An image formation apparatus comprising: an image exposure portion that forms a latent image by optically exposing a recording medium based on entered image data; a thermal development portion that visualizes the latent image by heating the recording medium exposed by the image exposure portion; a data identification portion that reads ID information about image data obtained by mammography; and a data-processing portion that: when the data identification portion has determined that a set of breast image data about the same patient have been entered successively, rotates through 180° (i) images represented by even-numbered input ones of the set of breast image data or (ii) images represented by odd-numbered input ones of the set of breast image data; and then outputs the image data to the image exposure portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation apparatus and, more particularly, to an image formation apparatus for forming breast images on a recording medium based on breast image data acquired by mammography.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an examination of breast cancers, mammographic images of left and right breasts which are acquired mammographically and formed on a thermally developed photosensitive material are arrayed side by side and compared for diagnosis. Such a mammographic image is obtained by producing breast image data by a mammography imaging unit, sending the data to an image formation apparatus, and optically exposing and thermally developing the image to visualize it. In the mammography imaging unit, image data are generally treated as follows to facilitate doctor's diagnosis. One of the left and right breast images is rotated through 180° such that the left and right breast images are placed in a back to back relation about the chest walls. Then, the image data are output.
A known image output processing apparatus for forming such mammographic images consists of forming breast images on a thermally developed photosensitive material, placing the images such that they do not touch the front or rear end of the photosensitive material in the direction of transportation or placing the images of the left and right breasts in a back to back relation about the chest wall portions, and outputting the images with optimum layout (see, for example, JP-A-2004-138786).
With this image output processing apparatus, when a thermally developed photosensitive material is brought into contact with the heat application portion of the thermal development portion and developed, images of breasts are so placed that they are not formed at the front end or rear end of the thermally developed photosensitive material in the direction of transportation; otherwise, the transfer of heat from the heat application portion would become unstable, tending to cause a decrease of the concentration of the mammographic images or nonuniformity of the concentration. In this way, the effects of the concentration nonuniformity on the diagnosis are suppressed.
As described previously, the image output processing apparatus of JP-A-2004-138786 suppresses decrease and nonuniformity of the concentration of mammographic images in the direction of transportation of the thermally developed photosensitive material. However, decrease and nonuniformity of the concentration also take place in the widthwise direction perpendicular to the direction of transportation of the thermally developed photosensitive material.
In particular, each mammographic image formed on the thermally developed photosensitive material is visualized by bringing the photosensitive material into contact with the heating portion of the thermal development portion. The photosensitive material has been optically exposed by the image exposure portion and a latent image has been formed on the photosensitive material. Thus, a visible image is formed. Considerations are given to the temperature distribution of the heating portion such that the thermally developed photosensitive material is uniform in temperature in order to heat every portion of the photosensitive material with uniform temperature. However, as shown in FIG. 10A, a larger amount of heat is dissipated from each end of the heating portion than from the center. The temperature at each end tends to drop.
When a thermally developed photosensitive material is brought into contact with the heating portion having a temperature distribution in the widthwise direction as described above and development is done, there is the danger that the concentration becomes nonuniform across the width of the thermally developed photosensitive material. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10B and 10C, where the images to be developed are mammographic images, if an image A of the right breast and an image 8 of the left breast are output separately, then a mammographic image 11 to be developed which is obtained from the image A by making contact with the center of the heating portion (i.e., the heating portion of uniform temperature) is developed with desired temperature. As a result, normal concentration is obtained. On the other hand, a mammographic image 13 which is to be developed and is obtained from the image B by making contact with ends of the heating portion that tend to drop in temperature is developed with lower temperature. Consequently, there is the possibility that normal concentration is not obtained.
More particularly, each point, for example, on a line a constituting the breast image A of the mammographic image 11 is brought into contact with the heating portion of given temperature TB and developed. Meanwhile, each point on a line b on the breast image B that is in a position corresponding to the line a of the breast image A is brought into contact with the heating portion of lower temperature Tb and developed. Accordingly, there is the danger that comparison of corresponding portions of the breast images A and B (e.g. points PR and PL) in terms of concentration and hue reveals that these portions are different in concentration and hue. Since alphanumeric information is formed in ancillary relationship to the mammographic images 11 and 13, the up-down direction of the mammographic images 11 and 13 can be discerned during outputting. In this example, for the sake of convenience, arrows are attached to the mammographic images 11 and 13, and the direction indicated by the arrows is defined as the upward direction in the figure.
The mammographic images 11 and 13 obtained in this way are arranged such that the chest wall portions AK and BK of the breast images A and B are placed in a back to back relation as shown in FIG. 11. Then, the images are placed on a showcase. The doctor observes the images A and B of the left and right breasts (mammographic images 11 and 13), discerns subtle differences in geometry and concentration between both breasts, and makes a diagnosis. However, as described previously, the corresponding portions of the breast images A and B are brought into contact with heating portions of different temperatures and developed. Consequently, they may differ in concentration and hue. There is the possibility that it is less easy for the doctor to make a diagnosis.
Accordingly, there is a demand for further improvement to prevent nonuniformity of concentration and hue in the widthwise direction of a thermally developed photosensitive material, in addition to the direction of transportation, in order to obtain mammographic images of good quality (i.e., uniform in concentration and hue over the whole surface of each mammographic image).


An aircraft display system has a display unit comprising a matrix array of LED's mounted in the glareshield. Air traffic command signals received by a datalink processor produce a visual indication on the display unit which is visible to the pilot when looking through the window. A button on the display unit is pressed by the pilot to acknowledge receipt of instructions. Other important messages are displayed by the display unit at different times. Radar altimeter height is displayed in a color which changes when the aircraft descends below its flare height. When on the ground, the display unit displays alphanumerically the distance-to-go to the end of the runway, and simultaneously displays stripes that move horizontally to indicate deviation of the aircraft from the runway center line.

This invention relates to aircraft displays and display systems.
Aircraft have many displays which present a variety of information to the pilot. When the pilot's attention needs to be drawn to information of particular importance, it can be difficult to ensure that he is able to distinguish this important information from other information. It has been proposed in GB 2226924A to mount a display in the glareshield of an aircraft to present information to the pilot from a (Tactical Collision Avoidance Systems) collision avoidance system. The display is of a kind that produces changing symbols so that these are visible in the peripheral field-of-view of the pilot while he is looking forwardly through the aircraft window.
There is, however, other information which it is desirable to present to the pilot which does not necessarily have to be interpreted by the pilot when looking through the aircraft window. It has been found that it is very advantageous to present this information to the pilot on a display located in the region of the glareshield, because such a location is separate from the other aircraft instruments and is closest to the external field-of-view through the window.

Smiths Industries Public Limited Company


A backpost for use in wooden dining chair. The backpost unit provides reclining movements for a wooden chair of the type having a stationary frame section within which the backpost unit is secured. The backpost unit consists of an interlocking mechanism with minimum components and requires minimum maintenance and provides a solid and reliable reclining mechanism. The chair enables the user to secure an accurate posture of sitting during eating and also enables the user to enjoy a relaxing posture while sitting on the same dining chair.

