To provide a timepiece which is easy to produce, a timepiece includes a case forming a ring shape; a back cover fitted to a back side of the case, and a fixing member forming a ring shape running along the circumferential direction of an inner peripheral part of the case, and having a fixing function for fixing the back cover to the case. The case is harder than the fixing member. The fixing member is disposed between the case and the back cover, and is compressed and deformed therebetween, thereby making it possible to fulfill the fixing function.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a timepiece.
2. Background Technology
One well-known wristwatch is provided with a case forming a ring shape, and a back cover mounted onto a back side of the case (for example, see Patent Citation 1). With the wristwatch recited in Patent Citation 1, the back cover is fixed to the case via a bolt (screw). When the wristwatch is produced in this manner, a bolt must be used to screw the back cover and the case together, and a problem is presented in that this production work is laborious and in that the bolt can loosen during the work.
Further, with the wristwatch as set forth in Patent Citation 1, a metal material or ceramic is used as a constituent material of the case. In a case where a metal material is used as the constituent material, an internal screw thread into which an external screw thread of the bolt is screwed can be formed directly on the case, but forming the internal screw thread on the case is difficult in a case where a ceramic is used. For this reason, a metal tube in which a internal screw thread has been formed on an inner peripheral part is embedded in the case, and the internal screw thread of this metal tube and the external screw thread of the bolt are screwed together. When the metal tube of such description is used, problems in terms of production are presented in that the number of parts is thereby increased, there is the additional step of embedding the metal tube, and the like.
Also, with the wristwatch recited in Patent Citation 1, as described previously, the back cover is fixed to the case via the bolt. This bolt is locked in toward the back cover from the outside of the case. For this reason, a head part of the bolt (a screw head) is exposed, and a problem is presented for the wristwatch in that the aesthetic appearance is adversely affected.    Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2010-127765 (Patent Document 1) is an example of the related art.


Methods, systems and apparatus for forming Josephson junctions with reduced stray inductance. In one aspect, a device includes a substrate; a first superconductor layer on the substrate; an insulator layer on the first superconductor layer; a second superconductor layer on the insulator layer, wherein the first superconductor layer, the insulator layer, and the second superconductor layer form a superconductor tunnel junction; and a third superconductor layer directly on a surface of the first superconductor layer and directly on a surface of the second superconductor layer to provide a first contact to the superconducting tunnel junction and a second contact to the superconductor tunnel junction, respectively.

Quantum computing is a relatively new computing method that takes advantage of quantum effects, such as superposition of basis states and entanglement to perform certain computations more efficiently than a classical digital computer. In contrast to a digital computer, which stores and manipulates information in the form of bits (e.g., a "1" or "0"), quantum information processing devices can manipulate information using qubits. A qubit can refer to a quantum device that enables the superposition of multiple states (e.g., data in both the "0" and "1" state) and/or to the superposition of data, itself, in the multiple states. Example physical realizations of qubits include qubits that are realized using Josephson junctions.


A positive electrode plate for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the positive electrode plate including: a positive electrode substrate; a positive electrode active material layer formed on the positive electrode substrate; and a positive electrode substrate exposed portion on which the positive electrode active material layer is not formed, the positive electrode substrate exposed portion having a region that is adjacent to the positive electrode active material layer and has a protective layer formed thereon, the positive electrode active material layer and the protective layer containing polyvinylidene fluoride, and the weight average molecular weight Mw of the polyvinylidene fluoride contained in the protective layer being larger than the weight average molecular weight Mw of the polyvinylidene fluoride contained in the positive electrode active material layer. Thus, a high reliable nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery where the widths of the positive electrode material and the protective layers are stable can be provided.

Portable electronic equipment, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and other equipment that are becoming increasingly popular are requiring stricter specifications for the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries employed in such equipment year after year. In particular, such a battery is required to be compact and lightweight and to have high capacity and output, excellent cycling characteristics, and stable performance.
An example of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is a lithium ion battery including a wound electrode assembly. The wound electrode assembly includes a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode active material layer on each face of a positive electrode substrate of long aluminum foil or other materials, a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode active material layer on each face of a negative electrode substrate of long copper foil or other materials, and a long separator of microporous polyolefin. The positive and negative electrode plates and the separator interposed therebetween are wound to form a columnar or flat electrode assembly. The positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate are then connected to a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab, respectively, and the whole is stored in an outer body having a particular shape.
Another example is a lithium ion battery including a stacked electrode assembly. The stacked electrode assembly includes a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode active material layer on each face of a positive electrode substrate of aluminum foil or other materials, a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode active material layer on each face of a negative electrode substrate of copper foil or other materials, and a separator of microporous polyolefin. A plurality of layers of the positive and negative electrode plates are stacked with the separator interposed therebetween to form a stacked electrode assembly. Positive electrode tabs connected to the layers of the positive electrode plate are connected in parallel to each other, and negative electrode tabs connected to the layers of the negative electrode plate are connected in parallel to each other. The whole is stored in an outer body having a particular shape.
In the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery represented by such a lithium ion battery, in order for the negative electrode active material to smoothly absorb lithium ions desorbed from the positive electrode active material during charging, the negative electrode active material layer is typically arranged to protrude from the end of the positive electrode active material layer with the separator interposed therebetween. Thus, a positive electrode substrate exposed portion, which is formed on the positive electrode plate, faces the end of the negative electrode plate with the separator interposed therebetween.
In a battery having such a structure in which the positive electrode substrate exposed portion faces the end of the negative electrode plate with the separator interposed therebetween, burrs from the end of the negative electrode plate, powder from the electrode plate, or other substances may pierce the separator to cause short circuit. Such a short circuit may lead to a large current flow, resulting in heat emission.
To solve such a problem, techniques have been disclosed in which a protective layer is formed in a region adjacent to the positive electrode active material layer in a positive electrode substrate exposed portion on which a positive electrode active material layer is not formed.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a nonaqueous secondary battery in which an insulating layer of an insulating resin is formed on each face of the base sections of protrusions exposing metals of positive and negative electrodes in a wound electrode assembly. Thus, even if non-protruding sections of the positive and negative electrodes are exposed due to winding misalignment of a separator in the axial direction, the insulating layers prevent a short circuit between the base sections of the protrusions of the positive and negative electrodes and also prevent a short circuit caused by burrs due to, for example, punching of an electrode plate.
In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a nonaqueous secondary battery including an active material mixture layer placed on at least one face of a collector of metal foil and a positive electrode having a portion exposing metal. The positive electrode together with the metal exposed portion faces a negative electrode with a separator interposed therebetween. A protective layer having a lower electronic conductivity than that of the metal and made of a non-insulating material is formed on an area of the metal exposed portion that faces the negative electrode with the separator interposed therebetween. If a part of one electrode pierces the separator to come in contact with the other electrode, such a structure can gently discharge a battery to thus prevent the battery from generating excessive heat and also allows equipment to detect the abnormality of the battery through the fall in battery voltage.

Positive electrode plate for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, method for manufacturing the positive electrode plate, nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and method for manufacturing the battery


Emulsions are claimed which comprise oligoesters as emulsifiers. These oligoesters have hitherto only been used as soil release polymers.

