A method of and a system for displaying volumetric multi-energy CT images are disclosed, wherein a CT image, a Z image, and a label image from an automatic explosive detection are provided, are disclosed. The method comprises generating an index image through a nonlinear transformation of the CT image, the Z image, and the label image, rotating and coloring the index image as desired, and rendering and displaying the rotated and colored image.

Various X-ray baggage scanning systems are known for detecting the presence of explosives and other prohibited items in baggage, or luggage, prior to loading the baggage onto a commercial aircraft. A common technique of measuring a material's density is to expose the material to X-rays and to measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the material, the absorption being indicative of the density. Since many explosive materials may be characterized by a range of densities differentiable from that of other items typically found in baggage, explosives are generally amenable to detection by X-ray equipment.
Most X-ray baggage scanning systems in use today are of the "line scanner" type and include a stationary X-ray source, a stationary linear detector array, and a conveyor belt for transporting baggage between the source and detector array as the baggage passes through the scanner. The X-ray source generates an X-ray beam that passes through and is partially attenuated by the baggage and is then received by the detector array. During each measuring interval the detector array generates data representative of the integral of density of the planar segment of the baggage through which the X-ray beam passes, and this data is used to form one or more raster lines of a two-dimensional image. As the conveyor belt transports the baggage past the stationary source and detector array, the scanner generates a two-dimensional image representative of the density of the baggage, as viewed by the stationary detector array. The density image is typically displayed for analysis by a human operator.
Techniques using dual energy X-ray sources are known for providing additional information about a material's characteristics, beyond solely a density measurement. Techniques using dual energy X-ray sources involve measuring the X-ray absorption characteristics of a material for two different energy levels of X-rays. Depending upon the calibration of the scanner, dual energy measurements provide an indication of dual parameters of the material being scanned. For example, at one calibration setting, the dual parameters can be chosen to be the material's effective atomic number (Z is denoted as "effective atomic number") and the material's density. At another calibration setting, the dual parameters can be chosen to be the material's photoelectric coefficients and the material's Compton coefficients. At yet another calibration setting, the dual parameters can be chosen to be an amount of a first material present (e.g., plastic) and an amount of a second material present (e.g., aluminum). Dual energy X-ray techniques for energy-selective reconstruction of X-ray Computer Tomography (hereinafter referred to as CT) images are described, for example, in Robert E. Alvarez and Albert Macovski, "Energy-selective Reconstructions in X-ray Computerized Tomography," Phys. Med. Biol. 1976, Vol. 21, No. 5, 733-744; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,029,963 and 5,132,998. One algorithm used to generate such dual parameters from dual energy X-ray projection data is known as the Alvarez/Macovski Algorithm (hereinafter referred to as AMA). Others are known in the art.
One proposed use for such dual energy techniques has been in connection with a baggage scanner for detecting the presence of explosives in baggage. Explosive materials are generally characterized by a known range of atomic numbers and are therefore amenable to detection by such dual energy X-ray sources. One such dual energy source is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,774, entitled "Improved Dual Energy Power Supply," assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference. Other dual energy sources are known in the art.
Most explosives capable of significantly damaging an aircraft are sufficiently large in length, width, and height so as to be readily detectable by an X-ray scanner system regardless of the explosive's orientation within the baggage. Plastic explosives, however, present a particular challenge to baggage scanning systems. Due to their moldable nature, plastic explosives may be formed into geometric shapes that are difficult to detect. A plastic explosive powerful enough to damage an aircraft may be formed into a relatively thin sheet that is extremely small in one dimension and is relatively large in the other two dimensions. The detection of plastic explosives may be difficult because it may be difficult to see the explosive material in the image, particularly when the material is disposed so that the thin sheet is parallel to the direction of the X-ray beam as the sheet passes through the system.
Accordingly, a great deal of effort has been made to design a better baggage scanner. Such designs, for example, have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,047 (Donges et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,289 (Glockmann et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,988 (Tsutsui et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,764 (Peschmann et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,561 (Kotowski); U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,547 (Krug et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,552 (Peschmann et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,218 (Krug et al.) and German Offenlegungsschrift DE 31 503 06 A1 (Heimann GmbH).
At least one of these designs, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,764 (Peschmann et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,552 (Peschmann et al.) (hereinafter the '764 and '552 patents), has been commercially developed and is referred to hereinafter as the "Invision Machine." The Invision Machine includes a CT scanner of the third generation type, which typically includes an X-ray source and an X-ray detector system secured respectively to diametrically opposite sides of an annular-shaped platform or disk. The disk is rotatably mounted within a gantry support so that in operation the disk continuously rotates about a rotation axis while X-rays pass from the source through an object positioned within the opening of the disk to the detector system.
The detector system can include a linear array of detectors disposed as a single row in the shape of a circular arc having a center of curvature at the focal spot of the X-ray source, i.e., the point within the X-ray source from which the X-rays emanate. The X-ray source generates a fan shaped beam, or fan beam, of X-rays that emanates from the focal spot, passes through a planar imaging field, and is received by the detectors. The CT scanner includes a coordinate system defined by X-, Y- and Z-axes, wherein the axes intersect and are all normal to one another at the center of rotation of the disk as the disk rotates about the rotation axis. This center of rotation is commonly referred to as the "isocenter." The Z-axis is defined by the rotation axis and the X- and Y-axes are defined by and lie within the planar imaging field. The fan beam is thus defined as the volume of space defined between a point source, i.e., the focal spot, and the receiving surfaces of the detectors of the detector array exposed to the X-ray beam. Because the dimension of the receiving surfaces of the linear array of detectors is relatively small in the Z-axis direction the fan beam is designed to be relatively thin in the Z-axis direction. Each detector generates an output signal representative of the intensity of the X-rays incident on that detector. Since the X-rays are partially attenuated by all the mass in their path, the output signal generated by each detector is representative of the density of all the mass disposed in the imaging field between the X-ray source and that detector.
As the disk rotates, the detector array is periodically sampled, and for each measuring interval each of the detectors in the detector array generates an output signal representative of the density of a portion of the object being scanned during that interval. The collection of all of the output signals generated by all the detectors in a single row of the detector array for any measuring interval is referred to as a "projection," or equivalently as a "view," and the angular orientation of the disk (and the corresponding angular orientations of the X-ray source and the detector array) during generation of a projection is referred to as the "projection angle." At each projection angle, the path of the X-rays from the focal spot to each detector, called a "ray," increases in cross section from an appropriate point source to the receiving surface area of the detector, and thus is thought to magnify the density measurement because the receiving surface area of the detector area is larger than any cross sectional area of the object through which the ray passes.
As the disk rotates around the object being scanned, the scanner generates a plurality of projections at a corresponding plurality of projection angles. Using well-known algorithms, a CT image of the object may be generated from all the projection data collected at each of the projection angles. The CT image is representative of the density of a two dimensional "slice" of the object through which the fan beam has passed during the rotation of the disk through the various projection angles. The resolution of the CT image is determined in part by the width of the receiving surface area of each detector in the plane of the fan beam, the width of the detector being defined herein as the dimension measured in the same direction as the width of the fan beam, while the length of the detector is defined herein as the dimension measured in a direction normal to the fan beam parallel to the rotation or Z-axis of the scanner. In general, the resolution of the CT image is inversely proportional to the width of the receiving surface of each detector in the plane of the fan beam.
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show perspective, end cross-sectional and radial cross-sectional views, respectively, of a typical baggage scanning system 100, which includes a conveyor system 110 for continuously conveying baggage or luggage 112 in a direction indicated by arrow 114 through a central aperture of a CT scanning system 120. The conveyor system includes motor driven belts for supporting the baggage. Conveyer system 110 is illustrated as including a plurality of individual conveyor sections 122; however, other forms of conveyor systems may be used.
The CT scanning system 120 includes an annular shaped rotating platform, or disk, 124 disposed within a gantry support 125 for rotation about a rotation axis 127 (shown in FIG. 3) that is preferably parallel to the direction of travel 114 of the baggage 112. Disk 124 is driven about rotation axis 127 by any suitable drive mechanism, such as a belt 116 and motor drive system 118, or other suitable drive mechanism, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,657 issued Dec. 5, 1995 to Gilbert McKenna, entitled "X-ray Tomographic Scanning System," which is assigned to the present assignee and, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Rotating platform 124 defines a central aperture 126 through which conveyor system 110 transports the baggage 112.