This invention relates to backpost unit of a wooden dining chair, which has a reclining mechanism that provides extra comfort for user. The mechanism enables user to recline at certain range of angle if user press his/her back against the backpost of the wooden dining chair.
There are a variety of prior chairs that include mechanisms that permit a chair back to recline. For example, Ambasz, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,084,850; 4,157,203; 4,333,683; and 5,108,149, each disclose chairs where a portion of the chair back pivots in response to a force from a person sitting on the chair. Each of the Ambasz chairs is fabricated from non-wooden materials.
Staples, U.S. Pat. No. 44,987, and Shults, U.S. Pat. No. 349,907, each discuss reclining chairs that use a spring to control pivoting of an upper portion of the chair back.
In the Staples chair, the spring is placed behind the top and bottom portions of the chair back. Shults teaches placing the top and bottom portions of the chair back beside each other.
Conventional wooden dining chair is designed to have an upright position or with a small angled rigid backpost, such design enables the user to be at the best sitting posture or best natural position for eating, however, eating is just one of the activities that can happen at dining table. In fact, most of the times we spend at dining table are involve in non-eating activities like drinking, discussion, meeting, playing card games and family bonding.
Therefore, the limitation of the upright rigid design of backpost on a wooden dining chair with the original intention to support optimum upright posture will not provide comfort for activities other than eating. Therefore, it is the intention of this invention to address the above-mentioned limitation of a dining chair.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a backpost with a simple reclining mechanism installed inside a wooden dining chair that enables users to adjust themselves to their desirable reclining position.
It is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism to enable the backpost of a wooden dining chair to recline and automatically retracts to it's original position once the reclining force is removed.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a backpost unit for a wooden dining chair that consists of simple interlocking mechanism with minimum components and requires minimum maintenance, and providing a solid and reliable reclining mechanism.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon inspection of the detailed description, drawings and appended claims.

Backpost unit of wooden dining chair with reclining mechanism


A visible luminance step in a background scene, caused by a signal level mismatch between a matte signal level and a blue backing signal level, is significantly reduced by a soft edge transition region that raises the blue backing signal level up to the signal level of a garbage matte by using a cleanup signal restricted to the transition region. The soft edge formed by cleanup does not make subjects transparent, and actors may enter this zone with little loss of image quality.

A recent trend in the use of composite photography for motion pictures and television is the virtual studio that substitutes computer renderings in place of real sets.
A large curved blue backing permits actors to perform their scenes in front of this backing. The large blue backing permits a wide range of motion of the actors. As the camera follows the movements of an actor, any background scene in the computer must be moved in the opposite direction or the background scene will appear to be frozen to the image frame. Sensors on the camera dolly and camera provide the information needed by the computer to properly move the background scene image. Other methods use very small marks on the screen to provide camera moves to the computer.
Because of the similarity of the words "backing" and "background", the term "blue screen" is used to identify the plain colored backing behind the subjects during photography. The term "background scene" is used to describe the images that replace the blue screen. The selection of the blue screen is typically chosen because this color is easy to avoid in ones wardrobe. However if bright or deep blue is required in the wardrobe, one simply switches to a green screen.
There are many times when the camera image frame overshoots the blue screen and exposes part of the interior of the stage. An example of this overshoot is when the actor is required to appear to be at quite a distance. The camera is moved back from the actor and blue screen, and the lens is set to a shorter focal length. The actor now appears to be far away and is quite small in the image frame.
The image frame, being larger than the blue screen, exposes part of the stage ceiling, side walls and floor, plus all the garbage consisting of electrical cables, junction boxes, lamp stands, chairs, portable dressing rooms, people and miscellaneous other items such as a garbage can. A compositing device, such as the Ultimatte 11 available from Ultimatte Corporation, or equivalent computer, generates garbage mattes. Each of these mattes may be brought in from the edge of the image frame up to the edge of the blue screen, thus covering up all the garbage. When mattes are brought up to all four edges of the blue screen area they create a window frame, framing the blue screen. This is likely the origin of the term window and garbage matte. The term 'matte' herein refers to the garbage matte.
Matte areas are assigned a signal level of 1.0 to turn on the background scene to full level in the image area covered by the mattes. The blue screen also generates a control signal, Ec, where Ec=B−f(G,R), and R, G and B are red, blue and green signal levels and f(G,R) is a function of G and R such as the maximum of G and R. Its purpose is to turn on the background scene to full level within the un-obscured blue screen area, and to reduce the signal level of the background scene in proportion to the subject's opacity. Ec becomes zero for opaque subjects. The Ec signal level generated from the blue screen luminance is rarely sufficiently uniform to match the fixed 1.0 signal level of garbage mattes. A mismatch between these two signal levels of as little as one percent, where the matte joins the blue screen, is clearly visible in most background scenes.
The visibility of this mismatch is substantially reduced by softening, or feathering the garbage matte and extending it a short distance into the blue screen area. A soft edge in the form of an "S" shaped ramp links the two levels. The disadvantage of this practice is the fact that the background is turned on by the garbage matte whether a subject is present or absent. When a subject is present in this soft edge area, the background is still on and makes the subject transparent. The need for an actor to avoid this transition area reduces the useable blue screen area.
The invention described below is a method for reducing or eliminating the visibility of an edge mismatch between the blue screen and an adjoining matte, without introducing subject transparency, or reducing usable screen area.

Using a region restricted cleanup signal to bridge a signal level mismatch between a blue screen and an adjoining garbage matte


Embodiments of the invention relate generally to a radio communication device, to a receiver controller of a radio communication device, and to a method for searching for a radio cell. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for searching for a radio cell is provided. The method may include scanning at least one frequency band of a first radio access technology, scanning at least one frequency band of a second radio access technology, wherein the at least one frequency band of the second radio access technology at least partially overlaps with the at least one frequency band of the first radio access technology, wherein at least one frequency sub-band of the first radio access technology is not scanned in the at least one frequency band of the second radio access technology.

Already today cellular mobile phone devices may support a plurality of different radio access technologies (RATs) in order to automatically select a RAT to provide services to the user, to enable the user to select one of these RATs for providing its services or to autonomously fall back to another RAT in case missing coverage by the currently selected RAT. An example for such a type of cellular mobile phone device is a conventional dual-mode cellular mobile phone device supporting Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM)/(Enhanced) General Packet Radio Service ((E)GPRS) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). In future, e.g. with the deployment of Long Term Evolution (LTE) evolved UMTS Radio Access Network (eUTRAN), even triple-mode cellular mobile phone device will become more and more common.
For a cellular mobile radio communication system implementing a certain radio access technology, several frequency bands may be standardized and allocated for each radio access technology. By way of example, for GSM, possible frequency bands are GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900. Furthermore, for UMTS, possible frequency bands are Band I (2100), Band II (1900), Band III (1800), Band IV (2100), Band V (850), Band VI (850), and Band VII (2600) and others.
During an initial radio cell search (or during another type of a global radio cell search), a multi-mode, multi-band mobile radio phone usually scans all possible and supported frequency bands of all supported RATs for radio cell carriers in order to decide which radio cell shall be selected, i.e. on which radio cell the subscriber should camp.
Obviously, the time needed for such a radio cell search increases with the number of supported RATs and frequency bands. And it shall be pointed out that this time will also be noted by the user of the mobile radio phone device as the time until he is able to use cellular services via his mobile radio phone device.

Radio communication device, receiver controller of a radio communication device, and method for searching for a radio cell


Novel DNA sequences have been acquired from pea plants which are central in the defense of pea plants against root rotting pathogens and other pathogens of plants species such as potato pathogen. A method is described for protecting dicaryotic plants (e.g. potato) transformed with reconstructions of these seqeunces which utilize the unique nature of their promoter (regulatory DNA sequence) sequences to enable them to respond to pathogen challenge in transgenic plants. This manipulated response resulting from expression of the coded structural gene assists in maintaining host cell viability and thus assists disease resistance.

