A toner for electrophotography contains a binder resin and a coloring agent, and is characterized in that the binder resin contains a crystalline polyester resin, and a low-molecular compound having at least one of a naphthalene skeleton and a biphenyl skeleton, and the crystalline polyester resin contains 0.5 to 30 construction mole % of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid-derived constitutional component. Further, a developer for electrophotography and an image forming method using the toner for electrophotography are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner for electrophotography and a developer for electrophotography which can be utilized in an electrophotography device utilizing an electrophotography process such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile, as well as to an image forming method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regarding electrophotography methods, many methods are already known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-B) No. 42-23910). Generally, a fixed image is formed after a plurality of steps of electrically forming a latent image on a surface of a photoreceptor (latent image retaining body) utilizing a photoconductive substance by a variety of means, developing the formed latent image using a toner for electrophotography (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "toner") to form a toner image, transferring the toner image on the photoreceptor surface onto a surface of a recording material to such as paper via or not via an intermediate transfer body, and fixing this transferred image by heating, pressurizing, heating and pressurizing or a solvent steam. Toner remaining on the photoreceptor surface is cleaned by various methods if necessary, and is re-supplied to the aforementioned plural steps.
As a fixing technique for fixing a transferred image which has been transferred onto a surface of a recording material, a thermal roll fixing method of inserting a transfer material onto which a toner image has been transferred between a pair of rolls composed of a heating roll and a pressure roll to fix the image is common. In addition, as a like technique, a technique in which one or both of the rolls is substituted with a belt is also known. In these techniques, an image that is fixed fast can be obtained at high speed, energy efficiency is high, and damage to environment due to solvent volatilization or the like is minimal, as compared with other fixing methods.
On the other hand, in order to reduce the amount of energy to be used in a copying machine and a printer, a technique for fixing a toner using less energy is desired. For this reason, there is a great demand for a toner for electrophotography which can be fixed at a lower temperature.
As a means to lower the temperature for fixing a toner, a technique of lowering the glass transition point of a resin for a toner (binder resin) is usually implemented. However, when the glass transition point is too low, aggregation of a powder (blocking) is facilitated, and retainability of a toner on a surface of a fixed image is impaired and, therefore, practically, the lower limit is 50° C. This glass transition point is a design feature of resins for toner which are currently widely commercially available, and it has not been possible to obtain a toner which can be fixed at a yet further reduced temperature by means of further lowering the glass transition point. In addition, although the fixing temperature can be lowered by using a plasticizer, blocking occurs during storage of a toner or in a developing machine.
As a means for preventing blocking and realizing both image retainability up to 60° C. and low temperature fixability, a technique using a crystalline resin as a binder resin constituting a toner has been considered, and a method of using a crystalline resin as a toner for the purpose of realizing both blocking prevention and low temperature fixing has been long known (see, for example, JP-B No. 56-13943). In addition, for the purpose of offset prevention and pressure fixing, a technique of using a crystalline resin has been long known (see, for example, JP-B Nos. 62-39428 and 63-25335).
However, when in the above-disclosed techniques, for example, a polymer having an alkyl group side chain of a carbon number of 14 or more is applied to a toner, while the melting point thereof is low, at 62 to 66° C., this temperature is too low and, thus, there are problems of reliability of powder and images. When other crystalline resins are used, fixing performance on paper is not sufficient.
Examples of a crystalline resin for which improvement in fixability on a paper is expected include polyester resins. As a technique of using a crystalline polyester resin in a toner, technique of using a mixture of a non-crystalline polyester resin having a glass transition temperature of 40° C. or higher and a crystalline polyester resin having a melting point of 130 to 200° C. has been proposed (see, for example, JP-B No. 62-39428). In this technique, excellent fine grindability and blocking resistance are achieved. However, since the melting point of the crystalline polyester resin is high, fixing a yet further reduced temperature cannot be attained.
In order to solve the above problems, a technique using a crystalline resin having a melting point of 110° C. or lower, and using a toner with a non-crystalline resin mixed therein has been proposed (see, for example, JP-B No. 4-30014). However, when a non-crystalline resin is mixed in a crystalline resin, depression of the melting point of the toner occurs, thus, toner blocking occurs, and retainability of an image is deteriorated. When the non-crystalline resin component is large, since the properties of the non-crystalline resin component are greatly reflected, it is difficult to reduce the fixing temperature further than previously. For these reasons, unless a only crystalline resin is used as a resin for a toner, or a non-crystalline resin is mixed in an extremely small amount, practical use is difficult.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to use only crystalline polyester resin as far as possible in thermal roll fixing, and some examples using crystalline polyester resin have been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) Nos. 4-120554, 4-239021, and 5-165252). However, in these techniques, the crystalline polyester resins are resins in which alkylene glycol or alicyclic alcohol having a small carbon number is used relative to a carboxylic acid component of terephthalic acid.
These polyester resins are described as crystalline polyester resins in the above references. However, since these polyester resins are essentially partial crystalline polyester resins, change in a viscosity relative to the temperature of a toner (resin) is not steep, and there are no problems in blocking property and image retainability. However, low temperature fixing cannot be realized in thermal roll fixing.
On the other hand, the present inventors have showed that a toner containing a crystalline polyester resin having a crosslinked structure as the main component is excellent in blocking resistance and image retainability, and can realize low temperature fixing (see, for example, JP-A No. 2001-117268). However, in such a toner, further improvement in charging property was desired in, particularly, two-component charging with a carrier.
Then, it was shown that a toner for electrophotography containing, as the main component, a crystalline polyester resin in which an ester concentration M of a crystalline polyester resin defined in the following equation (1) is not less than 0.01 and not more than 0.12, in the binder resin, can be obtained as a toner having further improved charging property (see, for example, JP-A No. 2002-82845).M=K/A  equation (1)(in the equation (1), M represents an ester concentration, K represents the number of ester groups in a polymer, and A represents the number of atoms constituting a polymer chain of a polymer)
On the other hand, in the specification of the above disclosure, a process for producing a toner for electrophotography is shown, comprising emulsifying a crystalline polyester resin containing, as a copolymerization component, 2 to 20 mole % of a di- or more valent carboxylic acid having a sulfonic acid group in which the ester concentration M is not less than 0.01 and not more than 0.12, and aggregating and fusing this to adjust to a toner diameter. In this case, it is described that preparation of a self-emulsifying solution of polyester is possible, particle size distribution of a toner obtained by the aggregation and incorporation is narrow, and transferring property thereof is better.
However, it was discovered that a toner prepared by an aggregating and incorporating method using this crystalline resin copolymerized with carboxylic acid having a sulfone group has a low charging property under high temperature and high humidity. While adjustment of the charging property can also be performed by using an external additive, improved charging property is preferable. Accordingly, it was desirable to find a new composition of a crystalline polyester resin in which charging property under high temperature and high humidity is maintained while low temperature fixing is realized, and an aggregation and incorporation method can be applied. Thus, a crystalline polyester resin has been proposed which is characterized in that two or more kinds of dicarboxylic acid-derived consitutional components are included as an acid-derived consitutional component constituting a polymer and the content of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid-derived consitutional component having no sulfonic acid group is in the range of 0.5 to 30 construction mole % of all acid-derived consitutional components. Further, when a dicarboxylic acid-derived consitutional component having a sulfonic acid group is included, the content of the dicarboxylic acid-derived consitutional component having a sulfonic acid group is 5 construction mole % or less of all acid-derived consitutional components. (See, for example, JP-A No. 2004-168827.)
However, a toner using this resin has a defect in that it is easily crushed and, when it remains on a photoreceptor, it cannot withstand a force received between a cleaning blade and an intermediate transference drum, is deformed, and remains on a photoreceptor or an intermediate transference drum. As a result, filming is encouraged on a photoreceptor or an intermediate transference body.

Toner for electrophotography and developer for electrophotography, as well as image forming method


A cartridge frame includes a protruding rib protruding toward a first frame, a first bearing supporting one end of a photosensitive drum in an axial direction, and a second bearing supporting an other end of the photosensitive drum in the axial direction. The first frame includes a first guide rail configured to, when a process cartridge is attached to an apparatus main body, guide the protruding rib to slide along the first guide rail. A second frame includes a second guide rail configured to, when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body, guide the second bearing to slide along the second guide rail. A size of the first guide rail in a width direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and an attachment direction of the process cartridge is smaller than a size of the second guide rail in the width direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge having a photosensitive drum and attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body, a frame supporting one end of the process cartridge in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, and a frame supporting the other end of the process cartridge in the axial direction.