The system 120 includes an X-ray tube 128 and a detector array 130 which are disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the platform 124. The detector array 130 is preferably a two-dimensional array, such as the array described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,795 entitled, "Area Detector Array for Computed Tomography Scanning System." Other suitable arrays are known in the art. The system 120 further includes a data acquisition system (DAS) 134 for receiving and processing signals generated by detector array 130, and an X-ray tube control system 136 for supplying power to, and otherwise controlling the operation of, X-ray tube 128. The system 120 is also preferably provided with a computerized system (not shown) for processing the output of the data acquisition system 134 and for generating the necessary signals for operating and controlling the system 120. The computerized system can also include a monitor for displaying information including generated images. System 120 also includes shields 138, which may be fabricated from lead, for example, for preventing radiation from propagating beyond gantry 125.
The X-ray tube 128 may generate a pyramidally shaped beam, often referred to as a "cone beam," 132 of X-rays that pass through a three dimensional imaging field, through which conveying system 110 transports baggage 112. After passing through the baggage disposed in the imaging field, detector array 130 receives cone beam 132 and generates signals representative of the densities of exposed portions of baggage 112. The beam therefore defines a scanning volume of space. Platform 124 rotates about its rotation axis 127, thereby transporting X-ray source 128 and detector array 130 in circular trajectories about baggage 112 as the conveyor system 110 continuously transports baggage through central aperture 126, so as to generate a plurality of projections at a corresponding plurality of projection angles. When dual energy scanning mode is configured, the control system 136 supplies modulated high voltages with respect to alternating projection angles to the X-ray tube 128. The detector array 130 then receives data corresponding to high-energy and low-energy X-ray spectra in alternating projection angles.
Post-reconstruction analysis and pre-reconstruction analysis are the two prior art techniques generally recognized for using dual energy X-ray sources in materials analysis (e.g., in a baggage scanner for detecting the presence of explosives in baggage). In post-reconstruction analysis, the signal flow is as shown in FIG. 4. The scanner 120 is typically similar to the one shown in FIGS. 1-3 and has an X-ray source capable of producing a fan or cone beam at two distinct energy levels (i.e., dual energy). The DAS 134 gathers signals generated by detector array 130 at discrete angular positions of the rotating platform 124, and passes the signals to the pre-processing unit 206. The pre-processing unit 206 re-sorts the data it receives from the DAS 134 in order to optimize the sequence for the subsequent mathematical processing. The pre-processing unit 206 also corrects the data from the DAS 134 for detector temperature, intensity of the primary beam, gain and offset, and other deterministic errors. Finally, the pre-processing unit 206 extracts data corresponding to high-energy views and routes it to a high-energy path 208, and routes the data corresponding to low-energy views to a low-energy path 210. A first reconstruction computer 218 receives the projection data from the high-energy path 208 and generates a CT image IH 226 corresponding to the high-energy series of projections. A second reconstruction computer 220 receives the projection data from the low-energy path 210 and generates a CT image IL 224 corresponding to the low-energy series of projections. A post-processing unit 230 receives the high-energy CT image 226 and the low-energy CT image 224 and performs voxel-by-voxel processing to yield the effective atomic number (Z is denoted as effective atomic number) image Iz 232. The Z image 232 and the high-energy CT image 226 can be provided to operators on a display 240, and both images can be used for automatic explosive detection in 238 as well. The images from the post-reconstruction analysis usually do not yield accurate estimates of the material's effective atomic number, and suffer low SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) and many artifacts as well.
In pre-reconstruction analysis, the signal flow is as shown in FIG. 5. As is described herein for pre-reconstruction analysis, the dual energy decomposition computer 212 receives the projection data on the high-energy path 208 and the low-energy path 210 and performs the Alvarez/Macovski Algorithm to produce a first stream of projection data Ac 214, which is dependent on a first parameter of the material being scanned, and a second stream of projection data Ap 216, which is dependent on a second parameter of the material scanned. The first material parameter is often the Compton coefficient ac, and the second material parameter is often the photoelectric coefficient ap. A first reconstruction computer 219 receives the first stream of projection data 214 and generates a Compton image Ic 227 from the series of projections corresponding to the first material parameter. A second reconstruction computer 221 receives the second stream of projection data 216 and generates a photoelectric image Ip 225 from the series projections corresponding to the second material parameter. The third reconstruction computer 218 receives the stream of projection data 208 and generates a high-energy CT image IH 226. The two images 225 and 227 are processed in the post-processing unit 230 to yield a Z image Iz 232. The High-energy CT image 226 and the Z image 232 can be provided to operators on a display 240, and both images can be used for automatic explosive detection in detection unit 238 as well. The pre-reconstruction analysis yields better estimates of material's effective atomic number than the post-reconstruction analysis. However the pre-reconstruction analysis requires one more reconstruction computer than the post-reconstruction analysis.
Various approaches have been used for decomposition of the input projection data PL and PH into Compton projections Ac and photoelectric projections Ap. For example, the AMA method approximates PL and PH using polynomial functions in terms of Acand Ap. The coefficients of the polynomial functions are determined through a calibration procedure as follows. By measuring the projection values of the combination of various thicknesses of two known materials, the coefficients can be calculated through a polynomial least squares fitting between the measured and modeled PL and PH. Once the coefficients of the polynomial functions are determined, the decomposition of the Compton and Photoelectric projections Ac and Ap from projections PL and PH is usually solved using the Newton-Raphson method.
Another prior art method of performing decomposition is the direct approximation method, discussed in L. A. Lehmann, R. E. Alvarez, A. Macovski, W. R. Brody, N. J. Pelc, S. J. Riederer, and A. L. Hall, Generalized Image Combinations In Dual KVP Digital Radiography, Med. Phys. 8, 659-667 (1981). In the direct approximation method, Acand Ap are approximated as polynomial functions in terms of PL and PH. The coefficients of the polynomial functions in the direct approximation method are determined through a calibration procedure by measuring the projection values of the combination of various thicknesses of two known materials.
In yet another prior art method, decomposition is accomplished using iso-transmission lines, described K. Chuang and H. K. Huang, A Fast Dual-Energy Computational Method Using Isotransmission Lines and Tables, Med. Phys. 14, 186-192 (1987). According to this method, for a given projection value, an isotransmission line is represented by a linear equation in two basis functions. The isotransmission line method requires a large amount of calibration data. Further, the isotransmission line becomes increasingly non-linear as the projection value increases. In such a situation, the linear equations are not valid and the method causes large approximation errors.
CT images and Z (effective atomic number) images can be generated from both the pre-reconstruction and post-reconstruction analysis. The CT images measure the CT number at each image pixel of scanned materials, which approximates the density of the materials; and the Z image measures the effective atomic number at each image pixel of the scanned materials. The measurements of both CT number and Z are used for automatic explosive detection.
An automatic detection algorithm can be used on the CT and Z images to detect prohibited items, such as explosives, as described in "Computed tomography apparatus and method for classifying objects" invented by Simanovsky, et. al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,509). Since the automatic explosive detection yields certain percentage of false alarms, operators are required to intervene to resolve the falsely alarmed baggage. It is very labor intensive to open the baggage and perform hand search, therefore, it is desirable to display the images generated by the CT scanner in combination with the automatic explosive detection results on some 3D display devices, such as "Volumetric three-dimensional display system" invented by Dorval, et. al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,430), or on 2D LCD or CRT displays with 3D volume rendering, such as "Volume rendering techniques for general purpose graphics hardware" by Christof Rezk-Salama in Ph. D. Dissertation at University of Erlangen in December 2001.
In order to resolve whether a piece of baggage on screen has produced a false detection, operators may need to have access to different display modes to see different aspects of the baggage to make a good decision. Such display modes can include turning on/off a color on the screen representing metal parts of the baggage, turning on/off a color representing a threat object, removing metal parts of the baggage on screen, etc. However, changing from one display mode to another is not necessarily easily and quickly accomplished. Further, color rendering may make it difficult to see threat objects displayed within the scanned baggage, and therefore difficult to determine whether one is dealing with a false alarm, or a true threat. It is desirable to have a display device that can change one display mode to another quickly so that operators can use visual parallax to obtain more information about the baggage from the display to make correct decision.
Further, dual energy CT scanners are usually capable of generating at least two types of images, such as CT images and Z images, and the automatic explosive detection system also generates at least one type of result images, such as a label image indicating the detection result. These images cannot be simultaneously provided as inputs into a 3D display device or a 3D volume render for displaying, which usually require an image containing RGBA information of each voxel. RGB represents the color of each voxel of the image (Red, Green, and Blue components), and A (Alpha) represents the transparency of the voxel.