This invention relates to a method for transferring DNA sequences, including a description of the unique DNA sequences, capable of transferring non-host resistance between plant species.
Through evolution only a relatively small group of microorganisms have found their pathological niche on a given plant species. Fortunately, the same niche is not usually available for this same microbe group in a different plant species. Thus, the "different" plant species is said to express "non-host" resistance (Heath, M. C. Non-host resistance in: Plant Disease Control; Resistance and Susceptibility. R. C. Staples and G. H. Toehniessen, Eds. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, p. 201, 1981.) to this group of microorganisms. This mismatch is often manifest as an intense host plant response (hypersensitive response) based on the activation of a selection of host genes (Daniels, C. H., Fristensky, B. W., Wagoner, W. W. and Hadwiger, L. A. Pea genes associated with non-host disease resistance to Fusarium are also active in race-specific disease resistance to Pseudomonas. Plant Molecular Biology, 8, 309, 1986; Fristensky, B. W., Riggleman, R. C., Wagoner, W. W. and Hadwiger, L. A. Gene expression in susceptible and disease resistant interactions of peas induced with Fusarium solani pathogens and chitosan. Physiol. Plant Pathol., 27, 15, 1986.). Non-host resistance has recently attained a new importance with the advent of genetic engineering, because it is now possible to transfer genes from a species which actively resists a given plant pathogen to a species which is infected by that pathogen (Hadwiger, L A., Chiang, C. C., Pettinger, A., and Chang, M. M. Strategy to improve disease resistance by transferring "non-host" disease resistance genes from peas to potatoes. University of Maryland--USDA--DuPont, 2nd Int'l. Symp. on Biotechnology and Food Safety, Butterworth, Boston, 1990.). Theoretically, there is a limitless source of potential disease resistance genes existing in all of the plant species on earth, this invention describes a method for transferring specific DNA sequences from a pea (Pisum sativum) plant to transformable plant species such as tobacco and potato. it defines the state of knowledge of how these genes are controlled and defines a combination of genes needed to code for that portion of the intense host response which actually suppresses the pathogen and preserves the viability of host cells (Kendra, D. F. and Hadwiger, L A. Cell death and membrane leakage not associated with the induction of disease resistance in peas by chitosan or Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli, Phytopathol., 77, 100, 1987.) adjacent to the point of pathogen challenge. Conventional plant breeding techniques have used pathogen race-specific genes (Fehr, W. R. Principals of cultivar development. V. 1, Ch.21, Breeding for pest resistance. MacMillan Pub. Co., N.Y., 304-13. 1987.) available within a given plant species to improve commercial crop species. This disease resistance which evolved through reassortment of traits via intra-specific crossing and subsequent natural selection, "Single Mendelian traits" (McIntosh, R. A. A catalog of gene symbols for wheat [1983 edition], Proc. 6th Int'l. Wheat Genet. Symp. Kyoto, Japan, 1983, 1197, 1983.) can provide the plant with race-specific resistance to races evolving within a given microbe species. Race-specific resistance is often attributable to a match-up of a single dominant trait in the host with a single dominant trait in the pathogen which is called a gene-foregene interaction (Flor, H. H. Current status of the gene-foregene concept. Annu. Rev. Phytopath., 9, 275, 1971.).
In addition to non-host resistance and race-specific resistance there is the phenomena of induced resistance. Plants which have no genetically definable traits for disease resistance can often generate disease resistance by induced resistance. Induced resistance occurs when a plant, prechallenged by a non-virulent microbe, is subsequently inoculated with a virulent pathogen (Kuc', J. and Preisig, C. Fungal regulation of disease resistance mechanisms in plants, Mycologia, 76, 767, 1984.). As a result, the virulent pathogen is often resisted. Another amazing aspect of induced resistance is the observation that a challenge by a compatible virulent pathogen can also induce a resistance response which retards infection by subsequent inoculation of the same pathogen in adjacent leaves. Induced resistance can also occur following the application of a compound capable of eliciting a disease resistance response (Hadwiger, L A. and Beckman, J. M. Chitosan as a component of pea-F. solani interactions. Plant Physiol., 66, 2305, 1980). Often disease resistance does not function properly if metabolic inhibitors (Heath, M. C. Effects of heat shock, actinomycin D, cycloheximide, and blasticidin S on non-host interactions with rust fungi. Physiol. Plant Pathol., 15, 211, 1979.) heat shock, etc. (Chamberlain, D. W. and Gerdemann, J. W. Heat-induced susceptibility of soybeans to Phytophtophthora megasperma var. sojae, Phytophthora cactorum, and Hebninthosporium sativum., Phytopathology, 5670, 1966.) are utilized to interfere with the development of a resistance response (Hadwiger, L. A. and Wagoner, W. W. Effect of heat shock on the mRNA-directed discase resistance response of peas, Plant Physiol., 72, 553, 1983.). Such observations clearly demonstrate that a plant has the biochemical capability to resist nearly any pathogen if its response is generated both quickly and completely enough to ward off the pathogen.
A definition of non-host resistance in terms of classical genetics, e.g. is not presently possible, because it is seldom possible to make inter-species crosses and follow the chromosomal inheritance of resistance traits within a progeny. However, it is possible to follow genes whose MRNA and protein products accumulate in abundance as non-host resistance is being expressed, Additionally, there is evidence which suggests this specific intense defense response is necessary for disease resistance (Hadwiger, L. A., Wagoner, W. W. Electrophoretic patterns of pea and Fusarium solani proteins synthesized in vitro which characterize the compatible and incompatible interactions. Physiol. Plant Pathology 153, 1983.). My laboratory has defined major genes in the pea/Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli interaction which distinguish the resistance reaction from the susceptible reaction between pea and Fusarium solani f. sp. isi. The cloned response genes of the non-host resistance response and their regulators (promoters) have been transferred to potato plants and been shown to respond quickly and intensely to plant pathogenic stains normally infecting their species.
1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is primarily that of genetic improvements of plants through genetic engineering. Ibis invention centers on the use of unique DNA sequences to improve the ability of crop plants to resist diseases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional plant breeding has been the major and most successful method of improving the disease resistance of crop plants. Genetic traits controlling disease resistance have been identified in plants by genetic crosses which reveal both the distribution of a functional gene (master gene) in gene types and often its location on a chromosome. The first successful engineering of a disease resistance gene occurred when Dr. Ernest Sears of the University of Missouri was able to desegment a chromosomal fragment of a grassy plant and re-associate it with a normal wheat chromosome in an inter-specific cross. The re-associated chromosome piece transferred to wheat a major genetic trait for resistance to a rust-inciting organism. It was realized early that such translocation of chromosome segments often result in the co-transfer of detrimental traits. More recently genetic engineering technology has enabled the transfer of individual genes both within and between plant species.
To date because of the great abundance of repetitive DNA sequences in the region of the plant chromosome which containing the major Mendelian genes controlling discase resistance, attempts to define these major gene DNA sequences have been unsuccessful.
This has generated a second level effort to define genes which become active in a disease resistance response. Some of these genes code for functional proteins such as the enzymes which carry out secondary metabolic pathways in plants (Bailey). There is an abundance of DNA sequence information in the literature for these genes which code for enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamic acid hydrolase, chalcone synthetase and peroxidases (Dixon review). Also, DNA sequences have been obtained for plant structural compounds which increase somewhat after pathogen challenge, for example the hydrolyproline rich proteins. DNA sequences are also available for plant genes which produce hydrolytic enzymes which are capable of degrading individual cellular components of the invading pathogenic organisms. Genes for enzymes such as .beta.-glucanase which degrades .beta.-glucan and chitinase which digests fungal wall chitin have been sequenced and researched extensively. Some or all of these genes probably contribute to the plant's defense. My laboratory has shown that the hydrolytic enzymese .beta.-glucanase and chitinase are capable of releasing from fungal cell walls a small oligomer of chitosan which is capable of suppressing the growth of both virulent and avirulent pathogens for a limited period. However, these compounds appear not to be ultimately determinant in developing complete disease resistance as are the genetic components coding of the enzymes of secondary plant pathways. The major entity of complete disease resistance is cell vitality, in the cells which encircle the point of challenge by the pathogenic organism. In resistance reactions only a few cells in contact with the pathogen lose vitality, whereas in a susceptible reaction a broad radius of cells lose vitality. Paramount to the multiplicity of resistance response associated with plant defense is the speed of the resistance response. Vitality enhancing products must accumulate in cells prior to the appearance of the pathogenic propagule which is releasing its destructive components. The genomic DNA sequences in this invention contain promoters which we have established act rapidly when present inherently in the donor pea. These promoters also act equally well to enhance the output of their associated structural gene products, or when fused with foreign structural genes, enhance other gene products when genetically transferred to a recipient plant species. We have also determined that the product of Gene 49 accumulates in the nuclei of plant cells in the radius of cells which remain viable in a resistance reaction, in an apparent cause and effect relationship.

