at least one portable monitor microchip (114) electrically connected to at least one portable monitor battery (112) , a portable monitor receiver (116) electrically connected to at least one portable monitor microchip (114), a portable monitor audio generator (118), a portable monitor illegal ENTRY visual indicator (120), a portable monitor SHOCK visual indicator (122) electrically connected to at least one portable monitor microchip (114), a portable monitor switch (124) electrically connected to at least one portable monitor microchip (114), and a vehicle microprocessor software program (210) contained within the at least one vehicle microprocessor (14) and a portable monitor microchip software program (310) contained within the at least one portable monitor microchip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anti-theft devices. More particularly, the present invention relates toanti-theft devices which have a remote device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of vehicle anti-theft systems have been deveoped and proposed which include a remote device which communicates with the alarm device mounted in a vehicle. Typically, these devices are used with sensors which indicate the status of openings such as doors, ambient noise, and movement. The remote device functions to arm or disarm the alarm from a distance and is a convenience item. A few alarms systems provide a feedback to the remote when a sensor is tripped. This information is of limited value and requires verification by a user. This necessitates the user returning to the vehicle to check the status. What is needed, is a device which indicates on the remote the type of senor trip and the nature of the cause. This enables the user to provide the proper responce sooner. For example a movement sensor trip and a level sensor trip could cause the remote to display a message indicating the vehicle is being towed.
Numerous innovations for vehicle anti-theft and anti-vandalism alarm system have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,142, titled Keyless Motor Vehicle Starting System with Anti-theft feature, invented by Chunyan Liu, a keyless motor vehicle starting system to replace a conventional ignition lock and ignition key of a motor vehicle. The system consists of a portable wireless transmitter and a receiver/controller board which is installed deeply inside the motor vehicle behind a steering column cover or cluster cover of the motor vehicle. The portable wireless transmitter has a power-code generator and a starter-code generator and controls a vehicle battery power supply and ON-OFF states of a motor vehicle starter by sending a radio-frequency-modulated power-code and starter code. A novel design is disclosed to avoid having to detect engine-running conditions and avoid using a feed-back-control circuit to de-energize the motor starter.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a keyless motor vehicle starting system to replace a conventional ignition lock and ignition key of a motor vehicle. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,844 titled Vehicle Anti-theft Device, invented by Ricky L. Samford, a vehicle anti-theft device including a portable transmitter for emitting control signals; a tuned receiver mechanism coupleable to a vehicle for receiving the control signals; a first switch having an engaged orientation for preventing a hood of a vehicle from being opened; a second switch having an engaged orientation for preventing flow of fuel from a gas tank to an engine of a vehicle; and a console mechanism coupled to the receiver mechanism and responsive to the received control signals for placing the first and second switches in their engaged orientations upon receipt of control signals.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a vehicle anti-theft device including a portable transmitter for emitting control signals. The transmitter is hand help and lacks the capability of receiving signals from the vehicle. The present invention is a receiver which display the security status of the vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No 5,459,448, titled Automotive Continuous Protection Anti-theft System, invented by Christopher S. Dortenzio and Brian H. Twohig, an automotive security device of the type consisting of: (a) a portable unit and (b) a central unit. The portable unit consisting of a transmitter circuit and a pulse duration circuit being capable of transmitting specified signal pulses at periodic intervals over a limited distance. The central unit, which is mounted in the vehicle, consisting of a receiver circuit and an interface circuit being capable of receiving these signals and activating the vehicle electrical system upon receiving said signal and deactivating the vehicle electrical system upon the absence of said signal.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a vehicle anti-theft device including a portable transmitter for emitting control signals. The transmitter is hand help and lacks the capability of receiving signals from the vehicle. The present invention is a receiver which display the security status of the vehicle. The central unit of the patented invention, which is mounted in the vehicle, consists of a receiver circuit and an interface circuit being capable of receiving these signals and activating the vehicle electrical system upon receiving said signal and deactivating the vehicle electrical system upon the absence of said signal. The central unit lacks the feature transmitting vehicle security status to the remote unit.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,201, titled Anti-theft Devices for Motor Vehicles, invented by Hajime Inubushi, an anti-theft device for a motor vehicle includes in combination an electromagnetic wave receiver, e.g. a cellular telephone, a disabling unit which when energized by the receiver will cause the vehicle's engine to stop running and a portable electromagnetic wave transmitter, e.g., a cellular telephone, capable of emitting a signal receptive by the receiver to effect energizing of the disabling unit. In one embodiment, the disabling unit opens the electrical motor control system to stop the engine. In another embodiment, the disabling unit stops flow of fuel to the engine thereby stopping it.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a disabling unit, mounted in the vehicle, which when energized by the receiver causing the vehicle's engine to stop running. The present invention is a remote portable vehicle theft alert device which consists of a car alarm having a transmitter which transmits signals received from a processor component. A plurality of sensors. A processing device functioning to process preselected signals from A group of sensors into A specific output signal representative of A preassigned category of sensor trip. (IE: A motion sensor trip would result in A signal indicating the vehicle was moved or sustained impact damage.) The processing device then sends A coded signal to the transmitter where it is transmitted. The present invention includes A receiver device having A housing. The housing contains A receiver which receives A signal from the transmitter and sends the coded signal to A second processor for decoding. A second processor functioning to decode the transmitted signal and prepare A display format which is sent to an indicating device. An indicating device selected from A group consisting of A light source, LCD display module, A plurality of LEDs and audible devices. The indicating device functions to display messages indicating the A status of the vehicle security. The receiver includes A power source which is electrically connected to the processor, indication device and receiver. The present receiver further, includes an attachment means functioning to attach the housing to A person. The novel feature of the present invention is the ability for the user to determine if the vehicle is being broken into, hit by an object and being moved.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,867, titled Vehicle Security Apparatus, invented by Peter J. Stouffer, A vehicle security apparatus includes A portable transmitter generating at least one discrete coded signal. A receiver mounted in the vehicle in response to the first receipt and recognition of A discrete coded signal from the transmitter arms an anti-theft system in the vehicle security apparatus. The anti-theft system includes A starter interrupt which prevents the starting of the vehicle when the anti-theft system is armed and/or alarms, both visual and/or audible, to indicate an attempted access to the vehicle. The receiver is capable of learning one or more codes associated with specific transmitters. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle to detect attempted access to the vehicle. The receiver, when armed and receiving an output from the sensor, activates the starter interrupt and/or the alarm for A predetermined time. The receiver is optionally capable of automatically operating the vehicle door locks, the vehicle hood latch and trunk latches, as well as the inside vehicle lights automatically during the arming and disarming seqences.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is A portable transmitter generating at least one discrete coded signal and A receiver mounted in the vehicle which responds to the first receipt and recognition of A discrete coded signal from the transmitter arms an anti-theft system in the vehicle security apparatus. A sensor is mounted on the vehicle to detect attempted access to the vehicle. The receiver, when armed and receiving an output from the sensor, activates the starter interrupt and/or the alarm for A predetermined time. The vehicle mounted devices lack A transmitting capability.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,964, titled Vehicle Control and Theft Deterrent with Remot, invented by Victor Dao, A motor vehicle control system is described having A vehicle control unit located in the motor vehicle and A hand held portable control unit, which are in two-way communication. The vehicle control unit which is located in the motor vehicle includes A receiving antenna, A receiver, A decoder and A plurality of functional control circuits, with each control circuit for A respective functional operation of the motor vehicle such as ignition, starter activation, heater, air conditioner, door locks, etc. The control unit in the motor vehicle also includes A transmitter and A scanner unit which has A like plurality of sensors for sensing the condition of the various functional operations such as the ignition, engine operation, air conditioner status, heater status, etc. The control unit transmits A radio frequency signal to the remote control unit, which indicates the condition of the sensed operations. The remote control unit has an antenna and receiver with an audio amplifier and speaker. The remote unit has A standard key pad in circuit to an encoder to produce A signal that is applied to the transmitter for transmission to the vehicle control unit. In A preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle control unit has A voice synthesizer to generate A voice signal that is transmitted to the remote control unit, and most preferably has A digital voice recorder, permitting the user to customize the unit to repeat any selected message. This is particularly of value to adapt the system for foreign language users.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is A motor vehicle control system having A vehicle control unit located in the motor vehicle and A hand held portable control unit, which are in two-way communication. The control unit in the motor vehicle also includes A transmitter and A scanner unit which has A like plurality of sensors for sensing the condition of the various functional operations such as the ignition, engine operation, air conditioner status, heater status, etc. The control unit transmits A radio frequency signal to the remote control unit, which indicates the condition of the sensed operations. The remote control unit has antenna and receiver with an audio amplifier and speaker. The remote unit has A standard key pad in circuit to an encoder to produce A signal that is applied to the transmitter for transmission to the vehicle control unit. In A preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle control unit has A voice synthesizer to generate A voice signal that is transmitted to the remote control unit, and most preferably has A digital voice recorder, permitting the user to customize the unit to repeat any selected message. The patented invention has features which are similar to the present invention including the transmission of information from the vehicle to the receiver indicating the status of sensor installed on the vehicle. The present invention is simpler because the hand held unit only receives information. The present invention is unique in that the status information is displayed where as the patented invention the status information uses A voice synthesizer to generate A voice signal that is transmitted to the remote control unit, and most preferably has A digital voice recorder, permitting the user to customize the unit to repeat any selected message.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,638, titled Automotive Anti-theft Starting System, invented by Lyle V. Anderson, A security starting system for A motor vehicle is disclosed. The system includes A portable hand-held transmitting device carried in the passenger compartment of the vehicle; by the operator and A receiving device located in the housing of the starter in the engine compartment of the vehicle. An operator desiring to start the vehicle actuates the transmitter. When the receiver detects the transmitted signal, it produces an electrical signal which closes A switch connected in series to the motor vehicle ignition system thereby allowing the ignition switch of the ignition system to start the vehicle.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is A security starting system for A motor vehicle. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
Numerous innovations for vehicle anti-theft and anti-vandalism alarm system have been provided in the prior aft that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