It is known that oligoesters are used as soil release polymers in detergents and cleaners. These oligoesters are condensation products of dimethyl terephthalate, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and polyalkylene glycols. As a consequence of a molar excess of the alcohol component, these oligoesters contain terminal OH groups which may, wholly or in part, be terminated by alkoxy groups (end-caps). Compounds of this type are available commercially under the names (copyright)Milease T, (copyright)Permalose, (copyright)Repel-O-Tex. For more details, reference may be made to the specifications EP 185 427, EP 241 984, EP 241 985, EP 272 033, EP 757 468, EP 201 124, EP 253 567, GB 2 304 727, U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,885, U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,417, U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,152 and WO 92/17 523.
We have now found, surprisingly, that such oligoesters are also highly suitable as emulsifiers for emulsions.
The invention thus provides emulsions comprising an oligoester.
These oligoesters are preferably obtained by polycondensation of one or more aromatic dicarboxylic acids or esters thereof and one or more polyhydric alcohols, such as, for example, ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol. Where appropriate, these esters can also contain polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, sulfoisophthalic acid, sulfobenzoic acid, isethionic acid, C1-C4-alcohols, oxalkylated C1-C24-alcohols, oxalkylated C6-C18-alkylphenols and/or oxalkylated C8-C24-alkylamines as monomers.
Particular preference is given to emulsions comprising those oligoesters which have been obtained by polycondensation of
a) 40 to 52 mol %, preferably 45 to 50 mol %, of one or more dicarboxylic acids or esters thereof,
b) 10 to 60 mol %, preferably 20 to 35 mol %, of ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol,
c) 0 to 20 mol %, preferably 10 to 15 mol %, of polyethylene glycol,
d) 0 to 10 mol % of a water-soluble addition product of from 5 to 80 mol of an alkylene oxide with 1 mol of C1-C24-alcohols, C6-C18-alkylphenols or C8-C24-alkylamines and
e) 0 to 10 mol % of one or more polyols having 3 to 6 hydroxyl groups.
Suitable as component a) for the preparation of the oligoesters are aromatic dicarboxylic acids, such as, for example, terephthalic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and the mono- and dialkyl esters with C1- to C6-alcohols, such as dimethyl terephthalate, diethyl terephthalate and di-n-propyl terephthalate. Further examples of compounds which can be used as component a) for the preparation of the polyesters are oxalic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid, and the mono- and dialkyl esters of the carboxylic acids with C1-C6-alcohols, e.g. diethyl oxalate, diethyl succinate, diethyl glutarate, methyl adipate, diethyl adipate, di-n-butyl adipate, ethyl fumarate and dimethyl maleate. If the dicarboxylic acids which are suitable can form anhydrides, the anhydrides of the carboxylic acids having at least two carboxyl groups are also suitable as compound of component a) for the preparation of the oligoesters, e.g. maleic anhydride, phthalic anhydride or succinic anhydride. As compound of component a), particular preference is given to using terephthalic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and the dimethyl, diethyl, dipropyl and dibutyl esters thereof. It is of course possible to use mixtures of different carboxylic acids or of different esters. Likewise, it is also possible to use, for example, mixtures of carboxylic acids and esters or mixtures of carboxylic acids and anhydrides in the condensation.
As component c), polyethylene glycols having molar masses of from 500 to 5000, preferably from 1000 to 3000, are used.
Suitable as component d) for the preparation of the oligoesters are water-soluble addition products of from 5 to 80 mol of at least one alkylene oxide with 1 mol of C1-C24-alcohols, C6-C18-alkylphenols or C8-C24-alkylamines. Preference is given to monomethyl ethers of polyethylene glycols. The alkylene oxides used for the preparation of the compounds of component d) are preferably ethylene oxide, and mixtures of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Also suitable are mixtures of ethylene oxide together with propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide, mixtures of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and isobutylene oxide or mixtures of ethylene oxide and at least one butylene oxide. These water-soluble addition products of the alkylene oxide are surfactants. If mixtures of alkylene oxides are used for their preparation, then they may contain the alkylene oxides in blocks or else in random distribution.
Suitable alcohols which are alkoxylated are, for example, octyl alcohol, decyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol, but in particular methanol, and the alcohols having 8 to 24 carbon atoms obtainable by the Ziegler process, or the corresponding oxo alcohols. Of the alkylphenols, octylphenol, nonylphenol and dodecylphenol are of particular importance. The alkylamines used are, in particular, the C12-C18-monoalkylamines.
Suitable polyols (component e) are, for example, pentaerythritol, trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, 1,2,3-hexanetriol, sorbitol, mannitol and glycerol.
The oligoesters according to the invention are synthesized by processes known per se, by heating components a, b and c, and optionally d with the addition of a catalyst firstly at atmospheric pressure to temperatures of from 160 to about 220xc2x0 C. The reaction is then continued under reduced pressure at temperatures of from 160 to about 240xc2x0 C. with removal by distillation of excess glycols. The known transesterification and condensation catalysts of the prior art are suitable for the reaction, such as, for example, titanium tetraisopropoxide, dibutyltin oxide and/or antimony trioxide/calcium acetate. For further details on carrying out the process, reference is made to EP 442 101.
Also particularly suitable are the polyesters known from EP 241 985 which, in addition to oxyethylene groups and terephthalic acid units, contain 1,2-propylene, 1,2-butylene and/or 3-methoxy-1,2-propylene groups and glycerol units and are terminally capped with C1- to C4-alkyl groups; the soil release polymers, described in EP 253 567, having a molar mass of from 900 to 9000 g/mol of ethylene terephthalate and polyethylene oxide terephthalate, where the polyethylene glycol units have molecular weights of from 300 to 3000 g/mol and the molar ratio of ethylene terephthalate to polyethylene oxide terephthalate is 0.6 to 0.95; and the polyesters, known from EP 272 033, containing polypropylene terephthalate and polyoxyethylene terephthalate units and being at least proportionately terminally capped by C1-C4-alkyl radicals.
Likewise preferred are oligoesters of ethylene terephthalate and polyethylene oxide terephthalate in which the polyethylene glycol units have molecular weights of from 750 to 5000 g/mol and the molar ratio of ethylene terephthalate to polyethylene oxide terephthalate is 50:50 to 90:10 and whose use in detergents is described in German Patent Specification DE 28 57 292, and oligoesters having molecular weights of from 15 000 to 50 000 g/mol of ethylene terephthalate and polyethylene oxide terephthalate, where the polyethylene glycol units have molecular weights of from 1000 to 10 000 g/mol and the molar ratio of ethylene terephthalate to polyethylene oxide terephthalate is 2:1 to 6:1, which, according to DE 33 24 258, can be used in detergents.
Likewise preferred are the oligoesters described in DE 19 644 034 of the formula
in which
R1 and R7 are linear or branched C1- to C18-alkyl,
R2 and R6 are ethylene,
R3 is 1,4-phenylene,
R4 is ethylene,
R5 is ethylene, 1,2-propylene or random mixtures of any composition of the two,
x and y independently of one another are numbers between 1 and 500,
z is a number between 10 and 140,
a is a number between 1 and 12,
b is a number between 7 and 40,
where a+b is at least 11.
Preferably, independently of one another,
R1 and R7 are linear or branched C1- to C4-alkyl,
x and y are numbers between 3 and 45,
z is a number between 18 and 70,
a is a number between 2 and 5,
b is a number between 8 and 12 and
a+b is a number between 12 and 18 or between 25 and 35. The oligoesters described in DE 19 644 034 are obtained from dimethyl terephthalate, ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and C1- to C18-alkylpolyethylene glycol with the addition of a catalyst firstly by transesterification at temperatures of from 160 to about 220xc2x0 C. and distillative removal of the methanol at atmospheric pressure and subsequent distillative removal of the excess glycols at temperatures of from 160 to about 240xc2x0 C.
The described oligoesters are usually present in the emulsions according to the invention in amounts of from 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.3 to 3% by weight, based on the finished emulsion. The emulsions may either be water-in-oil emulsions or oil-in-water emulsions.
The nonaqueous proportion of the emulsions, which is composed largely of the emulsifier and the oil substance and generally corresponds to the solids content, is usually 5 to 95% and preferably 15 to 75% by weight. This means that the emulsions may comprise 5 to 95% by weight and preferably 25 to 85% by weight of water, depending on whether the intention is to prepare lotions of comparatively low viscosity, or creams and ointments of high viscosity.
Examples of suitable oil substances are Guerbet alcohols based on fatty alcohols having 6 to 18, preferably 8 to 10, carbon atoms, esters of linear C6-C13-fatty acids with linear C6-C20-fatty alcohols, esters of branched C6-C13-carboxylic acids with linear C6-C20-fatty alcohols, esters of linear C6-C18-fatty acids with branched alcohols, in particular 2-ethylhexanol, esters of linear and/or branched fatty acids with polyhydric alcohols (such as, for example, dimerdiol or trimerdiol) and/or Guerbet alcohols, triglycerides based on C6-C10-fatty acids, vegetable oils, branched primary alcohols, substituted cyclohexanes, Guerbet carbonates, dialkyl ethers and/or aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons.
The emulsions can be used as skin care compositions, such as, for example, day creams, night creams, care creams, nourishing creams, body lotions, ointments and the like, and can comprise, as further auxiliaries and additives, coemulsifiers, superfatting agents, fats, waxes, stabilizers, biogenic active ingredients, glycerol, preservatives, dyes and fragrances.
It is essential for the invention that the described oligoesters can also be used without the co-use of a nonionic surfactant as emulsifier. The co-use of emulsifiers is therefore not obligatory, but possible.
Suitable nonionogenic O/W coemulsifiers are addition products of from 2 to 30 mol of ethylene oxide and/or 0 to 5 mol of propylene oxide with linear fatty alcohols having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, with fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms and with alkylphenols having 8 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; C12-C18-fatty acid mono- and diesters of addition products of from 1 to 30 mol of ethylene oxide with glycerol; glycerol mono- and diesters and sorbitan mono- and diesters of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and the ethylene oxide addition products thereof; addition products of from 15 to 60 mol of ethylene oxide with castor oil and/or hydrogenated castor oil; polyol and, in particular, polyglycerol esters, such as e.g. polyglycerol polyricinoleate and polyglycerol poly-12-hydroxystearate. Also suitable are mixtures of compounds of two or more of these classes of substance. The addition products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with fatty alcohols, fatty acids, alkylphenols, glycerol mono- and diesters, and sorbitan mono- and diesters of fatty acids or with castor oil are known, commercially available products. They are homolog mixtures whose average degree of alkoxylation corresponds to the ratio of the quantitative amounts of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide and substrate with which the addition reaction is carried out. C12-C18-fatty acid mono- and diesters of addition products of ethylene oxide with glycerol are known from DE 20 24 051 as refatting agents for cosmetic preparations.
Superfatting agents which can be used are substances such as, for example, polyethoxylated lanolin derivatives, lecithin derivatives, polyol fatty acid esters, monoglycerides and fatty acid alkanolamides, the latter also serving as foam stabilizers. Typical examples of fats are glycerides, and suitable waxes are, inter alia, beeswax, paraffin wax or microcrystalline waxes, optionally in combination with hydrophilic waxes, e.g. cetyl stearyl alcohol. Stabilizers which can be used are metal salts of fatty acids, such as e.g. magnesium stearate, aluminum stearate and/or zinc stearate. Biogenic active ingredients means, for example, plant extracts and vitamin complexes. Examples of suitable preservatives are phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde solution, parabens, pentanediol or sorbic acid. Suitable pearlizing agents are, for example, glycol distearic esters, such as ethylene glycol distearate, but also fatty acid monoglycol esters. Dyes which can be used are the substances approved and suitable for cosmetic purposes, as are listed, for example, in the publication xe2x80x9cKosmetische Fxc3xa4trbemittelxe2x80x9d [Cosmetic Colorants] from the Farbstoffkommission der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft [Dyes Commission of the German Research Council], Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, 1984, pp. 81-106.
The total proportion of auxiliaries and additives can be 1 to 10% by weight, preferably 2 to 5% by weight, based on the composition.
The compositions can be prepared in a manner known per se, i.e. for example by hot, hot-hot/cold or PIT emulsification.
Through the use according to the invention of the oligoesters in emulsions, in particular in O/W lotions and O/W creams, it is possible to obtain stable formulations which additionally impart a pleasant feel to the skin.


