An access management apparatus, method and program storage device for permitting or prohibiting access to each of a plurality of nodes stored hierarchically, including means and steps for storing rule functions with a plurality of requesters to access a node, each of the rule functions for determining whether access should be permitted or rejected depending on the position of the node in the hierarchical structure or depending on the requester, receiving an access request from a requester, selecting the rule function, and executing the rule function which has been selected by the selector, and controlling permission of, or prohibition of, the access request on the basis of a result of executing the rule function.

These years, attention has been brought to languages, such as XML, with which information is described by means of structuring the information into a hierarchical structure. XML is widely used in various fields. For example, typical use of XML is seen in the field of medical records, contracts and the like. In the case of such documents, it is desired that access permission or access rejection be capable of being set up for not only the whole of each of the documents but also each of a plurality of sets of information included in each of the documents. For example, permission of access by many people to information on a date and time of medical treatment does not bring about a problem. However, permission of access by many people to access information on the name of a disease is not desirable.
With this taken into consideration, it is desirable to provide an access control policy for specifying access permission or access rejection for each of the plurality of hierarchized nodes for a structured document including the plurality of nodes. This policy is defined as a set of multiple rules (access control rules), each of which describes whether access should be permitted or rejected for each of the nodes. In this respect, since the nodes are hierarchized, control effects (access control effects) of access permission or access rejection have dependence among nodes in the hierarchical relationship in the hierarchical structure.
Specifically, in a case where access to a particular node is permitted, access to nodes (ancestor nodes) situated higher in the hierarchy than the particular node is also permitted. Furthermore, in a case where access to a particular node is rejected, access to nodes (descendent nodes) situated lower in the hierarchy than the particular node is also rejected. As an example, in a case where a node marking a "name of a disease" exists lower in the hierarchy than a node marking a "medical record," permission of access by the patient to the name of the disease is equal to permission of access by the patient to the medical record.
Since such dependence exists, one of the following two points also have to be determined in order to determine whether access to a particular node should be permitted or rejected. One point of the two is whether access rejection has been specified for nodes higher in the hierarchy than the particular node. The other point of the two is whether access permission has been specified for every node lower in the hierarchy than nodes which are higher in the hierarchy than the particular node. For this reason, in order to determine the access control effect on a particular node, a number of rules in the policy have to be checked.
For the purpose of controlling access efficiently, the following technique has been disclosed (see: U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0076030 and Yu, T., Srivastava, D., Lakshmanan, L. V. S., and Jagadish, H. V. [2002]. "Compressed Accessibility Map: Efficient Access Control for XML," In Proceedings of the International Conference on Very Large Databases, pp. 478-489). In accordance with the foregoing, correspondence of the position of each of the nodes in a hierarchical structure, indicating whether access to the node position should be permitted or rejected, is stored in advance in a table, and the access control effect is efficiently obtained by means of reference to the table in response to an access request.
Access control effects may be different depending on the subject of the access requests (e.g., the access requestors and the nodes intended to be accessed). However, as far as conventional techniques are concerned, if a table entry is prepared for every access requester and for every position (path) of a node intended to be accessed in the hierarchical structure, the table size becomes larger. A scheme in which any thing which is common is shared can be adopted for the aforementioned conventional techniques in order to reduce table size.
However, in a case where there are many parts which cannot be used in common, it is likely that the table size will become larger, and that the memory space will be used to a large extent. In some cases, it is difficult to identify what range in the common parts should be updated in response to policy change. In such a case, when the policy is changed, a wide range in the table needs to be updated.

Access management apparatus, access management method and program

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to differential diagnostics, and provides a method for determining if an infection detected in a patient is of bacterial or of viral origin. In the method chemiluminescence of phagocytic cells induced by non-opsonized zymosan in a blood sample is measured and the expression of Complement Receptor 1 (cr1) is determined. The value when multiplying chemiluminescence with the CR1 expression is compared with method-specific average values for bacterial and viral infections. The invention also provides test kits for accomplishing the method of the invention.

A microbial infection in an organism launches the organism's own, complicated defence mechanisms against the infection. Laboratory tests and clinical investigation of a patient reveal typical changes. Infections, but also traumas, inflammatory processes and cancers cause in an organism changes, which are called acute phase reactions. These changes are called acute, since they appear within a few hours or days from the infection or trauma. The background of the changes lies in the increase of the protein synthesis in liver caused by interleukin 1 and interleukin 6 which are formed as a consequence of the infection or inflammation.
Such proteins of the acute phase include baptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, fibrinogen, amyloid-A and C-reactive protein (CRP). It is most useful to determine CRP in blood, since its concentration increases in connection with an infection, inflammation and tissue damage. The changes in the serum concentration of CRP can increase up to hundredfold. It is also fairly cheap to determine CRP in serum, wherefore CRP has proved a convenient diagnostic tool. The main applications of CRP are detection of infectious diseases and differential diagnostics between bacterial and viral infections. However, in addition to serious bacterial infections, a CRP value can be very high also in invasive viral infections, as e.g. epidemic nephropathy and herpes virus infections of mouth and throat. The concentration of CRP illustrates mainly the invasive character of the infection as well as related tissue damage and the action of inflammatory cells. Consequently, CRP is not as such specific in regard to the source of the infection.
In clinical work CRP is today the most important acute phase protein, because it changes quickly and is suitable for monitoring the inflammatory level of various diseases, and thus also the effect of treatment. CRP concentration can change substantially to either direction even in less than 24 hours. Instead, another commonly used measure of inflammation, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), changes much slower. It does not increase substantially until one week after the initiation of the inflammation and, correspondingly, its half-time is weeks. In differential diagnostics of infectious diseases ESR alone has no specific value.
In practical clinical work it would be very important to have also other than microbiological means to assess a possible viral or bacterial infection as a cause of the deterioration of the clinical state of a patient. Consequently, a reliable and rapid detection of an infection, or the nature of the infectious agent is important to enable a correct diagnosis. The an appropriate treatment of the infection can be stared as soon as possible, or a proper assessment can be made if anti-inflammatory treatment is necessary at all. A prolonged hospitalising and intravenous antibiotic treatment can thus be avoided.
It is known that different diseases cause changes in the amounts of the leukocyte surface receptors. Such receptors have been studied for instance in atopic and cancer patients. Leino et al. (1997) and Isolauri el al. (1997) have studied the receptor changes in febrile and atopic patients, respectively. However, the knowledge of the receptor changes in such conditions has not been applied to differential diagnostics, nor has such a knowledge been combined with ESR data or the data of chemiluminescence response of whole blood, ie. the level of cell activation, as has been done in the present invention.

Method for determining the nature of an infection


A removable flexible orthosis for the middle foot comprising a) a first metatarsophalangeal collar that encircles and is fixed on the forefoot, and extends transversely from the heads of the first to the fifth metatarsi, and longitudinally from the toe's root towards the mid-diaphysis of the metatarsi, and b) a traction strap comprising at least one end fixed or fixable on the first metatarsophalangeal collar and on the portion of the orthosis designed to be applied on the rear of the foot is provided. The two ends of the stirrup-shaped traction strap can be fixed on the postero-external and postero-internal edges of the first metatarsophalangeal collar on the sides of the foot.

Ankle sprains occur in France at the rate of 6000 cases per day. Of these, 20 to 25% are sprains of the midfoot, which most often go unnoticed since this pathology is little known or not at all, and no specific treatment exists for the moment.
Among the current treatments proposed in the case where there is a diagnosis of sprain of the midfoot, one can mention the Barouk shoe, or the strapping bandage in the form of metatarsal collars, or indeed the plaster boot, all of which support the joint of the midfoot, but without holding it firmly between the forefoot and the rearfoot. Because of this, the resumption of walking is delayed. Elimination of the pain can be achieved only with the plaster boot, and walking can be achieved without aid. In addition, the use of the plaster boot necessitates a treatment to prevent platelet aggregation up to the return to full walking, and can induce secondary trophic difficulties.
The application of elastic bandages (strapping or taping according to the elasticity of the straps) calls for a suitable technique and therefore appropriate training, in order to avoid a garotting effect accompanied by oedema and painful compression points that appear with the sprain. The* other drawbacks of elastic bandages, and especially strapping, are a possible cutaneous intolerance, the obligation to change the bandage or strapping about every three days, and above all the fact that this change has to be effected by specialist staff.
Sprains of the midfoot are one of the most frequent occurrences, and at present there is no orthosis suitable for its treatment. The midfoot is a transition zone between the forefoot or ball, which has a horizontal structure, and the rearfoot, which has a vertical structure. The midfoot has a frontal and unstable structure, since it is multi-articular, and is supported by a multiplicity of ligaments that are subjected to regular stresses (at every step) of some consequence (the full weight of the body).
There are several reasons that render particularly difficult the implementation of an orthosis for the midfoot that is effective and easy to use:                the anatomic constitution of the midfoot, which includes the innominate joint, the Chopart mediotarsal joint and the Lisfranc tarsometatarsal joint;        the clinical approach access to the midfoot, rendered difficult by its particular architecture, its mechanical complexity, and the magnitude and impact of the stresses on it.