Method of and system for 3D display of multi-energy computed tomography images


A method of waveform drawing, including generating a plurality of waveforms with certain waveforms being in the same space in a display, eclipsing the waveforms in a rank order and storing the related data in an eclipsed list, the related data of the eclipsed list including a plurality of drawing points with the results of eclipsing the waveforms in the rank order, performing a reduction of flicker on a displayed image from the data outputted from the eclipsing of the waveforms in rank order, an erasure list and a draw list including the results of the reduction of flicker, optimizing the erasure list from the data outputted from performing the reduction of flicker and storing in an optimized erasure list, and copying from the eclipsed list to a predecessor list, the predecessor list including drawing units representing vertical stripes at a given x-axis position.

Digital waveform drawing is a technique that is utilized to display data, for example measurements related to the performance of a system, over a period of time. The technique involves digitally plotting pixels, which correspond to the data, in a waveform on a screen of a display.
It is often desirable to continuously display data received over several periods of time. However, the screen of the display is limited in size and after a waveform has been displayed for a certain period of time, the waveform has to be replaced to reflect the data received from a subsequent period of time.
Software programs are utilized to determine which pixels should be digitally plotted, such that the data appears on the screen of a display as part of a continuous waveform. However, processors, which perform the numerous, complex and involved logical and arithmetic operations required by the software programs to determine what pixels should be plotted, tend to operate significantly faster than the display screen can respond. The difference in speed between the processor and the response rate of the display may cause screen flicker to occur.
Screen flicker refers to the phenomenon that occurs whereby the screen of a display appears to flicker during the process of erasing an existing waveform on the screen and drawing the next waveform on the display screen.
One conventional method of waveform drawing involves creating a blank display area by erasing either the image on the screen or the full display screen, and drawing the next image to be displayed. A technique referred to as page flipping or background display buffering is sometimes utilized to reduce screen flicker. Page flipping involves storing the image being processed in a buffer while the waveform on the display is being shown, and displaying the next waveform from the buffer after it has been fully created.
However, independent of whether the conventional method of waveform drawing is employed alone, or in conjunction with page flipping, the process of creating a blank display area can slow down animation operations, and result in redundant plotting of pixels.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,079,143 for a Waveform Drawing System and Method by Harry M. Gilbert, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, includes a waveform routine that includes receiving an array of predecessor image data points.
When a number of waveforms are drawn on the same space, redundant drawing steps are made and also additional erasing steps are included in order to show the waveforms in the same space. Such problems exist because when multiple waveforms share the same space, there are overlaps of the drawing and erasing of one waveform over another. There is also a problem of sorting out the precedence of one waveform over another which may lead to an inaccurate display. Further, the problem of precedence also leads to additional and inaccurate erasing and drawing steps.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a technique of waveform drawing that will avoid the problems of drawing a plurality of waveforms in the same space without redundant steps. Further, it would desirable to have such a technique without significant number of complex logical and arithmetic operations when a plurality of waveforms uses the same space.

Multiple source waveform drawing system and method


A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for determining an edge for inversion in a cyclic compound directed graph. A plurality of graph nodes of a graph are evaluated for generation of a first node order subset pair. A determination that the graph requires a recursive evaluation for completing node ordering of the plurality of graph nodes is made. The graph is divided into a plurality of graph partitions, and respective node order subset pairs are generated for the graph partitions.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for determining edge directions in a directed graph. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for identifying an edge to be inverted for minimizing upward directed edges in a cyclic compound directed graph.
2. Description of Related Art
A directed graph is a graph having nodes with one way edges interconnecting graph nodes. A directed graph may by cyclic or acyclic. An acyclic directed graph does not contain any cycles. That is, if there is a path, i.e., one or more edges, or arcs, from a first node to a second node, there is no combination of edges that provide a return path from the second node to the first node. A cyclic graph, on the other hand, contains at least one cycle.
A compound directed graph is a directed graph having one or more nodes referred to as subgraph, or compound, nodes that contain one or more nodes. Many uses of compound directed graphs exist. For example, compound directed graphs are often employed for business process modeling, graphic display of hierarchical systems, and the like. To facilitate readability of a compound directed graph, it is desirable for a compound directed graph to generally flow from top-to-bottom. That is, it is desirable to minimize the number of upward edges in a compound directed graph.
Various software applications for generating compound directed graphs exist. These software applications use algorithms that identify a feedback arc set, that is edges. Solution of a feedback arc set is nondeterministic polynomial (NP), and thus the computational complexity grows very fast relative to the input data size. However, conventional graphing algorithms are unable to effectively minimize the number of upward flowing edges when drawing a cyclic compound directed graph. Accordingly, compound directed graphs plotted by graphing applications often have numerous edges that flow against one another. Accordingly, the readability and general aesthetics of a compound directed graph are typically undesirable when a compound directed graph is plotted by conventional graphing applications. Additionally, existing graphing applications tend to minimize the vertical length of subgraphs at the expense of requiring additional upward edges.
It would be advantageous to provide a graphing application that determines vertical directions of edges for reducing the number of upward directed edges in a cyclic compound directed graph. It would be further advantageous to provide a graphing application that identifies one or more edges for inversion by a polynomial algorithm such that a near-optimum reduction in the number of upward directed edges in a compound directed graph is obtained.

Method, data processing system, and computer program product for determining inversion edges for a cyclic compound directed graph

International Business Machines Corporation


A process for producing a catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization comprising:. (i) passing a mixture to be emulsified comprised of (A) a halogenated magnesium adduct and (B) a dispersion medium through an emulsifying apparatus comprised of (1) a conduit for passage of the mixture to be emulsified, (2) a vibrator element disposed in the conduit and vibrating in the axial direction of the conduit, and (3) a vibration device for giving the vibration movement to the vibrator element; and PA1 (ii) quenching the resultant mixture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the production of a catalyst suitable for producing an olefin polymer having a high bulk density, an excellent powder flowability, and a superior mechanical strength. More specifically, it relates to a process for producing a catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization which is spherical in shape, has a narrow distribution of particle size, and enables the average particle size to be set to any desired size. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process for producing a catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization capable of producing the catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization by an easy procedure in an industrially advantageous manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous proposals have been made regarding catalysts for an olefin polymerization composed of a transition metal compound catalyst component and an organometallic compound catalyst component.
When a transition metal compound carried on a spherical carrier having a narrow distribution of particle size is used as the transition metal compound catalyst component, it is known that a superior flowability and a high bulk density can be imparted to the resultant olefin polymer and, therefore, it is advantageous in the process.
Further, when the yield of the olefin polymer per transition metal compound catalytic component is sufficiently large, the resultant olefin polymer has little content of the transition metal and therefore, it becomes possible to eliminate the deash treatment step.
Accordingly, when the transition metal compound catalyst component having a spherical shape and having a narrow distribution of particle size has a suitable particle size and further when the yield of the olefin polymer per transition metal compound catalyst component is sufficiently large, the resultant olefin polymer has both a sufficient size and a shape exhibiting a superior flowability, and therefore, it becomes possible to eliminate the granulation step which have increased the production cost up to now.
In general, in order to eliminate the granulation step, it is desirable that the produced polymer has a spherical shape, a narrow distribution of the particle size and a suitable average particle size. When the average particle size is too small, the polymer will easily aggregate when the polymer includes a viscous component and, further, sometimes there will be problems in eliminating the granulation step. When the average particle size is too large, the polymer transporting line will easily become clogged. To obtain a polymer satisfying these conditions, the catalyst carrier for the olefin polymerization preferably has a spherical shape and a geometric standard deviation .alpha. of the particle size of not more than 1.5. Further, in accordance with the performance of the catalyst and the process of production of the polymer, the average particle size of the catalyst may be preferably set within the range from 1 to 200 .mu.m. Such a catalyst component can be easily obtained from a spherical carrier having the shape and particle size equivalent or similar to those of the desired catalyst component.
Several methods for obtaining such a catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization are known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 49-65999 proposes to use spherical particles obtained from a molten hydrated magnesium halide by a spray dry method as a catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization. In this method, the distribution of the particle size of the resultant carrier is wide, and therefore, classification becomes required. Further, when performing classification, the yield drops. Also, the resultant polymer particles become porous, and therefore, there is the problem of an insufficient mechanical strength.
As another method for obtaining a catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 55-13512 proposes a method of rapidly cooling a suspension obtained by stirring a molten complex compound of magnesium halide and an alcohol in an organic liquid medium. In this method, a suspension in which the disperse phase particles are repeatedly separated and joined is withdrawn and cooled to a solid, and therefore, the distribution of the particle size becomes broader and the yield is decreased during the classification.
As another method for obtaining the catalyst carrier for an olefin polymerization, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 56-811 proposes a method for treating a molten complex compound of magnesium halide and an alcohol in an organic liquid medium by a Lewis acid. In this method, only a carrier having a small particle size can be obtained and it is not possible to obtain a polymer having a sufficiently large size. Furthermore, since it is necessary to use a large amount of a Lewis acid, there are the problems that the cost of production of the catalyst becomes higher and further the process for treating the waste liquor becomes complicated.