An apparatus and method for detecting an output power level of an optical receiver, in order to hold output signal levels constant over changing input optical levels. A photodetector detects an optical signal, and a current from the photodetector is applied an amplifier. The amplifier may be either a differential trans-impedance amplifier, or a dual trans-impedance amplifier coupled to a differential output amplifier. An output of the amplifier is applied o a signal detector, wherein an output signal of the signal detector is an indication of an output power level of the optical receiver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to circuits for optical receivers, and more particularly to a level detector and automatic gain control for optical receivers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The delivery of video services over communication systems such as Hybrid-Fiber-Coax (HFC), Fiber-To-The-Curb (FTTC), and Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) often necessitates the use of high dynamic range technologies to support legacy analog NTSC signal formats. These video systems all use amplitude modulated (AM) optical carriers and require an optical transmitter to modulate the information onto the light. They also require an optical receiver to demodulate and amplify the signal for use by customer premise terminals, such as set top boxes or NTSC television sets.
A basic optical link used in an analog RF video delivery system is shown in FIG. 1. In this case, an FTTP analog RF system is shown, but the principles are equally applicable to HFC or FTTC systems. An optical transmitter takes in a multi-channel signal and amplitude modulates (AM) a light source in a linear fashion. The content can be standard NTSC analog TV channels or digitally modulated carriers such as used in cable modem systems. This system is primarily designed to carry video services, but quite often is used to carry advanced digital services such as high-speed data and telephony. The output of the optical transmitter provides an input to an Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), which greatly increases optical power levels without adding significant noise or distortion. The EDFA high power output is then fanned out by means of an optical splitter to provide signal to a number of customers. Typically the fan-out or split ratio is 1:32 or 1:64. The amplitude-modulated optical signal is then demodulated into an electrical signal by a photo-detector, which functions as an envelope detector on the incoming light. A trans-impedance amplifier provides electrical gain such that the resulting signal is suitable for distribution to customer premise equipment, or to further coaxial distribution systems.
Because of the spatial diversity of customers and the variable nature of optical link budgets in typical deployments, optical path losses can widely vary. For instance, fiber runs will be longer in rural areas than in urban environments. Depending on the specific optical plant deployed, the number and locations of loss elements such as patch panels and splices will vary. To make wide-scale deployments over a large range of optical plants easier it is very desirable to have an optical receiver able to operate over a wide optical dynamic range. For instance, in some three-wavelength FTTP systems now in the early stages of deployment, the desired optical loss budget is between 10 to 28 dB. Unfortunately, optical receivers for 1550 nm wavelength video portions of the FTTP system only support about 7 or 8 dB of dynamic range. The small optical dynamic range of video optical receivers can make FTTP deployments more difficult since more effort must be expended to meet the relatively narrow optical input window. A wider 1550 nm wavelength video receiver dynamic range will make FTTP deployments easier.
To minimize cost of installation and maintenance, service providers often desire the RF output of their optical receivers to be held to a constant level over the optical dynamic range. As the input optical condition changes, it is desirable that the RF output level does not change such that the input level to RF equipment (such as television sets or set-top-boxes) is constant. To accomplish this, optical receivers often include capability for adjusting the RF output level using automatic gain control (AGC) circuitry.
A common technique for doing this is shown in FIG. 2. The output of the trans-impedance amplifier is sent to a variable attenuator whose loss characteristics are adjustable with a control signal. A variable gain circuit may also be used in place of the variable attenuator. The output of the variable attenuator feeds a direction coupler which couples a small portion of the signal leaving the receiver to a signal detection circuit. The output of the directional coupler then goes to the RF distribution network which often consists of coaxial cable, splitters, and terminal devices. The signal detector circuit senses how much energy is leaving the receiver and feeds a signal to an AGC circuit which contains a servo-mechanism for adjusting the variable attenuator. Should for any reason the output of the level detector be low relative to a reference inside the AGC control block, the AGC control block will reduce the amount of attenuation in the RF path, thereby increasing the RF output.
In this way, the AGC control block continuously adjusts the variable attenuator such that the RF output level is held constant over a wide range of anticipated variations. Known variations include changes in the depth of optical modulation index (OMI) on the incoming light, changes in input optical power level, variations in photo-detector responsivity, and changes in trans-impedance gain. These quantities can all vary with time, temperature, and from unit to unit, so the ability to automatically adjust receiver characteristics is very desirable.
It is important to note the directional nature of the coupler. Signal reflections from the RF distribution network should not be allowed to reach the signal detector, as would be the case if the directional coupler had poor ability to separate forward going signals from reverse ones. In the case of FTTP networks, the poor control over the impedance of RF distribution networks in homes requires good directional characteristics to insure proper output levels are launched from the receiver.
The problems with the AGC approach in FIG. 2 are cost and complexity. Broadband directional devices are often wound with multiple turns of fine wire around ferrite cores with small openings, which is a labor-intensive process. Eliminating the need for ferrite wound devices in the AGC circuit will lead to a direct cost reduction. Broadband couplers also introduce loss into the receiver output. Loss-loss directional couplers are possible but at the expense of the amount of coupling provided to the signal detector.
For best signal detector performance, it is desirable to have higher levels of signal incident on the detection device in the level detector block. Without adequate RF drive, level detectors will output correspondingly low levels of voltage that in turn makes it necessary to use expensive op-amps with higher levels of precision performance, such as offset voltage, in the AGC block. To alleviate this problem, RF post amplifiers are often used between the directional coupler's coupled port output and the signal detector input. This approach adds cost, however.
Optical receivers often perform output level control by sensing the input light condition, as done in Skrobko, U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,967, which is commonly known in the industry as "optical AGC". Here, the amount of DC current drawn by the photo-detector is proportional to the amount of optical power hitting the receiver. This information may be used to adjust the output level of the receiver. When the input power is high, the receiver gain may be adjusted an amount that will hold the output level constant. When the amount of light is low, the receiver gain may be adjusted upward an appropriate amount to hold the output level constant. The drawback of this approach is it is an open loop implementation. There is no ability to adjust for variations in input light OMI or variations of the gain of the receiver.
Even in optical AGC approaches, it is often sometime desirable to have an indication of the amount of signal leaving the receiver. In those cases, a direction level detector is desirable even if the output of the level detector is not used in the adjustment of gain.
The frequency response of the trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) section of the receiver shown in FIG. 2 is in large part determined by the pole formed by the photo-detector junction capacitance appearing across the cathode and anode nodes, and the effective input impedance of the TIA. As noted in the prior art discussion of Cole, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,286, shunt feedback from output to input creates a trans-impedance amplifier and is effective in minimizing the effects of photo-detector capacitance and providing a wide bandwidth. As described in the discussion in Kruse, U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,012, proper selection of the value of shunt feedback inside the trans-impedance amplifier can result in satisfactory noise and distortion performance. In Cole, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,286, power gain of the receiver is determined by the ratio of input impedance to output impedance as seen by the amplifier, thus the frequency response and gain characteristics are largely determined by the large source impedances, on the order of 500 ohms, appearing at each photo-detector terminal. Trans-impedance amplifiers using shunt feedback will generally use values of feedback resistances of between 300 and 1000 ohms, which provides excellent low input impedance due to the negative feedback action, and excellent noise from the low amount of thermal noise from the resistors. Historically, these benefits have lead most designers to use shunt feedback in their trans-impedance amplifier designs.