Removable flexible orthosis for middle foot damage


An image display controlling system of the present invention has an image combining splitting means (2) for splitting a picked-up image input from an imaging means (1), which picks up surrounding images of a vehicle, into a plurality of images, an image deforming means (3) for executing a different deforming process to the plurality of images respectively, and an arrangement controlling means (5) for arranging the plurality of images at predetermined positions and displaying the images. According to this configuration, a wide-range image having a horizontal angle of view of 180 degree is separated into a rear center image positioned at a center of the image and side images separated from the center like a vanity with three mirrors, and a sense of depth is provided by distorting and deforming intentionally the side images in contrast to the rear center image such that the side images can look as if the side images are just looked at.

In a prior art, a system described in JP-A-10-257482, for example, etc. are known as the image display controlling system. FIG. 4 is a configurative block diagram of an image display controlling system in a prior art. In the image display controlling system in the prior art, imaging means 41 are installed into a vehicle, and a plurality of picked-up images output from the imaging means 41 are input into an image combining means 42 to combine therein. The vehicle predictive route locus data generated by a rendering data generating means 43 to assist the driving, etc. are superposed with a combined image which was combined by the image combining means 42, then input into an arrangement controlling means 44 to decide arrangement of the images, and then output onto a displaying means.
The imaging means 41 is a CCD camera loaded on the vehicle, for example. As shown in FIG. 5, (Assume that the front side of the vehicle is indicated by the "front" in FIG. 5. This is similarly true in the following.), two imaging means 41 are fitted to pick up images in respective imaging ranges 501, 502 near left and right side mirrors, and one imaging means 41 is fitted to pick up an image in a rear center imaging range 503. The image combining means 42 combines infinite points in a rear left image 504, a rear right image 505, and a rear image 506 together as one infinite point, then applies a viewing transformation to three images to view these images from one virtual viewpoint, and then formulates a display screen 507 composed of a sheet of image by combining three images. This display can show the image picked up by three imaging means 41, particularly the road surfaces, to the driver in such a way that these images looks as if these images constitute one screen.
However, in this arrangement of these imaging means 41, their viewpoints are different between the imaging means 41 fixed on both sides and the imaging means 41 fixed on the rear center side. In other words, since positions of CCDs for picking up the image are largely different, views of three-dimensional objects that exist at boundaries of the combined display screen 507 are apparently different between respective imaging means 41. For this reason, it is impossible to assemble such objects that are originally seen as different shapes into identical objects, no matter how the virtual viewing transformation is executed. Thus, the driver feels a sense of incompatibility when the display is provided to the driver as the moving image. For example, a profile of other vehicle is changed suddenly at the boundary of the display screen 507 during when such other vehicle is moving from the rear center to the side portion.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, it was considered that a plurality of imaging means 41 should be arranged to locate their viewpoints at almost same positions. In FIG. 6, two imaging means 41 pick up the image on the rear center portion of the vehicle in imaging ranges 510, 511 respectively. In this case, since their viewpoints are close and the positions of CCDs for picking up the image are almost equal, three-dimensional objects that exist at boundaries of a combined display screen 514 are viewed almost identically by the imaging means 41 respectively even when the images picked up by the left and right imaging means 41 are combined panoramically. Therefore, images of the three-dimensional objects such as the road surface, the vehicle existing thereon, etc. at the boundary or joint are connected very naturally, and thus the driver seldom feels a sense of incompatibility at the joint. Positional relationships between an own car and other cars, images of which are being picked up, in an example of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7. A first car 701, a second car 702, a third car 703, and a fourth car 704 are present in order of the farthest position from own car 705. It is understood that the screen in FIG. 6 can display the image in the visual field range of about 180 degree.
The rendering data generating means 43 generates a predictive route locus 515 (e.g., a locus obtained by transferring maximum width lines onto the road surface) as the rendering data when the vehicle backs. Then, the arrangement controlling means 44 controls arrangements of the actual image which was previously adjusted and the locus to produce an image in which two images are superposed as the final display image 514.
As described above, according to the image display controlling system in the prior art, even though the imaging range of each imaging means 41 is narrow, the wide visual field can be implemented on one screen by combining the images picked up by a plurality of imaging means 41, and thus the driver's blind spot can be reduced.
However, the image display controlling system in the prior art having the above configuration has the problems described in the following. That is, in the former of the prior art, as described above, the positions of respective imaging means are largely different. Therefore, even though the images are deformed and then combined, the three-dimensional objects are still viewed to largely deform and thus not only the driver feels a sense of incompatibility but also it is difficult for the driver to know what objects are being displayed. In addition, even if the driver can know what objects are being displayed, it is difficult for the driver to understand which direction the images are in because respective images are simply pasted together two-dimensionally.
Also, in the latter of the prior art, since the images can be seen panoramically, the driver can check what objects are present in the wide visual field. However, such a problem existed that the driver is caused to hallucinate such that he or she looks at the screen in the acute visual field that is considerably narrower than 180 degree, as apparent from the image in FIG. 6, though the screen has the visual field of almost 180 degree, and therefore the driver is caused to lose a sense of direction.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, actually the forth car 704 should come aside the driver's car essentially when the driver views the car from the rear end of his or her car at which the image is picked up, nevertheless the driver views the car in the obliquely backward direction from the driver's car.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The invention relates to an astaxanthin compound composition, the preparation system and the method of preparing the astaxanthin compound composition. The astaxanthin compound composition comprises Haematococcus pluvialis ingredient, extract of wolfberry, extract of jujube, and arginine. The preparation system includes a mixing unit and an additive-adding unit, those which operate sequentially to prepare a compound astaxanthin compound composition, the invention thus provides a stable and sustainably active compound astaxanthin compound composition with long shelf-life, which can bring favorable effects on regulating the lipid profile.

Astaxanthin is a natural antioxidant, which belongs to carotenoids. Astaxanthin has excellent antioxidative capacity, especially the ability of scavenging free radicals, which is far better than beta-carotene, lutein and vitamin E. Recent studies reveal that the antioxidative capacity of astaxanthin can also improve cardiovascular health. The advantageous effects are primarily accomplished by reducing the accumulation of oxidized low-density lipoproteins in blood, and thus exhibiting superior benefits for human health. Therefore, astaxanthin has considerable potential for application in food, cosmetics, dietary supplements and healthcare.
However, because astaxanthin is insoluble in water and has unstable structure, it is susceptible to environmental factors such as light, heat, temperature, oxygen, acids and bases, metal ions, and moisture; and thus, the activity and effects may be impaired. Astaxanthin itself is hard to sustainably stored, which results in limited application. Therefore, there is still a need for improving a preparation system and a method of preparing astaxanthin-containing products.
Generally, the sources of astaxanthin are crustacean aquatic animals (shrimp, crab or its waste), green microalgae and certain types of yeast, but the available concentration of astaxanthin content are too low to sufficiently supply dietary supplements and healthcare products. In addition, if astaxanthin is extracted from aquatic animals, food allergies may become the utmost concern for certain population, and the extraction quality and mass production efficiency of astaxanthin become a major limitation for applications.
Therefore, in this technical field, the primary goal is to elaborate the benefits of astaxanthin by optimize the source, formulation and quality of astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin compound composition and the method thereof


The invention involves annular hollow fiber membrane bundle comprising a plurality of helically wound layers of semi-permeable hollow fibers helically wound thereon and at least one reinforcement filament which has been helically wound concurrently with said hollow fibers into the hollow fiber membrane bundle. A preferred embodiment provides that the reinforcement filament is uniformly distributed throughout the diameter of the bundle and/or across the axial length of the bundle. Though, other embodiments provide a non-uniform distribution throughout the diameter of the bundle and/or across the axial length of the bundle.

Hollow fiber devices for fluid separations are well known in the art. Such devices are used extensively in gas separation applications including hydrogen separation from refinery gas streams, acid gas separations from natural gas and nitrogen generation from air, and numerous liquid operations such as reverse osmosis desalination or dialyses processes to name a few. Hollow fiber membrane chemistry, morphology, module design and construction methods are optimized with respect to specific membrane separation application.
Improved flow distribution is frequently a major concern in design and construction of hollow fiber membrane devices. Uniform flow distribution without channeling or bypassing is frequently accomplished by controlled and uniform distribution of hollow fiber packing density. Examples of such hollow fiber construction methods can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,690,465, 3,755,034, 4,631,128, 4,881,955, 4,865,736 and 5,284,584 for example.
One particularly advantageous method of constructing hollow fiber devices with controlled and/or uniform distribution of packing density is by winding methods. A description of such methods can be found in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,468, 4,207,192, 4,336,138, 4,631,128 and 4,881,955. U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,138 and 4,430,219 teach that one may wind a separate thread or tape into the module in the vicinity of the ends of the module in order to fix the hollow fibers to the core at the terminal portions. These references make no mention of using or extending the thread into other portions of the module.
In some separation applications it is particularly advantageous to construct wound hollow fiber devices with fibers wound at high wind angles, .theta.. The term "wind angle" is defined as follows: With a module in the horizontal position, the wind angle .theta. is defined as the angle at which the fiber is laid across the module with respect to the vertical axis. For example, fibers wound at a 90.degree. wind angle would be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the module and straight from end to end on the module. Fibers wound in a module at the same wind angle will have the same fiber length. A high wind angle is one in which .theta. is greater than 45.degree.. When bundles are constructed by winding hollow fibers at high winding angles as compared to low winding angles, the bore-side pressure drop is decreased in bundles of equal length. However, hollow fiber bundles wound at high wind angles can become structurally unstable when operated under high fluid linear velocity conditions on the shell side of the hollow fiber membrane, particularly when the treated fluids are viscous. Redistribution and shifting of hollow fibers can occur leading to flow channeling and bypassing.
Though wound hollow fiber devices exhibit improved and more uniform flow distribution characteristics, some flow maldistribution, such as entrance and exit flow nonuniformities, can still occur. Thus there still remains a need to increase structural stability and to further improve flow distribution in wound hollow fiber membrane devices.