Procedures and regulatory DNA sequences for genetically engineering disease resistance and other inducible traits in plants

Dept. of Plant Pathology, Washington State University


An apparatus for providing a test signal from a device under test (DUT) to a measurement instrument is disclosed. The apparatus includes a probe head configured to receive an electrical signal from the DUT. The probe head includes an electro-optic modulator. The apparatus also includes a control box, which includes an optical source. The optical source is configured to provide an input optical signal to the electro-optic modulator, which is configured to provide an output optical signal based on the electrical signal from the DUT. The control box also includes an optical bias control circuit. Only a bias control signal is provided to the electro-optic modulator.

High power electronics are ubiquitous in today's society, and have increasing applicability in a variety of endeavors such as automotive vehicles and trains. For example, these power electronics often include inverters, which convert a direct current (DC) signal to an alternating current (AC) signal, or which converts an AC signal into a DC signal.
Often, it is desired to measure both the AC and DC electrical signals from inverters or similar power electronics. However, direct measurement of high power electrical signals is not practical to known oscilloscopes or similar measurement instruments, which are connected electrically to ground.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus that overcomes at least the shortcomings of known measurements instruments discussed above.

Apparatus for providing a test signal from a device under test (DUT) to a measurement instrument


In a hybrid control device performing cooling control of a secondary battery of a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid control device limiting the amount of charge/discharge of the secondary battery based on an air volume flow of a cooling fan cooling the secondary battery, an operation control mode of the secondary battery cooling fan is changed from an ordinary control mode to a power mode in which an air volume flow of the cooling fan is larger than in the ordinary control mode, whereby a limiting value of the amount of charge/discharge of the secondary battery is varied to expand the usable range of the secondary battery. Accordingly, when improvement of drive power performance is desired by an operator more than low noise within the vehicle, the amount of charge/discharge of the secondary battery is not limited by the cooling fan, and larger drive power performance is thus achieved.

Hybrid vehicles using drive power obtained from a motor generator as vehicle propulsion power are commonly provided with a rechargeable (chargeable/dischargeable) secondary battery used during operation. Electric power accumulated in this secondary battery is converted into drive electric power by an inverter circuit and then extracted to drive the above motor generator, while the secondary battery is charged by the generated electric power. Since such a secondary battery has an internal resistance, charge/discharge involves heat generation. Accordingly, as charge/discharge of the secondary battery is repeated, the temperature of the secondary battery rises.
Also, generally, continuous use of such a secondary battery in a high-temperature state contributes to shortening of the life of the battery. Accordingly, in order to protect the secondary battery, charge/discharge current is limited when the temperature of the secondary battery is high. As a result, sufficient vehicle propulsion power cannot be obtained, and, in a case of a hybrid vehicle, the fuel mileage is reduced.
In consideration of this problem, hybrid vehicles are commonly provided with a cooling fan for cooling the secondary battery. Generally, as the charge/discharge current of secondary battery increases, the rise of temperature of secondary battery becomes larger. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 7, as the amount of charge/discharge of secondary battery increases, a larger cooling air volume flow is required.
On the other hand, in a hybrid vehicle, generally, when the vehicle interior background noise is kept at a low level, such as while parking or running at a low speed, the amount of charge/discharge of secondary battery is also small, so only small air volume flow of cooling fan is required; when the vehicle interior background noise is large, such as running at a high speed, the amount of charge/discharge of secondary battery is also large. Thus, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-48981, there has been proposed a control device which, as illustrated in FIG. 6, performs control of reducing cooling air volume flow according to the line of background noise Level 1 when the vehicle interior background noise is low while running at a low speed, and of increasing air volume flow according to the line of vehicle interior background noise Level 2 or 3 when the vehicle interior background noise is high while running at a high speed, and thereby cools effectively the secondary battery without increasing recognized noise from cooling fan. Also, as the temperature level of the secondary battery increases, a larger cooling air volume flow is required for the secondary battery. Thus, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-48981, there has also been proposed a technique in which, as illustrated in FIG. 6, control is performed so as to increase the air volume flow of secondary battery cooling fan as the temperature level of secondary battery rises.
However, according to the above-noted secondary battery cooling control, when a rapid change from a low-speed running state to acceleration is desired, since the air volume flow of cooling fan has been suppressed low in the interest of noise within vehicle, there arises a problem that the amount of charge/discharge of secondary battery is limited to prevent an excessive rise of secondary battery temperature and thus an output required for acceleration cannot be obtained from the motor generator. Particularly, when "sporty" driving is desired, such as on a mountain road or the like, there arises a problem that it is sometimes impossible to achieve sufficient acceleration performance as a result of the control suppressing the cooling fan noise. On the other hand, improvement of drive power performance is sometimes desired by an operator more than low noise within the vehicle.
In consideration of this, the present invention advantageously provides a control device capable of achieving larger drive power performance without causing a cooling fan to limit the amount of charge/discharge of secondary battery when an operator values improvement of drive power performance higher than reduction of noise within the vehicle.


A postural awareness apparatus includes a pad, signal means for producing a signal, detection means for determining a weight applied to the pad and activating the signal means when the weight exceeds a predetermined weight, means for producing an output when the detection means determines the weight, and means for recording the output.

Devices for monitoring, controlling and correcting posture are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,935, to Verhaeghe; U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,032, to Brooks; U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,625, to Fraser et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,929, to Sawhill; U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,310, to Hsien; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,401, to Brucker. However, such corrective devices are not designed specifically for use in strengthening the low abdomen and lower back of the user.
A need exists for an apparatus that is useful in an exercise regimen for strengthening the low abdomen and lower back of a human. A need also exists for an apparatus that informs the user when the neutral spine position is maintained while standing, sitting, driving a vehicle or during exercise in multiple positions (e.g., sitting, lying, standing).
There is also a need for an improved apparatus that can be employed to determine a user's baseline profile for use in neutral spine training and/or therapy, as well as methods of training employing such an apparatus.


The limbs of a bipolar forceps for RF coagulation are produced from a bimetal material, wherein an outer layer (18) consists of stainless steel and determines the mechanical properties of the forceps, while an inner layer (20) consists of a sliver alloy. An electrode (30) is formed from the inner layer at the distal end of the limbs (16). The inner layer (20) brings about good heat dissipation from the electrodes (30) and prevents the tissue from sticking thereto during coagulation.

The invention relates to a bipolar forceps, more particularly for RF coagulation, as per the preamble of patent claim 1.
In surgery, bipolar forceps are used for coagulating the tissue of a patient. To this end, radiofrequency AC current is generally conducted through the tissue in order to heat and coagulate the latter. The forceps used for this purpose have differently shaped limbs, depending on intended use, with respectively one electrode being formed at the distal tips of the two limbs. The tissue to be coagulated is brought between the electrodes. The RF current is supplied via a plug-in connector attached proximally on the forceps and conducted through tissue via the electrodes.
A problem in the case of these bipolar forceps is that the RF current heats not only the tissue situated between the electrodes. The electrical contact resistance between the tissue and the contact areas of the electrodes touching the tissue also leads to heating of the electrodes. The heating of the electrodes can lead to the tissue sticking to the contact area of the electrodes. This leads to dirtying of the contact areas by the stuck-on tissue and increases the contact resistance for subsequent coagulations. Moreover, the tissue sticking-on can lead to stuck-on tissue parts being carried along when the forceps is removed and the tissue being damaged as a result of this.
In order to counteract this sticking-on of the tissue, the heating of the electrodes is known to be reduced by providing the electrodes with a metal, which has a high thermal conductivity for dissipating heat from the contact area of the electrodes. Moreover, this metal must have good electrical conductivity in order to conduct the RF current. Finally, the metal must be biocompatible, i.e. it must not damage the tissue chemically. Suitable metals with these properties are, in particular, the precious metals silver and gold, wherein silver should be preferred, more particularly also for reasons of cost. In the case of a bipolar forceps known from EP 1 210 022 B1, the distal tips of the limbs, consisting of stainless steel, of the forceps are for this purpose surrounded by a layer of silver or gold. This layer forms the electrodes with the contact areas thereof and at the same time forms a heat reservoir with a relatively large heat capacity for absorbing heat dissipated from the contact area. In the case of a bipolar forceps known from DE 10 2008 022 889 A1, a channel leading to the contact area of the electrodes is worked into the distal ends of the limbs, consisting of stainless steel, of the forceps, which channel is filled with silver to form a heat conduction channel for dissipating the heat from the contact areas. In these known bipolar forceps, the formation of the heat dissipation is connected with additional work steps during the production of the forceps.