A printing apparatus for printing an image on a medium by a print head having a nozzle capable of creating dots includes: a module acquiring image data having an M-ary pixel data value (M≧3); a module creating N-ary image data (M>N≧2) from an M-ary pixel value (M≧3) expressed by each pixel data item; a module splitting the N-ary image data into a plurality of image data areas of a predetermined number of pixel data items; a module rearranging a position of a pixel corresponding to each pixel data item included in the image data areas in the N-ary image data at a predetermined position in each image data area; a module creating printing data defining dot forming information of each nozzle corresponding to the N-ary image data after rearrangement; and a module printing the image on the medium.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a printing apparatus control program, and a printing apparatus control method, which are used for printing equipment such as a facsimile machine, a copier, and Office Automation (OA) appliances, a printing apparatus, a printing apparatus control program, a printing apparatus control method, a printing data creating apparatus, a printing data creating program, and a printing data creating method particularly to so-called ink jet printing processing in which fine particles of multiple colors of liquid ink are discharged onto printing paper (recording material) to form predetermined letters and images.
2. Related Art
Hereinafter, a printing apparatus, particularly a printer that adopts the ink jet printing method (hereinafter, it is called 'an ink jet printer') will be described.
Generally, since the ink jet printer easily provides inexpensive, high quality color prints, it becomes widespread in offices as well as general users with the wide use of personal computers and digital cameras.
Typically, the ink jet printer like this produces desired prints in which a movable body called a carriage having an ink cartridge and a print head in one piece discharges (ejects) liquid ink particles in dots from a nozzle of the print head while reciprocating over a printing medium (for example, printing paper) in the direction vertical to the paper feed direction and predetermined letters and images onto the medium are drawn. Then, four colors of ink cartridges including black (black, yellow, magenta, and cyan) and print heads for each color are provided in this carriage to facilitate monochrome printing as well as full color printing combining each color (furthermore, such a ink jet printer is also commercially available that is provided with six and seven colors, or eight colors such as light cyan and light magenta added to these colors).
Moreover, in the ink jet printer of this type that printing is done while the print head over the carriage reciprocates in the direction vertical to the paper feed direction, the print head needs to reciprocate ten to a hundred times or more in order to print an entire page beautifully. Thus, as compared with a printing apparatus in other methods such as a laser printer using electrophotographic technology including a copier, it has a disadvantage that it takes longer to print.
On the other hand, in an ink jet printer of the type that a long print head having the same width (or longer) as that of printing paper is disposed without using any carriage, the print head does not need to move in the width direction of printing paper, and printing is done in a so-called single scan (a single path). Therefore, high speed printing is feasible similar to the laser printer. Furthermore, since a carriage that mounts the print head thereon and a drive system that moves the carriage are unnecessary, this printer has advantages that a printer housing can be reduced in size and weight, and noise reduction properties can be improved significantly. Moreover, the ink jet printer by the former method is generally called a 'multipath type printer', and the ink jet printer by the latter method is generally called a 'line scan head type printer' or 'serial printer'.
In the meantime, since the print head essential for the ink jet printer like these is formed in which fine nozzles each having a diameter of about 10 to 70 μm are arranged in a row spaced at a predetermined distance or in multiple rows in the printing direction, a so-called 'curved flight phenomenon' sometimes occurs that fabrication error causes a part of nozzles to be tilted in the ink discharge direction thereof, or that the position of a nozzle is placed at the position shifted from an ideal position and then the position of dot ejected by that nozzle is shifted from an ideal position. Furthermore, because of the variations in the property of the nozzle, for the nozzle with greater variations, there are some nozzles that an ink amount is greatly larger or smaller than an ideal amount.
Consequently, a print failure known as a so-called 'banding (streaks) phenomenon' is generated in the portion printed with the defective nozzle, and print quality is sometimes seriously degraded. More specifically, when the 'curved flight' phenomenon occurs, the distance between dots discharged from the adjacent nozzles becomes uneven, 'white streaks (when printing paper is white)' are generated in the portion where the distance between adjacent dots is larger than in normal printing, and 'thick streaks' are generated in the portion where the distance between adjacent dots is shorter than in normal printing. Furthermore, also when the value of the ink amount is deviated from an ideal value, thick streaks are generated in the portion relating to the nozzle with a greater ink amount, and white streaks are generated in the portion relating to the nozzle with a smaller ink amount.
Particularly, such the banding phenomenon tends to occur more noticeably in the 'line scan head type printer' that the print head or a medium for use in printing is fixed (single path printing) than in the 'multipath type printer' (serial printer) described above (in the multipath type printer, there is a technique to make banding less noticeable with making use of reciprocating the print head many times).
Therefore, in order to prevent a kind of printed failure like this 'banding phenomenon', studies and development are done in so-called hardware including improvements in fabrication techniques and in designs of the print head, but it is difficult to provide a print head that never generates the 'banding phenomenon' in view of fabrication cost and available hardware technology.
Then, under the current circumstances, in addition to the improvements in hardware, a technique is also used to reduce the 'banding phenomenon' using so-called software schemes such as print control shown below.
For example, in Patent Reference 1 (JP-A-2002-19101) and Patent Reference 2 (JP-A-2003-136702) shown below, in order to cope with nozzle variations and no ink discharge, settings are done to make banding and variations less noticeable in such ways that head variations are handled by using a shading compensation technique for portions with thin concentrations, and that other colors are used for substitutes for portions with thick concentrations (for example, when printing is done in black, cyan, magenta, etc., are substituted).
Moreover, in Patent Reference 3 (JP-A-2003-63043) shown below, a scheme is adopted for a solid image (that is, it is an image having a relatively great area with respect to a line image, which is covered with ink densely, but is sometimes not covered entirely because of edge effect), in which the discharge amount of nozzles adjacent to neighboring pixels of a misfired nozzle is increased to generate a solid image by all the nozzles.
Furthermore, in Patent Reference 4 (JP-A-5-30361) shown below, an amount of variations in each of nozzles is fed back to error spread and processed, and variations in the discharge amount of ink discharged from the nozzles are smoothed out to prevent the banding phenomenon.
Moreover, in Patent Reference 5 (JP-A-2004-58284) shown below, when there is a nozzle (N) that abnormality occurs in an ink discharge state, record data corresponding to that abnormal nozzle (N) is added to record data corresponding to neighboring nozzles (N−1) and (N+1) located near the abnormal nozzle (N), and record data corresponding to the abnormal nozzle (N) is corrected to prevent the banding phenomenon.
However, for portions with thick concentrations, in the schemes that information about the no discharge nozzle is distributed in right and left to prevent the 'white streak phenomenon' in the traditional techniques as Patent Reference 1 and Patent Reference 2, when it is adopted to 'the curved flight phenomenon' described above, it has a problem that banding still remains in portions with thick concentrations.
Moreover, in the scheme as traditional technique of the Patent Reference 3, no problem occurs when prints are solid images, but the scheme cannot be used for halftone prints. Besides, the scheme that buries fine lines with other colors does not cause any problem for slight use, but for an image where different colors are created continuously, a problem remains that the hue of the image is partially changed similar to the former scheme.
Furthermore, in the scheme as the traditional technique of the Patent Reference 4, for the problem that dot forming descriptions are shifted, there is a problem that the process of proper feedback is complicated for difficult solution.
Moreover, in the scheme as the traditional technique of the Patent Reference 5, when dots have the γ property in creating dots in different size by surrounding nozzles after binarization, a problem occurs that the area ratio gray scale in that portion is likely to be deformed.

Printing apparatus, printing apparatus control program, printing apparatus control method, printing data creating apparatus, printing data creating program and printing data creating method


Techniques for file system searching are presented. File system search processing is modified so as to store previously successful search criterion for previously submitted searches in extended file attributes of files for the file system. In this manner, when a subsequent and same search criterion is submitted for execution in the file system, just the extended file attributes are searched and not the entire content of the files. The only content that need be searched are for those files that were modified or added after the extended file attributes were set with the search criterion.