Process of making a structure enhancing hollow fiber module


A capacitor and a method for making the capacitor using ultrasonic welding to join the cathode layers together are provided. The capacitor includes a housing defining a chamber with a step provided at an inner portion of the housing. A plurality of capacitor layers each including a cathode foil, a separator and an anode foil, each having alignment holes therein to precisely fit with alignment elements housing, is positioned within the chamber, with the alignment holes mating with the alignment elements. The housing is electrically conductive for connection to the cathode foils. Each cathode foil includes a cathode tab which extends away from the foil. The cathode tabs are pressed together and ultrasonically welded to the housing step abutting the periphery of the interior of the housing.

Defibrillators are implanted in patients susceptible to cardiac arrhythmias or fibrillation. Such devices provide cardioversion or defibrillation by delivering a high voltage shock to the patient's heart, typically about 500-750 V. High voltage capacitors are used in defibrillators to accumulate the high voltage charge following detection of a tachyarrhythmia. It is desirable to make implantable devices as small as possible, with slim, flat packages being desired for pectorally implanted defibrillators. Therefore, flat capacitors have been developed to avoid the disadvantages of traditional cylindrical aluminum electrolytic capacitors.
Such a flat capacitor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,388 to Pless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Flat capacitors include a plurality of layers laminarly arranged in a stack. Each layer includes an anode and a cathode, with the anodes and cathodes being commonly connected to respective connectors. The layers may be cut in nearly any shape, to fit within a similarly shaped housing designed for a particular application. The capacitance of such a device is proportional to the number of layers, and to the area of each layer, providing significant design flexibility. However, current flat capacitors are not as manufacturable as would be desirable. Misalignment of layers can cause shorting between the edges of anodes and cathodes, and with the walls of a metallic housing. Precision assembly by hand is required, increasing manufacturing costs. The housing size must also be increased to provide tolerance for alignment errors, resulting in a bulkier device. The thin cathode layers must be efficiently joined together and coupled to one electrode of the capacitor.
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a capacitor and a method for making the capacitor using ultrasonic welding to join the cathode layers together. The capacitor includes a housing defining a chamber with a step provided at an inner portion of the housing. A plurality of capacitor layers each including a cathode foil, a separator and an anode foil, each having alignment holes die cut therein to precisely fit with alignment elements housing, is positioned within the chamber, with the alignment holes mating with the alignment elements. The housing is electrically conductive for connection to the cathode foils. Each cathode foil includes a cathode tab which extends away from the foil. The cathode tabs are pressed together and ultrasonically welded to the housing step abutting the periphery of the interior of the housing.

Capacitor for an implantable cardiac defibrillator


A multiple panel tailgate having panels which may be unfolded to cover a portion of the pick-up truck cargo bed. The multiple panels may be nested for storage in the primary tailgate panel.

The traditional tailgate which closes off the cargo bed of a pick-up truck causes significant aerodynamic drag in its vertical or "closed" position. To reduce drag many users completely remove the tailgate or drive with the tailgate in its horizontal or "open" position. Multiple position tailgates have also been proposed to improve aerodynamic efficiency. See for example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,265 to Mader which teaches a linkage which permits the traditional tailgate to be mounted in a horizontal position over the bed of the cargo area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,759 Wine teaches a pair of brackets to permit remounting of the tailgate in a generally horizontal position between the sides of the pick-up truck cargo area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,066 to Norman teaches a louvered tailgate which improves the aerodynamics of the pick-up truck in comparison to a conventional tailgate.
U.K. Patent specification 459,395 (1937) to Benson Motor Body Company, which teaches a flap which may be hinged at the "bottom" forming a pick-up truck like tailgate, or hinged at the "top" permitting it to lie in a horizontal plane over the bed.

Multiple panel tailgate for a utility vehicle


A zoom lens system comprises from the object side to the image side: a first lens unit of a positive refractive power; a second lens unit of a negative refractive power; and a third lens unit of a positive refractive power; wherein one of the first and third lens units is shiftable along the optical axis of the lens system in both of the zooming operation and the focusing operation, and the second lens unit is also shiftable along the optical axis of the lens system in the zooming operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens system and more particularly to a zoom lens system applicable to a video camera or a still video camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, since the compactness of a plurality of electric circuits and integrated circuits contained in a video camera system and the like are improved, the lens system contained in such a camera system possesses a large proportion of the size and weight of the entire camera system. The cost of the lens system is also large enough to prevent the cost of the whole camera system from being lowered. The compactness in size, the lightness in weight and the low cost are indispensable for such video camera systems. Therefore, how to construct the lens system as compact in size, light in weight, and low in cost as possible is an important matter.
A solution of the above matter often results in abandoning the use of the zoom lens system and adopting a fixed focal length lens system. Though the adoption of the fixed focal length lens system realizes the compactness in size, the lightness in weight and the low cost of the whole camera system, the charm is much reduced because of the fixed focal length thereof. The focal length of a lens system can be altered by attaching a converter or an attachment thereto. However, such convertor or attachment should be carried separately from the camera body. Additionally, it is hard to be certain that the smaller size, lighter weight and lower cost have been realized, if the converter or attachment is included in the entire system. Also, in recent years, a lens shutter camera including a converter has been proposed so that the converter can be inserted to or retracted from a photographing path to convert the compound focal length of its photographing lens system. However, it is also hard to be certain that such lens shutter camera realizes the smaller size, lighter weight and lower cost. Additionally, since the zoom ratio realized by such lens shutter camera is relatively as small as 2.0 and it is impossible to change the compound focal length with continuing photographing operations, the charm is also much reduced.
Then, a zoom lens system is considered to be applied again. However, most conventional zoom lens systems are designed to achieve a high zoom ratio, and therefore are large in size and very expensive. To the contrary, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 143311/1986 proposed a zoom lens system designed to realize the compactness in size, light in weight and low in cost with a low zoom ratio, but such a proposed zoom lens system can not be put in practical use because of its insufficient correction of aberrations, particular of the chromatic aberration.


Techniques are described for automatically creating resolution scripts. When a user contacts an agent with an issue, intent parameters associated with the user and/or the user's electronic device are collected. As the agent resolves the issue, a script engine monitors the actions taken by the agent. The script engine also locates content related to the issue which may be used to train agents about the issue. Actions taken by the agent and the located content is used to create a resolution script, which is stored and associated with the intent parameters. When a similar issue arises in the future, intent parameters from that issue can be used to match a resolution script created for the issue by matching intent parameters from the issue with intent parameters associated with the resolution script. Thus, an agent can use the resolution script to assist the agent in resolving the issue.

Most enterprises that sell products and/or services maintain user support services to assist users of the products/services. The quality of such user support often affects how users feel about their purchase from the enterprise, which can be critical in their decisions whether or not to purchase future products/services from the enterprise. Quality user support service operations typically aim to achieve one or more of several goals, most or all of which operate to reduce the time it takes to resolve any issue that a user is experiencing. However, determining a quantity of future support contacts is difficult to determine, and if the enterprise does not activate sufficient resources to handle user support contacts, then user satisfaction with regard to their user support experience is very likely to be degraded. Enterprises, therefore, are in need of an accurate way to predict upcoming service contacts and ensure that there are sufficient resources to handle the service contacts appropriately when they are received.

Issue resolution script generation and usage


Described herein are head orientation training devices for sports training and systems including such devices. A head orientation training device (HOTD) can include a position sensor configured to sense a tilt of the device, continually, while the device is activated. The HOTD can also include a computing device, configured to retrieve the tilt of the device from the position sensor, repeatedly, while the apparatus is activated. Also, the computing device of the HOTD can be configured to activate an alarm (such an audible or a visual alert) when the tilt of the apparatus exceeds a tilt threshold. The tilt threshold can be user definable as well.

When training an individual to play a sport, it is important to train them to look up and be aware of the field of play, teammates, opponents, and the position of the game objects such as a ball or a hockey puck. A few items have tried to accomplish this task with little to no electronics. Known devices approach the problem in a mechanical way and substantially physically limit the player's vision to a large, unplayable degree which can be dangerous. Upon disuse of these devices, a player may know how to play without requiring the initially blocked portion of their field of vision, but they are not necessarily conditioned to do so. These devices are standalone and may be dangerous to wear during gameplay as they are near to a player's eyes.
Some training devices do use electronics. For instance, devices are known that use light and the Hall effect to warn against unsafe head positions within a helmet. Also, devices are known to measure head orientation via a head-mounted-device but for medicinal/surgery purposes. Such devices are fragile and not intended for use in sports.
While such known devices fulfill their particular objectives and requirements, they do have problems. For instance, they do not provide electromechanical techniques to train and condition players of sports to look up and be aware of their surroundings, teammates, opponents, and sports objects with purpose of increasing safety, reducing injuries, and improving performance. Thus, there remains a need for an electromechanical device that may be used as a training aid to condition players to look up and be aware of their surroundings without the problems mentioned in this background section and other parts of the application as well as other technical problems not described herein but recognized by those skilled in the art.