Vehicle anti-theft and anti-vandalism alarm


A clamping piece structure includes a one-piece clamping piece body (10). The body (10) includes a first folding piece portion (11), a second folding piece portion (12), a third folding piece portion (13), and a connecting piece portion (14). A first bending portion (15) is provided at a central section of an edge of the first folding piece portion (11) for interconnection with the connecting piece portion (14). A second bending portion (16) is provided at the other edge of the first folding piece portion (11) for interconnection with the second folding piece portion (12). A third bending portion (17) is provided at an edge of the second folding piece portion (12) for interconnection with the third folding piece portion (13). An engagement section (141) is provided at an outer edge of the connecting piece portion (14). An opening (121) is formed in a central section of the second folding piece portion (12). The connecting piece portion (14) is insertable through the opening (121). Thus, the connecting piece portion (14) can be inserted through the opening (121), and the engagement section (141) at the end of the connecting piece portion (14) can be engaged with the third folding piece portion (13). The structure can easily be assembled with reliable effect.

Conventional clamping pieces can be folded or unfolded and can include figures that can be seen when the clamping pieces are unfolded. Examples of the clamping pieces include invitations and menus that can be unfolded to show the figures (drawings or texts) on inner faces thereof. The clamping pieces can also be utilized to clip objects.
However, the above clamping pieces, when unfolded, can only exhibit figures in a fixed manner, which is monotonous. To avoid the above disadvantage, the applicant designed a clamping piece structure disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 095127913. As shown in, FIGS. 11 and 12, the clamping piece structure includes two clamping bodies 1′ and 2′ and three connecting strips 31′, 32′, and 33′. When clamping bodies 1′ and 2′ are unfolded, two ends 311′ and 312′ of the connecting strip 31′ are engaged with a central section of an outer edge 11′ of the clamping body 1′ and a central section of an inner edge 22′ of the clamping body 2′. An end 321′, 331′ and the other end 322′, 332′ of each of the connecting strips 32′ and 33′ are respectively engaged with an outer edge 21′ of the clamping body 2′ and an inner edge 12′ of the clamping body 1′. The end 312′ of the connecting strip 31′ is intermediate the connecting strips 32′ and 33′. The engagement mentioned above can be achieved by bonding, sewing, etc. After assembly, the two clamping bodies 1′ and 2′ can be coupled or unfolded. Furthermore, the two clamping bodies 1′ and 2′ can be turned in different directions (indicated by arrows X and Y) to present differing styles, as shown in FIG. 13.
However, the above structure requires connection of two clamping bodies 1′ and 2′ with three connecting strips 31′, 32′ and 33′, leading to inconvenient assembly. Furthermore, after assembly, the whole clamping piece will be damaged and, thus, can not be used if any one of the connecting strips is not firmly engaged. Further, the assembling stability and assembling reliability are poor. Further, figures must be provided on front and rear faces of the connecting strips 31′, 32′, and 33′ to present obvious visual effects, leading to inconvenience in provision of the figures.


A method for partially refining a crude vegetable oil utilizing physical refining techniques is described. The crude vegetable oil is first degummed by either (1) allowing the crude oil to settle over a period of time, such as twenty days, so that the oil becomes stratified into at least two layers, wherein one layer comprises gums with low oil content and a second layer comprises oil containing only a fraction of the gums originally present and then separating the oil layer from the gum layer, or (2) heating the crude oil to a temperature of about 270-300° F. with agitation and then allowing the crude oil to settle for a period of time until the oil becomes stratified into the at least two layers. The degummed oil is then aerated and agitated while being maintained at a temperature of 170-180° F. for a time period sufficient to obtain a desired oil viscosity. The resulting partially refined oil is suitable for use in industrial applications such as the preparation of urethane foams.

The present invention relates to the refining of crude vegetable oils, and in particular the refining of crude soybean oil, to render the oil useful in industrial applications. Refined vegetable oils and compounds and materials derived therefrom have a number of uses in industrial applications. For example, refined soy oil can be used as an ecological alternative to products derived from petroleum that are used in making urethane foams. One difficulty with using such refined vegetable oils, however, is that the costs associated with the refining process make the refined vegetable oils to expensive to use in industrial applications.
Crude oil that has been extracted from the oil-containing vegetable material is typically a dark colored turbid liquid that needs to be further refined to convert it to a useful oil product. There are a wide variety of known techniques for refining crude vegetable oils into useful vegetable oils. Because most of the refined vegetable oils are intended for human consumption, most of the conventional methods and equipment used in vegetable oil processing are directed to removing impurities that can contribute to unwanted flavor, color, odor, and other undesirable properties. Such impurities include phosphorus-containing contaminants such as hydratable and non-hydratable phospholipids, free fatty acids, color bodies and trace minerals.
The typical known vegetable oil refining process involves several steps, such as degumming, neutralization (alkali refining), bleaching and deodorization. The degumming step typically involves adding water and usually other chemicals, such as phosphoric acid, to the crude oil, heating and agitating the mixture for a period of time (approximately 10-30 minutes) at temperatures of about 50-70° C., and then subsequently centrifuging the mixture to separate the water and oil. The degumming step can be repeated to further reduce the amount of phospholipids in the crude oil.
The degummed oil is then subjected to several additional refining steps to remove other unwanted components such as free fatty acids, color bodies, and other impurities. In these refining steps, the free fatty acids are saponified; the oil is washed to remove the soaps; neutralized; and further washed to remove excess chemicals and soaps. The oil is then bleached to remove color bodies and then finally deodorized. Since an alkali is used to saponify the free fatty acids, the process is known as alkali or chemical refining.
The capital cost associated with equipment to practice these chemical refining steps is very high. For example, centrifuges and filtering equipment, which can be expensive to maintain, are typically used to separate the oil from the washing water. Chemical refining also involves many steps which are cumbersome and which inherently contribute to oil losses, since each of the refining steps produces a residue which carries with it a certain quantity of usable oil, thus decreasing the yield of the refined oil. Because of the high cost of equipment, the high operating expense and the losses of product oil, there has been a desire in recent years to practice a process commonly referred to as physical refining.
In a physical refining process, crude oil, which has been subjected to several pretreatment processing steps, is brought to an elevated temperature (250° C. or more) in a vessel operated under vacuum. Steam is sparged into the oil during treatment. Temperature and retention time conditions are selected such that the free fatty acids and other impurities are volatilized and distilled off. The treated oil is then typically cooled and given a post bleach to further lighten the color of the oil.
Although physical refining offers the advantage of reduced capital and operating costs, it still requires the crude oil to be subjected to substantial pretreating steps, including the addition of chemicals to remove at least some of the impurities in the crude oil. These substantial pretreating steps add to the cost of the physical refining process, making the fully refined oil resulting from the process nevertheless still economically undesirable for industrial applications.
The present invention contemplates a physical refining process that eliminates the substantial pretreatment steps and results in a partially refined vegetable oil that is useful in industrial applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for preparing blown vegetable oil