Individuals and enterprises as a whole have been storing their documents in electronic systems for some years now. This trend is increasing and shows no real signs of abating. In fact, many enterprises have now mandated that employees and vendors maintain a paperless environment. Such policies are good for the environment and reduce expenses for the enterprise because less paper and ink are used when documents need to be retrieved. Additionally, more information is retained in an electronic environment than what would have actually occurred if documents were retained via a manual and physical filing system.
Some enterprise documents are stored in databases or document management systems. These systems have their own search interfaces. For example, a database system may use a Structured Query Language (SQL) interface to permit search and retrieval against a database.
However, a vast majority of information that each individual of an enterprise has is never worthy of being stored in a database and never intended to be stored in a database because it would overload the enterprise database system. This type of information is often personal documents of employees or even individual uses having their own independent personal computers.
So, when a user desires to locate a document on their file system or even an entire network file system of an enterprise, a file system search is conducted. Anyone with even the smallest amount of documents on a single computer that has attempted such a search knows that the search takes a substantial amount of time and usually burns a lot of processing cycles on the user's computer in the process.
Therefore, there is little debate that file system searching is time consuming and inefficient. Furthermore, these problems are exponentially exacerbated as the amount of available documents and files on a file system being searched increases.
Thus, what are needed are improved techniques for file system searching.


Some embodiments of the present invention include an adjustable bathing suit top including a frontside configured to cover a wearer's chest and an adjustable backside. The backside may include a horizontal strap attached to the frontside of the bathing suit top and the horizontal strap is configured to fit around the circumference of the wearer's back. A first vertical strap and a second vertical strap are connected to the frontside of the bathing suit top, each of the first vertical strap and the second vertical strap are attached to the horizontal strap by a loop. The loops are capable of sliding along a length of the horizontal strap. A plurality of rings are wrapped around both of the vertical straps to hold the vertical straps together and the rings are capable of sliding along a length of the vertical straps.

The embodiments described herein relate generally to clothing, and more particularly, to an adjustable bathing suit top.
Bathing suit tops for females come in a large variety of shapes and designs. Although many bathing suit tops are adjustable, because of various types of fasteners, such as ties, snaps, clips, hooks, or hook and loop fastener, many bathing suit tops do not provide sufficient support, especially when the bathing suit is being worn during a sporting event, such as beach volleyball. Additionally, conventional bathing suit tops are typically adjustable to, at most, two separate configurations, which do not always provide ample coverage or fit for the wearer. When females are active, by either playing beach volleyball, surfing, water skiing, and so on, conventional suits tend to provide insufficient support and limited fits and appearances
Therefore, what is needed is an adjustable bathing suit top that provides ample support and sufficient coverage, while also having an improved, adjustable appearance.


A vehicular power system includes: a secondary battery; an up-converter receiving a voltage of the secondary battery at a first connection node thereof, and up-converting a voltage between terminals of the secondary battery and outputting the up-converted voltage at a second connection node thereof; system main relays switching between connection and disconnection of the voltage up-converted by the up-converter to and from a load of a vehicle; and a case housing the secondary battery, the up-converter and the system main relays. Preferably the vehicular power supply system further includes a capacitor having one end connected to the second connection node of the up-converter and the case further houses the capacitor. Preferably the capacitor includes a plurality of series connected, electric dual layer capacitors. A vehicular power supply system suitable for being mounted in a vehicle and miniaturized, and a vehicle having the system mounted therein, can thus be provided.

In recent years, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles have gained significant attention as environmentally friendly vehicles.
A hybrid vehicle has, as a power source, a conventional engine and in addition thereto a DC power supply, an inverter and a motor driven by the inverter. More specifically, the engine is driven to obtain power and the DC power supply also provides DC voltage which is in turn converted by the inverter to alternate current (AC) voltage employed to rotate the motor to obtain power. For such vehicle a plurality of components are housed in a single case to miniaturize a power supply system supplying DC power.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-078230 discloses a portable power supply device compact and enhanced in portability. This portable power supply device allows a solar cell-equipped portable hybrid power supply system to have a secondary battery, an electric dual layer capacitor, and a DC-DC converter integrated together for miniaturization.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-078230 discloses a low-voltage, portable hybrid power supply, and there is room for improvement in miniaturizing a vehicular power supply system that utilizes high voltage.
When passive safety is considered, it is important that a vehicular power supply device has its power supply unit housed in a single case and thus packed in one. More specifically, it is necessary to have a high voltage power storage device with a high voltage portion packed in one so that in a collision, positive and negative high voltage cables are disconnected at a relay from the high voltage portion.

Vehicular power supply system and vehicle


An automobile anti-theft device disrupting normal operation of an automobile. To attain this, incorporated into an automobile is a module configured to disrupt the normal firing of the automobile's spark plugs upon actuation of a user-controlled controller. In an embodiment, the module electrically couples the automobile's coil to the automobile's distributor cap through a controller-controlled switch. In an embodiment, the module relays instruction sets to an engine control unit, upon execution of the instruction set the engine control unit disrupts spark plug firing. A method for preventing automobile theft, which incorporates into an ignition system a user-controlled module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-theft device for use in connection with automobiles. The automobile anti-theft device has particular utility in connection with remotely disabling vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automobile anti-theft devices are desirable for preventing the theft of automobiles.
The use of auto anti-theft devices is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,090 to Davis discloses an auto anti-theft device that may disable an auto and lock the auto's hood.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,787 to Downey discloses an auto anti-theft device that disables an ignition coil by providing a switch between the ignition coil and its power source thus preventing the coil from generating a spark. However, the Downey '787 patent does not disclose an anti-theft apparatus having a module and a controller, where the automobile's coil is electrically coupled to the distributor cap through a switch internal to the module, where the switch is opened or closed via the controller.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,306 to Veshinin et al. discloses an identification system employing frequency-based coded information that disables a vehicle in the absence of reception of a set of signals transmitted by an associated transmitter, to be worn on the vehicle owner's person. However, the Veshinin et al. '306 patent does not does not disclose an anti-theft apparatus having a module and a controller, where the automobile's coil is electrically coupled to the distributor cap through a switch internal to the module, where the switch is opened or closed via the controller.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,211 to Gilgoff discloses a remote control automobile theft prevention mechanism that includes a tamper-proof housing mounted on the distributor of an automobile. However, the Gilgoff '211 patent does not does not disclose an anti-theft apparatus having a module and a controller, where the automobile's coil is electrically coupled to the distributor cap through a switch internal to the module, where the switch is opened or closed via the controller.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,065 to Wiehagen discloses a vehicle protection system that includes a lock body carried on the vehicle and having a key receiving a slot thus providing more secure vehicle door locks. However, the Wiehagen '065 patent does not does not disclose an anti-theft apparatus having a module and a controller, where the automobile's coil is electrically coupled to the distributor cap through a switch internal to the module, where the switch is opened or closed via the controller.
Lastly, U.S. Design Pat. No. 270,830 to Jacobs appears to disclose a theft-prevention ignition-disabling unit for vehicles that appears to be manually operated. However, the Jacobs '830 patent does not appear to disclose an anti-theft apparatus having a module and a controller as described in the instant application.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an automobile anti-theft device that allows the disruption of the firing of spark plugs by switching the connection between the coil and the spark plugs. The '787 patent to Downey makes no provision for switching the connection between the coil and the distributor and thus the spark plugs. Instead Downey '787 switches the connection between the coil and a power supply to the coil.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved automobile anti-theft device that can be used for disrupting the firing of spark plugs. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the automobile anti-theft device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of disabling a vehicle by disrupting the firing of spark plugs, where such disablement may be caused remotely.


Generation, coding and transmission of an effective video form, scalable portrait video. As an expansion to bi-level video, portrait video is composed of more gray levels, and therefore possesses higher visual quality while it maintains a low bit rate and low computational costs. Portrait video is a scalable video in that each video with a higher level always contains all the information of the video with a lower level. The bandwidths of 2–4 level portrait videos fit into the bandwidth range of 20–40 Kbps that GPRS and CDMA 1X can stably provide. Therefore, portrait video is very promising for video broadcast and communication on 2.5 G wireless networks. With portrait video technology, this system and method is the first to enable two-way video conferencing on Pocket PCs and Handheld PCs.