A retraction mechanism has been developed for use with a hand held surgical apparatus. The retraction mechanism includes a motor, a first speed reducing mechanism, a clutch mechanism incorporating a second speed reducing mechanism, and a shaft. The first speed reducing mechanism is configured to be driven by a motor. The second speed reducing mechanism has a locked state and an unlocked state. In addition, the clutch mechanism is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the first speed reducing mechanism. The shaft is configured to rotate upon activation of the motor the second speed reducing mechanism is in the locked state. The rotation of the shaft retracts a firing drive of the hand held surgical apparatus.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to hand held surgical stapling apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to retraction mechanism for hand held surgical stapling apparatus.
2. Background of Related Art
Some surgical apparatus are capable of fastening tissue layers. In general, surgical fastening apparatus include two elongated jaw members designed for capturing or clamping tissue. One jaw member typically contains a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge houses a plurality of staples. Typically, the staple cartridges include at least two lateral rows of retention slots. Each retention slot is adapted to receive a staple. The other jaw member has an anvil that defines a surface for forming the staple legs as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge. The stapling operation is usually effected by cam members that translate through the staple cartridge. These cam members are connected to a firing drive that moves from a proximal position to a distal position when a user actuates the surgical stapling apparatus. Upon actuation of the surgical stapling apparatus, the firing drive moves in a distal direction and causes the cam members to move from a proximal position to a distal position through the staple cartridge. While the cam members translate through the staple cartridge, these cam members sequentially act on staple pushers positioned along the staple cartridge to eject the staples from the staple cartridge. The surgical stapling apparatus may further include a knife operatively attached to the cam members and positioned between two rows of staple slots. Alternatively, the knife may be attached to the drive member rather than the cam member. Since the knife is operatively attached to the cam members, the knife moves from proximal position to a distal position, while the cam members translate from a proximal portion to a distal portion of the staple cartridge. As the knife moves through the staple cartridge, it cuts or opens tissue positioned between the jaw members.
Another surgical stapling apparatus applies a double row of staples on each side of the incision. This surgical stapling apparatus has a disposable loading unit wherein a cam member moves from a proximal position to a distal position through an elongate guide path between two sets of staggered staple carrying grooves. Staple drive members are located within the grooves and are positioned in such a manner so as to be contacted by the longitudinally moving cam member. The staple members eject the staples in the staple cartridge as the cam member moves axially along the elongate guide path.
Each of the apparatus described hereinabove is designed for use in conventional surgical procedures wherein surgeons have direct manual access to the operative site. In endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures, however, surgery is performed through a small incision or through a narrow cannula inserted through small entrance wounds in the skin. Endoscopic surgical stapling devices have been developed to address the specific needs of endoscopic and laparoscopic surgical procedures. A few examples of endoscopic surgical stapling devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,976; U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,023; U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,013; U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,142; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,139, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As discussed above, the cam members of the surgical stapling apparatus discussed above are operatively connected to a firing drive. Consequently, a distal motion of the firing drive causes the cam members to move in a distal direction. The surgical stapling apparatus devices discussed above may further include a retraction mechanism to return the firing drive to a proximal position. Given that the cam members are coupled to the firing drive, the retraction mechanism also moves the cam members (along with the firing drive) to a proximal position. The retraction mechanism includes a pair of retractor knobs movably positioned along a barrel portion of a handle assembly. The retraction knobs are manually pulled proximally to return the firing drive to its proximal position after firing the surgical stapling apparatus.
Other endoscopic stapling apparatus include powered retraction mechanisms. For instance, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/784,804, filed Apr. 9, 2007, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a surgical stapling apparatus including a powered retraction mechanism. An embodiment of this retraction mechanism includes a motor operatively associated with a pulley and a slip clutch. The pulley is configured to retract the firing drive of the surgical stapling apparatus once the slip clutch moves to its engaged position.
The surgical apparatus described above have provided significant clinical benefits. Nonetheless, improvements to these instruments are possible. For instance, it would be beneficial to provide a more compact retraction mechanism for surgical apparatus.


A cable includes a first metal conductor, a first insulator, a second metal conductor and a second insulator. The first insulator includes a first arc-shaped surface. The second insulator includes a second arc-shaped surface. A distance between a central axis of the first metal conductor and a central axis of the second metal conductor is S. The first insulator and/or the second insulator are formed with a deformation surface at a position where the first insulator and the second insulator are in contact with each other. An outer diameter of a circle where the first arc-shaped surface is located and/or an outer diameter of a circle where the second arc-shaped surface is located is D, where S/D≤0.99. The cable of the present disclosure can achieve low mode conversion and improve high frequency characteristics.

A twin-axial cable with a shielding layer extending in a longitudinal direction is usually adapted to transmit high-speed differential signals with a data rate of 25 Gb/s and above. An important performance parameter of high-speed differential cables is mode conversion, which is also known as s-parameter, SCD21. This is a measurement of the amount of differential signals converted to common mode signals. The common mode signals add noise to the transmitted data, thereby reducing system performance. Cable structures in the prior art easily lead to unbalance of the differential pair, which leads to higher mode conversion.
Twinaxial cable manufacturing in the existing art typically uses two individually insulated round conductors to form a twinaxial pair. Industry standard manufacturing processes minimize tensions and the effect of dies to ensure the insulated conductors are not deformed and retain their round shape.
However, the distance between twinaxial cables in the prior art is large, which easily leads to unbalance of the differential pair, resulting in higher mode conversion.

Cable with low mode conversion performance and method for making the same


A work platform for a lighting operator or a cameraman is described, which has a mounting for the apparatus to be operated and a seat for the operator. The work platform consists thereby of foldable sidewalls, which in a transport position lie parallel with the floor and receive frame parts below themselves, which serve to complete the entire work platform.

It is known for television recordings to provide a spot lighting device in the area above the audience, which lighting device can be guided and aligned in spots point-by-point by an operator. The operator sits thereby on a seat, with which is associated a mounting for the lighting apparatus and which is secured with same on a traverse. In the case of these devices, the person secured on the mounting can almost not move and cannot leave the workstation.

Device for the arrangement of a personnel-operated apparatus in the ceiling area of a stage or an auditorium


