An apparatus for the management of the fluid level in a media coating system. In one embodiment, the apparatus has a supply item for the storage of a media coating fluid and an applicator having a trough for receiving the media coating fluid from the supply item. The apparatus utilizes a fluid level detection sensor that is located within the applicator to measure whether the media coating fluid level within the trough of the applicator is either above or below a threshold position and to generates an output signal. The apparatus has a controller for receiving the output signal and controlling delivery of the media coating fluid from the supply item to the applicator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for fluid level regulation in a media coating system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sensing and regulating liquid ink and coating levels in an inkjet printing system and maintaining the satisfactory operation thereof.
2. Background Art
Drop-on-demand ink jet printers use thermal energy to produce a vapor bubble in an ink-filled chamber to expel a droplet. A thermal energy generator or heating element, usually a resistor, is located in the chamber on a heater chip near a discharge nozzle. A plurality of chambers, each provided with a single heating element, are provided in the printer's print head. The print head typically comprises the heater chip and a nozzle plate having a plurality of the discharge nozzles formed therein. The print head forms part of an ink jet print cartridge that also comprises an ink-filled container.
Ink jet printers have typically suffered from two major shortcomings. First, optical density of a printed image varies greatly with the print media or substrate being printed upon. Second, ink drying time is excessive on some media types.
Interaction between the ink and print media or substrate influences the performance of the ink jet printer. Different media types behave differently with the ink and not all media types are well suited for ink jet printing. Accordingly, attempts have been made to apply a liquid coating to the media before printing that interacts with the ink to improve the quality of the resulting printed image. The ink may contain, for example, penetrants to improve dry time and binders to improve performance. These "pre-coating" liquids may contain materials that cause the ink to flocculate on the surface of the media, improving image quality. Pre-coating liquids have previously been applied to the print media using a separate ink jet print head and by the use of a roll coating apparatus that directly contacts the print media prior to ink application. One roll coating apparatus and method of the prior art is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,079, assigned to Lexmark International, Inc.
Thus, a primary function of the media coating device is to deliver a uniform coat of specialized fluid to the print medium prior to printing. As the media is printed on, the interaction of the fluid and the ink results in superior optical density and faster dry time. As this specialized fluid is delivered to the coating device through a supply item, it becomes necessary to detect the presence of the supply item, and detect, maintain and control the level of the fluid within the coating device for it to perform properly. In particular, when the specialized fluid in the device's reservoir is depleted, timely refill should be conducted. In doing so, overfill should be avoided, and normal printing processes should not be interrupted.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus for fluid level management in a media coating system for an inkjet printer that is capable of detecting, maintaining, filling and controlling the level of the specialized fluid in the media coating system.

System and method of fluid level regulating for a media coating system


There are provided a navigation system, a route search method and a storage medium which are easily capable of setting a destination even if a telephone number, which is not contained in a storage device, is entered. A route search processing unit, in the case where, for example, positions corresponding to telephone numbers that match the number expressing the area of the entered telephone number are four or more, selects four telephone numbers that are approximate to the entered telephone number, and sets the point of intersection, which is formed when the positions corresponding to the selected telephone numbers are connected diagonally by straight lines, as a destination. The route search processing unit searches for a route from the position of a user's car, which is calculated by a vehicle position measuring unit, to a point that is set as a destination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a navigation system, a route search method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A navigation system equipped with a map display function includes a route search function to search for a route of the shortest distance from a present position to a destination or a route of the shortest time considering dynamic traffic information. There exists a plurality of conventional methods for setting the destination that is initially set in a route search.
The first conventional method is a method in which a user operates a map displayed on a display to directly specify the position of a destination on the map. This method is effective when the user understands the local geography around the destination to an extent. However, if the user is not familiar with the local geography around the destination, he/she needs to zoom in, zoom out, and scroll the map frequently to search for the specific position of the destination, and the method has a drawback that much time is spent in destination setting.
The second conventional method is a method of directly setting a destination, where the position of a destination is determined, for example, from a telephone number associated with the destination (hereinafter, this method will be called a telephone number input method).
In the telephone number input method, the user enters a telephone number through an input means such as a touch panel provided on the navigation system. A storage device such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM provided in the navigation system stores telephone numbers, positional information where the telephone numbers exist, name information, facility information, address information, message, image and the like which are attribute information of telephone numbers (hereinafter, such information will be called guidance information), and the relationship between area codes/local office numbers and representative positional information of an area covered by the office numbers.
Next, the guidance information is searched based on the telephone number that the user enters. Herein, when a telephone number that matches the telephone number entered by the user is stored as the guidance information, the position of a destination is determined by reading out the positional information in the guidance information.
On the other hand, if a telephone number that matches the telephone number that the user entered is not stored, the representative positional information of an area covered by the area code/local office number associated with the telephone number is searched. Further, a map of the area around the representative position is displayed on a screen, and the user scrolls the map to determine the position of the destination.
By using such a telephone number input method, the destination can be directly set only if the telephone number of the destination is available. Further, there exists a system disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-60479 as such a navigation system.
However, since the navigation system disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-60479 is designed such that a point represented by office numbers (area code+local office number) is displayed as a way of dealing with the case where the entered telephone number is not contained in the storage medium, a point near the point of the entered telephone number is not necessarily displayed. Thus, there existed a problem that the user needed to scroll a map from the displayed point by operating a remote controller to search for a point that appeared to be a desired destination, and longer time was taken to set the destination.

Navigation system, route search method, and storage medium


A solution for answering a call on a mobile phone is described including a “courtesy answering mode”. Here, the receiving party manually activates a recorded or automatically constructed message to be played for the caller, indicating to the calling party in effect that the receiving party will take their call shortly, and/or is relocating to a location where they will be able to properly receive the call. The receiving party can then move in a quiet and unhurried manner, without feeling compelled to start talking to the calling party. When the receiving party reaches the appropriate location, they will activate the phone to initiate the conversation. In addition, various remote controller/communicator accessories are described to further aid in answering or processing an incoming call in a manner courteous to those in close proximity to the receiving party.

Mobile phones (alternately referred to as cellular or wireless phones) have been proliferated to the point that in any gathering or meeting of people today, one can predict with a reasonable degree of certainty that sometime during the meeting, a mobile phone will ring, causing some degree of disturbance, disruption, and/or aggravation. Sometimes, people are requested to turn off their phones and yet a phone still rings.
Many phones have vibration modes to indicate incoming calls. While this usually prevents the disruption caused by an audible ring, people still feel compelled to answer such calls. This means they will start talking, thereby disrupting the meeting or gathering, even if they simultaneously get up and exit the room. Also, people naturally talk relatively loudly when conversing on mobile phones, so any initiation of a call is rarely done quietly.
Currently, it is becoming more frequent to find mobile phones being banned in meetings, gatherings, and restaurants. This trend will undoubtedly continue given the ongoing reductions in the costs of mobile service and the resultant proliferation of mobile phones. Eventually, people who have a strong need to stay in contact with others for critical business communications will find their business activities suffering due to being out of touch while in meetings, gatherings, and restaurants. One option is to activate the phone to answer the call and then walk to a location suitable for talking. However, many conference rooms and certainly most restaurants and theaters are large enough that the time required to move to a proper location is too long to expect the calling party to wait without hearing some response from the receiving end. Also, the receiving party may not want the calling party to hear the background sounds that exist in the receiving party's ambient environment.
One capability that does exist (at least in some Nextel phones) is the capability to send a caller immediately to voicemail by pressing a button. This is typically used by persons who have left their phones in an audible "ring" mode (as opposed to a silent "vibrate") and want to curtail the disturbance caused by the ringing sound. Otherwise, the only other effect of using this feature is to send the caller into voicemail after one or two rings instead of the usual four or more rings—something that makes little difference to the caller. However, if the receiving party wishes to accept the call, this feature is of little or no value.
If the situation is one where disturbing others is an issue, what typically happens is that the receiving party will answer the phone and start the conversation while they are standing up and starting to walk out of the room. They may even attempt to talk softly as they do this, but most often, the damage relative to disturbing others is already done. Besides the actions just described, the only other choice the receiving party has today is to ignore the call and let it go into voicemail.
Many times, calls are just too important to ignore. What is needed is a method that allows the person receiving the call to do so in complete silence while allowing them to exit the room in a quiet, non-rushed manner, thereby showing a maximum amount of courtesy to those in the meeting or gathering. At the same time, this needed method should not inconvenience, confuse, or aggravate the caller. Such a capability does not exist in mobile phones today.
In addition to mobile phones, a variety of digital electronic devices such as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and even miniature notebook computers are evolving to have wireless connection capability, not only for email and Internet connectivity, but also for voice communication. This voice communication capability essentially allows such mobile communication devices to function in a similar way to a mobile phone, usually by connecting some form of wired or wireless headset to the unit. Conversely, some mobile phones are being produced that when opened, become a PDA with a larger display and QWERTY-style keyboard. Similar problems to those listed above regarding courtesy issues at gatherings apply to these combination units in a similar way. Although the descriptions in this specification refer to what is currently termed cellular, wireless, or mobile phones, it is understood that they also apply to any mobile or wireless device with voice communication capability where such courtesy issues are important or significant.
One additional and emerging capability is to use wireless technology to implement all the phones within a business office as mobile phones that act like cellular/wireless phones so that employees can be better connected. Given this trend, references in this specification to the "Service Provider" may be interpreted to be a conventional mobile/cellular service provider such as Sprint, Verizon, CellularOne, Nextel, etc., or alternately, equipment located locally within an office building or office campus, or some combination of a conventional mobile service provider and local equipment functioning in unison or collaboration.
Another problem that exists with regard to answering mobile phones occurs in those circumstances where it is not practical or desirable to have the phone (or digital communication device capable of voice communication) in close enough proximity to the user to enable the vibration ring indicator to be effective. One such circumstance arises when the phone or communication device is too large to be comfortably placed in a pocket or in a belt holster. This will happen more and more as PDAs and small computers become voice enabled. The other circumstance occurs when the user does not have a pocket in which to place the mobile phone, or does not wish to place the phone in a belt holster (or does no wear a belt) due to reasons relating to style of dress. Most often, issues relating to dress will arise for the mobile businesswoman who wears a dress or suit with no pockets and/or no belt, or where the bulge or protrusion of a phone would not integrate well with their ensemble. In all of the above circumstances, the normal phone vibration mode is useless and the user must rely on an audible ring to know when there is an incoming call. This means that important calls will be missed with the phone turned off, or that the user will be compelled to allow an audible ring in meetings, thereby disturbing others. Of course, when phones are banned in meetings, there is no choice but to miss the call unless an alternative solution is available, such as a miniature wireless remote ring indicator that vibrates.
Unfortunately, in many business meetings held in closed conference rooms, the ambient noise level is so low that any audible ring indication, unless emitted from a device inserted in the user's ear, can probably be heard by others. In fact, most mobile phones, when in vibrate-only mode, are audible to others unless they are physically damped by being pressed close to the user's body. Better solutions are needed to all these problems since it is quite probable that mobile phones and voice-capable digital computing/communication devices will be banned in most gatherings within the foreseeable future.