A semiconductor storage device has memory cells provided at intersections of word lines and bit lines, a precharge circuit connected to the bit lines, and a write circuit. The write circuit includes a column selection circuit controlled by a write control signal, a transistor for controlling a potential of a selected bit line so that the potential of the selected bit line is a first potential (e.g., 0 V), a capacitance element for controlling the potential of the selected bit line so that the potential of the selected bit line is a second potential (e.g., a negative potential) that is lower than the first potential, and a clamp circuit for clamping the second potential when a power supply voltage becomes high.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor storage device, such as a static random access memory, and more particularly, to a technique of controlling the voltage of a bit line.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as miniaturization of semiconductor processes has been advanced, the reliability (resistance to electrical stress, thermal stress or the like) of semiconductor elements has decreased. Also, as the area of a semiconductor storage device has been reduced, it has been increasingly difficult to secure a stable characteristic of, particularly, a memory cell in the semiconductor storage device.
In a typical semiconductor storage device, such as a static random access memory, data is written into a memory cell by causing the potential of either one of a pair of bit lines precharged to the H level to go from the H level to the L level.
In contrast to this, there is a known technique of improving a write characteristic to a memory cell at a low power supply voltage by causing the potential of a bit line during data write to a memory cell to be lower than 0 V (i.e., a negative potential) (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-071491).


Ball valves, methods to close a ball valve, and methods to form a well barrier are discussed. A ball valve includes a valve housing and a ball that is rotatably movable from an open position to a closed position. The ball valve also includes an actuation mechanism operable to rotate the ball from the open position to the closed position, where a fluid passage of the ball is not aligned with a fluid passage of the valve housing while the ball is in the closed position. The ball valve further includes a sleeve disposed in the valve housing and operable to shift from a first position to a second position to actuate the actuation mechanism.

The present disclosure relates generally to ball valves, methods to close a ball valve, and methods to form a well barrier.
Wellbores are sometimes drilled into subterranean formations to allow for the extraction of hydrocarbons and other materials. Valves are sometimes disposed in a wellbore and are utilized during one or more well operations to restrict fluid flow through the wellbore.
The illustrated figures are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different embodiments may be implemented.


A semiconductor light source system includes a laser diode that is operated in a variable temperature environment and a driver circuit, wherein the driver circuit sets a magnitude of a signal current supplied to the laser diode below an upper limit level that corresponds to a maximum operational temperature of the laser diode. The driver circuit simultaneously sets a relative magnitude of the signal current with respect to a bias current such that a sufficient extinction ratio is achieved in an output optical beam and further sets a relative magnitude of the signal current with respect to the bias current such that a sufficiently small oscillation delay is achieved in the laser diode.

Laser diodes are used extensively particularly in the fields of optical telecommunication and optical storage of information. Further, various applications of laser diodes are studied for example in the field of optical information processing such as optical computers.
In laser diodes, it is well known that the operational characteristics, particularly the threshold of laser oscillation, change with environmental temperature. Thus, in order to compensate for such a temperature-induced variation of the operational characteristics, the laser diode used for long range telecommunication purposes, such as the devices used for optical submarine cables, use a temperature regulation system such that the laser diode is held at a constant temperature.
On the other hand, there exist other applications of laser diodes wherein use of such a temperature regulation system is not possible or preferable. For example, the laser diodes used in the optical wiring of supercomputers have to be accommodated in a very limited space and the room for the temperature regulator is generally not available. Similarly, temperature regulation is not practical for the laser diodes that are used for the local area network (LAN), laser printers, and the like, because of the increased cost.
In order to avoid the unwanted temperature-induced fluctuation in the operation of laser diodes, conventional semiconductor optical sources use a feedback control of the optical beam, called automatic power control (APC), wherein the bias current is controlled such that the power of the output optical pulse of the laser diode is held constant. On the other hand, such an APC control has a problem in that, associated with the temperature-induced variation of the threshold of laser oscillation, the extinction ratio of the laser diode deteriorates with increasing temperature.
FIG. 1 shows the conventional APC control applied to laser diodes, wherein the horizontal axis represents the drive current while the vertical axis represents the corresponding output optical power. Further, the line designated as P.sub.L represents the output characteristics of the laser diode at a low temperature T.sub.L, while the line designated as P.sub.H represents the output characteristics of the same laser diode at a high temperature T.sub.H. It will be noted that the characteristic line P.sub.L indicates a threshold level I.sub.TH (T.sub.L) at the temperature T.sub.L, while the characteristic line P.sub.H indicates a threshold level I.sub.TH (T.sub.H) at the temperature T.sub.H.
Referring to FIG. 1, the drive current is supplied to the laser diode in the form of a current pulse I.sub.d, wherein the current pulse I.sub.d is biased at a level I.sub.bL that is set equal to the threshold level I.sub.TH (T.sub.L) at the temperature T.sub.L, such that the laser oscillation occurs with a minimum threshold power level when no current pulse I.sub.d is supplied. Further, the magnitude of the current pulse I.sub.d is set such that a predetermined output power is achieved in response to the drive current pulse I.sub.d at the foregoing low temperature. In the illustrated example, the magnitude of the current pulse I.sub.d is set to 5 mA.
In the APC control, the biasing I.sub.b of the current pulse I.sub.d is subjected to a feedback control that is achieved in response to the output power of the laser diode, such that a predetermined output power such as 0.5 mW is maintained even when the temperature of the laser diode changes. More specifically, the bias current I.sub.b added to the current pulse I.sub.d is changed such that the laser diode produces the foregoing predetermined output power in response to the current pulse I.sub.d,
When the biasing of the drive current pulse I.sub.d is set as such, there occurs a problem, when the temperature rises, in that the laser diode produces the optical output with a substantial power even when the current pulse I.sub.d is not supplied. In the illustrated example, the current pulse I.sub.d is biased at the level I.sub.bH of 20 mA at the temperature T.sub.H, and the laser diode produces the output optical power of about 0.25 mW in the absence of the input current pulse I.sub.d, Thereby, the extinction ratio of the output optical beam is inevitably deteriorated. Associated with the degradation of the extinction ratio, the S/N ratio of the optical information transmission achieved by the laser diode is deteriorated.
In order to maintain the output power of the optical beam constant, irrespective of a variation of the temperature, it is also possible to change the magnitude of the drive current pulse I.sub.d in response to the variation of temperature. For example, one may fix the level of the bias current at I.sub.TH (T.sub.L) and increase the magnitude of the current pulse I.sub.d with temperature such that the output power of 0.5 mW is secured even when the temperature increases. According to this approach, one can maintain a large extinction ratio. However, the foregoing approach has a drawback in that there tends to occur a delay in the timing of the optical pulse in correspondence to the interval necessary for the drive current to increase from the level I.sub.TH (T.sub.L) to the desired level such as 25 mA. In the illustrated example, it should be noted that the laser diode does not cause oscillation until the level of the drive current pulse I.sub.d reaches the level of 15 mA, and a time lag occurs in the optical pulse produced as a result of the laser oscillation.
In the applications where the use of expensive APC or automatic feedback control of the bias current is not desirable, therefore, one has to optimize the bias condition as well as the magnitude of the drive current pulse such that the problem of the degradation of the extinction ratio, as well as the problem of the oscillation delay of laser diode, is minimized.
FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B) show the eye patterns that are obtained as a result of the biasing shown in FIG. 2, wherein, in FIG. 2, it will be noted that the bias current I.sub.b is set between the level I.sub.TH (T.sub.L) and the level I.sub.TH (T.sub.H), and the magnitude of the drive current pulse I.sub.d is set such that the overall drive current I, defined as a sum of the bias current I.sub.b and the drive current pulse I.sub.d (I=I.sub.b +I.sub.d), exceeds the threshold I.sub.th (T.sub.H).
Referring to FIG. 3(A) showing the eye pattern at the temperature T.sub.L, the vertical axis represents the optical output power, while the horizontal axis represents the time. There, it will be noted that the laser diode produces the output optical power P.sub.0 in correspondence to the binary signal "0" wherein the drive current is set equal to the bias current I.sub.b. Further, in correspondence to the binary signal "1" wherein the drive current is set equal to the sum of the bias current I.sub.b and the drive current pulse I.sub.d, it will be noted that the laser diode produces the output optical power at the level P.sub.1.
With continuous operation of the laser diode, the temperature of the laser diode increases gradually from T.sub.L and reaches T.sub.H. Thus, the eye pattern shown in FIG. 3(A) shifts gradually to the right with time as shown in FIG. 3(B), and there appears a delay t.sub.d in the timing of the optical pulse as indicated in FIG. 3(B). When such a delay t.sub.d occurs, the time slot represented by the open area in the eye pattern inevitably decreases. It will be noted that the foregoing problem becomes particularly acute in the optical systems wherein a laser diode array, including a large number of laser diodes, is accommodated in a small space without temperature regulation as in the case of the foregoing optical wiring, optical local area network, optical print head of laser printers, and the like. In the optical systems of the foregoing type, a mere increase of the drive current pulse I.sub.d for increasing the extinction ratio may invite unwanted temperature increase that in turn results in an unwanted deterioration of the eye pattern characteristics.