Process for producing catalyst carrier for olefin polymerization


Disclosed herein is an LSI apparatus having a CPU and a plurality of functional blocks for controlling an external equipment, the plurality of functional blocks sharing one external terminal connected to the external equipment, including: a mode register having a flag information set by the CPU indicating validity or invalidity of each functional block; a selector for switching the connection between each functional block and the external terminal; and a switch controller retaining a priority sequence among each functional block, for controlling switching of the selector based on the priority sequence and the flag information set at the mode register.

The present invention relates to LSI (large scale integrated circuit) apparatus, and more particularly relates to so-called multifunctional type LSI apparatus in which an LSI external terminal is shared by a plurality of different functional blocks.
First among the prior-art techniques for controlling a multifunctional type LSI apparatus having a plurality of different functional blocks sharing an LSI external terminal is a technique as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei-8-204128 in which a multiplexer for switching from one functional block to another is mounted so that control is effected with using a selecting signal of the multiplexer as an input signal.
Secondly, there is a technique for switching LSI external terminal as a unit based on a software. An example of this is a commercially available CPU (central processing unit) chip. Such CPU chip is provided with functional blocks such as DMA controller, interrupt controller, memory controller, and timer that are connected to a periphery of CPU module within the chip, and each functional block shares an LSI external terminal in the construction as shown in FIG. 1. This CPU chip is also provided with a functional block called GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) for each LSI external terminal. The function of this functional block is an IO port function through which CPU can monitor input signal values of LSI external terminal (input/output terminal in this case), determine the values to be outputted as output signal, and effect the involved switching of input/output direction.
A description will now be given with respect to the construction and control technique of the prior-art multifunctional type LSI apparatus shown in FIG. 1. The switching between the terminals of functional blocks 1, 2, . . . N, terminal of IO port 106, and a bilateral buffer 103 of an LSI external terminal 120 connected to the external equipments, is effected as follows. In particular, the switching of the input direction is effected by an input switching selector 107, the output direction by an output switching selector 108, and the switching of enabling signal of input/output is effected by an enable switching selector 109. The output switching selector 108 and enable switching selector 109 each are a selector for effecting a simple switching connection. The circuit construction of the input switching selector 107, on the other hand, is to connect the input direction of the bilateral buffer 103 of LSI external terminal 120 to the terminal of one block selected from the functional blocks or IO port 106 and to fix other blocks to non-active level.
The switching enabling signals of each switching selector 107, 108 and 109 are generated at a switch controller 105. The switch controller 105 is provided with a register group at the interior of the controller, which are readable/writable by CPU 101, and it transmits switching enable signals to each switching selector 107, 108 and 109 based on the register value of such register. In such technique, for example as shown in FIG. 2, the connection of the external terminal 120 is switched to IO port when CPU 101 writes "0" to register of the switch controller 105. It is switched to functional block 1 when "1" is written and is switched to functional block N when "N" is written. It should be noted that numeral 102 in FIG. 1 denotes a switching device for switching the connection between the LSI external terminal 120 and the terminals of functional blocks 1, 2, . . . N. It includes: the above described input switching selector 107; output switching selector 108; enable switching selector 109; and an LSI external terminal control block 104 consisting of the IO port 106 and switch controller 105.


A marital arts training device comprising a barrier for creating a target zone. In a preferred embodiment, the martial arts training device includes: a barrier support; at least one barrier mounted to the barrier support for creating a target zone; and a target located within the target zone.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to martial arts training devices and, more particularly, to a training device that creates a target zone.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Martial arts training devices are used, among other things, to help people develop a wide variety of striking skills. For example, punching bags are used to help people develop punching and kicking skills. Such bags may be useful for developing technique, however, they are typically large and thus do not facilitate the development of striking accuracy. Target bags, or smaller punching bags, may be used to help people develop the accuracy of their punches and kicks. Such punching bags and target bags typically rest on the floor at a fixed height or are suspended from above at a fixed height. Often, trainees are forced to buy multiple punching bags and target bags to practice various techniques and hone accuracy. For example, one punching bag might be used for kicking and another for punching, or multiple target bags might be used to practice kicking at different heights. The requirement for additional devices is undesirable. Further, such fixed devices are undesirable because they are static; not allowing the trainee to deviate from the positioning of the fixed targets.
One way trainees increase target variability is to use handheld targets. Handheld targets are pads or padded targets, which are held by a holder. Usually, they are smaller and are used to develop striking accuracy over a range of positions. The necessity of an additional holder, however, is undesirable because such a holder may not always be available.
While punching bags, target bags, and handheld targets are all valuable training tools, these traditional devices may require the trainee to purchase a number of bags or targets, or to train with a training partner to achieve desired results. Further, traditional devices only allow a trainee to "hit" or "miss" their target. They fail to simulate a "block" and thus similarly fail to teach the trainee how to strike through defenses.
Thus, there remains a need for a training device with at least one barrier between the trainee and the target to create a target zone while, at the same time, simulates blocking and teaches the trainee how to strike through defenses.


A towing hitch for coupling a towing vehicle with a vehicle which is to be towed is provided which includes a body having a pocket within which a receiver tube is pivotally mounted. The receiver tube telescopically mounts a tow bar which is configured for selected operative securement to a vehicle which is to be towed. The hitch is selectively locked in position using first and second pin assemblies, the first pin assembly including a first pin biased toward engagement with the body so as to selectively lock the receiver tube in place, and the second pin assembly including a second pin biased toward engagement with the tow bar so as to selectively lock the tow bar in place.

Conventional towing hitches are relatively simple devices, often consisting of little more than a rigid framework with coupling structure such as a hitch ball fixed rigidly thereto. The hitch is usually semi-permanently secured to the rear of a towing vehicle and a trailing vehicle is removably attached to the hitch. Generally, the trailing vehicle is attached to the hitch by pivotal joinder of the hitch's coupling structure with corresponding structure on the trailing vehicle. A connection is thus provided by which the trailing vehicle may be towed.
Although such conventional hitch arrangements have proven effective once the towing and trailing vehicles are coupled, most known arrangements present difficulties related to the manner in which such coupling is achieved. Coupling of the towing and trailing vehicles, for example, generally requires precise alignment between the hitch's coupling structure and the corresponding structure of the trailing vehicle, a task which is made increasingly difficult as the size and weight of the vehicles increase. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved towing hitch which accommodates coupling of the towing vehicle with the vehicle which is to be towed.
One way of dealing with alignment problems in the coupling of vehicles has been to provide a hitch with coupling structure which is movable relative to both the towing vehicle and the vehicle which is to be towed. Such hitches, known as wide-range towing hitches, accommodate coupling of the towing and trailing vehicles without requiring precise relative positioning of the vehicles involved. In a wide-range towing hitch, the coupling structure is moved so as to place it in alignment with corresponding structure on the trailing vehicle, requiring only that the vehicles be placed in close proximity to one another. Upon achieving such proximity, the coupling structure is attached to corresponding structure on the trailing vehicle and the trailing vehicle is towed.
Although known wide-range towing hitches have solved various problems related to achieving the initial connection between towing and trailing vehicles, they have presented various other undesirable characteristics. Known hitches, for example, have included complicated alignment mechanism, increasing manufacturing costs and increasing the price paid by the consumer. Such hitches have also been characterized by unwanted "slop" in the hitch, often leading to an unstable coupling joint and to problems such as trailing vehicle surge. Wide-range towing hitches have also exhibited unnecessarily restricted coupling structure movement, a characteristic which is contrary to the hitch's wide-ranging intent. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved, cost-effective, wide-range towing hitch which does not unduly restrict movement of the coupling structure.


The control system for a stage light fixture with photobiological safety includes a control unit connected to a motor assembly and a light source and configured to control the stage light fixture to operate, and a distance sensor connected to the control unit, and configured to acquire an instant distance from a living being to the stage light fixture. The control unit stores a light radiation hazard exposure radiance limit value and a light fixture irradiance value acquired in advance per unit of time and distance, and acquires a parameter of the living being entering an irradiation danger zone according to the instant distance, the light radiation hazard exposure radiance limit value, and the light fixture irradiance value. When a hazard condition reaches the parameter of the living being entering the irradiation danger zone, the control unit controls the stage light fixture to move to eliminate the hazard condition.