Courtesy answering solution for wireless communication devices


A surface emission type semiconductor laser includes a plurality of semiconductor layers defining at least one resonator in a direction perpendicular to the semiconductor substrate of the laser, the layers including at least a cladding layer in the semiconductor layers being formed into at least one column-like portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the semiconductor substrate, and a II-VI group compound semiconductor epitaxial layer buried around the column-like portion. The column-like portion is of rectangular cross-section in a plane parallel to the semiconductor substrate and having longer and shorter sides, whereby the polarization plane of said emitted laser beam is parallel to the direction of said shorter sides.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface emission type semiconductor laser adapted to emit a laser beam in a direction perpendicular to a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
A surface emission type laser including a resonator disposed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate thereof is disclosed in Lectures of the 50-th Meeting of Applied Physics in Japan (Sep. 27, 1989), Vol. 3, pp. 909, 29a-ZG-7. In accordance with the prior art, as shown in FIG. 12, there is first provided an n-type GaAs substrate 602 on which an n-type AlGaAs/AlAs multi-layer film 603, an n-type AlGaAs cladding layer 604, a p-type GaAs active layer 605 and a p-type AlGaAs cladding layer 606 are sequentially grown and formed. The multi-layered structure is then etched while leaving a column-like part at the top thereof. The remaining column-like part is enclosed by a buried layer which is formed by sequentially growing a p-type layer 607, n-type layer 608, p-type layer 609 and p-type layer 610 all of which are of AlGaAs in liquid phase epitaxy method. Thereafter, a multi-layer dielectric film 611 is deposited on the cap layer of p-type AlGaAs 610 at the top thereof. Finally, p- and n-type ohmic electrodes 612 and 601 are formed respectively on the top and bottom end faces of the structure thus formed. In such a manner, a surface emission type semiconductor laser will be completed.
The buried layer (607-608) formed in the above manner defines a p-n junction which is used as means for preventing current from leaking to layer sections other than the active layer section.
However, by using such a p-n junction, it is difficult to provide a sufficient current restriction; and it cannot suppress any reactive current perfectly. Due to generation of heat in the component, therefore, the surface emission type semiconductor laser constructed in accordance with the prior art is impractical in that it is difficult to perform a continuous generating drive in room temperature. It is thus important to restrict the reactive current in the surface emission type semiconductor laser.
Where the buried layer is of a multi-layered structure to form a p-n junction as in the prior art, the p-n interface in the buried layer should be positioned in consideration of a position of the interface between each of the adjacent column-like grown layers. It is difficult to control the thickness of each layer in the multi-layered structure. It is therefore very difficult to consistently produce surface emission type semiconductor lasers.
If a buried layer is formed around the column by the liquid phase epitaxy method as in the prior art, there is a high risk of breaking-off of the column-like part, leading to a reduced yield. The prior art was thus subject to a structural limitation in improving its characteristics.
The prior art raises further problems even when it is applied to various other devices such as laser printers and the like.
For example, laser printers can have an increased freedom of design as in simplifying the optical system or in decreasing the optical path, since the source of light (semiconductor laser and so on) has a relatively large size of light spot equal to several tens .mu.m and if a light emitting element having an increased intensity of light emission is used in the laser printers.
With the surface emission type semiconductor laser constructed according to the prior art, the optical resonator is entirely buried in a material having a refractive index higher than that of the resonator. Light rays are mainly guided in the vertical direction. As a result, a spot of light emission in the basic generation mode will have a diameter equal to about 2 .mu.m even if the shape of the resonator is modified in the horizontal direction.
It has been proposed that the light spots be located close to each other up to about 2 .mu.m and that a plurality of light sources be used to increase the size of a spot. From the standpoint of reproductiveness and yield, however, it is very difficult with the prior art to bury a plurality of resonators spaced away from one another by several microns to using the LPE method. Even if such a burying can be successfully carried out, the spots cannot be united into a single spot since the transverse leakage of light is little.
It is also necessary that a plurality of light spots are formed into a single beam of light and that the laser beams each consisted of plural spots are in phase to increase the intensity of light emission. However, the prior art could not produce a surface emission type semiconductor laser which emits a plurality of laser beams close to one another up to a distance by which one of the laser beams are influenced by the other, in order to synchronize the laser beams in phase.
In such a type of surface emission type semiconductor lasers, it is very important to set a plane of polarization in the laser beam in a particular direction. The plane of polarization is one in which the laser beam oscillates. The laser beam has a property that it proceeds while the plane of polarization is being maintained in one direction.
It is known in the art that when a laser beam is reflected by a mirror, its reflectivity depends on an angle included between the plane of polarization and the mirror. Since the laser beam has such a property, the direction of polarization plane in the laser beam becomes very important in designing an instrument utilizing the laser beam, such as laser printer. For example, when a laser beam is to be reflected by a mirror to provide a desired level of light intensity in the reflected laser beam, it is required to adjust the position of an element so that the direction of polarization plane can be set. If a plurality of elements have different directions of polarization plane in laser beams, it is extremely troublesome to adjust the position of each element. In addition, when one element includes a plurality of semiconductor lasers and if the directions of polarization plane in the laser beams are different from one another, the reflectivity in the mirror varies from one laser beam to another to provide the resultant intensities in the reflected beams which are different from one another. In the other fields in which a laser beam is caused to pass through a polarizing filter or the like, such as optical communication, it is required that only a laser beam having a particular direction of polarization plane is caused to pass through the polarizing filter. It is very important herein that the direction of polarization plane is set in a particular direction.
However, the actual measurements of surface emission type semiconductor lasers relating to the direction of polarization plane in the laser beam showed that the direction of polarization plane was different from one element to another and that when a plurality of lasers are arranged within a single element, there was a variability on the directions of polarization plane even in the laser beams which were emitted from the one and same element.
From our study, it has been found that the direction of polarization plane depends on the cross-sectional configuration of a resonator parallel to a semiconductor substrate. In the plane of polarization of the prior art, a buried layer was formed to surround a resonator by the use of LPE (Liquid Phase Epitaxy) process after the resonator had been formed into a column-like configuration, as described. In the LPE process, it cannot be avoided to create an undesirable phenomenon which is called "melt-back". The "melt-back" phenomenon causes the resonator to deform since the sides of the column-like resonator are fused by contact with the high-temperature molten material. The fusion of resonator sides due to the "melt-back" is very unstable, depending on the surface state, crystal orientation and other factors. Therefore, even if a resonator having its desirable cross-sectional configuration was formed by an etching technique, the cross-sectional configuration thereof would be deformed by the "melt-back" when it was subjected to the LPE process. Consequently, the direction of polarization plane in the laser beam emitted from such a resonator could not be also set in a desired direction.