Image forming apparatus including guide rails configured to guide process cartridge


According to an aspect, a display device includes a display panel and a plurality of memory circuits. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, and the display panel is divided into at least a first region and a second region in which at least one of the predetermined maximum number of displayable gradations and maximum resolution is different from that of the first region. The memory circuits are located under the sub-pixel electrodes and each of the memory circuits stores therein pixel potential corresponding to gradation to be applied to at least one of the sub-pixel electrodes. The arrangement of the sub-pixel electrodes is the same in the first region and the second region of the display panel.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a display device including a liquid crystal layer. Further, the present disclosure relates to an electronic apparatus having the display device including the liquid crystal layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there has been a growing need for display devices used in mobile devices such as a cellular telephone and an electronic paper. Such a display device is required to secure a low production cost and the visibility of gradation display by performing gradation display suitable for the contents of display images. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2002-268600 (JP-A-2002-268600) discloses a technique for setting two or more kinds of portions having different maximum numbers of displayable gradations of data within one display screen.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2008-076624 (JP-A-2008-076624) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2009-204636 (JP-A-2009-204636) disclose a technique in which each pixel in a display device includes a memory.
A display device for a mobile device is required to further reduce power consumption. With respect to memories in JP-A-2008-076624 and JP-A-2009-204636, when the total number of memories increases, electrical power for driving or maintaining the memories also increases. Accordingly, the total number of memories may be limited to reduce the power consumption.
However, if the number of memories is limited, performance may not reach that of processing the number of colors to be expressed or gradation display suitable for the contents of display images described in JP-A-2002-268600, resulting in low-resolution images.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a display device that can achieve low power consumption while changing at least one of the maximum number of gradations and the pixel resolution that can be displayed between regions of the display panel, and an electronic apparatus having the display device.


A system for detecting neutron radiation. A liquid cocktail mixture comprised of a neutron absorber and a scintillator is housed in a Teflon® tube having a mirror at one end of the tube and a windowed portal at the other end of the tube. Neutrons that penetrate the tube react with the neutron absorber producing ionization that excites a scintillator to produce photons. A photo-multiplier tube is coupled with the windowed portal for receiving photons and converting the photons to electrical signals. A processing device is coupled to the photo-multiplier output for receiving and analyzing the electrical signals so as to provide a measurement pertaining to the presence and relative strength of neutron radiation. The tube can be adapted to function as a portable survey instrument. Alternatively, the tube can be stretched to cover large apertured areas. In such implementations a wavelength shifter is employed to convert light emitted to another wavelength giving a multiplier effect necessary for long light guides.

There is a tremendous need for a reliable, accurate, and fast acting means for detecting potentially dangerous nuclear materials. Currently, there is a lack of suitable neutron detectors to screen for hidden nuclear devices. Neutron detection is a preferred radiation detection technique because the detection of neutrons is very selective toward threats. There are only two terrestrial sources of neutrons: (1) particle accelerators with suitable targets; and (2) fissile materials. Particle accelerators are immobile, therefore detection of neutrons from a container means fissile material. Fissile materials form two threats. One is as a nuclear weapon, the other as a "dirty bomb", a source of highly radioactive contamination. The only valid source of neutrons would be a source for medical use, which is clearly marked and its transport is heavily regulated.

Neutron detection based on boron activated liquid scintillation


Headbox for paper machines, provided with an output channel in the form of a nozzle, with an output slot for producing a strip of pulp having the width of the machine. The output channel is delimited by two flow guide walls converging toward one another and as a rule by a rear wall. It is divided up into a number of channel sections (32), preferably autonomous, by subdivision of the flow guide walls into wall sections (30, 31) and preferably by subdivision of the rear wall into rear wall sections (37). Each channel section may have at least one input line (40) of its own, as well as (for adjusting the opening of the output slot) a section of part of the mobile wall (35) and an associated regulating system (38, 39).

The invention relates to a stock-inlet or head box for a papermaking machine. Among the essential components of this stock-inlet are two converging flow-guidance walls which are as wide as the machine and which, together with a rear wall and with two lateral walls, define a nozzle-like outlet-channel as wide as the machine. Located at the downstream end of the flow-guidance walls, which are also known as the lower lip and the upper lip, is an outlet-gap as wide as the machine, from which the paper-stock emerges, in the form of a jet as wide as the machine, onto a circulating wire-screen upon which the paper web is formed.
Known stock-inlets of this kind are described in the following publications:
1. C.A.-PS 849,817,
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,080,
3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,270 (=DE 27 26 709),
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,197,
5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,619,
6. U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,699,
7. U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,229 (=DE 23 02 196)
One serious problem with such stock-inlets is maintaining the internal width of the above-mentioned outlet-gap constant over the width of the machine. It has been found, in practice, that the presence of local deviations from the desired width of the gap impairs the quality of the resulting strip of paper. More particularly, it produces an irregular weight-per-unit-of-area transverse profile. For instance, it has been found that a specific change in gap-width increases the weight per unit of area of the strip of paper by a factor of 10.
Another problem is that certain changes in gap-width may occur only when the machine is in operation and thereafter disappear only partly. Such changes are brought about by temperature fluctuations, for example, especially if, after a shut-down, the papermaking machine is started up again with heated stock. In this case, the flow-guidance walls assume only gradually the higher temperature of the stock.
Changes in gap-width which occur in different degrees at different locations over the width of the machine are particularly troublesome. For instance, a flow of cold air entering the mill (such as, when a door is opened) may cause a one-sided change in gap-width. Other uneven changes in gap-width appear to be caused by stiffening ribs which are used, in certain known designs, to reinforce the flow-guidance walls.
In Publication 1, a description is given of a stock-inlet, the lower flow-guidance wall of which is supported on a foundation by a hollow carrier. The problem upon which this publication is based is that the upper part of the hollow carrier, adjoining the flow-guidance wall, assumes a higher temperature than the lower part. The top, therefore, expands more than the bottom and the lower flow-guidance wall, therefore, becomes warped. In-order to overcome this problem, it is suggested that the lower part of the hollow carrier be kept at the same temperature as the upper part by means of a heating device.
In the case of the stock-inlet according to Publication 4, a bundle of pipes, and flow-guidance walls attached thereto, runs through the interior of a hollow stock-inlet housing. A pivotably mounted upper lip is formed by one of the walls of a cross-sectionally triangular hollow carrier. In order to keep the parts of the stock inlet at a specific temperature, water is passed through the interior of the stock-inlet housing and through the upper-lip hollow carrier, separate from the paper-stock, of course. According to FIG. 6, a rectangular hollow carrier is built onto the triangular hollow carrier, which, according to FIG. 1 serves to support the adjusting spindles. In order to ensure that, in the event of a change in temperature a corresponding change in length of the triangular hollow carrier can take place unimpededly, rectangular hollow carrier 54 in FIG. 7 is divided into sections distributed over the width of the machine.
In the stock-inlet described in Publication 5, the flow-guidance walls are again reinforced by hollow carriers. As in Publication 1, steps are taken to ensure that the hollow carrier, and thus the flow-guidance walls, do not become warped by differences in temperature.
None of these known arrangements has produced satisfactory results. On the one hand, stiffening the flow-guidance walls with hollow carriers leads to very costly and bulky designs. On the other hand, the devices used to maintain uniform temperatures do not react fast enough, at least when the papermaking machine is started up. This means that, when the machine is started up, there is still a danger of the flow-guidance walls expanding faster than the opposing wall of the hollow carrier. There is also frequently a danger of at least one of the two flow-guidance walls being temporarily unevenly heated. For instance, it is possible for the inside of a flow-guidance wall in contact with the paper-stock to be at a higher temperature than the outside. This may also cause the relevant flow-guidance wall to arch inwardly in the central part of the width of the papermaking machine, thus reducing the internal width of the outlet-gap. This danger may be even greater if, as in Publication 3, the flow-guidance walls are in the form of simple, self-supporting plates with no stiffening hollow carriers. In the simplest case, the two converging flow-guidance walls are secured rigidly to a carrier-element extending over the width of the machine, for example to a rear wall of the outlet-channel in which a bundle of tubes which feed the paper-stock is arranged.


A communication system comprises a first radio network supporting a first air interface standard and a second radio network supporting a second air interface standard. The second radio network comprises a network interface 401 which receives a handover request message from the first radio network to hand over a remote station 101 to the second network. A handover preference processor 405 receives a handover preference message including a preference indication for a radio network for the remote station. A load processor 409 determines a load indication for the second radio network and a load threshold processor 407 determines a handover load threshold for the remote station in response to the preference indication. A handover evaluation processor 403 determines whether to accept the handover in response to a comparison of the load indication and the handover load threshold.