In recent years, with the rapid development of lighting technologies, more and more new light sources are used by stage light fixtures, and an LED new light source is currently applied to a large number of lighting fields of stage lighting. The LED light source has characteristics of high luminous efficiency, low calorific value, long life, operational stability, instant lighting, and the switch that controls the LED light source has no influence on the life thereof. The LED light source is particularly suitable for lighting changes in stage light fixtures and frequent switches. The power of current LED light source becomes increasingly higher, and the performance of LED has a prospect for continuous improvement with constant development of science and production technology.
However, LED also has some disadvantages in the field of lighting applications, such as blue light hazards, which refers to that a photochemical effect, caused by exposure to radiation having a wavelength mainly between 400 nm and 500 nm, leads to hazards that result in retinal damage. If irradiation time exceeds 10 s, this damage mechanism takes a leading role, which is several times higher than a thermal damage mechanism. Since human eyes are insensitive to blue light radiation, unlike cases in which human eyes may naturally contract pupils and close the eyes for self-protection against other visible and strong light, people are susceptible to the hazards of blue light exceeding a radiant exposure limit value. After the LED is energized, a P-N junction excited by a current will also contain some radiation harmful to the human body while emitting visible light.
For the hazards described above, it tends to label the exterior of a light fixture with a warning sign so as to notify users of a safety distance, as shown in FIG. 4. However, this approach has serious limitation. Usage area of stage lighting is often crowded, audiences and performers often fail to see subtle safety-distance warning labels on the light fixtures, thus they are unknowingly exposed to close-range irradiation for more than a certain period of time and injury accidents may occur, which leads to very serious consequences.

Control system and method for stage light fixture with photobiological safety


A lead response system is provided comprising a customizable lead delivery rules engine and a customizable escalation rules engine for delivering leads to appropriate responders and re-routing undeveloped leads to different responders. Each delivery rule includes two or more criteria which may be met in order for the lead to be delivered to the responder specified in the particular rule. A lead that is not accepted by the responder to whom it was delivered within a user-defined time frame is re-routed for delivery to a new responder according to a set of escalation rules. The escalation rules may include delivery instructions specifying the new responder or may re-route the lead to the delivery rules engine for delivery to a new responder according to a re-application of the delivery rules.

Many businesses today, large and small, collect information from potential customers in an effort to provide goods and services to meet customer needs. In the age of the Internet and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, large amounts of information can be collected automatically, without the physical involvement of a sales representative or any affirmative act by the consumer, at any time of day and any day of the week. Information captured from a potential consumer or client is commonly referred to as a lead.
Leads may be generated in a number of ways. For example, a consumer may fill out a form on a webpage requesting information on an offering, such as a certain product or service. Similarly, a consumer may call a hotline associated with an offering, and information on the consumer's needs may be collected by a sales representative or through IVR. Leads may even be generated without any affirmative request by the consumer. For example, a consumer may go to a particular webpage on the Internet and spend time researching a certain product. The webpage may access information about the consumer from the consumer's computer, such as the consumer's profile and settings, and a lead may be generated based on the information collected.
Once a lead is generated, it must be routed to a responder for development within an acceptable time frame. For example, a lead concerning a home purchase inquiry may be automatically routed to a real estate agent working for a particular broker. Routing may be accomplished automatically based on the time elapsed since the agent last received a lead. In other words, leads may be routed such that the agent who has not received a lead for the longest amount of time is the first in line to receive the next lead generated in an effort to fairly distribute leads and potential commission revenues.
However, such a fixed rule to govern the routing of leads does not consider the fact that certain real estate agents, for example, may be specialized in dealing with certain types of real estate, such as condominium sales, or sales in certain geographic regions. There may be a variety of factors to be considered in order to efficiently and practically route the lead to the responder who is most likely to develop the lead. Such factors may include the source of the lead, the price involved, the type of inquiry (for example, the purchase of a home versus the sale of a home), the city or region, the consumer making the request, or the specific sales representative requested in the lead itself, to name a few. There may be a need to modify the lead routing rules or add new rules as the market or business environment changes, and the need to modify the lead routing rules may be felt at different levels of the organization. For example, the manager of a real estate brokerage may need to structure the routing of leads to certain sales groups in the brokerage based on the source of the lead and the region involved. However, the team leader of each sales group may require that additional criteria be examined to route the lead to the appropriate agent within the group, such as the price range involved or the type of purchase or sale considered (e.g., historic building, commercial real estate, or new construction). Different team leaders may have different needs and different criteria to facilitate the development of the leads.
Efficient routing to the responder who is best equipped to develop the lead is essential for providing the business with the best chance to satisfy the customer's needs. And, routing a lead to an inappropriate or ill-equipped responder may be costly in terms of lost revenues and low customer satisfaction. For example, the routing of a lead to a sales representative who does not deal with the product requested on a regular basis may mean that the representative is unable to answer all of the consumer's questions in an appropriate amount of time, or may give the consumer the impression that the business organization as a whole lacks knowledge on the product. Similarly, the routing of a lead to a sales representative who has not dealt with that particular consumer before may disadvantage the transaction if there is a sales representative within the organization with whom the consumer has conducted transactions and who the consumer trusts.
In addition to efficient routing to the appropriate responder, leads must be acted upon and developed within an acceptable time frame to provide any possibility that the lead will result in a sale. A lead that is routed to the correct responder may sit idle in that responder's lead queue, and the opportunity to provide a product or service based on that lead may be wasted because no other responder may be able to access that lead. Leads may be ignored or forgotten for a number of reasons. For example, a responder may have a backlog of leads and may simply not have the chance to develop a lead at the end of the queue until a later time, when the consumer's needs may have been otherwise satisfied by a competitor or become moot. Likewise, a responder may be on vacation or have an odd schedule such that leads received on a certain day may not be accessible until several days later. While the lead becomes cold in one responder's queue, another responder may have the time, the ability, and the inclination to develop that lead. However, with no way to access the lead from another responder's queue or have the lead forwarded to the free responder, the free responder cannot act to develop what may have been a valid and fruitful lead. Valid, undeveloped leads may cost businesses an enormous amount of money, both directly and indirectly. An undeveloped lead may result in a direct loss of revenues associated with that particular lead, and it may also result in an indirect loss of future revenues as a result of ignored and unsatisfied customers who decide to take their business elsewhere.
Thus there exists a need for a system and method of delivering leads to a responder in way that allows multiple levels of criteria to govern the delivery, provides different members of the organization with different levels of access to modify the delivery rules, and provides a mechanism for automatically escalating an undeveloped lead to another responder.