Surface emission type semiconductor laser


An avalanche photodetector is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate layer including a first type of semiconductor material. The apparatus also includes a multiplication layer including the first type of semiconductor material disposed proximate to the semiconductor substrate layer. The apparatus also includes an absorption layer having a second type of semiconductor material disposed proximate to the multiplication layer such that the multiplication layer is disposed between the absorption layer and the semiconductor substrate layer. The absorption layer is optically coupled to receive and absorb an optical beam. The apparatus also includes an n+ doped region of the first type of semiconductor material defined at a surface of the multiplication layer opposite the absorption layer. A high electric field is generated in the multiplication layer to multiply charge carriers photo-generated in response to the absorption of the optical beam received in the absorption layer.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of invention relate generally to optical devices and, more specifically but not exclusively relate to photodetectors.
2. Background Information
The need for fast and efficient optical-based technologies is increasing as Internet data traffic growth rate is overtaking voice traffic pushing the need for fiber optical communications. Transmission of multiple optical channels over the same fiber in the dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) system provides a simple way to use the unprecedented capacity (signal bandwidth) offered by fiber optics. Commonly used optical components in the system include wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) transmitters and receivers, optical filter such as diffraction gratings, thin-film filters, fiber Bragg gratings, arrayed-waveguide gratings, optical add/drop multiplexers, lasers, optical switches and photodetectors. Photodiodes may be used as photodetectors to detect light by converting incident light into an electrical signal. An electrical circuit may be coupled to the photodetector to receive the electrical signal representing the incident light. The electrical circuit may then process the electrical signal in accordance with the desired application. Avalanche photodetectors provide internal electrical gain and therefore have high sensitivity suitable for very weak optical signal detection.


A control apparatus includes an electric current estimation unit to improve a responsiveness of an AC motor. The electric current estimation unit performs, at predetermined intervals, a dq conversion, a correction process, and an inverted dq conversion. The dq conversion calculates d/q axis electric current estimate values based on a detection value of a sensor phase from a sensor, and on an electric current estimate values of two phases of the AC motor other than the sensor phase from a previous cycle. The correction process corrects, during the dq conversion, the d/q axis electric current estimate values in an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to a sensor phase axis. The inverted dq conversion calculates the electric current estimate values of the two phases other than the sensor phase based on the d/q axis electric current estimate values corrected by the correction process and smoothed by a low-pass filter process.

In recent years, electric and hybrid vehicles driven by an alternate current (AC) motor are the focus of attention in terms of their advantageous features that match a social demand for low fuel consumption and low exhaust gas emission.
For instance, in some electric vehicles, the AC motor and a direct current power source of a secondary battery are connected by way of a motor controller, which includes an inverter. The AC motor is driven by converting a direct current voltage of the direct current power source into an alternate current voltage with the inverter. In some hybrid vehicles, two AC motors and the direct current power source of the secondary battery are connected by way of the motor controller, which includes the inverter, to drive the AC motors by converting a direct current voltage of the direct current power source into an alternate current voltage with the inverter.
The control systems of such AC motors in the electric and hybrid vehicles detect two or more phase electric currents in the three-phase AC motor, by two or more electric current sensors. Based on the electric current detected from the sensors, the AC motor is controlled. However, by having many electric current sensors for one AC motor, a reduction of the size, volume, and cost of the three phase output terminals as well as the motor control system as a whole is hindered.
An effort to reduce the cost of the AC motor control system is proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-145398 (patent document 1), which is U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,719. Patent document 1 discloses reducing the number of electric current sensors by detecting the electric current of one of three phases in the AC motor (i.e., U phase) via one current sensor. In particular, based on the electric current detected in one phase (i.e., U) by the current sensor and the electric current estimate values of the other two phases (i.e., V, W phases) in a previous cycle, a d-axis electric current estimate value (i.e., an excitation-origin electric current estimate value) and a q-axis electric current estimate value (i.e., a torque-origin electric current estimate value) are calculated. Based on the smoothed values of the d-axis electric current estimate value and the q-axis electric current estimate value, which may be averaged (i.e., smoothed) by a first-order delay filter, the electric current estimate values in other two phases are also calculated, for controlling the AC motor by using the q-axis electric current estimate value (or, using both of the d-axis electric current estimate value and the q-axis electric current estimate value).
By having one electric current sensor for one AC motor (i.e., a single-phase sensing of electric current), the technique of patent document 1 is able to reduce the cost of the inverter as well as the volume or size. However, in the event of a motor torque change, which that causes, for example, a steep change of the actual electric current, the responsiveness of the electric current estimation may not be sufficient, thereby causing a delay of a catch-up of the electric current estimate value. The delay of the electric current estimate value may further lead to a torque variation or fluctuation due to the estimation error and to a lack of torque responsiveness of the AC motor, which is a required and important feature of the AC motor.


An apparatus for data recovery includes a multi-level comparison unit, a detection logic unit, and a data composer. The multi-level comparison unit compares an input signal with M different reference signal levels to generate M digital data, the number M being greater than or equal to 2. The detection logic unit is coupled to the multi-level comparison unit, and performs logic operations upon specified lengths over the M digital data obtained from the multi-level comparison unit. The data composer is coupled to the multi-level comparison unit and the detection logic unit. The data composer generates recovered data conforming with a run length encoding constraint based on the M digital data obtained from the multi-level comparison unit and the result obtained from the detection logic unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for data recovery, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for data recovery suitable for high-density data recording applications, that can effectively lower the data error rate.
2. Description of the Related Art
When transmitting data and when recording data on a recording medium, such as a floppy disk, an optical disc or a magneto-optic disc, data are modulated into another encoded data format based on a specific encoding rule for suitability to transmission or recording. In order to correctly receive and retrieve the encoded data from the recording medium, the length of the encoded data must conform with a run length limit (abbreviated as RLL). Taking the DVD system as an example, the run length of the RLL encoded data between two neighboring symbols conforms with (d=2, k=10) encoding constraint, where (d) is the minimum run length and (k) is the maximum run length. That is to say, in NRZI (non-return zero inverse) modulation, the number of '0's between two neighboring '1's must be at least (d) but must not exceed (k). On the other hand, in NRZ (non-return zero) modulation, the number of '0's or '1's must be at least (d′=d+1) but must not exceed (k′=k+1). Therefore, the encoded data can be correctly received and decoded. Due to continuous progress in recording techniques, it is foreseeable to have higher density recording in optical discs. For high frequency signals, the amplitudes of the signals however will decrease, and therefore result in lower signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). As a result, encoded data with run length equal to (d) or (d′) and (k) or (k′) will be affected by low frequency noise, causing incorrect decoding during data retrieving. Referring to FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c), with no consideration of any noise, assuming that an input signal (EQRF) employing RLL (d=1, k=7) in NRZ modulation, if the input signal (EQRF) is decoded based on a reference signal level (SL1), a digital signal (SLRF1) conforming with the run length encoding constraint (d′=d+1) will be generated. As shown in FIGS. 2(a) to 2(d), with noise (NOISE) interference, the amplitude of the input signal (EQRF) however will vary. Thus, an erroneous digital signal (SLRF2), which does not conform with the run length encoding constraint (d′=d+1) and which cannot be correctly recovered, will be generated.
In order to resolve the aforesaid issue, a data detection and correction method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,833, entitled "Data Decoder," use patterns with run lengths of (d′−1), (k′−1), (d−1), (k′+1), (k+1), (d′−2), (d−2), (k′+2), and (k+2) to detect and correct erroneous data bits. Nevertheless, a high-resolution but higher cost analog-to-digital converter is required. Furthermore, no bit errors within a run length (d′−1) can be detected.