Semiconductor light source system having an optimized setting for driving a laser diode


A connector part for connecting to a mating connector part includes: a housing part; an electrical contact element arranged on the housing part for making electrical contact with the mating connector part; and a temperature monitoring device having a sensor device for detecting a heating on the contact element. The temperature monitoring device includes a carrier element which extends flatly along a plane, on which the sensor device is arranged, and which has two clip arms via which the carrier element is clippable onto the contact element.

Such a connector part comprises a housing part, an electrical contact element arranged on the housing part for establishing an electrical contact with the mating connector part, and a temperature monitoring device having a sensor device for detecting heating at the contact element.
Such a connector part can be a male as well as a female connector part. Such a connector part can be used in particular on a charging device for transmitting a charging current. The connector part can in particular be designed as a charging plug or charging socket for charging an electric motor-driven motor vehicle (also referred to as an electric vehicle) and can be used on the side of a charging station, e.g. as a charging plug on a charging cable, or on the side of a vehicle as a so-called inlet.
Charging plugs or charging sockets for charging electric vehicles are to be designed in such a way that charging currents can be transmitted. Since the thermal dissipation increases quadratically with the charging current and in addition it is prescribed that a temperature increase at a plug connector part must not exceed 50 K, it is necessary with such charging plugs or charging sockets to provide temperature monitoring in order to detect an overheating at components of the charging plug or charging socket at an early stage and, if necessary, to modify the charging current or even switch off the charging device.
In a charging plug known from EP 2 605 339 A1, a temperature sensor is arranged on an insulating body approximately in the center between contact elements of the contact plug. Via the temperature sensor, it can be detected whether there is any excessive heating somewhere on the contact elements in order to cause the charging process to be switched off, if necessary.
In a charging plug known from GB 2 489 988 A, a plurality of temperature sensors are provided which transmit temperature data via a line.
Depending on the temperature range in which the temperatures recorded at the temperature sensors are located, a charging process is controlled.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,036 B1 a connector is known in which several temperature sensors are serially interlinked via a single-core cable. The temperature sensors are arranged on an insulating body and exhibit a significant change in resistance at a predetermined temperature which is such that a control circuit connected to the line can detect the change and adjust the current flow through the charging plug and, if necessary, switch it off.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,325,454 B2 discloses a plug in which thermistors are assigned to individual contacts, which are connected in parallel to one another and switch on a thyristor when a threshold temperature is exceeded, in order in this way to switch off a current flow through the contacts.
In charging plugs known from the prior art, temperature sensors are embedded in particular in an insulating body. This is necessary in order to electrically insulate the temperature sensors from the contact elements at which heating can occur. At the same time, this has the disadvantage that a temperature change at one of the contact elements is transmitted via the insulating body with a time delay and is thus perceived at the temperature sensors with a time delay. Especially with concepts which are supposed to enable a fast switch-off of a load circuit in the event of a fault, such arrangements of temperature sensors are therefore possibly unsuitable.
There is a need for a temperature monitoring device which can be simple and cost-effective in design and allows temperature monitoring on the contact elements with a fast response behavior for rapid initiation of countermeasures, such as a fast switch-off of a charging current.
In a connector part known from DE 10 2015 106 251 A1, contact elements are arranged in openings in a circuit board. One or more sensor devices are provided on the circuit board and serve to detect heating at one or more contact elements.

Plug connector part having a temperature-monitoring device


Correction of time-of-flight (TOF) PET data for scattered radiation explicitly models the TOF of the annihilation photon pairs along their individual scattered paths, yielding a distinct, accurate estimated scatter contribution for each time offset bin of the measured TOF data. This is accomplished by extending the single scatter simulation algorithm to include a new detection efficiency function εTOF,n.

Nuclear medicine is a unique medical specialty wherein radiation is used to acquire images which show the function and anatomy of organs, bones or tissues of the body. Radiopharmaceuticals are introduced into the body, either by injection or ingestion, and are attracted to specific organs, bones or tissues of interest. Such radiopharmaceuticals produce gamma photon emissions which emanate from the body and are captured by a scintillation crystal, with which the photons interact to produce flashes of light or "events." Events are detected by an array of photodetectors, such as photomultiplier tubes, and their spatial locations or positions are calculated and stored. In this way, an image of the organ or tissue under study is created from detection of the distribution of the radioisotopes in the body.
One particular nuclear medicine imaging technique is known as Positron Emission Tomography, or PET. PET is used to produce images for diagnosing the biochemistry or physiology of a specific organ, tumor or other metabolically active site. Measurement of the tissue concentration of a positron emitting radionuclide is based on coincidence detection of the two gamma photons arising from positron annihilation. When a positron is annihilated by an electron, two 511 keV gamma photons are simultaneously produced and travel in approximately opposite directions. Gamma photons produced by an annihilation event can be detected by a pair of oppositely disposed radiation detectors capable of producing a signal in response to the interaction of the gamma photons with a scintillation crystal. Annihilation events are typically identified by a time coincidence between the detection of the two 511 keV gamma photons in the two oppositely disposed detectors, i.e., the gamma photon emissions are detected virtually simultaneously by each detector. When two oppositely disposed gamma photons each strike an oppositely disposed detector to produce a time coincidence event, they also identify a line of response, or LOR, along which the annihilation event has occurred. An example of a PET method and apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,858,847, which patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
After being sorted into parallel projections, the LORs defined by the coincidence events are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional distribution of the positron-emitting radionuclide within the patient. In two-dimensional PET, each 2D transverse section or "slice" of the radionuclide distribution is reconstructed independently of adjacent sections. In fully three-dimensional PET, the data are sorted into sets of LORs, where each set is parallel to a particular detector angle, and therefore represents a two dimensional parallel projection p(s, φ) of the three dimensional radionuclide distribution within the patient, where s corresponds to the distance of the imaging plane perpendicular to the scanner axis and φ corresponds to the angle of the detector plane with respect to the x axis in (x, y) coordinate space (in other words, φ corresponds to a particular LOR direction). Coincidence events are integrated or collected for each LOR and stored as a sinogram. In this format, a single fixed point in f (x,y) traces a sinusoid in the sinogram. In each sinogram, there is one row containing the LORs for a particular azimuthal angle φ; each such row corresponds to a one-dimensional parallel projection of the tracer distribution at a different coordinate along the scanner axis. This is shown conceptually in FIG. 1.
An event is registered if both crystals detect an annihilation photon within a coincidence time window τ (e.g., on the order of 4-5 ns), depending on the timing properties of the scintillator and the field of view. A pair of detectors is sensitive only to coincidence events occurring in the volume between the two detectors, thereby eliminating the need for physical collimation, and thus significantly increasing sensitivity. Accurate corrections can be made for the self-absorption of photons within the patient (i.e., attenuation correction) so that accurate measurements of tracer concentration can be made.
The number of time coincidences detected per second within a field of view (FOV) of a detector is the count rate of the detector. The count rate at each of two oppositely disposed detectors, A and B, can be referred to as singles counts, or singles, SA and SB. The time required for a gamma photon to travel from its point of origin to a point of detection is referred to as the time of flight, or TOF, of the gamma photon. TOF is dependent upon the speed of light c and the distance traveled. A time coincidence, or coincidence event, is identified if the time difference between the arrival of signals in a pair of oppositely disposed detectors is within the coincidence time window τ. In conventional PET, the coincidence detection time window τ is wide enough so that an annihilation event occurring anywhere within the object would produce annihilation gamma photons reaching their respective detectors within the coincidence window. Coincidence time windows of 4.5-12 nsec are common for conventional PET, and are largely determined by the time resolution capabilities of the detectors and electronics.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, if an annihilation event occurs at the midpoint of a LOR, the TOF of the gamma photon detected in detector A (TA) is equal to the TOF of the gamma photon detected in detector B (TB). If an annihilation event occurs at a distance Δx from the midpoint of the LOR, the difference between TA and TB is Δt=2Δx/c, where c is the speed of light. If d is the distance between the detectors, the TOF difference Δt could take any value from −d/c to +d/c, depending on the location of the annihilation event.
In contrast to conventional PET, time-of-flight positron emission tomography ("TOF-PET") is based on the measurement of the difference Δt between the detection times of the two gamma photons arising from the positron annihilation event. This measurement allows the annihilation event to be localized along the LOR with a resolution of about 75-180 mm FWHM, assuming a time resolution of 500-1200 ps (picoseconds). Though less accurate than the spatial resolution of the scanner, this approximate localization is effective in reducing noise contributions both from random coincidence events and from true coincidences that actually originated elsewhere in the object. This improves both the stability of the reconstruction and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the final image, especially when imaging large objects. TOF-PET may increase image SNR by a factor of 2 or more compared to conventional PET.
TOF scanners developed in the early 1980s were used for research and clinical applications, but the SNR gain provided by the TOF measurements of about 500 ps resolution was offset by poorer spatial resolution and lower sensitivity due to the low stopping power of the BaF2 and CsF scintillation crystals used in such scanners. Consequently, those TOF systems could not compete successfully with conventional (non-TOF) BGO scanners. As a result, TOF-PET almost completely disappeared from the scene in the 1990s. Today, faster electronics and crystals such as LSO and LaBr3 reopen the prospect of exploiting the TOF information without compromising other parameters such as the count rate, the sensitivity, and the energy and spatial resolutions.
Septumless or "3D" PET scanners (i.e., without interplane septa) currently constitute a large percentage of the total market for PET imaging. Because of the lack of interplane septa, scattered events (i.e., annihilation photons undergoing Compton scattering before reaching the detector) may represent a large portion of the measured data (e.g., up to 50% or more in clinical studies). An example of such scatter is shown in FIG. 3, which illustrates a septumless PET scanner utilizing a ring detector configuration, which is also applicable for use with the present invention.
An annihilation event occurring at emission point 21 produces two oppositely traveling gamma photons along LOR 22. One of the gamma photons, however, may undergo Compton scattering at scatter point 23, which changes its travel direction to path 24. Consequently, while the first gamma photon is detected by detector A in line with the originating LOR 22, the scattered gamma photon will be detected in detector B, instead of by detector C. Consequently, the coincidence event detected in detectors A and C will result in a false LOR 25 being identified, instead of the correct LOR 22.
Accordingly, much effort has been devoted in the prior art to scatter correction techniques for conventional (i.e., non TOF) PET. With the broad coincidence time windows associated with conventional PET, the probability of detection of a scattered event does not depend significantly on the point of origin of the annihilation event along the LOR (see multiple points along LOR 22 in FIG. 3), and thus the scatter correction algorithm for conventional PET does not take into account the differential TOF of the scattered photon pair. The following articles are exemplary of the prior art development of the "single scatter simulation" (SSS) algorithm that is widely used in conventional PET:
1) J. S. Barney, J. G. Rogers, R. Harrop and H. Hoverath, "Object Shape Dependent Scatter Simulations," IEEE Trans. Nuc. Sci., 38, 719-725, 1991.
2) J. M. Ollinger and G. C. Johns, "Model-Based Scatter Correction for Fully 3D PET," 1993 IEEE Med. Img. Conf. Rec., 2, 1264-1268, 1994.
3) L. G. Hiltz and B. T. A. McKee, "Scatter correction for three-dimensional PET based on an analytic model dependent on source and attenuating object," Phys. Med. Biol., 39, 2059-2071, 1994.
4) J. M. Ollinger, "Model-Based Scatter Correction for Fully 3D PET," Phys. Med. Biol., 41, 153-176, 1996.
5) C. C. Watson, D. Newport and M. E. Casey, "A Single Scatter Simulation Technique for Scatter Correction in 3D PET," in Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, P. Grangeat and J.-L. Amans (eds.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1996, pp. 255-268.
6) C. C. Watson, D. Newport, M. E. Casey, R. A. deKemp, R. S. Beanlands, and M. Schmand, "Evaluation of simulation-based scatter correction for 3-D PET cardiac imaging," IEEE Trans. Nuc. Sci., vol. 44, pp. 90-97, February 1997.
7) C. C. Watson, "New, faster, image-based scatter correction for 3D PET," IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., vol. 47, pp. 1587-94, 2000.
8) Werling A, Bublitz O, Doll J, Adam L E, Brix G, "Fast implementation of the single scatter simulation algorithm and its use in iterative image reconstruction of PET data," Phys Med Biol., 47, 2947-60, 2002
9) Watson C C, Casey M E, Michel C, Bendriem B. "Advances in scatter correction for 3D PET/CT." In: 2004 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record [book on CD-ROM]. Piscataway, N.J.: IEEE; 2004:M5-166.
10) Accorsi R, Adam L E, Werner M E, Karp J S, "Optimization of a fully 3D single scatter simulation algorithm for 3D PET," Phys Med Biol., 49, 2577-98, 2004.
However, it is to be expected that scatter correction techniques developed for conventional PET may not be adequate for TOF PET, particularly those model-based algorithms that simulate scatter contributions. This is because the scattered and unscattered radiation follow distinct paths through the object, and therefore, for a given time offset, the portion of the emission distribution that may contribute to a detector pair is distinct for the scattered and unscattered radiation. Thus the scatter contribution to a given LOR may vary with time offset differently than the variation in true (unscattered) coincidences. An accurate scatter correction algorithm must correctly account for the time offsets of detected scattered photon pairs.
The following articles are the only prior art that the inventor is currently aware of that discuss scatter correction for TOF-PET. They propose algorithms that are quite different from the method provided by the present invention:
B Bendriem, F Soussaline, R Campagnolo, B Verrey, P Wajngerg, and A Syrota, "A Technique for the Correction of Scattered Radiation in a PET System Using Time-of-Flight Information," J. Comput. Assist. Tomgr., 10, 287-295, 1986.
M Conti, B Bendriem, M Casey, M Chen, F Kehren, C Michel and V Panin, "Implementation of Time-Of-Flight on CPS HiRez PET scanner." In: 2004 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record [book on CD-ROM]. Piscataway, N.J.: IEEE; 2004:M3-1.
M Conti, B Bendriem, M Casey, M Chen, F Kehren, C Michel and V Panin, "First experimental results of time-of-flight reconstruction on an LSO PET scanner." Phys. Med Biol., vol. 50, pp. 4507-4526, 2005.