In a solid-state imaging device, power consumption is reduced in an output section of a charge transfer device. Control transistors TS1, TS2, TS3 are provided in a source follower amplification circuit constituting an output amplifier of a CCD image sensor. The control transistor is switched on and off by switching a gate voltage in accordance with the operation state of the charge transfer device. When the imaging device is in a standby mode, the control transistor is turned off to suspend operation of the source follower amplification circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charge transfer device, and more particularly to power saving in an output section of a charge transfer device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating the structure of an output section of a solid-state imaging device using a CCD image sensor. Information charges corresponding to each pixel generated in an imaging section 2 of the CCD image sensor are sequentially transferred via a horizontal CCD register 4 to a floating diffusion layer 6.
The information charges are then converted into an image signal, which is a voltage signal and which is supplied, as an input, to an output amplifier 8. The output amplifier 8 is a source follower amplifier circuit in which a transistor is used for the load of a source and which, in this case, includes interconnected three-stage source followers. Each source follower circuit is connected between a power source VD and ground GND. An output signal from the floating diffusing layer 6, or a source follower output at the previous stage, is input to a gate of each of transistors TD1, TD2, TD3 for amplification. To a source of each of the transistors TD1, TD2, TD3, a drain of each of load transistors TL1, TL2, TL3 is connected. These load transistors function as a constant current source for supplying a constant current between the source and the drain in accordance with a prescribed gate bias voltage.
A CCD output obtained from the source follower at the final stage as an output signal of the CCD image sensor is input into a peripheral circuit 10. In this peripheral circuit 10, the CCD output is received by an emitter follower amplifier circuit 12, and the amplified signal is then input to a front end circuit 14.
The conventional output amplifiers are designed such that a sufficient band can be obtained considering the frequency characteristics of an image signal obtained at the time of normal imaging operations. From the same point of view, the gate bias voltage is set to a predetermined value. Although, in order to improve the frequency characteristics, it is generally effective to increase current flowing in the source follower, this creates a disadvantage that power consumption in the source follower is increased. This disadvantage also appears in the emitter follower amplifier circuit, which is a peripheral circuit. More specifically, power consumption is increased because the current flowing in the emitter follower amplifier circuit must be increased as necessary to prevent deterioration of the frequency characteristics of a CCD output.
Further, because the output amplifier is continuously operating even when an image signal is not being generated, extraneous signals other than the image signal is also amplified in the output amplifier or the like, and is then input to an image signal processing circuit at the subsequent stage.


A cylinder-type lock for a motor vehicle door, having a lock housing and a plug lever, intend for control by the plug and able to move along a wall of the housing. An orifice is provided in the wall of the housing and another orifice is provided in the plug lever; the two orifices face one another when the lever is in an appropriate position for mounting. A wedge interacts with the two orifices in order to immobilize the lever with respect to the housing.

The invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle door and more particularly to a cylinder-type lock with a plug.
A motor vehicle is usually equipped with a cylinder-type lock either on each of the two front doors or on one of the front doors only. In the latter case, depending on whether the vehicle is a right-hand drive vehicle or a left-hand drive vehicle, the door which has to be equipped with the cylinder-type lock is respectively the right-hand door or the left-hand door. In any case, there are therefore two separate references for cylinder-type locks, namely one for the right-hand lock and one for the left-hind lock.
When a vehicle is equipped with a cylinder-type lock on just one door, for example the right-hand door, the other door, in this case the left-hand door, is fitted with a lock which does not have a plug. Now, this lock without a plug cannot be the same as the corresponding cylinder-type lock with a plug, for reasons of safety. This is because the cylinder-type lock with a plug carries a lever intended for it to be controlled by the plug, which lever projects from the lock casing. In the absence of a plug, this lever is no longer connected to the plug and is therefore easily accessible to a hook slipped, for example, into the door via the window seal; this hook would make it possible to actuate the lever and therefore unlock and open from the outside. To avoid this risk, locks without plugs do not have plug levers. These locks, respectively right-hand ones and left-hand ones, correspond to two distinct references.
The upshot of this is that it is necessary, in total, to have four-lock references, namely two references for locks, a right-hand one and a left-hand one respectively, including a plug lever and two references for locks, a right-hand one and a left-hand one respectively which do not have a plug lever.

Lock for motor vehicle door and method for installation of same


The glass substrate of the present invention includes, in terms of mass %: 58.5-69.5% SiO2, 2.5-9.9% Al2O3, 0-2.5% Li2O, 0%≦Na2O<6%, 0%≦K2O<6%, 0% <MgO≦5.2%, 3%<CaO≦13%, 10-27% SrO, 0%≦BaO<5%, 0-3% TiO2, and 0-9.8% ZrO2. SiO2+Al2O3≦73%, Li2O+Na2O+K2O<6%, 3%<MgO+CaO≦16%, SrO+BaO 10-27%, MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO 21-33%, and MgO/CaO 0.2-1.0 in molar fraction. The glass substrate is substantially free from B2O3. Glass transition point >555° C., liquidus temperature ≦1200° C., and average thermal expansion coefficient ≦75×10−7/° C. The present invention can provide a glass substrate having a thermal expansion coefficient close to those of a semi conductor film, etc. and a high strain point, and suitable for continuous production by a float process.