The present invention is a novel customizable and retractable enclosure system particularly suited for tennis courts. The customizable and retractable enclosure system of the present invention includes windscreen panel assemblies connected to vertical support members using a system of highly tensioned cables and eliminates the use of a chain link fence.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to enclosures for tennis courts and more particularly to a convertible, retractable and customizable enclosure system for tennis courts that includes windscreen panels, highly tensioned cables and fasteners.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditionally tennis courts employ the use of chain link fences as a means of ball containment. It is known in the art to use windscreens in conjunction with a chain link fence to block the wind, provide a background for the ball, enhance privacy and add security.
For example U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2010/0116446 (to Willett) discloses a windscreen assembly for attachment to a fence. In Willett, a windscreen system includes mounting panels that are affixed to a fence, with a main windscreen sheet attachable to the mounting panels.
Another problem that arises with the use of windscreen panels used in conjunction with barriers, such as chain link fences, is that high wind oftentimes causes the windscreen to become detached from the chain link fence and become damaged. The constant detachment of the screens from the chain link fence also creates a maintenance problem by having to replace the fastening mechanisms regularly. Additionally, if the windscreens are not removed when a wind storm approaches, the chain link fence itself is at risk of completely blowing down as most are not designed to withstand the windloads with the windscreen attached.
In an attempt to limit the damage, prior art designs include one or more holes or flaps in the windscreen to allow the wind to blow through the covers and reduce the billowing or flapping effects. However, the prior art has achieved limited success in addressing the issue of windscreen or fence blowing down in heavy wind.
U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2007/0138456 (to Clark) discloses a device and method relating to a cover for a barrier, such as for a fence or the like which allows the cover to be secured to a barrier so that the cover remains substantially against the barrier. The barrier cover has a front and rear portion. The rear portion has an upper pocket, a lower pocket and at least one web and apertures. The upper and lower pockets may have flexible support members extending therethrough. The web may be located between the upper pocket and the lower pocket. The web may define a plurality of pockets oriented substantially transverse to the upper pocket and the lower pocket.
Henning patent application U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2007/0125994 discloses a wind shield system for mounting on a fence. The Henning reference teaches an apparatus and method for shielding an area from wind comprising at least one windscreen that yields to wind to facilitate, reduce or eliminate stresses or forces on a fence to which a windscreen is attached.
The continued use of chain link fences presents several difficulties and inconveniences. Chain link fences tend to rust and are difficult to assemble and disassemble. In addition, chain link fences are particularly susceptible to high winds and other environmental hazards. Further, chain link fences have often been described as aesthetically unappealing.
It is therefore desirable to have an eco-friendly, durable and customizable enclosure system for tennis courts that is simple to assemble or disassemble and that also provides the added benefit of being retractable and also dispenses with the use of a chain link fence.

Customizable enclosure system for tennis courts


The rotating stem mount has an anchor block and a lag screw extending through the anchor block for mounting the anchor block to a stationary surface. A guide bearing is mounted on a circular shoulder on the anchor block near the base end of the anchor block. The outer race of a thrust bearing is retained to the load end of the anchor block in axial alignment with the anchor block by means of a bearing retainer. A cylindrical housing encloses the thrust bearing, the guide bearing and the anchor block. The housing has a diametrical partition therein in a mid-region thereof. A bolt retains the diametrical partition to the inner race of the thrust bearing. The housing further has an internal circular step in its base end, and that circular step fitly encloses the guide bearing. A stem-like member is mountable to the load end of the housing.

The uses of rotating stem mounts are numerous and include overhead supports for vertical clothes racks. This specific application and its type will be used herein to explain the structure and advantages of the rotating stem mount according to the present invention.
The attachment of a clothes rack to the ceiling has been considered by several inventors in the past, to improve on the stability of these racks, basically. Free-standing post-type clothes racks are commonly found behind a door of a building so that people coming into the building can hang their coats, scarves and hats on them. Generally, these racks have a relatively small base as compared to their height and when they are loaded on one side they become unstable. These clothes racks also stand in the way of a person cleaning the floor beneath them, or are often pushed down by young children riding on tricycles and on other similar riding toys.
In order to obviate the use of a free-standing post-type clothes rack and other supports of the like, several models of ceiling-mounted stem-like hangers were developed in the past. Some of these racks remain fixed, while others have the ability to rotate about their vertical axes. Generally, the rotating stem-like racks of the prior art have only one bearing therein and this bearing is adapted to support axial or thrust loads only. Therefore when a side load is applied to the stem of the rack, such as when the rack is loaded on one side only, the bearing housing of the device tilts slightly causing the thrust bearing to separate from its bearing seat. This lateral misalignment of the stem relative to the bearing housing usually causes a resistant surface-to-surface contact between the stem-supporting member and the housing of the device whereby the bearing is no longer effective and the rotation of the stem becomes difficult.
Examples of suspended hangers of the prior art are disclosed in the following documents:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,078,729 issued to L. C. Hill on Nov. 18, 1913;
U.S. Pat. No. 1,246,633 issued to F. Marquart on Nov. 13, 1917;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,205 issued to J. B. Estabrook on Aug. 18, 1936;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,174,747 issued to H. C. Hueglin on Oct. 3, 1939;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,671 issued to E. P. Johnson on Jan. 9, 1968;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,875 issued to L. L Scholl on Dec. 25, 1973.
The design of a ceiling-mounted rotating stem mount is subject to numerous constraints, one of which is aesthetics. The design of wall and ceiling fixtures for modern houses requires that the fasteners holding the fixture in place should be hidden from view. Another required feature of modern wall and ceiling fixtures is that the average handyman must be capable of easily mounting the fixture using basic hand tools.
It is believed that because of these design constraints, basically, the prior art does not contain an easy-to-install and visually-appealing rotating stem mount having a tandem bearing arrangement therein to resist both axial and lateral loads. Therefore, it is believed that a need still exists for a rotating stem mount that allows a frictionless rotation of the stem under various loading conditions.

Multi-purpose anti-sway rotating stem mount


Disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating chemical analysis based on color principle. Accordingly, the apparatus may include a base located at the bottom of the apparatus. Further, the base may be composed of a rectilinear receptacle. Further, the apparatus may include an intermediate plate located above the base. Further, the apparatus may include a hood located atop the intermediate plate. Further, the hood may include a hood rectilinear receptacle. Further, the hood rectilinear receptacle may be secured to the intermediate plate using a fastening mechanism. Further, the apparatus may include a roundtable housed within the hood. Further, the apparatus may include a motion system passing through and engaging with the roundtable and the hood. Further, the apparatus may include an analysis system embedded into at least one board suspended within the base. Further, the analysis system facilitates automated chemical analysis of a plurality of extraneous vials.

Generally, the common procedure of chemical analysis includes sample pretreatment, screening, agitation, incubation, and analysis covering a wide spectrum of chemically focused fields that had to occur across several apparatuses that may pile time and cost onto an assessment of the chemical analysis. Further, current technologies do not allow remote operation, management, and dictation of the chemical analysis from afar.
Therefore, there is a need for improved apparatuses for facilitating chemical analysis based on color principle that may overcome one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or limitations.

Apparatus for facilitating chemical analysis based on color principle


A pain alleviating tissue treatment assembly uses a combination of a cold electrode and an alterable current source to reduce the temperature of a selected tissue area, while at the same time applying various selected reversing and/or non-reversing currents to the selected tissue. A control console allows the operator to selectively operate the device in conjunction with biological feedback signals and further allows full recordation and/or control of the events as they occur through an attached computer system.