Currently, the most ubiquitous cellular communication system is the 2nd generation communication system known as the Global System for Mobile communication (GSM). Further description of the GSM TDMA communication system can be found in 'The GSM System for Mobile Communications' by Michel Mouly and Marie Bernadette Pautet, Bay Foreign Language Books, 1992, ISBN 2950719007.
3rd generation systems have recently been rolled out in many areas to further enhance the communication services provided to mobile users. One such system is the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), which is currently being deployed. Further description of CDMA and specifically of the Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) mode of UMTS can be found in 'WCDMA for UMTS', Harri Holma (editor), Antti Toskala (Editor), Wiley & Sons, 2001, ISBN 0471486876. The core network of UMTS is built on the use of SGSNs, GGSNs and MSCs thereby providing commonality with GPRS and GSM.
As a mobile station moves, it may move from the coverage of one base station to the coverage of another, i.e. from one cell to another. As the mobile station moves towards a base station, it enters a region of overlapping coverage of two base stations and within this overlap region it changes to be supported by the new base station. As the mobile station moves further into the new cell, it continues to be supported by the new base station. This is known as a handover or handoff of a mobile station between cells.
As an increasing number of communication systems, such as GSM, UMTS, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN etc), are introduced mobile stations are being deployed which are capable of accessing different communication systems. Indeed, the variety of systems has led to a design philosophy where interworking between different communication systems and air interface standards has become a priority. Indeed, the different radio access standards and technologies are often viewed as different radio access networks of a combined hybrid communication system having a common or interfaced core network. These different radio access networks or air interface standards are often referred to as different access layers.
In order to achieve efficient interworking between different radio access technologies, handover of communication services between these has become increasingly important. For example, a mobile station may comprise both GSM and UMTS functionality and may handover an ongoing call from a GSM RAN to a UMTS RAN or vice versa. Such interlayer handover may provide enhanced communication services and an improved user experience. However, the interlayer handover requires complex management procedures. Also, the different RANs have different characteristics and the characteristics of the service provided to the mobile station are typically dependent on the RAN currently supporting the service.
Thus, in mobile communications systems, different access layers may have different capabilities and may support some services better than others. To deal with this issue, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specifications provide for a Service Handover mechanism between GSM and UMTS. The handover mechanism seeks to define an access layer preference for a communication service such that for a given service it is defined which access layer the service is preferably supported by. Hence, the service is supported by the preferred access layer if this is possible and the alternative layer is mainly used if the preferred layer cannot support the service.
Specifically, for GSM and UMTS, handovers are managed within the serving RAN based on the conditions of the individual mobile station. However, the service itself is set up and controlled by the core network and the RAN has only information of the characteristics of the radio bearers supporting the service but not of the characteristics of the service itself. Accordingly, 3GPP have introduced an access layer preference in the Handover Service Information Element which is an information element communicated from the Core Network to the RAN. For a GSM RAN, the access layer preference has the following states for a given service:                Unset—no preference is indicated.        There is no preference for the service for any access layer.        Should handover to UMTS.        If possible the service should be handed over to the UMTS access layer. The GSM RAN hands the service over to UMTS if the radio conditions allow this.        Should not handover to UMTS        If possible the service should be continued to be supported by the GSM RAN. The service is only handed over to UMTS if the radio conditions require this to continue to support the service.        Shall not handover to UMTS.        The service must be supported by the GSM RAN or dropped. The service cannot be handed over to UMTS.
The Handover Service Information Element sent from the core network to the UMTS RAN comprises the following settings:                Unset—no preference is indicated.        There is no preference for the service for any access layer.        Should handover to GSM.        If possible the service should be handed over to the GSM access layer. The UMTS RAN hands the service over to GSM if the radio conditions allow this.        Should not handover to GSM        If possible the service should be continued to be supported by the UMTS RAN. The service is only handed over to GSM if the radio conditions require this to continue to support the service.        Shall not handover to GSM.        The service must be supported by the UMTS RAN or dropped. The service cannot be handed over to GSM.
In a cellular communication system it is important to ensure that communications are reliable supported with acceptable Quality of Service (QoS) levels. For this reason, handovers are typically not allow into cells which are highly loaded as this may cause unacceptable degradation to existing communications. In such cases, handovers that are imperative may still accepted but all other handovers will be rejected. However, in multi RAN systems, such an approach may cause suboptimal performance. For example, it may frequently lead to services that are best supported by one RAN, say UMTS, not being handed over from another RAN, say GSM, even if the service could potentially be supported by the first RAN. This may result in reduced QoS for the service as it will continue to be restricted by the characteristics of the less preferred RAN (GSM).
Hence, an improved handover would be advantageous in many scenarios.


Noise generated by driving a relay provided on a battery pack is suppressed. A negative relay is fixed onto top of a bottom face and an inner side surface of a lower case of the battery pack via multiple mounting points formed on an L-shaped fixture. The center of gravity of the negative relay is located within a polygon having the mounting points as vertices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery pack to be mounted in a vehicle, and more particularly to the position of a relay to be housed in the battery pack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles as well as electric vehicles were equipped with a battery pack for storing electric power to supply a drive motor. The battery pack includes a battery stack formed by combining multiple battery modules, various devices to control the battery stack, and an upper case and a lower case to protect the battery stack and the various devices. One example of the various devices disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-328597 is a relay for disconnecting as necessary the electric power that is supplied from the battery stack to the drive motor.
FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C illustrate the operating principle of the relay. A relay 1 is, for example, attached to a top of a bottom face 14a of a lower case 14 by a mounting screw 2a via a fixture 2. The relay 1 is a so-called mechanical relay and has an excitation coil 1a, a movable core (drive shaft) 1b that moves by electromagnetic force of the excitation coil 1a, and a case 1d for storing the excitation coil 1a, the movable core 1b, and so forth.
In FIG. 6A, when the relay 1 turns on, the excitation coil 1a is energized to generate electromagnetic force. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6B, the movable core 1b rises, a return spring 1e is compressed, and an internal contact terminal 1c provided on the top of the movable core 1b contacts an external input terminal 3a and external output terminal 3b so that the external input terminal 3a and the external output terminal 3b are electrically connected via the internal contact terminal 1c. Furthermore, when the relay 1 turns off, the electromagnetic force of the excitation coil 1a dissipates, the movable core 1b falls due to the return force of the contracted return spring 1e, and the internal contact terminal 1c separates from the external input terminal 3a and the external output terminal 3b so that the external input terminal 3a and the external output terminal 3b are electrically disconnected.
When the relay 1 changes from the on state to the off state, as shown in FIG. 6C, the movable core 1b impacts the bottom face of the case 1d due to the return force of the return spring 1e and the impact vibrations are transmitted to the entire relay 1. The impact vibrations are transmitted to the lower case 14 via the mounting point 2b and may vibrate the battery pack to generate noise.
The quietness of equipment mounted in a vehicle is an important factor on which the product value of the equipment can be judged. Thus, it is preferable for the impact sound generated from the relay provided in the battery pack to be dampened.
Heretofore, to dampen the shock generated during the sliding operation of the movable core 1b, dampening was applied by attaching the relay 1 and the fixture 2 via a shock absorbing member 4 (rubber cushion).


A carrier for supporting an expansion card is disclosed herein. The expansion card is configured for connection to a server. The carrier includes a module that is configured to receive and removably retain the expansion card. The module is further configured to support the expansion card in a position that aligns the expansion card with a receiver in the server. The module is further configured to move with respect to the receiver to facilitate connection of the expansion card to the receiver.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein relate to a carrier configured to support an expansion card and to facilitate connection of the expansion card with a server in a manner that does not require tools for attachment and in a manner that inhibits the expansion card from flexing.
2. Background Art
Computer equipment such as servers are configured to connect to expansion cards which may augment the capabilities of the server or other computer component. Expansion cards are frequently installed at a rear of the server. The server may be housed in a location that provides limited access to the rear of the server. For instance, a plurality of servers may be stored in a stacked orientation within a cabinet. It may be desirable to connect the expansion card to the server without removing the server from its housing. Accordingly, there may be limited room in which to manipulate the expansion card.
Furthermore, expansion cards may be delicate. The flexing of an expansion card as it is connected to a server may damage the expansion card. It is therefore desirable to align the expansion card with the slot or receiver on the server that is configured to receive the expansion card and also to orient the expansion card such that it is substantially parallel to the direction of insertion when inserting the expansion card. Furthermore, it is desirable to apply a force to the expansion card that is substantially parallel to the expansion card and the receiver to reduce the possibility of the expansion card flexing when it is connected to the server.
Because of the potentially cramped quarters in which the expansion card may be connected to the server, it is additionally desirable that the expansion card be attachable to the server without the need to use tools such as screwdrivers and screws. Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein address these and other problems.

Tool-less modular expansion card carrier


A polarimetric radar system for object classification and road condition estimation includes a radar transmitter unit for transmitting radar waves of different polarizations, a radar receiving unit for receiving radar waves of different polarizations, a radar signal generating unit for generating and providing the radar waves to be transmitted, a signal processing circuitry for processing the generated and received radar waves, and a signal evaluation unit. The signal evaluation unit receives processed signals from the signal processing circuitry, estimates values for a set of predetermined object parameters on the basis of the received processed signals, and selects an object class from a plurality of predetermined object classes upon detecting a match of the estimated values with one out of a plurality of predetermined sets of object parameters. The signal evaluation unit is configured to provide information that is indicative of the at least one classified object.