Delivery rule for customer leads response system and method


An electric power steering apparatus includes a control unit for controlling a motor drive circuit which drives an electric motor on the basis of a steering torque signal supplied from a steering torque sensor. The control unit includes a center value compensating circuit for compensating for the offset of a center value of the steering torque sensor, and a direction inhibiting circuit for inhibiting supply of a motor control signal to the motor drive circuit on the basis of the steering torque signal. The direction inhibiting circuit has a reference value changing section for changing operation reference values in left and right directions of the steering torque in response to the offset of the center value. The reference value changing section generates left and right operation reference values corresponding to a center value signal supplied from the center value compensating circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power steering apparatus which is capable of correcting operation reference values of a direction inhibiting circuit in response to the offset of a center value of the steering torque sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric power steering apparatuses having a steering torque sensor composed of a differential transformer is known in which a steering torque in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction produced during operation of a steering wheel is detected in the form of an electric differential output from the differential transformer such that intensity and polarity of the steering torque are represented by absolute value and polarity (.+-.) of the differential output, respectively.
According to another known electric power steering apparatus, the steering torque sensor includes an operational amplifier driven by a single power supply of 5V with an imaginary ground of 2.5V. When the differential output from the differential transformer is 0 (steering torque is zero), the operational amplifier (steering torque sensor) generates a detection output of 2.5V. For the differential outputs of negative polarity (steering torques in the counterclockwise direction), the operational amplifier generates detection outputs in the range of 0 to 2.5V while for the differential outputs of positive polarity (steering torques in the clockwise direction), detection outputs in the range of 2.5 to 5.0V are generated from the operation amplifier.
Thus, the steering torque sensor has a neutral point indicative of a condition in which no steering torque is applied to the steering wheel (i.e., steering torque is 0), and the outputs of the operational amplifier have a center value of 2.5V.
When the output (center value) of the operational amplifier corresponding to the neutral point (steering torque=0) is varied either increasingly or decreasingly from 2.5V due to some reasons such as aging (or variation with time) of the differential transformer constituting the steering torque sensor, a center value compensating circuit is used to set the varied output (center value of, for example, 2.6V or 2.4V) as a new center value to thereby apply power assist to the left and right steerable front wheels in a balanced condition in response to steering torques applied to the steering wheel in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions.
An electric power steering apparatus having a direction inhibiting circuit is also known in which a direction signal contained in a motor control signal output from a control system for controllably driving an electric motor and a direction signal output from the direction inhibit circuit are judged for their agreement or matching, and when these direction signal do not match with each other, power assist by the electric motor in a direction opposite to the steering direction is inhibited.
The direction inhibit circuit has two operation reference values corresponding to detection outputs in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, respectively, from the torque sensor. When the detection output in the clockwise direction exceeds the operation reference value in the counterclockwise direction, power assist by the electric motor in the counterclockwise direction is inhibited. Conversely, a detection output in the counterclockwise direction exceeding the operation reference value in the clockwise direction inhibits power assist by the electric motor in the clockwise direction. With this arrangement, when the direction signal produced from the direction inhibit circuit is not in match with the direction signal of the motor control signal output from the control system due to, for example, a trouble caused in a CPU (microprocessor) constituting the control system, power assist by the electric motor based on the motor control signal output from the control system is inhibited.
Since power assist by the electric motor acting in a direction opposite to the driver's intention, which may occur when the electric motor is driven to generate power assist in the counterclockwise direction in despite of the driver's actuation of the steering wheel in the clockwise direction, is inhibited, an unusual or strange behavior of the vehicle does not take place.
In the conventional electric power steering apparatus, adjustment of the center value (neutral point) of the steering torque sensor is performed either before or when the steering torque sensor is assembled in the vehicle. However, the adjustment is tedious and time-consuming because a mechanical adjustment process must be performed to find out the neutral point of the steering torque sensor (where the detection output from the steering torque sensor is 2.5V) before an input shaft of the steering shaft and a torsion bar are pinned together.
To deal with this problem, an electric adjustment process is developed and used in practice to electrically adjust the center value (neutral point) of the steering torque. According to the known electric adjustment process, an electronic control unit (ECU) having a memory storing therein preset possible values for the center value is used so that adjustment of the center value can be performed automatically by a microprocessor (CPU) incorporated in the ECU. With this electrical adjustment process, the center value adjustment is rendered simple and time-saving.
The electric adjustment process has a drawback, however, that since the operation reference value of the direction inhibiting circuit, which is provided to deal with uncontrollable running of the microprocessor (CPU), has a constant value such as 30 kg.multidot.cm. in steering torque for both the left and right directions, an offset of the center value greater than 10 kg.multidot.cm cannot be used in practice. To realize the center value offset less than 10 kg.multidot.cm, use of an expensive steering torque sensor is inevitable; if not so, setting of the center value will encounter a great difficulty incurring additional cost.
FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings is a table showing the relationship between the steering torque and the torque detection output taken with respect to the offset of the center value of the torque sensor incorporated in a conventional electric power steering apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 10, the torque center value (neutral point) C.sub.O1, the left operation reference value K.sub.L for inhibiting power assist in the left direction of the direction inhibiting circuit, and the right operation reference value K.sub.R for inhibiting power assist of the right direction are set to be a nominal value of 2.5V, a value of 2.7V, and a value of 2.3V, respectively.
Under such conditions, the steering torque is zero (0) and the torque detection output T.sub.O is 2.5V which is equal to the center reference value C.sub.O1. When the right steering torque (actuation of the steering wheel in clockwise direction) T.sub.R increases to T.sub.R1, the torque detection signal T.sub.ON becomes equal to the left operation reference value K.sub.L (2.7V) of the direction inhibiting circuit with the result that power assist by the electric motor in the left direction corresponding to the actuation of the steering wheel in the counterclockwise direction is inhibited.
Conversely, when the left steering torque (actuation of the steering wheel in the counterclockwise direction) T.sub.L increases from zero (0) to T.sub.L1, the torque detection output T.sub.ON becomes equal to the right operation reference value K.sub.R (2.3V) of the direction inhibiting circuit with the result that power assist by the electric motor in the right direction corresponding to the actuation of the steering wheel in the clockwise direction is inhibited.
Accordingly, in the case where a motor control signal tending to drive or rotate the electric motor in a direction opposite to the direction of a steering torque produced by actuating the steering wheel (a right steering torque T.sub.R, for example) is output due to, for example, uncontrollable running of the microprocessor (CPU) in the control system which assists the electric motor on the basis of the torque detection output T.sub.O, the direction inhibiting circuit inhibits power assist by the electric motor when the steering torque reaches the operation reference, value (the left operation reference value K.sub.L, for example)
Since the right and left operation reference values K.sub.R and K.sub.L are set to be 2.7V and 2.3V, respectively, and since they K.sub.R, K.sub.L have the same offset (0.2V) with respect to the center value C.sub.O1 (2.5V), power assist by the electric motor is inhibited in a balanced or symmetrical condition with respect to steering torques (T.sub.L1, T.sub.R1, .vertline.T.sub.L1 .vertline.=.vertline.T.sub.R1 .vertline. ) increasing in the left and right directions from the zero (0) steering torque point.
In the case where the center value (neutral point) of the steering torque sensor is varied from C.sub.O1 (2.5V) to C.sub.O2 (2.6V), torque detection outputs T.sub.O corresponding to the right steering torques T.sub.R and left steering torques T.sub.L are represented by the characteristic line T.sub.OH. When the right steering torque T.sub.R becomes equal to T.sub.R2 (T.sub.R1 -.DELTA.T), the torque detection output T.sub.OH reaches the left operation reference value K.sub.L (2.7V) whereupon the direction inhibiting circuit is activated to inhibit power assist by the electric motor in the left direction.
Also, when the left steering torque T.sub.L is T.sub.L2 (T.sub.L1 +.DELTA.T), the torque detection output T.sub.OH becomes equal to the right operation reference value K.sub.R (2.3) whereupon the direction inhibit circuit is activated to inhibit power assist by the electric motor in the right direction.
As is apparent from FIG. 10, the left operation reference value K.sub.L (2.7V) in the direction inhibit circuit is reached when the right steering torque T.sub.R is T.sub.R2 (T.sub.R1 -.DELTA.T), whereas the right operation reference value K.sub.R (2.3V) in the direction inhibit circuit is not reached until when the left steering torque T.sub.L becomes equal to T.sub.L2 (T.sub.L1 +.DELTA.T). Since T.sub.L1 and T.sub.R1 have the same absolute value ( .vertline.T.sub.L1 .vertline.=.vertline.T.sub.R1 .vertline. ), the absolute value of T.sub.L2 is greater than the absolute value of T.sub.R2 by 2.DELTA.T. As a result, left and right steering torques (T.sub.L, T.sub.R) at which the direction inhibiting circuit is activated are in an ill-balanced condition.
If two microprocessors (CPUs) are used to formed the direction inhibiting circuit, a great offset of the center value such as 10 kg.multidot.cm or more becomes available by the use of software processing Use of the two microprocessors can lower the cost of the steering torque sensor but increases the cost of the direction inhibiting circuit.


A method for receiving information on measurable conditions using at least one enterprise server and at least one remote terminal unit. The enterprise server is adapted to simultaneously handle multiple types of telemetry and multiple different protocols associated with at least one remote terminal unit on at least one vessel over a network. Selective encryption is used to communicate between the server and the remote terminal unit. The remote terminal unit collects data on measurable conditions, which is stored, streamed to enterprise server, or combinations thereof. When the collected data exceeds a preset limit, an alarm is automatically initiated. During communication, the enterprise server simultaneously on-line configures and reconfigures the remote terminal unit.

When managing large deployments of vessels, and when trying to monitor large geographic areas, there is a need to accurately and securely collect data on measurable conditions.
There further exists a need for a method for detecting changes in a voluminous amount of data collected from multiple points using a single system.
When there are detected changes in the measurable information outside of accepted parameters, it is important to have a method for initiating an alarm that will alert appropriate persons regarding the changes in the measurable information.
A need exists for a method for transmitting information related to measurable conditions that is secure and allows data to be collected using multiple data points.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.