The solar cell including a compound semiconductor such as a CdTe thin film and a CIGS thin film is growing in demand as an environmentally-friendly energy source. Conventionally, inexpensive soda lime glass produced by a float process has been used for the glass substrate of the solar cell. As shown in FIG. 1, in a CdTe solar cell, semiconductor thin films such as a CdS thin film 3 and a CdTe thin film 4 are formed on a glass substrate 10 with a transparent conductive film, and a metal conductive film 5 and electrodes 6 further are formed thereon. The glass substrate 10 with a transparent conductive film includes a glass substrate 1 and a transparent conductive film 2 formed on the glass substrate 1. In a CIGS solar cell, a Mo thin film for an electrode is formed on a glass substrate, and a CIGS semiconductor, an n-type semiconductor (a ZnO:Al film, for example), etc. are formed thereon.
In the processes of producing these thin film compound semiconductor solar cells, a high temperature treatment is needed. For example, a close space sublimation method is used for forming a CdTe thin film, and the temperature of the substrate may reach around 600° C. in this case. Moreover, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the semiconductor by applying a CdCl2 treatment at 620° C. to the formed thin film. In the case of a CIGS solar cell, the glass substrate is exposed to a high temperature of 500 to 600° C. in the step of forming a semi conductor film (a p-type optical absorption layer). In the both cases, a high temperature treatment at 500° C. or higher can enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency of a thin film compound semiconductor solar cell.
However, since the conventionally-used soda lime glass has a strain point of around 500° C., a substrate made of soda lime glass is deformed at a temperature equal to or higher than that. Thus, when the soda lime glass is used for the substrate, the temperature of the substrate can be raised only to around 500° C. at highest in the high temperature treatments, causing a problem that the semiconductor does not exhibit the photoelectric conversion efficiency that it has intrinsically.
The CdTe semiconductor and the Mo electrode have a thermal expansion coefficient of about 50×10−7/° C., whereas the soda lime glass has a thermal expansion coefficient of about 90×10−7/° C. When, on a glass substrate made of soda lime glass, a thin film having a thermal expansion coefficient largely different from that of this substrate is formed at a high temperature of 500° C. or more, a high remaining stress is generated between the glass substrate and the thin film after they are cooled. In the process of producing a solar cell, conditions, such as the treatment temperature and cooling rate for the substrate, are selected so as not to cause problems due to the remaining stress. Thus, in the case where the thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate and that of the thin film are close to each other, the remaining stress can be reduced and the range of the selectable treatment conditions is widened. As a result, this allows for further improvement on the photoelectric conversion efficiency.
In this circumstance, there is needed a glass substrate for a solar cell that has a higher heat resistance (specifically, a strain point of 500° C. or higher), a smaller thermal expansion coefficient (specifically, an average thermal expansion coefficient of 75×10−7/° C. or less in a temperature range of 50 to 350° C.) and a large area, and is inexpensive, as compared to the soda lime glass substrate.
In recent years, solar panels have become larger in area, but it is preferable for them to be as light in weight as possible from the viewpoint of handling. For this purpose, it is desirable that the glass substrate for a solar cell has a smallest possible density.
Examples of the method for producing glass sheets with a large area include a down-draw process, a fusion process and a float process. The float process is superior to the other glass sheet production methods in that the float process makes it possible to mass-produce the glass sheets with a large area at lower cost. Moreover, glass sheet production apparatuses adopting the float process are widely used in the world to produce glass sheets for building materials. Thus, glass substrates that can be mass-produced by the existing float-process production apparatuses have an advantage that they can be supplied to a wide area.
The working temperature (the temperature suitable for forming glass sheets, and in the float process, it is the temperature at which the glass has a viscosity of 104dPa·s) of the soda lime glass is about 1000° C. In the float-process production apparatuses widely used to produce glass sheets for building materials, the heat and the erosion by the molten glass deteriorate more severely the bricks at the entrance of a tin bath as the working temperature of the glass is higher, exceeding 1000° C. Moreover, in the production by the float process, the glass needs to have a liquidus temperature lower than its working temperature. Taking into consideration that the working temperature should not far exceed 1000° C., the liquidus temperature of glass to be mass-produced by the float-process production apparatus preferably is 1200° C. or lower.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a glass composition having a higher strain point than that of conventional soda lime glass and a thermal expansion coefficient of about 50×10−7/° C. However, this glass composition contains 1 to 8 mass % of B2O3 and a large amount of the B2O3 is volatilized when the glass is melted, eroding severely the bricks used in a regenerator with a melting furnace. Accordingly, the melting furnace is deteriorated severely, causing a problem of higher cost.
Also, Patent Literature 2 discloses a glass substrate having an annealing point of 550° C. or higher as a glass substrate for a CIGS solar cell. However, this glass substrate contains 7% or more of an alkali metal oxide in total, and thus it is difficult, in reality, for the glass substrate to have an average thermal expansion coefficient of 75×10−7/° C. or less in the temperature range of 50 to 350° C.
On the other hand, glass substrates for a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP) and the like also are required to have a high strain point. Patent Literature 3 discloses a glass substrate having a strain point of 590° C. or higher as such a substrate for a flat panel display. However, the glass composition disclosed in Patent Literature 3 contains a large amount of SrO and further needs a large amount of BaO (5 to 12.5% of SrO and 9 to 14% of BaO, according to claim 2). This increases excessively the density of the glass substrate (to 2.83 g/cm3 or more).


A turret airbag system is provided including a plurality of airbags disposed within the turret to protect an occupant of the turret from injury and/or ejection from the turret. Turret airbags may be configured in padding around a turret access opening, and/or as substantially cylindrical airbags that deploy between the occupant of the turret and a wall or exterior opening of the turret. In some examples, the turret airbag(s) may be integrated with a countermeasure system that deploys explosion countermeasures and activates the turret airbags based on sensor data and multiple thresholds that indicate a collision event, a rollover event and/or an explosion event.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for providing protection to certain vehicle occupants from disruptions and forces experienced by the vehicle, e.g. vehicle impacts, rollovers, blast waves of a mine, explosive device or other undesired forces, etc. The technology may find applicability, for example, in vehicles with armored turrets, and other vehicles including TenCate's ABDS™ active blast countermeasure system, and similar products.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0239247 by Eridon, the contents of which also are incorporated herein by this reference, purports to disclose "systems and methods for mitigating the effects of sudden accelerative forces on vehicles due to, for example, land mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs)." See Eridon Application, p. 1, ¶0002. Described generally in the Eridon Application is such a system having sensors, a control system, countermeasures, and a human interface.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/909,295 by Dobriski et al., entitled "ACTIVE COUNTERMEASURES SYSTEMS AND METHODS," the contents of which also are incorporated herein by this reference, provides a more detailed description of systems including multiple components and techniques for creating active countermeasures that are deployable under a wide variety of hostile and other conditions. An exemplary trigger and activation system (TAS) may, for example, comprise any or all of a first responder unit (FRU), a control display assembly (CDA), processors, sensors, and an electronic safe and arm device (ESAD). Together with appropriate countermeasures, the TAS may be used to protect crew members of a vehicle from injury or death caused by, for example, IED or mine blasts or vehicle collisions or rollovers.
One crew member that is particularly vulnerable in vehicle impacts, rollovers, and/or explosive events is the gunner, or other occupant, who is at least partially located in a turret of the vehicle. In many light armored vehicles, a weapons turret may be provided that includes a machine gun or grenade launcher, and that provides at least some protection for the gunner Vehicle turrets may also be used to allow improved visibility for an occupant of an armored vehicle having limited visibility. Such turrets may usually accommodate some portion of the occupant's torso (along with the head) while the lower body remains in the vehicle.
Unfortunately, while usually protected at least partially from incoming small arms fire, the position of the turret occupant makes that person extremely susceptible to injury in vehicle impacts, rollovers, and/or explosive events, e.g. as the unrestrained head and torso of the occupant move violently within the confined space of the turret and/or if the occupant is fully or partially ejected from the turret.


A vacuum truck exhaust gas treatment apparatus for removing gases from air discharged from a vacuum truck comprising a trailer having an enclosed housing attached thereto with the housing divided into four internal, isolated chambers of equal volume with gas removal materials within each chamber. Air and gases discharged from a vacuum truck are directed into a first chamber of the treatment system and circulated through the remaining chambers whereupon the gases are removed and clean air is discharged to the atmosphere.

This invention relates to the field of hydrocarbon gas treatment systems and in particular to mobile gas treatment systems that remove hydrocarbon gases from air discharged from a mobile source.
Prior art mobile gas treatment systems have been aimed at purifying the exhaust emissions of an automobile engine. No mobile gas treatment system has addressed the problem of removing hydrocarbon gases from large quantities of air discharged from a mobile source.
The problems with prior art mobile gas treatment systems is that they are limited to treating exhaust emissions from automobiles, and they cannot process the large quantities of air discharged from a mobile source the size of a vacuum truck.
Examples of prior art devices include those disclosed in the following United States Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,676 discloses a disposable vacuum cleaner bag containing water that functions as a dust removal media. One problem with this device is that it cannot remove hydrocarbon gases from air. Another problem is that it cannot handle the large quantities of air and gas discharged from a vacuum truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,974 discloses a system for removing toxic particulate materials from surfaces to a van body. The problem with this device is that it cannot remove gas from air.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,535 discloses a combustion gas treatment system that directs hot combustion gases into vertical ducts where a washing liquid from sprinklers at the upper end of the ducts, remove solid and soluble components while simultaneously cooling the gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,162 discloses a precious metals refining process whereby gases or vapors that result from acid action on the precious metals, are purified by utilizing a series of containers having baffle plates and water therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,486 discloses a system for decomposing injurious gases to make them harmless by utilizing a decomposition tower having an internal aqueous solution at the bottom with circulating means and nozzles to spray the aqueous solution into contact with the injurious gas. The injurious gas is decomposed and the decomposition products are washed down into the aqueous solution. The remaining injurious gas which has not been decomposed is directed into first and secondary reaction vessels having the same decomposition spray as the decomposition tower whereupon all remaining gases are rendered harmless.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,613 discloses an apparatus for removal of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter from hot flue gases from a furnace. Circulating water in the apparatus combines with the flue gas thereby removing sulfur dioxide and particulates and simultaneously cooling the gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,219 discloses an engine purifier muffler that utilizes polyurethane foam and water to filter engine exhaust gases with the internal water level above the input line to attenuate the noise.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,152 discloses a multiple stage filter for removing pollutants from exhaust gases. Each stage has a tubular coil with a plurality of holes along the upper side of the coil to allow gases to rise from the coil into a layer of water and sandstone. The sandstone layer has large stones at the bottom and progressively smaller stones toward the top of the layer. The filtered gas is then directed through the remaining stages which have the same design as the first stage. The filtered gas is then discharged to the atmosphere after passing through the final stage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,807 discloses a process for purifying exhaust emissions from an automobile engine that directs the exhaust gas through a series of small tanks containing a mixture of saline solution and a solution of tri-sodium phosphate.