1. Technical Field
This invention is directed toward a system and method for video compression/decompression. More specifically, this invention is directed towards the generation, coding and transmission of a video form.
2. Background Art
Wireless networks have been deployed rapidly in recent years. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and CDMA 1X (Code Division Multiple Access) as 2.5G solutions to wide area wireless networks are available in increasingly more regions in Europe, North America and Southeast Asia. Wireless LAN 802.11 and Bluetooth also compete strongly for local area wireless networks. The fast expansion of wireless networks calls for rich content and services for consumers. However, due to limited channel bandwidths in these wireless networks and the weak processing power of mobile devices, conventional media contents are difficult to distribute.
Bi-level video [1] is an effective solution for low bandwidth mobile video conferencing, where previously there did not exist suitable video coding technology for current wireless network and mobile device conditions. It was observed that although conventional video processing and coding technologies such as MPEG1/2/4 [2] and H.261/263 [3, 4] could also code video for low bit rates, the resultant images usually looked like a collection of color blocks and the motion in the scene became discontinuous. The block artifacts of these methods originate from the common architecture of MPEG1/2/4 and H.261/263, i.e. discrete cosine transform (DCT)-based coding. In DCT-based coding, low spatial frequency values that represent the "basic colors" of the blocks possess high priority. However, in video communications, facial expressions that are represented by the motions of the outlines of the face, eyes, eyebrows and mouth deliver more information than the basic colors of the face. Bi-level video uses bi-level images to represent these facial expressions, which results in very high compression ratios. Experiments show that at low bandwidths, bi-level video provides clearer shape, smoother motion, shorter initial latency and much cheaper computational cost than do DCT-based technologies. Bi-level video is especially suitable for small mobile devices such as handheld personal computers (PCs), palm-size PCs and mobile phones that possess small display screens and light computational power, and that work in wireless networks with limited bandwidths.
In bi-level video, scenes are always represented by two colors, usually black and white. Although black and white are sufficient to describe the outlines of a scene, the visual quality is not very satisfactory. Given that many mobile devices are now able to display at least four levels of grayscale, users of a research prototype for mobile video conferencing have expressed a desire for improved video that contains more gray values and has better visual quality. With this improved video, bit rates must also be kept low.
After reviewing existing video technologies that cover different bandwidth ranges, it was found that MPEG/H.26x performs well in the bandwidth range greater than about 40 Kbps and bi-level video works well in the range of 10–20 Kbps for quarter common intermediate format (QCIF) size (e.g., 144 lines and 176 pixels per line). However, the visual quality of bi-level video can no longer be improved even if greater bandwidth is assigned to it. The task is then how to improve the visual quality of bi-level video in the bandwidth range of 20–40 Kbps or how to design a new video form that can work well in this range. It is very important to develop a video form to fit into the 20–40 Kbps bandwidth range because this is the range that 2.5G wireless networks such as GPRS and CDMA 1X can stably provide, although the theoretical bandwidths of GPRS and CDMA 1X are 115 Kbps and 153.6 Kbps, respectively.
It is noted that in the preceding paragraphs, as well as in the remainder of this specification, the description refers to various individual publications identified by a numeric designator contained within a pair of brackets. For example, such a reference may be identified by reciting, "reference [1]" or simply "[1]". A listing of the publications corresponding to each designator can be found at the end of the Detailed Description section.

System and method for scalable portrait video


A method for positioning a temperature sensor in association with a heat conductive surface in a lead frame located at an end of a dynamoelectric machine. The sensor is supported to the lead frame by lead wires to position the sensor at a first position spaced from an outwardly facing surface defined on the outer side of the lead frame. A cover member is moved to an attachment location in engagement with an outer side of the lead frame, wherein at least a final portion of the movement of the cover member includes positioning an engagement surface of the cover member into engagement with the sensor and causing the sensor to move closer to the outwardly facing surface to a location defining a second position for the sensor.

In many conventional dynamoelectric machines, for example interior rotor brushless DC motors, the stator assembly is provided surrounding a rotor that is driven in rotation by a moving magnetic field of the stator assembly. The stator assembly may comprise a magnetic stator core wound with wire coils forming phase windings for producing the magnetic field wherein a current to the different phases of the wire coils is typically controlled by a motor controller, and may be carried by a motor termination board or lead frame containing fretwork. An example of a known brushless DC motor, including a termination board, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,902, which patent is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Such motors often include sensors to enable the motor controller to compensate for varying conditions that could result in variations in operation of the motor such as variations in an intended motor speed. Sensors that may be included comprise current sensors, temperature sensors or other sensors. Control of the current within the motor with reference to one or more selected conditions may be desirable to ensure that a motor speed or torque is controlled to a desired value with the varying conditions or to sense a condition requiring a particular response from the motor controller.

Method of positioning a sensor within a motor assembly


Disclosed is a binder composition for non-aqueous secondary battery electrode which comprises: a water-soluble polymer which comprises an acid group-containing monomer unit; and water, wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises the acid group-containing monomer unit in an amount of 5% to 70% by mass, and wherein the water-soluble polymer comprises water-soluble polymer particles having a radius of gyration of 200 nm or less in an amount of 95% to 100% by mass.

Non-aqueous secondary batteries (hereinafter may be simply referred to as "secondary batteries") such as lithium ion secondary batteries are small and light, high in energy density, and capable of repeated cycles of charge and discharge. For such characteristics, secondary batteries are used in a wide variety of applications.
Positive and negative electrodes of a secondary battery are typically formed by applying onto respective current collectors slurry compositions which comprise an electrode active material and a binder composition for binding the electrode active material, and drying the slurry compositions (see, e.g., PTL 1).

Binder composition for non-aqueous secondary battery electrode, slurry composition for non-aqueous secondary battery electrode, non-aqueous secondary battery electrode, and non-aqueous secondary battery


A method and apparatus for coagulating a coextruded collagen gel on a sausage strand by removing residual brine from the strand after coagulation by passing the elongated sausage strand through an aperture of a flexible diaphragm having a diameter equal to that of the strand.

The present invention relates to the preparation of collagen-coated foodstufs, especially sausages.
There are two approaches to making sausages. The first is to take natural or artificial sausage casing and stuff it with sausage meat. In recent times, it has become known to coextrude a strand of sausage material which has an inner core of meat emulsion having an outer surface material that can be coagulated to provide an encasement for the strand. The outer surface material may consist of a gel with a collagen protein. The coagulation normally includes subjecting the extruded strand to a brine (salt) solution. Coagulation as used herein refers to the step of hardening and stabilization of the casing. This is principally done in two ways; firstly by removal of water from the collagen gel, and secondly by crosslinking the collagen fibers.
It is known that collagen is a protein able to form aqueous gels of high water content. Typically maximum gel water uptakes can be achieved at a pH around 2, and therefore, although technically a high pH is also possible (around 13), most extrusion gels contain acidified collagen fibers. In the generally known methods, the water content of the gel coating is lowered with the assistance of osmosis by leading the strand of foodstuffs through a concentrated salt bath. Said brine is preferably of a pH higher than the pH of the gel, preferably >pH=7, to lower the water binding ability of the gel, and thus facilitate the osmotic drying. The brine may include any type of suitable food approved salt. The brine may also contain other functional ingredients such as crosslinking agents, plasticizing agents or fibrous or other coating materials. A typical sausage coextrusion process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,353, Bradly, et al. In practice this process includes the steps of coextruding a substantially uniform layer of collagen gel around an extruded edible product, whereby the collagen is coagulated by passing the extruded strand of foodstuff through a brine bath and successively air drying the casing. Said brine bath typically contains a concentrated solution of sodium chloride, and consists of a shallow trough, through which a conveyor belt transports the coextruded strand. Optionally, the brine treatment includes spraying the brine onto the sausage surface. Typical brine contact times in the past are 1.5-5 seconds.
In more recent times, sausage coextrusion methods involve a prolonged brine contact period. These methods achieve a better coagulation to create a stronger casing. In these processes, brine contact lasts 30-300 seconds.
The longer contact times of the brine presents certain problems. First of all, the organoleptical properties of the sausage and casing such as taste, color, transparency are negatively influenced. It is therefore necessary to limit the brine contact time in order not to deteriorate the sausage quality. Low taste salts as sodium carbonate are therefore used, but still side effects are occurring and are difficult to maintain at an acceptable level.
The fact that salt remains on the sausage surface after leaving the brine bath increases these problems. When the sausage is thereafter air dried, salt crystals form on the sausage surface, giving an unwanted salty appearance and deteriorating the transparency of the casing. Also, taste is negatively influenced, as is the color of the meat.
A further problem with salt being "lost" in the production is the costs thereof. Recently used salt types are far more expensive than the customary sodium chloride. Salt loss has therefore become an important factor in overall production costs of the sausage. An even further disadvantage of the residual brine is that the overall mineral content of the sausage product is raised, which can go beyond the maximum levels set by governmental regulations.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing coextruded food strands with an edible casing in which the previous problems and disadvantages of the known coextrusion methods do not occur.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method for reducing unwanted organoleptical effects of a brine treatment on a coextruded food product.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method for substantially reducing residual brine left on the surface of coextruded food strands.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method of coagulating collagen containing gel in the coextrusion process whereby the brine costs are substantially reduced.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method of coagulating collagen containing gel to achieve a better coagulation through higher brine residence times, without negatively influencing the organolptical properties of the food product.
It is still a further object to the present invention to provide a means for removal of surface attached brine from a coagulated collagen coated coextruded foodstuff.
An additional object of the present invention is to create by coextrusion a substantially uniform layer of a collagen-containing gel around an elongated strand of foodstuff, coagulating said foodstuff by contacting it with a salt-containing brine, removing residual brine left on the surface of said foodstuff after said contact with the brine, and recirculating the removed brine for reuse.
These and other objects will become clear from the following description of the invention.