In urban areas, pedestrian crossing zones are known to be potentially hazardous sites in today's traffic. This is especially true for hazy days or during nighttime, even with mounted street lights, or due to bad road conditions, for instance in case of black ice, snow or oil spill.
Therefore, systems have been proposed in the art in order to improve safety at pedestrian crossing zones.
For example, patent application EP 2 141 676 A1 describes a pedestrian crossing with presence detector and warning. The pedestrian crossing constitutes an independent and transportable constructive element, is claimed to be easy to assemble and dismantle, with low maintenance cost, equipped with presence detectors, warning devices, power supply system, accumulators and electronic devices (circuitry, etc.). The pedestrian crossing permits the detection of pedestrians, vehicles, or both, in a crossing zone, and alerts both drivers and pedestrians of their respective presence on said crossing, or in proximity thereto. The pedestrian crossing is further disclosed to be adapted to the particular conditions of each zone, and provided with height regulators, drainage systems and access for disabled persons, and means for the attack of vehicles, which provides greater road safety, reduces the risk of accidents to pedestrians due to inclement weather, reduces acoustic contamination and gives greater versatility to the use of public roads. It also has uses in fixed pedestrian crossings in the form of total or partial introduction of the different elements constituting the invention or in the form, for example, of total or partial shelters for fixed crossings incorporating said elements.
The employed presence detectors may be formed as pressure sensors, capacitive sensors, conducting rubber, photoelectric sensors, optical sensors or laser sensors.
Patent U.S. Pat. No. 9,460,613 B1 describes a method of pedestrian detection and counting for traffic intersection control based on object movement within a field of view. The method analyzes characteristics of a field of view of a traffic detection zone to determine a location and size of a pedestrian area, and applies protocols for evaluating pixel content in the field of view to identify individual pedestrians. An alarm may be triggered based on detected pedestrian incidents. The location and size of a pedestrian area is determined based either on locations of vehicle and bicycle detection areas or on movement of various objects within the field of view. Automatic pedestrian speed calibration with a region of interest for pedestrian detection is accomplished using lane and other intersection markings in the field of view. Detection and counting further includes identifying a presence, volume, velocity and trajectory of pedestrians in the pedestrian area of the traffic detection zone.
Objects are detected by sensors capturing data in the field of view. The employed sensors may be formed as video cameras, thermal cameras, radar systems, magnetometers and acoustic sensors.
Patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,748 B1 describes a road surface condition monitoring system using sensors disposed under the road. In the road surface condition monitoring system, at least one sensor unit is interchangeably provided in a sealed container disposed below the road surface. A power source is provided to power the sensor unit, and a communications device is provided to obtain measurement and/or monitoring data from the at least one sensor unit and to provide control signals to the at least one sensor unit, whereby an inexpensive and readily maintainable system is claimed to be provided. The sensor unit may comprise a laser radar sensor, a moisture load sensor, an optical sensor, a radiometer sensor, an ultrasonic snow depth sensor, a thermometer, a rain gauge, etc. These sensors are used to measure and monitor such conditions as presence or absence of rain, moisture, dryness, snow, snow depth, ice, ice depth, etc.

Polarimetric radar system and method for object classification and road condition estimation in stationary applications

IEE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONICS & ENGINEERING S.A.


A magnetic disk array apparatus has a function of positively verifying read data with a configuration by which overhead can be reduced as much as possible. Upon writing data to each magnetic disk 10-I, verification, such as CRC data, is additionally written for each writing block, and also, in a disk array controller 20, the same CRC data is held (see FIG. 2).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage apparatus, a control method therefor and a program, and in particular, to a storage apparatus, a control method therefor and a program configured for integratively managing storage areas of many storage apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a storage apparatus, there is a so-called magnetic disk array apparatus configured to integratively handle respective storage areas of a plurality of magnetic disk apparatuses as a single logical volume.
In such a storage apparatus, when writing processing for the relevant magnetic disk, i.e., data updating processing, is not carried out properly due to a failure or such of the particular magnetic disk apparatus, old data, existing before the updating, is read upon data reading therefrom. In such a case, it may not be possible to determine that the thus-read data is actually erroneous data, existing before the updating. In this case, the old data is transmitted to a host apparatus. As a result, the host apparatus receives the old data before the updating, and as a result, a serious problem may occur, such as that the latest data is lost, for some cases.
Generally speaking, in a magnetic disk apparatus, a writing head is positioned at an address which is a writing target on a disk recording medium; after that, a writing current is provided thereto; and thus a magnetization direction on the disk recording medium is controlled, so that data writing is achieved. However, there may be a case where trouble occurs in a writing circuit, or when a sufficient output cannot be obtained from the writing head. In such a case, even when a control part of the magnetic disk apparatus carries out proper writing operations, the magnetization direction on the disk recording medium may not be changed sufficiently, so that data before the writing (old data) may still remain.
If as a result, the old data is read from the magnetic disk as mentioned above, a problem in the contents of the read data may not be recognized at all. In such a case, the control part of the magnetic disk array apparatus cannot detect the data problem even though the old data is read.
Conventionally, for the problem, generally the following two methods are applied to prevent reading of old data or detecting such a problematic situation.
1) Write check is carried out by the control part of the disk array apparatus.
For carrying out this processing, the following two methods may be applied:
(a) Upon data writing, data reading is also carried out, and a data comparison is made therebetween.
(b) Write patrol is carried out, which is described next.
Typically, the above-mentioned reading of old data occurs due to a failure or such in the magnetic disk apparatus. Therefore, the control part of the magnetic disk array apparatus carries out a write patrol at regular intervals for each magnetic disk apparatus, so as to detect such possible trouble(s). That is, when an error is detected during the write patrol, it is determined that a problem occurs in the corresponding magnetic disk apparatus, and data stored in the magnetic disk apparatus can be invalidated.
Typically, the write patrol comprises the following three steps:
(i) data is written in a special patrol area of the magnetic disk apparatus;
(ii) the thus-written data is read out; and
(iii) the written data and the read data thus obtained are compared.
When disagreement in the data is detected as a result of step (iii), it is determined that an error has occurred. Write patrol is carried out for each magnetic disk apparatus for which the corresponding storage area is integratively managed by the magnetic disk array apparatus.
2) The above-described two conventional methods may be applied as follows:
(a) In response to a writing instruction from the control part of the magnetic disk array apparatus, each magnetic disk apparatus automatically carries out data writing/data reading/data comparison. Then, when data error is detected, an error message is responded to the above-mentioned writing instruction. The control part of the magnetic disk array apparatus detects from this error message that writing error has occurred in the corresponding magnetic disk apparatus.
(b) Each magnetic disk apparatus itself carries out write patrol automatically. Then, when an error is detected therefrom, data reading is invalidated after that detection.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 5-166304 discusses carrying out a comparison between written data and read data as described above for item 1) (a), in which in response to a writing instruction from the control part of the magnetic disk array apparatus (each time data is written), each magnetic disk apparatus automatically carries out data writing, data reading, and data comparison based upon CRC data written in a register. However, when carrying out a comparison between written data and read data as described above for the item 1) (a) or 2) (a), in addition to the time required for transferring write data from the host apparatus to the magnetic disk array apparatus, time is required for processing read data having the same contents. As a result, processing time required for each data writing operation increases, overhead increases, and thus system performance may be degraded accordingly.
Further, when carrying out write patrol mentioned above for the item 1) (b) or 2) (b), data integrity may not be assured in the interval between a patrol and a subsequent patrol.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2002-322850 discusses providing a head/disk tester having a closed loop positioning system for correcting a thermal drift generated in positioning a magnetic head to a magnetic disc.

Storage apparatus, control method therefor and program


Provided is a lithium secondary battery, comprising a cathode, an anode, and a porous separator or electrolyte disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) an anode active layer containing a layer of lithium or lithium alloy, in a form of a foil, coating, or multiple particles aggregated together, as an anode active material; and (b) a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer, disposed between the anode active layer and the porous separator or electrolyte; the polymer having a recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 1,500%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10−6 S/cm (typically up to 5×10−2 S/cm) at room temperature, and a thickness from 1 nm to 10 μm, wherein the high-elasticity polymer contains a polyrotaxane network having a rotaxane structure or a polyrotaxane structure at a crosslink point of the polyrotaxane network.