Vacuum truck exhaust gas treatment apparatus


A control device of a telecommunications network can receive a session-initiation message and determine a context identifier associated with at least one of a calling-party identifier and a called-party identifier of the message. The control device can retrieve calling-party identification information from an information server based at least in part on the calling-party identifier and the context identifier. The control device can determine a second session-initiation message comprising the calling-party identification information based at least in part on the session-initiation message and send the second session-initiation message via the telecommunications network. An information server can receive a query and select, based at least in part on context information thereof, a calling-party identification information value associated with a calling-party identifier in the query. The information server can send, via the network, a response comprising the calling-party identification information value.

Many computing devices configured for telecommunications, such as smartphones, are capable of processing various types and encodings of media and interacting with various network services in addition to, e.g., two-party voice telephone calls. Examples of such media or services can include email, video calling, or multi-party conferencing. Unified Communications and Collaboration as a Service (UCCaaS) platforms and services provide chat, conferencing, presence, calling, and other communication services. UCCaaS services (for brevity hereinafter, "CCS" services) can be provided to a portable terminal such as a smartphone, e.g., using a native dialer. Additionally or alternatively, a portable terminal can access CCS over the top (OTT) via apps that carry CCS traffic via a packet network to which the terminal connects.

Telecommunications network calling-party context-based identification


An apparatus for X-ray photography includes a first X-ray source, a first driving device, and an image detecting device. The first X-ray source has a light emitting end, provided with a block element. The first X-ray source generates an X-ray beam, and the block element is used for constraining a projection field of the X-ray beam, so that the X-ray beam has a first boundary. The X-ray beam is cast onto an object, and the object has a reference center and an imageable area. The first driving device is used for driving the first X-ray source to rotate around the object within an angle range with the reference center of the object as a center, so that when the first X-ray source is located at a first position, the first boundary passes through the reference center.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for X-ray photography, and in particular, to an apparatus for X-ray photography that can keep an X-ray beam away from a non-imageable area in a photographing process.
2. Related Art
Extraoral dental X-ray radiography, such as two-dimensional dental panoprex and three-dimensional computed tomography (CT), is often used for radiographing teeth, the jaw and facial bones, and peripheral soft tissues, and is a useful tool in dental diagnosis and auxiliary treatment.
An X-ray photographical contrast mainly results from penetration attenuation caused by components, density and thickness of a matter penetrated by an X-ray, and most photon energy lost in the penetration process is absorbed by human tissues and is converted into a radiation dose. Referring to FIG. 1, targets of dental X-ray radiography are mainly located below the cranium base of the skull 10 and in a range of the oral cavity and the jaw and facial bones in front of the external acoustic meatus (EAM). In skull morphology, the petrous pyramid and the midsagittal plane are boundaries of the shape of the cranium base, and a symmetrical pyramid structure with the sella turcica 11 as a vertex and having left and right angles of 47 degrees is a non-imageable area. In other words, an actual range required in dental X-ray radiography includes an area in the cranium base with the petrous pyramid and the midsagittal plane as boundaries and the sella turcica 11 as a vertex and having left and right angles of 133 degrees and a round cake column range having a height from the infraorbitomeatal line (IOML) of the skull to the mandible base. However, in a conventional disadvantageous extraoral X-ray scanning mode in the prior art, for example, dental panoprex scanning and dental CT scanning, to implement X-ray dental panoprex imaging or to obtain information of X-ray projection with an enough angle to reconstruct a three-dimensional image, most extraoral dental X-ray image systems adopt a mode of synchronized center rotation scanning in which an X-ray source and an image detecting device rotate about a center at an angle of 180 degrees for scanning.
However, since the oral cavity is located at a front and bottom position of the head and neck portion and an X-ray has a characteristic of forward advancing along a straight line, during the synchronized center rotation scanning, a non-imageable head and neck area (that is, the non-imageable area formed by a symmetrical pyramid structure area with the sella turcica 11 as the vertex and having left and right angles of 47 degrees) is often unavoidably and directly exposed to an X-ray scanning beam, resulting in extra X-ray penetration attenuation, so that the X-ray source needs a higher power to output a radiation amount sufficient for an image receiving apparatus to form an image; meanwhile, a radiation dose received by the human body is increased. If the synchronized center rotation scanning avoids scanning the non-dental imageable area such as the head and neck portion, sufficient X-ray projection image information cannot be obtained, so that a complete dental X-ray image cannot be formed.

INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE YUAN


To prevent deterioration of sports driving performance due to the actuation of an ABS in a front-wheel and rear-wheel interlocking brake system of a brake-by-wire system. A brake interlock determining portion starts a front-wheel brake when input hydraulic pressure by a brake operation (pedal operation) on a rear-wheel becomes equal to or greater than an interlocking brake starting pressure value. A threshold selecting switch allows switching of the interlocking brake starting pressure value between when the ABS is active and when the ABS is inactive. When the ABS is active, a lower pressure value is selected as the interlocking brake starting pressure value. When the ABS is inactive, an upper pressure value is selected as the interlocking brake starting pressure value.

A brake control device for a motorcycle is known wherein a front-rear interlocking brake system allows a front-wheel brake as well as a rear-wheel brake to be actuated in an interlocking manner by only operating a brake pedal. For example, JP-A No. H11-5580 discloses a braking device for a motorcycle in which front and rear wheels can be braked by operation of either a brake lever and a brake pedal. When the brake lever is operated, the distribution of a braking force to the front wheel is set to be larger than that to the rear wheel. When the brake pedal is mildly operated, the distribution of a braking force to the rear wheel is set to be larger than that to the front wheel.
In recent years, in the front-rear interlocking brake system an anti-lock brake system (ABS) control is available for preventing the front and rear wheels from being locked, by reducing brake hydraulic pressures to be supplied to a front-wheel brake and a rear-wheel brake. See, for example, JP-A No. 2000-272572.
In the driving of motorcycles placed in the category of so-called super sports bikes, the attitude of a vehicle body may be controlled by adjusting braking force applied to a rear wheel mainly with a brake pedal. Therefore, in the stroke range of the brake pedal for controlling the attitude, a front-wheel brake might be preferably not applied too hard. For this reason, since front-wheel brake caliper pressure is set to start to work after pedal input hydraulic pressure (oil pressure) has reached a predetermined high hydraulic pressure, the rear-wheel brake is actually actuated alone in the stroke range of the brake pedal for controlling the attitude, with control performance equal to normal rear-wheel braking.
However, in the case where the front-wheel and rear-wheel interlocking brake system with the ABS control is employed, there is a possibility that, once the rear wheel is locked and the ABS control becomes active, no larger braking force can be applied to the rear wheel even when the brake pedal is strongly operated. Therefore, in order to generate a further braking force by only operating the brake pedal, an application of a braking force to the front wheel which is not locked is necessary. Thus, the brake pedal might have to be pushed with a force to exceed the threshold set to a high hydraulic pressure so as to permit control of the vehicle body attitude.


A fluid measurement device includes a circuit unit into which a first signal output from a first detection element and a second signal output from a second detection element are input. The circuit unit includes a signal processing part, a state deciding part, and a controller. The controller controls an amount of change that a change of the first signal imparts to the third signal in accordance with a result of decision by the state deciding part that determines that the state of the first signal is not within the predetermined range. The predetermined range is based on the second signal.