The present invention relates to a pain alleviating and tissue treatment assembly, and in particular, to a cold electrode assembly to alleviate pain and discomfort and accelerate healing in an transcutaneous electro neural stimulation process by reducing the temperature of the body tissues in contact with the cold current application electrode. This invention is also applicable to neuro surgery where small temperature controlled electrodes are implanted.
The nerves in the human body are associated with chemicals which combine and react according to an applied stimuli. Dependent upon this stimuli, a reaction results causing an electrical shift of the polarization of the neuron, or nerve, which then is transmitted as a pain signal or appropriate sensation. Because this reaction is basically chemical in nature, the reaction follows and obeys the general rule for stimuli activated reactions, and the reaction rate doubles for each 10.degree. C. temperature increase. This acceptable principle has been used for years by surgeons and technicians in the medical profession by applying local anesthesia for minor surgery. Typically, compressed liquids such as ethyl chloride are sprayed directly on the tissue surrounding or involved in the surgical site. A substantial cooling of the tissue can result in an accompanying anesthetic effect. Some disadvantages are associated with this basic technique, including the requirement for the operator periodically to stop the treatment, and to recool the tissue surrounding the treatment site. Prior art patents include my own issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,735 for the PAIN ALLEVIATING TISSUE TREATMENT ASSEMBLY wherein a surgical site and the operating instrument are concurrently cooled to a substantially reduced temperature, using cold, dry, sterilized air gases or other treatment fluid. This assembly uses a liquid refrigerant and fluid system in combination with a microrefrigerating vaporator built into the handpiece, bringing cooling fluid to the working tip of the instrument and the site where the instrument is to be used.
The Deutsch U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,828 is a thermoelectrotherapy device using a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by Peltier effect devices. A contact plate is connected to a high voltage source to provide electrical stimulation to the skin and underlying tissue while applying the cold to the surface.
The Perler U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,191 discloses a skin cooling probe which anesthetizes, or desensitizes, a skin target area prior to removal of hairs by electrolysis. The cycle is limited to three seconds of cooldown followed by a twenty-five second heat sink cooling period, with this cycle repeated.
The Wong et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,357, Morez U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,149, Rossen U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,605 and Slovak U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,605 are cited as being of general interest and relate to various non-invasive nerve stimulation devices in alleviating pain and treatment using an electrical energy system.
Other therapeutic devices of interest are shown in Tateisi U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,159, Kissen U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,002, Ghiurco et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,748, Eidus U.S. Pat. No. 3,133,539, Okuhara U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,895, Ruderin U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,284 and Son U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,108. Patents for reducing the temperature of surgical instruments during the performance of surgical techniques are shown in Reynolds U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,829, Peters U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,364, Hershorn U.S. Pat. No. RE 26,276, Gregory U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,743, Kandbar U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,131, Zobac U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,598, Koloner U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,039 and Lloyd U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,897, among others.
Normal functioning of nerve and other body cells and tissue requires a very exact biochemical and biophysical composition and construct. The nervous system requirements are such that polarized electrical communication is almost instantly available from sensory to central decision making areas to motor and organ systems. Accidents, trauma, and disease processes frequently result in forces that apply stresses to individual nerve cells and aggregates, or bundles, of nerve cells and their parts. These stresses may cause ongoing, if not permanent, displacement of the nerve cells, their parts, and the biochemical components within and surrounding them. In some cases, the polarity of nerve fibers may be reversed, or perhaps merely reduced or neutralized. The unnatural conditions of polarity may alter the normal operation of the ion regulating channel in the presynaptic vesicles of a nerve transmitter mechanism, blocking the flow of sensory impulses to the sensory nervous system where decisions are made. They may occur in strategically placed locations that interfere with decision making or intelligence, or they may occur in areas that block motor messages being sent by the central nervous system to the end organs by way of the motor division of the nervous system.
In any of these situations, normal function of the total nervous system, and thus of the owner/vehicle of that nervous system is impaired. The impairment may manifest itself in the loss of sensation, such as pain, heat, cold and so forth. It may manifest itself as the inability to decide what to do or how to do it, as in some form of aplasia. It may show itself as an inability to move a body part, even though one knows precisely what one wants to do. It may mean that one loses an involuntary function, such as bladder control or the like.
One reason for reversed polarity is a forced transition of the biochemical organization of nerve cell composition where intracellular sodium, potassium and calcium ion control and generating sites are located. The function of these ion generating sites may be reversed or maladjusted. Nerve cells may be considered analogous to a pulse generating battery that has two plates with an electrolyte therebetween. The electrolyte has the ability to change ionic composition very rapidly in response to the activity at the plates. In this model, an overload or mechanical deviation might cause a positive cellular electrode or plate to become negative and/or a negative electrode or plate would become positive. If both plates or electrodes become the same polarity at the same time, no electrical pulse will be generated, and therefore it will not be recognizable or usable within the system. In this case, it would not be usable within the nervous system.
In many cases, scientifically manipulated mechanical and biogenerated electrical forces can be used to directly repolarize and/or urge disoriented nerves to become properly polarized. Even in cases where severe disorientation has occurred, the healing process can be significantly accelerated by including engineered electrophoric technology in the treatment process. This is done with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation devices, which are well known in the prior art.
This invention is capable of providing for the neurosurgeon small implantable electrodes that can be placed adjacent to or in the vicinity of damaged nerves or muscles. Small currents are applied in different selectable treatment modes while the electrode (positive or negative or both) is held at a substantially constant cold temperature.

Cold electrode pain alleviating tissue treatment assembly


An applicator for a container includes a support structure, which includes a first end having a convex surface, one or more lateral surfaces extending away from the first end, a second end opposite to the first end and having an opening into an internal cavity, and one or more longitudinal passages providing fluid communication between the first end and the internal cavity. The support structure is adapted to detachably attach to a container at the second end and is further adapted to detachably attach an applicator pad to the convex surface.

Containers for creams, lotions, gels, powders, and any other flowable materials, for example without limitation, cosmetic and medical products are often sold and stored in containers from which the contents are accessed by a user. For example, such containers include without limitation bottles, airless bottles, droppers, jars, collapsible tubes, deodorant containers, lip gloss containers, beauty sticks, lipsticks, compacts, palettes, pumps, and sprayers. Such containers can have a volume that holds may applications of the product stored therein, and consequently the contents can potentially be used by multiple users leading to cross-contamination concerns. The contents of the container could also be industrial or cleaning products such as cleaning fluids, oils, greases, corrosive fluids, and the like. Regardless of the kind of container or the contents therein, the contents are accessed through an opening into the container. A need exists for a simple, economical, and disposable applicator that can be applied over the opening of any sort of container, wherein the applicator can be discarded after each use to provide a sanitary unused applicator surface for each successive user. Further, such containers often leak when carried for travel, for example, when exposed to lowered pressure within an aircraft or be being crushed within luggage. A further need therefore exists for the applicator to include a user selectable dispensing valve that provides a seal against leakage when not selected for use.


A stapler unit has a staple section, a cutter section, and a receiving section. A stapling device further includes a staple recovery box which is disposed at a staple discarding position and which recovers the tip ends to be discarded from the receiving section; and a staple discarding mechanism which delivers the tip ends received in the receiving section of the stapler unit to the staple recovery box. One of the plural stapling positions is identical with the staple discarding position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stapling device equipped with a stapler unit which travels along a path including a staple discarding position and plural stapling positions and performs stapling operation for fastening one position on plural stacked sheets.
2. Description of the Related Art
The above-described stapling device has hitherto been known. Of such stapling devices, a stapling device which fastens pieces of paper with one kind of staple (bent wire) regardless of the number of pieces of paper to be bound suffers a problem of tip ends of the bent staple become too long when the number of pieces of paper to be bound is small, thereby rendering the appearance of the staple poor.
In an attempt to solve the problem, there has been proposed a stapling device which offers staples of different lengths and replaces one kind of staple with another kind of staple in accordance with the number of pieces of paper to be bound (see, e.g., JP-A-2001-334502). However, this apparatus suffers a problem of operation for replacing staples becoming laborious, which in turn deteriorates operability.
For this reason, there has been proposed a stapler unit having a cutter for cutting unneeded ends of the staple (see, e.g., JP-UM-B-3-025931). The stapler unit having such a cutter is provided with a receiving section for temporarily holding staple tip ends cut during stapling operation which is performed by moving the stapler unit to a stapling position on a path. The staple tip ends received in the receiving sections are discarded into a staple recovery box disposed at a staple discarding position set on the path.
When the staple tip ends received in the receiving section are discarded into the staple recovery box, the stapler unit must temporarily depart from the stapling position. Thus, discarding the staple tip ends for preventing occurrence of overflow of staple tip ends from the receiving section results in deterioration of productivity. Meanwhile, when an attempt is made to minimize the number of operations for discarding the staple tip ends in order to improve productivity, overflow of the staple tip ends from the receiving section may arise.
When the staple tip ends received in the receiving section are discarded into the staple recovery box, the stapler unit must temporarily depart from the stapling position, thereby resulting in deterioration of productivity. For this reason, an increase in the volume of the receiving section is also conceivable. However, according to the proposal of JP-UM-B-3-025931, the volume of the receiving section is not discussed at all, and the extent to which the volume of the receiving section is to be increased is unknown.


A wiring board includes a first insulating layer coating a first wiring layer. A first through hole is opened in a surface of the first insulating layer and exposes a surface of the first wiring layer. A first via arranged in the first through hole includes an end surface exposed to the surface of the first insulating layer. A gap is formed between the first insulating layer and the first via in the first through hole. A second wiring layer is stacked on the surface of the first insulating layer and the end surface of the first via. The second wiring layer includes a pad filling the gap. The pad is greater in planar shape than the first through hole.

A conventional wiring board includes a multilayer wiring formed according to a buildup technique (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2003-023252 and 2003-023253, for example). The buildup technique forms a multilayer wiring by repeatedly forming insulating layers, through holes, electric wires by use of electrolytic plating, for example.
An electronic component, such as a semiconductor chip, is mounted on a wiring layer of a wiring board. The wiring layer of a wiring board has been miniaturized with the enhancement in performance of the electronic component.

Wiring board, semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing wiring board


In order to achieve ignition at altitude, particularly in relatively small combustors (10) with low fuel flow rates, a fuel injection system (20) includes an air nozzle (26), a fuel nozzle (28), and an air assist tube (34). The fuel nozzle (28) is disposed in a manner so as to direct fuel through the air nozzle (26) and includes a fuel metering orifice (30) or capillary tube (32) to control fuel flow therethrough. The air assist tube (34) is integrally associated with the fuel nozzle (28) downstream of the fuel metering orifice (30) or capillary tube (32) to accelerate fuel flowing through the fuel nozzle (28). With this arrangement, the air nozzle (26) may comprise an opening in a combustor wall (14) defining a combustion chamber (12) of a turbine engine combustor (10) wherein a combustor case (16) surrounds the combustor wall (14) to define an air flow path 18 in communication with a compressed air source whereby compressed air flows through the opening (26) and into the combustor (10) along with fuel from the fuel nozzle (28) and air from the air assist tube (34).