Lithium-ion and lithium (Li) metal cells (including Lithium-sulfur cell, Li-air cell, etc.) are considered promising power sources for electric vehicle (EV), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and portable electronic devices, such as lap-top computers and mobile phones. Lithium metal has the highest capacity (3,861 mAh/g) compared to any other metal or metal-intercalated compound (except Li4.4Si) as an anode active material. Hence, in general, rechargeable Li metal batteries have a significantly higher energy density than lithium ion batteries.
Historically, rechargeable lithium metal batteries were produced using non-lithiated compounds having high specific capacities, such as TiS2, MoS2, MnO2, CoO2 and V2O5, as the cathode active materials, which were coupled with a lithium metal anode. When the battery was discharged, lithium ions were dissolved from the lithium metal anode and transferred to the cathode through the electrolyte and, thus, the cathode became lithiated. Unfortunately, upon cycling, the lithium metal resulted in the formation of dendrites that ultimately caused unsafe conditions in the battery. As a result, the production of these types of secondary batteries was stopped in the early 1990's giving ways to lithium-ion batteries.
Even now, cycling stability and safety concerns remain the primary factors preventing the further commercialization of Li metal batteries for EV, HEV, and microelectronic device applications. These issues are primarily due to the high tendency for Li to form dendrite structures during repeated charge-discharge cycles or an overcharge, leading to internal electrical shorting and thermal runaway. Many attempts have been made to address the dendrite-related issues, as briefly summarized below:
Fauteux, et al. [D. Fauteux, et al., "Secondary Electrolytic Cell and Electrolytic Process," U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,021, Jul. 18, 1995] applied to a metal anode a protective surface layer (e.g., a mixture of polynuclear aromatic and polyethylene oxide) that enables transfer of metal ions from the metal anode to the electrolyte and back. The surface layer is also electronically conductive so that the ions will be uniformly attracted back onto the metal anode during electrodeposition (i.e. during battery recharge). Alamgir, et al. [M. Alamgir, et al. "Solid polymer electrolyte batteries containing metallocenes," U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,599, Jul. 16, 1996] used ferrocenes to prevent chemical overcharge and dendrite formation in a solid polymer electrolyte-based rechargeable battery.
Skotheim [T. A. Skotheim, "Stabilized Anode for Lithium-Polymer Battery," U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,187 (Jul. 15, 1997); U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,672 (Oct. 5, 1999)] provided a Li metal anode that was stabilized against the dendrite formation by the use of a vacuum-evaporated thin film of a Li ion-conducting polymer interposed between the Li metal anode and the electrolyte. Skotheim, et al. [T. A. Skotheim, et al. "Lithium Anodes for Electrochemical Cells," U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,924 (May 11, 2004); U.S. Pat. No. 6,797,428 (Sep. 28, 2004); U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,381 (Aug. 30, 2005); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,247,408 (Jul. 24, 2007)] further proposed a multilayer anode structure consisting of a Li metal-based first layer, a second layer of a temporary protective metal (e.g., Cu, Mg, and Al), and a third layer that is composed of at least one layer (typically 2 or more layers) of a single ion-conducting glass, such as lithium silicate and lithium phosphate, or polymer. It is clear that such an anode structure, consisting of at least 3 or 4 layers, is too complex and too costly to make and use.
Protective coatings for Li anodes, such as glassy surface layers of LiI— Li3PO4—P2S5, may be obtained from plasma assisted deposition [S. J. Visco, et al., "Protective Coatings for Negative Electrodes," U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,094 (Feb. 15, 2000)]. Complex, multi-layer protective coatings were also proposed by Visco, et al. [S. J. Visco, et al., "Protected Active Metal Electrode and Battery Cell Structures with Non-aqueous Interlayer Architecture," U.S. Pat. No. 7,282,295 (Oct. 16, 2007); U.S. Pat. No. 7,282,296 (Oct. 16, 2007); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,282,302 (Oct. 16, 2007)].
Despite these earlier efforts, no rechargeable Li metal batteries have yet succeeded in the market place. This is likely due to the notion that these prior art approaches still have major deficiencies. For instance, in several cases, the anode or electrolyte structures are too complex. In others, the materials are too costly or the processes for making these materials are too laborious or difficult. Solid electrolytes typically have a low lithium ion conductivity, are difficult to produce and difficult to implement into a battery.
Furthermore, solid electrolyte, as the sole electrolyte in a cell or as an anode-protecting layer (interposed between the lithium film and the liquid electrolyte) does not have and cannot maintain a good contact with the lithium metal. This effectively reduces the effectiveness of the electrolyte to support dissolution of lithium ions (during battery discharge), transport lithium ions, and allowing the lithium ions to re-deposit back to the lithium anode (during battery recharge).
Another major issue associated with the lithium metal anode is the continuing reactions between electrolyte and lithium metal, leading to repeated formation of "dead lithium-containing species" that cannot be re-deposited back to the anode and become isolated from the anode. These reactions continue to irreversibly consume electrolyte and lithium metal, resulting in rapid capacity decay. In order to compensate for this continuing loss of lithium metal, an excessive amount of lithium metal (3-5 times higher amount than what would be required) is typically implemented at the anode when the battery is made. This adds not only costs but also a significant weight and volume to a battery, reducing the energy density of the battery cell. This important issue has been largely ignored and there has been no plausible solution to this problem in battery industry.
Clearly, an urgent need exists for a simpler, more cost-effective, and easier to implement approach to preventing Li metal dendrite-induced internal short circuit and thermal runaway problems in Li metal batteries, and to reducing or eliminating the detrimental reactions between lithium metal and the electrolyte.
Hence, an object of the present invention was to provide an effective way to overcome the lithium metal dendrite and reaction problems in all types of Li metal batteries having a lithium metal anode. A specific object of the present invention was to provide a lithium metal cell that exhibits a high specific capacity, high specific energy, high degree of safety, and a long and stable cycle life.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Anode-protecting layer for a lithium metal secondary battery and manufacturing method


Items related to the quality of an on-screen image such as brightness, sharpness, chroma, etc. and items related to the audio quality such as bass, treble, balance, etc. in a CRT display, such as a television receiver, are subject to adjustment by a user. These items are originally classified into those in a first class and those in a second class in accordance with the nature of a respective item, that is, whether a user must know the current analog value of the item before he or she adjusts it. When an instruction is input through user's manipulation to adjust the analog value of an item to be controlled, the system determines whether the item belongs to the first class or the second class. If it belongs to the first class, the system first confirms that the item and its actual analog value are displayed on a screen, then permits adjustment of the analog value in response to the instruction, and then displays a new analog value. If it belongs to the second class, the system permits immediate adjustment of its analog value and displays a new analog value.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for displaying a controlled status and, more particularly, to an improvement of display on a screen effected upon adjustment of a CRT display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A recent type of television receivers is configured to display on its screen the amount of a respective item to be adjusted when a user adjusts the volume, the tone, the hue, the brightness, and so forth. There are, in general, two types of on-screen display shown below.
The first type is such that a current analog value is first displayed on a screen in order to permit a user to select a desired analog value with reference to the current analog value through key manipulation, and a new analog value selected is displayed on the screen.
The second type is such that a new analog value selected by a user through key manipulation is directly displayed on a screen.
In order for a user to control an analog value for control of a CRT display such as a television receiver, he or she needs knowledge on the current status before the intended control for some of such items to be controlled, but need not know it for the other items.
Examples of items for which a user must know the current status, such as identification of the item, its current analog value, and so on, are: brightness, sharpness, phase, chroma, and so on, related to the image display status; and bass, balance, and so on, related to the audio quality.
For such items for which a user must know the current status, the first type on-screen display is necessary. That is, an analog value that has been set heretofore must be displayed before control manipulation.
Examples of items for which a user need not known the current status are: contrast, related to the condition of image display; and volume, related to the audio quality.
For such items for which a user need not know the current status, the second type on-screen display on a screen is desired. That is, it is sufficient that a new analog value selected by a user through key manipulation be directly displayed on the screen.
Existing television receivers, however, do not clearly distinguish the use of the above-mentioned types of on-screen display in accordance with the necessity of confirmation of the current status of a respective item to be controlled.
For example, when a user wants to control one of the items: brightness, sharpness, phase and chroma, the current analog value must be displayed on the screen before the control manipulation. Actually, however, this is not done so in some cases. Therefore, the existing television receivers are not always convenient for users.

Method of controlling first items that require prior CRT display and second items that require no prior display


A method for modelling the migration of reactant in a subsurface petroleum system is described. The method comprises in part generating a mesh for an area of the petroleum system. The mesh comprises a plurality of nodes, with each node representing a point in space in the area. The method also comprises calculating one or more variables representing one or more physical characteristics at each node in the area and determining the migration of reactant in the petroleum system based on the one or more variables. The method can also handle multiple reactant phases and non-static meshes.

Basin modelling is important for oil and gas exploration and production. One of the goals of basin modelling, and often associated reservoir filling studies, is to calculate the migration of non-aqueous reactants (most commonly petroleum, which may represent one or more chemical species) in subsurface deposits of complex geometry. To accomplish this goal, the system under study will usually be described by a grid system, with each cell of the grid being assigned petrophysical properties that describe how they will affect fluid flow. Where a three-dimensional model of a basin or reservoir, consisting of porous or fractured media, (hereafter collectively referred to as a "petroleum system") is being developed, a mesh of elements is imposed over the space under study. The mesh is usually (but not exclusively) made up of an orthogonal grid which may be cubic in shape. In an orthogonal grid, subsurface structures are represented by points in space in the x-y plane with a common value in the z plane. Each of these points in space is known as a node. If values are stored on the nodes, then values in between the nodes are commonly calculated by interpolation (although they may be held constant throughout the element, depending on the property). There can be millions of grid cells and associated nodes in a subsurface model. The usual technique of prior art systems has been to impose, and to populate the cells of this grid based on the element(s) that contribute most to the volume of each cell.
While this conventional approach captures many coarse features of the mesh, the grid can result in a model which is crude when compared the real world, incorporating considerable inherent elements of uncertainty. Such crudeness often distorts or destroys details that are important in determining the correct migration of reactants within the mesh. Thin features with high impedance to migration may be averaged out or omitted entirely in the conversion to the grid.
As a result, efforts have been made to provide grids which more closely approximate the features of a subsurface field under review. Several of such known methods used to simulate multi-phase petroleum flow are commonly described as Darcy flow, Flowpath and Invasion Percolation. All of these methods have been successfully applied and their strengths have been well documented, but all are also characterized by weaknesses which have limited their application and the quality of the results. For example, by imposing a regular grid and converting all internal inclined planes into horizontal planes in a staircase configuration, internal watersheds, natural directions of flow, are poorly approximated by such staircase structures, possibly resulting in migration pathways that are inconsistent with the underlying geometry.