Method for detecting changes in measurable conditions


A belt unit includes an endless belt and a cleaning member. The endless belt has a value of ten-point height of roughness Rz not larger than 0.2 μm, a value of shininess not less than 100, a creep not larger than 0.03%. The cleaning member is in contact with said endless belt and removes foreign matter adhering to said endless belt. The belt unit may be applied to an image forming apparatus either of direct transfer type and intermediate transfer type.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that incorporates a belt unit including an endless belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt that transports a recording medium to a transfer point defined between a photoconductive drum and a transfer roller. A toner image is transferred from the photoconductive drum onto the recording medium. Electrical discharge occurs between the photoconductive drum and a recording medium during transfer of a toner image as well as separation of the recording medium from the photoconductive drum. For solving this problem, Japanese patent application No. 8-146781 employs a belt unit that incorporates a transfer belt having a value of ten-point height of roughness Rz greater than 4 μm may cause scattering of toner particles not only onto the recording medium but also onto the belt. For removing the toner from the belt, a cleaning blade made of a resilient material such as urethane rubber is used.
Recently, demand for high quality full color images printed by electrophotographic image forming apparatus is growing, expecting as good an image quality as silver halide photography. For achieving a high resolution image, use of spherical toner having a small diameter and a toner release agent such as wax has been proposed. However, when such a toner is used with a conventional image forming apparatus incorporating an endless belt having a value of ten-point height of roughness Rz greater than 4 μm, efficient cleaning of the endless belt over a long term is rather difficult. Deterioration of the cleaning performance leads to poor image quality.

Belt unit and image forming apparatus that incorporates the belt unit


(1) A magnetic recording system is disclosed, which comprises a thin-film magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium comprising a nonmagnetic support having thereon a magnetic layer comprising mainly ferromagnetic particles and a binder resin, wherein said binder resin comprising mainly a vinyl chloride resin, and said ferromagnetic particles are surface-treated with at least an organic compound. (2) Another magnetic recording system is disclosed, which comprises a thin-film magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium comprising a nonmagnetic support, a nonmagnetic layer comprising mainly inorganic nonmagnetic particles and a binder resin over the nonmagnetic support, and a magnetic layer comprising mainly ferromagnetic metal particles and a binder resin over the nonmagnetic layer, wherein said binder resins in said magnetic and nonmagnetic layers each comprises mainly a vinyl chloride resin, said ferromagnetic metal particles are surface-treated with at least an organic compound, and said magnetic layer has a thickness of from 0.05 to 1.0 .mu.m.

In magnetic recording systems for data storage, a thin-film magnetic head has been put to practical use in order to realize a high transfer rate and a high recording density. Use of such a thin-film magnetic head as a multitrack fixed head is suitable for the attainment of a higher transfer rate especially in recording systems employing a magnetic tape as the recording medium. This is because thin-film magnetic heads can be easily fabricated into multitrack heads. A desirable reproducing head is a high-output magneto-resistive head (MR head).
On the other hand, magnetic metal particles superior to magnetic iron oxide and CrO.sub.2 in electromagnetic characteristics are suitable for use as the magnetic particles of a magnetic recording medium. The binder resin used for dispersing magnetic particles therein is desirably a vinyl chloride resin from the standpoints of dispersing ability and storage stability.
However, there is a problem that vinyl chloride resins generate hydrogen chloride, which corrodes thin-film magnetic heads. This problem has been an obstacle to the use of vinyl chloride resins. Even the vinyl chloride resins designed not to generate hydrogen chloride, e.g., "MR-110", manufactured by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd., Japan and containing epoxy groups within the molecule, have been insufficient.
In JP-B-6-42283 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") is disclosed a combination of a magnetic recording medium containing a binder consisting mainly of not a vinyl chloride resin but a polyurethane and a thin-film MR head ("Drive F613A", manufactured by Fujitsu Ltd., Japan). However, since the polyurethane is inferior in dispersing ability to vinyl chloride resins, the magnetic layer has a rough surface undesirable in high-recording-density media. Another drawback is that the polyurethane hydrolyzes with the lapse of time to cause head fouling, namely, the conventional magnetic recording medium has insufficient storage stability.
It was thus found that the polyurethane is also unsuitable for use as the binder resin of a magnetic recording medium to be used in combination with a thin-film magnetic head for realizing a high transfer rate and a high recording density. A technique for preventing head fouling and corrosion has been strongly demanded in such a magnetic recording system employing a combination of a thin-film magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium.


The invention relates to a method in a cellular telecommunications network, the method including discovering a second donor base station having a first interface for communicating with the first central base station unit and a second interface for wirelessly communicating with the distributed base station unit; determining a capacity of a connection between the central base station unit and the distributed base station unit via the second donor base station; determining that the capacity of the connection satisfies a functional split threshold; and, in response to this determination, causing the centralized base station unit and the distributed base station unit to implement a second functional split in which a third set of protocol functions are implemented in the distributed base station unit and a fourth set of protocol functions are implemented in the central base station unit; and initiating a handover of the distributed base station unit from the first donor base station to the second donor base station.

Cellular telecommunications networks typically comprise a plurality of base stations which each have a coverage area for communicating with a plurality of User Equipment (UE). Traditionally, a base station is in a fixed geographical location by being installed at a particular site or by being installed on a building. These fixed base stations utilize local (typically wired) power and data communication interfaces to receive electrical power and to connect to a cellular core network (often known as a backhaul).
Modern cellular telecommunications networks also provide mobile base stations. These mobile base stations are of a non-fixed geographical location and may change their location either by self-powered movement or by being installed on a movable vehicle (e.g. a train or car). The mobile base station also has a coverage area for communicating with a plurality of UEs, which is achieved in the same manner as for fixed base stations. The mobile base station's backhaul may be provided by a wired interface, but in many circumstances such wired interfaces are unsuitable. Accordingly, mobile base stations typically have a wireless communications interface for carrying backhaul traffic. These wireless communications interfaces connect to a "donor" base station, and the donor base station's backhaul connection to the cellular core network includes both traffic for its own UEs and traffic for the mobile base station's UEs.
As the mobile base station may move relative to the fixed base stations, such that it may move out of a coverage area of its "serving" donor base station, cellular networking protocols define a handover process such that the mobile base station may disconnect from its serving donor base station and connect to a target donor base station with minimal disruption. This process mirrors the corresponding process for UE handover between a serving and target base station, and the mobile base station therefore includes a subset of UE functionality to support this process.
Modern cellular networks also support centralized radio access network architectures in which a base station may be split into a central unit and a distributed unit. The central unit interconnects a core cellular network with a plurality of distributed units, and the plurality of distributed units each communicate with a plurality of UEs. The various protocol layers of the cellular protocol in use are split between the central and distributed units such that the distributed units implement the lowest layer and optionally one or more higher layers, and all other higher layers are implemented in the central unit. This has the benefit that the central unit may coordinate communications of multiple distributed units to maximize Quality of Service. Generally, a lower protocol split (e.g. layer 1/2) will have greater coordination than a higher protocol split (e.g. layer 3/4), but will require a higher capacity link between the central and distributed units.

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY


A sensor hub for collecting sensor data during a parachuting or wing-suite event is described herein. In some instances, the sensor hub may include a sensor hub housing, the sensor hub housing including a first cavity that houses a power supply and a communication unit and a second cavity that houses a location sensor and an orientation sensor, wherein the communication unit is configured to share the location sensor and the orientation sensor with a second sensor hub and a helmet that attaches to the sensor hub housing.

The present disclosure relates to technology for, among other things, a system for augmented situational awareness sensors that capture data during a parachute or wing-suite event.
Current sensor data that is used during a parachute jump or other type of similar event includes various separate sensors that are monitored by the jumper. For example, the jumper may monitor their altitude using an altimeter. Other sensors may separately capture data, such as temperature and speed during the jump that the jumper can view. However, these separate sensors are all independent and the jumper is required to monitor the various sensors independently during the jump. Additionally, current systems lack the ability to offer real-time video and inertial measurement data from any and all nodal and gateway connections.


A two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission that selectively receives power from an internal combustion engine as well as a source of electrical energy. Three power receiving planetary gear subsets, first and reverse mode selecting planetary gear subsets, a steering planetary gear subset and left and right output planetary gear subsets are employed. A steering mechanism operates a steering motor. Torque transfer devices selectively ground components of the first and second mode selecting planetary gear subsets. The left and right output planetary gear subsets present corresponding out shafts. The left and right output planetary gear subsets are connected to each other by a shaft which assures simultaneous rotation of one component in the left and right output planetary gear subsets. Another component of the left and right output planetary gear subsets are connected to each other by a retro-rational gear shaft assembly.