Scatter correction for time-of-flight positron emission tomography data


The present invention integrates resource allocation between time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) in wireless communication systems. A radio network controller (RNC) receives a radio access bearer (RAB) request from a core network or a wireless receive/transmit unit. The RNC utilizes a TDD-FDD selector to assign radio resources in response to the request. The TDD-FDD selector evaluates various parameters regarding the received RAB request and determines whether it is preferable to assign TDD resources or FDD resources and whether such resources are currently available. Once resources are assigned, system conditions are evaluated to determine whether optimizations may be made to a current resource allocation.

Wireless communication systems are well known in the art. In order to provide global connectivity for wireless systems, standards have been developed and are being implemented. One current standard in widespread use is known as Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM). This is considered a so-called Second Generation mobile radio system standard (2G) and was followed by its revision (2.5G). GPRS and EDGE are examples of 2.5G technologies that offer relatively high speed data service on top of (2G) GSM networks. Each one of these standards sought to improve upon the prior standard with additional features and enhancements. In January 1998, the European Telecommunications Standard Institute—Special Mobile Group (ETSI SMG) agreed on a radio access scheme for Third Generation Radio Systems called Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS). To further implement the UMTS standard, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was formed in December 1998. 3GPP continues to work on a common third generational mobile radio standard.
A typical UMTS system architecture in accordance with current 3GPP specifications is depicted in FIG. 1. The UMTS network architecture includes a Core Network (CN) interconnected with a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) via an interface known as Iu which is defined in detail in the current publicly available 3GPP specification documents. The UTRAN is configured to provide wireless communication services to users through wireless transmit receive units (WTRUs), known as User Equipments (UEs) in 3GPP, via a radio interface known as Uu. The UTRAN has one or more Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) and base stations, known as Node Bs in 3GPP, which collectively provide for the geographic coverage for wireless communications with UEs. One or more Node Bs are connected to each RNC via an interface known as Iub in 3GPP. The UTRAN may have several groups of Node Bs connected to different RNCs; two are shown in the example depicted in FIG. 1. Where more than one RNC is provided in a UTRAN, inter-RNC communication is performed via an Iur interface.
Communications external to the network components are performed by the Node Bs on a user level via the Uu interface and the CN on a network level via various CN connections to external systems.
In general, the primary function of base stations, such as Node Bs and access points, is to provide a wireless connection between the base stations' network and the WTRUs. Typically a base station emits common channel signals allowing non-connected WTRUs to become synchronized with the base station's timing. In 3GPP, a Node B performs the physical radio connection with the UEs. The Node B receives signals over the Iub interface from the RNC that control the signals transmitted by the Node B over the Uu interface.
A CN is responsible for routing information to its correct destination. For example, the CN may route voice traffic from a UE that is received by the UMTS via one of the Node Bs to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or packet data destined for the Internet. In 3GPP, the CN has six major components: 1) a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support node; 2) a gateway GPRS support node; 3) a border gateway; 4) a visitor location register; 5) a mobile services switching center; and 6) a gateway mobile services switching center. The serving GPRS support node provides access to packet switched domains, such as the Internet. The gateway GPRS support node is a gateway node for connections to other networks. All data traffic going to other operator's networks or the Internet goes through the gateway GPRS support node. The border gateway acts as a firewall to prevent attacks by intruders outside the network on subscribers within the network realm. The visitor location register is a current serving networks 'copy' of subscriber data needed to provide services. This information initially comes from a database which administers mobile subscribers. The mobile services switching center is in charge of 'circuit switched' connections from UMTS terminals to the network. The gateway mobile services switching center implements routing functions required based on the current location of subscribers. The gateway mobile services switching center also receives and administers connection requests from subscribers to external networks.
The RNCs generally control internal functions of the UTRAN. The RNCs also provide intermediary services for communications having a local component via a Uu interface connection with a Node B and an external service component via a connection between the CN and an external system, for example overseas calls made from a cell phone in a domestic UMTS.
Typically an RNC oversees multiple base stations, manages radio resources within the geographic area of wireless radio service coverage serviced by the Node Bs and controls the physical radio resources for the Uu interface. In 3GPP, the Iu interface of an RNC provides two connections to the CN: one to a packet switched domain and the other to a circuit switched domain. Other important functions of the RNCs include confidentiality and integrity protection.
In communication systems such as Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Time Division Duplex (TDD) and Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, multiple shared and dedicated channels of variable rate data are combined for transmission. Background specification data for such systems are publicly available and continue to be developed.
Almost all wireless communication systems use two different channels for UL and DL traffic. In TDD type systems, UL and DL channels exist in the same frequency band. Separation between the UL and DL channels occurs in the time domain. Therefore, for a particular frequency carrier, the particular link direction of that frequency carrier alternates between UL and DL depending on whether UL or DL traffic is currently being handled on that single frequency carrier. In contrast, in FDD type systems, two frequency bands are used for UL and DL connections. Most systems, including conventional cordless phones, North American cellular radios, microwave point-to-point radios and satellite systems implement FDD type technology.
With the development of wireless communication systems, the type of traffic carried over such systems has developed to not only include voice communications, but also various types of data transmissions. For example, multimedia data transmissions over wireless communication systems often result in asymmetric traffic load between UL and DL connections. Additionally, there is increasing overlap in coverage areas wherein both a TDD type system and a FDD type system are available to wireless users.
As is known to those skilled in the art, in TDD type systems, the number of UL channels and DL channels may be dynamically adjusted in accordance with traffic conditions at a particular time and place. Therefore, TDD type systems are better suited to handle asymmetrical (or otherwise unbalanced) traffic having high data rates. FDD systems, however, have an advantage over TDD type systems in that FDD systems are better suited for handling constant data rate services having low to moderate data rates such as voice traffic because of the predetermined allocation of UL and DL resources.
Radio resource management between TDD type systems and FDD type systems is individually performed in each system type according to their own allocation methods. This arrangement precludes potential optimizations that may be achieved by integrating resource allocation between time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) in wireless communication systems. There is a need therefore to integrate radio resource management between TDD and FDD in wireless communication systems.