In order to reduce future environmental loads on automobiles, a combustion control technique for making it possible to highly control generation of a toxic substance in in-cylinder combustion of an engine is needed. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately grasp an amount of suction air into the engine, and higher precision is being desired in a fluid measurement device that is represented by a flow sensor.
As the fluid measurement device for automobile, a thermal type flow sensor is known. The thermal type flow sensor is a device in which a heating element is arranged in a fluid and a flow rate is measured by detecting a change in temperature around the heating element caused by a flow. It is known that the output characteristic of this thermal type flow sensor fluctuates in accordance with the temperature, the pressure and so forth of the fluid, and correction techniques according to the temperature, the pressure and so forth have been proposed so far. There is a technique disclosed, for example, by Patent Literature 1.
The thermal type flow sensor described in Patent Literature 1 has a temperature detection unit that obtains a temperature t of a fluid that flows through a passage in order to correct a detected parameter v, and correction means that is provided with a correction table that has stored a correction value ΔX (v, t) per unit temperature relevant to the detected parameter v and the fluid temperature t and corrects the parameter v to a flow rate at a reference temperature tθ by setting a flow rate V after corrected asV=v+ΔX(v,t)·(t−tθ)
in accordance with v and t and ΔX (v, t).
In addition, the same also applies to pressure correction, and it has a pressure detection unit that obtains a pressure p of the fluid that flows through the passage in order to correct the detected parameter v, and correction means that is provided with a correction table that has stored a correction value ΔY (v, p) per unit temperature relevant to the detected parameter v and the fluid pressure p and corrects the parameter v to a flow rate at a reference pressure pθ by setting the flow rate V after corrected asV=v+ΔY(v,p)·(p−pθ)
in accordance with v and p and ΔY (v, p).

Fluid measurement device having a circuit for precise flow measurement


A valve stent includes a plurality of crown elements arranged coaxially one behind the other, each formed by several u-shaped bends with at least one base and two ends. The bases of one crown element are connected to the ends of another crown element via connection bars. To produce this valve stent, 3D droplet dosing technology is used to form a thin-walled sandwich structure. A device, suitable for application of a stent is provided with positioning wires having clamps at their ends which can be connected to the fixing hooks at the ends of the crown elements in force-locking manner.

Surgical heart valve replacement is usually carried out on a cardioplegic (arrested) heart. The affected heart valve is cut out and the heart valve prosthesis to be implanted is stitched in. This complicated procedure is carried out with the aid of heart-lung machines and is to some extent not an option for high-risk patients. Thus, a minimally invasive or percutaneous method to replace a heart valve is sought after, so that this cardiosurgical intervention can routinely be offered to a broad group of patients in the long-term.
Depending on the anatomical and physiological condition of the patient (e.g. condition of the femoral arteries), two implantation methods are available for the physician—transfemoral implantation (via the groins) and transapical implantation (via the cardiac apex). Each strategy requires a respective adapted application device since the valve stent one case is ejected against flow direction (retrograde) and in the other case with flow direction (anterograde). During the implantation process, the valve prosthesis must be easily maneuverable through the access vessels and at the implantation site to ensure optimal position accuracy. Furthermore, the prosthesis must be able to be securely anchored. Amongst other things, a certain excess in the diameter of the valve prosthesis compared to the blood vessel is generally used in order to generate a radial pressure on the blood vessel by the prosthesis.
These percutaneous applicable valve systems consist of a valve-carrying stent, additional fixing elements connected to this stent (and, if necessary, further structures) to anchor the heart valves in the heart and in the vessel of the patient and an application device (or catheter system) for minimally invasive introduction and positioning of the heart valve at the implantation site in the patient.
In principle, such systems can also be used to replace defective venous valves or to relieve them by connecting them in series with an artificial venous valve. Unlike heart valve prosthesis, venous valve prosthesis can also be implanted heterotopically (not orthotopically), i.e. not at the same place as the body's own venous valve.
Usually, conventional stent designs are similar to an enlarged but valve-carrying coronary stent or a stent with sawtooth-, diamond- or meander-shaped netlike braid to brace vasoconstrictions. The stents are thereby formed as self-expanding or not self-expanding, foldable structures often without special fixing systems. However, these stents are not or only insufficiently adapted to the biomechanics and anatomy of highly stressed heart- or venous valve prostheses.
Another stent is disclosed in DE 20 2007 005491 U1. The medical device described therein serves for treatment of aortic valve insufficiency using a self-expandable endoprosthesis that can be introduced minimally invasively into the patient's body to position and fix a heart valve prosthesis in the aorta of the patient, wherein the endoprosthesis has at least three position brackets for independent positioning of the medical device in the aorta of the patient and one retaining segment with retaining brackets to take up a heart valve prosthesis, and wherein, during introduction of the medical device into the body of the patient, the endoprosthesis has a shaping that can be defined in advance, wherein the medical device has a folded state in the initial shaping of the endoprosthesis and an expanded state in the second shaping of the endoprosthesis. It is also provided that the endoprosthesis is in one piece with a structure cut from a metal tube in which any position bracket is assigned to one retaining bracket and in which, at the distal end of the endoprosthesis, any end portion of the respective position bracket is connected to the associated retaining bracket.
Shape memory materials are used for the self-expanding valve-carrying stent systems and, if necessary, for additional anchor and fixing elements. These can be shape memory polymers or memory metals, such as copper/zinc/aluminium-, copper/aluminium/nickel or nickel/titanium ("nitinol") shape memory alloys. In particular, shape memory materials with one-way effect are used, where the alloy only returns to the former shape when the critical temperature or the shape transformation temperature is exceeded and retains this shape even if the temperature once again falls below the critical temperature. Memory metals are usually chosen such that the critical temperature is below the body temperature, so that the expansion into the final shape is evoked at body temperature, i.e. during introduction of the valve prosthesis into the patient. The non-self-expanding, valve-carrying stents are mostly made of stainless steel alloys, such as 316 L. Spring steel, such as Phynax/Elgiloy or high strength polymers or plastics, such as PEEK, polyurethane and fibre- or nano-reinforced polyurethanes, are also suitable for valve, bulb or anchoring stents, as well as for vascular stents and stent grafts. Alternatively, they can also be made of bio-resorbing materials, for example based on magnesium alloys or bio-resorbable plastics (such as polylactate or other specific polyurethanes).
The previously described stents are disadvantageous as a result of their stiffness under forces directed radially inwards. Although it is possible in principle to increase the stiffness of a stent using more supporting material, this results in an adverse increase of the area of extraneous material within the blood vessels. This increases the risk of thrombotic accumulations, for example.

Percutaneously implantable flap stent, device for applying the same and method for producing the flap stent


An array antenna system comprises an array antenna unit including multiple antenna elements and multiple phase shifters for setting weighting coefficients of the associated antenna elements; and a weight controller that generates and outputs a control signal for adjusting the weighting coefficient for each of the antenna elements, using a known signal received at each of the antenna elements. The weight controller has a channel impulse response estimation unit that estimates a channel impulse response for each of the antenna elements based on a linear combination of a first received signal obtained from the known signal when a first set of weighting coefficients is set for the antenna elements and a second received signal obtained from the known signal when a second set of weighting coefficients is set for the antenna elements; and an output unit that outputs the control signal based on the estimated channel impulse responses.

The present invention generally relates to the technical field of wireless communication, and more particularly, to an antenna system using multiple antenna elements and a weighting control technique for such antenna systems.
Adaptive array antennas (AAAs), which are in the picture of the technological field of wireless communication, use multiple antenna elements for transmitting and receiving radio signals. According to the ever-changing communication environment, the amplitude and the phase of a signal input to and output from each of the antenna elements are appropriately adjusted. The input signals to or the output signals from the respective antenna elements are weighted and synthesized to improve the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). The adaptive array antenna technique is advantageous from the viewpoints of improving communication quality, reducing interfering waves, expanding the communicating range, and dealing with multipath fading. With a digital scheme of the adaptive array antenna technique, a weighting coefficient given to each antenna element is defined in a digital format. Such an adaptive array antenna system is disclosed in, for example, "Smart Antennas for Wireless Systems," Jack H. Winters, IEEE Personal Communications, February 1998, pp. 23–27.
FIG. 1 illustrates a digital-based adaptive array antenna system. Each of N antenna elements 102 is furnished with an RF front end 104, an analog-to-digital converter 106, and a weighting unit 108. The weighting coefficients w1 through wN set at the respective weighting units 108 are determined by the weight controller 110.
With this arrangement, a digital signal is acquired separately from each of the antenna elements 102, and supplied to the weight controller 110. The weight controller 110 calculates the associated weighting coefficient accurately based on the digital signals. However, with this digital scheme, as many analog-to-digital converters 106 as the number of the antenna elements have to be prepared. This may be disadvantageous from the viewpoints of power saving and miniaturization of the system.
On the other hand, in some adaptive array antenna systems, weighting coefficients given to the antenna elements are analog-formatted. Such an analog-based adaptive array antenna system is disclosed in, for example, "Phased Arrays-Part I: Theory and Architectures", Don Parker and David C. Zimmermann, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 50, No. 3, March 2002, pp. 678–687, and "Phased Arrays-Part II: Implementations, Applications, and Future Trends", Don Parker and David C. Zimmermann, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 50, No. 3, March 2002, pp. 688–698.
With the analog scheme, the analog signal, which has been subjected to weighting and signal synthesis, is converted to a digital signal by the analog-to-digital converter 206 (FIG. 2). This arrangement is advantageous in power saving and size reduction. However, it takes time for this method to optimize all of N weighting coefficients w1 through wN. In addition, the weighting coefficient converges only to a local solution, without converging to the global optimum, due to less information being supplied to the weight controller 210. A global solution is the optimum weighting coefficient that is the maximum or the minimum in a given range of values. A local solution is the local optimum solution, which is the maximum or the minimum in a certain portion of the range, but is not necessarily the optimum in the entire range. It is desired to obtain the global optimum; however, with the conventional analog-based weighting control technique, the weighting coefficient may not converge to the global optimum, but only to the local solution, depending on how the initial value is set or on other conditions.