Method and apparatus for removing brine from coextruded sausage strands


An anatomical mapping system and method includes mapping electrodes configured to detect activation signals of cardiac activity. A processing system is configured to record the detected activation signals and generate a vector field for each sensed activation signal during each instance of the physiological activity. The processing system determines an onset time and alternative onset time candidates, identifies an initial vector field template based on a degree of similarity between the initial vector field and a vector field template from a bank of templates, then determines an optimized onset time for each activation signal based on a degree similarity between the onset time candidates and initial vector field template.

Diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders often involve the introduction of a catheter having a plurality of sensors/probes into a cardiac chamber through the surrounding vasculature. The sensors detect electric activity of the heart at sensor locations in the heart. The electric activity is generally processed into electrogram signals that represent signal propagation through cardiac tissue at the sensor locations.
Systems can be configured to display the electrical signals detected in the cardiac chamber as an activation map based on voltages detected. Robust and reliable estimation of onset times for sensed activation signals is the key to visualizing underlying activation patterns and identify targets for applying therapy, e.g. ablation therapy. Traditional methods use characteristic features of the activation signals such as steepest descent for a unipolar signal or most negative peak of a derivative unipolar signal. Any characteristic feature is susceptible to ambiguity stemming from noise or other artifacts, such as a far-field activation signal or multiple large negative peaks adjacent to one another, which superimpose over the signal of interest. There exists a need to improve the reliability of detection of onset times of activation signals in anatomical mapping.

Enhanced activation onset time optimization by similarity based pattern matching


An efficient and safe ionizer is disclosed. The ionizer includes a circuit to generate high voltage, a circuit case to surround the circuit, an electrode disposed outside of the circuit case and caused to discharge electricity by the high voltage generated by the circuit to ionize molecules in air, and an electrode cover disposed at a portion around the electrode.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to an ionizer, and more particularly to an efficient and safe ionizer.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air conditioner is an apparatus that generally cools or heats an indoor space using a refrigeration cycle constituted by a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger. That is, the air conditioner may be configured with a cooler to cool the indoor space, and a heater to heat the indoor space. In addition, the air conditioner may be an air conditioner that is capable of both heating and cooling the indoor space.
The indoor unit of such an air conditioner is provided with a dust collector to collect and eliminate foreign substances such as dust floating in the air. The dust collector may come in various shapes. Recently, an electric dust collector that collects foreign substances by charging the foreign substances is used.


A line card shelf is disclosed. The line card shelf includes groups of line card receptacle connectors. Each receptacle connector has electrical contacts receiving corresponding line card contacts. Each group of receptacle connectors is coupled to at least two external connectors that terminate an inside or outside wiring cable bundle. Each receptacle in each group is connected to each external connector of the receptacle's group by a two-conductor signal path between a pair of electrical contacts in the receptacle and a unique pair of external electrical contacts in the external connector.

The present invention relates to line card shelves, and more particularly to line card shelves for use with spectrally incompatible signal groups.
Copper wire pairs are used to provision many telephony services. The copper pairs, also referred to as a loop, typically extend from a customer's premises and terminate at a main distribution frame (MDF) in a telephone company central office. The copper pairs are arranged in bundles, typically of twenty-five or more pairs. These bundles are referred to as outside plant cable.
Outside plant cable is connected to an inside cable through a protection device at the main distribution frame. The protection device isolates central office equipment from external hazards such as electrical surges due to lightning strikes on the external cable. Inside cable, typically arranged like outside cable in bundles that consist of fifty wires arranged in two-wire pairs, is used to connect to a central office line card shelf. The line card shelf is a terminating point for the copper loop between the central office and the customer's location.
At the line card shelf, inside plant cable is terminated on conductive terminals. These terminals provide signal paths to line card receptacle connectors in the line card shelf. A circuit board, known as a line card, is inserted in a shelf receptacle connector forming a signal path between line card circuitry and the copper loop. Line cards and associated line card shelf circuitry are used to transmit signals on copper loops and to link copper loops to central office switching equipment. The line card shelf provides a link to central office switching equipment through master shelf interface circuitry.
Signals transmitted to and from the line card shelf on copper pairs are subject to interference caused by electromagnetic fields. Interfering fields are produced by, for example, signals carried on other copper loops. When copper loops are in close proximity, such as when they are located next to each other in an inside cable or in an outside cable, the electromagnetic fields produced by one copper pair may induce interference signals on other pairs. These interference signals are problematic for some transmission technologies. To minimize interference in such technologies, wire pairs must be carefully separated to minimize coupling of spectrally incompatible signals.


A laser system includes a controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory machine-readable memory, a laser head configured to output a laser beam, a work bed positioned opposite the laser head, and a power meter communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit and integrated within the work bed. The laser system further includes a knife edge plate positioned between the power meter and the laser head, and a machine-readable instruction set stored in the non-transitory machine readable memory that causes the laser system to perform at least the following when executed by the processor: position the laser head at a distance from the power meter, cause the laser head to output the laser beam, translate the laser head across the power meter, receive power signals from the power meter as the laser beam is translated across the power meter, and calculate a spot size based on the power signals.

Laser cutting systems locally heat material with lasers to induce thermal stress in a substrate and to separate the substrate material. Some systems utilize a picosecond laser to perforate a substrate material thereby creating a damage track. These systems may then utilize a CO2 laser to induce thermal stress along the damage track to separate the substrate material. However, to effectively cut a substrate material or separate the substrate material having a damage track, the laser processing head should be positioned such that an optimal spot size is incident upon the surface of the substrate to induce thermal stress within the substrate.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative systems and methods for correlating the spot size of a cutting laser beam to the laser-head-to-work-bed distance.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for in machine profiling of a laser beam


In an optical disc apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data on an optical disc, a lens holder for holding an objective lens is dynamically moved not only in a direction perpendicular to a data recording face of an optical disc but also in a direction parallel to the data recording face and crossing substantially at right angle with data recording tracks on the data recording face when the optical disc is loaded on the optical disc apparatus so as to remove the sticking of the movement of the objective lens due to adhesion of dust, break or deformation of the components.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disc apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data on an optical disc such as a CD (compact disc) or a DVD (digital versatile disc).
2. Description of the Related Art
In the optical disc apparatus, data are reproduced from the optical disc such as the CD or DVD, and the data are recorded on recordable optical disc such as a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, or the like by an optical head called "optical pickup". Data recording tracks are formed concentrically or spirally on such the optical disc. The optical pickup is constituted for emitting light beams such as laser beams by a laser diode, for focusing the light beams on the data recording face of the optical disc through an objective lens, for receiving a reflected light reflected from a data recording face of the optical disc and converting variation of intensity of the reflected light to electric signals by a photo-sensor and for outputting the electric signals. The optical pickup is moved in a radial direction of the optical disc.
An objective lens of the optical pickup is provided on a lens holder. The lens holder is movably borne not only in a direction perpendicular to the data recording face of the optical disc but also in a direction parallel to the data recording face of the optical disc and crossing substantially at right angle with data recording tracks on the data recording face of the optical disc.
A focusing coil and a tracking coil are provided on the lens holder further to the objective lens for moving the lens holder. The focusing coil minutely moves the objective lens on the lens holder in the direction perpendicular to the data recording face of the optical disc by electro-magnetic action with a magnet provided on a base member of the optical pickup. The tracking coil minutely moves the objective lens on the lens holder in the direction parallel to the data recording face of the optical disc, similarly to the focusing coil.
For reproducing the data from the optical disc, the objective lens of the optical pickup is moved in the direction perpendicular to the data recording face of the optical disc in a manner so that the concentration point of the focused light beam is just placed on the data recording face of the optical disc. Subsequently, the objective lens of the optical pickup is moved in the radial direction of the optical disc in a manner so that the concentration point of the focused light beam is just placed on the data recording track on the optical disc, while the concentration point of the focused light beam is placed on the data recording face of the optical disc.
Such the focusing and tracking operations of the optical pickup are executed by controlling current supplies to the focusing coil and the tracking coil corresponding to the electric signals outputted from the photo-sensor of the optical pickup. Pits formed on the data recording tracks on the optical disc are sensed from the electric signals outputted from the photo-sensor of the optical pickup, while the light beam is focused and tracked on the data recording track on the optical disc. Thus, the data are read out from the optical disc and will be reproduced.
For recording the data on the optical disc, pits corresponding to the data to be recorded are formed on the data recording tracks by concentrating the light beams pulsatively on the data recording track on the optical disc by the laser diode of the optical pickup.
In a conventional optical disc apparatus, which is, for example, shown in publication gazette of Japanese patent application 61-34735, flaw, dust, or the like on the data recording face of the optical disc is sensed for preventing occurrence of erroneous operation due to the flaw, dust or the like.
In another conventional optical disc apparatus, which is, for example, shown in publication gazette of Japanese patent application 62-52756, the decentering of the optical disc loaded on the optical disc apparatus is sensed, and the decentering of the optical disc is adjusted so as to increase the response characteristics of the tracking servo control.
In still another conventional optical disc apparatus, which is, for example, shown in publication gazette of Japanese patent application 2-218026, when the focusing servo operation of the light beam is missed, the optical pickup is once moved to depart a predetermined distance from the data recording face of the optical disc, and the objective lens is approached to the data recording face by driving the focusing actuator so as not to contact the objective lens with the optical disc even when the overdrive of the tilting servo operation occurs.
In the above-mentioned conventional optical discs, the lens holder cannot move smoothly due to sticking of the lens holder when dust is adhered in a gap between the lens holder and the sliding shaft. In such the case, the data are sometimes reproduced erroneously from the optical disc due to unsmooth movements of the focusing operation and the tracking operations.