The present invention relates broadly to vehicular transmissions. In general, the present invention relates to two-mode, compound-split, vehicular transmissions. More particularly, the present invention relates to two-mode, compound-split, vehicular transmissions that utilize supplemental power receiving/delivery units that derive their power from an on-board source of electrical energy. Specifically, the present invention relates to a two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical, vehicular transmission wherein the interactive planetary gear subsets are operatively connected to an engine and two power receiving/delivery unitsxe2x80x94motor/generators, as shownxe2x80x94that may be annularly configured to minimize the overall envelope within which the transmission is contained, but whereas such concentricity may be desirable to conserve space, it is not critical to the operation of the invention. A power delivering shaft extends axially within the transmission to deliver driving power to left and right output planetary gear subsets from which respective left and right output shafts project to drive the track, or even the wheels, that propel the vehicle.
The purpose of a vehicular transmission is to provide a neutral, at least one reverse and one or more forward driving ranges that impart power from an engine, and/or other power sources, to the drive members which deliver the tractive effort from the vehicle to the terrain over which the vehicle is being driven.
As explained in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,757 issued on Aug. 8, 1999, and assigned to General Motors Corporation, the challenge is to provide a power system that will operate at high efficiencies over a wide variety of operating conditions. Desirable electric variable transmissions should leverage not only the benefits of a series, hybrid transmission for desirable low-average power duty cyclesxe2x80x94i.e.: low speed start/stop duty cyclesxe2x80x94but also the benefits of a parallel hybrid transmission for high-average output power, high speed duty cycles.
To this point in time, a highly respected hybrid transmission for a tracklaying vehicle has been a four-mode, input-split, parallel transmission that is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,058 which issued on Nov. 5, 1996, and was also assigned to General Motors Corporation.
By way of background, in a parallel arrangement the power supplied by the engine and the power supplied by the source of electrical energy are independently connected to the drive members. Perfecting a concept wherein multiple modes, or gear trains, are available for synchronous selection by the on-board computer to transmit power from the engine and/or selected supplemental power receiving/delivery units, such as motor/generators, to the output shaft results in a hybrid transmission having an extremely wide range of applications, the many beneficial results of which may be achieved by the use of a variable, two-mode, input-split, electro-mechanical transmission.
However, and particularly for use in a military track vehicle, the electrical auxiliary loads (also commonly referred to as the xe2x80x9chotelxe2x80x9d loads) can require a high percentage of the engine power. Hence, if one additionally desires to provide for xe2x80x9csilent operationxe2x80x9d of the vehicle under certain conditions, the electrical receiving/delivery units must transfer power from and, if batteries are employed as the source of electrical power, to the source of electrical energy to power not only the means to move the vehicle but also the power required to satisfy the hotel loads. If motor/generators are employed the resulting power required properly to operate such a vehicle precludes a reduction in the size of the motor/generators. A two-mode, compound-split transmission has been an excellent choice for development with many commercial vehicles, particularly inasmuch as such a transmission does provide a mechanical point in the first forward mode of operation, and that helps meet the cooling requirements at low vehicle speeds. However, that transmissions used in commercial vehicles typically do not have an independent reverse mode, nor are the versions of transmissions adapted for commercial vehicles readily capable of providing silent operation for the vehicle in which they are used.
Nevertheless, by incorporating the present invention in a two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission it becomes a very attractive package, particularly for track-laying military vehicles, even with all their attendant operational requirements.
It is, therefore, one primary aspect of the present invention to provide a new and novel, two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission that is particularly suited for driving track-laying vehicles.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a novel, two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission, as above, wherein the transmission utilizes separate clutches for selecting the reverse and first mode forward ranges.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a novel, two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission, as above, wherein the transmission may employ either concentric or countershaft power receiving/delivery units such as motor/generators.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a novel, two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission, as above, wherein the steering motor does not need its own generator.
It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a novel, two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission, as above, wherein the transmission employs a disconnect clutch to permit stealth operation with the engine off and disconnected from the transmission so that operational power is provided solely from the source of electrical power through the supplemental power receiving/delivery units.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a novel, two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission, as above, wherein the transmission provides a mechanical point in both the forward first mode range and the reverse range to assist with the low speed cooling requirements.
These and other aspects of the invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing and prior art forms, which will be apparent in view of the following detailed specification, are accomplished by means hereinafter described and claimed.
By way of a general introductory description, a two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission embodying the concepts of the present invention is particularly adapted for use with track-laying vehicles. The transmission utilizes a plurality of planetary gear subsets, and each planetary gear subset has a plurality of components in the nature of an inner, sun gear, an outer, ring gear circumscribing said inner, sun gear and a plurality of planet gears rotatably mounted on a carrier such that the planet gears each simultaneously mesh with the inner, sun gear and the outer, ring gear of the planetary gear subset in which that carrier is incorporated.
The transmission receives its operating power from several sources. There is a prime mover power source in the nature of an internal combustion engine. There is a source for storing and providing electrical energy, and there are first and second power receiving and delivery units. There is a steering motor and a steering mechanism for operating the steering motor. The source for storing and providing electrical energy, the steering mechanism, the steering motor and the first and second power receiving and delivery units communicate with each other by virtue of an electrical control unit.
The planetary gear subsets include left and right output planetary gear subsets, each of which present an output shaft. The left and right planetary gear subsets are connected to each other by a retro-rotational gear and shaft assembly so that the left and right output shafts may selectively rotate in the same or in opposite directions and at the same or at different speeds, one with respect to the other.
To acquaint persons skilled in the arts most closely related to the present invention, one representative preferred embodiment of a two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission now contemplated for putting the invention into practice is described herein by, and with reference to, the annexed drawings that form a part of the specification.
It must be understood that the aforesaid exemplary form of a preferred two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission is described in detail without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications of the essential elements in which the invention might be embodied.
As such, the embodiment shown and described herein is only illustrative, and as will become apparent to those skilled in these arts can be modified in numerous ways within the spirit and scope of the invention; the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.

Two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical, vehicular transmission particulary adapted for track-laying vehicles


The challenge for the present invention is to provide a catalyst composition restrained from declining in performance over time in purifying an exhaust gas containing an organic compound a silicon compound, a catalyst containing the catalyst composition, and a method for producing the catalyst.

Organic compounds, such as benzene, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, and ethyl acetate, are used as solvents and detergents in wide varieties of fields, such as printing, painting, coating, and electronic materials, and these compounds are partly discharged as an exhaust gas. These organic compounds may include toxic compounds, and may become the cause of a foul odor or air pollution. Thus, the exhaust gas containing such organic compounds needs to be purified. Precious metal-carried alumina catalysts, which oxidize organic compounds to remove them, have hitherto been used as exhaust gas purification catalysts.
The exhaust gas may further contain a silicon compound. For example, an organic silicone compound is excellent in heat resistance and water resistance, and is thus put to various uses. It is often coexistent in the exhaust gas. If a precious metal-carried catalyst is used for treatment of the exhaust gas containing an organic compound and a silicon compound, silicon poisons the precious metal to cause a decrease in catalytic activity (non-patent document 1). Since the silicon compounds is itself harmful, moreover, its removal is also demanded.
In order to maintain the catalytic activity even if the exhaust gas contains the silicon compound, there have been reports (patent documents 1 to 3) on methods which comprise providing an adsorbent, such as zeolite, alumina or activated carbon, containing an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, on a side upstream, in the direction of gas passage, of a region where the catalyst is packed (this region will be referred to hereinafter as a "succeeding stage") (the region where the adsorbent is packed will be referred to hereinafter as a "preceding stage") so that silicone is removed in the preceding stage before it arrives at the succeeding stage. According to these methods, however, the reactor needs to be packed with the two types of materials, thus making the structure of the reactor complicated. Furthermore, the preceding stage is poor in oxidative potential, so that high boiling substances, such as tars, are apt to accumulate there, and the accumulated substances may catch fire, causing abrupt heat generation. Thus, a single material which maintains activity for a long term is demanded.
A report has also been issued (patent document 4) on a catalyst, which has a precious metal carried on zeolite, for treatment of the exhaust gas containing a silicon compound. However, it is industrially desirable to use a carrier more inexpensive than zeolite.
As described above, there is a demand for a catalyst for treating an exhaust gas containing a silicon compound, the catalyst maintaining its activity for a long-term. Furthermore, a catalyst, which exhibits excellent performance even at a high space velocity (SV), is demanded in order to treat a large amount of an exhaust gas promptly.                Non-patent document 1: J. Catal., Vol. 86, p. 187 (1984)        Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1984-147623        Patent document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1998-267249        Patent document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1997-85087        Patent document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-290626

Catalyst for exhaust gas purification and method for exhaust gas purification

Abstract: This challenge is solved by using a catalyst composition containing zeolite added to precious metal-carried alumina, and the silicon resistance of the catalyst is improved greatly. The amount of acid of the zeolite added is preferably in the range of 0.4 mmol·NH3/g to 1.5 mmol·NH3/g.