At high altitude, it is typical for turbine engine combustors of auxiliary power units to have very low fuel flow rates. This is particularly true during low speed operation such as those which exist when the auxiliary power unit is being started even if all of the available fuel is directed through a pressure atomizing fuel injector of the most efficient type. For instance, even if an impingement injector is utilized, there is difficulty in achieving a satisfactory spray for ignition at low fuel flow rates.
In addition, this difficulty is still more severe with highly viscous fuels, and it is known that directing all of the fuel through a single start injector means considerable variations of air/fuel about the combustor. As a result, air loading is considerably higher, i.e., ignition and combustion are more difficult, than if fuel was uniformly introduced through all of the injectors.
Generally speaking, at typical low speeds air loading is very nearly linear with engine speed which means that at a given altitude ignition is extremely speed related. Thus, for instance, it's approximately twice as difficult to achieve ignition at 40,000 feet and at five percent speed from the kinetic viewpoint than at ten percent speed. As for altitude relatedness, and by way of example, at 50,000 feet it's nearly three times as difficult to achieve ignition at five percent speed from the kinetic viewpoint than at five percent speed at 40,000 feet.
Therefore, it is most desirable from an ignition reliability viewpoint to initiate ignition at the lowest possible engine speed. This is even more the case as altitude increases but, using conventional pressure atomizing injectors, even of the efficient impingement type, it is essentially impossible to achieve good atomization without gross overfueling. Of course, the overfueling is undesirable inasmuch as it also renders the air loading much higher than is desirable for reliable ignition.
Still further, as the engine accelerates, air loading increases rapidly up to a certain speed level. Thus, even if ignition can be achieved at, e.g., five percent speed, it is quite possible that flameout could occur at or near the air loading "worst case" operation level. By way of example, the conditions for burning may be over three times more difficult at the critical speed level.
In order to maximize altitude starting and operation, it is desirable to transfer to the main fuel at the lowest possible speed. This follows because the conditions for burning with a start injector will be worse than for the main fuel at the previously mentioned "worst case" or critical speed. However, this must also take into account the number of injectors for the main fuel relative to the total required fuel flow rate.
In addition, the fuel manifold head must be considered since it is necessary to maintain reasonable fuel distribution to all of the injectors for the main fuel so that air loading is not unduly increased. However, in so doing, the pressure drop required across the fuel metering orifices may become very large with the result that the fuel metering orifices may necessarily become very small.
It is well recognized that these can become critical parameters that require sensitive balancing to meet performance objectives.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the foregoing problems and achieving the resulting objectives.


A cathode catalyst for a fuel cell includes a carrier and an A-B alloy supported on the carrier, where A is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pd, Ir, Rh, and combinations thereof, and B is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, and combinations thereof. The carrier is composed of at least one chalcogen element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, and combinations thereof.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a catalyst for a fuel cell, a method of preparing the same, a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell, and a fuel cell system including the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cathode catalyst having an improved catalytic activity and selectivity for reduction of an oxidant, and being capable of improving performance of a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell, a method of preparing the same, and a membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell system including the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell is a power generation system for producing electrical energy through an electrochemical redox reaction of an oxidant and hydrogen in a hydrocarbon-based material such as methanol, ethanol, or natural gas.
Such a fuel cell is a clean energy source that can replace fossil fuels. It includes a stack composed of at least one unit cell, and it produces various ranges of power output. Since it has a four to ten times higher energy density than a small lithium battery, it is highlighted as a small portable power source.
Representative exemplary fuel cells include a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and a direct oxidation fuel cell (DOFC). The direct oxidation fuel cell includes a direct methanol fuel cell, which uses methanol as a fuel.
The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell has an advantage of a high energy density and energy conversion efficiency, but it also has problems in the need to carefully handle hydrogen gas and the requirement of additional devices such as a fuel reforming processor for reforming methane or methanol, natural gas, and the like in order to produce hydrogen as the fuel gas.
On the contrary, a direct oxidation fuel cell has a lower energy density than that of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, but it has the advantages of easy handling of a fuel, being capable of operating at room temperature, and no need for additional fuel reforming processors. Therefore, it has been acknowledged as an appropriate system for a portable power source for small electrical devices.
In the above fuel cells, the stack that generates electricity substantially includes several to scores of unit cells stacked in multi-layers, and each unit cell is formed of a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a separator (also referred to as a bipolar plate). The membrane-electrode assembly has an anode (also referred to as a fuel electrode or an oxidation electrode) and a cathode (also referred to as an air electrode or a reduction electrode) attached to each other with an electrolyte membrane between them.
A fuel is supplied to the anode and is adsorbed on catalysts of the anode, and the fuel is oxidized to produce protons and electrons. The electrons are transferred into the cathode via an external circuit, and the protons are also transferred into the cathode through the polymer electrolyte membrane. An oxidant is supplied to the cathode, and the oxidant, protons, and electrons are reacted on a catalyst at the cathode to produce electricity along with water.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Catalyst for a fuel cell, a method for preparing the same, a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell including the same, and a fuel cell system including the same