Array antenna system and weighting control technique used in array antenna system


A throttle valve having defined characteristics controls flow of gas from a gas heater to a turbine in a closed cycle gas turbine system. The gas heater may be a nuclear reactor fueled by fission material preferably having a negative temperature coefficient of reactivity whereby the reactor automatically ceases heat production upon closing of the throttle valve.

Closed cycle gas turbine systems wherein a gas is confined in a closed circuit and heated by fossil fuel to directly drive a turbine is old. It is also old to drive a turbine by steam generated in a secondary loop which is exposed in a heat exchanger to gas heated in a gas cooled nuclear reactor. A turbine driven directly by gas in a so-called closed gas turbine Brayton cycle utilizing as the heat source system a gas cooled nuclear reactor is desirable since such a system reduces the complexities called for by a secondary loop and would reduce the overall size of the system to the point where it could usefully drive automobiles, air craft and smaller water craft. A problem has existed, however, with all known systems, either in actual use or as discussed in technical papers, in the control of the gas supply from the heat source to the turbine. Heretofore transient control of gas supply to gas driven turbines has been by two primary methods: 1. by-pass control where a portion of the gas flow is by-passed around the turbine, and 2. inventory control, where the working pressure of the gas is adjusted to match a particular power level. Though both systems have advantages both also have disadvantages. By-pass control is relatively fast but has the disadvantage of low cycle efficiencies at significant by-pass flows. Inventory control requires high and low pressure reservoirs which take up valuable space, and both systems require additional apparatus all of which present additional points of failure as well as maintenance requirements calling for additional personnel with the required expertise to service the additional apparatus.
There is thus a need for better control of the gas flow to a turbine which eliminates the foregoing disadvantages and it is the broad object of this invention to provide a closed gas turbine system, and particularly a direct closed cycle gas turbine system (Brayton cycle) utilizing a gas cooled nuclear reactor as the heat source, and which includes, in accordance with the invention an improved gas flow control system never heretofore contemplated in the art of closed cycle gas turbine systems.

Control for a closed cycle gas turbine system


A system and method converts a mat between a first position and a second position. A perimeter of the mat may be weighted to maintain the mat in the first position wherein the mat is substantially flat in the first position. A rope may be provided that extends around the perimeter of the mat. The rope may be pulled to move the mat into the second position wherein the mat forms a bag in the second position. A locking mechanism may slide in a first direction on the rope to secure an opening formed by the mat in the second position.

The present invention generally relates to a mat and a system and a method for converting a mat into a carrying bag. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mat which may be used as a changing station or a picnic station, and after use may be converted into a carrying bag.
Activities that involve water and/or sand such as swimming or surfing, for example, often require a participant to change clothes while participating in the activity or after finishing the activity. For example, a swimmer, snorkeler, deep water diver or a surfer in an ocean or other body of water often wears a wetsuit. The wetsuit is appropriate for the activity; however the participant generally desires to remove the wetsuit and/or other apparel or accessories worn during the activity. Upon exiting the body of water, sand is often encountered, and removal of the apparel and/or accessories without collecting too much sand on the apparel and/or accessories is often difficult. The participant changes from the wet clothes on the beach and often uses a towel to dry off. The participant currently places both the towel and the wet clothes on the sand. Consequently, sand accumulates on the towel and/or the wet clothes. The participant may use a bag to place their clothes after completing their activity. The bag also collects sand from the wet clothes and/or the towel. A need, therefore, exists for a mat that may be used in an area, such as a beach. More specifically, a need exists for a mat that may be used as a changing station and may be converted into a carrying bag to carry items. A need also exists for a mat that may be converted into a carrying bag.

Mat and a system and method for converting the mat to a bag


A single chip video signal processing circuit capable of performing a sync separation and odd/even field detection using an NTSC mode or a PAL mode video signal, the video signal processing circuit includes a sync signal separator for separating the input video signal into a horizontal sync signal and a composite sync signal, a vertical sync signal detector for detecting a vertical sync signal from the composite sync signal, a window pulse generator for generating a window pulse having a different width according to the selection of either the NTSC mode or the PAL mode by combining the detected vertical sync signal with the horizontal sync signal, an odd/even field detector for receiving the window pulse and the vertical sync signal and for detecting the number of pulses of the vertical sync signal within the window pulse interval, and a vertical blanking interval detector for counting a predetermined number of pulses of the horizontal sync signal, the window pulse being used as a RESET pulse for generating a vertical blanking pulse.

Recently, broadcasting systems have been used which are able to convert an NTSC video signal into a PAL video signal, and vice versa. Such systems have been used in conformity with a trend towards broadcasting internationalization. However, the video signal processing systems which have been adapted for use with an NTSC system and a PAL system include separate sync separators for each broadcasting system. Accordingly, the circuitry of the system is rather complex. In addition, since detection of an odd and even field is processed using software employed in a microcomputer, it is difficult to obtain an exact output.

Video signal processing circuit of a broadcasting system


An electro-optical apparatus includes a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel and the second pixel include a reflective layer, an insulating layer, a functional layer, and an opposing electrode. The insulating layer includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer having a first opening, and a third insulating layer having a second opening. A first pixel electrode is provided on the first insulating layer in the first opening. A second pixel electrode is provided on the second insulating layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electro-optical apparatuses, manufacturing methods for such electro-optical apparatuses, and electronic devices.
2. Related Art
An electro-optical apparatus that includes a first pixel, a second pixel, and a third pixel emitting light at mutually different wavelengths, and that has an optical resonance structure in which the thickness of an optical distance adjustment layer at the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel is set so that the relationship first pixel>second pixel>third pixel holds true, has been disclosed, along with a manufacturing method for the electro-optical apparatus (JP-A-2009-134067).
According to the manufacturing method for the electro-optical apparatus in JP-A-2009-134067, a light-transmissive film that configures the optical distance adjustment layer is formed, and then a mask whose thickness achieves the relationship first pixel>second pixel>third pixel is formed on the light-transmissive film. Therefore, the optical distance adjustment layer whose thickness achieves the relationship first pixel>second pixel>third pixel is formed by combining a process in which the mask having different thicknesses is removed through ashing in stages with a process in which the light-transmissive film exposed through the ashing is etched.
It is necessary to produce a precise thickness in the optical distance adjustment layer at the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel in order to obtain light at desired resonant wavelengths in the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel. However, the manufacturing method for an electro-optical apparatus according to the aforementioned JP-A-2009-134067 has a problem in that it is difficult to precisely etch the light-transmissive film. For example, one reason for this is that if the amount of the stated ashing carried out in stages is less than or more than a proper ashing amount, variations will be produced in the thickness of the post-ashing mask, and thus the light-transmissive film cannot be etched at a proper etching amount across a desired range. Another reason that can be given is that it is difficult to achieve stable etching conditions (etching speed and the like), and it is therefore easy for variations to arise in the thickness of the light-transmissive film after the etching.
Furthermore, there is demand to reduce steps between pixels to the greatest extent possible in order to suppress a rise in electrical resistance at interconnects, electrodes, and the like that span the steps between pixels.