Method and system for integrating resource allocation between time division duplex and frequency division duplex in wireless communication systems


A display device made of transparent flexibly resilient plastic having a pair of nestable members forming a weather resistant framed area for holding flat planar display material such as a photograph or memorabilia or advertising material or the like.

There are a number of prior art devices for holding photographs and the like in the form of ordinary picture frames and there are a number of prior art devices for placing signs, such as real estate signs or outdoor sale signs, upright using a stake or post inserted into the ground. These devices usually are made out of a combination of different materials. Some have members or attachments to protect the sign against weather elements and some are constructed so that the content of the sign can be changed from time to time.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A vehicular alternator includes a rotor, a stator and a brush device. The rotor includes a rotor coil wound around pole cores and a pair of collector rings electrically connected with the rotor coil. The stator is disposed around an outer periphery of the rotor across an air gap. The brush device contacts the pair of collector rings and feeds current to the rotor coil. The collector rings are made of dissimilar metal materials respectively. Thus, durability of the vehicular alternator can be improved while inhibiting increase in cost and decrease in output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular alternator mounted on a passenger car, a truck and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicular alternator receives motive energy from an engine and generates electricity. Thus, the alternator charges a battery and supplies the electric power to various electrical equipments such as an ignition device or lamps. In addition to reduction in size and weight or improvement in output, improvement in a lifetime of the product is also an important issue for maintaining and improving market competitiveness.
Generally, the vehicular alternator is often mounted in a lower space of an engine room because the vehicular alternator has relatively high mountability among accessories mounted to the engine. Moreover, size of the engine room is being reduced. Accordingly, removal of the vehicular alternator from the vehicle is becoming more and more laborious. Therefore, maintenance frequency of the vehicular alternator should be preferably reduced. Ideally, the vehicular alternator should be preferably made maintenance-free. To that end, lifetimes of brushes and collector rings need to be improved because the brushes and the collector rings are important factors determining the lifetime of the vehicular alternator. More specifically, abrasion resistance and environment resistance of the brushes and the collector rings need to be improved.
A technology disclosed in JP-A-S58-207841 (pages 4 and 5, FIGS. 1 to 6) (Patent Document 1) integrates an electrically conductive pipe member to a rotor shaft by a molding operation and the like and divides the integrated pipe member and the rotor shaft into a pair of collector rings. Thus, a general structure of the conventional collector rings can be obtained. The pair of collector rings providing a positive electrode and a negative electrode are made of the same material, since the single metal pipe is divided after the metal pipe is covered by a resin molding.
Copper is often used as the material of the collector ring. Stainless steel (SUS in the Japanese Industrial Standards) is also used as the material of the collector ring. In addition to electrical characteristics (voltage drop between the brush and a portion contacting the brush in a sliding manner) or mechanical characteristics (the abrasion resistance of the collector ring and the brush), economy (a material cost, a process cost) should be taken into account when the material of the collector ring is selected. Therefore, tendencies of correlations between the materials and the various characteristics are examined, for instance, in JP-A-H01-40592 (pages 3 and 4, FIGS. 1 to 5) (Patent Document 2). According to the examination in Patent Document 2, the copper has the better electrical characteristics than the stainless steel, and the cost of the copper is lower than the stainless steel. The stainless steel has the better mechanical characteristics than the copper. The copper or the stainless steel is selected and used in accordance with required characteristics.
Another structure of the collector ring is disclosed in JP-A-S52-144705 (pages 1 and 2, FIGS. 1 to 3) (Patent Document 3), JP-A-S52-144706 (pages 1 and 2, FIGS. 1 to 3) (Patent Document 4), and JP-A-S52-144707 (pages 1 and 2, FIGS. 1 to 3) (Patent Document 5). According to Patent Documents 3 to 5, an end of a rotor coil is extended and wound around a rotary shaft into a cylindrical shape. Thus, the end of the rotor coil is fixed to the rotary shaft. Then, a surface of the cylindrical shape is smoothed by a cutting work and the cylindrical shape is divided to form two metal rings. The metal rings are used as the collector rings.
Generally, the copper having the excellent electrical characteristics is used as the material of the collector ring having the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1. However, because of the mechanical characteristics of the copper, the surface of the collector ring tends to be abraded and tends to become rough due to heat generation accompanying the sliding contact between the collector ring and the brush made of metal graphite. Specifically, the abrasion and the roughness further tend to occur on the surface of the collector ring on a positive electrode side because of brush sparks. As a result, the abrasion of the collector rings and the brushes is promoted significantly, and durability is deteriorated.
As a measure to the above problems, the stainless steel can be used as the material of the collector rings, since the mechanical characteristics of the stainless steel are superior to those of the copper. However, the electrical characteristics of the stainless steel are inferior to those of the copper. More specifically, contact resistance between the brush and the collector ring is deteriorated and the voltage drop is increased if the collector ring is made of the stainless steel. Therefore, current fed to the rotor coil is reduced (current feeding is the main function of the collector ring), and the output of the vehicular alternator is deteriorated. Moreover, cost of the parts and product cost increase since the stainless steel is more expensive than the copper.
Since the collector ring having the structure disclosed in each one of Patent Documents 3 to 5 is formed by extending the end of the rotor coil, the collector ring is made of the same material as that of the rotor coil (generally, the copper). Therefore, negative effects caused in the case where the ring-shaped collector ring is made of the copper cannot be avoided. Moreover, softening refining of the copper wire material of the coil is performed in order to improve winding performance. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the abrasion of the collector ring is worsened. Therefore, it is not preferable to use the collector ring of Patent Documents 3 to 5 as the collector ring of the rotor of the vehicular alternator used under severe conditions.

Vehicular alternator with a pair of dissimiliar metal alloy collector rings


A base station receiver and a method for receiving a signal in a base station receiver the service area of which is divided into sectors, the signal including multipath propagated signal components. To provide a preferred base station structure, the signal components received in each sector are converted in the method to an intermediate frequency and to digital form, the digitalized signal components are supplied by use of a sector-specific multiplexed bus to a plural number of correlation and spectrum assembling elements, in which each signal component is demodulated and assembled to narrowband form, and the demodulated signal components are supplied by connecting elements to a plural number of receiver-specific combining elements, in which the signals obtained from the different sectors are combined and detected.