A fiber optic tester for testing at least two fiber optic devices substantially simultaneously, comprising: a housing having a light source and at least one housing connector, the light source interior to the housing; at least one adapter having at least one first connector and at least two second connectors, the at least one first connector removably and matingly connected to the at least one housing connector; the at least two second connectors adapted to removably and matingly connect to at least two fiber optic device input connectors; the fiber optic tester directing light into the at least two fiber optic device input connectors, when the at least two second connectors are removably matingly connected to the at least two fiber optic device input connectors, the presence and/or absence of light from output connectors of the at least two fiber optic devices indicating the condition of the fiber optic devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fiber optic testers and more particularly to fiber optic testers that may be used in the field.
2. Background Art
Fiber optic cables are used in many systems for transmission of broad bandwidth digital and analogue signals, and are currently in prolific use in networks of all kinds, such as the internet, wide area networks, local area networks, cable, communications, and telecommunications systems. Fiber optic cables have become the transmission medium of choice for these systems.
Construction, testing, installation, and maintenance of fiber optic systems requires equipment that may be used in the field to test the fiber optic cables in a variety of installations and different circumstances. Although certain fiber optic testers have been available, such testers often do not allow for testing a plurality or multiplicity of fiber optic cables, terminations, and devices in the field, simultaneously. Fiber optic testers that have been known are either capable of only testing a single connectorized termination, strand, or cable, are complicated or difficult to use in a field environment, or are permanently installed in large installations for automated testing. As such, it has been difficult to use these fiber optic testers in the field.
Fiber optic test equipment should be quick, versatile, easy and simple to use, easily adaptable for use with different systems and configurations, inexpensive, long lasting, durable, and capable of testing a plurality of fiber optic cables and/or devices simultaneously. Such equipment should be capable of being used for continuity testing and determining whether or not there are breaks in the fiber optic cables being tested, and facilitate speeding up the construction, installation, and maintenance of the fiber optic systems. The fiber optic tester should be a portable handheld fiber optic tester capable of being used in the field.
There is, thus, a need for a fiber optic tester that may be used by a field technician for testing a variety and plurality or multiplicity of connectorized fiber optic cables and/or devices simultaneously. The fiber optic tester should be quick, versatile, easy and simple to use, easily and quickly adaptable for use with different systems and configurations, inexpensive, long lasting, light weight, safe to use, attractive, sturdy, and durable, and capable of being used in the field for testing the fiber optic cables in a variety of installations and different circumstances. The fiber optic tester should be capable of being used as a continuity tester and determining whether or not there are breaks in the fiber optic cables being tested. The fiber optic tester should be a portable handheld fiber optic tester capable of being used in the field
Different fiber optic testers have heretofore been known. However, none of the fiber optic testers adequately satisfies these aforementioned needs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,562 (Marsh, et al.) discloses a fiber optic cable tester, which includes a body having an inlet fitting, an outlet and a channel that extends between the inlet fitting and the outlet. A magnification and focusing assembly is mounted within the channel between the inlet fitting and the outlet. A fiber optic cable end fitting is communicably interengaged with the inlet fitting, and light is transmitted through the magnification and focusing assembly and the channel to the outlet. The light is projected from the outlet and against a target area to produce an image, which is indicative of the condition of the fiber optic cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,899 (Serwatka) discloses a fiber optic test light with multiple connector adapters that may be used for visual continuity testing of fiber optic cables, patch cords, and pigtails, which comprises a light source, an adaptive interface, a power source, and a housing. The adaptive interface comprises a wheel having a variety of fiber optic connectorized end fittings, which may be used to match or connect various fiber optic connectorized endings and also bare fiber to a light source, thus, permitting visual testing for the continuity and integrity of a fiber optic link.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,261 (Contarino, Jr.) discloses a method and apparatus for distinguishing various fiber-optic cables from each other in an installation where cables are grouped together, the apparatus comprising a light source for generating a high-intensity, reasonably highly collated, colored, and pulsed light beam. The light is coupled into one end of a fiber-optic cable, whereby an installer can easily observe the corresponding light coming out of the opposite end of the cable to distinguish that cable from the other cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,130 (Pimpinella) discloses a method of testing splice connections in an optical fiber cable, in which the quality of a splice at a remote location made between an optical cable and a subsequent optical cable includes connecting a first optical switch to the optical fibers contained within the cable. The first optical switch is connected to the optical fibers at a central office from where the optical cable originates. The first optical switch is connected to test equipment at the central office, wherein the first optical switch is capable of selectively connecting the test equipment to each of the optical fibers. A second optical switch is connected to the optical fibers in the subsequent optical cable on the opposite side of the splice. Portable test equipment is optionally connected to the second optical switch at the remote location. A portable controller is also taken to the remote location. The portable controller is used to control the first optical switch at the central office, via a telecommunications link. As a result, a person splicing an optical cable at the remote location can remotely instruct that cable to be tested in an automated manner from the central office. If the test shows a poor integrity in the splice, the cable can be cut and re-spliced until a quality splice is obtained.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,511 (Pimpinella, et al.) discloses an optical switching apparatus and method for use in the construction mode testing of a modular fiber administration system. The device and method for connecting an optical switch to the optical fibers that terminate on a fiber distribution shelf within a fiber administration system includes the optical switch device, which contains a support plate that is shaped essentially the same as the protective cover of the fiber distribution shelf. The support plate of the optical switch device can be joined to a specific fiber distribution shelf by substituting the support plate for the protective cover. An optical switch is affixed to the support plate, wherein the optical switch is sized not to extend beyond the peripheral boundaries of the support plate. As a result, when the support plate is placed over the fiber distribution shelf, the optical switch joined to the support plate does not obscure any other fiber distribution shelf in the fiber administration system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,437,894 (Gilbert, et al.) discloses a fiber distribution shelf assembly for a fiber administration system having integral line tracing capabilities. The fiber administration system includes at least one fiber distribution shelve that supports a plurality of optical connection ports, each of which contains a sensor for detecting the presence of an optical coupling in that optical connection port. A systems controller is coupled to the sensor of each of the optical connection ports, the systems controller being capable of automatically determining from the sensors whether or not an optical coupling is present in each of the optical connection ports.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,546 (Barringer, et al.) discloses a method and apparatus for testing fiber optic jumpers, in which a station for testing fiber optic jumper cables includes four indexing plugboard stations. A single cable to be tested is typically attached to extend between two of the plugboard stations. Each plugboard station includes three columns of plug positions, corresponding to three styles of connecters, which may be used at the ends of the cable to be tested. An upper row and a central row of plug positions correspond to the contact types (PC or APC), which may be used. An indexing mechanism is provided to align one of the plug positions in the central row with a reference cable extending from the plugboard station. Reference jumpers extend from the upper row, being docked in a lower row of plug positions if the cable to be tested is connected to the central row, or being plugged into the central row if the cable to be tested is connected to the upper row. The reference cable extending from each of the plugboard stations is brought into and out of contact with one of the central-row plugboard positions, facilitating a sequence of tests. The reference cables from two of these plugboard stations are connected through an optical switch to an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR), while the other two reference cables are simply connected to connectors at their far ends. A computer controls indexing the plugboard stations, and brings the reference cables into engagement according to a preferred sequence.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,585 (Lebduska) discloses fiber break detection methods for cables using multi-fiber optical bundles. A method and apparatus for detecting and assessing the light transmitting integrity of the individual fibers in a multi-fiber optic cable bundle is achieved by edge illuminating the bared fiber ends at an input terminal cable end, and detecting the quality of transmitted light emanating from the bared ends of the fibers at a receiving terminal cable end, The transmitted light emitting from the face of the receiving cable end is magnified by a microscope or the like. A second light source illuminates the surface of the receiving cable end to enable the faces of the broken fibers to be distinguishable from the remaining background. The end faces of the broken fibers will appear as dark, spots since the input illumination is absent, being interrupted by the break in the fiber somewhere along its length. The faces of the light transmitting unbroken fibers will appear as bright spots. A suitable camera attachment may be provided in conjunction with the microscope to obtain a permanent record of the magnified image of the output cable end.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,466,366 (Dominique) discloses a microscope with end plate and adapter for viewing multi-fiber connectors, in which a portable microscope includes an end plate and pivotable adapter for improved inspection of multiple fiber optic cables in a single connector. The end plate is mounted on the head unit housing of the microscope, and the adapter is mounted on a pivot cylinder extending from the end plate, the adapter including a jig for receiving and retaining a connector. Each fiber optic cable in the connector can be inspected one at a time by pivoting the adapter, so that each of the fiber optic cables is in view through the microscope. The adapter also includes an aperture, which is positioned over the head of the fastener used to connect the end plate to the housing. The pivoting movement of the adapter is limited by the engagement of the aperture against the head of the fastener. Various connectors are also discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,893 (Dominique) discloses a portable microscope for inspecting fiber optic cable, in which a portable microscope includes an end plate with a reflective inner surface for improved inspection of the end surface of a fiber optic cable at a connection point in a fiber optic system. The end plate is mounted on the head unit housing of the microscope, and includes a tubular aperture for receiving and positioning the end of the fiber optic cable for microscopic inspection. A bowl is formed about the tubular aperture on the inner surface of the plate to direct more light to the end of the fiber optic cable. The outer surface of the plate includes a positioning tube for receiving a ferrule with the end of the fiber optic cable and directing the ferrule and fiber optic cable through the aperture into the bowl.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,987 (Horwitz, et al.) discloses an adapter system usable in conjunction with a fiber optic termination inspection microscope to inspect fiber optic cable end connectors. A plurality of different adapters for a fiber optic termination inspection microscope permits the microscope to be used with a plurality of cable connectors, where each cable connector has one or more cable termini. The purpose of the microscope is to inspect a cable terminus to determine if such is clean and polished, in order to insure low attenuation levels. If the cable terminus is dirty or scratched, the cable terminus can be replaced or repaired. An indicator can be used to disclose to the user exactly which cable terminus is being inspected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,176 (Noel) discloses an apparatus for converting a multimeter to an optical power meter. An apparatus to convert optical power into a voltage includes a wavelength selector switch and can plug itself into a multi-meter. The converter apparatus comprises an annular connector, which adapts onto optical fiber connectors, which may be of various diameters. A photo-diode at the receiving end is large enough, so as not to require that the optical fiber be at a 90 degree angle to the photo-diode surface, so the surface gets a reasonable reading. A switch on the converter housing allows calibration of the converter at the appropriate wavelength to be used for the test. Optical power is then converted and sent as a voltage value through a pair of banana plugs that can be affixed to the multi-meter. A battery within the housing provides power to the converter, so that an external power source is not needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,776 (Harrison, et al.) discloses a fiber optic loop support, in which a testing device for fiber optic system devices includes a fiber optic loop support that holds a single-mode optical fiber, such that an empirically determined loss characteristic associated therewith is unvarying from use to use. In particular, an optical fiber forms a loop, and the loop is supported within a rigid slotted housing. The housing effectively precludes bending losses. Additionally, the housing is small and portable, so that field testing may also be performed. Various connectors are also discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,741 (Beller) discloses a system for localization of faults in an optical fiber, in which an optical fiber is provided with a plurality of reflecting events spatially allocated along the optical fiber, for localizing possible faults in the optical fiber. Possible faults are localized by emitting a signal into the optical fiber, measuring the reflected signals, and comparing the measured reflected signals with expected signals representing the optical fiber without faults. If there are one or more faults in the optical fiber, the measured reflected signals at a distance behind each one of the one or more faults will show at least a different amplitude, or even disappear, with respect to the expected signals. The expected signals can be received or determined, e.g., from a previous measurement, such as an acceptance measurement, or can be calculated or otherwise received from theoretical analysis (e.g. simulation or modeling) and/or from information about the fiber, such as physical properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,198 (Braga, et al.) discloses an optical fiber cable distribution shelf with cable management system. The optical fiber cable distribution shelf comprises a cable management clip system in a rear bay, as well as a cable management clip system in the front bay of the shelf. The cable management clip systems each include at least one pair of controlled bend clips and at least one divider clip positioned therebeneath, in order to control bending of and to route optical fiber into and out of the cable distribution shelf, without imparting any undesirable fiber damage or related attenuated signals, owing to uncontrolled bending of the fibers. The optical fiber cable distribution shelf provides for installing a high density of fiber optic connections into an optical fiber cable distribution shelf.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,942 (Jennings, et al.) discloses an optical communications system having distributed intelligence, in which a distributed intelligence optical fiber communications system is capable of automated and continuous monitoring and testing of the optical fibers and their connections within the optical fiber distribution frames therein. The optical communications system has an optical distribution frame, including interconnection modules having actively intelligent microcontrollers thereon. The distribution frame includes electrical and optical interconnection fabrics between the distributed intelligence located on the interconnection modules and a host located outside of the distribution frame. The distributed intelligence interconnection modules allow monitoring, testing and/or related activities of the optical communications system to be performed locally at the interconnection modules. When used in combination with the electrical and optical interconnection fabrics, the modules reduce optical fiber routing, and enable effective monitoring and testing operations to be performed, while maintaining compatibility with existing conventional cross-connect, switching and network architectures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,559 (Noll) discloses a fiber-optic test probe and connector adapter for testing fiber-optic connector harnesses and fiber-optic terminations, for example, in fiber optic connector assemblies. A single multi-channel connector adapter is provided that is adapted to be attached to the fiber-optic connector to be tested. In one embodiment of the invention, the connector adapter includes an alignment sleeve that enables the terminus of the fiber-optic connector to be tested to be axially aligned with the terminus of the test probe. In order to eliminate air gaps between the respective termini, the fiber-optic test probe and connector adapter are configured to provide axial compression forces between the mating termini in a test position, in order to eliminate air gaps therebetween, and thus reduce transmission losses. The test probe may be provided with strain relief and anti-bending boot, which prevents radial forces from misaligning the termini. The test probe includes a release sleeve that allows the test probe to be quickly released from its locked position. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the alignment sleeve may be formed as part of the test probe. A probe calibration adapter, or feed-through adapter, is also provided, which enables two test probes to be coupled together for purposes of calibration. The feed-through adapter is configured to provide alignment between the respective termini of the test probe termini, while providing axial compression forces therebetween, similar to the adapter to reduce transmission losses, and thus improve performance while providing repeatability of the test measurements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,892 (Fisher, et al.) discloses a optical discontinuity monitor system. A system for monitoring discontinuities in optical power transmitted through a fiber optic connector subjected to environmental stress is disclosed. Discontinuity events are defined in terms of amplitude and duration. The monitoring system comprises a detector unit, a fiber optic interface unit, and a discontinuity monitor. The detector unit converts the optical signal supplied by the fiber optic connector to electronic form. The fiber optic interface unit determines the amplitude of discontinuities, and the discontinuity monitor determines the duration of discontinuities.
Various fiber optic infrastructures, connectorized fiber optic drops, connectorized terminations, connectors, and fiber optic cables have been disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,482 (Glynn) discloses a telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,539,147 and 6,522,804 (Mahony) disclose connectorized inside and outside fiber optic drops, in which connectorized fiber optic drops facilitates the deployment of fiber to the home by connecting a fiber optic interface device to an optical network terminal, the fiber optic drop including a sheath, transition fittings, pigtails, fiber optic connectors, and a fiber optic strand. The sheath is positioned over a middle section of the fiber optic strand. The transition fittings are attached to the fiber optic sheath proximate to both ends of the drop. The pigtails attach to the transition fittings and enclose the fiber optic strand from the transition fittings to the ends of the fiber optic strand, where the fiber optic connectors are attached to the fiber optic strand and the pigtails. If the drop contains more than one fiber optic strand, then one set of pigtails with connectors is provided for each fiber optic strand. Connectorized terminations are also discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,496,641 (Mahony) discloses a fiber optic interface device that facilitates the deployment of fiber to the home by connecting a connectorized outside fiber optic drop to a connectorized inside fiber optic drop, the fiber optic interface device including a housing having two ports, termination hardware, routing hardware, and one or more adapters. The housing provides environmental protection and is adapted to be mounted to a customer's house. The two ports receive the outside and inside drops. Positioned above the ports inside the housing, the termination hardware secures the drops to the housing. The routing hardware receives the drops from the ports, routes the drops to the one or more adapters, and stores any extra length in the drops, while maintaining a proper fiber strand bend radius. The one or more adapters connect the outside drop to the inside drop, providing an aligned and stable fiber optic connection that does not require splicing. Connectorized terminations are also discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,486 (Walker) discloses a connector sleeve adapter for mounting fiber optic connector sleeves having differing external shapes to a panel having an array of like shaped panel holes. A connector sleeve holder has multiple sidewalls having different shapes, in order to hold differing connector sleeves to a panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,822 (Uchida) discloses a multi-terminal optical cable, which includes an optical focusing fiber having a refractive index distribution in which the index varies in substantially inverse proportion to the square of the radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the fiber to its outer periphery. A plurality of input electrical signals is converted into corresponding light signals at one end of the fiber. Those light signals are imaged by the fiber in a one-to-one relationship on an array of light sensing elements at the other end of the fiber at which the light images are reconverted to electrical signals, corresponding to the input electrical signals.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a fiber optic tester that may be used by a field technician for testing a variety and plurality or multiplicity of connectorized fiber optic cables and/or devices simultaneously. The fiber optic tester should be quick, versatile, easy and simple to use, easily and quickly adaptable for use with different systems and configurations, inexpensive, long lasting, light weight, safe to use, attractive, sturdy, and durable, and capable of being used in the field for testing the fiber optic cables in a variety of installations and different circumstances. The fiber optic tester should be capable of being used as a continuity tester and determining whether or not there are breaks in the fiber optic cables being tested. The fiber optic tester should be a portable handheld fiber optic tester capable of being used in the field