Electro-optical apparatus, manufacturing method for electro-optical apparatus, and electronic device


A method and system of rendering buildings in three-dimensional space first renders a respective floor, then adds objects and finally walls to bound each of the floors. The result, a three-dimensional rendering of a building illustrates the position of objects within the building in addition to presenting the overall shape of the building. The rendering can be discontinuously rotated, about an axis, in response to user inputs.

Known software and hardware is available for rendering various types of three-dimensional images including building spaces. Known methods and systems at times do not clearly or accurately depict the location of objects in a rendered image of a building. Further, at times the positional relationships of objects to one another, when the objects are located on multiple floors, are not always clearly depicted.
Known systems include the use of graphics hardware to attempt to generate accurate three-dimensional images. Other known methods seek to improve accuracy by rendering the back walls first. The objects in the floors are then drawn. Finally, the front walls are rendered. Such processes can suffer from performance penalties other drawbacks. Some systems use animation software to implement rotations of the displayed spaces.
Known systems and methods often do not accurately render transparency and depth simultaneously in a three-dimensional structure unless the polygons used to create the images are rendered from back to front. However, in such processes, sorting of polygons can be either inefficient or unfeasible due to time and depth processing requirements. Thus, errors can arise from currently used techniques for transparency which ignore depth or techniques for testing depth which ignore transparency.
Increasingly, 3D models of large buildings are being used in graphical displays to support situation awareness in a variety of domains including firefighting, building security, asset tracking and HVAC management. For example, a semi-transparent 3D model of a building can be used to provide a birds-eye perspective view of the building, outside looking in, and the locations of activated smoke and heat detectors in three-dimensional space. From such a display, the firefighter can comprehend the spread of the fire at a glace, particularly the vertical spread between floors of the building. Also, it is a very intuitive way for the firefighter to visualize a path to the fire and to view the locations of his or her team members.
One of the advantages of 3D graphics for buildings is the possibility created for the user to view the building, outside looking in, from different perspectives. Rotating the building on its axis around a 360 degree radius reveals new and valuable relationships between objects embedded in the building and features such as doors, elevators, water sources, etc. However, as noted above, continued rotation of the building in graphics requires animation and is computationally demanding.
Rotation also can give rise to problems of user spatial disorientation ("What side of the building am I looking at now? How do I get back to the front door or lobby side?") A method clearly is needed that will provide some of the advantages of perspective change created by 360 degree rotation while keeping the computational load to a minimum and providing orientation anchors for the user.
There thus continues to be an ongoing need for systems and methods for rendering and rotating multi-dimensional building spaces without requiring animation software. Additionally, it would be desirable to be able to provide orientation indicators for the user so as to minimize partial disorientation. Finally, it will be preferable to be able to continue to accurately locate objects on the respective floor or floors as well as accurately render transparency and depth simultaneously without having to sort polygons.

Systems and methods for changing view perspective in 3-D graphical displays of buildings with stepped rotation


This invention relates to an improved design for the transmit and receive optical elements of a waveguide-based optical touch screen sensor, where at least one converging lens is incorporated within the body of each transmit and receive element. The optical elements of the improved design are more mechanically robust, easier to incorporate into the touch screen assembly, and are less susceptible to stray light and the ingress of foreign matter. In one embodiment the converging lens collimates the light into a plane wave. In another embodiment the converging lens focuses the light to an external point. In yet another embodiment, each transmit and receive element also includes at least one diverging lens. The transmit and receive elements and associated waveguides preferably comprise photo-patternable polymers.

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
FIG. 1 illustrates the operation of an optical touch screen sensor 10 described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,914,709, 6,181,842 and 6,351,260, and U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2002/0088930 A1 and 2004/0201579 A1 (the contents of which are incorporated into this specification by way of cross-reference). In this optical touch screen sensor design, integrated optical waveguides 11, 12 are used to launch an array of light beams 13 across a screen, then collect them at the other side of the screen and conduct them to a position-sensitive detector A touch event 14 (eg by a finger or stylus) is detected as a shadow 15, with position determined from the particular beam(s) blocked by the touching object. The touch screen sensors are usually two dimensional and rectangular, with two arrays (X, Y) of transmit waveguides along adjacent sides of the screen, and two corresponding arrays of receive waveguides along the other two sides of the screen. As part of the transmit side, in one embodiment a single optical source (such as a light emitting diode (LED) or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL)) launches light into a plurality of waveguides that form both the X and Y transmit arrays. In another embodiment, a separate optical source is used for each of the X and Y transmit arrays. In an existing design for the transmit side, the waveguide arrays guide light from the optical source to tows offenses 16 that expand the guided light beams in the horizontal (i.e. X, Y) plane, then collimate them in the horizontal plane as they are launched across the screen face. Collimation in the vertical plane may be achieved with an external vertical collimating lens (VCL), for example a cylindrical lens, not shown in FIG. 1. The receive side is essentially identical, and on each side the arrays of waveguides and lenses are positioned within the bezel of the screen. To minimise the width of the bezel, it is desirable for the transmit and receive elements to be as short as possible. For reasons of cost and ease of fabrication, it is highly preferred to form the waveguides and lenses out of a photo-patternable polymer material. Optical touch screens typically operate with infrared light to avoid interfering with the display, however visible light may be used if required.
The transmit and receive elements of the existing design as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,914,709, 6,181,842 and 2004/0201579 A1 encounter difficulties with collimation in the vertical plane, where for ease of assembly it is convenient to use a single VCL for all transmit or receive elements in each array along the sides of the optical touch screen. The placement of a VCL and a conventional transmit element 20 on a common base 28 is shown in FIG. 2a (plan view) and 2b (side view), with the end of substrate 26 butted against the back of VCL 23. Common base 28 could alternatively be placed on the top surface of transmit element 20. Transmit element 20 would normally be sandwiched between lower and upper cladding layers (as shown in FIG. 4b), but these have been omitted for simplicity. It can be seen that it is difficult for the entire curved end face 21 of transmit element 20 to be positioned at the focal plane 22 of VCL 23. Therefore while emerging rays 24 can be perfectly collimated in the vertical direction, this is not the case for rays 25. On the transmit side, the unavoidable spread of the beam in the vertical direction from incomplete collimation is simply a source of stray light. On the receive side however, the problem is potentially more serious because of the possibility of out-of-plane stray light entering the receive elements (this effect can be seen by reversing the direction of light rays 25 in FIG. 2b)
It can also be seen that optimal placement of focal plane 22 with curved end face 21 depends critically on gap 27 between the apex of curved end face 21 and the end of substrate 26. A simple approach in achieving the placement is to butt substrate 26 against VCL 23, which can be achieved in several ways well known in the art (for example a pick-and-place machine with a vision system). Nevertheless, distance 27 is governed by the amount that the substrate 26 protrudes past the apex of curved end face 21, and its accuracy depends on the tool used to cut the substrate. By means of alignment marks, a dicing saw typically can cut silicon wafers with an accuracy of approximately 10 μm, which may be sufficient for the present application. However for reasons of cost, it may be preferable to use plastic substrates, and unlike silicon where the only dimensional variable is thermal expansion (which is relatively easy to control), the dimensions of plastic substrates are also known to depend on humidity and thermal and mechanical history, which are far more difficult to control. For these reasons, accurate inter-layer registration is a known problem in the fabrication of multilayer plastic devices such as flexible displays.
Yet another problem with the transmit and receive elements of the existing design is that curved end face 21, being a reflective surface, must be an interface with a large refractive index difference, such as an air/polymer interface. Therefore when an upper cladding (highly desirable for optical isolation and mechanical protection of the waveguides) is being deposited, it has to be patterned so that it does not cover the curved end face, as discussed in U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0089298 A1 (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). However there is then a risk that the exposed curved end face could be damaged, for example during assembly of the optical touch screen sensor. The fact that curved end face 21 is an optical surface also means that gap 27 between transmit element 20 and VCL 23 cannot be filled with a transparent adhesive, which would aid in connecting the two components and prevent foreign matter from entering gap 27 and blocking the light.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.