The present invention is especially well applicable for use in a cellular radio system that utilizes Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA. CDMA is a multiple access method based on spread spectrum technology, and it has recently been put to use in cellular radio systems, where FDMA and TDMA have been used before. An example for a known CDMA system is a broadband cellular radio standard EIA/TIA IS-95.
In a typical mobile phone environment, the signals between a base station and a mobile station usually propagate over multiple paths between a transmitter and a receiver. This multipath propagation is mainly caused by reflections of the signal from the surrounding surfaces. The multipath propagated signals arrive at the receiver at different times due to respective different propagation delays. In CDMA, multipath propagation can be used in the reception of signals in the same way as diversity. The autocorrelation characteristics of the spreading codes used in the transmissions make it possible to distinguish the different delay components from one another. For a CDMA receiver there is generally used a multibranch rake receiver in which each branch is synchronized with a signal component that has propagated over a different path. A digital reception unit comprises a plural number of rake branches, and each branch is an independent receiver element with the task of assembling and demodulating a received signal component. In a CDMA receiver, the signals of the different elements of a digital receiver unit are combined advantageously to obtain a high quality signal.
In CDMA systems, it is also possible to apply so called soft handoff, in which a mobile station may simultaneously communicate with a plurality of base stations utilizing macro diversity. The quality of the mobile station connection during the handoff is thus maintained high and the user does not notice a break in the connection. In the downlink direction (from base station to terminal equipment), two or more base stations send the same signal. Since the base stations use the same frequency, the terminal equipment may receive signalling from more than one transmitter at the same time. The signals from the different base stations are distinguished in the same way as the delay components from the different rake branches. In the uplink direction (from terminal equipment to base station), two or more base stations receive the same signal sent by the terminal equipment. The signals are combined in the first common point on the signal path. The soft handoff allows optimal power adjustment, which minimizes the interference level of the network and thereby maximizes the capacity of the network.
The performance of CDMA, which can be measured with spectrum efficiency, has been further improved by sectoring. A cell is divided into sectors of a desired size, and the sectors are served by directional antennas. The interference caused by the mobile stations to one another can then be significantly reduced in the base station receiver. The basis of this is that, on the average, interferences are evenly divided between different inlet directions, the number of which can be reduced by sectoring, as stated above. Sectoring can naturally be implemented in both directions of transmission. The capacity advantage brought about by sectoring is proportional to the number of sectors.
In a sectored cell, it is also possible to utilize a specific form of soft handoff called softer handoff, in which a mobile station performs handoff from one sector to another, communicating with both sectors at the same time. Soft handoff improves the quality of the connection.
Since the capacity of the CDMA is directly linked with the sensitivity of the receiver, the advantage achieved by any diversity method whatsoever will improve the overall capacity of the system. In addition to the above-described soft handoff, i.e. macro diversity, other diversity methods, such as place and time diversity, can naturally also be applied in connection with CDMA.
The present invention particularly concerns a structure of a base station receiver that optimizes the implementation of softer handoff. Prior art with respect to the structure of base station receivers is described in IEEE Personal Communications, Third quarter 1994, p. 28-34: `Reverse Link Performance of IS-95 Based Cellular Systems` by R. Padovani, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1 illustrates a diversity receiver according to the prior art, the receiver serving, by way of an example, three sectors. In each sector, antenna diversity, i.e. two reception antennas, is used. Antennas 122, 124 serve the first sector, and antennas 126, 128 and 130, 132 serve the second and third sector, respectively. The receiver comprises a plural number of radio frequency units 100-110. Each antenna is connected to its own radio frequency unit, which converts the signal to an intermediate frequency and to digital form. The digital samples are transferred by means of an RX bus 120 to digital receiver units 114-118. The receiver further comprises a control processor 112, which controls the operation of the other components. To each receiver unit are guided the signals of one user, the signals optionally being received with various antennas or even from different sectors, where softer handoff is concerned. Bus 120 must thus be multiplexed so that the samples from different radio frequency units can be guided to correct reception units.
FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of a digital reception unit 114 of a diversity receiver according to the prior art. Each unit comprises demultiplexing means 200 that receive the desired samples and transfer them to demodulation means 202-206, each of which follows and demodulates one desired signal component. In the demodulation means, the spectrum is assembled by correlating a received signal with a spreading code, whereby the sample rate of the signal will be dropped by a spreading ratio. The thus assembled signal will then be demodulated. In IS-95, for example, uplink demodulation means a Walsh-Hadamard transformer in which the orthogonal signalling used is decoded, i.e. the signal that correlates the most with the input signal is selected. The unit further comprises searcher means 208, which follow and search for preferred signal components. The outputs of the demodulation means are supplied to a combiner 210, which combines the different signal components in an advantageous manner. A combined signal is supplied further to decoding means 212. The unit further comprises a control processor 214, which controls the operation of the other components.
In the solution of the prior art, a central problem is how to implement bus 120. In a base station according to EIA/TIA IS-95, for example, the sampling frequency, at which samples are taken in means 100-110, may be four- or eight-fold as compared with the chip rate (1.2288 Mchips/s) of the spreading code, i.e. 4.9152*10.sup.6 or 9.8304*10.sup.6 samples/s. Depending on the situation, the signal dynamics requires, for example, a 4 to 8 bit sample resolution, from which it follows that the total bit rate per one radio frequency unit is, at worst, up to 78.6432 Mbps (8-fold sample rate with an 8 bit resolution) and, at best, 19.6608 Mbps (4-fold sample rate with 4 bit resolution). These figures must be multiplied by the number of radio frequency units 110--110 connected to bus 120. Consequently, implementation of bus 120 is very expensive and technically demanding.

Base station receiver and a method for receiving a signal


A semiconductor acceleration sensor is disclosed which has a small difference in acceleration detection sensitivity among X, Y, and Z axes and a high detection sensitivity. The acceleration sensor has a mass portion in its center, a support frame surrounding the mass portion, and a plurality of flexible arms connecting the mass portion and the support frame. The flexible arm has wider portions on both ends and a narrower portion between the wider portions. Piezo resistors are restrictedly provided within a top surface region of the wider portion of the flexible arm, and through holes connecting metal wires and the piezo resistors are disposed on the mass portion/support frame. The plurality of flexible arms are symmetric with respect to the center of the mass portion, and each of the flexible arms is symmetric with respect to the center line of the flexible arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor acceleration sensor which is used for a portable terminal equipment, a toy, an automobile, an aircraft and the like to detect an acceleration.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following will discuss the configuration of a conventional three-axis acceleration sensor using piezo resistors. FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing the acceleration sensor. In such an acceleration sensor, an acceleration sensor element 200 is fixed on a case 2 with adhesive and a lid 3 is fixed on the protection case 2 with adhesive. External terminals 7 of the acceleration sensor element 200 and terminals 5 of the protection case 2 are connected via metal wires 4. The output of the acceleration sensor element 200 is drawn from external terminals 6 of the protection case 2 to the outside. In this specification, the acceleration sensor element 200 will be referred to as an acceleration sensor.
FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the acceleration sensor 200. In FIG. 16, wires and external terminals on a support frame are omitted to facilitate the understanding of the configuration of the piezo resistors. The acceleration sensor 200 is constituted of a mass portion 13 made up of a thick portion of a silicon single crystal substrate, a support frame 11 surrounding the mass portion 13, two orthogonal pairs of beam-like flexible arms 21 and 21′ and 22 and 22′ which are made up of thin portions of the silicon single crystal substrate and connect the mass portion 13 and the support frame 11, and a plurality of piezo resistors 51, 51′, 52, 52′, 61, 61′, 62, 62′, 71, 71′, 72 and 72′ on axes corresponding to two directions (X and Y) of the top surface of the flexible arm and a direction (Z) perpendicular to the top surface of the flexible arm. Further, the flexible arms 21, 21′, 22 and 22′ are shaped like beams by through holes 150 on the thin portions, and thus the flexible arms are easily deformed and are suitable for higher sensitivity.
In the conventional acceleration sensor, the piezo resistors are provided such that the ends of the X-axis piezo resistors 51 and 51′ and the Z-axis piezo resistors 71 and 71′ are aligned with the boundary of the flexible arm 21 with the support frame 11 and the boundary of the flexible arm 11 with the mass portion 13, so that the maximum sensor output can be obtained.
It is generally known that when the piezo resistors are arranged as shown in FIG. 16, a relationship in the graph of FIG. 17 is formed between the sensitivities of the X axis and the Z axis (at an acceleration of 1 G, an output relative to a driving voltage of 1 V). When the thickness of the mass portion is changed, the sensitivity of the X-axis changes like a quadratic function. The sensitivity of the Z axis changes like a linear function. Thus, the X axis and the Z axis are different in sensitivity. To eliminate an output difference, the thickness of the mass portion and the sensitivity of the piezo resistors are changed or the arrangement of the piezo resistors is changed.
In order to eliminate an output difference between the X axis and the Z axis, it is advisable to set the thickness of the mass portion at about 800 μm which enables the X axis and the Z axis to have an equal sensitivity. However, the thickness of Si single crystal substrates used for semiconductors and the like is mainly set at 625 μm and 525 μm, and thus Si single crystal substrates of about 800 μm have to be specially ordered, resulting in irregular delivery times as well as high cost. Hence, it is not preferable to adjust output by using the thickness of the mass portion.
The piezo resistors are formed by implanting impurity elements such as boron into a silicon single crystal substrate. The sensitivity of the piezo resistor can be varied by changing the concentration of impurity elements. At least several impurity implanting steps are necessary to change the concentration of impurity elements, resulting in higher manufacturing cost and lower equipment capacity. Thus, this method is not preferable.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-279592 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-294781 propose the following technique: in order to eliminate an output difference among the X, Y, and Z axes, the output of the Z axis is reduced to those of the X and Y axes by changing the arrangement of piezo resistors. When the sensitivity of the Z axis is reduced to those of the X and Y axes having low outputs, the sensitivity of the Z axis is sacrificed. Moreover, the conventional acceleration sensor is configured such that the output of the Z axis is larger than that of the X axis, resulting in a large output difference between the axes. In the case of a large output difference between the axes, an amplifier with a different output amplification factor has to be prepared for each of the axes.