An automotive display apparatus of the head-up display type which provides a freedom in selecting the setting position of an indicator and which provides a good remote display. An indicator 1 is installed in a dashboard 3. An opening 3c is formed through an upper portion of the dashboard 3 for allowing light from the display of the indicator 1 to pass therethrough and be reflected by the windshield 2 toward the driver's viewing point 6. A transparent face plate 7 is disposed between the indicator 1 and the opening 3c. Further, a defroster duct 8 is arranged inside the dashboard 3. The opening 3c is also used as an outlet opening of the defroster duct 8. When a defroster switch is turned on, the air passes through the duct 8 and ascends along the face plate 7 to be blown at the surface of the windshield 2 through the opening 3c in the dashboard.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive display apparatus in which a display image of an indicator installed in a dashboard is directed toward a windshield through an opening formed in a dashboard, which windshield in turn reflects the image toward a driver's viewing point so that the driver can see a virtual image of the indicator display at a location in front of the windshield.
2. Prior Art
Automotive display apparatuses of the type in which a display image of an indicator is directly viewed are generally used. In these apparatuses, an indicator is located on the driver's side of a dashboard for providing information on vehicle running conditions. A drawback to these apparatuses is that the driver must largely shift his eyes each time he checks the display of the indicator, resulting in the driver interrupted in seeing the outer field ahead of the vehicle. Especially when driving at a high speed, a driver looks far ahead, and thus the amount of focus shift of the driver's eyes becomes correspondingly large.
With a view to reducing the amount of focus shift of the driver's eyes when he checks the display, a head-up display apparatus has been proposed and put in use. FIG. 3 shows one example of such a head-up display apparatus. This apparatus comprises an indicator 1 such as a fluorescent display tube installed in a dashboard 3 with its display surface directed upwardly. The light from the display of the indicator passes through an opening 3a formed in the dashboard 3 and is reflected by a reflection-treated reflective surface 2a on the windshield 2 toward a driver's viewing point 6 so that the driver can see a virtual image X of the display at a location in front of the windshield 2 in an overlapping manner with the outer field. In the figure, denoted 5 is a bonnet.
A vehicle is generally further provided with a defroster for evaporating and removing the frost (moisture) adhering to the inner surface of the windshield to secure a clear forward view. In the case of a head-up display apparatus such as that mentioned above, in which the surface of a windshield is used as a reflective surface for light from the display of an indicator, a defroster is especially needed. This is because frost on the windshield not only deteriorates a forward view, but also hinders the driver's viewing the virtual display image of an indicator. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, hot air is led to the opening 3b through the duct 4 and blown therefrom at the surface of the windshield 2 to evaporate the frost thereon.
In addition, JP Utility Model Application Laid-open Specification No. 56080/1985 proposes a head-up display apparatus in which the indicator displaying information on vehicle running conditions is constituted by a light-transmission type liquid crystal display element. In this apparatus, the air having been used to cool the light source is introduced into a defroster duct to make use of the air to defrost the windshield.
In either case, however, two openings are formed in the surface plate of the dashboard, one being an outlet opening of the defroster duct and the other for allowing display light to pass therethrough. This results in restrictions on where to install the indicator. For example, when the forming location of a virtual image is desired to be changed so that the driver's line of sight is shifted from 6a to 6b as shown in FIG. 4, since the angle at which the windshield is provided is predetermined in accordance with the vehicle's model, it is necessary to change the location of the indicator. Moving the indicator to a forward position, however, is impossible, prevented by a wall of the duct.
Further, the surface of an indicator is apt to gather dust, frost and the like, resulting in distortions in the virtual display image. Provision of a transparent glass plate or the like over the display surface of the indicator, e.g., at an opening of the dashboard would involve the troublesome work of wiping the dust, frost and the like off the plate each time when necessary.


An interlaced diffraction grating system and process are disclosed. The interlaced grating system includes an optical dispersive grating with alternating bands of unique grating densities wherein the number of unique grating densities is greater than or equal to two. The optical dispersive grating may be reflective or transmissive, and it may be fabricated by mechanical ruling, holography, or reactive ion etching of a binary mask. An interlaced grating allows additional utility for both point spectroscopic detection as well as hyperspectral imaging.

An optical diffraction grating is an optical component with a periodic structure that splits incoming optical radiation (or light) into discrete wavelengths (or colors) as a function of angle. An optical diffraction grating enables a monochromator to yield a multitude of discrete colors of light from a broadband light source or target scene. An optical diffraction grating enables a spectrometer to quantify the intensity of a multitude of discrete colors of light from a broadband light source or target scene. The grating equation relates the grating spacing and the angular distribution of diffracted light, λ:
                                          d                                      (                                                sin                                                                                θ                    i                                                  -                                  sin                                                                                θ                    m                                                              )                                =                      m                                                                          λ                                                                              and                                                              thus                                                                                sin                                                                                θ                  i                                            -                              sin                                                                                θ                  m                                                      =                                          m                                                                                λ                            d                                ,                                    (                  Equation                                                              1                )            where d is the grating spacing, θi is the incident angle of optical radiation, θm is the diffracted angle maxima, and m is the diffraction order.
Gratings are optimized for a diffracted angular distribution, wavelength range, and ultimately resolving power for spectrometers and monochromators. In order to modify such factors, a diffraction grating with a different grating density (or grating period) may be inserted into the spectrometer or monochromator by means of physical replacement or mechanical switching as part of a turret. So, the measurement flexibility of the system usually requires the system to be recalibrated once the grating has been physically replaced or mechanically switched. Other components within the optical system such as lenses, slits, and single channel (or multichannel) detectors contribute to the final system resolution and spectral range. For more complicated optical system such as line-scan (or push-broom) hyperspectral imagers, the spectral range of measurement is fixed. Known systems and processes do not adequately addresses such issues.
Therefore, a multifunctional diffraction grating that shows one or more improvements in comparison to the prior art would be desirable in the art.


An apparatus and method for manufacturing compact discs (2) having a non-circular outer profile (8) includes imprinting digital information in an annular region (12) on the under face of a compact disc blank (36) such that an outer limit (14) of the annular region (12) does not extend beyond the innermost reach (16) of the edge of the compact disc (2) in its final shape, forming a first alignment mark (20a, 20b) on the blank (36), applying a label (22) to the upper face of the blank (36), orienting the blank (36) on a manufacturing platform (26) by aligning the first alignment mark (20a, 20b) with respect to an alignment mark (34a, 34b) on the manufacturing platform (26), securing the blank (36) against rotation with respect to the platform (26) and shaping the blank (36) into its final shape by removing portions of the blank with a grinding tool (44) which cooperates with a form (38) to provide the final shape.

The present invention relates to compact discs and related devices, such as CD-ROMs, laser discs and cleaning CD's, having a profile other than circular. In particular, the invention relates to processes for manufacturing this novel type of compact disc.
Presently, all compact discs have a circular profile shape. It is common that a label containing artwork or other visually readable material is applied to the upper, non-functional face of the compact disc. Since the normal compact disc is round, the label may be applied in any radial direction so long as the label is properly centered.
However, the orientation of a non-round compact disc changes about the perimeter of the disc, the label must be applied not only in centered fashion, but must also be aligned in the proper radial direction with respect to the disc perimeter or profile. It therefore becomes necessary to label and manufacture non-round compact discs to insure that the label is properly aligned in the desired orientation.
Is it currently considered to be a requirement that compact discs have a circular outer profile, based on the process by which information is read on the compact disc by a reading machine, such as a compact disc player. The disc rotates about a central axis in a receiving tray of the player with respect to a laser-based reading element, and therefore, the information on the disc must be arranged in a circular fashion. Since the disc must rotate within the player, it is of course most convenient to have the disc as a whole shaped with a circular outer profile, with the player shaped to receive the circular disc.
However, it has now been discovered that it is possible to provide a compact disc having a non-circular outer profile. FIG. 1 shows a heart shaped compact disc in bottom plan view, although any non-circular disc is within the scope of the invention. The radius r.sub.1, of such a non-round disc 2, measured from the center of the disc (i.e. the center of the center hole 10) to the furthest point 6 on the outer profile 8, should be sized to fit within the usually round receiving tray of an appropriate CD player. In other words, the radius r.sub.1 must be less than or equal to the inside diameter of the receiving tray. However, since the non-circular compact disc will have the usual center hole 10 found on standard round compact discs, these non-circular discs will also properly spin within the receiving tray of a CD player.
While the outer profile of the CD of the invention may be of non-round shape, the readable digital information 12 provided on the disc must be provided in the usual annular arrangement. However, in order to insure that all of the intended information will be readable, the outer limit 14 of the annularly arranged information region must not extend beyond the innermost point 16 of the outer profile 8.
Compact discs generally possess a so-called stacking ring about the center of the disc, which acts as a spacer to prevent damage to the disc surface when stacked with other discs. However, the spaces resulting between the stacked discs become problematic during a shaping process in which a plurality of stacked discs are simultaneously shaped. In particular, dust and other debris from the shaping process tends to enter the interstitial area between discs and could result in damage to the delicate disc surface.