A novel pharmaceutical composition allowing the programmed release of dexfenfluramine containing a water-soluble acid addition salt of dexfenfluramine on a mixture of minigranules, both rapid release and slow release minigranules, permits the attainment of two concentration peaks in the plasma of patients treated therewith.

Dexfenfluramine is the dextro isomer of fenfluramine and is an active principle used widely in the treatment of obesity.
At the present time, this active principle is administered orally, twice a day, in the form of an immediate-release gelatin capsule containing a 15 mg dose of dexfenfluramine hydrochloride. United States patents relating to fenfluramine, its isomers, and acid addition salts thereof include the following: 3,198,833, 3,198,834, 4,309,445, 4,452,815, 4,649,161, and 5,502,080. Fenfluramine is item 4015 on page 674 of The Merck Index, Twelfth Edition.

Pharmaceutical composition for the programmed release of dexfenfluramine


Vibration observed in a tire wheel portion exhibits a resonant vibration phenomenon in which vibration fluctuates between a wheel and a surface of a tire. This phenomenon shows different characteristics depending upon how the surface of the tire is in contact with a road surface. Here, a detector derives a parameter corresponding to a gradient of a coefficient of friction based on these characteristics and detects a brake condition. Also, a controller executes ABS control based on such parameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake condition detector for detecting a brake condition of a vehicle and a vehicle controller for performing vehicle control such as anti-skid control based upon a brake condition detected by the brake condition detector.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a vehicle brake system includes, for example, a master cylinder coupled to a brake pedal, a wheel cylinder provided to a brake mechanism of the vehicle and a reservoir for storing brake fluid, all of which are connected via fluid lines.
In this brake system, an anti-skid controller is provided with an inflow valve, for example, in a fluid line between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinder and an outflow valve in a fluid line between the wheel cylinder and the reservoir. These valves are switched and controlled to increase or reduce the pressure of brake oil in the wheel cylinder.
During the execution of anti-skid control by such a controller, brake force is intensified by gradually increasing pressure of brake oil by a certain amount .DELTA.P as shown in FIG. 17A through the operation of a pump and a solenoid valve in an oil hydraulic circuit with the brake oil being supplied from the master cylinder and the reservoir to the wheel cylinder. Brake condition is determined after detecting an amount of reduction in the vehicle wheel speed in response to the increased pressure based on the wheel speed and its acceleration component which represents its derivative.
That is, as shown in FIG. 17B, when a slip rate of a vehicle wheel over a road surface in an area in which such slip rate is smaller than a point at which a gradient of a coefficient of friction .mu., which denotes the adhesion between the vehicle wheel and the road surface, greatly varies, i.e., the .mu. gradient turning point, the amount of reduction in the wheel speed in response to the increased pressure is small because of increased road surface brake force due to increase in the slip rate. However, when a slip rate is in an area in which it is larger than the above-described turning point, balance between the road surface brake force and brake force is upset even by a slightly intensified pressure and thus, wheel speed is reduced to a point in which the wheels tend to lock.
In other words, it is not until a wheel speed is reduced that a brake condition can be judged.
As a result, as shown in FIGS. 17C and 17D, for conventional anti-skid control, temporal characteristics of the wheel rotating speed and the hydraulic pressure (wheel pressure) would form an irregular wavy shape.
A system which detects a point where the gradient of a coefficient of friction .mu. greatly varies based on the decrease of the wheel speed poses the following problems.
First, when the hydraulic pressure is gradually intensified and wheel rotating speed is reduced, pressure may need to be reduced and thus, a fixed brake condition cannot be kept.
That is, there is a need to repeatedly execute the processes of increasing pressure, detecting vehicle speed drop and decreasing pressure to constantly cope with the ever-changing road surface condition, and so, the above system poses problems related to brake distance and passenger comfort.
One other problem is that when the vehicle moves to a road having a different .mu. gradient coefficient which represents the maximum .mu., for example, when road surface conditions changes and a coefficient of friction .mu. of the road surface increases rapidly, the time period in which pressure is gradually intensified until a wheel rotating speed is reduced will be prolonged and thus, delays in the determination of the above-described turning point will affect the brake distance.

Brake condition detector and vehicle controller using the same