Method and system for modelling petroleum migration


The present invention relates to specific doses of and dosing regimens for using a 1,2,4-oxadiazole benzoic acid compound in treating or preventing diseases associated with nonsense mutations. In particular, the invention relates to specific doses and dosing regimens for the use of 3-[5-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-3-yl]-benzoic acid in mammals having diseases associated with nonsense mutations.

A new class of 1,2,4-oxadiazole compounds and their use to treat, prevent or manage diseases ameliorated by modulation of premature translation termination or nonsense-mediated mRNA decay is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,992,096 B1, issued Jan. 31, 2006, entitled "1,2,4-Oxadiazole Benzoic Acid Compounds and Their Use For Nonsense Suppression and the Treatment of Disease," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One such compound is 3-[5-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-3-yl]-benzoic acid. As with all drugs, proper doses and dosing regimens for treating patients having diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are essential for achieving a desired or optimal therapeutic effect without adverse or unwanted effects.
Therefore, a need exists for safe, effective, and non-toxic doses and dosing regimens that either prevent or reduce any adverse or unwanted effects or provide an optimal therapeutic effect or both, that is, provide a desirable therapeutic profile.

Methods for dosing an orally active 1,2,4-oxadiazole


The present disclosure provides a method for implementing service, a network unit and a terminal. The method for implementing service, operable by a terminal, includes: obtaining indication information for an operation from a first network to a second network; determining an operation for the related service, according to the indication information for the operation from the first network to the second network.

Operators may adopt hotspot coverage rather than full coverage in an initial stage of deploying 5th Generation (5th Generation, 5G) network. Some operators also have 3rd Generation (3rd Generation, 3G) network with full coverage. The 3G network supports voice services, such as connecting IP Multimedia Subsystem (IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS) over a circuit switch domain to provide voice services.
When the 5G network supports voice services, a terminal may directly initiate or terminate the voice services on the 5G network. If one terminal that is performing the voice service moves out of the 5G network and there are only 3G neighboring cells, the voice service has to be interrupted because operation between 5G and 3G is not supported.
When the 5G network does not support voice services, if one terminal connected to or camping on the 5G network requires voice services (i.e., initiating or terminating a voice service), the terminal cannot initiate voice services on the 5G network.
The same problem exists for other communication networks in the future.
Therefore, how to realize continuity of services and determine an access domain for the terminal when the communication network does not have full coverage, is a technical problem that needs to be resolved at present.

Method for implementing service, network unit and terminal


A system for monitoring an industrial system may have a computing device that generates a first three-dimensional (3D) visualization based on 3D video associated with an industrial system. The first 3D visualization may have one or more 3D device visualizations of industrial automation devices, and each 3D device visualization of the industrial automation devices that may depict a 3D object that corresponds to an industrial automation device in the industrial system. The computing device may display the first 3D visualization via an electronic display and detect a gesture in a first set of image data comprising the surrounding of the user and the first 3D visualization. The gesture is indicative of a modification associated with the first 3D visualization. The computing device may receive additional 3D video associated with the industrial system, generate a second 3D visualization based on the modification and the additional 3D video, and display the second 3D visualization via the electronic display.

The disclosure relates generally to the monitoring and providing technical assistance for industrial systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure are related to systems and methods for generating and manipulating or modifying visualizations associated with industrial systems for use by a remote user.
An enterprise may be responsible for managing and servicing a plurality of industrial systems distributed around the world, geographically remote from one another. The enterprise may be the owner and operator of the industrial systems, a vendor of the industrial systems, or the enterprise may be contracted by the owner and/or operator of the industrial systems to provide service, support and/or maintenance for the industrial systems. Accordingly, the enterprise may be tasked with how to effectively and efficiently provide service to a plurality of locations distributed across a large geographical area. For example, when an industrial system experiences a problem, the system may be shut down until the problem is resolved. Thus, the enterprise would like to fix the problem as quickly as possible to minimize down time and get the industrial system back up and running. To achieve this, the enterprise may expend significant time and resources hiring and training a large service team to provide prompt and effective service to the geographical area. Alternatively, or additionally, the enterprise may expend significant resources to send one or more members of a service team from a centralized location on short notice and at significant expense to the industrial system to troubleshoot and/or perform repairs to the industrial system. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop ways to reduce the amount of resources expended to provide prompt service to industrial systems distributed over a large geographical area without a corresponding reduction in the effectiveness of the services provided.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Remote monitoring and assistance techniques with volumetric three-dimensional imaging


An image recording apparatus which performs time division and driving of 128 recording devices arrayed within an LED chip includes shift registers for sequentially serially outputting 128 bits of continuous pixel data to 56 signal lines, corresponding to each LED, from one line of serially input pixel data row, selectors which perform time division of the 56 pieces of pixel data into 8 times of 7 pieces apiece and then outputs the data, and registers which hold the pixel data output from the selectors for each corresponding LED chip. The image recording apparatus may be used as a recording head for a printer using solid recording devices is simplified, and costs are reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus which uses a solid recording device array for recording images. The invention may be used in image recording apparatuses such as photocopiers, facsimiles, printers, and so forth.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a self-scanning recording chip which has functions for scanning solid recording devices contained within the chip has been proposed. FIG. 4 shows an example of this, illustrating an equivalency circuit of a self-scanning LED chip wherein 128 light-emitting devices are arrayed.
In FIG. 4, L1 through L128 denote light-emitting thyristors serving as light-emitting devices, S1 through S128 denote sending thyristors, .phi.I denotes a signal line wherein pixel data corresponding to the 128 light-emitting devices is serially input, .phi.SS denotes a signal line for input of a start signal instructing the LED chip to begin operating, and .phi.S1 and .phi.S2 denote signal lines for input of shift signals for sequential shifting of the devices which are to emit light. The operation of the self-scanning LED chip will be described with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG. 5.
First, the start signal line .phi.SS is set from L to H (t1). At the next timing, the shift signal .phi.S1 is changed from H to L, thereby turning the sending thyristor S1 on (t2), and the gate voltage thereof is anode potential, i.e., approximately 5V. Now, setting .phi.I to L causes the recording thyristor L1 to emit light (t3), and changing it to H extinguishes the light (t4). If .phi.I were left at H, the recording thyristor L1 would not emit light during the period from t3 to t4.
Next, the shift signal .phi.S2 is set from H to L, thereby turning the sending thyristor S2 on (t5). At the next timing, changing the shift signal .phi.S1 from L to H turns the sending thyristor S1 off (t6), and thus a sending thyristor in the on state is S2 only. Now, setting .phi.I to L causes the recording thyristor L2 to emit light (t7), and changing it to H extinguishes the light (t8). If .phi.I were left at H, the recording thyristor L2 would not emit light during the period from t7 to t8.
Next, the shift signal .phi.S1 is changed from H to L, thereby turning sending thyristor S1 on (t9). At t10, the shift signal .phi.S2 is switched from L to H, turning sending thyristor S2 off. Setting .phi.I from H to L at t11 causes recording thyristor L3 to emit light, and changing it to H extinguishes the light at t12.
Repeatedly performing the above operations sequentially scans the 128 sending thyristors S1 through S128, and the recording thyristors L1 through L128 which correspond with each of the sending thyristors emit light in accordance with the pixel data which is input to .phi.I.
Next, FIG. 6 shows the flow of pixel data in the driving control unit of a known self-scanning LED chip. In FIG. 6, 30-1 through 30-n denote the aforementioned self-scanning LED chips, each including recording thyristors L1-L128, as shown for LED chip 30-1. Reference numerals 40-1 through 40-n denote the shift registers, each 128 bits, and 50-1 through 50-n denoted latch circuits for latching the 128 pieces of pixel data corresponding to the self-scanning LED chips 30-1 through 30-n. Reference numerals 60-1 through 60-n identify driver units for driving self-scanning LED chips 30-1 through 30-n, respectively. The following is a description of the operation thereof.
First, the first line of pixel data, 128.times.n pieces, is input from the signal line .phi.1 which is 1 bit in width. This pixel data line is sequentially input to the shift registers 40-1 through 40-n. Once all 128.times.n pieces of pixel data are input to the shift registers 40-1 through 40-n, the latches 50-1 through 50-n corresponding to the respective shift registers each latch 128 bits of pixel data, following which the second line of pixel data is input to the shift registers 40-1 through 40-n. On the other hand, the latch circuits 50-1 through 50-n serially transfer the 128-bit pixel data held within each respective self-scanning LED chip 30-1 through 30-n, one bit at a time.
Then, as described above, the recording devices are sequentially scanned within each LED chip 30-1 through 30-n, and selectively emit light according to the pixel data which is being sent.
Thus, with this arrangement, each recording device is subjected to time division. Hence, when driving, it becomes necessary to have enough shift registers to convert an entire line of serially-input pixel data into parallel data and output it, and latch units for latching the entire line of pixel data and outputting this to each corresponding recording chip. This latching increases the cost of the recording head. Likewise, the larger number of signal lines connecting the shift registers and the latches have led to high costs.