Apparatus and method for manufacturing compact discs having a non-round outer profile


A first device and a second device, each coupled to one or more signal paths, attempting to transmit symbols over one or more of the signal paths, identifying one or more signal paths over each of which each device is able to transmit a symbol to the other device and over which each device is able to receive a symbol from the other device, and enrolling the identified signal paths into an aggregation of signal paths operable to provide for communication between the devices.

Digital systems of all types require interconnection. For example, internal and external devices may need to be connected to each other in a digital system such as a computer system, computer systems may need to be connected to each other for high-bandwidth computer-computer communication as in high-powered computing clusters, and network devices in general need to communicate over a network. In all of these, the trend is toward high speed, point-to-point interconnection, and the use of packet switching techniques to exchange data. There are several advantages to this type of technology, including the ability to have an interconnect that is dynamically routable, scalable, reliable and robust in the presence of individual connection failures.
One specific means of achieving some of these advantages is the use of multiple, aggregated connections. The advantages of aggregation include support for scaling in bandwidth by scaling the size of the aggregation; the possibility of graceful degradation because remaining active connections in the aggregation can continue to serve as an interconnect even after one or more connections fail; the capability of devices to scale downward as well as upward, allowing a device to communicate with another that is incapable of supporting the full bandwidth of the first device by using a smaller aggregation of connections between the devices.
In systems where the identity and capability of devices to be interconnected in this manner are known, designing the aggregations of connections may be done in advance. However such aggregation may not be done in advance if the actual devices to be interconnected may change on the fly and devices capable of supporting different bandwidths are potentially likely to be connected to each other.


A rotary input apparatus is disclosed. As the rotary input apparatus comprises a rotatable wheel; a magnet joined to a surface of the wheel to co-operate with the wheel and magnetized to have alternating N- and S-poles; an electromagnet part positioned facing the magnet and magnetized to have at least N- or S-pole; a printed circuit board, to which the electromagnet part is joined, including a driving part which supplies an electrical current to the electromagnet part, and a detection element which receives electrical power from the driving part for operation, is positioned facing the magnet, and which detects the rotation of the magnet; a control part which receives a signal and controls the operation of the driving part in correspondence with the received signal; and a base to which the printed circuit board is secured, various types of input may be made through the rotation speed, direction, and angle, etc., and rotation or vibration may be obtained from electrical external signals, to provide an improved visual service.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a rotary input apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a mobile terminal has the numbers 0-9 and the symbols * and # on a keypad of 12 keys. In addition to the numbers, there are also alphabet letters as well as consonants and vowels of Korean letters marked on such a keypad, to enable the input of numbers and letters. There are also navigation keys formed above the keypad equipped with a variety of functions such as searching phone numbers, writing and managing text messages, and connecting to the Internet, etc. While there are various forms of navigation keys, such as button types and rotary types, etc., the use of rotary input apparatus is currently increasing, as they enable various functions such as menu browsing, etc.
With the widespread use of such rotary input apparatus, there is a desire among users for visual elements, on top of the general functions of the apparatus. In the conventional rotary input apparatus, however, only the basic functions for input by rotation are implemented, so that the users' demands for improved convenience and greater aesthetic value are not fully being satisfied, and various functions still have not yet been implemented such as incoming signal announcing, in which the rotary input apparatus is actuated in response to an incoming signal.

Rotary input apparatus including a permanent magnet ring, an electromagnet, a driving and control means


Various aspects described herein relate to a location-based and population-based health metric processes. In one example, a computer-implemented method for generating one or more predicted health metrics for a location includes receiving a request to assess the one or more health metrics associated with the location, and identifying at least one current or future built, social, or natural environment parameter associated with the location. The method may further include calculating one or more predicted health metrics associated with the location based upon at least one of the current or future built, social, or natural environment parameters associated with the location, monetizing the healthcare costs of the predicted health metrics and displaying the one or more predicted health metrics and costs.

For urban planners, developers, health insurance companies and elected officials who make decisions about land use and/or transportation policies, plans and investments; public health is a topic having a broad array of benefits, drawbacks and trade-offs that can be weighed in order to adequately and strategically inform such decisions. Indeed, decision-makers are often tasked with selecting a policy or planning development that will advance social, economic or policy goals at a cost to other competing goals.
In real world scenarios with finite resources and land, careful thought should be given to land development and investments to effectively maximize desirable economic, social and health benefits while minimizing the requisite costs. However, this task is complicated by the fact that the parameters used to calculate these benefits and costs are often based upon numerous variables, complicating the analysis and making it difficult to predict outcomes. Current technologies provide limited options for collecting, analyzing, and validating parameters related to economic, social and health benefits associated with land use, zoning and development. Moreover, the data necessary to make informed decisions about economic, social and health issues associated with land use, zoning, and development is highly fragmented and often contains inaccuracies which can have a negative impact on the decision-making process. Disadvantageously, current technologies lack intelligent, efficient, and reliable tools and mechanisms for collecting, validating, and analyzing built, social and environmental factors and developing environmental measures, land use plans, and policies that maximize economic, social, and health benefits.

Methods and systems for detecting environment features in images, predicting location-based health metrics based on environment features, and improving health outcomes and costs


A parallel operation-type uninterruptible power system capable of preventing one of uninterruptible power systems from being extremely increased in load sharing ratio without having to operate each uninterruptible power system while watching operation of the remaining uninterruptible power systems. The uninterruptible power systems each are constituted by an inverter circuit and an inverter circuit control device. The inverter circuit control device includes a PWM control signal generating means. The PWM control signal generating means generates a PWM control signal so as to gradually reduce an output voltage of the inverter circuit as supply active power increases and until a judging means judges that the supply active power has reached a predetermined level and so as to reduce the output voltage at a reduction ratio increased as compared with before to keep it from falling into an overload condition when the judging means judges that the supply active power has reached the predetermined level.