A method for selectively eliminating nondeterministic elements of NFA is disclosed. The method includes steps of: (a) determining a specific state calculated to have a highest arrival probability through a transition from a current state among all states in the NFA as a current highest probability state; (b) determining whether there exists at least one common transition between a first set of transitions including at least one transition moving the current highest probability state to a state i and a second set of transitions including at least one transition moving the current highest probability state to a state j in the NFA; and (c) excluding the at least one common transition between the first and the second sets of transitions and creating a state k which is arrived as a result of moving from the current highest probability state through the at least one common transition.

A regular expression, as a formal language used to express a sequence of strings with specific rules, is simply called a regex and is widely used to compare, or express to search and find, strings by using processing devices such as computers. According to a formal language theory in a field of computer science that deals with regular expressions, the regular expression is based on ε which represents an empty string and only one character (e.g., a, b, or c) and various patterns of strings may be represented by combining characters in use of operators such as concatenation (e.g., abc, bbbb, or baba), selection (e.g., ab|c, or ab|ba), repetition (e.g., c*). Further, because it may occur that regular expressions are too long or complicate, new regular expressions in a form of adding various extension grammars have been introduced for convenience. For example, the new regular expressions include Perl compatible regular expressions (PCRE) that are implemented according to a method used in Perl, a computer programming language, POSIX regular expressions defined in the standards for UNIX-like computer operating system environments, etc.
Because search time and memory usage largely depend on under which method search is performed even in searching strings by using regular expressions, studies on how to search strings effectively by using regular expressions are actively conducted.
First of all, a method for searching a string by converting a regular expression to nondeterministic finite automata (NFAs) as one of conventional technologies for string search by using regular expressions has been introduced.
FIG. 1 is a drawing exemplarily representing general NFA converted under conventional technology. In FIG. 1, circles in which there are numbers represent states of NFA and each arrow and its character in parallel indicate a transition from one state to the other state along the arrow if the character is inputted. Further, a concentric circle among all the circles where there are numbers shows a final state. If the final state is reached as a result of a transition(s) starting from the initial state, it means that a desired string is found. By referring to FIG. 1, the desired string may be either of three characters including only 'a' or 'b' in sequence or three characters 'bad' in sequence and it may be expressed as "[ab]{3}|bad" in a regular expression and also may be illustrated in a form of NFA as shown in FIG. 1.
A look at a course of searching a desired string in an input string "gjekf3jmbab0d1f" by using the NFA illustrated in FIG. 1 will be taken.
First, while all the characters in the input string are read one by one, whether one state can be moved to another state is tested, starting from a state 0 as an initial state. Because "g" is inputted as the first character of the input string and there is no transition moving from the state 0 to another state by corresponding to the entry of "g", the state continuously remains the state 0. Since there is no transition corresponding to the second character "j" as well, the next character is read while it remains the state 0. Accordingly, in such a case, a number of a state required to test a state transition, i.e., an active state, is totally one since the active state only includes the state 0.
If the front part of the input string, i.e., "gjekf3 μm", is inputted while the state continuously remains the state 0 in such a way, the character next to them is "b". If "b" is inputted in the NFA in FIG. 1, there are transitions moving from the state 0 to states 1 and 2. Therefore, the state 0 moves to the states 1 and 2, respectively. Accordingly, just after "b" is inputted, the states required to test the state transition, i.e., the active states, become states 0, 1, and 2, which are totally three states.
The following inputted character becomes "a". If "a" is inputted, there exist transitions through which the states 0, 1, and 2 as the active states move to states 1, 3, and 4, respectively, in the NFA in FIG. 1, so that the states 0, 1, and 2 move to states 1, 3, and 4, respectively. Accordingly, just after characters "ba" are inputted, the states required to test the state transition, i.e., the active states, become the states 0, 1, 3, and 4, which are totally four states.
The following inputted character is "b". If the character "b" is inputted, there exist transitions through which the state 0 as the active state moves to the states 1 and 2, the state 1 as the active state to the state 3, and the state 3 as the active state to a state 5, in the NFA in FIG. 1, so that the state 0 moves to the states 1 and 2, the state 1 moves to the state 3, and the state 3 moves to the state 5. Accordingly, just after "bab" are inputted, the states required to test the state transition, the active states, are states 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5, which become totally five. As this caused the state to reach the final state of the NFA in FIG. 1, a desired string from the given input string, i.e., "bab", can be dealt with to be found.
As explained above, there may exist a transition through which one state moves to two or more states in the NFA by corresponding to an inputted character according to the conventional technology illustrated in FIG. 1. Accordingly, if a desired string is searched while characters included in an input string are inputted one by one by using the NFA according to the conventional technology, the number of the states required to test, i.e., the number of active states, increases. Whenever the characters included in the input string are inputted, all the active states must be tested. Therefore, there occurs a problem of declining the search speed as much as the number of increased active states.
As another example of conventional technologies that search a desired string by using regular expressions, a method for searching the desired string by converting NFA to deterministic finite automaton (DFA) has been introduced as well.
When the desired string is searched by using the DFA, there is an advantage that it may improve the search speed and simplify a course of processing an input string because the number of the active states is always kept as one, but there exists a problem of requiring considerable memory resources in a course of converting the NFA to the DFA. In addition, if there are multiple desired strings to search, i.e., regular expressions, or if their patterns are complicated, the memory usage for processing them drastically increases and there is even a limit that it is impracticable to process multiple or long-patterned regular expressions by using the DFA. In particular, as the demand for computer security is recently increasing, it is general to search strings by integrating various patterns of strings to search, but in such a case, it may be impossible to perform string search by using the DFA in normal computer memory resources because corresponding regular expressions may be so complicated.
To solve the problem that may occur by the method for searching strings by using the general DFA, a method for reducing memory usage by compressing the DFA has been introduced. In other words, it is a method for integrating multiple states whose transitions are similar or integrating multiple transitions commonly used at several states into one transition by gathering them. However, according to this method, there may occur a case of an impossibility of normally processing input strings or further transition failure because states or transitions which are not completely identical to one another may be integrated. Because the additional memory references are required when such transition failure occurs, even though the memory usage is less than that before compression, the memory reference counts increase more than before compression. As a result, it could not be impossible to prevent the search speed from being declined.
Accordingly, the necessity of a technology for allowing strings to be rapidly searched by minimizing the number of active states and using less memory while the NFA is used.

Method, server, terminal device, and computer-readable recording medium for selectively removing nondeterminism of nondeterministic finite automata


A method and system for power consumption management for moveable assets is provided. Various states and modes are defined, in which elements of the system may operate, each state and mode having different power requirements based on different operational requirements and communication paradigms. Various triggers may indicate which state and mode to be in, with the lowest power consumption operating status being selected whenever possible based on the triggers.

The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to assist with Asset management is known. Placing RFID tags on assets allows for constant tracking of an asset's location and status. But these systems often have issues regarding power consumption, as transmitting information can be quite power intensive for the RFID tag. This issue becomes even more severe when the asset management system is being used in an environment where the assets themselves might constantly be moving, both within the owner's property and outside of it.
One example arises in the transit field. Transit officials may use asset management systems with RFID tags to track their vehicles. But there are many situations when the RFID tags may not need to communicate, for example, when the transit vehicle is away from the transit yard as they are likely out of range of a gateway that can receive transmission. Communications may also be limited when vehicles are stationary in the transit yard, for example overnight when transit operations are not occurring. The RFID tag can expend a lot of power transmitting signals when the asset's location and status are not changing. The RFID tag may also not communicate when it is moving, as movement may be detrimental to the reliability of the communication link between a gateway and the RFID tag. It may be desirable, in some of these scenarios, to reduce the frequency of transmissions and/or reception.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel method and system for state-based power management of asset tracking systems for non-stationary assets.

Method and system for state-based power management of asset tracking systems for non-statutory assets