Image recording apparatus using solid recording device array


A highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive composition includes at least (A) a hydroxyl-group-containing acrylic polymer, (B) an amine compound containing plural hydroxyl groups, and (C) a polyisocyanate compound and has a gel fraction of equal to or more than 10% by weight and less than 70% by weight after drying or curing. A highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive sheet has a highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive layer including the highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive composition formed on one or both sides of a base material. The sheet preferably has a 180° peel force with respect to a stainless steel sheet of 10 N/20-mm or more as determined at a pulling rate of 300 mm/minute, 23° C. and 50% relative humidity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive composition which mainly contains an acrylic polymer and is used in labels, pressure sensitive adhesive tapes or sheets, as well as to such a highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive sheet using the highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional pressure sensitive adhesive compositions, pressure sensitive adhesive tapes and sheets can adhere to adherends at atmospheric temperatures at a certain pressure of finger-pressure and are widely used for bonding, packaging, surface protecting or for electrical uses. Specifically in bonding applications, demands have been often made on highly adhesive pressure sensitive materials in order to ensure high reliability and safety.
When members bonded using, for example, such pressure sensitive adhesive tapes become unnecessary, the members themselves including the pressure sensitive adhesive tapes as intact are discarded or are disposed by incineration. However, demands to recycle recyclable materials such as aluminium, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polystyrenes and other plastics have increased from the viewpoint of ecology. Upon recycling, different materials constituting the members must definitely be separated and the pressure sensitive adhesive tapes must be peeled off from the members.
However, conventional pressure sensitive adhesive tapes, especially highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive tapes, often increase in their adhesive strength due to changes with time after adhesion to adherends, and cannot significantly be peeled off from the adherends after adhesion or leave the pressure sensitive adhesives as deposits.
As is described above, conventional pressure sensitive adhesives, especially highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesives for use in recycle members, become more highly adhesive with their increasing tackiness (adhesive strength) with time and thereby cannot significantly be peeled off from the adherends or stain the adherends. For example, the pressure sensitive adhesives cause adhesive deposits on the adherends. Demands have therefore been made to solve these problems.

Highly adhesive pressure sensitive adhesive compositions and sheets


In a multitask execution environment, a debugging device performs debugging setting for rewriting part of original recording content in a memory area shared by at least two tasks, and debugging cancellation for restoring rewritten recording content back to original recording content. The debugging device stores a memory area used by each task, and address information specifying each debugging target task and a respective address. When task switching occurs, if a next task is not a debugging target, recording content at a physical address specified by address information other than that of the next task and within the physical address space range used by the next task is put into a post-debugging cancellation state. If the next task is a debugging target task, in addition to the above processing, recording content at the physical address specified by the address information of the next task is put into a post-debugging setting state.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a debugging system and method for a multitask environment, and in particular to a technique for, in an environment where a plurality of tasks access a same memory, controlling such that operations of tasks that access the memory are not affected when recording content of the memory is rewritten as necessary.
(2) Description of the Related Art
With advances in the functionality and performance of information appliances, automobile control devices, and the like in recent years, software embedded in such systems is becoming larger in scale and more complicated. This has resulted in increased use of operating systems (OSs) in the field of embedded software, and the majority of such OSs are multitask OSs.
Using a multitask OS enables different processing to be performed simultaneously in parallel. To achieve this, the processing time of a microcomputer is divided and the divided processing time is allocated sequentially a plurality of application programs, thus giving the impression that different processing is being performed simultaneously.
Application programs that operate on a multitask OS are processed in executable units that are called tasks, or may be called processes depending on the OS. A plurality of executable units that belong to a same process and share microcomputer resources are called a thread. In the present invention, the executable units that operate in a multitask environment are called tasks, unless a particular distinction is being made between an executable unit being a process or a thread.
Although a plurality of tasks that operate in a multitask environment generally have independent memory resources when run by a microcomputer, there are certain conditions under which the tasks share memory resources.
In the multitask OS called Linux, if one application program is run as a plurality of processes, the same memory resources are shared when one process is run as a plurality of threads.
When the microcomputer uses a memory management unit (MMU), Linux uses a virtual storage function, and tasks operate in a logical address space. When one application program is run as a plurality of processes, each process operates in a different logical address space, but physical address space is shared. Furthermore, when one process is run as a plurality of threads, the threads run in the same logical address space and share physical address space.
However, when a plurality of tasks in a multitask environment share memory resources in this way, operations of tasks are affected when processing such as break setting and rewriting of recording content of the memory is performed with respect to another task that is the target of debugging by a debugger.
For instance, a failure may occur in the operations of a running task that is not a target of debugging, due to a break stop occurring based on a break setting set for another task and an instruction rewritten for debugging being executed.
One technique for preventing such failures is disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-172532. With this technique, a break stop based on a break setting for a task that is a target of debugging is made to occur only for that task. For tasks that are not a target of debugging, processing is performed to make the break setting in the memory shared with the debugging target task invalid, and execution of the tasks that are not a target of debugging is resumed after this processing.
This technique suppresses unnecessary breaks in running tasks that are not a target of debugging, thus enabling the tasks to run normally, and improving debugging efficiency in a multitask environment.
However, with the described technique, when a break occurs in a task that is not a target of debugging, it is necessary to re-run the task. This is problematic in that it is a hindrance to real-time operation, in other words operation in a set time requirement, of tasks that are not a target of debugging.