This invention relates to an uninterruptible power system, a parallel operation-type uninterruptible power system, an inverter unit and a parallel operation-type inverter unit.
Of conventional uninterruptible power systems, a so-called continuous inverter-type uninterruptible power system is constructed so as to convert AC power provided by an AC power supply into DC power to output it to a load when the commercial power supply is in a normal condition and so as to convert DC power provided by a storage battery into AC power to output it to the load when power failure occurs in the commercial power supply. The uninterruptible power system includes an inverter circuit for power conversion constituted by a semiconductor switching element, as well as an inverter circuit control device including a PWM control signal generating means for generating a PWM control signal which subjects the semiconductor switching element to PWM control to permit AC power synchronized with commercial power to be outputted from the inverter circuit while adjusting an output power thereof. When an increase in capacity is required, a plurality of such uninterruptible power systems are connected in parallel to each other for operation. In addition to the uninterruptible power systems, a plurality of inverters for driving such as motors or the like may be subjected to parallel operation. In parallel operation of the plural inverters, an extreme increase in load sharing ratio of each of the inverters may possibly causes breakage of the inverter. Also, it causes actuation of a safety circuit, leading to a failure in parallel operation of the inverters.
Parallel operation of the plural uninterruptible power systems causes a drift current to occur in a reactive current when the uninterruptible power systems are different in output voltage from each other. Also, the parallel operation causes a drift current to occur in an active current as well, when output currents of the power units are different in phase from each other. Thus, the prior art is constructed so as to permit the uninterruptible power system to equitably share power by extracting both a reactive current and an active current from an output current of each of the uninterruptible power systems to vary an amplitude of an output voltage thereof depending on a variation in reactive current and vary a phase of the output voltage depending on a variation in active current. Alternatively, in the prior art, equitable feeding of power to the plural uninterruptible power systems is carried out by detecting a sum of currents of the plural uninterruptible power systems fed to the load to compare the sum with a current of each of the uninterruptible power systems, resulting in carrying out control so as to permit the current to be an average of the plural uninterruptible power systems.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 40704/1994 discloses techniques of subjecting a plurality of inverters connected in parallel to each other to parallel operation, wherein an output of a differential amplifying circuit for amplifying a differential voltage between an output voltage of the inverter and a sinusoidal reference wave is used for controlling the inverters. A means for adding or subtracting an output current of the inverter to or from an input of the differential amplifying circuit or an output thereof is provided. Thus, when it is desired to reduce an output voltage of the inverter, the output current of the inverter is added to the sinusoidal reference wave from a sinusoidal wave generating circuit and then fed to the differential amplifying circuit together with the output voltage of the inverter. When it is desired to increase the output voltage, the output current and the output voltage are added thereto and are fed to the differential amplifying circuit together with the sinusoidal reference wave, resulting in controlling a drift current between the inverters. The parallel operation thus constructed permits each of the inverters to solely carry out controlling of a drift current thereof without considering outputs of the remaining inverters.
However, the prior art wherein parallel operation of the plural uninterruptible power systems connected in parallel to each other requires operation of each of the power failure-free power units depending on outputs of the remaining uninterruptible power systems, so that it is required to prepare or arrange any additional circuit for associating the uninterruptible power systems with each other. Thus, mere parallel connection of the plural uninterruptible power systems to each other fails in satisfactory operation of the uninterruptible power systems. The above-described approach disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 40704/1994 fails to prevent an extreme increase in load sharing of each of the inverters although it controls the drift current.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a parallel operation-type uninterruptible power system which is capable of preventing an extreme increase in load sharing of each of uninterruptible power systems constituting the parallel operation-type uninterruptible power system without requiring to operate each of the uninterruptible power systems while considering operation of the remaining uninterruptible power systems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an uninterruptible power system which is capable of being used for the above-described parallel operation-type uninterruptible power system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a parallel operation-type inverter unit which is capable of preventing an extreme increase in load sharing of each of inverter units without requiring to operate each of the inverter units while considering operation of the remaining inverter units.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an inverter unit which is capable of being used for the above-described parallel operation-type inverter unit.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an uninterruptible power system is provided. The uninterruptible power system includes an inverter circuit for converting DC power converted from AC power of a commercial power supply into AC power to output it to a load when the commercial power supply is in a normal condition and converting DC power of a storage battery into AC power to output it to the load when the commercial power supply falls into a power failure condition. The inverter circuit is constituted by semiconductor switching elements. The uninterruptible power system also includes an inverter circuit control device including a voltage detecting means for detecting an output voltage of the inverter circuit, a current detecting means for detecting an output current of the inverter circuit, and a PWM control signal generating means for generating a PWM control signal for subjecting the semiconductor switching elements constituting the inverter circuit to PWM control to permit the inverter circuit to output the AC power synchronized with commercial power supply while adjusting an output voltage thereof. The PWM control signal generating means includes a differential amplifying circuit for amplifying a difference between the output voltage and a sinusoidal reference signal and is constructed so as to generate the PWM control signal depending on a signal obtained by adding or subtracting the output current to or from an input or output of the differential amplifying circuit in such a manner that the output current is subtracted from the sinusoidal reference signal.
In the present invention generally constructed as described above, the inverter circuit control device further includes an operation means for operating a supply active power being fed to the load by the inverter circuit depending on the output voltage and output current and a judging means for judging whether the supply active power operated by the operation means reaches a predetermined level before it falls into an overload condition. Also, the PWM control signal generating means generates the PWM control signal so as to gradually reduce the supply active power or gradually reduce the output voltage of the inverter circuit as supply active power increases and until the judging means judges that the supply active power reaches the predetermined level and so as to reduce the output voltage at a reduction ratio increased as compared with before to keep it from falling into the overload condition when the judging means judges that the supply active power reaches the predetermined level. Such construction of the present invention, when the uninterruptible power systems are operated while being connected in parallel to each other, permits an initial load sharing ratio of each of the uninterruptible power systems to be determined depending on a magnitude of an output voltage thereof determined depending on construction thereof. More specifically, the uninterruptible power system increased in output is increased in load sharing ratio. Such a condition causes occurrence of a drift current due to a difference between the output voltages of the uninterruptible power systems. However, the drift current does not adversely affect operation of the uninterruptible power system unless it is extremely or abnormally increased. A problem due to the drift current may be solved by techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 40704/1994 owned by the assignee. In order to permit the disclosed techniques to be applied to the present invention, the PWM control signal generating means includes the differential amplifying circuit for amplifying a difference between the output voltage and a sinusoidal reference signal and is constructed so as to generate the PWM control signal depending on a signal obtained by adding or subtracting the output current to or from an input or output of the differential amplifying circuit in such a manner that the output current is subtracted from the sinusoidal reference signal.
Thus, the present invention permits controlling of the drift current during normal operation of the uninterruptible power system. However, when a load sharing ratio of the uninterruptible power system increased in load sharing ratio is increased to a level of the overload condition, the uninterruptible power system is caused to be broken. In order to avoid such a trouble, the present invention is constructed in such a manner that the PWM signal generating means generates the PWM control signal so as to gradually reduce the output voltage of the inverter circuit as supply active power increases and until the judging means judges that the supply active power reaches a predetermined level and so as to reduce the output voltage at a reduction ratio increased as compared with before to keep it from falling into the overload condition when the judging means judges that the supply active power reaches the predetermined level. Such construction, when one of the uninterruptible power systems is reduced in output voltage, permits another uninterruptible power system most increased in output voltage to be increased in load sharing ratio, so that the above-described control may be carried out in the remaining uninterruptible power systems. When it is not required to substantially reduce the output voltage in the remaining uninterruptible power systems, the parallel operation is continued. Thus, the present invention permits each of the uninterruptible power systems to vary its load sharing ratio by itself without monitoring outputs of the remaining uninterruptible power systems, to thereby prevent any one of the uninterruptible power systems from falling into an overload condition. This results in the uninterruptible power systems being subjected to parallel operation without requiring any circuit for associating the uninterruptible power systems with each other.
In this instance, the PWM control signal generating means may be constructed so as to subtract a value obtained by multiplying the supply active power by a first gain constant from an effective value command value for an output voltage to be obtained before the judging means judges that the supply active power reaches the predetermined level and to subtract a value obtained by multiplying the power factor by a second gain constant larger than the first gain constant from the effective value command value for the output voltage to be obtained when the judging means judges that the supply active power reaches the predetermined level.
Also, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an inverter circuit is provided. The inverter unit includes an inverter circuit for converting AC power of a commercial power supply into DC power to output it to a load. The inverter circuit is constituted by semiconductor switching elements. The inverter unit also includes an inverter circuit control device including a voltage detecting means for detecting an output voltage of the inverter circuit, a current detecting means for detecting an output current of the inverter circuit, and a PWM control signal generating means for generating a PWM control signal for subjecting the semiconductor switching elements constituting the inverter circuit to PWM control to permit the inverter circuit to output the AC power synchronized with commercial power while adjusting an output voltage thereof. The PWM control signal generating means includes a differential amplifying circuit for amplifying a difference between the output voltage and a sinusoidal reference signal with each other and is constructed so as to generate the PWM control signal depending on a signal obtained by adding or subtracting the output current to or from an input or output of the differential amplifying circuit in such a manner that the output current is subtracted from the sinusoidal reference signal.
In the inverter unit of the present invention generally constructed as described above, the inverter circuit control device further includes an operation means for operating a supply active power being fed to the load by the inverter circuit depending on the output voltage and output current and a judging means for judging whether the active power operated by the operation means reaches a predetermined level before it falls into an overload condition. Also, the PWM control signal generating means generates the PWM control signal so as to gradually reduce the supply active power or gradually reduce the output voltage of the inverter circuit with an increase in the supply active power until the judging means judges that the supply active power reaches the predetermined level and so as to reduce the output voltage at a reduction ratio increased as compared with before to keep it from falling into the overload condition when the judging means judges that the supply active power has reached the predetermined level.
A plurality of the inverter units may be connected in parallel to each other to constitute a parallel operation-type inverter unit. The parallel operation-type inverter unit carries out parallel operation without requiring any circuit for associating the inverter units with each other for such reasons as described above.