The present invention discloses a system for controlling environmental conditions in connection with ceiling hatch use particularly on watercraft. The invention generally comprises a suspended support platform, a water diversion conduit cooperatively associated with a water exhaust aperture in the platform, and a water collection and containment structure for collecting and containing fresh water. The platform is suspended from a watercraft hatch for capturing and diverting water away from the watercraft hatch, yet allows continual airflow, heat exchange and filtered light to enter the hatched cabin. The platform is suspended so as to allow for easy removal of the platform from the path of egress through the watercraft. Manually adjustable baffle structures may be included at the perimeter of the platform to allow for prevention of wind blown rain from escaping the platform through the opening between the water collection receptacle and the underside of the watercraft deck.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for controlling environmental conditions in connection with ceiling hatch use, and more particularly, to a system for controlling the ingress and egress of airflow, heat, light, and matter in connection with ceiling hatch use on watercraft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Watercraft art is ancient. Watercrafts have been used for leisure, sport and livelihood for ages and those who have followed such pursuits have continually endeavored to improve upon their respective water borne vessel. Myriad accessories are available to watercraft enthusiasts for improving upon the watercraft experience. Notably, among the myriad watercraft accessories available, ceiling hatches for controlling the climate of watercraft cabins are often viewed as an essential feature to any water going vessel having an enclosed space for occupancy.
The marketplace for hatch accessories, in particular, has provided a lucrative niche for manufacturers of marine-oriented products. Conspicuously absent from the marketplace is a product enabling consumers the opportunity to outfit a watercraft with a simple system for comprehensively controlling environmental conditions attendant to hatch use. More specifically, a product is needed that allows occupants of hatched cabins to leave hatches open during wet weather, thus allowing continual airflow, heat exchange and filtered light to enter the hatched cabin during wet weather, while capturing otherwise airborne water entering the hatched cabin, preventing captured water from damaging the interior, and diverting captured water away from the hatch for further use and/or disposal thereof. Systems for controlling isolated environmental conditions attendant to hatch use such as those outlined above are known in the prior art and some are described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,232, which issued to Ross et al., discloses an Inverted Cargo Hatch Tent. This patent teaches a system for diverting water away from the contents of a cargo hold having a cargo hatch having exemplary rectangular coaming dimensions in the range of 30xc3x9740 feet to 60xc3x9785 feet. The system includes an inverted pliable sloping liner having an apex, which is the point where water accumulates under gravitational attraction. A drain line communicates with the apex to divert water away from the surface of the liner and the underlying cargo. The liner is contiguously mounted between the cargo hatch cover and the hatch coaming, enabling the system to collect water and divert water coming in contact with the sloped liner. Due to the snug liner mounting to the cargo hatch coaming, this system does not allow for unobstructed airflow to and from the cargo hold. Further, this system does not allow for heat to readily escape from the cargo hold. Still further this system does not allow for light to readily penetrate the cargo hold. Still further this system does not allow occupants to easily escape through the hatch as a path of egress in the event of the necessity to do so. The Inverted Cargo Hatch Tent thus blocks light and water and other airborne matter from entering or exiting the cargo hatch. The system thus effectively shields the applicable cargo hatch, but does not allow for free airflow and heat exchange, thus detracting from its capability to comprehensively control environmental conditions attendant to the use of ceiling hatches in occupancy based applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,580, which issued to Davidson, discloses a Marine Door Unit. This patent teaches a marine door system wherein the frame portion of the marine door unit includes water collection and diversion channels for diverting water away from watercraft gear and equipment storage compartments to which the marine door unit is attached. A drain tube further diverts collected water away from the compartment. A door is hingably connected to the frame portion, thus allowing entry into the storage compartment. The frame includes a support rail, which supports a sealing gasket for further sealing the marine door unit when the door is closed. Water leakage past the gasket is collected and diverted through the channels and away from the unit via the drain tube. Due to the snug water seal cooperatively associate with door closure on the unit, this system does not allow for unobstructed airflow to and from the storage compartment. Further, this system does not allow for heat to readily escape from the storage compartment. Still further this system does not allow for light to readily penetrate the storage compartment. The Marine Door Unit thus blocks light and water and other airborne matter from entering or exiting the storage compartment, keeping the compartment dry for storage. The system effectively shields the applicable storage compartment from environmental conditions, but does not allow for free airflow and heat exchange, thus detracting from its capability to comprehensively control environmental conditions attendant to the use of ceiling hatches in occupancy based applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,422, which issued to Muller, discloses a Hatch Ventilator Awning For Boats. This patent teaches a waterproof awning, which can be unrolled from a compact state for storage and be securely affixed over a boat hatch as an aid to prevent water from entering the boat cabin below the boat hatch and for funneling air into the hatch opening for better boat cabin ventilation. This hatch ventilator awning for boats does not prevent wind blown water from entering the hatch via the open funnel end. Further, the awning is affixed over a boat hatch thus preventing occupants in the boat cabin from adjusting or removing the awning from below the deck of the boat. Still further, the awing does not allow for easy ingress and egress of occupants from the hatch in the event of an emergency. The awning, thus allows for free airflow and filtered light to enter the boat cabin, but allows wind blown water to enter the cabin and frustrates boat cabin occupants from adjusting or easily removing the awning from within the cabin. These features both detract from its ability to comprehensively control environmental conditions attendant to the use of a watercraft hatch and compromises occupant safety by thwarting easy removal of the awning from a critical path of egress.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,834, which issued to Pinder, discloses a Rain Shield. This patent teaches a shield for roof vents consisting of two hingedly connected panels. The first panel is integrally attached to a vent cap and has dimensions greater in magnitude than the vent cap, thus blocking rain from entering the vent. The second panel is adjacent the first panel with an end opposite the hinge joint connected to a slide means slidably engaged with tracks on the roof adjacent the vent. This rain shield does not prevent wind blown water from entering the vent blown from positions lateral to the rain shield. Further, the rain shield is affixed integral with a vent cap exterior to the living space below the vent, thus preventing occupants from adjusting or removing the rain shield from within the vented room. The rain shield, thus allows for free airflow and filtered light to enter the vented room, but allows wind blown water to enter the room and frustrates cabin occupants from adjusting or easily removing the rain shield from within the room. These features both detract from the ability of the Rain Shield to comprehensively control environmental conditions attendant to the use of an occupancy based application for a ceiling hatch and decreases ease of occupant use by requiring occupants to adjust or remove the rain shield from an exterior roof location. Additionally, the Rain Shield does not allow for the collection and containment of valuable fresh water for further marine vessel use.
None of the prior art discloses a system for use in combination with a hatch having a suspended water collection means allowing for simultaneous collection, diversion and containment of water, filtering of light, circulation of air, exchange of heat, and shield for the prevention of other foreign matter from entering a hatched cabin or hatched room. Further, none of the prior art discloses a system for use in combination with a hatch having a suspended water collection means, which may be easily adjusted or removed from its suspended overlapping disposition below the ceiling hatch by an occupant from within the cabin or room, thus allowing for easy ingress and egress through the ceiling hatch.
Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to provide a system for comprehensively controlling environmental conditions in connection with the use of ceiling hatches in occupancy based applications. In this regard, an objective of the present invention is to provide a suspended support platform for allowing simultaneous collection, diversion and containment of water, filtering of light, circulation of air, exchange of heat, and shielding of other foreign matter from entering a hatched cabin or hatched room. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a suspended support platform, which may be easily adjusted or removed from a suspended overlapping disposition below a ceiling hatch by an occupant from within the hatched cabin or hatched room, thus allowing for easy ingress and egress through the ceiling hatch as desired by room occupants. Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a suspended support platform to enhance occupant privacy in a cabin. Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a suspended support platform to deter passersby from entering a hatched cabin or hatched room through a ceiling hatch.
To attain these objectives, the claimed invention generally comprises in combination a ceiling hatch being spatially and fixedly positioned in a substantially horizontal plane of a cabin or room ceiling. The ceiling hatch is positioned in a cabin or room ceiling adjacent to support structure corresponding to a cabin or room ceiling structure. The cabin or room ceiling structure adjacent the ceiling hatch further has bracket fastening means receiving structure. The ceiling hatch has pre-selected horizontal hatch size dimensions as selected by those desirous of a ceiling hatch.
The environmental control system further comprises a platform suspended below the ceiling hatch and adapted to support matter inferior to the ceiling hatch. The platform further comprises a substantially planar portion having an upper support surface and a lower exposed surface. The upper support surface faces opposite the ceiling hatch and the lower exposed surface faces a floor surface opposite the ceiling hatch. The platform also comprises an upwardly extending contiguous hem flange about the perimeter of the planar portion having an inner retaining surface and an outer exposed surface. The hem flange includes at least one liquid outlet aperture for exhausting liquid from the upper support surface and through the inner retaining and outer exposed surfaces.
The environmental control system further comprises at least one suspension means for suspending the platform below the ceiling hatch. The suspension means has at least one spatially superior attachment structure and at least one spatially inferior attachment structure opposite the spatially superior attachment structure. The spatially superior attachment structure is attached to the support structure adjacent the ceiling hatch and the spatially inferior attachment structure is attached to the platform.
The environmental control system further comprises at least one liquid conduit structure for diverting liquid away from the platform. The liquid conduit structure has one liquid inlet end and at least one liquid outlet end opposite the liquid inlet end. The liquid inlet end is cooperatively associated with the liquid outlet aperture for receiving exhausted liquid from the liquid outlet aperture.
The environmental control system comprises at least one liquid collection and containment structure for receiving and containing exhausted water. The liquid collection and containment structure includes at least one liquid receiving aperture. The liquid receiving aperture is cooperatively associated with the liquid outlet end for receiving exhausted liquid from the liquid outlet end.
Other claimed features of the environmental control system include baffle means supported at the perimeter of the platform and manually adjustable for preventing wind blown rain from escaping the platform through the opening between the platform and the underside of the ceiling hatch.

Environmental control system for use in combination with ceiling hatch


When the engine is in a specified operation state in which the EGR valve is brought into the full-close condition, the holding force for holding the EGR valve at the full-close position is corrected by correcting the control duty signal of the EGR valve. The control duty signal is corrected according to the target valve overlap quantity or the target phase of the valve timing. Thus, even when a proper holding force of the EGR valve is varied due to a variation in differential pressure between the intake pressure and the exhaust pressure, the holding force of the EGR valve is corrected to be a proper holding force.

In an engine control system having an EGR valve, it is likely that an opening degree of the EGR valve may vary due to a differential pressure between an exhaust pressure and an intake pressure. Japanese patent No. 3494831 shows an engine control system in which a holding force for holding an opening degree of the EGR valve is established according to a differential pressure between an exhaust pressure and an intake pressure.
In an engine control system having a supercharger, when an internal combustion engine is at a low-rotation high-load operation state, the intake pressure exceeds the exhaust pressure for a certain time period in an exhaust stroke and an intake stroke. At this engine operation state, a valve overlap quantity between an intake valve and an exhaust valve is increased to increase the differential pressure between the intake pressure and the exhaust pressure, whereby a scavenging of cylinders is expedited. In this case, since the differential pressure is further increased, it is likely that a holding force for holding the EGR valve at full-close position may become insufficient, so that the EGR valve may be opened even if the controller commands the EGR valve to be closed. As a result, a fresh intake air may flow into an exhaust passage through the EGR valve, which deteriorates a supercharging performance of the turbocharger.
In view of Japanese patent No. 3494831, it is conceivable that the holding force for holding the EGR valve at full-close position is established according to a differential pressure between the intake pressure and the exhaust pressure. However, in this case, since the holding force is established after actually detecting the differential pressure between the intake pressure and the exhaust pressure, an increase of the holding force may delay relative to an increase of the differential pressure, so that the EGR valve may not be held at the full-close position.

EGR controller for internal combustion engine